Rise of the Crusader

“It’s with delight to inform you that we have arrived at the finale,” Nicholas stated.

“The grand stage of all.”

A smile hung on Nicholas’s face as he spoke, and even though the two on the stage weren’t students of his division, he was glad that the academy had students with this potential.

“While we already know what is at stake here, I still want to refresh it again,” Nicholas said.

“I will start with the first reward that would be handed to the winner of this finale.”

Spanning a whopping 20, 000 square feet, the winner would be presented with one of the most luxurious mansions in the academy. The mansion is on the second block, and it’s not only the most expensive, but it is also the safest there.

The students were already impressed by the first reward, and when they heard the second reward on the list, they were blown away.

“For the second reward on the list for the winner, he or she would be handed 500 million points.”

.....

There was complete silence in this surrounding after Nicholas spoke, and as he saw the look that was on their faces, even the two on the stage, he nodded his head.

Clearly satisfied with the impression that he left on the two.

“There would also be a one-year free food delivery to the mansion, as well as an SS-rank internship program awaiting the winner once he or she gets to the fourth year.”

While they were already informed of the rewards of the tournament, it still felt good to hear about them from Nicholas.

There was also no doubt that among the reward that was said by Nicholas, the biggest wasn’t the luxurious mansion, the massive point, instead it was the internship program.

What made the internship program the biggest was that the winner would get the chance to get with the biggest and most powerful metahuman in the academy.

It also entailed teaching programs from metahumans who were at the head of the table.

Nicholas raised his hand, signaling the students who were whispering among themselves to keep quiet.

“Good!” Nicholas blurted.

“Those were the three rewards that were listed for the winner, but after consideration and agreements, the academy has decided to include another reward.”

Apart from the directors, the others in the domain glanced at one another when they heard Nicholas.

They were bewildered expressions on every one of their faces afterward.

“The final reward for the tournament is the modification of a metahuman into an enhanced metahuman.”

“To be more explanatory, the winner would change from being a metahuman into an enhanced metahuman,” Nicholas said.

And ignoring the stupefied look on everyone’s faces, his voice rang out again.

“The winner would become an enhanced metahuman permanently.”

After a few seconds of complete silence, what came next was an uproar from both students and instructors.

The both of them were agitated, as they heard the final reward of the tournament. For the students, if they had known that they were such an offer, they would have risked it all to get to the final stage.

And for the instructors, they were willing to change their form and become one of the students in the academy, all for the chance to become an enhanced metahuman.

The reaction from the students and instructors was well expected by the directors, and having become an enhanced metahuman was no easy feat.

Even Hilario and Raphael were astounded by the idea of becoming an enhanced metahuman. Most especially Raphael, as he heard tales about them, but had never seen them.

“Can such a creation truly be possible?” Raphael mumbled in a low voice.

He wanted to believe that these people were bluffing about the enhanced metahuman modification, but at the same time, he couldn’t think of any reason why they would tell a fib.

Was it to impress the students?

Raphael quickly dismissed that idea, he was unable to think of any reason why some bunch of SS-rank metahuman would want to lie to a metahuman who was far below them.

The idea and potential of an enhanced metahuman were simply so massive that Raphael couldn’t help but think of the possibility of it, and as he continued to ponder about it, Hilario’s voice rang out.

“There’s no reason to doubt them, they are five enhanced metahumans among them after all,” Hilario said with a straight face.

Raphael shifted his gaze to Hilario after she spoke, before then moving them back to the seven directors in front for a few seconds.

An enhanced metahuman was an upgrade from the metahuman.

They were endowed with super strength, speed, agility, durability, and healing factor, and in addition to the powers which they possessed, they were a force not to reckon with.

“This is the five rewards that would be bestowed to whoever wins the tournament,” Nicholas said.

“I wish you the best of luck, you may now begin the tournament.”

A second after Nicholas spoke, and the domain became completely quiet again. The referee stepped onto the stage soon after.

He stared at Raphael, and then at Hilario.

“Fighters ready? Start!”

Raphael balled his hands into a tight fist, surely he wasn’t going to underestimate his opponent, as in the same way he had abilities in place, he was certain she had moves of her own.

Hilario saw the change in Raphael and sneered.

“You don’t remember me, don’t you?” Hilario spoke.

Raphael raised an eyebrow when he heard Hilario, his hands were still clenched into a fist, but he glared at her with more profound meanings.

Hilario shook her head, evidently disappointed with the expression that was on Raphael’s face.

Meanwhile, the people in the surroundings were completely oblivious to what was occurring on the stage.

As Hilario had spoken in a low voice, but seeing her lips moving, and the expression on Raphael’s changing, they realized that she must have said something.

Perhaps something disturbing.

“It’s fine, if you don’t remember, I will make you remember soon enough,” Hilario muttered.

It wasn’t even up to a second after Hilario spoke, and she dashed towards Raphael. The demonic plants soon wrapped themselves around her body, creating both an offensive and yet defensive pattern.

Raphael was amused by Hilario’s confidence in wanting to engage in close combat with him when most would choose would avoid it.

And as she arrived close to him, he struck out a full-force punch.

Hilario already had her hand also wrapped into a fist, and with the demonic plants coiling around her hand, she replied to Raphael’s punch.

Bang!

The both of them were pushed a step backward after the collision, and Raphael had only just adjusted his position when he was Hilario in front of him.

Hilario raised her leg and was about to strike a kick at the back of Raphael’s neck when he hastily moved backward.

“You won’t be so...” Before Hilario could complete her words after her kick was dodged, Raphael emerged in front of her.

And this time around, he was the one swinging at kick at her.

The demonic plants were quick to form a shield around Hilario’s body, and, as Raphael’s kick landed on the plants, there wasn’t the slightest bit of response from Hilario.

Or even the plants.

“It’s until you realize who exactly I am before you stop making these petty moves,” Hilario muttered.

She glared at Raphael who had just moved backward and then sent the demonic plants at him.

Before the incoming demonic plants, Raphael didn’t move from where he was, he, however, used his absolute decay around him as he had in his earlier fight.

“Not going to work,” Hilario said.

Raphael raised an eyebrow, as even after he had used the absolute decay, the demonic plants didn’t stop advancing forward.

In fact, they didn’t seem to be affected by his absolute decay in the slightest

Raphael shook his head and launched forward.

He bypassed the demonic plants easily, but every time he seemed to be moving close to Hilario, more plants came after him.

They were more stronger and faster than the previous one, and after a few seconds of dodging as well as moving past them, Raphael abruptly paused.

“Is it just me, or did I just see a frown on Raphael’s face?” Bane mumbled as he watched the fight from afar.

The frown only lasted for a few seconds on Raphael’s face, but a couple of the students had seen it.

Raphael had fought several battles and gone on so many missions in the academy, and none of his colleagues had seen a frown on his face until now.

He always appeared to have the whole situation under control, but this time around, it couldn’t help but feel like things were falling apart.

“You still don’t remember me?” Hilario spoke.