SSS Grade Saint Knight - Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Holy Light Guardian! Physical Immunity!

TL: Etude Translations

On the arena stage.

After defeating Liu Jing, Zhou Yi did not leave. His gaze swept across the crowd below as he spoke:

“If anyone wants to challenge me, come forward.”

The battle between the top-ranked freshman and the twentieth rank had captured the attention of many new students.

Even though Liu Jing left the stage in defeat and dismay, the number of students surrounding the arena did not decrease. This place remained the center of attention.

However, when Zhou Yi’s indifferent words echoed, the response was a dead silence.

Based on the ranking list, the freshmen could roughly be divided into three tiers.

Students who only cleared the Nightmare-level difficulty were considered the weakest and fell into the third tier, generally ranked below the eightieth place.

Those who cleared the Abyss-level difficulty and ranked between the eightieth and tenth places comprised the second tier.

The first tier included the top ten, featuring provincial top scorers from across the provinces.

Zhou Yi, of course, was the most formidable figure at the forefront of the first tier.

Initially, when Liu Jing claimed that Zhou Yi’s success was due to attribute suppression, many others had been tempted to challenge him.

However, after witnessing Liu Jing—who ranked near the top of the second tier—being instantly defeated, they quickly retreated from the idea.

The gap was simply too vast…

“With Zhou Yi’s strength, only provincial top scorers could possibly match him.”

This was the unanimous thought.

To challenge a provincial top scorer, one’s strength had to at least approach their level…

“Zhou Yi’s power will certainly humble these prideful geniuses.”

“But the question is, who will step up first?”

The many teachers seated on the ceremonial platform began to grow eager with anticipation.

If special admissions students were the most arrogant among the freshmen, then the provincial top scorers within this group held an even more unique status.

They hailed from various provinces in Zhongxia Country, with entirely different entrance exam formats.

For them, the default rankings after enrollment were often met with dissent.

Even though the freshman rankings for the competition were determined by dungeon clear times, the provincial top scorers had not yet engaged in direct combat.

Without an actual fight, these individuals were unlikely to truly accept Zhou Yi as the top freshman.

“He’s coming…”

The crowd below soon parted, creating a path.

A figure clad in crimson armor strode out, heading directly toward the arena stage.

His appearance was striking—handsome and pale, with fiery red hair that stood out conspicuously. A slightly arrogant and wild smile played on his lips.

In his right hand, he tightly gripped a black saber, its sharp blade emanating a chilling aura.

“Huh, it’s Shen Lingfeng!”

“Unexpectedly, he’s the first to initiate a challenge.”

“Well, it makes sense. Even though he’s not a provincial top scorer, his strength is nearly equivalent to one.”

To everyone’s surprise, the first challenger was not one of the provincial top scorers but Shen Lingfeng, ranked third.

This young man from the Shen Family in Ning’an possessed the exceptionally rare Flame Dragon Bloodline.

At the age of seventeen, he had already transitioned to the Berserker profession.

He had consistently ranked as the top scorer in simulated college entrance exams in Suhang Province.

If not for Zhou Yi’s sudden rise, Shen Lingfeng would undoubtedly have been the ultimate victor in the college entrance examination.

But reality offered no room for “what ifs.”

Zhou Yi’s emergence had relegated Shen Lingfeng to second place in the Suhang Province exams.

Although he had not claimed the title of top scorer, many considered his strength to be on par with one.

“Come on, Zhou Yi. Let’s see who’s stronger!”

With a wild smile, Shen Lingfeng ascended the arena stage.

There was no denying that this third-ranked Berserker was immensely powerful.

Despite his audacious grin, the moment he stepped onto the stage, his aura transformed, leaving no openings in his stance.

Shen Lingfeng, as part of the first tier, was certainly not going to be instantly defeated like Liu Jing.

This promised to be a spectacular showdown between the first and third ranks.

For a moment, anticipation for the upcoming battle grew among the crowd.

“A Saint Knight against a Berserker—who do you think will win?”

“It has to be the Berserker! Zhou Yi is strong, but that’s contingent on him stacking buffs. This is an arena match, not a dungeon raid. Once the fight starts, the Berserker will charge in. Where’s the time for buffs?”

“True. Berserkers are pure damage dealers, even more aggressive than Retribution Knights. Add the Flame Dragon Bloodline, and Zhou Yi is in for a tough fight.”

“Not necessarily. Zhou Yi isn’t an idiot. He won’t engage Shen Lingfeng head-on right from the start.”

“…”

The battle had yet to begin.

Yet, the crowd below was already speculating about the battle’s outcome.

Most doubted Zhou Yi’s chances.

After all, many had watched Zhou Yi’s dungeon-clearing video from the college entrance examination and knew his peak state required numerous buff skills to reach.

In the expansive dungeon, there might have been time for maneuvering and applying buff skills.

But on a 10-meter by 10-meter arena, trying to maneuver was exceptionally difficult.

Moreover, Shen Lingfeng was a Berserker, proficient in both charging and dealing damage.

There was no chance he would allow Zhou Yi the opportunity to apply buffs.

Of course.

Some still firmly believed in Zhou Yi’s strength, certain he could defeat Shen Lingfeng.

Among these supporters, Jiang Churan was undoubtedly the most confident.

After all, she knew Zhou Yi’s true capabilities better than anyone…

“Do you need five minutes to rest?”

On the arena stage, the referee instructor asked Zhou Yi.

“No need,” Zhou Yi replied with a shake of his head.

The magical energy in his body had already fully recovered during the time spent waiting on the training field after exiting the dungeon.

To deal with Liu Jing, he had only used the skill Pure White Blade.

The mana consumption for that skill was minimal. In just this short while, his magical energy had nearly replenished completely.

“Alright then.”

The referee stepped back and activated the arena stage.

The energy barrier slowly rose, and the countdown began, silencing the crowd as they turned their full attention to the upcoming battle.

“3!”

“2!”

“1!”

“Begin!”

…

…

The battle between the first and third ranks naturally became the focus of the entire venue.

Not only were the freshmen packed around the arena, but even those engaged in battles on other stages instinctively paused to watch.

On the ceremonial platform, the deans and instructors of each college also looked on with expressions of anticipation.

On the arena stage, Zhou Yi and Shen Lingfeng stood eight meters apart, facing each other.

As soon as the electronic countdown concluded with the word “Begin!” Shen Lingfeng immediately raised his right hand and swung his black saber fiercely at Zhou Yi.

Before the blade could even strike, it was engulfed in a roaring, crimson flame!

Then…

A fiery arc-shaped blade light, about a meter long, shot out like a crescent moon, slashing toward Zhou Yi at supersonic speed!

Boom!!

When the crescent blade struck the energy barrier and left a massive crack, the freshmen watching below finally reacted…

“So fast!”

“That’s the Berserker’s Scarlet Flame Slash! What a powerful blade light!”

Fast!

Too fast!

Compared to Liu Jing, Shen Lingfeng’s attack speed was more than doubled!

However, what astonished the crowd even more was Zhou Yi’s ability to dodge the attack with a reaction speed so fast that the blade light missed entirely.

“His lower body didn’t even move…”

“So confident.”

The spectators couldn’t help but feel nervous on Zhou Yi’s behalf.

For an ordinary freshman, dodging in such a manner would have been a death sentence.

“Zhou Yi, your reaction speed is indeed impressive.”

“But reaction speed alone won’t be enough to defeat me!”

On the stage, Shen Lingfeng, whose first strike had failed, realized he could not match Zhou Yi’s reaction speed.

Without further testing, he unleashed a surge of intense blood energy that enveloped his entire body in a crimson aura. Even his eyes turned blood red.

“Come! Let me see how strong you are in a direct confrontation!”

With a sinister smile, he gripped his saber and charged forward like a blood-red shadow.

Under the influence of his surging blood energy, even his black saber transformed into a dark crimson hue.

“It’s the Berserker’s Blood Frenzy skill!”

“He’s activating Blood Frenzy right at the start—he’s aiming for a quick victory!”

Blood Frenzy was the hallmark skill of Berserkers.

Once activated, it consumed a certain amount of blood at regular intervals.

During the duration of Blood Frenzy, the user’s reaction speed and attack power increased significantly.

In essence, it was a stimulant exclusive to Berserkers.

Since the skill continuously drained blood, it was typically reserved for boss fights.

Shen Lingfeng’s decision to use it at the beginning clearly indicated his intent to end the battle swiftly.

Additionally, the effectiveness of Blood Frenzy was influenced by the user’s bloodline.

The rarer the bloodline, the greater the boost received upon activation.

For Shen Lingfeng, who possessed the Flame Dragon Bloodline, the enhancement was undoubtedly substantial.

“Not bad. Against a 5.0 Saint Knight like Zhou Yi, a swift battle is the way to go.”

On the ceremonial platform, many instructors nodded in approval.

Professions such as Summoner and Mechanic became increasingly challenging to deal with as battles dragged on.

The same applied to Saint Knights.

If given the time to activate all their buff skills, they could become a significant headache for any opponent.

From the initial probing strike with Scarlet Flame Slash to the immediate activation of Blood Frenzy and the subsequent charge, Shen Lingfeng’s decisiveness was evident.

“As expected of the Shen Family’s descendant.”

“His decision-making is spot on. Now it’s time for a true test of skill.”

…

…

Swish!

On the stage, Shen Lingfeng quickly closed the distance to Zhou Yi. With a savage grin on his face, he shouted:

“Rage Berserk!”

In an instant, his saber turned into a flurry of shadows as he slashed relentlessly at Zhou Yi.

In just one second, it seemed as though dozens of strikes had been unleashed!

Yet, at some point, Zhou Yi had been surrounded by a golden halo.

Clink, clink, clink…

Each strike from Shen Lingfeng’s saber collided with the halo, producing crisp, metallic clanging sounds!

“Holy Light Guardian?! When did he cast that?!”

It was only then that Shen Lingfeng realized what had happened, letting out a low, incredulous roar.