Hugh panted as he felt the sting of hot air around him. His face was blinded by the bright orange light coming off Aric's body. The once dwindling fire on him had become as bright and as hot as the sun.
Aric's body levitated as the fire around himself lifted him from the blood-stained ground. Aric's eyes were bright red, with fire inside his retinas. His face was contorted in anger as he looked towards Hugh.
"Don't. You. Ever. Say. That. Name."
Aric's cold voice echoed through the room, giving Hugh creeps on his neck. He could feel that Aric's fire was stronger than ever before.
Aric could feel the strength flowing inside of him, fueling all of his fire. He had felt a proverbial chain being broken as he suddenly felt a transformative change in his power.
There was only one way to explain this, a rank-up. Through the pain and training that Aric went through, he had finally broken through to the D-rank, the same as Hugh.
He looked at his hands in wonder, feeling all of the minute details in his fire. It had become orangish than a reddish fire, signaling its improved intensity.
Aric looked towards Hugh and used all of his fire to charge towards him. His body moves through the air, and his fire swayed along with the movement, but it never wavered.
Hugh saw Aric's blazing body come towards him. He could feel the difference in strength between them, especially now that he did not have his armor to use.
Hugh blinked and his eyes mutated into his eagle eyes. Five seconds had passed and he could finally use his eagle parts again.
He saw Aric's face filled with anger, a fit of anger he had never seen before. With the minute details he could see with his eagle eyes, he thought e saw Aric with moist eyes.
"You don't know me, or what I went through!"
Aric raised his legs and performed a roundhouse kick towards Hugh's upper body. Hugh could see Aric's movements, and how to avoid them so he was able to fight on even terms.
Hugh quickly twisted his body as he almost saw Aric's movements in slow motion. With eagle eyes, Hugh was able to dodge out the incoming explosive power from Aric's leg.
As Hugh saw Aric's leg sweep through the air in front of him, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that his clothes and his skin were burning.
Although Hugh had avoided Aric's leg, the fire was able to touch Hugh and inflict damage onto him. If Hugh had his armor, he would not have been affected by the fire for that much damage.
Hugh's face contorted in pain as he retreated a step while he held his chest. He tried to touch it, but his hand got burned. There were still traces of fire in Hugh's clothes, so he tried to pay it away.
Hugh retreated more steps away from Aric as he realized that the fight would be harder than he thought. If he had his armor, then he would be able to stand on even grounds with Aric.
With no defenses, Hugh was left with just his eagle eyes for avoiding attacks. Once he gets hit with Aric's fire attacks, he would not last many hits until it would be fatal.
He planted his feet firmly on the ground and opened his eyes wide. He needed to be aware of every movement from Aric, so he had to be careful.
Aric looked towards Hugh and his anger was still clear in his face. Hugh one served Aric's eyes and saw that he was not looking directly at him.
It was as if Aric was lost in his own world, reminiscing about something that pained him. Aric could only see his father's face blinking in and out of his vision, reminiscing him of the torture he had t face.
Aric rushed towards Hugh and reared his right arm back. This was a simple punch, as it would seem to a normal person. However, this was Aric's special technique.
Hugh watched Aric's fist coming towards his face, so his normal reaction was to roll away. He could not parry it because he did not have his armor, and he could not lightly dodge away because Aric's fire would affect him.
Hugh had to dodge as far away as possible so that he would sustain no damage from Aric's attack.
Aric saw Hugh dodging away from his attack, and he knew that his feint was successful. He did not have to think about his movements, as it was deeply ingrained into his muscles and bones.
'Remember this move, Aric. You will thank me later."
Aric remembered the times his body was thrown to the ground because of the so-called training from his father. From his experience, it was more of torture than a learning experience.
Even if Aric chose not to use this move, his instinct would force his own body to perform it. This was how much his father's influence was embedded deep into his mind. All of his actions, there were Maverick's words pulling the strings.
Just as Hugh thought he had successfully dodged away from Aric's punch, he suddenly felt a strong force on his legs. He looked down and saw that Aric's leg was sweeping his shin.
Hugh knew that he was tricked. He could not see Aric's foot because Aric's fist was covering his whole face. His body was thrown to the ground, leaving Hugh in a vulnerable position.
Aric did not let go of this opportunity and raised his foot towards Hugh's face. His toes and sole were burning in a hot orangish fire, giving his attack a more dangerous aura.
Hugh could feel the hot prickly feeling in his face, and he felt danger all around him. Hugh quickly tried to protect his face by covering it with his arms. He was now in a fetal position.