Matthew Atkinson & Natalie Russell
Global Layer of Supernatural Realm
Matthew stepped into the portal and left the ring. And the audience, still reeling from the shock, then began to murmur amongst themselves.
"What just happened? Am I seeing things? That freshman... he won?"
"Are you seeing things properly? He not only won, but he won very easily, defeating a top-level sixth-rank Steppenwolf with a single punch."
"This is simply... unbelievable."
"You've all overlooked the key point. What's truly impressive is that he just took a full-force attack from Steppenwolf head-on, a heavy blow from its axe, and yet he's completely unharmed."
"I saw him using Armament Haki..."
"It would be absolutely impossible to block such an attack with just Armament Haki. Armament Haki is a skill that increases the user's defense and attack. You need to have a strong foundation, which means that his body has terrifying defensive capabilities."
"Wait... isn't this kid a freshman? How can he have such terrifying strength?"
...
"Denis, did you see that? Matthew... he actually won again." Filip Walker said.
"I saw. He really is unfathomable. I reckon he was the main force that led us to that SSS-grade victory before."
...
"Haha, Maximus, I told you, your cousin is no ordinary person." The battalion commander of Maximus Atkinson laughed heartily, "He was able to defeat even such a monster with ease."
Maximus stared blankly, his face filled with disbelief, "I feel like I'm dreaming."
"For a freshman to possess this level of power, it's only possible through having a very high-level ability," the battalion commander said. "It seems that your cousin has fully uncovered the secret of his Kryptonian Bloodline."
...
Right now, almost the entire audience was talking about Matthew. So much so that even the supernaturals still fighting in the rings were overlooked.
Matthew's performance was truly astonishing, but if he were a well-established and powerful figure, no one would be so surprised.
The crucial point was that he was still a freshman.
'How could a freshman possess so much power?' That was the question on everyone's mind, and that's why Matthew was once again etched in everyone's memory.
So, when Matthew returned to his seat, apart from Natalie, who had a smile on her face, all the other members of his team stared at him with surprised looks.
Their facial expressions were as if they were seeing Matthew for the first time.
Even Aria Powell and the other members of her former team looked at Matthew in disbelief.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Facing everyone's gaze, Matthew said helplessly, "I told you long ago that I have seventh-rank strength, but you just didn't believe me."
His words finally brought everyone back to their senses. However, it was still hard for everyone to believe what they had just seen.
Was a freshman actually a seventh-rank powerhouse?
How were they, the older generation, supposed to cope with this?
Especially Professor Holland. At the moment, he felt immense pressure from Matthew. He was the professor who taught Matthew in his class, but apparently, Matthew, his student, was stronger than he was.
Professor Holland was about to ask something, but Grand Magister Russell suddenly said, "We'll discuss Matthew's situation when we get back to the villa tonight. Let's watch the competition first."
Upon hearing this, everyone understood that Grand Magister Russell did not want Matthew's powers to be exposed too much in public.
Even though this was a champion challenge format with no direct competition between supernaturals, it was never a bad idea to keep their competitors in the dark about their powers.
So, everyone fell silent, and they turned their attention back to the ongoing fights in the rings.
Despite having countless doubts in their mind, they could only keep them to themselves for now.
Meanwhile, the other teams around them, who had been all ready to listen intently, could only look away in disappointment, occasionally stealing glances at Matthew.
Many people, especially those in the team behind Matthew, were feeling very upset.
They had previously made sarcastic remarks, and there was some conflict between them. And now Matthew's outstanding performance was practically a slap in the face to them.
"It seems I was right." The seventh-rank expert, Director Hart, smiled and said, "Kryptonian Bloodline is indeed an extraordinary ability."
...
That evening. In the villa of Matthew's team.
The team members surrounded Matthew, their facial expressions saying, "Spill everything you know."
Matthew didn't care. He sat on the sofa, crossed his legs, and adopted a boss-like posture.
"Ask whatever you want to ask." He said.
Upon hearing this, Professor Holland was the first to speak, asking, "Matthew, is your strength... really at the seventh-rank level?"
Matthew thought for a moment and said, "I haven't tested it before, but I think my power is currently at the seventh-rank level. It might even reach top-level seventh-rank power."
If he had said this before, no one would believe it.
Who would believe that a freshman who has just passed the ninth layer of the Supernatural Realm could reach the seventh rank of strength? Moreover, he claims to be top-level, seventh rank.
Even someone who loves to boast wouldn't dare to brag like that.
However, the results of today's battle were right in front of everyone, and no one could deny them.
"Is your strength due to eating Tremor-Tremor Fruit?"
As soon as Professor Isabel Grant asked the question, she immediately dismissed it, "That shouldn't be possible. Even if the Tremor-Tremor Fruit hasn't lost its training-enhancing effect, how long has it been since you ate it? In such a short time, you can't become this strong."
"So… Is it because of your Kryptonian Bloodline? Have you uncovered the secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline?"
Matthew nodded and said, "That's right. Kryptonian Bloodline must be one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, abilities in the Holy Land."
Upon hearing this, everyone was amazed, but Grand Magister Russell's expression changed.
After much deliberation, he couldn't help but ask, "So, you had ulterior motives when you exchanged your ability with my daughter? Did you already know about the power and secrets of the Kryptonian Bloodline?"
After these words were spoken, the atmosphere at the scene immediately changed.
If Grand Magister Russell's hypothesis were correct, then the relationship between Natalie and Matthew might be changed.
Matthew had anticipated that Grand Magister Russell might ask this question, and he had already prepared his answer.
"Uncle Russell, aren't you being quite unfair about this? Let me ask you something. If I didn't give Natalie my Flame-Flame Fruit, would you allow her to merge with the Kryptonian Bloodline?" he asked.
"Huh? I…"
Grand Magister Russell was momentarily speechless at Matthew's question.
At that moment, Natalie interrupted and said, "I know my father would never have allowed me to merge with the Kryptonian Bloodline back then. But it wasn't just my father; I myself would never have merged with the Kryptonian Bloodline in that situation. I might have desperately wanted to be a supernatural, but I still couldn't take that risk."
All eyes turned to Natalie. And Natalie added, "If Matthew hadn't given me the Flame-Flame Fruit, I would never have become a supernatural."
At that moment, Grand Magister Russell also opened his mouth and, reluctantly, said, "Yes... In that case, I wouldn't allow Natalie to merge with the Kryptonian Bloodline, and I would do everything to prevent it."
Matthew smiled and said, "In that case, does it matter whether I have knowledge of the Kryptonian Bloodline or not? No matter how much I benefit from this, Natalie would benefit too. So, it was a win-win situation."
Everyone nodded in agreement with Matthew on this point. After all, Flame-Flame Fruit was an ability many coveted.
And anyone who had earned the Kryptonian Bloodline would exchange it for Flame-Flame Fruit without hesitation.
"Yes, I understand..." Grand Magister Russell began, but Matthew could see the dissatisfaction in his voice, so he interrupted him and said,
"But still, allow me to explain what happened that day clearly, Uncle Russell. I think you have a right to know."
He continued speaking as everyone's attention returned to Matthew. "First of all, if you think the reason Natalie and I exchanged abilities was that I was in love with her and wanted to confess my love, that's completely wrong. The exchange at that time was simply that, an exchange."
Everyone turned to look at Natalie to see her expression. But instead of the disappointed Natalie everyone had expected, they found her smiling.
"We've already talked about these things. I know exactly what happened that day," Natalie said.
"Back then, Natalie and I were classmates, but we hardly ever spoke and didn't really know each other. And I definitely wasn't some simp secretly in love with Natalie, like some people said," Matthew said.
"But then why did you replace the Flame-Flame Fruit with Natalie's Kryptonian Bloodline?" Professor Holland asked.
"As for that, it's because of something that happened to me the day we were going to enter the Holy Land," Matthew said. "That day, before entering the Holy Land, some visions and information suddenly appeared in my mind. Don't ask how or why, because I don't know either. My best guess is that the Supernatural Realm is responsible."
"What kind of visions and information are you talking about?" Aria Powell asked.
"About some worlds, heroes, and people with superpowers. Among them, there was a hero with a Kryptonian physique, also known as Superman, there was the original user of the Flame-Flame Fruit, and many more," he said.
"So, you really knew the secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline from the beginning," Grand Magister Russell said in an accusing tone.
"Not exactly. Yes, I knew how a Kryptonian could become powerful and unleash their abilities, but whether that method would work in our world was uncertain," Matthew said.
"What do you mean?" Professor Holland asked.
"I'll get to that in a moment. But let me ask you this. If any of you had obtained the Kryptonian Bloodline from the Holy Land, and I, a stranger, came to you and told you that I knew the secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline and that you should therefore merge with it, would you believe me?"
Many in the room thought for a moment, then shook their heads negatively. No one would take such a risk trusting the word of a stranger.
"Uncle Russell?" Matthew turned and asked Grand Magister Russell.
"...No. I wouldn't have believed you," the man said.
"Even if I truly knew the secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline with 100% certainty, it wouldn't have changed anything for Natalie because it was impossible for her to believe me and take such a risk at that moment. Besides, as I said before, I wasn't sure my knowledge would be useful in this world. So, it was a gamble," Matthew said, smiling.
"Going back to that day, I was the first one to enter the Holy Land and return with a Flame-Flame Fruit. Now, let me ask another question. If you returned from the Holy Land with a valuable Logia Devil Fruit, what would you do? Would you eat it immediately or would you wait?" he asked.
"Of course, we'd eat it immediately. There's no need to think about a valuable Devil Fruit. Besides, waiting would weaken the ability's training-enhancing effect," Professor Isabel Grant said.
"Exactly," said Mattew. "But instead of eating the Flame-Flame Fruit quickly that day, I got off the platform and waited in the school playground. You can confirm this from the footage and from those who were there."
"Why did you do this?" Professor Richardson asked.
"Because there was something about the Flame-Flame Fruit that didn't sit right with me. It felt like our destinies didn't align. And I understood why when Natalie returned with the Kryptonian Bloodline in her hand," Matthew said.
Then, turning to Natalie, he looked her in the eyes and said, "I knew Natalie had a dream. But with the Kryptonian Bloodline in her possession, she could never pursue those dreams."
He turned back to the room and continued, "And I possessed information that no one else knew. The secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline. However, it wasn't certain whether it would work. So, I did what you all know and offered Natalie to exchange our abilities."
"What happened next? You still haven't told us the secret of the Kryptonian Bloodline," Professor Holland said.
"After that, I merged with the Kryptonian Bloodline at the school playground. Then it was time to see if I'd won the gamble I'd taken. So, I went to the nearest Sunbathing Experience Center in London."
"Sunbathing?" Professor Ricardson asked in surprise.
"Yes. According to the information and images that came to my mind, the race called Kryptonians drew their power from the light and radiation of the yellow sun."
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.180: The Fifth Champion – Diamond Jozu
Ch.181: A Terrifying Punch
Ch.182:The Sixth Champion – Magneto