The fights on the other platforms are still going on but most of the spectators are all observing the Platform where Sam had his fight. Even after Sam was done with the fight, they are still looking at him as if they were looking at a monster.
After all, who would take down an opponent who is at higher level than you using their own technique. It is more of a humiliation than defeat. Sam is literally rubbing in that guy's face that he is trash.
Nobody, wants to experience such a defeat. They are even thinking why this guy did something like that, taking things that far for a tournament. He could just defeat him normally, right?
But only Sam and the trio knew that it is not that simple. The trio are targeting Sam intentionally and Sam is just playing along with them.
Nevertheless, the fights continued. But Sam wasn't challenged, instead the rest of the top 10 are receiving challenges one by one. Soon, Jack was challenged.
Both, Sam and Jack knew who that guy is. He is Drew. The swordsman who is also one of the leaders of the 14-man team who wanted to fight against Sam's team.
Jack slowly alighted the stage, with a normal sword. Right now, he is not using the Black meteorite sword, because there might be someone knowledgeable recognising the sword material and him getting into trouble. He needs to get a sheath to cover it up to carry it around after the tournament.
"I am going to make you guys regret what you did to us? Both you and that Sam are just some country bumpkins, how dare you sneak attack us from behind?" Drew said as soon as Jack came on to the Platform. He is really angry and Jealous that he lost to Sam and Jack even with the overwhelming advantage in number and that too, when they caught the others in their weakened state. He is just making excuses for himself out of shame to get back at him.
Jack didn't say anything at all. He just looked at Drew coldly. He is also a little bit pissed at the last battle. He is overwhelmed with numbers and these guys also tried to gang up on him. If he was in his best form, he might be able to sweep the floor with these guys. He is already angry at them and wanted to find a way to settle scores and here they are giving him a chance directly.
Drew held his long sword as he pointed at Jack. He swiftly made his move as the sword made an elegant arc in the air as it went towards his arm. Drew is aiming at Jack's arm.
Jack didn't move at all. His sword is still in sheath. Just before the sword made contact, a keening could be heard and Drew felt his sword meet another solid blade before deviating from the original direction.
When he came to his senses, Drew's arms were vibrating as he held the sword in the air. He looked around found that Jack is still in same posture. There is no change at all. Even his sword has no signs that it was taken out.
Drew felt a little dazed. He didn't know how he was deviated from his original path. But he clearly missed his target, but the other party didn't seem to move at all.
He shook his head and swung his sword again. This time he aimed at other party's chest. But just like previous time, just before he made contact, he missed. The other party is still standing there without any signs of movement.
'What happened?' This question is not only ringing in Drew's head but also a lot of spectators. After all, there are a lot of people who are paying attention to the members in top 10 participants.
Drew gritted his teeth and tried to calm down. He again attacked but missed. He again attacked aiming at different parts of body.
Arm. Missed
Leg. Missed
Heart. Missed
Eyes. Missed
Torso. Missed.
Head. Missed.
He continuously attacked and attacked only to be missed. He felt as if he was aiming at the wrong direction completely. All he knew is that every time he attacked and the sword was about to make contact, he could hear a keening sound and that's it. By the time, he came to his senses, he is standing there like an idiot.
After some relentless failure, Drew stepped back and kept some distance between both of them.
"Let us see, how you are going to dodge this?" He gritted his teeth and started concentrating. His long sword started glowing with spiritual energy. He held the sword with both his hands and swung it.
"The Andrew sword style. Sword shower." Drew said and started making sword moves. There are sword lights in form of stabs, slash, pierce. The combination of the sword moves was done with very basic of sword movements. The sword lights didn't immediately didn't move. They froze in the air as if they were waiting and with a final slash, all the sword lights started moving towards Jack.
The air around him turned sharp. The dangerous sword aura emitting from the move clearly showed the threat it would pose.
"Andrew sword style. It has been a long time since I last saw this." Castor said as he touched his chin.
"Yeah, this drew kid seemed to have good talent in sword. The sword shower isn't a simple move. But he still was able to learn it when he is still at the late stage Acolyte. But I think the move will only show its full power, when it is made in Novice level." Count Falcon also commented from side.
Even the crowd was watching to see how Jack will deal with this.
"That is the young master Drew for you. He is after all the prodigy and the sword style of his family is quite unique."
"Yes, I think that other guys might not dodge it."
"Yeah, even if he is good at dodging the attack this time covers too much of the area. I think it is quite difficult."
Meanwhile, Jack who is at the receiving end of the attack is quite relaxed. He stared at Drew's movements with concentration as he examined the other party putting all his remaining power into a single attack.
His hand slowly moved towards the sword hanging in the sheath at his hip. He held the sword handle with his right hand as his spiritual energy started circulating.
"You aren't as bad as I thought." Jack said to Drew and just when the numerous sword lights are about to converge towards his vitals. He has a smirk on his face. "But you are still not good enough to take me down." After these words, Jack drew the sword out of his sheath. A majestic sword light came out of the along with the sword and immediately disintegrated the sword shower.
"Sword Draw." Jack muttered under his breath. Drew just looked with his weak body as his attack disappearing into nothing and still the sword light started making its way towards him. He felt like all his nerves and even his will could feel the sharpness of the sword light.
Before he can comprehend the feeling of this sharpness.
*Slash* He felt his flesh cut open as a deep gash was formed on his chest. Before he knew it, he fainted due to the blood loss.
"Winner Jack. Plus, one point."
"Candidate Drew. Minus, one point."
Elder declared as Jack made his way downwards. He stood beside Sam and exchanged a nod.
"That move is great." Castor said to Count.
"Why are there, so many good candidates from the Star wood city? First that guy named Sam, who is good at everything we tested today and now this guy. His sword style is very unique. His movements are elegant, swift and there are no extra movements at all. It is as if he is too lazy to make any extra moves, but every move he made is extremely accurate and precise." Count also gave his evaluation.
Audience also felt surprised by the development.
They thought that Jack would try to dodge or defend. They thought that Jack is strong from the earlier performance, but he never thought that he would be strong enough to not only counter the strongest move from his opponent, but they never expected that he would be able to do so in one move.
Meanwhile there are changes in the top 10. Eve and Shor dropped out after their first challenges. Sam actually thought that he would be highly challenged, but actually the most challenges were directed towards Hawk.
Right now, Hawk is fighting with another person Sam is familiar with, actually more like a person who Sam fought with.
Ray and Hawk are standing on the stage.
"Hawk, today I am going to take you down. You have been on the top for too long."
"You can try then." Hawk replied and started forming hand signs.
Ray swung his sabre towards him, but the latter didn't move at all. Just before the sabre reached him, he floated through the air as he moved backwards. Then before Ray tried to make a next move, wind blades started forming around him, the wind condensed in the form of blades started attacking ray from all the directions.
Hawk continuously made hand seals as he sent the wind blades one after another. Ray got himself busy. He is cursing inside his heart so much. This is the reason he made the first move against Hawk, to not to fall into the trap of these wind blades. But he failed again.
Just when he was about to make relax a bit. He heard Hawk's voice.
"Let us finish this."
Just then he realized that he focused too much on the wind blades. When he looked at Hawk, he is already done casting.
"Dual wing slash." Hawk muttered as a wind elemental energy condensed into a Hawk and two heavily condensed wind blades in form of Wings started moving towards him.
Before he knew it, he has two deep gashes on his chest as he flew off the stage.
Sam was impressed at Hawk's usage of wind energy. Surprisingly, Hawk turned towards him and gave a smile.
Time passed; Sam was getting bored. He was expecting some challenges but no one is challenging him. After Yash's defeat the weird trio also didn't challenge him at all. The top 10 places didn't change much. Except for Eve and Shor, replaced by Ray and Drew. There are no changes. Surprisingly, the eleven and twelve places are familiar to him.
Jessie and Dustin are in eleventh and twelfth places.
Just when he was feeling that there would be no challenges, Hawk went on to the stage and called his name.
Sam immediately got energised.
"Finally." He said as he walked towards the stage in high spirits. After all, he has seen Hawk fighting and he was pretty much thinking of getting a first hand experience himself.
