-He’s gone... he’s actually gone!-
-That’s not a fight, that’s suicide by explosion!-
-The Masked Butcher chose to go out swinging! I respect that, but dear lord... what can anyone do against that defensive technique?! It’s not even an ultimate!-
-It’s powerful against the Masked Butcher because he is a nightcrawler... but I don’t know if it will have the same destructive prowess against other Rifters.-
-I guess we have to watch to find out! I can’t wait!-
The watchers and live viewers in the network kept debating nonstop about the prowess of Levi’s defensive technique. They witnessed with their own eyes how it erased the Masked Butcher while he was at his strongest.
They wondered if such a result was due to his fatal weakness against sunflame or if it was really as powerful as it looked.
This was the first time they saw anyone merge Void and Sunflame... questions were bound to be asked.
Though... they knew the only way to truly know its prowess was if Levi used a similar technique purely offensively against non-nightcrawlers.
"The Celestial has won without using an offensive card! He has a full five minutes to reset... let’s see what the others are doing."
Gamemaster Gamble commented while pulling the curtains on Levi’s combat room... hearing this, most of the watchers switched to other rooms, but many others decided to stay... even when they knew that Levi wasn’t going to be doing anything.
These were his hardcore fans, but Levi really didn’t pay them much attention... after all, he wasn’t doing this for the fame, and since ignoring them seemed to keep adding more hardcore viewers, he kept doing it.
As his loyal viewers stuck behind to watch him sitting in silence... Levi was deep in his thoughts.
’Aether Infusion... mastering this system really made winning this game seem more feasible than ever.’ Levi smiled under the mask, recalling the torture he went through to master this system.
It took him about an entire week of two hours’ rest each day to master it, but only a couple of days to create many powerful and effective techniques off it.
That’s how difficult it was... after all, Levi couldn’t just infuse a single aspect and be done with it. He also had to infuse Void by figuring out dark energy’s natural frequency.
Then, he had to learn how to agitate them separately to reach resonance while keeping the aetheric infusion’s integrity to keep them contained and separate.
It was one of the most complicated systems he had created and operated... and if it wasn’t for his resonance crossing 15% on all seeds, he would never be able to pull it off.
’The round went better than expected... although the Ace is wasted, it doesn’t matter... I earned the Masked Butcher’s Joker card.’
Levi thought as he held the two Joker cards in his hand... he didn’t know how the others were doing, but he knew one thing... it was really difficult to earn a second Joker card in the first round. Its value was too good, considering he could use it and still possess another one for emergencies.
’Though... if I used it, I will transfer it to another Rifter.’ Levi frowned, ’I have a great advantage against the Masked Butcher... but my battles against the rest will be different, and I can’t waste it needlessly. This card might be the reason I win this game.’
Levi decided to wait patiently for the others to finish before he could speculate on his next move... in this game, information was everything.
Too bad, Gamemaster Gamble made it hard to figure out what happened in each room, leaving them to take their opponents’ words on it.
About five minutes later...
"First Round is over! Rifters, you may step out from your rooms and rest... You have five minutes before the second round starts." Gamemaster Gamble announced as he opened the gates for everyone.
Everyone started walking out of the rooms in duos like they went inside for a quick chat... when Levi got out and saw that most Rifters were uninjured, he wasn’t too surprised. Though this thought started changing after seeing Drayven exiting the Hollow Titan’s room with a body filled with injuries.
He was limping, his scarlet scales were broken or shattered fully, and his wings were shredded and tattered all over... he looked like absolute shit.
"The f*ck you lookin’ at?" Drayven growled murderously at everyone, seeing their startled looks.
Meanwhile, the Hollow Titan’s obsidian-dark skin was unscratched... he neither spoke nor looked at them with his singular gloomy white eye in the middle of his face... he just went to the platform and waited for the next round to start silently.
’Hollow Titan... Monolith Lineage... from the videos I saw, I knew he was going to be trouble... but to leave Drayven in this state.’ Levi frowned, ’That’s a curveball.’
"Ahhh... some fresh air at last."
Suddenly, everyone’s attention was switched to the Dealer, who strolled out of Dreambreaker’s room alone... he stretched his arms behind his back with a wide, casual smile, uncaring that the door behind him closed.
When the rest of the Rifters saw that both his door and Levi’s closed without anyone else walking out, their expressions hardened abruptly.
"Firstly, congratulations to the Celestial and The Dealer!" Gamemaster Gamble laughed excitedly, "I can’t believe two Rifters were eliminated in the first round, but I ain’t complaining..."
Hearing the confirmation, Drayven, Madam Future, The Light Eater, and the rest of the Rifters were all left staring at Levi and the Dealer differently.
’Interesting... I can understand the Dealer killing his target since he was a challenger... but how did the Celestial do it in a defensive position?’ Madam Future murmured inwardly.
’Did the Masked Butcher pick only offensive cards? It’s the only way for him to die.’ The Ruiner thought calmly.
’Shit... these two already possess two Joker cards now... the question is, did they get them using special cards or not?’ Drayven narrowed his eyes coldly.
"You have five minutes... enjoy your break, you will need it."
After dropping this, Gamemaster disappeared with a poof... Levi and the rest of the Rifters kept gazing at each other in silence, everyone clearly trying their best to read the situation of their enemies.
’Drayven looks weak and hurt... this assures me he will use a Queen card in the next round to gain immunity and heal his wounds.’ Levi pondered deeply, ’I will be a challenger next round, while he will be a challengee... this is my opportunity to eliminate him by using the Joker card to cancel his Queen card and finish him with an offensive card... but.’
Levi realized... he wasn’t the only one who reached this conclusion. The rest of the challengers were all staring at Drayven, akin to a sheep that was stuck in a den of wolves.
"Heh... if you think I am that easy, go for it... I will make you pay a grave price." Drayven snickered, unfazed.
"Big words... but alas, your state makes you appear like a dragon bearing a toothless mouth." The Dealer chuckled, leaning against a wall while shuffling his cards playfully.
"Then, I guess we will meet on the third round when the reshuffle occurs." Drayven sneered icily.
No one was surprised by what he said... they knew that after two rounds, the challengers and challengee go through a randomized pick again. This ensured that the rounds wouldn’t end up with the same matchups all the time.
The Dealer continued chuckling and switched his focus to Levi... he opened his mouth, but then, he paused... the side of his eye glanced at his deck.
But then, he blinked, and that look disappeared... the same casual smile returned, and he asked curiously, "Celestial, how did you finish off the Masked Butcher? I knew you’re going to emerge safe, but I didn’t think you would eliminate him."
"..."
Levi merely stared at him silently until the rest of the Rifters gave up, realizing that they wouldn’t be getting answers from Levi... they could count the number of words he uttered in his previous two games with their hands.
Though the question did bore a hole in their minds. Since they weren’t getting anything from him, they switched to the Dealer.
"You keep asking questions, but I don’t see you answering any." Drayven sneered, "What? Worried we will figure out you burnt through your special cards to win? Dreambreaker is no easy target, and I doubt he went down without a fight."