CHAPTER 48: SANCTIFIED WRATH

Kaelen lay sprawled on the cracked arena floor, every muscle screaming in protest, drenched in his own blood and sweat.

He couldn’t move his limbs, but his chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. A wild, unmistakable spark glinted in his eyes.

He chuckled with a manic, joyous sound that rolled through the silent stadium. His laughter was strangely exhilarating, but not defeated.

"Are you prepared for this?" his laughter exploded into a roar.

"WOOOOORMSSS!"

Instantly, the arena’s ambient light shifted around Kaelen. Every lingering wound began to glow with soothing radiance.

He tapped into his unique passive skill INFINITE STACK layering healing upon healing.

Life Bloom ×5

Life Veil ×5

Purification ×5

He triggered every restorative skill he ever knew, channeling them through his Divine Cleric class. The effect was visible. Twice, thrice, Kaelen’s wounds healed and his bones repaired.

Even the instructors in the viewing stands, seasoned in the art of mana and war stared at Kaelen with awe.

They’d never seen such raw output of healing so rapid. In seconds, Kaelen was restored completely.

He rose, stretching each arm wide and tilting his head to the sky. The cheering audience and participants of the arena all hushed before his next words.

"The mercy I once showed now fuels my fury. Let every wound I mend become a weapon in my hands."

Though whispered, it boomed in the minds of every combatant and spectator alike, vibrating through their bones.

Suddenly, every soft aura of life around Kaelen vanished. The arena light flickered and then a column of radiant white light descended from the heavens, striking him like a divine spear.

He glowed pure and luminous like a saint from an ancient holy text... but the light didn’t inspire awe or prayer.

It brought unease.

Above his restored form, words glowed in his system:

Sanctified Wrath (Legendary)

Active Skill : Creates an anti heal domain of 1500 meter radius.

Passive:

The God of Love and Healing has acknowledged your pious faith and has answered your wrath.

All healing received is converted into Strength and Speed, granting the user a fragment of godly power.

However, violence begets retribution permanently losing 1 level worth of stats

Duration: 20 minutes

The crowd gasped, stunned at what had just appeared on screen.

Everyone knows that the skill was highly leveled as the pulse was intense.

All skill releases pulse when activated and the intensity varies with rank.

The pulse was an unnecessary burden for high level fights but maybe it was the system’s way of dividing the hard working genius and those who solely relied on the system.

"What kind of skill is that?" an instructor thought out aloud in surprise.

The instructors glared at Tashi.

"Why? We agreed not to help students individually."

Tashi barked back at them.

"Are you guys really that stupid! What kind of support skill will create that kind of commotion?"

Vasra glanced at him with a puzzled face.

Tashi pointed his finger at Vasra fearing that the council would truly empty his pockets this time. "Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t give him anything I swear."

"Of course it’s not you. You’d die to own one" Varsa answered with pity in his eyes.

Another instructor inquired "What do you mean? Are you saying that.."

"Yes exactly"

"Impossible!"

Tashi dropped his jaw then turned his head to the arena then back to Vasra.

A legendary skill!

And a support skill on that.

Tashi’s stomach churns with envy.

Back at the arena.

The four sensing the change in Kaelen’s aura and the sudden debuff of stats, charged at him all together.

Leon takes a stance like Kamehame Ha and shoots a powerful lightning blast at Kaelen scorching anything to crisps along the trail.

Feldon summoned dozens of level 10 monsters charging straight towards kaelen.

And on the sidelines, his friend and rival, Neal and Jered.

Neither Neal nor Jered wanted to give Kaelen a chance to attack.

They have learned first hand that this cleric is not your everyday normal support.

And by the aura Kaelen was emitting they were sure that his strength stats had skyrocketed.

Jered and Neal were in full alert mode not wanting to miss any detail.

Kaelen, that annoying support with a high, beast like senses who moves based on instinct, gaining strength was an absolute nightmare.

Jered joined the monsters and charged towards Kaelen with a big leap.

Neal on the other hand casted four spears made of star lights and hurled them towards Kaelen.

With a simple side step Kaelen evaded Leon’s lightning blast.

Before Kaelen had never been able to keep up with his senses, making him very angry and helpless at the same time.

Being able to see it coming or happen yet unable to react, it was really frustrating.

Now he had that flexibility, the speed to react.

"So this is strength, this is power, I loved it." Kaelen grinned.

The monsters circled around Kaelen and lunged at him from all sides.

Kaelen caught the nearest monster by the throat while it was still mid air and swung it at one of Neal’s starlight spears.

The monster’s body could not stop the force. It pierced right through it and continued towards Kaelen.

He easily dodged the spear and before it could hit the ground he extended his right arm backwards in a flash and grabbed it intending to use it as a weapon.

But how could Neal accept that? He immediately dispelled the spear in Kaelen hands.

Without any weapons in hand, he went bare knuckled with the monsters.

He slammed his fist into tooths and talons, brawling like a madman.

Kaelen laid waste to each of the summons with a single strike making Feldon eyes twitch with embarrassment.

Jered ambushes from the side using his signature skill of blue flames swords while Kaelen was distracted by the monsters or so he thought.

But a hard fist struck his chestplate, squishing every air out of his lungs and before he could take a breather, a second and a third followed up quickly each hit stronger than the last.

Seeing Jered getting beaten up Neal dived in switching to melee hand to hand combat.

Their fist meets colliding into each other.

Bam!

The impact sent Kaelen a few meters back but Neal stood tall like an unmovable mountain.

His 200% stats buff in combat form wasn’t for show.

Kaelen without wasting any second charged at Neal as his berserk skill will not last long for a drawn out fight. He had to finish it quickly.