Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Next (4)

“Y-You want to go next?”

Deneb looked at Shaolin with a shocked expression.

Shaolin quietly nodded her head with a blank look.

“Hmm.”

Deneb contemplated.

Shaolin was an 8-Star Awakener like the apostle who’d just fought, but she had an achievement that made her incomparable to the likes of Ivan.

“But still, I don’t think it’ll be right to send out someone who’s defeated a 9-Star Awakener…”

The problem was that she had a record of defeating a high-ranking Awakener with a stigma of the 12 Zodiacs in a one versus one.

Her opponent wasn’t a beginner 9-Star Awakener, either. They were a true high-rank who had been at the realm of 9-Star for quite a long time, but she had defeated them despite that.

The incident back then was one of the main cases that made the world realize the power held by North Star Awakeners.

“Isn’t this our last chance?”

“That’s true, but…”

Deneb put on a perplexed expression.

If he suddenly sent out Shaolin, his 5th-ranking apostle, he wouldn’t be able to avoid getting mocked by other celestials.

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to just send me out?”

The woman who was sitting down next to Shaolin with no manners stood up.

If the impression Shaolin gave off was that of a lone flower in the middle of a snowy field, hers was like an eye-catching wildflower in a grassy field.

“…Elder sister, you can’t.”

Shaolin looked at the woman who looked to be on the verge of taking off and sighed deeply.

—Shaolan.

The woman was Shaolin’s older sister and was ranked 4th out of Deneb’s twelve apostles.

Although there was only a difference of one rank, there was a decisive difference between them.

“You’re a 9-Star Awakener.”

“But haven’t you also defeated a 9-Star before?”

“That was only possible because my opponent wasn’t an Awakener of a North Star.”

—A high-ranking North Star Awakener…

The weight that title held couldn’t be compared with any other constellation.

“Well, regardless of which one of us goes, the results will probably be the same.”

“Still…”

Even if they were willing to endure getting mocked by other celestials, sending out Shaolan was crossing the line.

“Hmpf! I want to go fight, too!”

Shaolan kicked the air in shame.

Shaolin looked at her immature elder sister and touched her forehead as if she had a headache.

“Why do you want to fight him so badly?”

“I just want to punch that arrogant bastard’s face.”

Shaolan glared at Ohjin, who had blatantly made statements that looked down on Deneb’s apostles.

Shaolin lightly held her shoulder and walked ahead of her.

“Listen to what others say and stay here. I’ll punch his face for you.”

“Ugh.”

“In any case, am I permitted to go out, Sir Deneb?”

Deneb looked at Shaolin in contemplation, but soon exhaled a deep breath and nodded his head.

“Alright.”

As it was his last chance, it was wise to choose someone who would ensure his victory.

Shaolin nodded her head and gently stepped on the railing.

She elegantly drifted down to the arena like a descending swan.

* * *

Translator – Maccas

Proofreader – ilafy

* * *

[His next opponent is… huh? Th-The White Rose?]

Spica kept blinking with shock while looking at Shaolin, who had gone down from the stands.

“Hmm.”

“Isn’t sending out Shaolin a bit too harsh…?”

“It appears that Sir Deneb really doesn’t want to lose.”

“Ugh, if it was going to be like this, they shouldn’t have done a proxy match in the first place.”

The celestials also did not receive it well.

Even if Ohjin’s skill was outside his predictions and overwhelmed his apostles, sending out his 5th-ranking apostle was uncalled for.

It was the equivalent of suddenly sending out a national athlete in a youth sports competition.

[Um. An unforeseen, powerful opponent has appeared! Sir Deneb’s next Awakener is the White Rose, Shaolin! As everyone already knows, she is famous for defeating a 9-Star Awakener!]

With no applause, the celestials looked down with uninterested expressions.

Their eyes seemed to wonder if there was even a need to carry out the match any further.

Shaolin ignored their gazes and approached Ohjin.

“I have had a good look at your skill. I’m looking forward to our match.”

She respectfully bowed her head and raised her hand to the sword held by her belt.

Ohjin activated the stigma of the Hunting Dogs and observed her aura.

‘Looks like he really isn’t holding back.’

Her aura was so thick and deep that it made him question if she truly was at the same Star rank as Ivan.

A chill ran down his spine.

His heart that was calm until then started to thump.

‘It’s been a while since I felt this way.’

Anxiety sucked the moisture out of his lips.

His head heated up and he felt like he was getting high.

The exhilarating sensation Ohjin could only feel when he met a true ‘strong person’ made his body tremble.

“Good. This is what I’m talking about.”

Ohjin smiled brightly and fixed his grip on his spear.

The nerve-wracking feeling he couldn’t feel at all when he faced Líu Yǐ-háo and Ivan…

He was someone who’d tasted dozens of deaths against Riak in order to feel that suffocating nervousness.

There was simply no way he wouldn’t enjoy the moment.

“This is something I also felt during your fight with Ivan, but it seems that you’re unable to feel fear.”

“What are you saying to a completely normal person?”

Unable to feel fear?

“Even right now, my heart feels like it’s about to explode.”

“…Then how are you able to smile that brightly?”

Unable to understand, Shaolin looked at Ohjin with a confused expression.

“Because fear can be endured.”

“Eh?”

“Something that can be solved by enduring… is nothing to me.”

Boooom!!—

He sprinted at her.

Bzzzzt!—

A path of blazing lightning trailed in his wake.

Ohjin stepped on the empty air during his sprint towards Shaolin.

“Hmpf!”

He twisted his body in the air and struck down with his spear.

It wasn’t a two-dimensional attack but a three-dimensional attack that utilized Lightning Step.

The spear shot forward to the middle of Shaolin’s head like it’d been swung by a general on top of a horse.

“Still, I don’t think ‘normal person’ is the correct term for you.”

Shaolin casually looked up at the spear strike aimed at her head and drew the sword on her belt.

Shwing!—

A terrifying, freezing aura stormed around the area the moment she drew her sword.

Clang!—

There wasn’t a loud noise or a ground-shaking impact.

The spear aimeding for her head was deflected with a clear, bell-like sound.

“Kugh!”

Cold energy ran up the spear’s shaft in an instant.

Despite only having clashed blades once, his entire spear turned white like it was covered in frost.

“Even if you are able to utilize the space in a three-dimensional way…”

Shaolin slowly swung her drawn sword.

Her sword strike moved slowly like the stigma of Clepsydra was in effect.

Following the sword strike that was as elegant as a flapping swan, cold energy scattered in the air.

“It doesn’t mean much, as the attack’s destination won’t change.”

As she said, even if he could freely step on the air or fly, the final destination of his attacks would be her body.

Ultimately, it meant that it wouldn’t be hard to block his attacks as long as she figured out where Ohjin’s spear was aiming at the last moment.

In addition to that…

“Your attacks will only get more simple as your body freezes.”

Fwooosh!—

Cold wind stormed as if they were on the top of a snowy mountain and the countless amount of cold energy in the air spread like poison.

“Huff, huff.”

The steam of his breath clouded out of his mouth, and the frost that covered his spear covered his entire body before he knew it.

His movements were distinctively slower.

Just taking one step forward made it feel like countless needles were stabbing his whole body.

[Ahh! Awakener Gwon Ohjin’s body has become completely enveloped in ice! As per everyone’s expectations, will he be unable to display his past might?!] Spica shouted out in a voice that was more excited than before in order to heat up the cold mood.

It seemed that her efforts weren’t in vain, as the celestials that’d previously shaken their heads with distaste started to pay a little attention to the match.

“Fuu.”

Ohjin exhaled white steam and placed his hand on the left side of his chest.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh!—

Blue flames blazed on top of his palm.

The Lightning Flames that’d only covered his spear until then enveloped his whole body and melted away the frost.

“Indeed, you aren’t going to go down that easily.”

Shaolin nodded her head with cold eyes and grasped her sword.

She didn’t think that she would win with a single attack in the first place. If he was an opponent that could be defeated that easily, Líu Yǐ-háo and Ivan wouldn’t have lost so helplessly.

“Even so, the result will not change.”

Shaolin lightly drifted forward with the sword in her hand.

The shaman outfit that she wore fluttered around her body while she slid across the ground.

She swung her sword at Ohjin.

Clang! Klang!—

He raised his spear to block the sword strikes, but cold energy ran down his spear every time.

‘I won’t be able to last long like this.’

The senses in his hands were gradually numbing every time they clashed.

‘In that case…’

Ohjin’s eyes shined sharply.

In the midst of enduring the storming cold and sword strikes…

‘Now!’

Ohjin pulled back his spear.

A sword strike aimed for the opening that appeared like it was waiting for it all along.

He extended his left arm to block the strike.

The gauntlet on his left arm absorbed the mana contained within the sword.

Ohjin’s gauntlet turned red in an instant and he swung it at Shaolin.

Boooom!—

The heated-red gauntlet discharged the mana it had absorbed at Shaolin.

“Hmm.”

Shaolin furrowed her delicate eyebrows and moved back to avoid the explosion.

Ohjin quickly chased after her as she slid back and thrusted his spear forward.

‘Blue Lightning.’

Bzzzzzt!—

Lightning spread out in a wide, cone-like shape and shot after Shaolin.

“It’s no use,” she said coldly while drawing a line on the floor with her sword.

Crunch!—

Following the line, an enormous wall of ice was created and soared up high.

The blue lightning that poured down like hail bounced off of the ice wall.

The ice wall exploded and sent sharp fragments at Ohjin.

“Damn it!”

Ohjin took steps back with his face covered in shock.

Not willing to miss that opportunity, Shaolin quickly dashed at Ohjin.

Her sword thrusted forward through the gaps between countless fragments of ice.

Pshk!—

“Ugh!”

Shaolin’s sword pierced through Ohjin’s stomach.

It narrowly avoided his vital spots, but the flesh near the injury quickly started to necrotize due to the cold energy flowing through the blade.

His lips were dyed blue. and his legs quivered uncontrollably.

When Ohjin’s eyes turned cloudy like a person lost and slowly freezing to death in a spacious, snowy field…

[Danger! Awakener Gwon Ohjin is in danger! At this rate, he won’t even be able to move his body soon!] Spica roared out with an excited voice.

The celestials that were looking at the fight also exclaimed and shook their heads.

Phrases such as ‘Indeed, was the outcome determined from the start?’ and ‘Still, he’s already proven his skill more than enough’ could be heard throughout the crowd.

“So this is the end,” Shaolin said coldly as she increased the amount of mana in her sword that was piercing Ohjin’s stomach.

[M-My child!]

“It’s the end?”

Ohjin’s pale-blue lips twisted up as he roughly grasped her sword.

The moment Shaolin tried to pull out her sword with her eyes widened in shock, Ohjin pulled the sword deeper into his body and grabbed her arm.

“Who decided that?”

Bzzzzzzt!!—

Blue lightning ran up her arm that he was holding and flowed into her.

“Kyah!!”

A cute squeak leaked out of Shaolin’s mouth.

____