"Moss!" Ayrin shouted.
From Moss' uneasy expression, Ayrin immediately knew that something was not right.
In the next moment, Ayrin froze, a look of shock appearing on his face.
He watched as a dangling golden metal puppet emerged from within the curtain of light. As Moss continued to emerge, Ayrin abruptly realized that the puppet's hands were pierced deeply into Moss' chest!
Ayrin's muscles reflexively twitched as he explosively shot forward and viciously grabbed the neck of the golden metal puppet with his hands.
Ayrin exerted his strength to the limit as he attempted to twist and break its neck, but all he did was cause it to tremble slightly. His strength was not great enough to destroy.
"Moss!" Ayrin roared madly as Moss coughed, causing blood to spew from his mouth.
Moss' body returned to normal.
"Puff!"
Another spray of blood erupted from Moss' chest as the golden metal puppet abruptly detached from his body and flew backwards alongside Ayrin.
The moment the golden metal puppet detached from Moss, it immediately used its hands to viciously claw at Ayrin.
Dazzling scales abruptly covered Ayrin's body as he shouted, "Dragon Scale Absorption!"
In the end, ten shallow cuts appeared atop Ayrin's body.
"Die!" Ayrin roared angrily as he exerted strength once more and threw the golden metal puppet into the bronze metal floor, causing sparks to fly as metal grated against metal.
"Winter's Pillar!"
"Crown of Ice and Snow!"
Two skills landed on the golden metal puppet in quick succession.
Thoroughly enraged, Ayrin quickly incapacitated the golden metal puppet in the same manner as before. But he did not stop there as he picked it up by one of its arms and began repeatedly smashing it into the ground.
The curtain of light behind Moss abruptly trembled again as the faint outline of a figure appeared once more.
Upon seeing the bulky figure before them, the person couldn't help but cry out, "Moss!"
"Rinloran!" Ayrin cried out upon hearing the voice as he regained his composure.
"Gaia's Blessing!"
Flowing streams of flames immediately appeared over the two deep and bloody holes atop Moss' chest.
At the same time, Rinloran clasped his hands together and began making different symbols with his fingers, much like Ayrin when using Logic Fingers.
Rinloran paled as crimson flames emerged from his fingertips and shot towards Moss' wounds.
Moss' flesh and muscle began regrowing at a rapid pace.
"It's Ciaran's Heartflame Mending!"
"The child's actually managed to learn Ciaran's Heartflame Mending!"
The observing team of medical masters had already left the bronze wall and were making their way over when they witnessed this scene, causing all of them to become rooted on the spot.
"Rinloran, what healing skill was that? Was it something Ciaran taught you during your special training?" Ayrin asked in astonishment as he tossed aside the motionless golden metal puppet which he had still been holding onto.
He could sense clearly that the bleeding and exhaustion within Moss' body had completely treated.
"It's Heartflame Mending, a particle-based healing skill. By taking a portion of my particles from the same place as the wound I intend to treat and allowing them to mix with the particles from the wound, I am able to heal wounds," Rinloran replied as he let out a sigh of relief.
Moss' injuries just now were just too heavy. If he had not managed to treat him in time, he might have died.
"You can heal wounds this way? What an amazing skill! But are you alright?" Ayrin cried out in quick succession.
It was evident to Ayrin that this skill was similar to using one's own skin to repair another's skin. Thus, he couldn't help but be concerned for Rinloran after using this skill as he knew just how severe Moss' injuries had been.
"I'm fine. At the least, I definitely be won't falling over before I reach the end," Rinloran replied as he looked at the golden metal puppet on the ground and took a deep breath.
Although he hadn't been present for when Moss emerged, he could picture very clearly how Moss had come out.
"To think that Moss would be the second to emerge!"
Clancy, Leonardo and the others froze in disbelief.
As far as they could remember, Moss was the weakest of the six members of Holy Dawn Academy's team.
And after Stingham, he was probably the one with the worst willpower and fighting intent as well.
But at this moment, they all realized that they were wrong.
What beat within this seemingly weak red-haired boy's body was truly the heart of a giant! And the heart of a brave warrior!"
……
"Can you not act like this?! I just want to pass through!" Stingham cried out in frustration.
"Bang!"
As he spoke, a shield edge sliced towards his face.
"At least stop aiming at my face!"
"Bang!"
As if in response to his cries, yet another strike went towards Stingham's face.
Stingham's constant screams and the sounds of hard impacts made it seem like Stingham and his golden metal puppet opponent were locked in an intense battle.
However, the actual situation was one which would render anyone speechless.
Because at this point, Stingham had stopped attacking whatsoever. He'd simply taken a seat on the floor and allowed the golden metal puppet to throw any strike it wanted.
After all, although he was helpless against the puppet, the puppet was helpless against him as well. None of its strikes were able to break through his defense and injure him.
"Idiot!"
Rinloran's voice abruptly rang in Stingham's ear.
"Rinloran?!"
Stingham jumped up in fear.
"This fellow has cursed at me so many times I'm hallucinating it now," Stingham muttered to himself, his face gloomy.
He looked around and confirmed that there was nothing around him except for the golden metal puppet.
It had indeed just been a figment of his imagination.
"Those fellows… they wouldn't have left me behind, right?"
Fear invaded Stingham's heart as he abruptly wondered about the others.
"What should I do?"
Stingham's face became even gloomier.
In the time prior, Rui had only taught him defensive skills. Even if he used them perfectly, they would have no effect in progressing this current situation.
"Bang!"
The sharp shield edge came swinging towards his face yet again.
"I told you already! Stop aiming for my face!"
"And stop interrupting my thoughts! I'm thinking!"
Stingham reflexively kicked at the golden metal puppet.
"Ding!"
The golden metal puppet showed its careful and programmed nature as it responded, moving its other arm to position a shield in the path of Stingham's foot and sending Stingham falling backwards.
At this exact moment, an idea emerged in Stingham's mind.
"Wait a minute. Shock Conduction transforms the force from an enemy's strike into shockwaves which then travel out into the ground through the feet. If I am able to transfer that force into an enemy instead… won't it harm them?"
"If this metal puppet suffers too much internal shock, it will stop working right?"
"Hahaha, I am indeed a genius, and the most handsome one!" Stingham couldn't help but cackle as he put his hands on his waist.
"Dong!"
At this moment, a shield slammed into his face, interrupting his laughter.
Two streams of blood began to trickle from Stingham's nostrils.
In his moment of excitement, Stingham had forgotten to use Shock Conduction. As a result, his face had suffered from the force of the blow, causing it to swell.
"I'm going to shake you to death!" Stingham screamed as the look on his face became fierce and hideous.
He quickly jumped back up onto his feet.
"Bang!"
When the shield approached his face this time, he fiercely grabbed it with both of his hands and then extended both of his legs towards the golden metal puppet's body.
However, his feet failed to reach their target. As a result, he could not transfer any shockwaves.
Using the two shields attached to its arms, the golden metal puppet continued its assault.
"I don't believe that I won't succeed!"
Stingham's body constantly twisted and contorted as he finally engaged in 'battle' with the golden metal puppet.
After countless exchanges and an unknown period of time, Stingham seemed to slowly be finding ways of dealing with this opponent which had stifled and beaten on him for so long. No matter how the golden metal puppet moved or responded, it was unable to push Stingham away.
A couple more minutes passed. By this point, Stingham was draped over the golden metal puppet like the zombie of Lover's Corpse.
Although awkward-looking, Stingham had managed to twist his body into a position which suppressed the golden metal puppet's movements and allowed him to firmly press the soles of his feet into its insteps.
"How is it? You can't get rid of me!"
"Hahaha! Die from the vibrations!"
Stingham cackled madly as shockwaves created from the golden metal puppet's own blows were transferred through his feet into its body, causing it to vibrate internally.
Sounds began to ring out from within the golden metal puppet's body as its movements became increasingly uncoordinated.
"What kind of method is this?"
"He actually came up with a method like this?!"
"Even this fellow is going to pass this challenge?!"
Atop the bronze wall, all of the referees and medical masters were in a state of complete disbelief.
