Chapter 437: Struggle
Translator: OneshotwonderEditor: Hitesh_
It was not the first time that Wang Tong had pondered over such questions, but after the exhilarating victory, it was hard for him to stay focused, neither did he feel the need to. However, the fight against Lee Moshan was a wake-up call. As soon as the battle started, Lee Moshan had been the aggressor and didn't allow Wang Tong even a moment of respite.
By then, Lee Moshan had gained a pretty good knowledge of Einherjar Wannabe's overall power. So, he decided to finish the match with his killing blows finally.
"Zzzen!"
Lee Moshan looked as if he was standing still despite a flurry of blade auras that shot out around him. The blade aura attacked Wang Tong from all angles, leaving no room for him to escape.
This attack was impossible to dodge. What was worse, Lee Moshan had not even used his weapon yet. He was confident that only using his hand-blade's blade aura would be enough to finish the match.
Wang Tong knew that he could not evade the attack. His instincts kicked in as he hurled a fist at the incoming blade aura without any hesitation.
"KOM!"
As Wang Tong's fist inched closer to the blade aura, he doubled down on his attack as he reckoned that GN force alone would not be able to break the Einherjar's deadly spell. He tapped into the primordial power around him and channeled the energy into his fist. In a blink, Wang Tong's fist was coated with an iridescent glow.
"Kom! Kom! Kom!"
The dark space was lit up by a shower of shimmering blade aura. Explosions erupted whenever the blade aura collided with Wang Tong's fist. Wang Tong jabbed out both fists with accuracy, eliminating the thousands of blade auras one or two at a time. His arms moved so fast that the audiences could not even trace his movements.
Soon, the battleground was entirely covered by a white glow. No one, except for a few experts knew what was happening inside the white light.
With an expert's eye, one would quickly see who had the total control of the battlefield. Lee Moshan's attacks were everything but serious. However, such careless attacks had exhausted Einherjar Wannabe and forced him to tap into the primordial natural force. Even with the help of the natural force, Einherjar Wannabe's defense was still inadequate, so much so that he had to use his body to shield vital points from time to time.
Wang Tong didn't have much time to plan his defense nor a counterattack as he was too occupied with dealing with the next blow.
"Bang!"
A blade aura finally reached Wang Tong and threw him off balance. Like a master of painting, Lee Moshan had used only a few brush strokes and painted a symphony of deadly colors.
When the white light eventually faded away, even an ordinary citizen could tell who had the upper hand. Einherjar Wannabe's usual smirk on his face was gone. Instead, the lines on his face were so hard it looked like it was carved into a stone. On the other hand, Lee Moshan had stood where he had always been, looking imposing as ever.
The Ivantians heaved a deep sigh of relief. The outcome of the fight was clear as daylight now. Although Einherjar Wannabe had reached the power of Einherjar, he was still too weak against a veteran.
There was no miracle today, and Einherjar Wannabe was not a god. Over the course of human history, the gods visited the mortal world only once every few thousands of years. Even the Blade Warrior's godhood was still fiercely debated, since many considered him merely mortal.
It was clear by then that however smart Einherjar Wannabe was, his power had been blown out of proportion by propaganda, and he was no match for a real Einherjar.
His name should have been a giveaway: the power of a Wannabe and the real deal ought to be entirely different.
So far, Lee Moshan had used only sixty percent of his power, while Einherjar Wannabe had spent over ninety. Yet, he still struggled to level the field in this fight.
Despite the relief, the Ivantians also felt a hint of disappointment, as many of them had wished to behold the power of the legendary Thunder Blade, the blade that could decimate an entire lair of Zergs in a blink.
The difference between the two combatant's power was unbridgeable. Einherjar Wannabe could have kept his fame and glory if he stayed away from the real deals.
The earthlings watched the development and became increasingly gloomy. There didn't appear to be even a sliver of hope for Einherjar Wannabe to claim the victory. His battered METAL suite was a tell-tale sign of his inferior power compared to his opponent in his shiny armor.
The audiences conceded that he should have stayed in the PA system and kept the sense of mystery about him as a disguise over his real power that failed to live up to his fame.
Most Ivantians and Martians had their money on the real-world Einherjar like rational people would. However, Einherjar Wannabe's fans—blinded by their fantasies—had convinced themselves that their hero would swoop down and claim victory with ease.
"Kom, Kom, KOM!"
After having received the first blow, Wang Tong was dealt a few more in different parts of his body. The match would have already ended if Wang Tong didn't have the METAL to protect him.
Wang Tong had taken these hits on purpose as he had realized that it was impossible to break the encirclement without making any sacrifices.
Wang Tong swallowed down the pain and dug in for a counterattack. He noticed an opening right above him, a result of him taking the few hits, so he seized the opportunity and launched himself up. But, before he was completely out of harm's way, he caught a glimpse of a flash below him. Without looking down, he covered his chest with both arms out of protective instinct. He was blown away by a violent gush of energy shooting upwards at him, and the energy penetrated his defense and shot through his body.
Just as Wang Tong thudded back to the ground, so did his attempt to counterattack.
Einherjar Wannabe's fans were stunned by the development as the inferiority of their idol laid bare in front of their eyes. The role of Einherjar Wannabe in the battle had reversed, since it was Einherjar Wannabe who had to hold back his power during his previous fights. But right then, he couldn't even fight back.
Ma Xiaoru's heart wept, as she regretted not persuading Wang Tong to give up such a senseless fight. She should have known that Wang Tong was no match for a real Einherjar. It was true that warriors should fight for their name and honor, but there was no point of walking into a battle knowing he wouldn't win.
Acting was the only right option for many things in the world, since it was difficult to draw a line between right and wrong. What would be the point of living if one was so worried about consequences and never chose to act? Wang Tong was never afraid of actions, and that was why Ma Xiaoru found him so addictive. Only if she could have helped him more...
The thought brought an epiphany to Ma Xiaoru. If she could have pushed her boundary a little more while they practiced the Karmamudra in the bed, Wang Tong might have been able to harness just enough energy from her body to escape the danger facing him right now. A sense of guilt rose inside Ma Xiaoru as she realized that her stubbornness and shyness had hindered Wang Tong's ability.
Nevertheless, what was done was done, and it was time to face the problem at hand.
The blow had paralyzed Einherjar Wannabe. He stood still, and couldn't even live a finger.
After decades of cultivation, Lee Moshan had learned to blend his power so perfectly with the natural force that he could change the attribute of the natural force at will. During the last attack, not only had he neutralized the energy in Einherjar Wannabe's defense, but had also turned them into the lightning element to increase the intensity of his attack.
"You are too weak for me. Promise me that I will never see you again, and I will let you go." Lee Moshan announced, his voice was laced with disappointment.
This was the perfect moment for Wang Tong to call it for the day. Should he choose to continue, his life would be at stake.