Parallel Memory

( Well, easier for me! )

He thought.

"Today, you are dead!"

Ruelle shouted angrily.

She had been preparing this tactic for three days. It was humiliating for her to work with others to deal with Zero but considering the humiliation she suffered in Zero's hand, it was nothing.

She, who was considering winning the tournament as her highest priority, has changed. Her revenge on Zero was more important than anything at that moment.

"Do you think you would win just because of this barrier?"

Zero didn't forget to provoke his enemy first!

"Humph! You will know in a minute. Everybody, now!"

Ruelle commanded.

Everybody instantly poured their mana into the object that they were holding and did some hand gestures.

Zero was confused but he knew that they were planning something. He was not an idiot to stand there and do nothing knowing that his enemy was going to turn strong.

He immediately turned around and spirited toward the participant who was close to him. He was going to break this barrier and take out that student before they were done with the thing that they were doing.

-SLASH!

However, to Zero's surprise, the barrier made by them was sturdy and there was no scratch or vibration of any kind. It didn't even seem like he had hit the barrier at all.

"Too bad for you! Only somebody at Rank-A might have a chance of breaking the barrier! You, Zero, could not escape from this place."

Ruelle said.

She didn't give up the opportunity to make fun of Zero. To have his plan be ruined was something that she was happy to witness.

"Escape? Me? Haha… Do you remember the person who had run away in the first round? Do I even need to run away from you?"

Zero replied.

"Y-You!"

Ruelle's face instantly changed.

It was the greatest shame of her life to run away without fighting back.

"You will regret this!"

-SHINGG!

Then immediately Ruelle's body began to glow.

Zero knew that she had received some kind of boost from the barrier or the formation he was in. The problem was by how much. For Zero, a 10 % or 20 % increase in her strength was nothing to be worried about but considering 8 students were being used for enchanting her, he knew that the percentage would be much higher.

[ "Ice Embodiment" ]

He immediately used his skill to increase his defense. He didn't know what would happen and he was somewhat wary of the enchantment.

[ "Ice Creation" ]

Zero didn't stand idle. He was going to take her out before she made a move. After all, the offense was the best defense.

He made a giant hand that was used for crushing Jeremy Vincent in the first round. Jeremy who was watching the match shivered and remembered some bad memories.

-SHUSH!

The Ice made its way towards Ruelle who was not showing any sign of dodging.

-BAM!

The attack hit her directly.

The Ace Academy students immediately rejoiced watching Ruelle get hit. Zero's attack was strong enough to destroy a tank with his defense on and Ruelle who had no defensive skill took the hit head-on. They thought that the girl must be knocked out.

-CRACK! -BAM!

The Giant hand was then crushed into many pieces and Ruelle was standing there with no injuries at all.

"Your attacks will no longer work! Even someone in Rank-A will lose against me."

Ruelle started boosting again hoping to witness a scared Zero.

However, Zero still had a calm expression. He was certainly surprised to see that Ruelle could easily break his skill without relying on anything other than her sword.

However, he was yet to be impressed. She had received enhancement from 8 students and all she could do was cut a big Ice.

-WHOOSH!

Ruelle rushed towards Zero.

( She is fast! )

Not only her strength but even her speed increased drastically.

[ "Ground Freeze" ]

Zero immediately froze the ground. No matter the speed, it was harder to run on a slippery surface after all.

Ruelle didn't care about Zero's skill and instantly jumped and launched his attack on Zero.

-BAM!

-FU!

Zero coughed up some blood which he instantly wiped off. It was good that he was using Ice Embodiment which saved his life. He didn't expect Ruelle to just jump and attack him.

Her strength shattered the Ice Armor and managed to hit his body which resulted in him getting injured.

"Oh! Sorry, you had to bleed due to me."

Ruelle said.

She was not only planning to defeat Zero but to humiliate him. She wants Zero to lose while having his pride and ego stripped.

If Zero had heard that, he would have laughed his ass off. Pride? Ego? He had none. He only knew to do everything to achieve his objective.

If he cared about pride, he would have resisted those students who came to bully him. He would have accepted their challenge instead of earning the title 'Coward Romeo'.

In three of his memories, he didn't have any obsession with keeping a worthless pride. They all find it funny how some people were bent on keeping those pride.

However, in Ruelle's eyes, Zero was someone who is way too cocky and prideful. It was because of how Zero acted and also because the majority of top students had lots of pride.

They didn't like other people treating them as weaklings. The same was for her and that is why she was angry at Zero because he treated her as some kind of weakling like other students.

That is why she was hell-bent on breaking his pride and humiliating him.

"Haha , Don't worry! I remember making you bleed more."

Zero replied.

He was angry or anything.

However, it was different for Ruelle. Not only did her way of mocking not work but she was mocked instead.

She was angry because Zero seemed to treat her the same as he did when he fought with her in the first round. In her perspective, Zero was still not taking her seriously.

"I will kill you!"

Ruelle angrily roared. She instantly released Rank-B aura with her murderous aura.

"Already heard that line!"

Zero casually replied.

However, he also became more cautious and instantly released his mana aura.

The real battle was going to begin!