CHAPTER 41 - PERSISTENCE IS A VIRTUE

[Gladiatrix System Trivia - Command Card Creation]

[Command Cards are created by special data miners. To become a special data miner, a Gladiator or Gladiatrix must have the class of Cyber Engineer that can tweak the nanomachines syncing with the System. Each Command Card created by data miners has specific and unique codes so Command Cards cannot be replicated as the Gladiator/Gladiatrix System only recognizes the original cybernetic cards.]

[These special data miners or Cyber Engineers are hired by a multi-million dollar company that specializes in studying the Gladiator/Gladiatrix System. In Asia, four companies are researching the Gladiatrix System. Treenity Innovations is one of them.]

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Battle Fiesta enthusiasts can easily distinguish a great Gladiator fight if they see one. Especially if all the people in the audience seat are only focused on one arena despite there being ten other fights to choose from.

Firius readied his blade for a charging stance, while Himeno spread out her arms to show how long her claws are. Both Kaisers are also bracing themselves to pick a Command Card once the real battle begins.

It was already five seconds, and nobody dared to move. So the red-haired Cyber Knight initiated the action! He must be bored for being at a standstill at the very beginning of the fight!

“Hraaaaah!” Firius made a warcry as he surged forward, readying for a charging thrust toward his opponent!

Five meters. Three meters. One meter. The moment the red-haired Cyber Knight was about to stab, the purple cat swung both of her arms in an X manner! The double parry was so swift that it made the sword almost fly in the air!

“Gah!” Firius uttered.

Himeno is just speechless, but her glare towards her opponent is worth a thousand words. She’s looking down at Firius for being so rash, weak, and slow. She readied her right claws to slash the Cyber Knight’s chest clean!

“Activate Equip Card: Chainmail!” Esthesia finally activated her first Command Card!

In the nick of time, armor materialized on the red-haired Cyber Knight’s body! The Chainmail rendered the purple cat’s attack useless as the equip card nullifies all slashing attacks!

“Activate Skill Card: Fire-Rabbit Kick!” Himeno’s Kaiser immediately countered with another Command Card!

In an instant, Himeno Yuusha’s heel was coated with red flames! She briefly jumped and made a series of kicks toward the red-haired Cyber Knight’s chest! The kicks are so fast that it is leaving afterimages of Himeno’s swift feet!

“Gah! Agh! Uwah!” Firius cried as he was launched from the ground and fell flat on the arena, just in front of his Kaiser Esthesia.

“Firius!” Esthesia cried. There’s a hint of tears in her eyes.

“Grrr…” Firius tried to stand up with the aid of his sword. He sustained considerable damage on her chest and face, and now his Chainmail was completely shredded by the relentless kicks.

“This is over.” Himeno Yuusha coldly proclaimed.

“I didn’t hear no bell!” Firius wiped the blood from his smiling lips. Then, he relentlessly charged once again like a raging bull! “Hraaaaah!”

“Activate Skill Card: Flame Enchant!” Esthesia immediately backed up her Gladiator!

At that moment, the red-haired Cyber Knight’s sword was engulfed with flames. I’m pretty sure Esthesia and Firius have Command Card favorites, and we can all agree that it is the Flame Enchant Card. They are doing the classic brute force technique.

“Activate Skill Card: Triple Lightning Slash!” Himeno’s Kaiser revealed his second Command Card!

At that moment, Himeno’s body was surrounded by purple lightning. She spread out her arms once again and then bolted forward, seemingly trying to crash toward the charging Cyber Knight! However, there is a catch:

Himeno is much quicker.

With a thunderclap, Himeno dashed through the red-haired Cyber Knight with the speed of lightning! It didn’t just end there, as Himeno went back, and dashed once again towards the Cyber Knight!

“Gah!” Firius cried as he fell to the ground for the second time. It was so fast that he must not have seen what hit him twice.

“As I said, this is over,” Himeno said as she raised one of her claws that is enchanted with lightning.

“Firius! Stand up!” Esthesia wept in terror. She knows that she will be next once her knight has fallen.

The Skill Card: Triple Lightning Slash is a card that can be used thrice. Himeno has already used two lightning slashes on Firius, so she still has one more. That speedy strike is enough to make a direct attack to take down the Kaiser.

Esthesia bit her lip. She swiped a Command Card from the five options and activated it with second thoughts.

“Activate Skill Card: Heal!”

Green sparkles showered upon Firius as his wounds and scratches started to disappear. This is a bitter choice for Esthesia as the Heal card is her third and last Command Card for this fight. After this, she will no longer be able to support her Gladiator until the end of the qualifiers.

“I will always… protect my… Kaiser!” Firius roared to liven up the fight once again.

Meanwhile, Himeno still has this cold aristocratic look on her face. She shrugged and made a deep sigh.

“You two are the most idiotic but persistent duo we faced in this fight. So I think it’s just right to finish this with all we got, once and for all.”

All of a sudden, Himeno’s Kaiser raised a Command Card that we have never seen before.