Chapter 120: The Black Vipers
Chapter 120: The Black Vipers
High above the fighting pit, several men observed the carnage from a secluded viewing balcony. A man named Vargas wearing silk robes slammed his fist onto a polished wooden table, spilling dark wine over his ledgers.
"We are losing thousands of silver coins by the minute," Vargas complained, glaring down at the silver-haired boy. "Every single wager placed against him is a guaranteed loss. Who is this kid?"
A scarred man named Drustan sat beside Vargas, tapping his metal fingernails against a leather armrest. "He wears an academy uniform, yet he fights like a seasoned mercenary. We need to stop the bleeding before we go bankrupt."
A visibly malnourished man named Ren raised his brows and said, "He has been fighting for hours, he must be exhausted by now."
Vargas gestured toward the shadows at the back of the booth. "Send the Black Vipers down there. Crush his winning streak."
Drustan nodded and raised a hand to signal his guards.
Down in the arena, Solomon rolled his shoulders and wiped a speck of dirt from his new spider-silk shirt. Uriel’s immortal heart constantly pumped rejuvenating energy through his veins, instantly knitting together any minor scrapes he sustained during the brawls.
He looked up at the hovering owl and smiled brightly.
"I appreciate all the gifts, guys," Solomon told the chat. "The conversion rate for stream points into local currency is actually pretty generous. I am making a fortune tonight."
[GoonLord: STOP FLEXING AND WATCH YOUR BACK!]
[1Fizzy: new challengers entering the ring.]
The iron gates at the far end of the pit shrieked open. The cheering crowd quickly quieted down. Three challengers marched into the dirt ring.
They wore matching crimson and black armor with intricate viper crests stamped onto their chest plates. They carried curved sabers that radiated an intense, chilling blue aura.
Solomon narrowed his eyes. He observed their synchronized footwork and the tight, disciplined grips on their hilts. These newcomers were vastly superior to the street brawlers he had faced so far. They possessed refined martial foundations and actively circulated their internal energy.
’Fighting three aura-wielding experts bare-handed will drain my stamina too fast,’ Solomon thought to himself, evaluating the hidden tax of his Indefatigable ability. ’I need to end this quickly.’
Solomon reached over his shoulder and grabbed the thick hilt of Eden’s Penance. The divine steel instantly sent an electrical shock through his arm.
He forced his newly awakened aura into his meridian pathways, suppressing the weapon’s rejection through physical exertion. He pulled the executioner’s sword free.
The giant blade scraped against the dirt, creating a trail of sparks. Vargas and Drustan leaned over the balcony railing, their eyes widening at the sword.
[LazyCat: HE DREW THE SWORD!!]
[User12: Boss music just started playing.]
[ThrillSeeker: Here comes the real fight!]
"You three look like you actually know how to hold a weapon," Solomon commented, stepping forward. He rested the flat of the giant blade against his collarbone. "Let us see if you can handle a real technique."
A translucent blue system screen immediately materialized directly in front of Solomon’s vision, completely overriding the view of the advancing challengers.
[System: BloodKnight has issued a live challenge! Defeat the Black Vipers using only pure physical martial arts. Reward: 5 Diamond Crowns (25,000 Points).]
Solomon read the glowing text and grinned widely. He had already planned to fight exactly like that. He actively wanted to expand his combat versatility against skilled opponents, and relying on his newly awakened internal energy or the catastrophic Imperial Sword Arts would simply end the match too fast. Earning a massive bounty for following his own training schedule served as the perfect bonus.
He tightened his grip on the hilt of Eden’s Penance. Because he voluntarily restricted his internal energy, the divine steel instantly rebelled against his unholy blood. Searing blue lightning erupted from the metal and scorched the skin across his palms.
The immortal angelic core beating inside his chest reacted immediately, pumping rejuvenating life force through his veins to instantly heal him.
The endless cycle of burning and healing sent sharp spikes of pain up his arms. Solomon simply ignored the agony, entirely focused on the three assassins fanning out across the dirt pit.
The lead Viper charged forward with blinding speed. The assassin swung his curved saber in a diagonal arc, trailing a brilliant ribbon of blue energy across the arena.
Solomon utilized Basic Footwork to pivot effortlessly on his right boot, slipping just outside the weapon’s reach. He brought the massive executioner’s sword up using both hands. Treating the holy relic like a giant defensive wall, he caught the subsequent horizontal backhand strike directly on the flat of the blade.
The resulting collision echoed like a thunderclap through the arena. Blue sparks showered over the dirt. The force pushed Solomon backward by a few inches, but his Indefatigable passive ability continuously converted his accumulated physical fatigue directly into explosive muscular output.
He instantly dug his boots into the ground to anchor his stance.
While the first Viper attempted to recover from the recoil, the other two assassins flanked Solomon from the left and right. They coordinated their attacks perfectly, bringing their glowing sabers down in synchronized vertical chops aimed at his shoulders.
Solomon completely abandoned his defensive guard. He dropped his center of gravity, channeled his Basic Acrobatics, and rolled forward through the narrow gap between the descending blades.
The sabers crashed into the dirt pit, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Before the two attackers could pull their weapons from the ground, Solomon sprang back to his feet. He gripped the hilt of his greatsword and snapped his hips into a violent rotation, incorporating Basic Axe Combat mechanics. He swung the dense steel in a sweeping arc.
The flat side of the enormous blade slammed directly into the ribcage of the left Viper. The impact shattered the crimson armor and launched the assassin completely across the arena.
The man crashed into the iron spectator barricades and slumped lifelessly onto the floorboards.
[LazyCat: HE JUST SENT THAT GUY FLYING INTO THE STANDS!]
[GamerGuy: The physics of that swing are insane!]
[NewbHunter: Solo Man is using a legendary sword like a baseball bat.]