Chapter 104: Zeke vs Edmund

Chapter 104: Zeke vs Edmund

Zeke found himself in the changing room for contestants. Even though his fight was about to begin, his thoughts were not on the upcoming battle. His thoughts were occupied by Leo. His friend had suffered severe injuries during his last fight. On top of that, Leos core was exhausted and had even started to crack. It was anyone's guess if he would be able to fight at full strength in the final.

A cracked core was nothing to be worried about. However, it did mean that Leo would probably not be able to cast for a while. He had overstrained his core during his previous fight. Zeke hoped that it was only a light case and that his friend would recover in time. He had long wanted to have a rematch against Leo. It would be a shame if that match didnt come to pass because of his friends injuries.

Zeke was brought back from his thoughts by three knocks on the door. The now familiar gesture was a warning that his fight was about to start. Zeke got up and put on his helmet. He brought his focus back to his own fight as he made his way to the entrance.

Edmund was by no means an easy opponent. Zeke would even put him above Felix in strength. The good thing was that unlike in Leos case, Edmund didnt have a counter for Zekes abilities. It was the other way around. Most elemental Mages didnt have an easy way to deal with the defensive strength of the [Stone Form].

Zeke couldnt be sure, but he suspected that his [Blood Whip] would be able to damage his opponent. So far, Zeke had not found a single spell that could match the damage potential of his signature blood spell. It was no wonder that the knights of Valor were so feared by the empire. If all Blood magic was this destructive then there was no wonder they would be infamous.

Zeke found that Blood Magic had two limiting factors that were holding him back for now. The first one was his range. Zeke could not extend his whip for more than a scant few meters before he would make the thread thicker for it to remain stable. This led right to the second weakness: Supply.

Despite being 1.76 meters in height and having a generally muscular frame, Zeke only had around 5 liters of blood in his body. His experiments had revealed that he passed out after losing about half that amount. That meant that he could freely use around 2 liters of blood in combat.

That was not a lot. A Water Mage would use more than that in every single spell. Zeke had worked on ways to combat those shortcomings. The technique for reabsorbing the blood used in his whip was one of them. The other way to overcome this weakness was to work around it. If Blood Magic was only really effective in close range then he only needed to find a way to stay in close range.

His [Mind Fog] and [Short Range Teleportaion] were made with that purpose in mind. His Mind Magic spell was able to slow an opponent down to the point that Zeke could keep up with opponents that were usually faster than him. His teleportation spell had a similar purpose, while also being a great tool for defense. Zeke could teleport out of the way of spells that would otherwise be guaranteed to land.

Zeke arrived at the gate and was waved through after only a minute of waiting. He entered the giant arena to the cheers of the crowd. He raised his staff in greeting as he made his way to the indicated starting position.

Edmund entered from the opposite side of the arena. The Earth Mage looked as confident as ever. Zeke couldnt see any signs of distress or nervousness on his opponents face. Not that he had expected Edmund to panic, but his composed appearance was still a clear indicator of his confidence. Zeke knew that he had to be careful. It was entirely possible that Edmund had also kept a trump card or two hidden.

The announcer looked at them both for a moment, making sure they were both ready before making the announcement.This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is our second to last fight. Ezekiel von Hohenheim against Edmund Steiner. Both of these contestants have already proven their strength. Were this any other year, such a matchup would be the final. However, this year youll get to see this level of skill already during the semi-final matches. Who is going to advance and fight Leo in the final round? LETS! FIND! OUT!

You almost had me, Edmund said. Before his words even registered in Zekes mind, the ground around Edmund started to rise rapidly. Zeke took stock of the situation. The dome had closed over his head moments ago. It was this domed ceiling that Edmund was now heading for. Not good! Zeke realized in an instant what his opponent was aiming for. As an Earth Mage, Edmund could probably travel through the ground in the same way Roland could.

Zeke on the other hand had no such capabilities. Edmund would collapse the ground behind him and bury Zeke alive the same way he had done with Tanya. His [Blood Whip] was next to useless against such a massive amount of stone. Even if he cut the earth into a million pieces and he would still be buried under it.

Edmund had just been playing for time down here. He had never expected to be able to win in close combat. No wonder his opponent had smiled. This was such a well-executed plan that even Zeke was impressed. It seemed that Edmund hid a profound talent for the strategy behind his reticent appearance. But if the Earth Mage was this smart and perceptive, then there was no chance that Edmund didnt see Rolands betrayal coming as well.

You sly bastard! Zeke called after Edmunds rising figure with a smile on his face. Just a moment later, Edmunds pillar reached the ceiling. Expectedly, the Earth Mage dove right through the stone. The ceiling was only around two meters thick and he emerged on the outside only a moment later. Edmund released his [Stone Form] with a gasp. The numerous wounds all over his body started to bleed at the same time. Still, he had no choice. He needed all the mana he could get in order to bury Zeke for good. He could not risk the Blood Mage to escape. This would signify his loss.

Edmund was broken out of his concentrated state by somebody tapping on his shoulder. Surprised, he looked over. Had the announcer already called the fight?

I think you can stop now, a smirking Zeke said. There is nobody down there anymore.

Edmund just looked back at him with blank eyes. He seemed to not understand this situation. A moment later, light returned to his eyes and the gears start to turn.

You can teleport? Edmund asked.

Zeke merely smiled.

Shit! Edmund stated eloquently.

Zeke wiggled his eyebrows.

How do you wanna do this? Zeke asked. I can give you a moment to return to your [Stone Form] if you want to.

Edmund looked Zeke up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. He seemed to still hold out hope that Zeke had been injured by the teleportation. After finding Zeke in peak condition, he frowned in disappointment before shaking his head.

No need, the Earth Mage said as he turned and walked away. I surrender. This is your win, Ezekiel. Next time, I will consider all the factors. Good luck in the final.