The Exiled First-born of the Noble house. Rising to the top with the Worthless Skill [Null Poison]

Chapter 429

The Strongest “Shield”

Drake showed a smile as if he was having fun now, and the instantly switched his expression again and began to heighten his concentration to the maximum.

He should have taken a lot of damage by now, so he was clearly quite fatigued as well.

While I doubt he has any skill that could break past me now that I have awakened, but judging by his expression, he clearly has a trump card up his sleeve.

“[Raging Demon Assault]”

Just as I had thought, Drake activated some kind of skill.

In that instant, his skin began to redden and steam began to rise out of his body.

It seemed like a worrying change at first but, his aura now was almost incomparable to before so I could tell he had clearly ascended up a level as well.

In a panic, I took a stance with my shield but, Drake didn’t move and then further activated another skill.

“[Immortal Immovable]”

The moment he activated that skill, the steam coming off of Drake stopped again.

But his skin remained reddened, his eyes were completely bloodshot, and his muscle mass seemed to have increased by a full level it felt like.

“……….fuuh, Sorry for the wait. This is me, at my absolute serious state. Ralf, are you regretting waiting until I went all out now?”

“If that’s your full strength, I have nothing to regret at all! That said, you certainly don’t look healthy either but, can you really fight in that state?”

Contrary to his looks, he still seemed to be sane so I was able to continue talking like before but…….

The aura he has now is like of a completely different person and it feels like I was facing someone other than Drake instead.

“After the fight, I’d be unable to move for a couple of days but, until my skill runs out, I’ll be at a level far above my usual state.——-hey, let’s start already shall we? I’m starting to get a little fidgety now.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you’ll be fine afterwards I guess! And sure, come at whenever you’re ready! I’ll deflect anything you throw at me!”

“Hahaha, then, I won’t hold back anything. Just, don’t fall too easily okay?”

Right after he said that, Drake took a stance with the shield in his left hand, and then pulled out his sword in his right hand again.

From his original two shields, complete defensive stance, he had gone back to the orthodox sword and shield again it seems.

I focused on his movements, and I needed to make sure that I don’t get caught out by the first attack—–

But, even though I was on complete guard, the moment my eyes blinked, the very next instant, Drake had appeared right in front of me.

Rather than slash, he swung his sword with a force like he was slamming it into me, and I hurriedly held up my shield to defend against it.

I guarded almost instinctively but, since I hadn’t lost my sensation fro before, I did manage to parry it away perfectly.

I didn’t block the sword head on, and instead deflected it with the side of the shield to complete divert the attack but……..my hand that held the shield ached sharply from the impact.

Even after perfectly parrying his attack, Drake still managed to deal damage to me.

Not only did he have a blessed body from birth, he had also been blessed by the heavens with the perfect job to fully support his natural talents.

And now he had further boosted himself with a bunch of powerful skills so, I guess it makes sense why he was able to generate this much power.

Right after parrying away his attack, I didn’t even get the time to launch a counter shield bash as Drake quickly launched his next attack.

His attacks now were even faster than before when he was using [Fierce God Rampage].

Even after taking so much damage, and having spent so much of his stamina, he was still somehow able to move this fast. Once again, I was reminded of just how unfair skills really could be.

I didn’t have a skill that suddenly made me stronger so I simply maintained my focus and continued to deflect his attacks.

The art of guarding was something you built through experience and continuous trial and error.

Judging the timing, I vigilantly looked for a moment where I could counter with a shield bash——and then I stepped in towards him, and thrust my shield straight at his solar plexus as soon as the opportunity arrived.

From my perspective, I had nailed the timing but………somehow, Drake managed to block against my shield.

Every single one of the attacks he launched were fast, smart and strong, and now even his defence seemed to have no holes in it.

[Raging Demon Assault] was the attack skill, and [Immortal Immovable] was his defence skill I assume.

To have both top class offensive and defensive skills seemed really damn unfair——-I grit down on my teeth hard enough that they might get chipped, as I got hit with Drake’s shield bash completely from the front with no way to defend.

For a moment, I think my consciousness flew. That’s how strong the impact was.

Still, this is the second time I have gotten hit by a shield and then slammed into a wall.

I felt dizzy after hitting my head on the wall, but I somehow managed to hold to my senses, perhaps thanks to the strong sense of envy I was currently feeling.

All said and done, since the day I was born, I have done nothing but be envious of others.

When I was a child, I was envious of those happy families, when I grew older, I was envious of those who could freely travel and do whatever they wanted, and until a little while ago, I was even envious of Chris as well……..

And now, even after finally achieving an awakening after getting hit again and again, I was once again envious of Drake’s talent that had once again surpassed me in a matter of moments.

Ever since I was a child I suffered from poverty, I abused by my alcoholic dad. I was a no one, I had nothing, and yet, I made it this far. That should be good enough, right?

I’m sure most people would tell me that, and there was no doubt that I had indeed achieved happiness in life now………and yet.

Not to Drake, not to Klaus and of course—–not to Chris either! I DON’T WANT TO LOSE TO ANY OF THEM!!

I clenched my teeth even harder than before, and stood back up while enduring the pain running through my entire body.

Because I was putting a little too much strength to try and get back up, my nose began to bleed from the pressure but, even so, I laughed, not to bluff against Drake, but to bluff to myself into believing that I still had more left in the tank.

“You’re in tatters, and even after taking my full strength attack head on, you can still stand eh.—–Ralf, you really are interesting!”

“Drake, you are without a doubt, the strongest enemy I have ever fought ! But, I’m not gonna lose no matter what!!”

Loudly proclaiming that, after all this time, I finally activated a certain skill for the first time.

Not because I couldn’t use it, but because I simply didn’t have any moment where it was needed until now.

Perhaps because of my intense feelings of envy, I had finally figured out the way to activate this skill.

“——–[Divine Protection]”

The moment I uttered its name, a shining golden light enveloped my entire body.

The stamina consumption was massive, and I couldn’t use it consecutively either.

It was a skill that could really only be used when faced against a completely abnormal enemy or when clashing against the strongest attack of an opponent, but………..

If this skill can protect me from anything for a limited time, it should be able to protect me from the shockwave of using [Divine Strike] as well.

I had only used [Divine Strike] a few times in the past but, until now whenever I used that skill, my body would be unable to handle it and it’d completely misfire.

But if I use it while protected by [Divine Protection] then——-my body should be able to handle the recoil of using [Divine Strike].

Sensing something was happening after seeing my body get enveloped in a golden light, Drake rushed straight at me with superhuman speed.

With his shield and sword in hand, he launched an attack to interrupt me.

But, now that I have [Divine Protection] active, I don’t need to ready myself before using [Divine Strike] and I can fire it whenever.

Facing the onrushing Drake, I decided to fire [Divine Strike] using my sword like I had done before, or so I thought but——-suddenly, something strange happened.

Even with {Divine Protection] active, I perhaps instinctively sensed that I would be unable to handle the recoil with just my one sword arm, so I threw my sword away and took a stance holding my shield with both hands.

The culmination of the shield bashing skill that I honed after going toe-to-toe with Drake for so long would be revealed in its entirety now.

I twisted my knee, and dropped the centre of my gravity to make myself stand low. I bent my elbows completely and stuck by body close to my shield.

My fists, elbows, shoulders, made a triangle as I pushed against my shield, and then I channelled all my grit and resolve into my legs and loins that were supporting this all, as I took a completely defensive stance.

As soon as my preparations were done, Drake entered close inside my range, and then prepared to slam down his sword with immense speed, and right at that very timing——

“[Roar of the Guardian]”

It was a skill that did nothing more than draw aggro but, by using it right before one launched their attack, I could make them launch the attack in a much more straightforward manner directly at me.

No matter how fast the attack may be, if I know exactly where and when the attack would come, I will be able to completely read it, especially now that I had parried so many of the [Raging Demon Assault] strikes.

He launched a downward swing, which I dodged by moving diagonally forward, and then activated my own skill.

But——-Drake was not just focused on his attacks, he was also focused on his defence.

Even as he swung down his sword, his eyes were locked right at me, and he moved the shield in his other hand towards me.

“Ralf, that was far too predictable. [Immovable Vajra – Heavenly Mountain]”

With those words, a pale blue light covered Drake’s shield, and he took stance like he was a giant mountain himself towering over everyone and everything.

But——at this point, none of that mattered!

Right now, my entire body was welling up with explosive power, like god himself had come down and entered my body.

Focusing on the three points of the triangle that I had created, I pushed out the power that was surging inside my body all at once as I stuck out my shield.

“[Divine Strike]—-!!”

My shield and Drake’s shield slammed into each other and clashed violently, as an ear piercing sound of impact echoed across all of [Foro Neem].

The impact was so fierce I thought my body would be blasted away but, the light enveloping me suppressed that force to a minimum.

That said, it was unable to completely kill the recoil of the [Divine Strike] as my left hand holding the shield went completely numb from the shock.

The {Divine Strike] almost blew me away but——with nothing but true grit and resolve, I clenched down on my teeth and prayed to my own legs to endure it.

I don’t want to lose to anyone ever again!!!

Neither to Klaus or to Chris either………and neither to myself who always seems to find an excuse in my surroundings or past to justify my weakness.

“UOOOOORAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”

As if letting everything inside my stomach out, I roared loudly, and unleashed my everything at Drake.

Drake’s guard had been so strong, one would believe he had become one with the very earth itself but, even he was unable to fully take on my [Divine Strike] that had my entire body and soul put behind it——–and with a loud sound of an explosion, he blew backwards and slammed through the wall as he was sent flying away.

Since the impact and the crash had raised a large amount of dust clouds, I was unable to see but, I doubt he’d be able to get up after getting hit by that.

Having finally surpassed my past self, and also beaten Drake, who was without a doubt the strongest enemy I had faced until now, I wanted to exclaim loudly and scream in celebration of my victory but……..

My body was completely at its limits. No, I had already gone beyond those limits.

My head went blank, and my consciousness became hazy, and even welling up joy of victory soon subsided.

Perhaps because I overdid it, my body felt unmoveable but, I needed to get back to Chris as quickly as possible.

I put my hand on the wall to support myself back up, and while my mind seemed ready to simply fly away—–

I really, really wanted to see Chris win with my own two eyes so I slowly took one step after another, as I began walking back to the arena.