[Pratik]: Range Shiftling...
[Wedgermio]: Range Shiftling: Reversal.
It was futile...
Wedgermio's Range Shiftling wasn't working.
Of course it couldn't counter Pratik's Range Shiftling, which isn't traditionally offensive.
It was as if both of them were swallowed by darkness.
Wedgermio's Range Shiftling can only backfire offensive attacks from an opponent that are physical.
However here, Pratik's Range Shiftling swallowed both of them entirely.
This was no raw Range Shiftling.
It was a fully fledged Range Shiftling.
Wedgermio tried to activate other Range Shiftlings, however they didn't work either.
Pratik was standing at his position.
Pratik himself is the blind spot of his Range Shiftling, obviously.
The effects of his Range Shiftling will work everywhere within a certain range except for the position where he exists.
This applies to all Range Shiftling users.
Even Mala's body was swallowed.
Thankfully she isn't dead, but her heartbeat is slowing down.
Wedgermio understood one thing — he can't defeat Pratik with a Range Shiftling clash.
The only convenient way is to destroy him physically.
Determined, Wedgermio threw himself towards Pratik.
Pratik barely dodged.
[Wedgermio]: Just winning a Range Shiftling clash doesn't make you the winner, brat!
Saying that, Wedgermio created a magic sword and slashed through Pratik's abdomen.
Pratik tried to punch Wedgermio, but the attack was too slow for him.
Dodging the attack, Wedgermio punched Pratik away.
Pratik coughed blood.
This attack immediately registered Wedgermio as a high-level threat.
In the next split second, Wedgermio unleashed a couple of punches on Pratik, breaking many of his bones.
Wedgermio's punches were preventing the cell division of Pratik. In essence, he was nullifying Pratik's fast healing.
[Wedgermio]: Your Range Shiftling deserves praise. However, your inexperience within Sorcery is your greatest weakness.
Wedgermio tried to punch Pratik in the face, but Pratik caught his arm and pointed his index finger at Wedgermio's head.
Pratik shot a beam at Wedgermio's head and then kicked him away.
Pratik was barely standing.
Many of his bones were already broken and he was bleeding badly.
The adrenaline rush was also slowing down.
Hoping that Wedgermio was dead, Pratik tried to deactivate his Range Shiftling.
However, that was just his hope.
Wedgermio was still standing.
There was a deep mark on his forehead and it was bleeding.
However, it wasn't deep enough to kill him.
[Wedgermio]: That could have been fatal if it was amplified. But it looks like that was your limit.
The mark healed completely.
[Wedgermio]: You should have at least mixed some of your Dark Energy Reserves with the beam to make sure I couldn't heal it. But it seems you are too much of an idiot to understand that.
Saying that, Wedgermio started accumulating his Dark Energy Reserves into his hands.
[Wedgermio]: Black Fists.
Saying that, he dashed towards Pratik with an assured victory.
But—
"Range Shiftling: Seal."
A barrier sealed Wedgermio away.
[Wedgermio]: This... how is this possible?
Girishika was the one who activated it.
She appeared behind Pratik.
[Girishika]: I had almost drained all my Dark Energy Reserves. But this is Pratik's Range Shiftling. It can squeeze Dark Energy Reserves out of targets and can also fill them inside allies or the user himself.
It was true.
Pratik's Range Shiftling absorbed Dark Energy Reserves from Wedgermio and injected them into Girishika.
Pratik himself was also injecting some of those reserves into his own body.
Pratik fell to the ground and his Range Shiftling got deactivated.
Pratik: Huff... hah... I think I will take some rest...
Saying those words, Pratik closed his eyes.
Girishika nodded while locking Wedgermio inside the pseudo-dimensional seal that wouldn't open for at least a day.
*
Monster Realm,
Four Knights were sitting on their respective chairs.
1)Rado
2)Rezen
3)Grim
4)Kelmon
[Rado]: Lord Tai has given us permission to join the Dragon Empire war.
[Grim]: I know that. What is the purpose of this meeting?
[Kelmon]: Yes, that is a valid question.
[Rado]: The reason is that a few elites from Immortalus Society will be joining this battle as well.
[Grim]: Isn't that great? We will have better opponents to deal with rather than protecting some damn lizards.
[Rado]: Everything feels funny until you learn that the elites are actually the former Team GATTSKALT.
[Grim]: What?! Is this some joke?!
Grim's smirk was replaced by fear.
[Kelmon]: That's quite... a fearful thing to hear.
[Rado]: Indeed. Their existence on this battlefield can reshape it completely. That is the very reason Lord Tai has made some diversions.
[Kelmon]: What are those diversions?
Kelmon asked with slight surprise.
Grim looked at Rado with confused eyes.
[Rado]: The diversions are not specifically mentioned. Lord Tai has ordered us to face only one of the GATTSKALT members. Anyone except Krishna and Arun.
[Kelmon]: That sounds reassuring.
[Grim]: Yes. It's far better than facing all of them together.
[Rezen]: How would Lord Tai know about this? Is there a mole inside Immortalus Society?
Grim and Kelmon looked between Rezen and Rado with surprise.
[Rado]: Most probably yes. However, we do not know about the mole. Our mission is to execute any one of the GATTSKALT members except Krishna and Arun. We must complete it without failing.
[Rezen]: At least tell us who will be facing those two monsters of beings.
[Rado]: As I said, I do not have a clear idea. However, my theory suggests that Arun will face the Generals and Marshals of the Sorcerer Hunters from the Empire. Meanwhile, Krishna will fight some Catastrophe-Class monsters.
[Kelmon]: I already feel bad for their opponents.
[Rezen]: So the war is inevitable.
[Rado]: That is right. As Lord Tai said — "Where civilization exists, war exists."
---
EXTRAS:
ISFC Results 1990
Students — SCORE
1) Arun (D) : ~1 mil
2) Krishna (D) : ~1 mil
3) Tego (D) : 0.5 mil
4) Treta (D) : 0.2 mil
5) Kajal (D) : 0.2 mil
6) Lai (D) : ~0.2 mil
7) Gaku (D) : ~0.2 mil
8) Shintoji (Japan) : 100,500
9) Aaru (D) : 100,050
10) Sunita (D) : 100,000
11) Ivan (Russia) : 95,550
12) Sanjay (India) : 95,540
13) Shravan (India) : 95,544
14) Rana (D) : 95,540
15) John (America) : 90,000
(D) refers to the country Dendadarlands situated towards the East. Immortalus Society's residence is located in Dendadarlands.
FACT: Arun and Krishna's scores weren't exactly 1 million because the scoring system maxed at 6-digit scoring. Therefore, their scores were reduced significantly. The same goes for Tego. Even though he wasn't at 1 million, his score was also reduced significantly to maintain a justified difference between them.