Chapter 33: Three Doors?
Chapter 33: Three Doors?
Rod threw a punch, but his opponent quickly dodged and countered with an uppercut kick.
Rod raised his arm to block the attack, and the opponent vanished in an instant.
Hearing a faint noise from behind, Rod quickly sidestepped, but his shoulder was grazed. He steadied himself and spun around, throwing a punch.
Bang!
The punch landed, and his opponent’s arms crossed in an X to block the blow.
“Your punch is heavy, man! You’re a lot stronger than they said!”
His opponent took a half-step back, then flipped twice to create distance, rubbing his forearm.
Jet, whose full name was Sarusuke, wore a purple shirt, a wide-brimmed hat that stood about a foot tall, loose-fitting breeches, and running boots.
He was part of Levy’s Engine Team. Since their last mission, the three of them hadn’t taken on any more jobs, spending their days joking and playing with their guildmates.
Jet’s interest in Rod might have been sparked by the rumor that Rod planned to fight everyone in the guild, or perhaps because Levy had been spending a lot of time with Rod to help him learn foreign languages, which made Jet a bit jealous.
In any case, Jet had volunteered to be on the list to fight Rod, and Troy, his teammate, had done the same.
They had been exchanging blows for a few minutes, and this was the first time Rod had faced an opponent who matched him in hand-to-hand combat.
He wasn’t sure if he had gotten stronger or if his opponent was weaker, but he hadn’t been at a disadvantage today:
“You’re pretty good too, your movements are incredibly fast.”
Just a bit lacking in strength... Rod reminded himself not to get too cocky.
“Jet! If you can’t win, just give up and let me take over!” Troy shouted, “Levy thinks I can beat him!”
Jet turned and yelled back, “Shut up, Troy! Levy clearly supports me more!”
Levy sighed softly, “I never said that... but Rod has improved so much, he’s already on par with Jet.”
After yelling at his best friend, Jet adjusted his hat and smiled at Rod, then took a running stance:
“Next, I’ll show you my magic. I’m the fastest man in the guild, and that’s why they call me Jet!”
“Haste!” Jet shot forward like an arrow.
Rod saw him start, and the wind from Jet’s sprint past him was already in his ears!
Jet didn’t rush to attack but circled around Rod, creating a whirlwind of wind and footsteps that made it hard for Rod to pinpoint his location.
Judging by his quick assessment, the Crab’s speed was about the same as Jet’s, but the Crab could sprint and stop abruptly, whereas Jet’s agility allowed him to run in tight circles.
The scene reminded Rod of when Lee ran circles around Gaara in the Naruto series.
He wished he could trip him...
But before Rod could make a move, Jet had already returned to his original position, stretching his legs and neck:
“Warm-up’s over. I remember you have a very fast crab, right? Aren’t you going to call it out?”
“No, today’s summon isn’t the Swift Crab from the Rift.” Rod gripped his pendant, and magic surged within him,
“I am the one who bridges the worlds. Hear my call, creatures of Summoner’s Rift, and cross the threshold! Ancient Stone Golem!”
“Golem?” Troy, who was about to continue ‘encouraging’ Jet, shivered, “You’re not going to summon a swarm of bugs, are you? That would be terrifying!”
If it had been a swarm of bugs, he might have hidden behind Levy.
Rod’s pendant glowed blue, and the ground beneath him trembled. Two Stone Golems emerged from the earth, standing guard in front of him.
The larger one was over two meters tall, with four thick, stone-like legs, a massive pincer-like mouth, and a crack running down its back.
The smaller one is almost identical to the larger one, but it stands only about 1.5 meters tall.
When the stone beetles are still, they look like two rocks of different sizes. However, when they move, the cracks on their backs shimmer with a blue light.
“Click, click, click…” The stone beetles’ mandibles gently open and close, awaiting their master’s command.
Rod checked his mana consumption once more—it was the same as when he first summoned the creatures yesterday, roughly the amount needed to summon three Scuttle Crabs from the Rift.
However, he had become more proficient since yesterday, reducing his mana usage slightly, about the amount it takes to summon one Poro. Every bit helps.
“Are these beetles?!” Troy was no longer afraid of them, but he quickly felt a different kind of fear.
“They look strong!” Jett, facing the two massive creatures, felt the pressure.
Their stone-like appearance suggested they were incredibly tough, and Jett was not known for his destructive power.
“Since that’s the case, I’ll just go around them and attack you directly!” Jett sprang forward with a burst of speed.
Rod was equally decisive. He bent down, turned, and hid behind the ancient stone beetle’s hind legs.
Secret Technique: Qin Wang Around the Pillar!
The ancient stone beetle’s pillar-like legs and hard abdomen provided Rod with a sense of security.
They were a bit short, but that was an advantage right now. Jett would have to crouch to get to him, which would slow him down.
Sure enough, Jett skidded to a stop after rounding the stone beetle. “Hey, that’s way too cheap!”
Rod was unfazed. “Defensive summons are meant to be used like this. When Erza fought me, she didn’t take off her armor.”
Jett wanted to ask if it made a difference whether Erza wore armor or not, but he couldn’t really deny Rod the right to defend himself.
“Alright, then let’s see this—Hawk’s Soaring Sky!”
Jett’s figure traced a beautiful arc across the courtyard, and he delivered a powerful kick to the ancient stone beetle’s leg.
Rod could feel the ‘pillar’ he was leaning against tremble. The ancient stone beetle’s head lifted slightly, as if it was in pain.
“Stone Beetle!”
Rod called out, and the smaller stone beetle turned and charged at Jett.
“Hard, but effective!” Jett dodged nimbly, creating some distance before dashing forward again. “Super High-Speed Impact!”
Wasn’t that Iron Mountain Strike? Rod caught a glimpse of Jett’s stance and quickly moved out of the way.
Bang!
Jett’s shoulder slammed into the ancient stone beetle’s hind leg, causing it to stagger and nearly fall over.
Before the stone beetle could counter, Jett sprinted away. “This is frustrating. I can’t take it down like this.”
Rod peeked out from behind the ancient stone beetle. “If you stop, I’ll attack!”
Jett smiled confidently. “Those slow things can’t keep up with my speed!”
“Against a high-speed opponent, you need a bit of strategy.” Rod gripped his pendant, recited a brief incantation, and summoned the Scuttle Crabs.
“You can summon two different creatures at the same time?!”
Levy, who had some knowledge of Celestial Spirit Magic, knew that mages who could open two gates simultaneously were extremely rare. Rod’s summoning magic, which seemed similar to Celestial Spirit Magic, should have been just as difficult!
Moreover, if you counted the Poro, Rod was maintaining three gates at once!
Even if the Poro was just a decorative creature, this was beyond impressive!
The larger one is called the Ancient Stone Beetle, and the smaller one is called the Stone Beetle.
If the Stone Beetle is defeated, it transforms into an even smaller Mini Stone Beetle.
If the Mini Stone Beetle is defeated, it disappears.
The game has recently updated the appearances and characteristics of these creatures, but I’ll stick to what I’ve written.
(End of Chapter)
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