Gleam Karma Cultivator Isekai

Chapter 55: First

Chapter 55: First

Surprised mumbles ran through the crowd, and even Analise was taken aback. After a few moments, she cleared her throat and her voice crackled back to life over the arena.

Ninety-three wins due to withdrawal. Ninety-three, please remain on the stage. Ladies and gentlemen, I am simultaneously pleased and disappointed to announce that we are coming up on the final match of the tournament. This will be quite an interesting one. The two final competitors are already familiar with each other. In fact, theyre from the very same Shikari training house. Ninety-two, please make your way down to the stage.

Chance spun as a golden path materialized, leading down from the rest room that hed been using and stopping just across from him. Yeo hopped out of the window, sliding down it and landing lightly on the ground before Chance with a huge grin.

Yes! This is it, Yeo exclaimed, grabbing and pumping Chances hand in a furious, excited handshake. Man, the adrenaline is killing me. You and me at the finals. Can you even imagine a better debut than that?

I thought your last fight was your debut, Chance said with a wry smile. It fell away, turning to a small frown. Are you okay? I mean, that fight with Jake

They gave me a healing pill. And this whole tournament is my debut.

Thats not what I meant.

I know, Yeo replied, flashing him a grin. But thats the only answer youre getting, especially when weve got a giant screen projecting our words everywhere. All these good people need to hear is that Chance is my rival, and this fight will be the first of our many vicious duels!

Seriously? Were teammates.

Every good team has a pair of frenemies. Besides, the crowd loves it. Am I right? Yeo turned, extending his hands. Somehow, he got a fair number of cheers and hollers. He beamed, spinning back to Chance. This really is perfect, Chance. Im so glad we managed to make it to the finals.

Im not entirely sure how that happened, to be honest. I am too, though. This will be really interesting.

As interesting as your last one? I doubt it, Yeo said with a chuckle. He pulled his kusarigama from his side and spun it. That was something else to watch, but its time we find out how that new style of yours holds up against my secret technique.

Youve already used it. Its no longer secret.

Hush. Yeo held a finger up to his lips and winked conspiratorially. The crowd chuckled and Chance shook his head in disbelief. Yeo really did have a talent for getting the people on his side. Maybe he really was going to get himself famous.

It looks like our competitors are ready, Analise called. One last time, lets give them a cheer! Now, get to some blood, boys. Begin!

Yeo or not, Chance wasnt going to hold back. If he had, his friend never would have forgiven him. He sunk into the flow of battle, enveloping the golden mist with a smile on his face. Yeo opened the fight with a whistling blow aimed at Chances chest.

Chance rolled to the side and came up, whipping his hand sharply to send the urumi biting for Yeos side. Yeo vaulted backward, then spun and sent the sickle nipping at the other boys heels.

A second kusarigama joined the first as Yeo intensified his assault, but Chance ducked and wove between every piece of spinning metal, his urumi steadily growing closer to striking Yeo.

First blood went to Chance as he sprung forward after stumbling out of the way of a spinning sickle, catching Yeo across the chest with his urumi. Chains whistled around Chance as Yeo tried to entangle him, but he dove into a roll, throwing himself between the links and coming out unharmed. A laugh slipped from his mouth as the joy of the fight started to intensify.

Yeo called out the names of various moves, swapping his movements up whenever Chance grew too close. It was clear hed been holding back when theyd sparred before the tournament, but it wasnt enough, and Chances advantage started to grow.

More attacks caught Yeo, though none were serious. If anything, that just made the kusarigama wielder more excited. The ring of metal filled the arena as they moved around in a dance that Wren would have been proud of, their weapons tearing up the ground around them.

Chances urumi slipped through Yeos guard and pierced him in the stomach, biting deep before it was yanked back to the resting position. Yeo staggered, but his lips were already moving. Blood Demon Art: Stitching.

His wounds all pulled themselves together and Yeo bared his teeth in a grin. Its a battle of endurance now, Chance.

Chance was having too much fun to respond, but from the glint in Yeos eye, he could tell that the other boy understood. They leaped at each other once more. Instead of trying to avoid the cutting blows of the urumi, Yeo took them head on, electing to trade strike for strike.

His kusarigama scored across Chances chest for the first time that fight, leaving a deep furrow behind. The sting of the wound barely affected Chance, but it bolstered Yeos confidence significantly.

He increased the speed of his attacks, swapping between one and two weapons to try and get a surprise attack in on the other boy. Yeo shattered one of his kusarigama, sending the metal fragments flying for Chance.

None of them hit. The golden mist churned in a sphere around Chance, and while the metal easily passed into its domain, it was unable to reach him. If he had been standing in rain, then Chance likely would have been dry.

Every single attack just flowed past him. Chance had stopped increasing in speed, but the unpredictability of his strikes put him at a huge advantage, even with Yeos healing abilities. A fist caught Yeo in the chin, and the urumi scored across him before he could regain his balance.

Chance pressed his advantage, another laugh bursting forth as he spun and weaved. He was a conductor, and his urumi the orchestra. At the same time, Yeos feet started to land on loose pebbles and cracked stone more and more.

He lost his footing several times, often taking a serious blow in the process. Even with his attempts to trade strikes with Chance, he was still losing ground. He managed to land a few more blows on him, but without aura to resist Chances golden mist, Yeo was hard pressed to accomplish anything.

His movements started to slow as his stamina receded. Chances movements suffered similarly as the minutes dragged on, but Yeo was running out faster than he was because of the healing technique.

Yeo slipped on a large rock and went down in a tumble of blades. Chance pounced on him, bringing the urumi down to end the fight. Only after his lunge did he see the smug grin cross the other boys face.

Metal surged around them, wires appearing all around them, pieces of jagged metal rushing down along them toward Chance. There were so many that it was impossible to dodge completely.

There was only one path left, and Chance took it. Metal tore into his body, constricting his neck and biting deep into his skin. At the same time, his urumi slammed into the ground just beside Yeos neck, penetrating several inches through the stone.

They stared at each other for a second, making no noise beyond the pant of their breathing and the drip of blood onto the ground. Then Yeo laughed, letting his head fall back against the stone.

That would have been a fatal blow when I released my stitching. I concede.

The metal strands dropped, falling around them. Chances urumi returned to its bracelet form and slipped around his wrist and he groaned, staggering as the pain of the wounds covering him finally caught up.

Cultivators appeared beside them, forcing healing a healing pill into Yeos mouth before he could let the stitching expire. No sooner than they had did he fall limp, letting out a groan as wounds bloomed and sealed all over his body as the pills started to work.

Chances wounds were mostly superficial, but the last attack had left a pretty large cut across his throat and there were several seeping cuts on his chest and arms. He took the healing pill from his cultivator gratefully, popping it into his mouth and letting the gold mist fade away.

What a brilliant end to the fight! Analise called. Two Shikari, going all out in their heartfelt fight to prove themselves. I think that might be one of the most exciting finals weve had in a while for this rank, at least! Make sure to come back tomorrow for the Knight tournament! If you thought this one was exciting, tomorrows will burn your shorts right off. Now, before I leave you all, a quick word from our sponsors.

Chance rolled his eyes and knelt beside Yeo.

That was a fantastic fight.

Damn straight, Yeo agreed. And, once I figure out how to use aura, you better get ready to lose. Dont you dare get taken out by someone else until I get a chance to get around to it. Public opinion of me will plummet if you do.

Im looking forward to it, Chance said, extending a hand and shaking his head in bemusement. Yeo grabbed it and he pulled the other boy to his feet.

Have you ever wanted to travel without worrying about more powerful cultivators tracking you? Analise asked. I know I have. And, with the Cloak of Nor-Vep, you can too. Itll protect you from any attempts to track you or your Essence, and it can even make a projection of yourself in another location to help throw your enemies off.

Chance was tempted to ask if anyone actually bought any of the stuff Analise advertised, but considering his voice was probably still amplified by the huge screen above them, he decided against it.

When do the awards show up? Yeo asked one of the cultivators beside them. He just won, you know.

I saw, the man said with a chuckle. Theyll arrive at your place of residence in a day. It can take longer for higher level tournaments, but this was still just a Squire ranked one, so weve got everything we need in hand. And, good fight to both of you. I cant remember the last time Ive seen such interesting fights between Squires, and it wasnt even just the finals. There were all sorts of impressive fighters this time around. I shudder to think whats coming if the universe is seeding us with such talent.

Probably lots of fame and money, Yeo said, puffing his chest out. Want an autograph?

The man burst into laughter. I love the persona, kid. I gotta ask, was the whole thing with the boy that claimed to be your brother set up as an act? I felt like I was watching a play. Really well done.

Yeo hesitated for a moment before pointing up at the screen and winking. Cant say. Ruins the mystique. If you want more, youll have to keep an eye out for me.

That elected another amused snort. Perhaps I will.

A golden pathway stretched down, offering exit from the arena and return to their waiting room where Bella was sitting. The crowd started to filter out of the stands above them, even while Analise continued to go on about some other sponsor. Yeo and Chance headed up the pathway to meet back up with Bella.