After that match ended another two applicants were quickly called upon to enter the stage. They were another two men, once on the stage they bowed at the overseeing elder before requesting their weapon of choice.
One of them even somewhat looked familiar to me for some reason, choosing a sword. The other man chose a spear with a tired expression. He didn't even start holding the spear with both his hands, only with one pointing it straight up like some kind of guard during the last hour of his shift.
'Why is he so relaxed? I mean I know this isn't a death battle but still at least look like you're willing to battle. Is he just that confident in himself or did someone force him to come here?'
"Begin!"
When the elder shouted the familiar man instantly started moving while the other one merely stood there not moving an inch. Only when the other get within 6 meters did he do anything. He kicked the bottom of his spear sending a little momentum into it while also catching it with his other hand.
His expression was still one of boredom as he caught his spear and thrusted toward his opponent.
*TING*
Their weapons clashed as they stared into each other's eyes. They both jumped back a bit and the other man's tired eyes started gaining some life if only a little. He griped onto the back of the spear tightly as he loosen his front grip. The familiar man wasn't even raising his sword up and just let it hang beside him. Their attitudes seemed to of swapped after a single hit against each other.
The other man seemed ready and charged towards the familiar man meanwhile he just stood there. Once within range the other man sent many thrusts toward him as he simply raised his sword. Each one of his spear thrusts were fairly random, he changed the direction and angle of each strike by twisting and turning the back of the spear, and height by raising and lowering the spear with his hand closer to the spear head.
Everyone of those strikes might of hit if it weren't for him somehow actually blocking all of them. He raised his sword and a soft grey glow enveloped it, quickly descending upon the spearman. The man managed to block the attack quick enough and even counter attacked by shifting the spear sideways and trying to strike him from the same angle.
It was blocked by his blade which was pointed down and was also retuned with a counter. His was successful though as he turned his hand over quickly with his new momentum hitting the the side of the man causing him to wince a little before calming down. His carefree attitude was nowhere to be found as his weapon also started to glow with the same grey color although his seemed visibly weaker.
"Wooohooo, this is finally starting to get a little heated!"
"Are you going to just take that hit? Go and attack him return what he gave to you!"
"Boss, we believe in you! Keep beating the man up!"
The crowd started getting excited, probably since the last match lasted so long with out any real action. They were only chasing each other around the platform before on one eventually ran out of energy.
'Wait a minute that person who said Boss sounds familiar. Boss.. Boss.. big Boss, no wait, is it that young master guy from all the way back at the entrance examinations?'
Taking a deep look at the man it seems they really are the same guy. Although I forgot about him he was the first of his kind I'll probably encounter in the future.
'Wait, if that's really him how come he hasn't started any trouble with me for absolutely no reason yet? Isn't that like their thing? I know beautiful girls and I'm weak and poor right now, what better target could I be for them.'
While I was think about who he was was they seemed to had exchanged dozens of blows against each other. Those grey aura's around their weapons must really enforce their weapon's durability. The normal versions of those weapons couldn't possibly withstand such forces and collisions against each other. The spear from the last match had it's spear head removed by a single chop of his enemies' axe.
The edges of the spearman's robes were slightly tattered, a few rips and cuts covered his sleeves, and breathing in audibly with his chest heaving along side it. The young master doesn't seem to be in pristine condition either with drops of sweat dripping down his face and only a slight heaving of his chest, but he was in a lot better shape then the spearman is. The fight had already been on going for a few minutes, the young master seems to had decided he would send a final blow to end the match in his favor.
Raising his sword up and behind his head while still pointed toward his foe. The spear man held his spear with half of it extended in front of him. They both ran at each other for their final exchange before either of them collapsed from exhaustion.
Young master stabbed forward and down towards the spearman, but he dodged the attack. It was yet to be over though as once the sword missed, he curved the trajectory of his stab towards himself before instant turning back toward them by raising the blade high and curving it back outwards. Placing his free hand on bottom of his sword he pushed it back toward the spearman.
When he missed his swing initially the spearman didn't just stand there waiting for the next; Instead he winds up a massive swing with his spear trying to get the full extent of the length of his spear.
Both of their weapon's auras ripple as the weapons clash against each other. Small holes and tatters start appearing on young master's clothes and small cuts appear on the spearman as they keep exchanging blows determined to overwhelm the other into defeat. After another dozen exchanges, the aura that was rippling on their weapons shattered for the spearman just as he was about to exchange more blows with each other.
The spear which once withstood many blows from the other's sword was split into two as a single regular attack cut directly through the pole of the spear.
As his weapon was now broken he only threw the pole end away and tried to utilize the only end he had left. The once spear could not be considered one any longer and even seemed like some kind of fire poker. That didn't work too well and as he spend the last amount of energy he had for a final battle he started swaying back and forward. He tried using his hands to beat him, aftter only a few exchanges did the other man leave extremely tired, really this time.
That young master advanced of course and more people quickly hopped onto the stage taking over the spots they had as they were called by the elder.
"Begin!"
More matches came around and the qi control seemed to be something not everyone had and understood at the moment.