Chapter 121: Legend of Marco Alfoy
Chapter 121: Legend of Marco Alfoy
The spectators packing the subterranean cavern erupted into a frenzy of screams. Wealthy merchants threw their betting slips into the air, completely mesmerized by the brutal display of martial prowess.
They pounded their fists against the iron railings and demanded more violence.
High above the roaring crowd, Vargas gripped the edge of the secluded viewing balcony. He stared down at the dirt pit while his face flushed with absolute fury.
"What kind of academy student fights like a feral beast?" Vargas demanded, pointing a trembling finger at the silver-haired boy. "He isn’t even casting a single spell or utilizing a proper sword technique! He just crushed an elite assassin with blunt force!"
Drustan leaned forward against the wooden railing, his metallic fingernails scraping against the polished surface. He analyzed the boy’s flawless transitions and completely unorthodox movements.
"The kid possesses an unbelievable foundation," Drustan observed, entirely ignoring the syndicate boss’s panic. "He seamlessly blends different weapon styles together. He just executed a lumberjack’s chopping motion with a two-handed broadsword. He understands body mechanics better than our prized fighters."
Down in the pit, the remaining two Vipers regrouped. They abandoned their synchronized flanking strategy and decided to overwhelm the boy with pure speed. They dashed forward together, crossing their glowing sabers to unleash a continuous flurry of rapid thrusts and diagonal slashes.
Solomon navigated the deadly web of blue energy with a bright smile. He deflected the thrusts with the edge of his greatsword, using Basic Spearmanship deflections to push the incoming blades entirely off their intended trajectories.
The lead Viper overcommitted to a high slash, exposing his midsection for a fraction of a second.
Solomon capitalized on the error instantly. He let go of his greatsword with his left hand, leaving the massive weapon anchored in his right grip. He stepped inside the assassin’s guard and utilized Basic Boxing to drive a devastating left hook directly under the man’s jaw.
The helmet cracked loudly upon impact. The assassin’s eyes rolled back into his skull, and his body folded sideways into the dirt.
The final Viper realized his disadvantage and immediately took three massive steps backward. The assassin channeled every ounce of his remaining internal energy into his curved saber.
The blue aura expanded violently, forming a massive, glowing energy construct extending ten feet beyond the physical metal.
The fighter swung the gigantic magical blade down toward the center of the arena in a desperate bid to bisect the intruder.
Solomon quickly assessed the incoming attack. He knew his physical strength alone could not safely parry an enormous aura construct without severe damage to his internal organs.
He drove the tip of Eden’s Penance deep into the dirt floor and let go of the hilt entirely.
[Skeptic: wait why did he drop his weapon?!]
[BloodKnight: He is adapting to the threat.]
[GoonLord: DODGE IT SOLO MAN!]
Solomon dashed to the right, chaining Basic Evasion with his acrobatic training. The massive blue energy blade crashed into the spot where he had just stood, completely missing his body while violently carving a deep trench through the arena dirt.
Before the final Viper could raise his glowing saber for a second strike, Solomon closed the distance. He tackled the assassin around the waist, utilizing Basic Grappling to lift the armored man entirely off his feet.
Solomon forcefully slammed the fighter backward onto the compacted earth.
He quickly mounted the struggling assassin and delivered a rapid, merciless sequence of bare-knuckle punches directly to the man’s crimson faceplate.
The metal buckled and splintered under the sheer physical force of his fists until the final Viper went completely limp beneath him.
Solomon stood up and dusted the dirt from his spider-silk trousers.
He walked back to the center of the pit, grabbed the hilt of his executioner’s sword, and pulled it free from the ground. He rested the sword casually against his shoulder and looked up at the cheering spectators.
"My name is Marco Alfoy!" Solomon announced, projecting his voice across the arena. "Remember it well!"
Thousands of silver coins rained down from the upper balconies, pinging loudly against the dirt and the iron gates. The syndicate crowd roared his fake name, completely intoxicated by the unprecedented massacre of the elite local champions.
Chants of ’Marco’ echoed off the stone walls while merchants and thugs alike praised their new underground king.
The translucent blue interface hovering near the owl absolutely exploded. His viewers completely understood the context behind the stolen identity, remembering the second-year student he had beaten unconscious during an official arena duel back at the academy.
[LazyCat: MARCO ALFOY LMAOOOOOO!!]
[GamerGuy: BRO IS STEALING IDENTITIES NOW!]
[User12: Marco is literally sleeping in the dorms right now and catching strays.]
[GoonLord: IDENTITY THEFT IS A CRIME BUT THIS IS HILARIOUS!]
[NewbHunter: imagine the sect instructors finding out ’Marco’ destroyed an underground ring tonight.]
There was no real reason why Solomon did that. He just felt like doing it. The instructors would surely find out about this in the morning. If not, the professors back at the academy, including the grandmaster, would learn about it and try to discipline him in one way or another.
Perhaps, the grandmaster would even be watching all this live and scratching his head.
Suddenly, a bright series of majestic chimes echoed directly inside his head.
[System: BloodKnight has fulfilled their challenge! Gifted 5 Diamond Crowns (25,000 Points).]
Message: "You displayed absolute mastery over your basic foundations today. A brilliant physical exhibition."
[System: LazyCat has gifted 2 Platinum Shields (2,000 Points)!]
Message: "I cannot believe you just beat three aura users without using any aura yourself!"
[System: User12 has gifted 5 Copper Daggers (500 Points)!]
Solomon dismissed the floating donation notifications with a quick swipe of his hand. He looked toward the secluded viewing balcony overlooking the arena. He easily spotted the two well-dressed syndicate leaders glaring down at him from the shadows.
"I believe I have earned a substantial payout tonight," Solomon called out, aiming his voice toward the upper booths. "Send down the next batch of challengers, or bring me my winnings."