The Healing Solaris Cleric
Chapter 342: The Four Heavenly Kings (2)

Chapter 342: The Four Heavenly Kings (2)

Currently, there were exactly four players in the arena with rank points in the 2,000 range. Each of them had broken through odds of hundreds of thousands to one, and each had a unique nickname. Nest of Madness, Seyri of Silence, Kane the Spirit Sorcerer, and Jackal of No Color.

People collectively called them the Four Heavenly Kings of the arena. That was how remarkable each of their achievements and matches had been, and because of that, people had questions.

"Why don’t those amazing Four Heavenly Kings challenge Katherine?"

"Yeah. The Four Heavenly Kings seem really strong when you watch them fight..."

"Maybe they’re scared. Except for Jackal, they all got beaten by Katherine."

Whenever the question of why the Four Heavenly Kings didn’t challenge Katherine came up, arena experts all spoke with one voice.

"No, it’s because the risk is just too great."

It was an answer without a single flaw.

In fact, throughout the history of the arena, quite a few players had reached 2,000 points. There were easily hundreds of them. Moreover, the 2,000 point world was not a place one could reach by luck of the draw alone. In other words, all those hundreds of players had undeniable skill.

Yet even those highly skilled players couldn't maintain their points and fell away in the cursed 2,000 point range, and the reason was absurdly simple.

"You know why it’s such a huge deal whenever a 2,000 point player’s match gets scheduled?"

"Hm. Isn’t it because their matches are entertaining?"

"That’s true, but more importantly..."

"Every match they fight is a death match."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Whether it’s 2,000 points or 2,499 points. If they lose once, their rank points crash down into the high 1,000s. Every match is like crossing a tightrope."

Even a single loss could not be allowed. That was the fate of players who bore the weight of 2,000 points.

"That’s also why Katherine hasn’t been fighting matches these past few months."

"Katherine’s at 3,000 points now. To challenge her or to be challenged by her, you need at least 2,500 points."

"But in a system where one loss sends you crashing back down to the high 1,000s, how can anyone even reach 2,500? That’s the real problem."

There was only one way to make that possible.

"An undefeated streak. That’s the only way."

The only way was to walk the same path as the Undefeated Empress herself. Of course, that was easier said than done. No, even saying it was difficult.

In any field, continuing to win without a single loss was hard. All the more so in the arena, where a single moment’s judgment or mistake could decide victory or defeat.

Such a situation was why Kai could shine even brighter.

"A real monster has finally appeared."

"This guy might actually pull it off."

"Even the arena itself is heavily backing him, right? They’ve seen hundreds of thousands of players, and when they see real potential, they go crazy with promotions like that."

Banish, the brilliant existence who had continued his undefeated record.

"How many consecutive wins does he have now?"

"Fifteen wins."

"Man, I’ve been watching him since his newbie days when he debuted with 500 points, and now he’s about to hit 2,000. I’m so proud."

"You sound like you raised him for years. You know he only debuted two weeks ago, right?"

"Ahem. Anyway, after yesterday’s match, he’s at 1,993 points... Wait a second."

Some players who checked Banish’s points felt a sense of unease.

"He’s already reached the point where he could get challenged by one of the Four Heavenly Kings."

"Come on... They would have their pride as the Four Heavenly Kings. No way they would challenge a rookie who just started."

"Nest of Madness. Do you really think that guy cares about pride? As long as he can fight an interesting opponent, he doesn’t care one bit about reputation or pride."

"Now that you mention it, yeah. If it’s him, it might really happen."

The spectators trembled in fear as they waited for the announcement of the challenges that was announced every morning, and their predictions came true.

"I-it’s out! It’s real! Banish got challenged!"

"What!? Seriously?!"

"I knew it! It’s that Nest guy, right? That battle-crazy maniac!"

The spectators, caught between excitement and feeling sorry, stared at the man who brought the news.

"Uh... uh... The opponent is Nest, but the thing is..."

"What is it? Why are you stalling?"

"You’re driving me crazy. Just spit it out!"

Pushed by their urging, the man finally revealed the news he knew, proving that Banish was even crazier than anyone had imagined.

"This match... Banish was the one who issued the challenge first."

***

"What?" The muscular giant twitched his eyebrow and asked.

"You were selected."

In response, the giant pointed to himself with his thick finger and asked again, "Me? But I’m Nest. Nest of Madness."

The one who answered was the arena manager assigned exclusively to him. "Yes. Banish has challenged you. Currently, Banish’s rank points are 1,993. Since your points are 2,484, you fall within the challenge range."

"Heh..." Nest grinned broadly, showing his teeth. "Interesting. It was so unexpected I was caught off guard for a second."

Nest of Madness. He had challenged countless others before, but it was the first time he had ever been challenged by someone else. After all, players always avoided and feared him. His violent and brutal fighting style was certainly entertaining to watch, but when people were told to stand against him as opponents, they usually turned pale and forfeited.

"Interesting. So that kid is the one they’re calling the super rookie these days, right?"

"Yes."

"Hah. I was actually thinking about facing him once he reached 2,000 points... but he politely came to me first."

Feeling his body itch with excitement, Nest wanted to rush out and fight immediately. He always thought that the arena might have been created just for him, a natural-born fighter. In fact, if not for the arena, he would have ended up as a vicious PK criminal and a fugitive.

"Good. This will be fun. If I beat him, what will my points be?"

"You will have 2,533 points."

"Perfect. I’ll crush the puppy and go for my eleventh date with the Empress." Nest, who had already lost ten times to Katherine, stretched his neck. "When is the match?"

"Tomorrow at noon."

"A day, huh... Just enough time to warm up. You can go now."

Waving his hand to dismiss the manager, Nest looked out the window.

"Banish... He's more manly than I thought. Tomorrow will be fun."

Nest began to grow fond of Banish a little.

***

"Popcorn for sale!"

"Chicken for sale!"

"I’m selling popcorn chicken!"

Vendors roamed around the stadium seats promoting their food, and tasty snacks were being sold in real-time.

"This is good."

"Hot! Hot, oh man, it’s burning my mouth."

"One can of beer here... no, make it two!"

The stands were fully packed not only with seated but also standing spectators, and it was as noisy as a market.

Wherever people gathered, conversations inevitably followed. Countless conversations sprang up all over the stands, but most were about the same topic.

"Who’s going to win today?"

"Mm... Honestly, I have no idea. Even Pythagoras would be stumped."

"Why are you thinking so hard? Just look at the betting odds. Banish is at 1.5, and Nest is at 1.2. More people are betting on Nest to win."

"Sigh, then should I bet on Banish and go for the upset?"

"I’m betting on Banish. Spirit is everything in the arena. Banish is riding a fifteen-win streak right now. Even the Four Heavenly Kings can't stop that momentum. If you try to throw cold water on this atmosphere now, you’ll end up burning your hand along with the bucket."

"Wow, applause for your vivid imagination! Think about it. Even those who soared through the 1,000s can’t survive a month here in the 2,000 point stage. The Four Heavenly Kings are veterans who’ve been here for years in game time."

"Yeah, but is Nest’s win rate 100%? It’s not."

"Why are you bringing up win rates?"

"Because Banish’s win rate has been 100% so far."

"Yeah, but that was before he faced real veterans like the Four Heavenly Kings..."

Of course, just like the never-ending debate over whether to dip or pour sauce over fried food, it wasn’t a topic that could be easily concluded

Naturally, the spectators’ greatest interest was in who would win. Though Banish’s name had recently skyrocketed in popularity, most people still favored Nest. Even though Nest was overshadowed by Katherine, he was still a tremendous monster. This was largely because, while Banish’s matches were certainly entertaining, they lacked the brutal impact of Nest’s savage handwork and the exhilarating thrill he delivered.

"Fighters, enter the stage!"

At noon, with the sun high in the sky, a player walked onto the stage of the Seaborne Duel Arena, an arena surrounded on all sides by the sea.

"Nest of Madness! Rank points, 2,484! One of the players known as the Four Heavenly Kings, a monster among monsters who has maintained over 2,000 points for more than sixty months combined! His specialty is bursting opponents apart with his fists!"

"Yeaaaaaah!"

"Go, Nest!"

"I’ve waited a long time to see you in a big match like this!"

"Crush that copycat! In the end, overwhelming strength is what matters!"

Naturally, having been active for so long, he had a thick fanbase.

Wearing an arrogant expression, Nest nodded once in response.

"Facing him is Banish! Rank points, 1,993! Oh, but this player still doesn’t have a nickname! Even though he’s on the verge of hitting 2,000! Special traits include an incredible fifteen-win undefeated streak! And even the guts to challenge Nest of Madness onto the stage! Ah, this is going to be fun. Today’s match will definitely be interesting. Everyone, keep your eyes and channels fixed!"

The announcer finished his commentary and winked with one eye as he pointed toward the camera. Of course, it was a wink directed at the viewers, as matches between named players held in the arena could be watched not only on TVs but also through the internet.

The announcer left the arena, and a holographic countdown began floating in front of the two fighters. 10... 9... 8...

As he watched the countdown, Nest bared his teeth in a grin. "Nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Any last words you want to leave behind, or any final questions? Once the match starts, there won’t be any time to hear them."

It was a direct provocation, but shaking an opponent’s mind was also a skill.

However, Kai simply ignored his words and began running in place.

Watching him, Nest asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"Hm?Oh, don’t mind me. Just adjusting to the lowered stats."

"What?" Nest tilted his head.

His level was 324. Moreover, out of the five stat points awarded per level-up, he had invested four into Strength. Adding in the strength from his gear and special titles, his Strength stat totaled around 1,400!

"You’re seriously misunderstanding something... huh?!"

Nest opened his status window and wore a shocked face.

The arena had a system called stat adjustments. It lowered high-level players’ stats to match those of lower-level players. And the reason they didn’t raise the lower-level players’ stats was simple. Even if boosted, they wouldn’t be able to utilize it properly anyway. In short, the arena was a system where high-level players were naturally at a disadvantage.

However, Nest’s widened eyes were fixed on his Strength stat.

Strength: 1,389

His Strength stat hadn’t been lowered, which meant...

His Strength stat... is higher than mine?

As he raised his head to look at Banish, Nest’s gaze began to waver.