Four chapters coming... So sleepy...
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"That is…!" In the Imperial Family's booth, the emperor stood up in astonishment. "Twelfth layer!"
"Impossible!" The empress was equally astonished. "Wait a moment. A forbidden technique?"
The emperor fell deep in thought before nodding in agreement. "Most likely. As expected of the disciple of a beyond-twelfth layer practitioner, huh."
The empress furrowed her brows. She looked towards the stage with a bit of worry about her lover.
On the other hand, Alan, who had been gripping his chair all this time, sighed in relief.
"I guess he was not just talk after all, huh... However, I should think of something to stop that young man from talking about the poison."
Muttering to himself, Alan once more focused on the battle below.
…
Louis stood up with an ice-cold expression. He held his sword tightly in his right hand as his mana exploded out with frightening power.
In just a few seconds, his aura climbed up from the tenth layer to the twelfth layer!
I raised an eyebrow slightly surprised. So, he still something like this under his sleeve, huh.
If I'm not wrong, it's a forbidden technique that draws upon the mana in the environment to forcibly enhance the user's cultivation for a brief period of time.
This technique, however, is very harmful to the user. After all, forcibly increasing the user's cultivation puts an enormous burden on the body.
In the best of the cases, you will need to rest a few months after using this technique. As for in the worst of the cases, it will lead to death.
In fact, this technique is a bit similar to [Lightning Goddess's Armor], the technique I taught to Daisy.
However, Lightning Goddess's Armor is way superior to it. Lightning Goddess's Armor creates a lightning seed inside the body and then uses it to draw upon the power of lightning, reinforcing the body as it increases the cultivation of the user.
Compared to Louis' technique, Lightning Goddess's Armor has no side-effects, its only limitation being the amount of time it can be kept.
But even with its side-effects, the forbidden technique Louis just used is rather good.
After all, becoming two layers stronger can make the difference between life and death in a desperate situation.
Louis stared at me with a frightening gaze. He held his sword tightly and took a step forward.
"Let's try again." He said.
Then, he disappeared.
With a flash, his figure appeared at my right, swinging his sword towards my neck at an inconceivable speed.
The sword was so fast that it seemed almost unavoidable. Even a twelfth-layer practitioner would find it hard to stop this attack.
However–
"Too slow," I muttered softly, sidestepping the attack and watching the sword cut the air.
Louis did not stop there, however. Even before confirming the results of his sword attack, he had already launched a kick towards my new position.
I grinned and ducked down, evading the kick easily. Then, I used my hands to launch my body upwards and throw a kick towards Louis's chest.
Louis tried to avoid it hurriedly, however, I predicted his reaction beforehand, adjusting the direction of the kick slightly and hitting his chest.
*Bam!*
Receiving the kick on his chest, Louis was flung away.
His body bounced several times before he stabbed the sword on the ground and used it to stop himself. He then kneeled on the ground and looked at me with frightening eyes.
"You should give up," I said with a taunting smile.
"Not yet!"
Roaring, Louis kicked the ground again and launched himself towards me.
His body accelerated abruptly, appearing in front of me in an instant as his sword slashed towards my waist.
But when his sword was about to cut me, I disappeared suddenly, appearing behind him and putting my hand on his back gently.
"It's the end," I stated.
Louis froze.
Smiling bitterly, he let go of his sword and shook his head.
"You win."
But then–
"Haah!"
His body erupted with even more mana than before, bringing his strength another half layer up.
At some point, a dagger had appeared on his right hand, stabbing towards my belly.
It was the forbidden technique again. Louis had forcefully increased its output!
However, it meant he was going to be crippled after this.
I shook my head inwardly. Was it worth it?
I mean, I don't think there is a need to go so far just to get married to someone he barely knows.
Well, I don't need to care about that.
With a gentle movement, I gripped the wrist of Louis, stopping his dagger one centimeter away from my belly.
Louis did not stop despite that. Using the strength produced by his last burst of mana, he released his sword intent and turned it into a blade that cut towards my beck.
But when it was about to touch me, mana erupted from my body, shattering the sword intent into pieces.
Louis watched in disbelief how his sword intent was completely useless.
I sighed slightly. This is becoming bothersome.
I guess I should it end already.
Lifting my hand, I aimed it towards Louis's neck to knock him unconscious.
When suddenly–
"Stop!"
A powerful voice boomed in the sky. Then, an old man appeared between Louis and me with a chilling expression.
The old man grunted in anger. He unsheathed his sword without hesitation and swung it towards me.
I narrowed my eyes. Is this old man crazy?
Is he planning to kill me?
Well, if he wants to play this game...
With a smile, I took a step back, releasing Louis's wrist and escaping the range of the sword attack.
The old man opened his eyes with a slight surprise. He seemed unable to believe I managed to avoid his attack.
But then, his expression changed.
A powerful force invaded his body from nowhere, injuring several of his internal organs before he could react.
With another grunt, he circulated his mana to stop the hidden force from causing more damage while forcing himself to swallow a mouthful of blood.
"… What a good boy."
The old man squinted his eyes and said with a smile. Contrary to that, though, his killing intent filled the arena.
But at that moment, an angry voice came from the Imperial Family's booth.
"Carlo! What do you think you are doing!?"