Chapter 102: Four Against One

"Nobody mentioned, I could not change the outfield."

"Good thinking," Warden approved.

As the countdown began, Liam was already on the move, zigzagging through the trees. Warden did not move but kept his eyes on the guy. Although Liam was copper-ranked, Liam had a good chance of putting a scratch on him if Warden didn't use the Void shroud for the entirety of the match.

As soon as the match started, Liam shot arrows at Warden, who did not stand his ground to make it easier for the boy. Warden was on the move as well. His figure blurred through the trees as the first arrow missed him by feet. Liam was moving in the obscurity of the trees as well, as his location was very apparent with the arrow's trajectory.

He knew Liam's attunement of energy was like kinetic power, which could be used for empowerment, so he couldn't gamble on blocking the arrows with his spear. They were faster than what a regular copper ranker could master.

Thankfully, as much as the thick forest favoured Liam for hiding, it took away the chances of straight aiming as well. Warden himself could hide in the forest to make it difficult for Liam.

"I see why you chose this outfield," Warden said. Liam honestly had no chance of getting a scratch on Warden if it were the regular grass field, however, this forest gave him an edge, a slight chance to continue longer in the contest. Perhaps an opportunity would reveal itself in dew time and his arrow would find purchase.

Soon, the fight became a contest of patience, as both of them were ready to play the long game.

The impasse, however, didn't last for long as Liam ran out of arrows to shoot. And in close combat, he was no match for Warden.

"I admit defeat," he said when Warden finally found him up in a tree.

"So you wanted to win through the time limits, huh?" Warden laughed. "Unfortunately for you, a quarter of an hour is quite long."

Warden ran after Albert Stain first, as his lightning powers were quite destructive, although it lacked somewhat in direction and concentration compared to June's. He was about to catch up to Albert Stain when a huge ice spear hurtled towards him from behind.

Warden lurched away from the space, the ice spear missing him only by a couple of feet. He got his third opponent. Now, for the last one.

The ice mage continued to shoot ice projectiles, this time in smaller shapes. Warden was sure they would never be able to cause wounds with his defence and recovery, but he awoke [Void Shroud] to defend them all as he changed direction to run after her.

The swordsman appeared before the ice mage just as Warden was about to get to her, hurling her sword towards his shoulders. Warden blocked easily, his mind ringing in alarm, sensing a terrible charge of energy from above.

They decided to pit all against him simultaneously to break through his defences.

Warden heard lightning crackling and immediately covered his back with a thicker shroud to defend himself. Albert Stain was an iron ranker, and his power was nothing to scoff at if he could put all of it into it.

All the lightning hurled into the Shroud, making it quiver in the maddening power of lightning. But Warden's defence held as he twisted his spear skilfully to pierce into the side of the neck of the sword girl. She was also an iron ranker, and it wasn't enough to kill her.

Wounded, the sword girl gambled on in a last try, forcing out all her energy through her sword and piercing into the weakened void shroud. The sword bit through the force field quicker than Warden had assumed, but it wasn't quick enough to deal a blow to him.

Then the fourth student played his part as an arrow flew out of nowhere to strike the force field where it was the weakest.