Damned Healer

Darian walked up the martial stage with calm, completely indifferent steps. Cheers of excitement echoed through the arena, since that hybrid looked like he was just out for a stroll, as if he didn't even see his opponent in his eyes.

"A mediocre assassin, who fell for the charms of a useless whore. How the hell do you even have the face to act so arrogant?" Lachlan said as he also stepped onto the stage.

The moment both were up there, yellowish rays of light wrapped around the martial stage: the protective inscription, activated at full power. Everyone from Remira's battalion felt their hearts tighten instantly.

At that moment, Lachlan's golden armor pulsed with a soft greenish glow. The whole space inside the martial stage was filled with wind fluctuations, like a subtle mist.

Darian looked and felt it calmly. It was the wind element being used differently. If anyone else tried to use that same element, the whole place would vibrate with even the smallest fluctuation, and the power would be drawn out, becoming loud and obvious.

Sure, that boosted the power a little, but right now, Lachlan didn't care.

"Hahaha, you think you're hot shit just because you've got an insane movement technique? The moment you showed that off, your death was already sealed."

Lachlan spoke while staring straight into Darian's eyes. Obviously, Darian's actions—landing blows on the Dean over and over—were already known by everyone.

But the Dean had felt, right before each move, the fluctuations of wind. It was clear then that it was a terrifying movement technique with that element. That's why, with the field covered like this, every fluctuation would be loud as hell, and Lachlan could easily sense and deal with Darian.

Everyone was convinced that Darian had only managed all that against the Dean, even at just level 1, because they hadn't taken him seriously—and because of that technique.

The better-informed people in the arena quickly understood what was going on. Soon, waves of ridicule started echoing against Darian.

Lachlan wasn't some simple guy. His talent was massive, his gear and techniques top-tier, and he was really close to reaching level 8. In two or three hundred years, it was likely he'd hit level 9 and stand at the peak of the sect's power.

Darian seemed like he couldn't even hear the voices around him. He just stared silently at his opponent, the corners of his mouth curving into the faintest of smiles.

"You're not walking out of here alive, but… people like you need to be used as an example for everyone. An assassin who thinks he's above the whole sect has to be put in his place properly. I don't need anything big to beat you." Lachlan spoke with passion.

"Really? Then how about we fight with just our fists?" Darian replied, a bit of joy in his voice.

"Why not? Someone pathetic like you doesn't deserve an easy death. I'll crush you slowly and break every single bone in your body. Using a weapon or a big move without killing you would be hard."

With Lachlan's reply, the whole crowd seemed to explode in excitement. He grinned with energy at their shouts.

"Enough talk, time to pay for your arrogance!"

Lachlan roared and charged, bringing with him a howling gust of wind.

When he was less than ten meters away, with a low shout, his right fist shot toward Darian like a missile piercing through the winds. His goal wasn't to kill, but to hurt and break him, to gain the maximum morale boost possible.

"Very good." Dean Zlark said with a cold laugh.

The strike was extremely violent and fast, but…

Darian shifted his body slightly to the side and dodged.

After hitting only air, Lachlan narrowed his eyes and immediately threw a punch with his other fist, clearly aiming for Darian's face.

A wicked gleam flashed in Darian's eyes. He lowered his body, dodging again at an unbelievable speed. But instead of retreating, he advanced!

It was a lightning counterattack: suddenly, his elbow smashed violently into Lachlan's abdomen.

"Holy shit! That guy's asking to die!" someone more experienced in the arena shouted.

Everyone understood. Lachlan specialized in the elements of wind and lightning, and everyone knew about his insane technique.

Not only was he terrifyingly fast with wind, but when someone hit him physically—on direct contact—Lachlan could send a massive electric shock into the opponent's body and fry them from the inside.

That kind of counter had no defense and was devastating. But to use it, you had to create and maintain lightning runes inside your body. It was like carrying a bomb inside you: one slip, and you could kill yourself.

As incredible as it was, nobody was crazy enough to actually train that technique. But Lachlan wasn't called a freakish genius for nothing.

And yet, the next scene left everyone baffled…

Darian really did strike Lachlan's abdomen, but the fluctuations and massive electric surge never came. Lachlan just froze there.

Then, Darian straightened up and calmly took two steps back.

"..."

The crowd was dead silent, still trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Then… they noticed something changing in Lachlan.

"Ugh… ugh…"

Hoarse sounds escaped his mouth. Lachlan's eyes were wide open, bulging in an almost grotesque way, like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

Suddenly, he slowly dropped to his knees, clutching his abdomen with both hands in agony, curling up there. His whole body trembled, cold sweat pouring endlessly from his head. Fresh blood started dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Even though Darian's elbow strike hadn't pushed him back even half a step, the black power had seeped into his body the instant they made contact, leaving him unable to fight through the crushing pain.

"What's this?" Darian muttered, his voice echoing through the silence. "Finally realized your place and decided to kneel before me? Pfft… too bad for you, I don't like people bowing."

Lachlan was still curled up, unable to force out even a single clear word.

*BANG!*

Suddenly, Darian kicked him in the face. The sound of bones breaking echoed across the arena.

He was sent flying, and only the thuds of his body crashing and rolling across the martial stage could be heard.

Meanwhile, Darian just stood there in the same spot, indifferent, not even trying to move forward. Secretly, he dispersed the black power inside his opponent; it wasn't time for him to die yet.

It took a full minute before Lachlan managed to stand, still trembling a little.

One side of his face was completely caved in. Blood still dripped from his lips, and his eyes burned red with pure hatred.

"I'll destroy you!!"

He screamed with all the strength in his lungs. Suddenly, a massive blade appeared in his hands—a heavy black saber, radiating a bloody aura.

People swallowed hard. All the pomp from earlier, his honor and heroic spirit, had been thrown straight into the trash.

"Just you?" Darian laughed with disdain.

Amid the audience's shocked cries, Darian didn't draw a weapon or release any power to defend himself.

Lachlan's massive blade came down.

In Darian's eyes, a light from the seven stars flickered to life. Just a simple use, without tapping into the primordial power of Yin and Yang stars.

In his fist, a trace of black power gathered. He punched, and instantly, the impact slammed into the back of the saber.

*BOOM!!*

With a deafening shattering sound, the huge black blade exploded into countless fragments.

Before Lachlan could even scream in shock, Darian's right foot had already shot out and slammed into his chest.

*CRACK!*

With a crash, the golden armor shattered like it was made of glass.

"AH!" With a muffled scream, many of Lachlan's ribs snapped.

His burly body was blasted back dozens of meters like a cannonball, smashing violently against the protective barrier behind him; the collision made the entire inscription tremble slightly.

Slowly, every eye in the crowd followed Lachlan's body as it slid down the barrier and hit the ground.

Breaking a blade barehanded and crushing an opponent with a single strike—it had all happened in an instant. Everyone watching was struck speechless, and not even the Sect Leader or the Deans could think straight at the sight.

The eyes of Remira's entire battalion shone like stars. Remira herself was the calmest, but deep down she was surprised.

If she had been at full strength, she could have also won in such a crushing way… but… she knew her own terrifying origins. Even if he was a missionary, Darian was just a normal human; him actually being this strong was a pleasant surprise.

Those who mocked him, despised him, sneered at him, commented about him… in that exact instant, they were all dumbfounded. Meanwhile, the faces of the seven Deans had all turned grim.