The Extra's Reincarnation-Chapter 160: First Year Combat Ring (6)

With a grin that revealed his anticipation, Uzan cracked his knuckles and widened his stance.

"Let's see what you're really made of."

BOOM!

The two fighters rushed toward each other, both moving at what appeared to be normal speed to the untrained eye.

Their hands glowed with manifestations of their soul energy with Julian's being a deep crimson tinged with black and Uzan's a dark purple that pulsed like a heartbeat.

In that moment of approach, both fighters were carefully watching each others motion.

Julian analyzed Uzan's center of gravity, the slight tilt of his shoulders indicating where his attack would land.

Uzan, meanwhile, tracked Julian's footwork, predicting the angle of his incoming strike.

'He's hitting to the left.'

'It has to be to the right.'

When their fists finally met, it wasn't flesh that connected with flesh.

Their soul energies collided first, creating an instantaneous explosion of power that rippled outward in concentric waves.

BOOOOOM!

The shockwave blasted through the arena, forcing the front-row spectators to shield their faces.

Windows rattled in their frames, and several students in the lower tiers were nearly knocked from their seats.

"Holy shit!" someone shouted over the roar.

"That would have killed a normal person!"

Drothgar remained seated, his expression unchanged despite the blast that had just erupted mere feet from where he sat.

His eyes narrowed slightly—the only indication that he found the display noteworthy.

Throughout the stands, whispers rapidly transformed into astonished exclamations.

"Impossible! How is Julian matching him?"

"He's matching THE Uzan, who placed first in both physical and attack power assessments!"

"This can't be real—he must be using some kind of enhancement artifact!"

The shockwave dissipated almost as quickly as it had formed, throwing both fighters backward.

Julian slid to a halt near the edge of the ring, his shoes leaving scorch marks on the polished floor.

Uzan similarly anchored himself with one massive hand against the ground, his fingers digging furrows into the reinforced stone.

Without hesitation, Julian flicked his wrist and fired a single mana bullet—a concentrated sphere of blue energy that shot toward Uzan with pinpoint accuracy.

It was a probing attack, designed not to harm but to gather information.

Uzan reacted instantly, twisting his massive frame with surprising agility to avoid the projectile. His eyes never left Julian's hands, tracking every subtle movement with the wariness of a predator who suddenly realized his prey had fangs.

"Support specialist," Uzan muttered, a new respect entering his voice. "What a joke."

Julian smiled thinly.

"Classifications can be misleading."

Uzan's lips curved into a grin.

"Indeed." His hands began to glow again, the purple energy intensifying.

"Let me show you why my family has ruled the northern mountains for twelve generations."

BAM!

He slammed his fist into the ground.

The arena floor cracked beneath the impact, and suddenly earth began to rise up around his arm.

The soil and stone swirled, compressing and hardening until it formed a massive gauntlet that encased his entire forearm.

But that wasn't all. As Julian watched in fascination, Uzan channeled his purple soul energy into the earthen construct.

The gauntlet began to pulse with an inner light, the purple energy threading through the earth like veins of precious ore.

"Elemental Soul Armament," Uzan announced, raising his transformed arm.

Julian stared at Uzan as he realized that he was doing something he had never seen before.

The technique was clearly beyond basic soul arts manipulation—it was a fusion of elemental magic and soul energy in perfect balance.

-He's combining two separate magical systems. Vykekard's voice rang in Julian's mind.

-This is an advanced technique that even most soul arts users haven't mastered.

"What exactly am I looking at?" Julian whispered, keeping his eyes fixed on the glowing gauntlet.

-He's created a point of built-up mana to conjure an elemental weapon extension, then coated it with his soul energy. By layering these two different energy types, he's achieving both higher damage output and greater control. It's a technique that requires really good control.

Vykekard's voice held a note of grudging respect.

-He's ahead of you in terms of technique and usage. Your soul arts are powerful, but raw. His one is more refined and controlled.

"Good to know," Julian muttered, shifting his stance to a more defensive position.

He felt a bit concerned as Uzan flexed his gauntleted arm, sending small chunks of stone flying from the joints.

The half-dwarf's expression was one of absolute confidence.

"Let's see how you handle this!"

Uzan charged forward, his earthen gauntlet leaving a trail of purple light in its wake.

Julian barely had time to cross his arms in front of his chest before Uzan's armored fist crashed into his guard. The impact sent him skidding backward, his shoes leaving smoking trails on the arena floor.

Pain lanced through Julian's forearms despite the protective layer of soul energy he'd managed to summon at the last second. The combination of physical force and dual-layered magical energy had nearly broken through his defenses in a single blow.

"Impressive," Julian admitted, shaking his arms to restore feeling to his numbed fingers. "I've never seen that technique before."

"Few have," Uzan replied, the pride evident in his voice. "It's a royal technique passed down through generations of the Modan bloodline."

"Ah… I see."

As the fight continued, Uzan lunged forward, his earthen gauntlet pulsing with purple energy.

Julian attempted to sidestep, but Uzan anticipated the movement.

With shocking speed for someone so large, he pivoted his right foot and caught Julian with a sweeping backhand.

"Gah!" Julian gasped as the blow connected with his ribs, sending him tumbling across the arena floor.

The crowd gasped. Julian had gone from matching Uzan to being tossed around like a ragdoll in an instant.

Before Julian could fully regain his footing, Uzan was upon him again. The half-dwarf's technique was flawless—each movement flowing into the next with practiced precision.

Julian managed to block the first two strikes, his arms trembling under the impact, but the third slipped past his guard.

CRACK!

Uzan's stone-encased fist slammed into Julian's shoulder, nearly dislocating it.

The pain was immediate and intense, causing Julian's vision to spin out momentarily.

"Not so confident now, are we?" Uzan taunted.

Julian tried to create distance between them, but Uzan's relentless assault left no room for retreat.

Each blow came faster and harder than the last, forcing Julian into an increasingly desperate defense.

-He's toying with you now. Vykekard said

-Not only that but he's figured out your rhythm.

"Haah... I can see that,"

Julian muttered through gritted teeth, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have connected squarely with his jaw.

As he dodged, Julian studied the technique with fascination despite his predicament.

The way Uzan channeled dual energies into the earthen gauntlet was masterful.

It was a perfect balance of elemental manipulation and soul arts.

It was something Julian had never attempted, but the principles seemed clear enough.

'If I could just replicate that...'

Julian thought, but the realization hit him like another of Uzan's punches.

His elemental affinity was practically nonexistent.

What was the point of even trying?

He had no earth mana to manipulate, no elemental power to fuse with his soul arts.

The crowd's murmurs grew louder, their disappointment palpable.

They'd expected more from someone who'd stood up to Uzan Modan Jr.

The only person who'd managed to land that first incredible blow.

But then his momentary distraction cost him dearly.

BANG!

Uzan's gauntlet crashed into Julian's stomach with devastating force.

The impact drove all air from his lungs, lifting him clear off his feet.

For one suspended moment, Julian hung in midair, eyes wide with shock and pain.

Then gravity reclaimed him, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping desperately for breath.

"JULIAN!" Rean's voice cut through the roaring in his ears.

The arena had fallen silent, watching as Julian struggled to rise. His legs trembled beneath him, and one arm wrapped protectively around his midsection where Uzan's blow had landed.

"Stay down," Uzan advised, towering over him. "There's no shame in knowing when you're outmatched."

"You know,"

"I think I've been approaching this all wrong."

"…?"

Uzan was confused at Julian's words he didn't know whether he had been serious the entire time or if he was playing in the palm of his hand.

Despite the answer being glaringly obvious, Uzan's eyes remained locked on Julian as he slowly lifted his head.

"What are you talking about?"

"Right my bad." Julian said, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Let's take this a bit more seriously now,"

WHOOOSH!

His eyes were glowing a brilliant crimson, burning like twin embers in the shadow of his face.

[Divine Eyes Of Convergence Has Been Activated!]