haah haah
The four of them were all panting hard, with the exception of me since I didn't move much.
It was a brief moment of rest. Bought from my magic.
"If any of you guys stop and help us instead, I promise you that you will get third place."
It was admittedly a bit of a lowball offer, but I threw it out just in case anyways.
"Haha sorry Raymond. I'll have to decline that offer."
"Why get third when I could get first?"
"No."
Well, it wasn't exactly unexpected that they would decline.
Thomas and Audrina were still in between me and Ellen. I needed those two to move.
As the five of us entered a stand off once again, I silently drew upon my mana. My wand still in my hands, not raised in order to not draw suspicion.
It may be a bit of poor sportsmanship but who cares! Winning was more important!
Besides, considering that Ellen needed to win to grow stronger to beat the demon king and blah blah. I felt that we were pretty justified in our need to win.
Pride? Dignity? I barely know them.
In a blur of motion, I raised my wand. Now normally, I didn't need to say my spells out loud because that was just stupid.
But this time I yelled it out loud, purely for the dramatic effect.
What? All three of them had cool power ups it was honestly making me feel a bit sad about my own state.
"Arena of Frost!"
This was my biggest spell yet, my mana reserves which were already low plummeted. Leaving me with only around a quarter left.
Waving my wand, I felt the mana run through the wand. Making it pulsate with a pure blue light.
The light spread through the air, spreading like the ripples on the surface of a lake. A low hum rose from the ground as frost spider-webbed across the earth creeping outward in elegant, branching patterns. The temperature dropped massively, carrying the sting of winter. Shadows recoiled as shimmering arcs of ice spiraled upward, responding to my shout.
The arena they were in which had become a wasteland already burst into a lightshow of mana. The ground becoming a smooth floor of ice that reflected everything like a mirror.
Within seconds, the flat top mountain had become a walled arena. Consisting entirely of smooth white ice and snow.
A spell like this wasn't just for show, it massively increased the power of my own ice spells. Increasing the efficiency and power for little to no cost.
With how small the border had shrunk already, my frost arena covered every single part of the mountain top.
If they wanted to fight me now, it would be on my own terms in my arena!
"Are you really a G+ rank like we are Raymond? I get the whole over 100 potential score but this is...just wow."
Looking around, Thomas admired the arena he created for a bit. While it was pretty bare, it was undeniably very beautiful.
"Thanks and yes I am a G+ rank actually."
That was a technical truth, I wasn't actually a G+ rank. Terra used a letter rank system with the gap between each rank increasing exponentially.
Whereas I was just recovering my peak strength. Essentially, they would experience massive growth when entering new stages whereas mine was just one continuous slower growth.
"To be honest with you Raymond, out of everyone here. I'm the one with the highest chance of getting 5th."
"I know. Are you sure you don't wanna team up with me and Ellen?"
He got into a stance again, his long sword still shining as brilliantly as before.
"While I wouldn't consider myself some sort of battle maniac like Zachary, I can't lie to myself. This fight has been some of the most fun I've ever had!"
With that, he surged forward at me. Sword raised high. I quickly launched an ice volley at him but he simply knocked it aside. Still, it distracted him long enough.
Seizing that brief window, my wand flared with mana—releasing a blast of ice which knocked him away again.
Noelle rushed at me, with her failure to eliminate Ellen. She had changed her plans. With the three of them all on me.
Her spear carved several long arcs through the air, each swing and stab trying to hit my vitals and distract me from casting any more spells.
But leaving Ellen alone was a bad idea. Several arrows hissed as they launched themselves towards Noelle.
This time, Ellen was the one chasing after Noelle. But she was soon interrupted.
Audrina. Due to my arena, she had little to no cover to hide behind. Still, as she ran at Ellen—slipping past her arrows. She failed to duck under one in time.
Realizing she would be hit, she raised her left arm. jerking backwards slightly as the arrow buried itself deep in her forearm.
She still wasn't being teleported out however. I could swear several of the attacks that should have eliminated them didn't.
With the injury in her arm. She quickly hid away, her smoke expanding—to the point it fully covered her entire body.
Having reached me, she raised her bow. Loosing several arrows in one swift motion. She didn't need to do damage, just distract Thomas and Noelle.
Standing back to back with her, I could see Thomas get up and start rushing towards them again.
"I can expose and stun Audrina, you think you can eliminate her? Also how much time can you buy me?"
She exhaled, staring at the quickly approaching Noelle and Thomas. "She's definitely on the verge of being eliminated. I just need a good shot on her. I can get you like one, maybe two minutes."
"That's enough."
Noelle lunged first, her spear glinting in the light of the arena as it swiftly approached them. Seeing the spearhead, Ellen quickly drew her bow and released a golden arrow at it.
Twisting her body to avoid the arrow, her foot faltered as she nearly slipped on the ice. Her grip on her spear almost failing.
Thomas quickly rejoined, his sword slicing through the air as it aimed for me. Narrowly sidestepping, I persisted in my casting.
Ellen would protect me.
Finally, as more of my mana went into fueling the spell—I finished casting it. Waving my wand, a ring soon formed around the arena once again.
'Ice burst!'
A burst of ice exploded in a ring around me and Ellen, stunning and pushing both Thomas and Noelle away while also exposing Audrina who had been trying to look for an opportunity.
Seeing Audrina exposed, Ellen took the opportunity. Drawing one of her last arrows back, a golden outline soon appeared on her bow and arrow.
River Crossing!
The empowered arrow flew towards the stunned Audrina in a blaze of gold—looking as if it could pierce through anything.
Right before it could pierce her body however, she swiftly disappeared. Having been teleported away
Audrina down, two more to go.
Both Thomas and Noelle exchange a look at each other before charging in unison. They had to go all in now!
Pivoting on their heels, me and Ellen both faced their incoming charge together. Although me and Ellen had both practiced fighting together, this was the first time I had ever felt so in sync with someone.
Loosing an arrow at Thomas's , I quickly launched a freeze ray at him as well.
Choosing to dodge the freeze ray, he grunted slightly as the arrow dug itself into his shoulder.
With Audrina gone, it was barely even a challenge now.
Desperate, Noelle launched several more spear techniques at them. Each strike—faster, deadlier then the last.
It was already too late, although most of my mana was gone. I had already casted a new mana shield for me and Ellen.
As her spear continuously clashed with my mana, I let Ellen handle her while I targeted Thomas.
Seeing his injured state, I aimed my wand at him and got ready to cast a frost blast.
"I surrender!"
Before I had the chance to hit him, he raised his hands up in the air immediately disappearing the moment he uttered those two words.
AAAARGH!
With a loud guttural roar, Noelle charged at them again. It was a lost battle with Thomas's surrender and she knew it. Facing Ellen's arrow head on, she didn't even try to block or evade it.
Letting it sink into her vambraces, she threw her spear at them.
Watching it harmlessly clink against my mana shield, she collapsed knee first into the ground.
It was truly over now, watching as her armour dissipated into mana. She stared at the two of them, her gaze filled with a fiery spirit.
"It's over Noelle. We win."
Taking this chance to taunt her slightly, Ellen drew her bow back. Aiming it straight at her.
"I won't lose next time."
With that, Ellen loosed her arrow at her. As expected, right before it actually hit her. She was teleported away, right up until she was teleported however. She still maintained eye contact with them. Her eyes filled with a resolve to defeat them one day.
But it wasn't over yet. Turning to face Ellen, I grinned at her.
"Hey Ellen, you haven't forgotten the bet have you?"
She smiled back, "How could I?"
She only had three more arrows left, while i still had enough mana to cast several spells. It was already a game set.
"No hard feelings Ellen, but I can just give you the first place prize anyways."
Aiming my wand at her, I quickly drew upon my mana. Casting the fastest spell I could.
"Raymond, I command you to stop."
She giggled slightly as she watched my body freeze in place. Arm still outstretched with the wand pointing at her.
"ELLEN YOU F*CKI-
"Raymond, I command you to turn around and start walking."
'No no no no no!'
It was useless my body wouldn't listen to me! As i slowly approached the wall of my arena, I heard her last command.
"Raymond, I command you to leave the arena and exit the border."
While I knew she could always do this. I didn't think she would!
It was my mistake for assuming she would maintain basic sportsmanship conduct!
As I mentally despaired, I felt my mana drain as my body involuntarily cast a float spell.
Landing on top of the walls. My body took several steps, walking through the translucent red border.
For the next two and a half minutes, all I could do was stare at Ellen who stood atop the wall looking at me.
"Don't be so angry Raymond, you never said anything about me using this to win did you?"
This she-devil.
It truly was his loss.