Chapter 639 The Final Stage
Just like the many fights that he had heard of, the one he was witnessing was dead even. The Fighters were almost equally matched, so they continued to whittle down each other until barely a couple were left alive from the 40 that had started the fight.
As Ace watched all this, the feeling in his spine, that something was wrong, didn't leave.
In fact, it kept getting stronger and stronger, and no matter how much he searched around him, he couldn't find any source.
Yet, he didn't even know whether he should feel happy about that.
After all, what was more terrifying? An enemy that he could detect and be wary of, or one that was capable of sneaking up on him completely undetected?
Finally unable to take it any more, he set off back to the location in the battlefield where he and a few other Fighters had gathered.
And of course, just a hundred meters behind him was a man who was using a weird technique to move through the trees.
He rarely stayed in the light. Each and every movement of his kept putting him in the shadows from the trees or various branches above him, and in the darkness, it was as if he was invisible.
For almost any Warrior level Fighter, this was something unimaginable.
Yet…the King was doing it, and again, the Heroes above kept remarking about how this should be impossible.
Heroes were beings that could go without sustenance or sleep for months at a time. After all, they had a lifespan of hundreds of years, and many of their training sessions were often counted in the span of years.
Hence, these 15 days had passed by like a breeze for them, and their interest in watching the King didn't decrease at all.
Yet, the questions they had only kept increasing, as even though they were Heroes of Angaria, not all of them could accurately analyze all techniques and figure out what was going on.
The Head had been doing his duty and commentating about what technique was being used and why.
Indeed, even he had been a bit puzzled by a few things- mainly by the fact that initially, almost every faction that came into contact with the King changed its power level, with Fighters either getting weaker or stronger.
There was no plausible way in which this could be explained perfectly, so he had just used the best explanation available to him: that the King was putting them in these situations that caused the change.
Thankfully, it didn't happen in all of them, which made it so that there was a chance that he was right.
Also, this was something else that the others hadn't been able to understand.
So, he decided to stand up and explain it, too.
"This inheritance is known as 'Master of Shadows'. Anyone who wields and is capable of training themselves to a high level in it can become almost invisible in the shadows, so much so that their presence wouldn't even be felt by us Mages. In the days of the Empire, those who used this Inheritance were typically assassins who also had various other trinkets to get through the formations on their way so that they could carry out their task. However, in this age, those trinkets can no longer be made, so a Master of Shadows would be doomed to only targeting lesser individuals. As it is a Fighter Inheritance, it is present in the Fortress of Unyielding Might, but few train in it before of the drawback I just mentioned. Also, the further levels of this technique have been lost, and mages typically have even better ways of concealment, so few train in it in this age. However, it looks like he made a different judgment."
With the truth revealed, all but the disciples of the Fortress who had kept quiet as they weren't supposed to blabber about their Sect's inheritances had expressions of realization on their faces.
However, those from the Sect had already been shocked enough throughout these few days, so it wasn't really something great for them to be smug on this occasion.
Seeing them all, the Head continued.
"In a shadow, a Warrior is able to fade from sight using the Energy inside his body and twisting it in a certain method to achieve what he wants. It is a high-level technique which allows one to influence the elementary particles around them even before becoming a Champion, and hence, it is invaluable as it shows a path forward for one to take that leap. After all, a Champion needs to be both find that resonance and use it to change the world, so getting some skill in the latter part is only beneficial. There are better techniques which do the same thing in ways which can be taken forward into the other realms, though, and I suspect that you will be seeing them before the Battle is up. Typically, these abilities are not put on display as everyone is usually busy just surviving. This time, though…something might be different."
Hearing the last sentence from the Head, almost all the Heroes nodded, and the change in opinion of the King which had begun 15 days ago looked like it was still in progress. In fact, even the sect members who had been brought along, who were the top seeds in their sects, compared themselves to the King and wondered whether they would be able to accomplish so much while managing a Kingdom.
As many people continued to watch Daneel, who was aware of them all and knew that he was giving them a pretty good show, Ace arrived at a meeting place that had covertly been established …in the sky.
Indeed, it was a pretty ingenious idea. In a few areas all around the forest, trees were cloistered together closely, resulting in thick layers of branches. A skilled Fighter could easily use these to stand, and even sit on.
In this place, 5 people were waiting for him, and they all had worried expressions on their faces.
The reason Daneel had stopped his initial plan of confronting and taking very special care of Ace in return for the treatment he had received during the battle before had been this: so that he would lead him to a gathering of the remaining faction leaders.
Although Daneel's scanner was powerful, it still had a limited range. So, he would have been hard pressed to find these individuals if he hadn't chosen to follow Ace.
It looked like controlling the urge to go forward and pummel someone who deserved it paid off, after all.
With a smile, Daneel perched himself in a shadow, using the technique that he knew was being interpreted as one with no future by the Heroes above.
Just like they were probably saying, this was a High-tier technique whose later portions had been lost.
But, of course, Daneel had the whole thing, and he was pretty impressed by the acquired Champion Path that followed the Warrior-level version of this technique.
Apparently, if someone became a true Champion-level Master of Shadows, they would be able to expand their shadow to consume light and regain their power.
It sounded pretty damn overpowered, and it was- that was why it was put in one of the highest tiers of Fighter techniques. In fact, after using it now, Daneel had already decided that his Domination Corps would be training in it as soon as he went back to Lanthanor.
Putting that to the side, Daneel focused on the gathering that had just begun.
"Wiped out, too?"
This question was from Jasper, who had a worried expression on his face.
Seeing Ace nod, dejection appeared on the faces of those present.
"Yes. They were evenly matched, too, so most of them went down, and the others are too exhausted and weak to be of any help to us. It's just us."
They had been hoping to figure out why all these strange things were happening, but they had been unable to do so.
However, the overall leader of the Unnamed, who was the one Ace had spoken to before that battle in which the King had run away like a coward, spoke up.
"Well, that's that. But think about it this way. If we're careful, we will be the last ones standing. There are 60 Fighters under all of our control. I say we split apart and fend for ourselves, and see who comes out on top. Before, I wanted to find the reason behind all that stuff happening, but now, I just want to survive and be among the ones who survive. So, gentlemen…this has been great, but I have to go. Tall, will you be coming with me, or will you find your own way?"
Indeed, Tall was another faction leader who had survived, even though he was among the weakest among those present.
After thinking for a bit, Tall nodded and said, "Yes, but give me a few minutes. I need to confer with the others in my group."
With a nod, the leader of the Unnamed said, "All right, you know where to find me. Good day to the rest of you."
While he left, Ace and Jasper looked like they were shooting daggers with their eyes at his back, but he just shrugged and ignored them.
He was known to be a pragmatic man, and he had shown that side of his in this meeting.
The only remaining faction leader was the one who was the overall commander of the 'Glorious', and he had already sworn to follow Ace and Jasper no matter what they did.
To Daneel, it looked like the statement from that guy was just what the rest of the 4 were thinking, too.
At the end of the day, it would be individuals who would be selected to train with the Chief, so everyone had their own priorities.
So, after Tall departed, too, the three of them began discussing what they could do to make sure that they, and those from their groups would be the ones surviving until the final day.
Daneel ignored this discussion, though, as he had already decided his target.
So, without any hesitation, he eyed a shadow near him and sprained in that direction.
…
Tall was on the way to where his group was gathered while thinking deeply about what he should do.
However, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone traveling through the underbrush near him.
"Who's there? Show yourself!", he said, taking out a pair of knives from his pockets.
The man who walked out of the bushes startled him, and made him drop his jaw with astonishment.
It was the King of Lanthanor.
He had been right all along! This guy had somehow bamboozled them all!
The King casually walked forward with a smile on his face, and although Tall was a bit wary, he thought that the man simply wanted to talk to him.
When he saw the King reach him and stretch forward his hand, Tall thought for a moment, and raised his own to shake it, as he would be an idiot to pass the King up after the strength the man had revealed.
However…the moment their hands touched, he could feel that something was wrong.
There was some sort of trinket in the King's hand that he hadn't noticed before, and as soon as his hand touched it, he lost consciousness.
The last thing he heard…was the King speaking.
"Let me just borrow your body real quick."
…
10 minutes later.
The leader of the Unnamed waited in a cave for Tall to arrive.
Although Tall only led a small faction, he knew that he was a pretty talented Fighter.
So, as soon as he came, he said, "Tall, this is an opportunity. We have to make sure us Unnamed come out on top."
To his surprise, Tall smiled and replied, "Yes, leader. And I have the perfect plan to make that happen. But…we need to ally with the other two factions. Believe me, they'll never see it coming."
…
Up above, after seeing the King converse with Tall, a constant buzz had appeared in the area.
So, the Head once again stood up to clarify.
"It looks like the King managed to sway one of them! That, folks, is the effect of the skill of knowing how to talk to people, and sway them to your cause. It's a powerful skill, so watch and learn!"
If Daneel were here, he would definitely be sniggering away after hearing the Head's explanation.