"I'm not going to like this."
Ray muttered as he dashed toward the direction Arthur had pointed.
He has a vague idea of the person Arthur wanted him to meet and he can't help but frown. Things will be troublesome. He can feel it in his toes.
Gray mumbled something as she rested on his back. She passed out after taking the recovery potion Arthur had given them and is slowly regaining her strength.
The sounds of battles surrounded him. They seem to be less the deeper he went into the woods. He isn't surprised.
A lot of participants would've been defeated by now.
Fortunately, no one attacked him as he ran. But he wouldn't relax due to that.
His ears started picking up sounds in the direction he was running toward.
Dwarves have very good hearing as a survival adaptation. To satisfy their crafting creativity, the dwarves need suitable materials.
And only a dwarf can get those materials. So they mine their metals, no matter how dangerous the environment is.
Millennia of dangerous mining underground has given them many evolutionary gifts, one of them being keen hearing which can alert them in the event a mine collapses.
Being a half-blood, Ray got a keen hearing. Although not as powerful as his father or Arthur, it is still impressive.
Things had calmed down in that direction but he did hear the faint sounds of three attributes flowing in unison a moment ago.
"Arthur heard it from that far? Dragon half-bloods are amazing. They're not called the strongest group of half-bloods for no reason."
He also heard something else. Well, someone.
Someone quite familiar.
"What is she doing there?", he wondered and increased his speed. He can't use electro boost with Gray on his back.
It sucks to be short.
Ray heard the conversation and soon entered a clearing that looks like it was just made
He almost lost his head.
He quickly ducked low to the ground as a blade made of wind sailed right over his and Gray's heads and sliced a tree in half.
Okay. Maybe being short is not bad at all.
"Oi! We come in peace! Don't lop our heads off!", he yelled.
"Ray? Is that you?", a familiar female voice asked.
Ray stood up and grinned at Flare Dragnia and Oliver Rye, "Yep. Good to see you guys."
The red-haired Dragnia beamed at him, "It is you! I couldn't see your face properly. You were quite puny."
"And I found it hard to track you guys because of your loud flames.", Ray shot back.
Oliver sighed, "Can you guys please stop?", he came over and picked up the unconscious Gray like a kitten and gently laid her down on the ground.
"What happened?", Flare asked in a concerned voice, "Why is she like this? Did she get defeated?"
Ray shook his head, "No. She's just exhausted. I gave her a recovery potion. Let her rest."
A distant boom reached his ears. It was from the direction he came from.
"We don't have time.", he muttered and looked at the third person standing a few feet from them—the one who launched the blade of wind at him.
"I was afraid it will be you.", he sighed at the young man.
The young man grinned, "Hey Ray. Good to see you."
He cocked his head, "But you look troubled."
Ray looked into his silver eyes, "Arthur needs your help."
*******
Arthur once wished to fight hand-to-hand with a Vaharis.
He needs to be careful with his wishes.
Taros narrowed his eyes when he saw his stance. He glowered at the young man and loomed over him, his head now above the tree tops.
Arthur smirked and waited for the Vaharis's response.
Suddenly pointy roots snaked toward him in the blink of an eye. Arthur yelped and jumped to the side as they decimated the trees behind him.
"Hey! This is not how it's supposed to go!", he protested.
Taros snorted, "Did you really expect me to engage in a fistfight with you?"
Arthur rolled his eyes, "Duh. Let's settle this with our fists like men!"
"I'm a Vaharis.", Taros frowned.
"It's the same thing!", Arthur retorted.
The Vaharis stared at him and sighed. The roots retreated into his body and he shrank back to his six-foot frame.
"I would very much like to skewer you with my roots. But you seem to have great spirit. Plus the power of that punch you did..."
He clenched his fist and assumed a fighting stance, "Let's see how you fare against the fists of a Vaharis."
Both stood still for a moment, observing each other.
A ray of sunlight broke through the thick canopy of the forest and lit up the space between them like a spotlight.
Somewhere deep in the forest, a bird's cry broke the silence.
In the blink of an eye, Taros's rocky fist filled Arthur's vision.
Arthur leaned back and blocked the punch with his arms. A shockwave rippled from the contact and a crack was heard but he held his ground.
Taros quickly switched stances and struck with his other hand. Arthur ducked low. The Vaharis's fist sailed past his head and created a gust of wind.
Before Taros could recover, Arthur planted his feet properly to the ground and aimed a swift punch to the abdomen, right at what he believes is the diaphragm.
He still needs to work on his Vaharis anatomy.
[Seriously. All that intelligence and you're still lacking in Vaharis anatomy? Unbelievable!]
'I know but now's not the time! Let's go with 25 percent.', he thought and struck like a quick bolt from a crossbow—a shockwave formed when his fist impacted the scales of the Vaharis.
The scales are rough and it felt like hitting a rock wall. He was sure that his punch wouldn't have done much to Taros.
But he didn't stop at that.
He swiftly followed with a barrage of strikes with the same power as the first. In just a minute, he executed a hundred strikes to Taros's abdomen.
The Vaharis grunted in pain and tried to move away. But Arthur was faster. He grabbed Taros's hands and kneed him in the stomach.
The force was enough to push him back.
Taros winced in pain and gingerly touched his abdomen. He was breathing heavily as he lifted his shirt and inspected the damage.
One or two scales were falling off and a throbbing pain radiated from the area.
"Impressive. You did not use magia to enhance your body, yet you dealt this much damage to me.", he remarked.
"Is that your natural strength?", he asked. Arthur gave a calm smile, "Maybe?"
Taros smacked his lips, "Now I really want to beat the crap out of you."
"You're welcome to try, boulder head.", Arthur said, and quick as a flash, he appeared in front of Taros.
Arthur did a low sweeping kick to knock down the Vaharis but Taros jumped back to avoid it. He struck the ground with his fist and shattered it.
Arthur stumbled and Taros found his chance.
He appeared in front of the young Night and raised his hand. Arthur quickly went for the defensive before he realized his mistake.
"Oh bugger.", he swore when Taros suddenly grabbed his arms and launched him into the trees.
Arthur twisted midair and landed on the trunk of a tree and quickly jumped away as Taros punched the spot into splinters.
The crash of the tree was so loud to Arthur's ears that he almost lost focus. He didn't notice the fist coming at him.
By reflex, he held up his arms in defense and caught the attack. With an audible crack of bones, he slammed into the ground.
He coughed and wheezed as the air got knocked out of him. His arms throbbed but he gritted his teeth and rolled away just as Taros decimated the ground.
Arthur used the destruction of the ground to flip himself back to his feet. He took a deep breath and magia coursed through his body. His healing factor quickly mended his arms and he assumed a new stance.
Taros picked up huge pieces of the ground and threw them at Arthur.
The young Night increased his perception and time slowed down. He streamed magia into his hands, imagining them as blades.
He wonders if his Night Style is only limited to the sword.
'Time to test it out.'
He moved forward and struck one piece of the ground, using the energy from the strike he moved to the next one and then to the next, a clear trail of magia formed behind him as his hands became like blades.
'Bladeflow: Fist Mode'
Like a raging river, Arthur destroyed all the earthen projectiles and reached Taros. The Vaharis was surprised at first but he then smiled widely.
Both opponents unleashed a barrage of attacks with their fists, creating shockwaves that decimated the ground around them and generating winds that shook the trees.
To Arthur, Taros's fists were tough and powerful. A single strike from them would break a normal person's bones.
If it weren't for his tough defense and healing factor, that would've been the case for Arthur. The strikes were getting faster and Arthur is starting to get overwhelmed.
'Let's do 50 percent.', he thought and called in more of his draconian strength.
Suddenly, his strikes were starting to make more impact. His perception increased and Arthur could see every single punch coming at him. He dodged and parried most of them.
This time, he was the one pushing back his opponent. Sure, he was getting hit by Taros's fist and they really hurt but he's dealing more damage.
Taros quickly stopped his rockslide of attacks and struck downward at Arthur's head. He deflected the attack and dealt two torso strikes followed by an uppercut.
There was a sharp crack and Taros staggered back. Arthur jumped and did a sharp kick to his throat.
Taros choked and leaned forward, exposing his head to an axe kick by Arthur. The spikes of the Vaharis sparked against his scales and even pierced his foot but he completed the kick regardless.
This time Arthur didn't hold back.
With a powerful shockwave, Taros slammed face-first into the ground, creating a crater. A few of the spikes on his head were shattered.
"That's a nice haircut. You better pay up.", Arthur quipped and winced. His right boot was torn and blood flowed from the wound on his foot.
"And my boot is ruined.", he grumbled as his foot healed.
Arthur heard a groan and was surprised to see the Vaharis stirring. Arthur's attack was strong enough to shatter the spikes on his head, which are considered the toughest body parts of a Vaharis.
And yet he stood up with his back facing the young man.
Arthur heard a creaking sound and tried to dodge But he was too slow.
Sharp roots pierced his shoulder and left leg with such force that his transparent scales and magia defense shattered.
Soon he was on his knees as Taros approached him, his breathing painfully heavy and his rugged face cracked. His nose was bent in a funny way but the biggest crack on his face was his scowl.
"You cannot be the only one who should use dirty tricks.", he rumbled and looked down on Arthur.
"Your strength is terrifying. My abdomen is heavily bruised and a few of my ribs are cracked or even broken. Plus, I can feel the pain of a cracked skull right now."
Arthur breathed heavily and grinned, "Well. What do you think of that?"
Taros tilted his head and stated, "You are a dangerous opponent. You will be a major problem for Madam Sierra if you continue."
"I feel honored.", Arthur replied and winced. The roots are still piercing his body, preventing him from healing.
"You were a strong opponent, Arthur Night. But this is the end of the tournament for you.", Taros wrapped his fist in rough tree bark and enhanced it with magia, ready to bring down the young Night.
Arthur stared at the meteor of a fist ready to fall on him. He suddenly heard the crackle of flames and his lips curled into a smile.
"Is that so?", he mused.
Taros looked confused but he brought down his fist.
It filled Arthur's vision, a magia-enhanced boulder wrapped in rough bark.
Then it abruptly stopped and Taros's face morphed into shock.
"Jeez, Arthur. You are always a huge trouble.", Ray said as he stood behind the Vaharis, grunting as he pulled at the chains of his blades wrapped around Taros's arm.
"You managed to hold your own against this monster? You are mental!", Flare remarked from his left, as she blocked Taros's fist with her flaming scythe.
"You are amazing.", Oliver said as he clasped his hands, controlling the solidified earth that wrapped around the Vaharis's arm and legs, hence stopping his attack and trapping him.
"HUH?", Taros exclaimed before a powerful bolt of flames slammed into his chest, blowing him into the trees.
Arthur's three friends let go of the Vaharis before they got pulled in for a rough ride.
The Vaharis shook his head and glowered at the newcomers only for his face to again morph into shock and something else.
Fear.
"You.", He pointed his finger at the person standing behind Arthur, "Why are you here?"
The young man smiled.
He was of the same height and build as Arthur. His dirty blonde hair swayed in the wind and his silver eyes twinkled with a mischievous light.
"Hello, Taros. How could you run away from me? We were just getting started on the hunt and you disappeared.", he wagged his finger at the Vaharis who was starting to tremble.
He looked at Arthur and waved cheerfully, "Yo! How have you been, man?"
Arthur grinned, "Took you long enough to come here."
The young man shrugged, "Oh I knew you would be able to handle this guy well. So I took my time."
He grinned, "You've changed a lot, young master."
He stepped forward and faced the trembling Vaharis.
"Now relax, Arthur. For I, Magnus Night of the branch family will take care of this Vaharis!"