Read Novel Full Chapter 350: Ticking Time
Chapter 350: Ticking Time
Inside the earthen arena, Dante cracked his neck, a feral grin appearing on his face.
"You wanted a Hero Rank kill," he said. "Congratulations."
The ground beneath Gabriel’s feet suddenly collapsed.
At the same time, Dante vanished.
BOOM.
Gabriel twisted just in time as a massive earth fist smashed upward from the ground where his head had been moments ago.
He leapt back, barely landing before another strike followed.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each blow was heavier than before. Dante was no longer testing. He was executing.
"You think strength alone can bridge the gap?" Dante snarled as he emerged from the earth behind Gabriel. "Hero Rank is not just stats."
He slammed both fists together, and the arena walls began to glow.
"Earth Prison."
The ground compressed violently as gravity increased within the enclosed space.
Gabriel felt his body sink an inch into the soil. Pressure crushed down on his shoulders. His bones creaked loudly, and the strain was clearly visible on his face.
Tightening his grip on Crimson Judgement, he quietly activated his skills.
"Bull Rush."
FWOOOSH.
The compressed ground shattered as Gabriel surged forward like a cannonball, carving straight through the increased gravity.
Dante’s eyes widened, caught off guard. For a moment, he had thought Gabriel was exactly where he wanted him.
Seeing the imminent clash, he quickly manipulated the earth, shaping it into a weapon with protruding rock spikes.
"Die!!!!" Dante roared as he swung forward.
Their weapons collided again.
BOOOOM.
This time, the shockwave cracked the earthen arena itself before extending outward.
From outside, everyone watched as massive fractures spread across the camp ground.
Inside, Dante skidded backward, his feet carving deep trenches into the soil. Gabriel was pushed back as well.
Gabriel immediately launched forward once more, not daring to give the latter any chance to breathe.
Mid run, he called out, fingers aimed like a gun.
"Dark flame orb!"
FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH!
"Earth wall!"
The ground trembled as earthen rocks burst upward just in time to counter the three dark flame orbs heading toward Dante with deadly accuracy.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The three flaming orbs slammed into the wall. However, the wall held firm, showing only faint cracks across its surface.
But the barrage of flames did not stop there.
More slammed into the wall violently.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dante placed his palm against the wall, channeling more mana to reinforce it. The power generated by each orb sent violent tremors through his large hands.
Every orb was overcharged with mana twice the normal activation cost. As a result, it did not take long before the wall exploded with a thunderous roar.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The impact sent Dante flying backward. He tightened his leg muscles desperately to keep himself from being thrown off his feet.
Suddenly, before he could regain his balance, a shadow descended upon him from above. He glanced up just in time to see his opponent bursting through the wreckage of the explosion, the gleaming Crimson Judgement held firmly in his grasp.
"Earth ripple!"
At Dante’s command, the earth rippled like waves beneath his feet. Without him moving an inch, the flowing ground dragged him rapidly backward.
The soil rolled like a living tide, pulling him away from the descending blade.
CLANG!
Crimson Judgement slammed into hardened earth instead, sending shards of rock exploding in all directions.
Dante reappeared several meters away, boots skidding as he regained his balance. Veins bulged along his arms.
Simultaneously, both of them charged forward and began striking each other furiously.
Gabriel activated [Parry], Crimson Judgement intercepting every attack. With each passing moment, Dante grew more furious, the arm wielding the spiked earth weapon vibrating violently after every clash.
He could not comprehend how a non ranked human was matching his strength.
Fueled by rage, he swung his fist with brutal force. This time, Gabriel failed to react in time.
Bang!
When the attack connected, it felt as if a train had slammed into Gabriel. He heard the unmistakable sound of bones cracking, and a trail of blood escaped his lips, running down his cheeks.
Yet, as if he felt no pain at all, he lunged forward unbothered, blood still trailing down his face.
"That attack should have kept him down for a b—"
"Burrow shift!"
Swoosh!
Dante’s sentence was cut short as Gabriel materialized in front of him and made a decisive cut toward his head. Dante reacted in time, but not completely. Crimson Judgement bit into his chest.
Gabriel immediately followed up with another attack. Earlier, he had considered activating Stonebind Trap, but he dismissed the idea.
The moment Dante noticed he could not move properly, he would activate Earth Ripple again and escape the trap.
The earth manipulation skill might look simple, but it was an extremely annoying ability to deal with.
"Dark flame orb!"
Gabriel called out.
Dante hurriedly erected another earth wall, this time leaving tiny gaps so he would not be caught off guard like before.
But the three flaming orbs never came.
Realization struck him too late.
Gabriel had tricked him.
He hastily turned around, and just as expected, Gabriel was already there.
He thrust his sword forward at his opponent’s chest. The distance between them was too close to avoid.
The blade struck effortlessly at the same spot where Crimson Judgement had already carved moments earlier.
THUD.
The sword pierced cleanly through.
For a split second, everything froze.
Dante’s eyes widened as the tip of the crimson blade emerged from his back, blood spraying outward in a violent arc. His mouth opened slightly as if trying to speak, but no sound came out.
Gabriel stood right in front of him.
"I told you, didn’t I? I will include you in my kill count," he said quietly, his voice steady despite the blood trailing down his own chin.
Dante’s earth manipulation spasmed as the flowing ground pushed him backward. Gabriel frowned, realizing he had missed the opportunity to initiate the third strike that would activate Crimson Judgement’s innate skill.
There were barely five seconds left before the fifteen second duration expired.
With a determined expression, Gabriel dashed forward as the clock ticked down at a terrifying pace.