Want to read ahead?Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to all upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter 22: Intermediate State
Ronin wasn't arrogant enough to enter the ring without studying Galleg's intel.
He knew exactly what kind of dirty tricks Galleg would use.
Bricks, lime powder—these were Galleg's staples. According to Milia's data, the thug-turned-fighter had been fighting like this since he was a street rat.
However, the tapes showed that only the bricks were conjured. The rest were physical props he carried on him.
Just like the massive wrench he pulled from his pocket after his initial attack failed!
Ronin dodged the swinging wrench and drove a fist toward Galleg's face.
"Insidious and Ugly Galleg" was definitely a more accurate title.
Bam!
Ronin's fist connected—not with Galleg's face, but with a brick that suddenly materialized in front of it.
Hidden behind the brick, Galleg was already crouching, swinging the wrench at Ronin's kidney.
Ronin's punch shattered the brick instantly.
But the pulverized brick exploded into a cloud of dust—something Galleg hadn't shown in previous fights.
Ronin reacted instantly. He closed his eyes the moment the brick shattered. Simultaneously, he drove his knee upward, aiming for the crouching Galleg's face.
He completely ignored the wrench aiming for his side.
If Galleg retreated, he could dodge the knee. But Galleg was ruthless; he conjured another brick in front of his face to block the knee.
CRACK!
Ronin's knee smashed into the brick, the immense force shattering it and driving the fragments into Galleg's face.
Blood sprayed.
At the same time, Galleg's wrench slammed into Ronin's kidney.
Trading damage?
Ronin raised an eyebrow. As his leg came down, he leaped backward.
He felt almost no pain from his side. Being an Enhancer meant having the best offense, defense, and healing of all six types.
Galleg, a Conjurer, only had 60% efficiency in Enhancement.
With equal aura output, an Enhancer's punch would naturally deal more damage than a Conjurer's.
And Ronin had more aura.
So, Ronin's strike broke through Galleg's Ren and dealt heavy damage.
But Galleg's wrench failed to break Ronin's Ren. It was purely a stat check, and Galleg lost.
Galleg's advantage lay in his tricky tools. But once Ronin saw through them, the tools couldn't bridge the gap in raw power.
Galleg lost the moment it became a brawl.
Leaping high into the air, Ronin became a blur of red light. His fist, charged with both Nen and Chakra, slammed down onto Galleg's chest!
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion silenced the arena.
Then, a tidal wave of applause and cheers erupted.
No one cared about Galleg, whose chest was caved in, his fate unknown. In that moment, Ronin, standing tall on the ring, was the dazzling star.
"Winner, Ronin!"
The referee blew the whistle.
The commentator screamed passionately as medics rushed in.
Ronin closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the roar of the crowd, then opened them and walked away, leaving a solitary, haughty silhouette.
In the stands, Milia pushed up her glasses. She hadn't been wrong. Ronin was her best investment!
He was a born fighting star!
Now, how do I 'lend' him my aura?
Wait for him to reach ten wins and challenge a Floor Master? Or create some artificial difficulty for him?
Milia stood up. If I sabotage him and he finds out, it might break our partnership. But if I wait... well, knowing his personality, he might not even use the boost even if he's losing.
What a dilemma.
Ronin attended the celebration banquet hosted by Milia.
The main point was the photoshoot—images to publicize his strength.
Everything went according to plan. This was part of the deal, and it didn't take much time.
Besides, his first 200th-floor victory was worth celebrating.
Ronin stayed for half an hour before slipping away.
The fight with Galleg was crucial for one reason: it confirmed his theory.
He had found the Intermediate State between the normal eye and the Sharingan.
This state was, effectively, the Scarlet Eyes.
The Sharingan was a mutation of the Scarlet Eyes. The transition was usually instantaneous, almost negligible.
But through constant experimentation, Ronin learned to elongate that transition.
In this state, his energy split: some converted to Chakra, some remained as Nen.
This was the solution he had been looking for—a way to possess both Chakra and Nen simultaneously without revealing the Sharingan.
In this state, he tried enhancing Ninjutsu with Nen.
The results were poor. Ninjutsu didn't need Nen. To enhance fire, he would need Transmutation, but as an Enhancer, his efficiency there was 80% at best. It was a waste of talent.
It was simpler to just pour more Chakra into the Jutsu.
However, the most important aspect of the Intermediate State was that it allowed him to use the Nen abilities he copied with the Sharingan—like Uvogin's Big Bang Impact.
And using Enhancement Nen to boost his Taijutsu created a "1+1 > 2" effect.
But achieving this synergy required intense focus.
In solitary training, it was hard to replicate. But in the heat of the ring, in a state of total concentration, the fusion of powers flowed naturally.
Combat really is the fastest way to improve!
Fortunately, Ronin held back at the last moment. Otherwise, the combined power would have turned Galleg into scattered chunks of meat.
If Galleg survived, he owed Ronin a thank-you card.
Of course, Ronin didn't spare him out of mercy. He just didn't want a gruesome kill to ruin his marketability.
- - - - -
Support this fanfict by leaving Positive Review, Comments, and Power Stones.
For Advance Chapters:
Visit > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations