Chapter 109: Initial advanced rank

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Initial advanced rank

Thanks for the golden ticket, Redghost_fireflame.

....

The referee’s hand dropped.

"Begin!"

Kola moved first.

A crack of lightning erupted beneath his feet.

He vanished.

Tolu’s eyes widened.

The spear came from his left.

CLANG!

Tolu barely got his hammer into position.

The impact drove him sideways.

Before his feet had fully settled, Kola twisted his body and thrust again.

Tolu stepped backward.

The spearhead passed dangerously close to his chest.

Another burst of lightning exploded from Kola’s body.

He accelerated.

Tolu swung his hammer.

Kola ducked beneath it.

The spear swept toward Tolu’s ribs.

Tolu turned his body.

The spear grazed his clothing.

He felt the heat of the lightning running along its shaft.

"So fast."

Tolu planted his foot.

Earth energy surged through his body.

He swung.

Kola retreated.

The hammer smashed into the ground.

BOOM!

Stone fragments erupted from the battlefield.

Kola moved through them.

His spear struck.

Tolu blocked.

The force traveled through his arms.

His feet slid backward.

The crowd erupted.

"He’s pushing Tolu back!"

"That spear!"

"Kola’s lightning reinforcement is incredible!"

Tolu gritted his teeth.

Kola wasn’t simply fast.

He was experienced.

Every movement had a purpose.

He didn’t attack randomly.

He used his speed to force Tolu into defensive positions, then attacked the moment Tolu committed his hammer to a block.

Another thrust came.

Tolu knocked it aside.

Kola spun.

The butt of the spear slammed into Tolu’s ribs.

THUD!

Tolu staggered.

Kola immediately followed with a lightning-covered kick.

Tolu raised his arm.

The kick struck.

Electricity exploded across his body.

Tolu was thrown several meters.

He landed heavily.

The crowd roared.

Kola didn’t give him time.

He charged.

Tolu rolled.

The spear pierced the ground where his head had been.

Tolu kicked the shaft.

Kola lost his balance for half a second.

Tolu grabbed the opportunity.

He swung the hammer.

Kola barely raised his spear.

BOOM!

The impact sent him skidding backward.

For the first time, Kola’s expression became serious.

Tolu stood.

Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

He wiped it away.

Kola looked at him.

"You can take a hit."

Tolu smiled.

"So can you."

Kola lowered his spear.

Lightning gathered around him.

"Then let’s see who can take more."

He attacked again.

This time, Tolu didn’t try to match his speed.

He watched.

Waited.

Blocked.

The spear came toward his shoulder.

He moved.

The spear came toward his stomach.

He turned.

A horizontal strike followed.

He ducked.

Kola’s movements became faster.

Tolu’s breathing grew heavier.

The spear finally slipped through.

It struck Tolu’s side.

A flash of lightning exploded against his body.

Tolu stumbled.

Kola thrust again.

Tolu caught the spear shaft with his free hand.

Kola’s eyes widened.

Tolu pulled.

Kola resisted.

For a moment, the two were locked together.

Then Tolu drove his forehead into Kola’s face.

Kola staggered.

Tolu released the spear and swung his hammer.

Kola barely escaped.

The hammer struck the ground.

The battlefield cracked.

Kola landed several meters away.

Both men were breathing heavily now.

Neither looked willing to surrender.

The spectators were completely absorbed.

This was no longer a simple exchange.

It was becoming a battle of endurance.

Kola suddenly rushed forward again.

Tolu raised his hammer.

The spear struck.

Tolu blocked.

Another thrust.

Blocked.

Another.

Tolu’s arms shook.

Kola suddenly changed direction.

The spear curved around the hammer.

Tolu realized the attack too late.

The weapon struck his shoulder.

Lightning surged through him.

He dropped to one knee.

Kola raised his spear for the finishing strike.

Tolu’s eyes hardened.

Earth energy exploded beneath him.

A stone pillar erupted from the ground.

Kola jumped back.

Tolu used the opening.

He rushed forward.

His hammer slammed into Kola’s chest.

BOOM!

Kola flew backward.

He landed near the boundary.

The crowd screamed.

Kola forced himself upright.

Blood stained his lips.

He looked at Tolu.

Then he laughed.

"You really are troublesome."

Tolu tightened his grip.

"So I’ve been told."

Kola raised his spear one final time.

Lightning covered his entire body.

He charged.

Tolu did the same.

The two collided in the center of the arena.

Spear.

Hammer.

Lightning.

Earth.

Their weapons struck again and again.

The final exchange lasted only seconds.

But to the spectators, it seemed much longer.

Kola thrust.

Tolu knocked the spear aside.

Kola stepped forward.

Tolu twisted.

The spear grazed his chest.

Tolu’s hammer came around.

Kola raised his weapon.

The hammer struck the spear.

The black shaft cracked.

Kola’s eyes widened.

Tolu stepped forward.

One final blow struck his chest.

Kola flew backward.

He crossed the boundary.

The formations activated.

The referee immediately raised his hand.

"Kola has left the battlefield!"

Silence lasted for half a heartbeat.

Then the arena exploded.

"Tolu wins!"

The roar was deafening.

Tolu stood in the center of the battlefield, breathing heavily.

His arms were sore.

His side hurt.

His shoulder still tingled from Kola’s lightning.

But he had won.

Kola slowly stood outside the boundary.

He looked at his broken spear.

Then at Tolu.

After a moment, he smiled and nodded.

Tolu returned the gesture.

The referee announced the next pairing.

Tolu left the battlefield.

He had barely returned to the preparation area when his name appeared again.

His next opponent had already been determined.

A girl.

A member of the Inaara Family.

The moment her name appeared, the atmosphere changed.

People began whispering.

"She’s fighting Tolu?"

"That’s unfortunate."

"For him or for her?"

"For him."

The girl stepped onto the battlefield.

She looked young.

Beautiful.

Calm.

Her long hair moved gently around her shoulders as she walked.

There was no arrogance in her expression.

No unnecessary confidence.

Just certainty.

Her cultivation aura was already different from everyone Tolu had faced before.

Advanced.

Initial Advanced.

But there was something else.

She had been in that realm for a long time.

Her energy was stable.

Refined.

Dense.

She wasn’t someone who had just broken through.

She had spent months, perhaps longer, becoming accustomed to the power of the Advanced realm.

Tolu stepped onto the battlefield.

The girl looked at him.

"You’ve put up a good fight."

"Yes."

"I watched your battle."

Tolu nodded.

"So did I."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Then you should know this won’t be like your previous match."

Tolu tightened his grip around his hammer.

"I know."

The referee raised his hand.

"Begin!"

The girl’s aura exploded.

Tolu’s expression changed.

She disappeared.

BOOM!

Tolu raised his hammer.

The impact nearly tore it from his hands.

He was driven backward.

Before he could recover, another attack came.

He blocked.

The force pushed him farther.

A third attack.

Tolu twisted.

The attack passed his shoulder.

He swung.

She avoided it effortlessly.

Then struck him in the stomach.

Tolu flew backward.

He rolled across the battlefield.

The crowd erupted.

"She’s overwhelming him!"

"That’s the difference between Adept and Advanced!"

"She’s been Advanced for a while too!"

Tolu pushed himself up.

His expression was serious.

The girl was fast.

Strong.

And her control was vastly better than Kola’s.

Kola had been dangerous because of speed.

She was dangerous because everything she did was stronger.

Tolu charged.

She met him head-on.

His hammer came down.

She blocked.

The battlefield shook.

Tolu’s arms trembled.

She pushed the hammer aside.

Then struck.

Tolu barely avoided the attack.

Another.

Another.

He was being driven backward.

His feet carved lines into the stone.

He couldn’t keep defending like this.

Tolu knew it.

If he continued holding back, he would lose.

His eyes hardened.

Earth energy surged through his body.

He planted both feet.

The ground beneath him began to tremble.

The girl noticed.

"What are you—"

Tolu slammed his hammer into the battlefield.

"Rising Monolith."

BOOM!

The earth exploded upward.

A massive stone pillar erupted beneath Tolu.

It rose rapidly, carrying him upward.

The girl jumped away.

The pillar continued growing.

Higher.

Higher.

Stone groaned as enormous quantities of earth were forced upward.

Tolu stood atop it.

His breathing immediately became heavier.

Sweat appeared on his forehead.

His muscles tightened.

The technique was consuming far more energy than a normal earth technique.

This wasn’t simply moving a stone.

He was forcing a huge mass of earth to rise from beneath the battlefield.

The girl looked upward.

Then her eyes widened.

The monolith continued rising.

The spectators stared.

"What is that?"

"He’s manipulating that much earth?"

"That’s impossible!"

The formation beneath the arena flickered as it struggled to accommodate the enormous structure.

Tolu’s breathing became rough.

His energy reserves were being drained rapidly.

He knew exactly how costly this technique was.

But it had achieved what he needed.

It gave him space.

And more importantly—

It gave him time.

Tolu closed his eyes for a moment.

Then released the restraint he had placed on his cultivation.

His aura exploded.

The battlefield shook.

A powerful earth-colored pressure spread outward.

The girl looked up sharply.

The spectators fell silent.

Then—

"Advanced!"

Someone shouted.

"He’s Advanced!"

"Initial Advanced!"

"No way!"

"The hammer user was hiding his cultivation!"

The VIP section erupted into whispers.

Representatives of the seven great forces leaned forward.

Even some of the previously indifferent elders were now watching carefully.

Tolu’s cultivation aura was unmistakable.

Initial Advanced.

He had been hiding it from everyone.

The girl stared at him from below.

For the first time, her calm expression disappeared.

Tolu opened his eyes.

He could feel the difference.

His body felt lighter.

His energy moved more freely.

The power that had been restrained for so long could finally circulate without limitation.

The girl launched herself upward.

Tolu jumped from the monolith.

Their attacks collided in midair.

BOOM!

The girl was pushed backward.

Her eyes widened.

Tolu landed.

She attacked again.

This time, Tolu met her directly.

Hammer against palm.

Earth against her elemental energy.

The collision sent a shockwave through the battlefield.

Tolu slid backward only a few steps.

The girl was forced back much farther.