Infinite Awakening: 10,000x EXP Converter!

The giant glowing bracket changed above the arena floor. The blue names shifted with a loud digital chime. Round three was officially set. The quarterfinal matches were starting.

Alvian Vance vs. Darius Magnus.

The whole arena went wild. The noise got twice as loud in just a few seconds. The crowd stomped their feet on the metal seats. This was the exact fight everyone wanted to see: the poor E-Rank student who used acid tricks against the golden boy of the rich Magnus family.

Up in the VIP seats, Rex Magnus Senior leaned forward in his soft chair. His face was cold and still. His nephew had just been beaten by this Undercity kid, hurting the family name. He expected his son Darius to fix that right now.

Darius stepped onto the stage first. He looked like a walking volcano. His combat suit was black with glowing orange lines that pulsed with his heartbeat. Magma energy flowed heavily around his fists. Liquid rock dripped from his knuckles and hit the floor.

Sizzle! Pop!

The hot rock burned black marks into the stone tiles. The heat coming off his body made the air bend and shimmer. He cracked his neck and glared across the arena.

Alvian walked out slowly. He did not rush, and he did not look at the screaming crowd. He wore his usual patched jacket with his heavy steel short sword at his hip. He stopped ten steps away from Darius.

”I have been waiting for this,” Darius sneered loudly. ”I am going to burn that stupid look right off your face, trash.”

Alvian said nothing. He looked back with calm, cold eyes. He drew his short sword smoothly and used his skill: Clearwater Coating.

Hiss!

The clear acid covered the steel blade. Small bubbles popped along the sharp edge, making the sword look wet and deadly.

Helen Croft stood at the edge of the stage. She raised her hand high.

”Begin!” she shouted.

Darius attacked instantly. He threw a heavy punch at the empty air. A ball of hot magma flew from his fist straight at Alvian like a cannonball!

Alvian stepped to the side quickly. The magma flew past his chest, but the heat still burned the edge of his jacket. The molten rock hit the floor behind him and splashed everywhere.

Before Alvian could plant his feet, Darius fired another shot, and then another. He used his C-Rank Magma Talent like a rapid-fire gun.

Alvian ducked under the second shot and twisted away from the third. The third magma ball grazed his left shoulder.

Tsss!

The heat burned right through his jacket and scorched his skin. Sharp pain shot through his shoulder. He gritted his teeth and kept moving in zig-zag patterns.

Darius laughed loudly. He fired two more shots at the ground near Alvian’s feet. The magma hit the floor and quickly cooled into sharp, black glass spikes. In just fifteen seconds, Darius covered half the stage in hot lava and razor-sharp spikes.

He was cutting off Alvian’s path. Alvian was trapped and could not move forward without stepping on liquid fire or sharp spikes.

[Ding!]

[Dangerous heat field detected.]

[Magma makeup: 80% melted rock, 20% raw Essence.]

[Threat level: Medium. Advice: Do not let him melt your face.]

Alvian ignored the System box. Darius was standing behind the spikes, charging up a huge two-handed magma blast. His hands glowed bright yellow as the heat grew stronger.

”Stay still and take your beating!” Darius yelled.

Alvian put his short sword away. He needed both hands for this.

He dropped to one knee and slapped both bare palms flat against the floor.

Clearwater Coating.

He pushed his Essence hard. Instead of just coating his hands, he sent the acid outward across the floor like ripples in water. The acid washed over the tiles and hit the black spikes.

The reaction was fast and violent.

Sssssssss!

Thick white steam rose into the air. The acid ate straight through the hard rock. The spikes melted into harmless black mud. The trap was gone in three seconds.

[Ding!]

[Clearwater Coating used on the floor.]

[Area spread successful. Skill level increased.]

[The System likes a clean floor.]

Darius saw his spikes melt away, and his eyes went wide with shock. Angry that his trap failed, he stopped using ranged attacks. He charged through the white steam, pulling his right fist back. The magma around his hand hardened into a solid, glowing rock fist. He threw a punch straight at Alvian’s head.

Alvian stood up to meet him. He did not pull his sword or try to dodge.

He raised his left hand, his palm dripping with thick acid.

BAM!

Alvian caught the heavy magma fist right in his open hand!

The force pushed Alvian back half a step. But the acid did its job. It hit the glowing rock fist and ate through the hard shell instantly. The magma cooled, cracked, and turned into gray dust. The acid seeped straight through to the glove underneath.

Darius felt his magma armor break. His confident grin turned into pure panic.

”What the...” Darius gasped.

Alvian did not wait. While his left hand held Darius’s broken fist, his right hand struck forward. He slammed his palm flat against the center of Darius’s chest armor.

Clearwater Palm.

The acid hit the metal armor with a sickening sizzle. The strong chest plate melted, cracked, and gave way under the chemical attack. The acid burned through the metal and reached the cloth underneath.

The extreme heat from the acid burned Darius’s skin.

”AHHHHHHH!” Darius screamed.

He fell backward, slapping at his chest with both hands. His armor was ruined, and his skin was covered in painful blisters. His magma aura flared up to protect him, burning away the leftover acid, but the damage was already done.

Darius fell to his knees, holding his chest. Tears of pain filled his eyes. He looked up at Alvian, who was standing there completely unhurt.

”I YIELD!” Darius yelled in pure anger and pain. His pride was completely broken.

Helen Croft stepped onto the stage and swung her hand down.

”Match over!” Helen announced loudly. ”Winner: Alvian Vance. He moves on to the quarterfinals.”

The crowd went silent in shock for a moment, then burst into loud cheers and angry shouts. The poor kids in the cheap seats cheered wildly, while the rich nobles in the front rows looked upset and scared.

In the VIP boxes, the energy scanners beeped with warnings. The noble assistants stared at their screens in confusion. Right when Alvian hit the chest plate, his power had spiked to a C-Rank level.

Helen Croft looked down at her screen. This was his third power anomaly. A red warning flashed on her screen: an official investigation was now required by the Academy. She watched Alvian walk away as Darius cried on the floor.

Alvian walked back into the dark tunnel. His shoulder stung from the burn, but his VIT 34 was already healing the skin. He checked his System menu. His Re-Roll Token was still safe in his inventory. He had not needed it against Darius.

He had won using smart tactics and better chemistry. But the hardest fights were still ahead.