The quick charge came almost instantly, his incredible physique casting a shadow over Kailen. Kailen noticed Scorpa wasn't the most patient of men, a huge weakness in combat. Scorpa feinted a strike from the left before changing its direction into a downward diagonal right strike.
Kailen slightly deflected the blow with his ax, while stepping around him and placing two quick slashes to his thigh. He'd aimed for a lethal strike a few times, but Scorpa seemed to read them every time. Kailen aimed to whittle his movement down strike by strike, he couldn't afford to be sloppy.
The confrontation followed a similar pattern for a while, Kailen narrowly timing his dodges and steadily increasing the damage. Scorpa's face twisted with rage as the fight progressed which delighted Kailen, rage could lead to an untimely mistake.
"Stand and strike you, coward!"
"Scorpa split him in half!"
The crowd seemed to follow Scorpa's feelings on the match, though Kailen couldn't care less. This fight was an eye-opener for him, it showed him how far he still had to improve and the possibilities laying ahead.
Kailen observed the increasingly bloody body of scorpa, his entire body covered in shallow slashes. He truly looks like a demon huh... Kailen thought as saw the bloody figure charge at him baring his teeth.
Kailen once again sidestepped past Scorpa's slow-blow aiming to add another slash onto his body, when suddenly his right foot was caught under the big man's foot. The incredible weight causing Kailen to trip, immediately noticing his predicament he rolled over to face the oncoming blow from the ax. Criss-crossing his saber and ax before him utilizing all his strength to block the incoming blow, he felt his arms almost snap. The impact shattered the shoddy ax smashing the handle and his saber into his ribs, he heard and felt many of his ribs crack.
The crowd went wild as they saw the blow, although Kailen managed to dodge a fatal blow due to the incredible material of the saber his face contorted by the pain. He hurriedly kicked Scorpa's leading leg before pushing himself away. The only reason he was still breathing was due to Scorpa having to turn before striking resulting in a half-powered blow.
"Not so fast now are ya!"
Scorpa exclaimed for the first time in the fight, his voice was deep and rough suiting his appearance. Kailen felt excruciating pain down the right side of his ribs, as he rose to his feet, he lifted his saber in preparation. Kailen realized he needed to finish this quick, his opponent was injured with multiple small injuries which should open gaps in his defense.
"LET'S GO FINISH HIM SCORPA!"
Urged on by the crowd Scorpa blasted forward with the same charge, as usual, Kailen had a read on his timing by now. Placing two hands on the saber he awaited his moment to strike, carefully observing his approach he noticed Scorpa's slight right faint before coming with an overhead strike.
"Obviously betting on my inability to move huh... Too bad, I still have the speed advantage."
Kailen thought as he lowered his body weight, and like a spring unleased twisted his hips with a lightning-fast slash aiming for Scorpa's neck. Mid-strike together with his injured body prevented him from avoiding the blow, the blade swiped through his neck in an elegant curve.
Kailen proceeded to hobble out of the arena, the fan-favorite crumpling to the floor in a puddle of blood. Kailen truly would have spared him, but he could tell the man was just like him. Silence greeted him as he slowly left the arena, the audience shocked by their favorite's fall from grace.
After collecting his prize money which was a considerable ten gold coins, he struggled to walk back to where he was staying.
***
Sweat poured off his head as he drew natural qi into his body to help repair his injuries, qi could only be used to heal injuries the body could heal by itself. Dismemberment, for instance, would be impossible to heal unless with the aid of a specialist cultivator. Such specialists were rare, from what he knew it required a certain physique that enabled them to use a mysterious qi unavailable to others.
As he sat recovering from his wounds, he reflected on what he'd experienced in the earlier battle. He needed to find ways to increase his body strength in order to easily pierce the muscles of a man like earlier. Kailen was gradually growing more confident in his swordsmanship, every battle decreasing his flaws.
Kailen was inexperienced in the world of cultivation, talking with Lana seemed the best way to expand his knowledge. It seemed he needed to find her more than ever, he couldn't afford to stay as weak as he was.
After recovering, he decided that tomorrow he would explore the city and talk more with Celia and Kenneth. His night was long and filled with pain, eventually, his ribs managed to reform with the constant refreshment of natural qi.
***
Sunlight appeared through the window enlightening the room to the early glow, Kailen wearily opened his eyes as he rose and readied himself for the day. He wore an old scruffy traveling shirt with worn trousers as he left the city, he wanted to buy some clothes and preparations for the journey ahead.
He bought some fairly decent clothes, together with a bag of supplies including a small sharp hunting knife. Kailen returned to the inn, seemingly named The Riverside before changing his clothes and searching for Celia hoping to continue their conversation from yesterday.