As we go out, I feel another presence. It is as if a giant broadsword is being pointed at us… ah no, one is really pointed at us, well, at Ardha, actually. The huge man that is holding the sword speaks.
"Ardha, are you ready for our match?" The man, Aren, says with an almost exaggerated battle intent. His eyes showing a fierce thirst for battle.
"Yes, I am! Sorry to make you wait Aren, let's go outside the Village" Ardha smiles lightly as he says that, his eyes as sharp as his swords while looking at Aren.
People soon notice and start mumbling with each other in an excited manner. A crowd slowly forms as we start walking outside the village.
'Looks like everyone was waiting for this battle' I chuckle to myself at that thought, expectation filling me.
We stop at a suitable place with a lot of people watching us, some of the Villager and many Barbarians are here too. Eager expression to watch a good show on their faces.
Ardha and Aren take their positions. The first is without his runic armor, only with his leather one but that doesn't seem to bother Aren at all.
Peko goes to the center as some kind of referee and when she sees that the two of them are prepared, she shouts.
"Fight!"
Then hell broke loose, everyone starts dying by the swings of swords of the two titans and my head is sent flying… sorry, sorry, just kidding.
Ardha reacts instantly with his two swords already swinging against Aren who looks to be doing his motions too.
But something amazing happens in front of my eyes, with a downward slash of Aren that looks that would split the ground if it touched it, Ardha steps while putting all of his weight and blocks only with his left sword.
The clash resounded very strongly at the same time as Ardha's right handed sword thrust towards Aren's body and is evaded at the last second just grazing his side slightly.
I could hear myself gulping. I wouldn't be able to block that, and it looked that he deflected Aren's sword a little, a minute detail that I captured during that exchange. What tremendous control and power!
Aren is quite fast for that body of his, to be able to evade that thrust at such a short range, too…
I feel goosebumps while watching the fight, as I clench my fist and try to not miss a single detail of the fight.
Suddenly Ardha is moving at lighting speed, appearing instantly besides Aren. If I my eyes and senses weren't sharp enough, I would have thought that he teleported! What explosive speed! Aren is being driven to a corner while trying to defend against the incredibly fast attacks, not succeeding much.
They didn't look heavy or lethal at all, but… I feel that they would split me in half, so that's the feeling of Fighting spirit. The mental hits you get by it along with the attacks magnifying them is quite fearsome.
Aren suddenly pushes forwards and roars, sending Ardha back with sheer power.
Ardha, to not let his opponent recover, creates a wind gale that is defended by Aren, who is pushing forward while thrusting his body forward. His muscles bulging for the extreme exertion on them. Charging at incredible speed, he swings his giant sword with all his might.
Ardha, without moving an inch, blocks the attack. I couldn't believe the scene, not because that he managed to block it, but because no sounds nor destruction occurred after the clash. At most it was a small 'Ting'.
Without waiting, Ardha kicks Aren's shin with a hidden motion and it moved his leg that was like a tree planted deeply in the ground slightly.
What power!
Aren flinches at the sudden hit and retaliates with an elbow hit that is evaded with fine body control of Ardha.
Using that moment, a sudden blast of fire is blown on Aren's side where the first wound was made.
It pushes him out of balance, and, from the other side, a pillar of earth appears and hits his right arm, Aren tries to keep his ground while clenching his teeth and hardening his body. But suddenly, as if a gust of cold wind swept by, we felt it.
Killing Intent flashed through the entire space!
The two swords are swung incredibly viciously, and Aren with a cold sweat puts his sword to block the all-out attack of Ardha. When it connects, he is thrown crashing to the ground by the frightening power behind the swords.
Before Aren could stand up, the two swords are aimed at him with a lot of pressure. A menacing flicker of light shine on them. That sight was more than enough to choose the victor between the two.
"My win" Ardha says as he sheathes his swords and extends his hand to Aren.
Aren, while taking Ardha's hand, stands up and says "So that's the strength of those that go through that dungeon… thanks, Ardha" at that, Aren smiles satisfied, but at the same time there are mixed feeling in his face.
At that I enter full of energy and say "My turn!"
I will lose. There is no way I stand a chance against him, but… I have to do it, a battle against the strongest person I know, and most probably the strongest player of Parallel. And that same person says
"Then let's fight"
Hearing those words, I feel my breathing evening. Energy coursing through my body constantly, screaming to be released as my fighting spirit leaks strongly. I know I have to give my all if I want to even stand a chance to receive his sword, as I ready my own bastard sword to start at any moment.
Ardha takes his stance too, while Aren gets out of the battleground.
As we see each other ready, before Peko even comes to start the battle, we start clashing at a full dash. It would be obvious, but Ardha covered most of the area.
My sword moves towards him, trying to take on the initiative for attacking, but I suddenly feel something coming to my left side. I move out as an earth pillar appears, Ardha makes use of that and swing his swords. I barely block them, but even so, I am sent flying, no longer feeling my legs touching solid ground.
Then, I feel a wind gale going towards me and I ward with my hands with a crouching motion in the air. Thanks to that, I am sent flying further away.
With lighting speed, Ardha appears before me and I swing my sword instantly as I barely touch the ground, I never really needed an actual footing or form to fight, my style has never been orthodox. But even my effort is deflected by his right sword while he swings his left one towards my body.
As he grazes me, I roll to the right to evade the attacks and then push myself backwards as another earth pillar appears where I was.
Then, the swords are swung at me mercilessly. Without a choice, I use my best card at the moment.
'Teleportation!'
I instantly appear behind Ardha as my sword is swung horizontally putting everything in that swing
Darkness appears and fends my sword for a bit before being split… even if I am reacting on instinct, I knew what that meant…
My sword slashes the air and I use another skill instantly as I move to the incoming attack of Ardha. A slash comes to my right as I activate another skill
'Life Coverture'
I let go of my sword with my left hand and with my right I try to fend his incoming attack as my life shrinks because of the skill.
Our swords clash and my hand is sent back. I manage to buy a bit of time as his second hits is coming ferociously.
What a fearful combo attack.
Like that I regain my balance on my left side and step back with my right leg, blocking the attack with my left hand using it as a shield to try to deflect it, trusting my armor and my body reflexes.
But something happens that I didn't expect with my life coverture on, half of my arm is severed. Without any resistance at all!
Pain appears, that was totally a miscalculation!
I stumble a bit and a low kick that makes me go upside down in a single go hits my leg. I fall on my back and before I can see it, a sword is pierced in the ground besides my face.
Shivers go through my spine, I didn't stand a chance, and I clearly felt his intent to kill me along with his fighting spirit crushing me at the end.
That sword, at the end, looked as imposing as a mountain, crushing not only my chances of winning, but my will for a moment.
Ardha smiles as he takes it out and offers me his hands.
Allen comes and heals my severed hand while Ardha helps me stand up too
The only words that leaves my mouth is "I lost"
I have died before, I have been defeated before, but never was I beaten in a one vs one fight. Despite feeling dejected by that, it somehow feels refreshing.
I smile bitterly while thinking that, the wall between this guy and me is huge. It seems I will have to put a lot of effort if I ever want to surpass him.
Like that, Allen also heals Ardha, even though he truthfully didn't really receive any real damage. While he recovers his stamina too, I feel a huge fighting intent.
A smile appears on Ardha's face, turning his head to look at the direction of the fighting spirit. I also turn around, noticing that the one coming is Zenith.
This guy… marks are around his neck that I didn't realize were there before. Runic lights showing briefly.
"Razer Body, Overflow" Says Ardha calmly and I back down, the pressure here is overwhelming even for me, as it seems he is summoning all his strength to go all out.
Allen is going back almost in a hurry to gasp for air, the surrounding air seemingly viscous, making it hard to breath.
Zenith takes his sword out and Ardha readies himself.
I start focusing; everyone is in silence, waiting for them to begin
Overwhelming presence, the two of them dash.
The clash of these two was printed on my memory.
The result of the match was a draw.