The Mysterious Black Magician

For the fourth match, Yman found himself in the middle of the desert. The temperature and windy weather brushed his skin.

A second when he dove inside-- the enemy also arrived at the place. Both of them did not waste their time and began their strategy to win the match.

As a member of the Land Lizardmen, Ranker Mr. Earth King found the battlefield to his advantage.

Also, his 5d-Seer was able to consume a soul from the high-ranking beast. The name of the beast was Desert King. It was a territorial beast with the rank of BB+.

It was a fierce beast that was impossible to deal with alone. The core of it was so expensive and impossible to buy with normal Demihumans..

After consuming the soul into his 5d-Seer, it boosts his earth-elemental spells or any attacks related to earth.

It also increased his physical and magical defense by 50 percent, a fair amount for its price.

Not only that, it allowed him to use the Active Skill that enabled him to burrow underground. Such skill was very perfect on this battlefield.

Ahead of him, Yman saw the sand lurched and moving towards him. It looked like a sneak as it moved from left to right. It was coming closer to him at a rapid speed.

Behind his bangs that were dangling on his face, he squinted his eyes. As of the moment, he was wearing the looted iron armor from his second match, and on his waist, the two iron daggers were hanging to each side.

Although the iron armor made him a little heavier, he didn't take it off as he was wary of the sudden attack. For him, more defense means more lifeline, though it lowered his speed a little.

Thanks to his buff, it increased both his defense and speed. The penalty of a slight decrease in his speed wasn't noticeable.

Inside the Citadel, some Rankers who started to have favorable feelings towards the Ranker named The Mysterious said their comments while watching the match.

"Unfortunately, they are in the desert."

"Yeah, it's unfortunate for brother The Mysterious. He could not find any stones around."

Just as they said, Yman couldn't find stone around. His eyes could only see endless sand.

Regardless, he perceived a presence in the lurching sand while heading towards him like bulldozing the land.

He surmised that there was no use running away at this point. He could not find anything for a good hiding.

Reflected in his golden eyes was an endless dry brownish sand going through towards the horizon.

The smell of sand was rich in the place, invading his nose whenever he breathed.

Planting his feet on the sand, he waited for the enemy to get close while on alert for the coming clash.

He wielded the daggers in his hands while waiting for the enemy. He also fortified it using the crimson mana.

His wait didn't take long as the enemy was able to get close and leap out from the ground while sending its claws to shred him.

A hair's breadth away from him, the claws passed by while leaving a sharp sound in his ears. It was the kind of sound that was like tearing the wind.

He immediately followed with a knee. But before Yman could land it, his instinct screamed of danger.

From a knee attack, he decided to step back. Just right after he stepped a few steps to his back, from the corner of his eyes, a shadow was coming to his face.

'A tailwhip?'

While thinking so, gripping the daggers in his hands, he hastily crossed them in front of his face.

A long scaly tail of the lizardmen followed after his claws missed the target.

Ting!

A high-piercing noise was followed by a scraping noise when his daggers and the enemy's tail collided.

The clash only happened in an instant, but Yman felt the strength of his enemy.

It seemed like this enemy this time was a lot stronger than the previous ones.

He was about to strike, but the enemy dove in a sea of sand once again.

The enemy, once again, burrowed underground. It moved in a circle around him, seemingly waiting that he dropped his guard.

The next second, it attacked once again. The same thing happened. After its claws missed the target, it followed by a tailwhip.

Yman decided to duck instead of blocking it using his daggers. A whooshing sound passed over his head after he ducked.

The scale of the enemy flickered in his eyes when it passed by.

He was about to stab it using his dagger, but the enemy had already sunk into the sand.

Once again, the enemy was orbiting around him, looking for an opening to attack him.

Yman noticed that the enemy's movement had become quicker and quicker. Then it leaped out from the ground once again.

However, before he could take action, the enemy already disappeared into the bottom of the sand.

Whenever it leaped out of the sand, it was followed by hovering of dust and sand, forming like a cloud of smoke.

The enemy was grinning while toying with his enemy. Even his friends in the Citadel were shaking their heads.

It was almost impossible to beat Mr. Earth King in the desert. Most of his opponents would rather give up when the chosen battlefield was in the desert.

Yman sighed, his opponent was so tricky. Hard to time him as he was using the sand to his advantage.

While the enemy once again started to rotate around him, he decided to tail him.

The enemy seemed to be confused about what he was doing. It tried to speed up to lose him. But Yman sped up as well. He followed the enemy wherever it went.

'What's the problem with this man?!' Mr. Earth King thought.

However, no matter where he went, the enemy was still tailing him.

'Dumbass! If that's what you want! Let's see how persistent you are!'

He increased his speed once more. But after he sped up, the enemy also did!

The audiences in the Citadel were all staring while gaping at the two.

"Shiiit!' Mr. Earth King exclaimed and decided to make a turn. Then rushed to the tailing enemy for a head-on collision. 

Yman noticed the enemy slowed down. He too decided to stop and waited for his enemy's next move.

As expected he rushed towards him. "Hehe." A chuckle escaped from his mouth. He put his daggers back to his waist.

"Dammit, what was he doing?"

Said one of Mr. Earth King's friends.

"Probably he wanted to give up!"

"Look, he must be exhausted as fuck now!"

"What an idiot! That's what he got for chasing after Mr. Earth King for quite a long time!"

"Exactly!"

"Hahaha!"

Some were spitting insults while others just laughed and waited for that newbie to give up.

"Tsk, if only my brother Mysterious could find stones. He could fire rapidly at the Lizardmen."

"Yeah! But it was sad that they were in the desert."

Some people in the Citadel, who started to have a positive impression towards him, clicked their tongue in regret.

In the arena, after seeing the approaching enemy, Yman kicked the sand and stepped back.

He noticed the enemy coagulate magical energy around his body.

The next second, countless spikes were growing from the sand towards him.

He narrowed his eyes.

In his hand, he condensed magical energy and turned it into fire. Now his right hand was ablaze with crimson-colored fire.

The enemy seemed to sense it as he was slowing down. Mr. Earth King knew that fire was stronger than the earth element.

Dammit! Who would have thought that his enemy was able to manifest fire elements!

Yman made a big leap at the back and fired a small crimson fireball at the spikes.