SSS-Ranked Awakening: I Can Only Summon Mythical Beasts - Chapter 374: Elias Vs Varn
Chapter 374: Elias Vs Varn
The arena had transformed once again. Some people were certainly beginning to think the arena was a sentient being with the number of times it had changed.
The last light of the day sank behind the mountain ridges far in the distance, casting long shadows over the curved stone stands. Massive magic circles lit up around the perimeter of the Colosseum, humming with energy, forming a glowing lattice high above the main stage.
In the center, a floating obelisk rotated slowly — a pillar of black crystal, veined with gold. Magic runes etched themselves into its surface, forming symbols no spectator could read, but every student instantly understood.
A challenge was being drawn.
The final trial was here.
And it would be duels. Just as the lot of them had anticipated.
The students from all four schools stood in a wide formation before the crystal platform.
Sixteen in total. Four from ElderGlow, four from Thornevale, four from Crowgarth, and the final four from Wyrmere.
Each student had been healed, replenished, dressed in renewed uniforms, and told nothing until now.
Now, no one needed to be told anything.
The obelisk hovering above them made it clear.
As the final line of golden script inscribed itself into the crystal, the announcer’s voice echoed:
“Final Trial: Duel Ascension.”
“Sixteen participants. Elimination bracket. No outside aid. No mercy. No delays.”
“Fights will occur one at a time.”
“Victory by knockout, surrender, or referee intervention. Magical fatalities are prevented. But pain is guaranteed.”
A collective hush spread through the stands.
Even the instructors grew quiet.
There were no more tricks.
No more formations.
Now, it was individual skill.
Essence against essence.
Will against will.
Damon sat forward in his seat, elbows on knees.
He whispered toward Leana without looking. “They’ll rig it.”
Leana glanced at him. “Possibly.”
“Try to stack Elias’s path early. Break him before he builds momentum.”
“They might. But it won’t matter.”
Damon smirked. “I’m in love with the way you think.”
Grrrrnnnnng!!
A bell rang.
The obelisk paused mid-spin.
The upper part lit with a bright silver pulse.
Lines etched downward in a cascade — names forming one after the other.
And then, slowly… the first match was drawn.
Round One | Duel One
WYRMERE: Arel Drenne
vs.
THORNEVALE: Cedric Van
A burst of polite applause rang out.
The two stepped forward.
Arel — tall, sullen-eyed, wrapped in wind-aligned cloth armor.
Cedric — lean, silver-haired, a crescent blade across his back.
They walked into the platform with the air of men entering a contract, not a battle.
The obelisk flared. The stage shifted. And the crowd leaned forward for blood.
As the battle began, Reiz crossed his arms behind the other ElderGlow students. “Cedric’s going to win.”
“Fast?” Renna asked.
“No. Clinical.”
Cael snorted. “What’s the difference?”
Elias didn’t answer. He watched the match with distant interest, but his gaze wasn’t fixed on the fight.
It was on the crystal.
Waiting.
Fifteen minutes later, Cedric dropped Arel with a paralyzing essence trigger. Clean. And precise. No wasted energy.
He walked off the field untouched.
The crowd responded with cautious admiration.
Then the obelisk lit again.
Round One | Duel Two
CROWGARTH: Rynn Talvec
vs.
WYRMERE: Jara Num
Jara—lasted only three minutes before she was knocked out cold.
Rynn hit like a sledgehammer wrapped in molten force.
Too strong. Too angry.
And the crowd loved it.
Reiz exhaled slowly. “They’re trying to whip the arena into something bloodthirsty.”
Cael nodded. “Set the mood. Make the calm ones look boring.”
Elias remained still.
Duel three passed. Then four.
Each pairing ended with increasingly violent tactics.
Not fatal.
But intentional.
And then, on the fifth draw—
The obelisk pulsed.
And all noise vanished.
Round One | Duel Five
ELDERGLOW: Elias Verdan
vs.
CROWGARTH: Varn Ikros
A beat of silence.
Then whispers broke out like gas lines catching flame.
“They matched him with Varn?”
“That’s a death match.”
“Varn’s got six confirmed bone-breaks in last year’s tourneys. They say he’s very brutal”
“That’s not a draw. That’s a hit job.”
Damon rose to his feet instantly.
“No,” he muttered. “That’s too early. That’s intentional.”
Miss Leana simply watched, eyes hard.
Godsthorn?
He didn’t move.
Just sat.
Like this was inevitable. As though he’d seen this before it even played out.
Varn stepped forward onto the platform. A mountain of a teen. Muscles stacked like he ate stone for breakfast. His neck had a jagged tattoo carved with fire magic circles, each one pulsing like a heartbeat.
His essence aura hit the field like a wall. Fire-aspected. High pressure. Raw strength.
He cracked his knuckles and grinned at Elias like he already saw the win.
Elias didn’t blink.
He stepped forward slowly. Calmly.
When he reached the edge of the ring, he stopped.
“Begin,” the announcer called.
Inside the ring, Varn didn’t wait.
Vwooooshhh…
He lunged, full sprint, hands glowing red.
The ground beneath his feet cracked from the pressure.
He came in like a battering ram made of heat and rage.
Elias?
He just stepped once.
And vanished sideways.
Not teleportation.
Just precision.
The air where he’d stood exploded. Varn’s fire burst scorched the ring.
And Elias was already turning with his palm moving outward.
Not a blast.
Not a wave.
Just a controlled ripple of essence.
From the upper balcony where he sat, Damon squinted. “What was that?”
Leana leaned in.
“…Correction.”
“What?”
“He adjusted the air pressure in Varn’s strike zone. Tricked the flame into spreading wider than intended.”
“And the wrist torque?”
“Off by twenty degrees.”
Damon whistled. “I don’t think he’s not reacting. He’s predicting.”
Back in the ring, Varn roared.
He spun, trying to grab Elias mid-step.
Too slow.
Elias pivoted behind him, placed a finger to the back of his neck—
And triggered a magic circle he had planted without Varn’s knowledge.
Not explosive.
Freezing.
Varn’s spine arched. Mana backlash screamed through his limbs.
He fell to one knee, howling in confusion.
The crowd exploded.
Elias didn’t finish him.
He stepped back.
Waiting.
Inviting.
Varn rose. Blood at his lip.
“You little—!”
He lunged again.
And Elias…
Closed his eyes.
