The Leader was now looking at Aster with a serious expression. If he hadn't blocked that attack he would have been skewered right now.
'That was quite the attack, but I could have sworn he was not... is not an elementalist.' Pondered the Leader while watching Aster.
"You should have stayed out of this fight..." The Leader said looking at Aster.
Aster was also watching the Leader, looking at him for anything that could help him.
'He is tired, but I'm not faring much better myself, still... I need to stop him.'
Aster held his Sword and waited until his opponent made a move since time was on his side.
The Leader charged in, both knives to the side reverse griped.
He quickly swung one of his daggers at Aster and was already readying his other one as a followup. Aster stepped back and let the first dagger slash past him while he took a swing and clashed with the second dagger the Leader was holding. The Leader was pushed back a short distance but maintained his balance while keeping a serious expression on his face.
Aster quickly took a look at his blade. He easily pushed the Leader back, but he still felt the dagger's aura cut trough his own. As expected there was a small dent in the blade as well as tiny cracks.
' The strike wasn't that powerful but the way he is shaping his aura on the daggers... it's like it makes them sharper. Kind of reminds me the way the Sword forces me to mold my own aura to some extent. But I can't get the same effect on this lump of metal I'm using. I'm pushing my energy and trying to mold it but It feels like I'm trying to force water trough a dam and molding some really hard rubber. '
While Aster was thinking this the Leader had once again charged in. This time attacking with both daggers at the same time and forcing Aster to block the move.
Once again the attack was pushed back but this time a part of the blade was chipped away.
'Should I summon it... at this rate the sword I'm using will give away before I manage to take him out.' But he was quick to dismiss the thought. ' No, no point in using it before this one breaks... if worse comes to the worst then I can always use it as a last resort, if I just brute force my way out of this situation then I won't improve, and I also have no intention in showing the Sword to other people, at least not right now.'
Thinking so Aster resolved himself and tried to think of a way to get himself out of this situation.
Of course the Leader wasn't gonna make it easier for him and charged in once again at Aster, thrusting his dagger. Aster dodged to the side but the Leader simply swung his other dagger at him.
Instead of trying to block Aster simply attacked back slashing downwards. The Leader raised his dagger and deflected the blade to his side as it moved downwards and then once again started thrusting his other dagger. Aster reacted in time and twisted his body to avoid the dagger that was aimed at his stomach but it still managed to cut his side.
' He is way too fast. He reminds me of the wolf but at least it's movements were predictable and sloppy. I can barely react in time while he keeps dodging and parrying everything I throw at him. I need to land a hit somehow.'
Aster once again backed away but the Leader followed right after rushing with his dagger aimed at Aster yet again.
'I need to land a hit...'
Instead of dodging or blocking Aster raised his left arm to meet the Leader's dagger. This action leaving the leader puzzled.
'What is he thinking?'
Aster simply smiled inwardly while also mentally preparing himself for the pain.
The dagger pierced his arm and only stopped once it reached the hilt. Right after reaching it however Aster immediately poured most of his energy into his arm while restarting the flow of aura on it and tightening his arm as much as he could. As he did so, he took a hold of the Leader's arm that was still holding the dagger lodged in him.
The Leader's face immediately darkened as he realized what his opponent's move was.
Aster of course didn't leave it at that and started to swing his sword at the Leader while keeping a strong hold of his arm.
The Leader raised his free arm and tried to block the strike with his dagger. When the blades collided it chipped yet another piece of the sword on contact but it did little to stop the blade as it landed on his shoulder.
Gritting his teeth he did the best to hold back the pain while getting ready to strike at Aster. Before he could do so however...
*thumb*
Aster had just focused a fair bit of his energy on his forehead and headbutted the Leader right on his nose. Releasing his arm he watched as the Leader stumbled back with a broken nose and quite the heavily injured shoulder.
'That should do it.' Aster let out a sigh but his gaze didn't leave the Leader's body as he waited for him to fall to the ground.
The Leader however didn't fall and instead planted both his feet on the ground while raising his head to meet Aster's.
"...to someone like you... you think I'm gonna lose..." he muttered.
After saying those words the atmosphere around the cave changed dramatically and all conscious guards and bandits all moved their gazes towards the Bandit Leader. The pressure he was giving away was nowhere near the one he had shown in the beginning and the battlefield went silent.
"...TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU!"
For him to be injured to such an extent by someone who wasn't even an Elementalist. The Leader had for the first time in years lost his temper. His face no longer had a calm and calculated expression but the twisted expression of bloodlust.
When the Leader said those words Aster could clearly feel the amount of killing intent he was releasing as well as his aura which was nothing like before... yet.
' Compared to the Knight or even the Wolf... this is nothing.'
Thinking so Aster fully exerted his aura.
'But I can't take him lightly. He is going to use everything he has, I can't let my guard down for even a second.'
Aster clenched his right fist around the handle, he could barely move his left arm.
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
Saying those words the Bandit seemed to flicker, everyone including Aster couldn't follow his movement, yet he had raised his sword nonetheless.
*pang*
Metal sparks could be seen as two cuts appeared on Aster's torso.
' It's at times like this I am glad I have good Instincts.'
But before he could even take a single breath he had to turn around as yet another cut appeared this time on his neck.
Aster kept turning and doing his best to block the Leader's attacks but cut's kept appearing all over his body. The Leader was moving at a speed that made it so Aster could barely react if not for the sheer amount of killing intent he was releasing before he made a move.
The other spectators however were in awe to the point where they weren't even fighting between them. Not that they would be able to considering the pressure the Bandit Leader was still emitting. They all felt that if they were to look away from him and let their guards down they would die in a moment. Even the bandits didn't dare to look away.
"Just DIE already!"
The Leader was once again slashing towards Aster aiming for his back.
Aster had a faint smile on his face. He gripped his sword and surrounded it with as much energy he could muster and instead of turning around he swung it upwards in half an arc.
Catching the Leader off guard he raised both his daggers in an X shape and caught the blade in the cross-section while doing his best to withstand the blow.
Aster had the proudest expression in his face right now, and a genuine smile that even made the Leader question his eyesight.
' I saw it. It took me a while but I saw it. '
The Leader slashed his daggers while backing away making two grave cracks appear in the middle of the blade.
Not only was Aster's body taking a beating during the fight but so was his weapon and right now there were dozens of metal fragments scattered all over the floor while the sword Aster was holding was missing chunks of it and had to many cracks to count.
The Bandit Leader was livid but that attack had clearly had an impact. The aura he was releasing was still raging but had become much thinner than before, his breathing was ragged and his shoulder was bleeding.
'How is he still alive? ' The Leader asked himself. 'He has cuts all over him, but he is barely bleeding.'
Taking a quick look at Aster's blade a wicked smile appeared on his face. Instead of doing anything fancy the Leader just blatantly rushed in.
"Guess I will just have to chop your head off."
Aster swung his blade downwards at the Leader. As the blades clashed once again the Leader had a maniacal smile on his face as he twisted the blades. The upper half of the sword was now flying to the side while the Leader readied his arms to swing at Aster's neck.
When he took a look at Aster however all he saw was a faint smile on his face.
Aster was now putting all of his energy into his broken sword and kept moving it downwards. At least until it hit the Bandit's chest.
The daggers that were moving towards Aster's neck suddenly lost their momentum.
Before anyone could react the bandit Leader had fallen to the ground.
When the blade left the Bandit's chest he lost conscious and was now laying on the ground barely breathing.
At that point Aster closed his eyes and raised his head while panting.
' It's over...'