"These guys are just getting better and better." Varian remarked after cutting down the Low Level 5 Body Awakener.
{Rank 490. Low Level 5.}
The strength of phantoms had a fundamental shift.
It was expected from Level 5s, anyway.
Once again, Varian started from the last ranked participant on the floor.
{Rank 1000. Low Level 5}
The opponent was a controller. Naturally, his physicals stats were lower than Enhanced Awakeners at the same level.
But since he was a level above, all his physical stats were above Varian.
Stack that with the ability of Controller Awakeners—increasing any single physical stat by a significant amount.
If Varian only used his Enhanced Level 4 powers, he'd have been in trouble.
But there was always a better option.
Level 3 Body Morpher + Space Armor by Level 3 Space Path + Peak Level 4 Body Path.
This allowed him to easily leapfrog and slay the opponent.
The best part was the Space Armor. It just felt like a normal layer covering his body, but its mere presence increases his defense and strength.
Then came the second opponent.
{600th Rank. Low Level 5.}
Perhaps the strength he displayed was very high. The ranking directly jumped from 1000 to 600.
Varian didn't worry and brandished his 4 star sword.
This time, it was a Water Awakener.
Varian used lightning attacks, space block and mental interference in conjunction.
Since they were at best only Level 3, the trouble they caused was very low. But Varian seized the opportunity and ended the opponent in a single blow.
To his frustration, Varian's next opponent wasn't a Mind Awakener.
It was a Space Awakener.
{490th Rank. Low Level 5.}
"Goddamn!" He cursed and experienced 'Space Bombs' for the first time.
It was a special skill unlocked at Level 5 .
With space bomb, the space would collapse and cause great damage to the ones in it.
Teleporting out of space bomb was incredibly difficult due to the unstable space.
Thankfully, Varian's Morpher path gave him the extra boost in vitality and despite the injuries, he was able to fight at peak power
Exchanging injury for an injury, he defeated the Space Awakener.
At the same time, a line of text appeared in front of him.
[Congratulations. You have entered the Honor List.]
Varian smiled.
This fight wasn't easy, but he could still go on for a while.
If he was in a fatal condition, the trial would end. Of course, he could always call quits.
So he decided to continue.
But for now, he closed his eyes and took a healing potion.
A green light descended from the sky and accelerated his healing process.
Combined with his strong vitality and regeneration power due to Morpher powers, Varian was back to peak in ten minutes.
This healing time after the fight was almost equal to the entire time he spent before the fight.
Varian also replenished his aura during the healing time and started the next match.
[Rank 450. Low Level 5.]
"Wow. I should've entered this place long ago." Varian grinned, looking at the girl who appeared in front of him in an instant.
Her speed was much higher than his and even when she raised her fist, the air in the way was practically blasted.
"I love fighting." Varian covered himself with Space Armor and lightning before returning the punch.
BOOM!
Varian was pushed back with his feet entrenched in the ground.
Despite the dual protection, his bones creaked.
The chi in his body rose by a small amount.
"One more!" Varian raised his uninjured left hand and roared.
Boom!
"Come on!" Varian forgot about winning and indulged in the fight.
As their fists connected, and as his blood spurted, Varian found himself in the joy of battle.
His mind was emptied of all other thoughts and his proficiency in using the Divine Paths together increased at a rate visible to naked eye.
"Master is amazing." Boo muttered while watching the match from the ghost ship.
Initially, Boo was surprised at Varian's Divine Paths. It was common sense that a single awakener cannot possess both Body and Morpher Paths.
Varian simply answered with the answer that "This is the result of my suffering."
Boo was stupefied.
Would suffering allow you to break the fundamental laws of Divine Paths?
Nah!
Master was hiding something. But as it asked more times, Master's answers changed.
"Because I suffered."
"Em, I am talented."
"Eh, because I am handsome?"
"Of course, because I have to take cute boo to its hometown. Dragon gave me a blessing."
Boo realized the truth. It was definitely the last possibility. Since then, it didn't pester Master anymore.
Was it its illusion or did Master sigh in relief at seeing it shut up?
'Must be an illusion.' Boo nodded to itself.
'Hehehe.' It chuckled before turning its attention to the fight outside.
'As expected, Master's strength is continuously increasing.' Boo sighed.
'Despite the injuries, Master is now actually stronger than before the battle started.'
Boom!
As if to prove Boo's words, Varian crushed his opponent's neck and ended the match.
"Hoo!" He sat down on the floor and gasped.
Injuries piled up on his body. Broken bones, torn muscles and gushing blood—it was a bloody fight.
But somehow, he didn't feel too tired.
Under the healing light of the tower and his own potions, Varian healed in twenty minutes.
Then he looked at his status bar and grinned.
"A mid-level 5 will do."
[Rank 400. Low Level 5.]
"Rank 400 here means around 380 or 390 on the honor list. That's an exclusive Mid Level 5 Zone, no?" Varian wondered, but prepared himself for the decisive battle.
To be honest, his chances of winning a Rank 400, unless he used ghost ship's stealth function and ambushed the other party, were practically zero.
He had many paths, but didn't possess the advantage of Dual Awakeners yet.
Dual Awakeners were unrivalled because typically both of their paths would be at the same level.
But the highest secondary path he had was only Level 3.
The surroundings changed from plains to a mountain range.
Zap!
Boom!
From a distance, a thunderbolt shot at him. Following the bolt was an equally fast punch.
"Oh boy, what luck. Dual Awakener of Body and Thunder Path." Varian's eyes lit up.
This guy was able to beat up Mid Level 5 with his Dual paths.
More importantly, these two were the paths Varian wanted to fight the most.
"Come!" Varian covered himself with lightning mana and teleported behind the opponent.
Boom!
Zap!
Varian's fist punched empty air and at the same time, thunder bolt crashed onto him, blowing him away.
Varian senses something and glanced up.
With lightning wings, the Dual Awakener as he floated in the air.
Level 5 Elemental Awakeners could fly!
Varian ignored the system prompts of rising XP.
He could feel the bottlenecks of both Body and Lightning Paths.
After sustained injuries, Morpher path also experienced growth and his prana increased significantly.
"Fight!" Varian growled and teleported behind the Dual Awakener in the air.
As his fist crashed into his opponent's chest, the opponent's fist hit his abdomen.
At the same time, a huge lightning spear broke his defenses and plunged into his chest, sending him flying.
Boom!
Boom!
Varian coughed out blood, and the Dual Awakener appeared above him in an instant.
He raised a larger lightning spear and shot it at Varian.
The lightning spear passed through empty air as Varian teleported out.
Varian clutched his injury and gritted his teeth. This combat power was certainly at Mid Level 5.
Others would have backed away from such a tough fight and called quits.
But…
"Fighting is my way." Varian tore his shirt and blocked the bleeding.
The Dual Awakener turned back and rushed at Varian with breakneck speed.
Varian gripped his sword and took a deep breath.
"Now!"
At the same time, notifications began to ring.
[Tower of Trials advises you to quit]
The Dual Awakener condensed a lightning sword and slashed at him.
Varian tried to block it.
Creak~
Varian's hand flayed, and the sword in his grip plunged into the ground.
[Tower of Trials warns you! Quit now!]
The Dual Awakener raised his sword at the injured Varian.
Varian teleported away, but in no time, the sword followed him.
Looking at the emotionless eyes of his opponent, Varian's eyes showed no fear. As blood dripped down his forehead, and as the wound in his chest ached, he could feel the bottle necks rapidly loosening. "Almost there."
Varian blocked off the space around the Thunder Awakener.
It broke in an instant.
Varian splurged his lighting mana and sent dozens of lightning bolts onto the opponent.
They all failed to penetrate the Dual Awakener's lightning shield. The best they did was slow him down a little.
[In case you're about to die, you'll be forcibly transferred out!]
As the sword was about to pierce Varian's heart, Varian used all the space power he could use and twisted his body lightly.
Splurt.
The sword passed through his lung and Varian's fist hit the lightning shield.
Bang!
Varian broke the Dual Awakener's shield, but by the time it reached his neck, it already lost most of its power and could do little damage.
At the same time, the lightning from the sword electrocuted his body, and Varian's consciousness blurred.
As the world darkened, he heard two clicks and the Tower of Trials' voice.
[You're forcibly transferred out. Deducing merit points for your healing.]
After an unknown time, Varian found himself on a soft grassland.
He was still injured, but he could feel strength returning to his body rapidly. The green light from the tower accelerated his healing.
As he tried to sit up, Varian's expression changed.
The perception of his senses increased multifold.
He could accurately feel of every single grass on his skin.
With an expectant face, he muttered 'status'.