Sacred Arts

21. The Top Six

The twenty-four-hour period of rest had ended, and to everyone's surprise, the remaining warriors had made remarkable progress in their cultivation at an impressive pace. "Alright everyone, please stand up and come forward to draw your lots," Master Shawn instructed. "This time the numbers will range from one to three," he continued. The six remaining warriors stepped forward one by one to retrieve their lots. The top six warriors are Barry Coleen, the previous tournament's rank one, Rain Anderson, the previous tournament's rank two, Raquel Jackson, the previous tournament's rank three, Amon, Matthew, and Jess.

"The warriors who drew number one may remain on the stage while the rest of you can take your leave," Master Shawn announced. Four warriors left the stage, leaving only Barry and Jess behind. "Finally, I can witness the abilities of last year's top ranked warrior," Amon muttered, determined. "Knowing Jess, she's not going to admit defeat," Matthew thought to himself. "She really needs to be careful, this opponent isn't someone that could be underestimated," he continued.

"Jess, you need to be extremely cautious with this guy," Matthew said in a low voice through gritted teeth. "So what is it going to be girl?" Barry asked in a domineering tone. "Oh I know you already know what I'm going to do," Jess said, confident and unfazed as she unleashed a formidable aura. "Very well," Barry replied arrogantly, shaking his head and sighing. "Come then!" Barry roared proudly, with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Don't worry, I'm going to give you exactly what you want!" Jess yelled as she charged towards Barry. In a swift motion, Jess vanished from her position and reappeared next to Barry, preparing to deliver a powerful kick to his chest. However, Barry skillfully evaded the attack by swiftly moving to the side. Instead of countering aggressively, Barry politely grabbed hold of Jess's leg and effortlessly swung her across the stage. With her body soaring through the air, Jess desperately dug her fingers into the ground to halt her momentum and prevent herself from flying off the stage.

The crowd erupted in awe at Barry's immense strength. "I knew this guy was strong, but this is beyond belief," Jess silently acknowledged. She realized that only she had sensed the overwhelming power behind Barry's throw, which nearly flung her out of bounds. Undeterred, Jess once again unleashed her aura and charged relentlessly towards Barry. Despite her previous failed attacks, Jess launched a relentless onslaught of punches and kicks towards Barry.

To her astonishment, Barry effortlessly dodged each strike with remarkable agility. In a split second exchange, Jess aimed a punch at Barry's face, only for him to catch her fist inside his hand. "I'll show you real power," Barry mocked. Seizing the opportunity, Barry quickly retaliated with a devastating punch to Jess's abdomen. The sheer force behind the blow was overwhelming, causing Jess to cough up blood as she was propelled backwards across the stage once again.

With a thud, she landed on her back, rolling onto her side in agony. Gripping her stomach in an attempt to alleviate the excruciating pain, Jess continued to cough up blood. The impact of Barry's strike left her battered and wounded. "There's just no way a single punch could cause such severe injuries," Jess thought, as anxiety began to build in her mind. Determined to turn the tide of the battle, she pushed herself back onto her feet, wiping blood from her mouth with defiance.

"I refuse to make this easy for him," Jess thought angrily. "I will make you put in work, if you want to beat me!" Jess yelled at Barry. Jess's aura intensified once more, this time taking on a vibrant shade of red, and her eyes mirrored the crimson hue, signifying the activation of her bloodline power. With the overwhelming thought of defeat weighing heavily on her heart, Jess's power surged to unprecedented levels. A surge of bright light engulfed her intensified red aura, illuminating the surrounding area.

"Amazing, she's even more powerful than when she fought Kenzie Royale," Amon thought to himself, observing the battle happening before his eyes. "It seems like she's breaking through!" Matthew whispered to himself, amazed by Jess's strength. As Jess broke through to rank seven within the human realm, it was believed that, in combination with her bloodline power, she had reached a level of power on par with Barry's. Her bloodline power, which amplified her abilities several times over, was the key to her newfound strength. The surge of power caused her aura to intensify even more, and strong gusts of wind swirled around her, creating what looked like a blazing red tornado of energy around her.