Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! Chapter 174: 174-He Dragged Down Lightning

Read chapter 174 of Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! by A_Random_Turtle on NovelPedia.

Losing the first battle to Crown Academy was slightly infuriating. But no one could fault Carlos. He had given his best, and it was hard to see things clearly on the battlefield as opposed to watching from a screen. Lena was strong, that much was obvious. And, honestly, it was possible that if she had wanted to finish Carlos off with as little stress as possible, she would be able to do it. In other words, her hands were tied by the restrictions imposed on the fights. Merlin sighed. Whatever the case, they just had to ensure they won every single battle going forward. That was easier said than done, considering who were their opponents, but it was possible. The speakers in the waiting room chimed at that moment, and with it came the announcement that put an end to the wait of the audience and the contenders. The staff had taken that time to clean up the aftermath of Carlos and Lena’s battle. The arena was now as good as new; Merlin knew it was only a matter of time before it was destroyed again. Man-Shik huffed as he rose to his feet. His name and portrait had appeared on the screen alongside his opponent’s, Aisha Rahman, a girl with curly black hair, warm brown eyes and a calm expression. She was a B-Class Mage, and one to be feared. But weren’t they all? “We can’t afford to lose another match,” Kim Yiseo announced as Man-Shik turned towards the door, ready to make his way to the changing room and out. “Even a tie would be better than a loss. Our morale matters.” Sangook scoffed. “None of your losses will affect my morale. I’m going to crush my opponent. It’s you all that needs to set your heads straight.” The problem with Sangook was that he was clueless as to how to navigate social spaces—his blunt tongue was also problematic. There was a right time to say some things. Man-Shik, however, didn’t let it get to him. He gave them a thumb’s up. “Don’t worry. I am well aware of what to do.” He left. Man-Shik was an A-Class Mage. If there was anyone who could do it, then it was him. A minute or so later, Merlin sat upright, staring straight at the tv screen as Man-Shik and Aisha, both now in the arena, readied themselves to duel. “Begin!!” Instructor Park Minjee’s voice rang out and in its wake there were claps and cheers. Man-Shik didn’t waste a single second. He retreated three steps backward as his Grimoire took flight. His body was instantly covered in mana, and a considerable amount seeped into the sky above. Immediately, the sky darkened, and everyone’s eyes were drawn upwards. Cumulonimbus clouds appeared overhead. The spectators who were not protected by shades began to call out for something that would keep them from the incoming rain. But they didn’t need to be worried. There was no rain coming. All Man-Shik had done was use his mana to create the requirements needed for his Hex to become a possibility. A rumble roared from the sky overhead as blue streaks appeared in the clouds. The wind became erratic, almost like a tornado was approaching rapidly. The crowd only became anxious, but none of them ran out of their seats. At that moment the shade above the seats stretched out further, covering every single person. The arena had been modified. Man-Shik didn’t let the noise bother him. He wanted to finish it in one strike. And as the clap of thunder sounded over the area, a bolt of lightning came flashing down. Man-Shik gritted his teeth, turned on his feet, diagonal to Aisha, caught the lightning with his left hand, passed it through his body, and shot it at her. Aisha shifted on her feet. She had been busy all this while, but nothing physical that anyone could pinpoint. All she had done was use her mana to tamper with the air before her, and it was only when Man-Shik’s lighting tried to strike her did the result show. The shockwave from Man-Shik’s lightning flung her backward. She somersaulted and landed on her knees, looking up just in time to see the result of her preparation. After striking the space Aisha had mo