Chapter 45 - 45: Chained Together [4]

The ruined plaza was eerily silent as the last four teams faced each other, the chain between Kyle and Eleanora pulled taut, their breathing steady despite the exhaustion creeping in. Across from them, Cassian cracked his knuckles, flames flickering around his gauntlets, while Samuel adjusted his grip on his massive greatsword. Then, footsteps echoed. Serena Blackthorn stepped into the plaza, her glaive resting on her shoulder, the blade crackling with faint arcs of lightning. Beside her, Clara Reeves, Rank 12 twirled her halberd, fire dancing along its edge. And finally, Cedric entered, his longsword gleaming under the crimson sky. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His partner, a brown-haired girl clutching a katana—stayed close, her knuckles white around the hilt. For a moment, no one moved. Then Nexus's voice boomed: "Only Ten minutes remains." Cassian grinned. "Well, this just got interesting." Serena's cold gaze swept over them before landing on Cedric. Her lips curled in disgust. "You disappoint me, Cedric Valtieri" she said, her voice like ice. "Choosing dead weight as your partner? I expected better from the Valtieri duchy so-called prodigy." The brown-haired girl flinched, but Cedric stepped forward, shielding her. "She is my teammate. That's all that matters." Serena scoffed. "Then I will kill her first." Without warning, Serena lunged, her glaive cutting through the air with a crackle of electricity. She moved straight for Cedric's partner, but Cedric intercepted, his longsword meeting the glaive in a shower of sparks. "Stay behind me!" he barked at the girl, who nodded shakily. Clara didn't waste time. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she sent a whip of fire lashing toward Cedric's legs. He barely sidestepped, but the flames licked at his uniform, forcing him to roll away. "Not bad" Clara smirked, twirling her halberd. "But let's see how long you can keep protecting her." At the same time, Cassian and Samuel charged Kyle and Eleanora. "Let's see what you have got, Valemont!" Cassian roared, flames erupting from his fists. Kyle barely had time to react before a fireball hurtled toward him. He yanked the chain, pulling Eleanora aside as the explosion rocked the ground where they had stood. Eleanora didn't hesitate. Darkness surged from beneath her, forming jagged spikes that shot toward Samuel. The giant swordsman barely dodged, his greatsword cleaving through the darkness. "Annoying" he muttered before swinging at Kyle. Kyle ducked, lightning flaring around his tachi as he countered. Steel clashed, sparks flying. Meanwhile, Serena pressed her attack on Cedric, her glaive moving in deadly arcs. Each strike was precise, forcing Cedric back step by step. "You are wasting your time protecting her," Serena sneered. "She is just slowing you down." Cedric gritted his teeth but didn't reply, focusing on deflecting her strikes. His partner tried to help, her katana flashing, but Serena batted it aside effortlessly. "You are pathetic," Serena spat before slamming the butt of her glaive into the girl's stomach, sending her crashing to the ground. Cedric's eyes burned. "Enough!" He surged forward, his sword glowing with golden light—his signature technique. "Radiant Slash!" A crescent of light magic shot toward Serena, forcing her to leap back. But she wasn't fazed. Lightning crackled around her glaive as she retaliated. A whip of electricity lashed out, forcing Cedric to block, but the sheer force sent him skidding back. Clara didn't wait for an invitation. With a sharp inhale, she summoned a flame lance and hurled it straight at Cedric's chest. Cedric barely twisted in time, the flame lance grazed his side before exploding into the ground behind him. "Tch. Missed" Clara muttered, already summoning another burst of fire in her palm. Serena didn't look impressed. "Stop playing around." Clara rolled her eyes but obeyed. Back with Kyle and Eleanora, the fight was getting brutal. Cassian was relentless, his fists wreathed in flames as he launched punch after punch, each one carrying explosive force. Kyle dodged and weaved, but the chain limited his movement. "You're tough, I will give you that" Cassian grinned, flames coiling around his arms. "But let's see how you handle this!" He slammed his fists together. "Inferno Burst!" A ring of fire erupted around Kyle, trapping him. The heat was unbearable even in the virtual world. But Eleanora wasn't idle. Darkness twisted, forming a massive claw that swiped at Samuel, forcing him back. Then she turned to Kyle. "Jump!" Kyle didn't question it. He leaped as Eleanora yanked the chain, pulling him clear of the flames just as they exploded. Cassian cursed. "Damn teamwork!" Samuel, however, wasn't done. With a roar, he swung his greatsword in a devastating arc, aiming to cleave Eleanora in half. She barely dodged, but the sheer force sent her stumbling. Kyle saw the opening. "Lightning Spear!" A bolt of electricity shot from his palm, striking Samuel square in the chest. The giant grunted, his muscles locking up from the shock. Eleanora didn't waste the chance. The darkness coiled around his legs, then yanked, sending him crashing to the ground. Before he could recover, Kyle was on him, his tachi flashing. One clean strike. Samuel's body flickered—but he didn't vanish. As both the teammates must be defeated for elimination. Cassian snarled. "Fine. Then will take you both down myself." Meanwhile, Cedric stood firm, his longsword gleaming under the artificial crimson sky. Despite facing two opponents, his breathing remained steady. The difference in their ranks was obvious – a Grade 3 Silver against two Grade 1 Bronzes. Serena twirled her glaive, lightning crackling along its edge. Beside her, Clara spun her halberd, flames licking at the blade. "You really think you can protect her against both of us?" Serena sneered. Cedric didn't answer. His grip on his sword tightened slightly. Clara moved first. With a sharp cry, she swung her halberd in a wide arc, sending a wave of fire roaring toward Cedric. Cedric didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his free hand, and a barrier of golden light flared to life, dispersing the flames harmlessly. Serena didn't wait. The moment the fire cleared, she lunged, her glaive humming with electricity. Cedric parried, steel clashing against steel. The impact sent sparks flying, but he didn't budge. "You are strong," Serena admitted, though her tone was mocking. "But even you can't block forever." Cedric's eyes narrowed. With a sudden burst of speed, Cedric twisted his blade, forcing Serena back. Then, in the same motion, he pivoted toward Clara. His sword ignited—not with fire, but with pure, radiant light. "Solar Flash!" A blinding burst erupted from his blade. Clara barely had time to raise her halberd before the light hit her full force. She screamed as the energy burned through her defenses, sending her skidding across the cracked pavement. Serena's eyes widened slightly. "Tch. Not bad." But Cedric wasn't done. He dashed forward, closing the distance before Clara could recover. "Flame Cleave!" His sword, now wreathed in fire, came down in a brutal slash. Clara barely managed to block, but the sheer force shattered her stance. Her arms trembled, her knees buckling under the pressure. One more strike. Cedric's boot slammed into her chest, sending her crashing to the ground. Clara gasped, her body knocked out. Serena's expression darkened. While Cedric was focused on Clara, Serena struck. Her glaive lashed out like a viper, lightning arcing toward Cedric's back. Cedric sensed it at the last second. He twisted, but not fast enough, the electricity grazed his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his nerves. Gritting his teeth, he turned to face Serena fully. But she wasn't looking at him. Her gaze was locked onto his teammate, the brown-haired girl still struggling to stand. A cruel smirk curled Serena's lips. "Pathetic" she muttered. Then, before Cedric could react, she raised her glaive. "Thunder Execution." A bolt of lightning shot toward the girl. Cedric moved in a blur, shoving his partner aside, but the attack still grazed her arm. She screamed, collapsing to her knees, her body convulsing from the shock. Clara, still on the ground, laughed weakly. "Guess we are even now." Cedric's hands clenched into fists. Serena tilted her head her glaive resting lazily on her shoulder. ***