Chapter 43 - 43: Chained Together [2]

Kyle wiped the virtual sweat from his brow as the last remnants of his opponent dissolved into glowing pixels. The ruined city stretched out around them eerily silent now that most of the weaker teams had been eliminated. Only the strongest remained. Eleanora stood beside him her breathing is steady despite the relentless battles they had fought. The chain between them hummed faintly with restrained energy, the five-meter tether both their greatest strength and their most dangerous limitation. Then Nexus's voice boomed across the battlefield, echoing through the skeletal remains of the city: "One hour remains. All participants must converge at the central plaza. The battlefield will now shrink." Kyle exhaled sharply. "Of course. They are forcing the final fights." Eleanora nodded, her blood red eyes scanning the path ahead. "Let's move." They broke into a synchronized sprint, the chain pulled taut between them but controlled—no longer a hindrance, but a tool they had learned to wield. The ruined streets blurred past their boots kicking up dust from the cracked pavement. Crumbled buildings loomed on either side, their hollow windows like watching eyes. Then— The ground shuddered. Kyle's instincts screamed a warning a split second before jagged spikes of stone erupted from the earth, forming a massive wall that blocked their path completely. He skidded to a halt, his boots scraping against rubble as he barely avoided impaling himself on the razor-sharp protrusions. "Looks like we have got company" he muttered, his grip tightening on his tachi. From behind the earthen barrier, two figures emerged. The first was a mountain of muscle—Orion Ironveil, Rank 10, his massive warhammer resting casually on one shoulder like it weighed nothing. His combat uniform strained against his frame, the fabric barely containing the raw power beneath. A scar ran across his cheek, likely from the earlier battle they had fought, and his sharp brown eyes gleamed with the confidence of a man who had never known defeat." Beside him stood his team member—a stark contrast in every way. A wiry, petite boy with twin curved swords, his stance light and poised like a dancer's. The air around him shimmered faintly with distortion, the telltale sign of 'wind affinity'. Orion cracked his neck, the sound like snapping twigs. "Damn". He rumbled, his voice deeper than seemed possible for an eighteen-year-old. "Was hoping we would run into top 10" The swordsman grinned, spinning his blades in a flashy flourish. "Heard you have been tearing through teams. Let's see if you can handle real competition." Kyle's fingers flexed around his tachi's hilt. These weren't like the others they had faced—these were top-tier opponents. Eleanora's shadow coiled at her feet like a living thing, ready to strike. Orion struck first. With a roar, he slammed his hammer into the ground. The earth ripped open jagged stone spikes shooting toward Kyle and Eleanora in a deadly wave. Kyle yanked on the chain, pulling Eleanora sideways as he leaped back. The spikes grazed his sleeve, tearing fabric but missing flesh. The swordsman didn't give them time to recover. He blurred forward, wind amplifying his speed. His twin blades slashed in a crisscross pattern—aimed straight for Kyle's throat. Kyle barely raised his tachi in time. Steel shrieked as their weapons locked. "Fast" the swordsman taunted. "But not fast enough." A gust of wind slammed into Kyle's chest, knocking him back. The chain went taut as Eleanora anchored herself, keeping him from flying into a crumbling wall. Orion wasn't idle. He charged, hammer raised high. Eleanora's shadows lashed out, but the swordsman intercepted them with a whirlwind slash, dispersing the darkness. Kyle gritted his teeth. 'They are coordinated.' "Switch!" Eleanora snapped. Kyle didn't hesitate. S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He ducked, and Eleanora used the chain to swing over him, her boot connecting with Orion's jaw in a brutal kick. The giant staggered but didn't fall. The swordsman lunged again—this time at Eleanora. Kyle pivoted, lightning crackling down his blade. "Shockwave!" A pulse of electricity erupted from his tachi, forcing the swordsman back. But Orion recovered faster than expected. "Quake Drive!" He smashed his hammer down again. The ground exploded, sending chunks of debris flying. Kyle and Eleanora were forced apart, the chain pulling painfully tight between them. The swordsman seized the opening. Wind gathered around his blades as he spun, a miniature tornado forming around him. "Gale Slash!" The attack came too fast. Kyle barely dodged the first blade, but the second sliced across his ribs. A sharp, virtual pain flared—no real damage, but Nexus would register it as a significant hit. Eleanora's eyes darkened. Her shadow erupted from the ground, spearing toward the swordsman. He flipped back, but the darkness followed, relentless. Orion wasn't idle. He charged Kyle again, hammer swinging in a devastating arc. Kyle ducked, but the chain limited his movement— 'Think. Use it.' Instead of resisting, Kyle jumped, letting the chain's tension catapult him over Orion's head. He landed behind the giant and slashed— Orion twisted at the last second, the blade only grazing his shoulder. "Nice try" he growled, swinging his hammer backward. Kyle barely rolled away in time. Eleanora was still locked with the swordsman, their movements a blur of steel and shadows. She was faster, but his wind-enhanced agility kept him just out of reach. Kyle needed to end this. "Eleanora! Now!" She understood instantly. Her shadow wrapped around the chain linking them—and yanked. Kyle was pulled toward her at terrifying speed—straight through Orion's guard. The giant's eyes widened as Kyle's lightning charged tachi plunged into his chest. A brilliant flash. Orion went limp, crashing down. The swordsman froze. "...Shit." He didn't get another word out. Eleanora's shadow slammed into him from behind, and Kyle's tachi took him in the front. Silence. The swordsman and Orion both opponent dissolved into glowing pixels. Kyle exhaled, wiping virtual sweat from his brow. "That... was annoying." Eleanora smirked. "But effective." Nexus's voice echoed again: "All remaining teams must converge to the central plaza for the final battle." Kyle grinned. "Let's finish this." The chain between them hummed with energy as they moved forward. ***