Chapter 2602: A Desperate Battle
"Die!"
The furious roar echoed across the arena as nine figures of Cort attacked Kieran simultaneously.
Nine shadows flickered back and forth across the platform, blending illusion and reality so seamlessly that it became impossible to distinguish truth from trickery. Cort’s movement technique, which already resembled teleportation, was further enhanced by his use of a clone technique, making him even harder to predict.
Seeing this, Kieran immediately channeled his internal energy, forming a white protective shield around himself.
*Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!*
Before the shield had fully formed, a relentless barrage of punches rained down like a storm, striking the shield from all sides. Each punch Cort threw caused the barrier to shudder violently.
With the sky filled with fist shadows, Kieran's shield resembled a lone boat caught in a stormy sea, trembling under the assault, as if it could shatter at any moment.
"Do you really think you can stop me?" Cort roared between attacks, his fists moving in a frenzy. "I’ll tear you limb from limb!"
His anger fueled every strike. As a renowned master on the Whiz List, it was a deep humiliation to be wounded by a nobody like Kieran. If he didn’t reclaim his honor today, how could he ever stand tall in the martial world again?
Despite Cort’s ferocious onslaught, Kieran didn’t rush to counterattack. Instead, he focused on maintaining his shield, calling forth every ounce of his strength to preserve it. Cort’s clones were too numerous, making it impossible to discern which one was real.
What made things worse was that whether it was the clone or the real Cort, each would disappear immediately after throwing a punch, leaving Kieran no opening to retaliate.
At this rate, even though Kieran was strong, he wouldn't be able to hold on for long.
"My God! A clone technique combined with teleportation—who could withstand that?"
"No wonder he's a top contender on the Whiz List! Even injured, Cort can unleash such terrifying power. Incredible!"
"Kieran was close—so close to winning! What a shame. In the end, he just couldn’t match Cort’s mastery."
The spectators in the arena buzzed with varying opinions. Some cheered for Cort, admiring his strength despite his injuries. Others lamented for Kieran, who had come so close to becoming an underdog hero, another dark horse like Troy, who had recently stunned everyone by defeating Lander, the ninth-ranked master. However, Troy’s victory was based on skill, whereas Kieran’s earlier advantage had seemed more like a lucky break.
"What should we do? It looks bad for Master Kieran!" Ruby, watching from the stands, couldn't hide her anxiety. Kieran’s earlier flurry of attacks had been so impressive that she’d almost believed he could win. But now, the tide had turned in Cort’s favor.
"Cort is enraged. He’s fully unleashing the strength that earned him a spot on the Whiz List. It's nearly impossible for Master Kieran to win now,"Emerald shook her head grimly. Even though Cort was wounded, his core strength remained intact. His combination of teleportation and clone techniques had rendered him nearly invincible. Kieran was trapped in a purely defensive position, unable to turn the tables.
Unless, of course, Kieran had some hidden trump card.
"Die, die, die! Just die already!"
Cort’s voice was filled with malice as he hurled his fury into every blow.
Chapter 2603: Precision Amidst Chaos
The more Cort attacked, the more furious and fierce he became, with his internal energy surging uncontrollably. His countless shadows, mixed with a flurry of fists, continued their relentless assault on Kieran's protective barrier.
Before long, cracks began to appear on the white shield.
Seeing this, Cort only grew more excited, attacking with even greater vig6or. As soon as the barrier broke, he knew he could finish Kieran in an instant, finally quenching his burning rage.
However, faced with such a crisis, Kieran did something unexpected—he closed his eyes.
Cort's combinati1on of clone technique and teleportation was impossible to track with just eyesight. The only way to counter it was through heightened perception, sensing the faintest, most elusive traces of his movements. This was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, but Kieran had no other choice.
*Bang, bang, bang!*
With each punch, the cracks on the barrier grew wider, spreading like a spiderweb until they covered the entire shield.
“If you want to die so badly, I’ll grant your wish!” Cort sneered, gathering all his internal energy for a final, powerful blow.
*Boom!*
With a deafening sound, the shield shattered.
Seizing the opportunity, Cort, along with his clones, launched simultaneous attacks, targeting Kieran’s vital points.
But at that exact moment, Kieran opened his eyes.
He neither defended nor dodged. Instead, he turned abruptly and thrust a single finger toward one of the flashing figures.
This finger strike seemed ordinary, but it concealed an overwhelming, destructive power. As soon as Kieran pointed, the surrounding space appeared to distort slightly.
*Bang!*
Cort’s punch landed heavily on Kieran, sending him flying over ten meters. He skidded a few more meters after landing before finally coming to a stop. Blood trickled uncontrollably from his nose and mouth, a clear sign that Cort's blow had done serious damage.
But when the dust settled, all of Cort’s clones vanished. His real body remained standing, motionless, as if frozen in place, his face showing a mixture of shock and disbelief.
He had never expected that, despite using his teleportation and clone techniques, Kieran could pinpoint his exact location with such precision. It was utterly unimaginable!
"You... you..."
Cort raised a trembling hand, pointing at Kieran, about to speak. But before he could say anything, blood suddenly gushed from his mouth.
The next second, Cort collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Chapter 2604: The Unexpected Victory
Silence.
The entire scene suddenly fell into complete stillness.
Everyone stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, at the unconscious and severely injured Cort.
No one had expected this outcome.
Just a moment ago, Cort had been in complete control, bombarding Kieran with relentless attacks. He seemed only seconds away from shattering Kieran’s protective barrier and sealing his victory.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, Cort collapsed to the ground.
The whole event happened so quickly that the audience couldn’t even react.
“What just happened? Cort actually lost?”
“This is so bizarre! What exactly happened back there?”
“No doubt, this match has been full of twists and turns!”
“...”
After a brief moment of silence, the entire arena erupted into chaos.
Cort’s defeat shocked everyone.
From the start, Cort had toyed with Kieran, growing overconfident and careless. This gave Kieran the chance to counterattack fiercely, which further enraged Cort. He then unleashed his full power, beating Kieran down so hard that he could barely lift his head.
But in the end, it was Cort who fell, and Kieran who unexpectedly claimed victory.
The entire battle was full of ups and downs, with an ending no one could have predicted. The audience was left utterly confused.
“He won? Young Master Kieran actually won?”
Ruby was stunned for a moment, then broke into an excited laugh. “Sister! Did you see that? Young Master Kieran won! Haha... this is amazing!”
“How did he manage to win?”
Emerald’s beautiful eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t believe the result.
Even though Cort had given Kieran a brief opening earlier in the match, he had quickly regained the upper hand through his superior strength. His later moves, like the clone technique and teleportation, were undoubtedly top-tier skills that should have secured him victory.
She couldn’t understand how Kieran managed to turn the tables at the last second.
“Dr. Rhys, your friend is truly incredible! Defeating Cort is such a shocking outcome!”
On the other side, Lara and the others also wore expressions of surprise.
In terms of raw power, Cort was clearly the stronger of the two. After all, being able to climb the Whiz List required exceptional abilities. His teleportation-like movement and mysterious clone technique were prime examples of his superior skills.
In contrast, Kieran hadn’t displayed any particularly overwhelming techniques throughout the fight. His victory seemed baffling.
“Cort underestimated his opponent and gave him too many openings.”
At that moment, Vincent spoke up. “But that being said, Kieran is no simple fighter either. His ability to seize opportunities is remarkable. Even the slightest flaw in his opponent’s defense, and he can exploit it with precision. That kind of sharp perception is rare.”
Others might not have noticed, but Vincent saw everything clearly.
Kieran won because, in the final moment, he managed to pinpoint Cort’s real body out of nine identical clones.
Of course, that was only part of the reason.
Chapter 2605: The Moment of Victory
To win this fight, Kieran had to not only locate Cort’s true body but also predict exactly where it would land—all within a split second.
Missing that moment meant certain defeat.
But against all odds, Kieran seized that critical instant.
As Cort's true form charged forward, Kieran made a daring choice: he took a direct hit from Cort’s punch, exchanging blow for blow. In that moment, he unleashed his signature technique—the Explosive Finger of the Yama Fist and Blade Sect.
Already injured and not physically robust, Cort couldn’t withstand the force. The Explosive Finger knocked him out cold.
In the end, Cort's defeat wasn’t unfair. Kieran’s victory wasn’t mere luck; it was the result of his undeniable strength.
But it wasn’t just strength that secured Kieran’s win.
His sharp instincts and heightened perception were unparalleled, even by his own standards.
“Whew…”
On the stage, Kieran finally exhaled, his taut nerves relaxing at last. That was too close. If he hadn’t sensed that tiny flaw in Cort’s technique, he wouldn’t have had any chance to counter.
Both Cort’s clone technique and his teleportation ability were nearly impossible to track. The fact that Kieran won was partly due to luck.
The geniuses ranked on the Whiz List were not easy to defeat.
If Cort, ranked only tenth, was this difficult, how terrifying would those ranked higher be?
Nevertheless, Kieran had accomplished his goal. By defeating Cort, he advanced to the top eight, ensuring he hadn’t disgraced the Yama Fist and Blade Sect.
As for climbing higher in the ranks, Kieran had no further ambitions.
The remaining opponents were far too strong. From this point, he could only do his best and leave the rest to fate.
After the sixth match concluded, the seventh battle swiftly followed.
This time, two talented disciples from prominent sects faced off.
On one side stood Lukas Storm, the top disciple of Azure Mysterium Sect. On the other, Henry Lee, the senior disciple of the True Harmony Sect.
Both were well-known in the martial world, and though neither had made the Whiz List, they weren’t far behind.
As soon as the match began, Lukas Storm and Henry Lee didn’t hold back. The battle was fierce, with neither side willing to show mercy. Each unleashed an array of extraordinary techniques, and the arena soon became a scene of bloodied intensity.
In the end, after a prolonged struggle, Henry Lee of the True Harmony Sect emerged victorious, knocking Lukas Storm out of the ring.
However, Henry Lee did not escape unscathed.
Though he won, it was a pyrrhic victory.
This was by far the most evenly matched contest since the top eight qualifiers began.
With the seventh match over, the eighth and final battle of the day was about to commence.
"Now, let’s welcome Contestant 8 and Contestant 9 to the stage!" Jeremy’s voice echoed once more as the arena was cleared.
"Finally, it’s my turn."
Dustin stretched lazily before heading to the ring.
By now, he didn’t even need to look at the numbers to know who his opponent was.
It was none other than the foreign challenger sent by the Pantheon—Father Adam!
