Givale frowned while watching the match, "What is he doing?"
Akiol walked next to her and said, "Watch closely, can you see what's happening?"
As Mira closed in for another attack, only to be blown away again, Givale squinted. It clearly looked like Tyran blocked the attack and delivered his own blow. Yet he remained completely unfazed by Mira's strength? Could he be that much stronger?
No that couldn't be it. Mira's strength was something she couldn't compete with even as a Dragon. For Mira to be completely outmatched in strength within the same Stage? She couldn't imagine it.
When the two clashed again for a third time Givale's eyes widened, "He's redirecting Mira's attacks?"
Akiol smiled, "Very good, more specifically he's using Mira's strength against him."
"By using the force he gets from the attacks? How are you supposed to beat that?"
"From the looks of it, Mira already has an idea."
~ ~ ~
Mira swung horizontally. Tyran lifted his fist to block, an arrogant look plastered on his face. Then suddenly the entire momentum behind Mira's swing stopped in an instant. As if time paused. Moving swiftly he threw a punch forward.
Tyran scoffed, "You're as clear as glass!"
[Reflective Ripple: Redirect]
Bam-!
He landed a powerful punch causing Mira to do several flips while flying back. To combat this Mira slammed his axe into the ground and ground to a halt. Looking at Tyran his eyes gained an inspiring luster. He had finally figured it out!
Now time to test his countermeasures! Sprinting across the broken Arena he gripped his axe. Sliding to a stop he then swung it with an extreme amount of force! Tyran smirked, "Still doing worthless things!"
Blocking Mira's attack with one hand Tyran threw forward a punch with his other. His caestus covered fist slammed into Mira's chest. Those with a keen eye could see the air form a shockwave from the impact.
Yet this time Mira wasn't blown away!
{Surging Hydra: Coil}!
Shouldn't it be natural? For someone of Mira's strength to be able to resist knockback that is. Although he nullified the knockback he didn't decrease the damage taken at all. Not that it mattered, for the wound created almost instantly healed!
Mira pushed forward with his axe, knocking Tyran's fist aside. Then, with barely an inch of space, Mira swung towards Tyran's chin!
[Reflective Ripple: Wavering Mirror]!
Tyran's figure suddenly warped and Mira's axe passed by harmlessly. So Mira forcefully turned his axe and swung downwards, once again with hardly an inch of space!
"That's annoying.", Tyran complained.
[Reflective Ripple: Redirect]!
With his fist back into his control Tyran blocked Mira's attack and delivered a powerful blow to his face. Mira's bones were crushed, and normally anyone else would have been finished by it. Yet Mira's head only was knocked back slightly and the wounds disappeared a moment later.
"Nasty regeneration too, aren't you just a mutant?", Tyran sneered.
Mira continued to swing down with all his force, once again pushing away Tyran's fist. The ground further cracked from his force, and Tyran took a few steps back to not get pelted by the rubble. Mira did not let him create any distance between them though.
Tyran spat, "Is this the only thing you can do?!"
Mira's axe was blocked and he received another blow. Forcing his axe past Tyran's defenses he continued to swing again and again. Constantly his blows were either dodged or blocked, but this was all due to Tyran's strange ability! If it wasn't for the strange warping Skill, Mira would have hit his target multiple times already!
[Reflective Ripple: Redirect]!
BOOM-!
A shockwave spread across the Arena, lifting the settled dust and debris. Tyran squinted, "Well would you look at that."
This time, instead of just taking the blow head on, Mira clashed fists! He wasn't just taking the hits for nothing, he had been spending the time to figure out the proper timing and habits of Tyran! Now the opportunity was ripe he could fight against Tyran's strange ability!
"Don't get cocky kid, after all I've only been toying with you!"
[Reflective Ripple: Flux]!
Wham!
Tyran's fist slammed onto the top of Mira's head, the force traveling through Mira's whole body. Strangely enough Mira could feel his entire body start to heal, it seemed the strange attack harmed his entire being.
In retaliation Mira threw his own fist. Tyran raised his hand and blocked it, redirecting the power to his own attack and hitting Mira again. Their fists clashed and another shockwave was released across the Arena.
Mira frowned, 'It's not as strong?'
He had a feeling from their first clash, but this second one confirmed it! Tyran couldn't release all of the force Mira dealt! It seemed like some of it was lost as he transferred it to his fist! So if there was a limit. . . what if Mira went beyond it?
Mira swung his axe and watched as Tyran countered it. This time Tyran's hit landed and Mira was sent flying back.
"Have you realized how futile it is?"
Mira continued to not speak, instead he returned the axe to the mark on his hand. Placing his hands together in a strange position he sucked in a sharp breath. . . !
Givale narrowed her eyes, "Oh, this might be a little dangerous."
-<>-
"Are you aware that your intelligence limits your strength?"
Mira shook his head, "It does?"
"Those who are freely able to think will find that they cannot use all of their strength. It's a subconscious thing. It's rumored that you can roughly use about thirty percent of your strength but that's false. Rather the max amount you can use changes from person to person, although not in extreme amounts."
"So I haven't used all my strength?"
"Precisely, but I find yours to be extremely strange. I'd say the minimum a fighter is capable of using is around forty percent, but after thoroughly examining you I've come to a strange finding."
Stars' previous Wielder pointed at Mira, "Despite your extreme amount of strength, you're actually only using around twenty percent at maximum."
Mira tilted his head, "Only twenty percent?"
"Yes, do you know why it's odd?"
Crossing his arms Mira waved his head side to side while thinking of an answer. He paused to guess, "Is it because of my strength?"
"No. The reason why those of intelligence are limited in their usage of strength is due to the energy it requires to maintain. Additionally some species aren't built to handle that amount of power and end up harming themselves."
Mira frowned, "I don't have those issues. . ."
"That's why it's weird. The two reasons for you to be limited don't apply. So what is the reason your strength is so heavily limited? I want to find out the answer. Therefor I shall teach you a secret method to increase this limit! This shall be your trump card! Use it sparingly!"
"Yes!"
-><-
Mira used his hand to place his other in a strange position. With a swift movement a sickening crack was heard and Mira lowered his arms.
{Limitation Acupuncture: Left Hand Point}!
This was the technique he had learned! The body contained hundreds of small acupuncture points. However ten in particular were responsible to the limits placed upon a body. By messing with it in a forceful manner one could temporarily disable it. The process Mira used was an extreme version of it, and would normally cause permanent damage with extreme pain. Yet through his monstrous regeneration he never needed to worry about that.
Each one of these points would increase his limit by 10%! This made Mira's limit go from 20% to 30%! Essentially giving him a 50% increase to his current strength!
Mira's entire body rippled, like a warm wave passing over every inch of his body. Tyran watched him with a disinterested gaze, "I already figured out a way to beat you. I need only five moves."
Responding to Tyran's taunts Mira merely said, "I see."
Mira's legs bent as he dug his feet into the ground. By merely crouching the ground further cracked underneath his feet.
Yes that was right! The low Third Stage level defense was being cracked by Mira's sheer strength from a crouch! Each of the Province Heads silently began making their moves to recruit Mira at all costs. A kid with this level of strength had an enormously bright future! Slowly Mira's fame rose further beyond!
Mira exhaled, the calming breath seemed to bring everything to a standstill. Tyran's eyes narrowed, for a split second he could have sworn he saw something. Something that struck fear in his heart by instinct-
BOOM-!
The ground broke apart as Mira charged forward, his increase in strength made him clear the distance with a single leap. As he flew through the air he formed his axe. The blood red axe somehow seemed more sinister, as if a strange energy was leaking from it. . . ?
{Surging Hydra: Three Heads}!
Mira swung with an incredible amount of force, the energy round the axe suddenly burst and formed two more axes. Tyran's eyes widened and his figure began to warp.
[Reflective Ripple: Warping Mirror]!
Mira's swings caused shockwaves as he stopped their momentum, as if it hit something in the air! With an inch of space Mira swung with strength beyond that of a Second Stage. Tyran lifted his hand and blocked the blow while gritting his teeth.
[Reflective Ripple: Redirection]!
KR-BOOOOM-!
Tyran's fist was suddenly blown back, several of his fingers broken from the impact. Mira's calm expression would ordinarily be terrifying, but to Tyran it was like he was being mocked!
{Surging Hydra: Three Heads}!
Tyran's figure warped as he dodged the incoming axe swings. Mira murmured, "Are you done? You keep doing the same thing."
As Tyran returned to normal he found the axe mere millimeters from his face. With this distance even the fastest of Second Stages would find it hard to dodge. Additionally not a single person watching the fight was confident they could compete against Mira's strength!
[Reflective Ripple: Still Waters]
Plip~
Mira's axe made contact with Tyran's face, but every bit of strength from it was gone. Tyran stared at Mira with a furious gaze, "Four moves, this next one finishes you."