Digitize: Rebirth of the Silver Death God
Chapter 115: Skill Versus Schemes

The crowd of onlookers within the Blood Steel Arena looked at the current change in shock; it didn't take long for a commotion to start among their ranks.

"Incredible, to think I'd see the day that brute gets outplayed, that brat is truly something."

"Haha, indeed, he is, but don't forget that archer isn't bad himself; their synergy is at a pretty decent level."

"Right, heh, it looks like this game might just get a bit more interesting."

While the members discussed amongst themselves, Ghostshade had intrigued eyes as he stared at the ring. He thought to himself, 'Such an interesting cloning technique, from what I see its almost as comparable to his actual self. It might likely have other functions that he's yet to reveal... as for that archer child, his precision with his bow is at an exceptional level, I'm curious to see his true skills."

Upon thinking such thoughts, Ghostshade eyes focused on both Nero and Ryo, but they soon glanced at Jack and Bera as he murmured with a sly smile, "Looks like they're going to have to take this game more seriously."

As if they heard his thoughts, both Jack and Bera had strange looks on their faces; their manner changed from the previous mood of ease and relaxedness as they now changed as they carried a solemn and overwhelming presence.

By this time, Felick and Yullia had already arrived at the arena. They found themselves in a decent area before inspecting the stage. Felick looked at the current scene in surprise as he spoke out loud, "Well now, these brats pushed to buttons of those two fellows, huhu, they're in trouble now."

Yullia frowned at this; she also knew that what he said was right, but rather than the current affairs, her eyes were more focused onto Ryo's form as she thought, 'Who is this kid? I'm going to need an answer as soon as that brat is finished.'

While everyone on the outside of the arena had their thoughts, the scene within had once more entered a new act as the Devil's Game became more intense.

Like a spirit, Nero's ghostly clone charged across the chains at an alarming speed, utilizing the power of his Four Point Unity Steps. In moments, it had caught up with the sprite that had barrier around its body. Not daring to waste a single moment, Nero switched placed with his clone and conjured a dense amount of energies over his scythe before he swung it towards the sprite.

With a loud bang, Nero's attack smashed onto the barrier, but rather than destroying it; the sprite was only blasted towards the opposing direction like a rocket in flight, bolting towards the stature of the giant devil that held the bucket.

"Ha, I got it," Nero said with excitement as he stared at the current scene.

Ryo also smiled when he saw this from a distance, he felt a bit excited when they played the duo, but soon, he had an ominous feeling.

Jack looked at Nero's fading clone not too far from his position before turning and looking at Nero that had hit the ball from a distance away. His previously playful demeanor now stern as he spoke over the communication channel with sharp eyes.

"This brat, he's not only able to spontaneously making these clones switch positions, but this skill should also be in no way his Inheritance Ability as he has yet to awaken fully. Interesting, it should be a special skill from some weapon; it seems we might need to take them more seriously."

"Indeed, for now, I'll stop the ball, get ready to receive it as you pay more attention to the kid, as for that archer brat, I'll handle his arrows."

Bero said as she fixed her fingers onto her flute, preparing to play a new tune.

"Huhu... fine, let's start the second round," Jack said as he nodded with sharp eyes as he licked his lips with a tinge of bloodlust.

At this moment, the sprite hit by Nero had traveled across the various chains before arriving directly in front of the devil's statue. Both Nero and Ryo had delighted looks on their faces as they knew this was where it came down, but sadly, there was change.

"Elsha: Song of Arms," Bera said as she played an even stranger tone. Following this, her body began to glow in a dense magic power that caused her flute to shine even more brightly as a strange scene occurred.

As if something held it, the sprite that was only a few meters from entering the devil statue's bucket halted. It then blew backward at the same speed by which Nero had hit it as if it had received a replicated amount of force.

"What the heck? Such a cheat like a movie," Nero cursed as he saw this, his eyes strangely glowed as he noticed that behind Bera was an invisible arm that others couldn't see.

Not wasting any time to complain, Nero promptly acted with quick movements, pursuing the sprite as he shouted across the message channel, "Ryo, be careful of her ability, she's..."

He was about to say something, but soon, his eyes shrunk as Jack had appeared in front of him with a smirk as he spoke, "Kid, I want to see how you'll get past me this time. Alisif: Cruel Wind!"

When Jack spoke, his dagger shone in radiant green lights as he held in front of his chest. Following this, a giant cyclone blasted towards Nero's direction, threatening to blast him towards the abyss.

'Darn, I can't hide my skills, I'll have to use everything to replace a chance.'

After thinking here, Nero then held his glowing scythe as he invoked, "Myriad Spector Cut."

Following this, his body separated into three clones, which oddly enough, could switch chains as if the rules of traveling on one chain didn't bound them.

'Huh? So he could split into three, such a troublesome brat,' Jack thought as he saw how Nero escaped his attack. He looked at the three separate chains that Nero was using to travel towards sprite as he spoke in a teasing ton, "Boy, you can forget about changing anything, so what if you have three clones, it won't make a difference for I'm faster and stronger than you."

Following those words, Jack's body blurred as he swooshed across his chain at incredible speeds, quickly catching up with one of Nero's clones. Before Nero could even react, he smashed his fist into his chest, causing the clone to dissipate.

Jack didn't let up; he once more charged after the second clone, catching up with it in a few seconds. After destroying it easily, he changed his attention to the final clone and sneered before rushed towards it with menacing eyes.

Nero felt the danger rapidly approaching from behind him, but rather than fear, Nero only carried a slight smile as he thought to himself, 'That's right; keep chasing me.'

As he thought those words, Nero pushed his Four Point Unity Steps to the maximum as he charged after the sprite without pause.

Ryo glanced in Nero's direction with a thoughtful look on his face before observing the sprite; his eyes then flickered as he nocked his bow and fired a bright golden arrow towards it.

The arrow swept through the void like a ray of light, but before it could even crash into the sprite's barrier, there was a sudden change.

As if a pair of invisible arms held it, the arrow halted in mid-flight before turning around and firing itself towards Ryo at the same speed used prior. Ryo then narrowly avoided it by jumping and doing a flip before landing on the chains.

He narrowed his eyes while in thought, 'So, I was right, that ability from her Digitize Bit can truly replicate and counter any force applied to a given object. Nero can likely see what's the actual cause, but since I can't, it only makes it an annoying skill.'

While in thought, he looked towards Bera and noticed that her eyes had a teasing look as she continued to play her flute. Still, unobservable to anyone else but Nero, a series of semi-transparent hands had appeared around her body.

As Ryo finished those thoughts, his eyes flickered with a competitive look as he smiled while nocking his bow once again. Only this time, his body glowed with his magic power.

'Hmph! Even if annoying, the game has already been decided,' Ryo thought as eyes glanced towards Nero, who had a smirk on his face, despite the rapidly approaching Jack on his tail.

After nocking his bow in full, Ryo then released his arrow while invoking his skill, "Rapid Fire Bolts."

Instantly, a series of red arrows bolted towards the sprite, moving like rays of lights across the arena; Bera snorted at this as she spoke, "Hmph! Your arrows aren't fast enough, boy."

The tune on her flute grew even louder as those invisible hands of hers quickly grabbed the arrows and threw them back at Ryo without pause, creating a chaotic clash between arrow and arrow.

As each collided, they exploded, sending mini shockwaves about the sky that rattled the nearby chains. Ryo looked at this with a smirk as he glanced at Nero, who nodded while escaping at high speeds.

Ryo then invoked the skill on the Linker Chain, "Empower."

Instantly, a batch of silvery energy swept across the chain from Nero to Ryo, whose body soon became enriched by an immense amount of magic power.

Ryo then wasted no time; he erupted those energies in full and fired one more of his Rapid-Fire Bolts skill before quickly knocking his bow and firing another more unique skill.

"Illusory Arrow!"

Following those words, a bright golden arrow fired once more through the sea of red arrows that crashed with each other. Bera looked at this in alarm, as she cursed, "Darn!"

Not daring to hesitate, she played her flute louder, causing another invisible arm to condense behind her that grasped towards Ryo's golden arrow, but as it tried to grip it, a strange scene occurred.

With a puff, the arrow vanished as if it didn't exist, causing Bera to look at this shock, she wondered if she saw things correctly, but sadly, her thoughts had distracted her from the reality.

With a harsh collision sound, the sprite was hit by Ryo's supposedly vanished arrow, sending it towards the opposing direction once again at twice the speed from before.

Bera looked at this shock, preparing to try and stop it, but as if Ryo expected this, he nocked his bow and aimed it at her, firing an endless amount of Rapid Fire Bolts while speaking, "Checkmate."

Bera's eyes shrunk as she saw the devastating arrows gathering towards her as she knew she could no longer shift her attention.

"Jack, I leave it to you," Bera said, as she played a new tune, prepared to engage with Ryo's arrows, shifting the tide of the entire game onto both Nero and Jack's shoulders, as it all came down to this final act.

****

Author's Note:

Feeling generous? Support the series by reviewing it on Webnovel and voting power stones.