Chapter 573: Compared to Them
Chapter 573: Chapter 573: Compared to Them
Nina Jacobs opened the system and checked Alister Keller’s Superpower Value.
As she expected, Alister should soon advance to an Intermediate Superpower User. His Superpower Value wasn’t much lower than Michael Miller’s.
"What do you think?" Myra Lawson asked.
"The Water and Wood Elements complement each other perfectly, maximizing the Water Element’s suppressive effect on the Fire Element," Nina said. "Once he advances to the Intermediate level, his strength will certainly be on par with his opponent’s."
Alister’s combat style sharply contrasted with his usual demeanor. After gaining the upper hand, every move he made was ruthlessly decisive. The wood thorns, coated in Water Element damage, accurately pierced the center of every Fireball his opponent launched, extinguishing them instantly.
Whispers broke out in the stands.
"Is Michael Miller really an Intermediate Superpower User? How is he getting pinned down by a low-level guy?"
"Yeah, I heard he was supposed to be pretty tough."
"You just don’t know the whole story. The guy’s foundation is probably just garbage."
Michael seemed to realize this as well. Although reluctant to admit it, he changed his attack strategy, abandoning his large-scale Fire Element attacks to conserve energy. The battle quickly entered a stalemate.
"The Fire Element Superpower is still inherently more aggressive," Isaac Leopold noted, as Michael appeared to be gradually turning the tide.
"I’m afraid it’s not that simple," Adrian Paige replied.
"Indeed." Nina was increasingly convinced that Michael would soon be a spent force.
Sure enough, an hour into the match, the ambient Fire Element on the field had grown significantly weaker.
BOOM!
After a curtain of water doused the ground flames, the moisture in the air became so dense it was almost visible. Michael continued trying to channel his Fire Element Superpower, but the flames sputtered out before they could even ignite.
"What’s happening?" Myra asked in confusion.
Nina smiled. "His Water and Wood Elements are combined, but what he is actually Controlling is the entire airflow in the arena."
With the moisture reaching saturation, the oxygen was diluted and displaced. Coupled with the Wood Element Superpower’s ability to absorb and release vapor, the lack of oxygen naturally made it impossible for flames to burn.
"So that’s how it is," Isaac said, realization dawning on him.
By this point, Michael was struggling to conjure even a simple Fireball.
"It’s about time. Let’s call it," Adrian Paige said to Myra. The winner was already obvious.
Hearing the whistle signal the end of the match, Michael found the result impossible to accept. He stubbornly refused to leave the arena.
"Apologies, Mr. Miller, but I’ve won this round," Alister said, walking over. "Does our prior bet still stand?" he asked loudly with a beaming smile.
A bet? With the match over, many in the audience couldn’t help but ask about it upon hearing his words, wondering what kind of wager the two had made.
Alister announced to the crowd, "Mr. Miller and I made a wager. If I lost this match, he could do whatever he wanted with me. But if he lost, he would have to leave the City D Base within three days.
"Michael, isn’t it time you honor your promise?" Alister asked again.
Michael stared at his own palms. "Impossible. Impossible! There’s no way I could lose to a low-level guy like you! This has to be rigged. The match is rigged!
"That’s right! I ended up in this state yesterday entirely because of Stella! The reason I couldn’t use my Superpower just now must be because I was drugged in the base hospital yesterday! That has to be it!"
Michael shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Nina on the judges’ panel.
Michael had been sabotaged by Stella? The crowd exchanged shocked expressions. Seeing that Nina remained silent, Michael grew even more emboldened.
"I demand a rematch! We fight again once my injuries are fully healed! That’s the only fair way!" he yelled.
Marcus Palmer voiced his support from the sidelines. "He’s right! This competition wasn’t fair to begin with. Why were certain spots pre-assigned? We demand a fair match!"
"Looks like Captain Jacobs is in for some trouble," Philip Morgan remarked with a chuckle.
Adrian Shaw, who was in charge of hosting the competition, was about to stand up and intervene when Nina stopped him. She rose to her feet, looking down at the two men in the arena.
"Fine. I’ll fight you."
She would fight them? What did that mean? Marcus and Michael couldn’t process it for a moment.
Pointing at Michael, Nina declared, "Once your injuries are healed tomorrow, I’ll fight the both of you. If you win, I’ll give up my guaranteed spot."
A match against two people? A one-on-two fight? Even Alister looked astonished. After all, Marcus had also just advanced to an Intermediate Superpower User, and he was no pushover. Was Nina really going to face two Intermediate Superpower Users entirely on her own?
"Are you serious?" Michael and Marcus exchanged a glance, a glint of excitement in both their eyes.
"Of course I am. But what happens if you lose?" Nina asked, staring them down.
"If I lose, I’ll leave the base on my own," Michael promised. Having already lost once, he figured he had nothing more to lose from another match. If he won, he could completely humiliate Nina. Besides, her Superpower didn’t naturally counter his. This match would primarily test their endurance. Since they were all Intermediate Superpower Users, he refused to believe she could hold out against the two of them alone.
Marcus chimed in, "If I lose, I’m willing to hand over 5,000 Crystal Cores to Stella."
He shared Michael’s mindset. If they won, their status within the base would skyrocket, and they would secure the chance to go to the Arisdale Base.
"Are you really sure you want to fight Nina?" Myra asked. She had previously thought these two were somewhat clever and possessed decent Superpowers, but it turned out they were just plain foolish.
"Yes, we are."
Seeing their insistence, Myra nodded to Adrian Shaw. He immediately announced the schedule for the next day’s match.
"In the interest of fairness, the base’s Healers will dedicate all their efforts to treating Mr. Miller today without the use of any other medications. We will ensure he is in peak condition for tomorrow’s match," Adrian Shaw announced over the broadcasting system, ensuring the entire arena heard him.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation. A showdown between three Intermediate Superpower Users was bound to be spectacular.
"Those two will definitely be strategizing today. Are you confident you can win?" Adrian Paige asked. Although he knew how formidable Nina was, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern.
"No," Nina replied honestly. Nothing was ever absolute, and she didn’t dare underestimate any opponent. However, if she wanted to shut Michael up for good, she had to defeat him so thoroughly that he had no room for excuses.
That evening, Paisley Paige reluctantly healed Michael’s injuries. As an Intermediate Healer, she had flatly refused to treat him earlier after learning he had tried to sabotage Nina. But now, she had no choice but to patch him up.
"Don’t worry, the Captain won’t lose," Jessica Vance reassured her back at their quarters.
"I know, it’s just that those two are so arrogant. They even said that if Nina loses, she has to publicly apologize and call them ’boss’. Where do they get off?" Although Paisley had cursed them out at the time, she still didn’t feel it was enough to vent her frustration.
"From what I can tell, the Captain isn’t worried at all. She’s currently out strolling through the trading market with Yvonne," Wendy Marshall said with a laugh.
Meanwhile, Nina had already located stall No. 6 in Row 6, Column 6 of the trading market. She had asked Chase Gallagher to give him a heads-up beforehand, and sure enough, Mason Quincy was waiting for them there. However, his stall was practically empty, lacking any real supplies. Despite its prime location, it attracted no customers.
"Ms... Ms. Jacobs. You’re here." Mason couldn’t help but tense up slightly upon seeing Nina.