Professor Windrows emblem shone brighter and brighter in an amethyst glow, that was shrouded in mystery. Its tone grew fiercer and fiercer as she walked closer before coming to a complete standstill, only a couple of feet away from us.
I crouched down next to Ray, who was holding his holding his chest in pain, and slid his arm across my shoulder as I tried helping him up.
"Get ready boy, cause here I come!"
With that she had rushed at us, trying to close the small distance that remained between us as she threw her fist towards our direction, which we barely managed to avoid.
"There's no point in running away, though it's the only thing you can do in live combat against a stronger opponent, it will only delay the outcome! This is a punishment, so no reinforcements are coming and there's a limit to your guys' stamina, I will catch you eventually!" She shouted maniacally, as we extended the distance between us and her. I needed to lose her, even if for just a minute and help Ray catch his breath.
Let's go a bit faster then, shall we?
With that, I was no longer considering my stamina and instead tried to let my limiters a bit loose on my speed. Ray still remained slumped over my shoulder for support even as we were getting chased.
It seems he really needs that minute.
After another minute or so, we had finally lost her and took shelter behind one of the milky-white pillars, which had now been slowly shrouded in dust, at the very edges of the arena. Seemingly we seemed to have gained some moments to catch our breaths from the pursuit of our sadistic hunter.
In between trying to catch my breath, I ask Ray, "C-can you go on?"
Ray slowly looked up at me and scrambled himself from his slouched position and responded with a voice filled with determination and life. "Yeah, no problem", seemingly holding some of his pain back.
Though he uttered those words, I could see he was affected by the damage that the professor had inflicted on him. But I didn't say anything. I felt it'd be best for him to make his own decisions rather than feel like those choices had been forced upon him rather than him accepting them of his own regard.
"So, for our new plan, what do you suggest we do?" I asked Ray hoping he would propose an idea better than running away, which was the idea that I had, but it seemed he also had no other current ideas.
Sniff, sniff. What's that smell?
Whilst I was speaking, I noticed a strange fragrance had surrounded me and gave off the most intoxicating scent I had smelt. With that odour came a barely visible amethyst mist. Ray, noticing the purple clouds around me and the strange smell, had started shouting something at me... But my eye lids felt heavy, and my mind felt fuzzy. My body seemingly stopped responding to any of the functions that I wanted it to do. The last thing I managed to do was catch a glimpse of Ray's lips. I could slightly make out some noise, but at this point, I was on the verge of collapse.
Huh? What are you sayi-? Don't breathe it in. Oh. Well fuck my luck.
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Radence POV
"Don't breathe it in!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. However, it was too late. In front of my very eyes, Gryph had collapsed, though on his face remained a slight smile as if he was saying, I got played. Indeed, he did. He had been caught in her hallucinations.
Then slowly, Gryph stood up. "Gryph are you okay?!"
No reply was given. His eyelids were shut tight, and he seemed completely unaware of what was happening.
Is that what I looked like when I was under her hallucination?
Yes, that's how she originally twisted our advantageous situation around on us. I was going to warn Gryph, but as luck would have it, he fell victim to it before I had the chance to warn him.
"No... Don't....Kill him...NOOOO!"
What the?
All of a sudden, Gryph, still in his unconscious state, started muttering those words. His voice sounded thin and weak as if they belonged to a little boy and every little bit of force, he had in his voice previously had vanished. He just sounded like a helpless little boy. I tried to run up to him and shake him out of it but...
Professor Windrow emerged out of nowhere, jumping down, from what it seemed, and blocking my path towards Gryph who stood their helplessly. Gryph's figure transfigured in my eyes, to what his voice represented, a small, innocent, helpless child. Even if his physical appearance didn't change, in my eyes, he now resembled a lonesome child.
"There's no point in trying to snap him out of that. Once he's under this scent you'll only be able to breakout through shear focus and concentration or a certain sharp stimulus."
She then walks to Gryph's unconscious body and taps his forehead with her finger and an amethyst glow appears, showing of a chain like seal imprinted onto his forehead.
"Now that I've place this seal on him though, only I can release him, so once I'm done beating you up, I'll take my time torturing him and ending this as my win. If he and you entertain me, I might not kill you guys." She then draws an obsidian mixed violet dagger and licks the edge of its sharp blade as she stares me down.
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Professor Windrow POV
"Fuck!" The red-haired boy shouted in frustration. His voice sounded full of despair. Ohhhhhh~, it brings me such joy and ecstasy!
He then slowly loosens the tie around his neck, spits on the ground and his emblem begins to glow a radiating, violent, crimson aura that produced something similar to that of a small heatwave throughout the battlefield. This energy... It's so splendid!
"Alright, if that's how you wanna play, then come at me!" His scream rang through the colosseum.
Then, his right arm slowly emerged a set pattern that began climbing its way up to his shoulder and reaching to both his pecks and then again, down the over arm. The pattern was similar to that of dragon scales. He continues to undo his top two buttons of his shirt and spared no further time to rush at me at all.
HUH? My eyes had blinked once, and he was now standing in front of me! How? How is that possible?!
My eyes widened in shock and shear confusion, only for that thought to be erased by the immediate sharp, drilling, pain that connected to my abdomen, hit me split seconds later, sending me flying straight back into the centre of the arena and crashing into one of the giant pillars that lay collapsed on this expansive killing stage.
What! WHAT INCREDIBLE POWER! IS THAT HIS EMBLEM'S ABILITY?! SUCH RAW STRENGTH!
My cheeks only further flushed red from excitement, as my eyes went in and out of focus. With my failing vision, I tried to focus on where he was previously standing before he charged at me, to notice what I had suspected. It practically confirmed it for me. The ground at where he was previously placed, was now cracked, similar to that of a shattered mirror multiplying.
So, his ability is some sort of physical amplification? He also managed to hit me before inhaling any of my scent that is constantly being released. This is rather... Troublesome. But it's also kind of getting fun!
My thoughts were completely fixated on my pure enjoyment as Radence slowly walked up to me, emanating a vicious, yet refined aura.
I guess I should have expected this from a child prodigy hailing from a powerful, famous, and rich family. Indeed. The Fang family are truly worthy of their name! Especially when they bite down with the fangs that have been honed from an early age!
I still smile whilst I scramble myself of the ground using the pillar behind me, that had cracked when I smashed into it, as for support, releasing the same sadistic energy that lusts for domination of strong opponents. I have truly given into my emotions during this battle. HOW WONDERFUL!!
"You've got a kick to your punches. I guess it should be expected from the notorious Fang family!"
He didn't reply for a while and only shot a disgusted face my way, probably revolted at my face which was brimming with pleasure and ecstasy. Then he finally replies, half his face shrouded in shadow.
"Shut up and let's get this over with!"
If he's so quick that he can hit me without having to breath in my scent, then I needed to touch his forehead, or...
I once again ready myself, readying my dagger in my grip. I guess I just need to go for it. I burst toward him, with a powerful kick off from the ground and close the distance and yet Radence seemed totally composed, a face that showed he was completely unshaken in his conviction. From that distance I launched a fury of attacks at the head, the shoulders, the solar plexus, the groin, the back and even Achilles, all with my dagger swinging violently yet keeping and never straying from my fluent, sharp, and composed movements, maintaining my form but being unable to land a single registered hit. He simply dodged each and every one of my attacks whilst glaring at me with a cold face devoid of emotion. He then speaks up.
"Trying to get touch my forehead, huh? Sorry, but that's not going to work, I'm simply too fast for you."
With that I launched a backhanded swing at his chest, in a low position, only to find myself being booted in the solar plexus, sending me high into the arena with incredible speed and back down crashing even faster. In pain, I try to lift my head up to see his and then I smile at him.
"Have you forgotten that's not the only way I can place you within my grasp?"
He looks down at me, who was trying to stand up, and utters, "I haven't, but as you said, as long as my mind remains utterly focused, I can break out of your hallucination immediately, so don't think you have some advantage over me."
It was too funny. I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore.
"HAHAHAHAHA. You really are stupid, aren't you?"
I proceed to spit on his face. He doesn't avoid it and simply wipes it off. But it's too late now.
"You know, me touching you isn't the only way for me to grasp you and place you in a seal like Gryph over there. The poor puppy seems to be sweating from the trauma he's receiving from his hallucinations. It's soooo~ exciting!"
His eyes widen in shock, but he can't do anything anymore. His body is now going limp.
"Hahahaha. My spit has special properties that allow me to paralyze my opponent for three minutes! What do you say, you think I have enough time to mess around with you?"
My face twist into a devious smile again as I place my finger on my busted lip and continuing to lick the edge of my dagger. I stand up and slowly march over to him. Then, BOOM! I pummel his face hit after hit as my face seems to blush from the excitement more and more. I then knock him down.
Isn't his face in the perfect place to stomp on?
That thought seemed to demonically take over my process of thinking, as I began stomping him out and blood splattered slowly around the scene in an almost calming sense. Almost in slow motion.
The crowd of students that were supposed to be watching over this had now gone silent, as they know they can't interfere otherwise they'd be given the same punishment. They either have to look away, or deal with it!
"Class, the only way to survive against a stronger opponent than you is... well the best thing you could is beg for them to be merciful!"
Most of the students had now looked away now that I had said that all unwilling to say something as they fear the strong. Though it's only natural to fear the strong, even I know that. But I wouldn't have expected to feel it here more than anywhere ever before.
A surge of mass, murderous killing intent is released in that moment that swarms the whole of the school grounds with incredible density. Such a heavy feeling where none of us could breathe and some the class in the audience began passing out from the terror they felt, a sense of fear that clamped around the lungs and heart and squeezed continuously applying pressure unlike anything they've ever experienced before. My hands even began shaking uncontrollably until my grip lost all strength and my dagger slipped out my hand. My muscles screamed out to me with every inch of their fibre to run, to beg, to be merciful, to not...
KILL HER!
KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!
These thoughts swarmed through everybody's heads. That's how powerful the killing intent felt, it was so oppressive that the owners' thoughts manifested inside our own heads.
Now multiple students had become unconscious along with Radence and it felt like I was soon. If only I was so lucky. The source of that insatiable, unquenchable, ominous, and dark killing intent was one student... Gryph Note. He who stood in the same spot but had now stopped muttering. He who should have been under my control until I let him go. How? How was he doing this?
His head tilted backwards, now facing the only two massive sources of this colosseum's light that were now also rattling together, quaking in fear.
I tried to direct my eyes directly onto his face, but I couldn't. If I look, I'll die! I'll be erased from this world without a trace!