"Who thinks their strong enough to go against our strongest, Jarett ?!" A young boy standing beside him yelled out, urging someone to step forward.
Making his way up the platform, "I would like a go." He said.
Whispers could be heard from the audience as Raten now stood across the platform from Jarett.
"Who's that?"
"I've seen him around a couple of times. Can he even fight?"
"He looks a bit...pale." Another noticed.
Jarett who had nothing but a smile on his face though he wondered if the person in front of him could fight. He also noticed the pale skin of his challenger. He was glad he got to face a new opponent. Jarett was much taller and larger than most of the kids there though they were around the same age.
"Calling your shot against me, I hope you are good at fighting as you are confident." Lecter spoke. His voice, calm and soothing. Not what one would expect by looking at him.
Raten said nothing and just looked at him. His black hair fell over his face covering his eyes revealing only the grin he had on his face.
"Oi, what's your name?" A young boy standing between them both asked. He usually acted as the announcer and never gets involved in the fights.
"Raten." He answered.
"For the next match, the newcomer Raten has challenged one of our best, or should I say, current best fighter, Jarett!!" He announced and there was a cheer from the crowd. Whoever Raten was, they hoped he would put up a fight, so did Jarett. Raten was set to not just put up a fight, but win.
"The rules are simple, you can use whatever weapon you have in your arsenal. Going for whatever attack, as long as it's not fatal. No using of Qi or mana, for our aspiring knights and wizards respectfully, to get and edge in the fight.
"The match should be clean and fair. The only way to win is if your opponent taps out, or gets knocked off the platform." He made clear the rules. Though they already knew, he just said it everytime a new fight would commence.
"Begin!" The young boy gave the signal and left the platform, leaving the two boys.
They stared at each other for a while and then began.
Dashing forward they met at the centre of the platform. Jarett, threw out a punch, but Raten ducked and aimed to land a blow in his mid section. Jarett, just in time, moved out of the way, throwing out a kick to Raten's side. The kick sent him tumbling a few feet away.
Immediately he got up, to see a Jarett charge at him again with a series of punches. Not being able to dodge them all, seeing how fast they were coming, he could only take the hit and block the ones how could. He skid across the wooden floor with every hit he took. The next one was a kick, almost sending him off the platform.
'What is he doing?' Kiyan wondered. "Start fighting!" He yelled at his brother while the rest cheered on their champion.
Getting up on his feet, Raten smiled at his opponent.
"Let's get serious, shall we?"
His words made an even larger grin etch across the face of his opponent. Jarett then sprung out a chain he had around his waist. Tying it around his right wrist and fist, he left a significant part of it to dangle on the floor. While Raten readied his fists. This was what he wanted. He noticed Jarett used this chain when fighting and always used it skilfully. He wanted to see how he would fare against it.
This time charging forward was Raten while Jarett remained standing. Leaping forward, when he was close enough, he went for a punch to the head. Jarett held his fist, stopping his momentum, skidding back a little, which surprised him, he gave a punch with his chained hand to Raten, and a kick to the gut just as quickly. Raten was sent tumbling.
But went on the attack again. As he neared, Jarett went for the punch again, Raten hit the hand away and sent a kick to his leg causing him to fall on one knee. Raten gave another kick to Jarett's head and jaw. Jarett fell back, but rose to his feet quickly.
The onlookers were surprised and joyed that the fighters were putting on quite a show. Moving forward, Raten was going for another kick, Jarett waited till the last moment then he moved and threw the other end of the chain around his ankle. It wrapped around it twice.
Grabbing hold of the end of the chain around the ankle, he pulled him closer. Raten went for a punch, but his fist was held by the free arm of Jarett. Holding onto his left arm and leg, he lifted Raten off the floor, over his head and slammed him into the floor. Picking him up, he did it again.
"Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten! Wooo!!!" The audience counted the number of times Raten got slammed and ended with a cheer as Jarett let him go.
Gasps and an even louder cheer was heard as the crowd reacted to Raten getting up immediately after that. He was bleeding slightly from the head. Every person who had been slammed by Jarett usually wouldn't get up again and he would be declared winner. Seeing Raten move was amazing in their eyes. Jarett couldn't hide how surprised he was when Raten rose to his feet, though he half expected it. Passers-by could only wonder why the kids were so excited.
Dashing forward, Jarett moved faster than he was previously moving. Raten got into a stance and as he neared, threw a punch which Jarett avoided and tied the chain around Raten's arm. This time though, Raten pulled on the chain, bringing his opponent closer, he kicked him in the gut causing him to crouch a bit only to receive a knee to the face that flung his head back.
Raten kept punching and kicking in quick successions. Pulling Jarett closer, he kicked the side of his head. Releasing his arm a bit so there would be some length in the chain, he then moved behind him, wrapping the chain around Jarett's neck twice he pulled on it bringing him to his feet.
Jarett getting his breath squeezed out, reached for the end of the chain being Raten pulled on with his left arm, while his right arm was still holding firmly onto it. He bent forward as he held onto Raten's arm and lifted him over his head slamming him onto the platform in front of him.
Raten still held onto the chain. Jarett using whatever was left in him to lift Raten up he slammed him on the floor again and quickly unwrapped the chain around his throat. He fell on the wooden floor as well. Both boys were on the floor breathing hard as they bled slowly from their mouths and foreheads. The audience still watching and cheering.
"I thought he was going to quit!" Lecter said having seen what happened. "Just what strength did he have to do that?" He asked no one in particular. Kiyan was thinking along the lines. He too thought Jarett would at least pass out.
Coughing and trying to breathe properly, Jarett was rising to his feet. Raten was already up. Not giving him time to recover, he went on the attack kicking, punching repeatedly, slowly pushing him to the edge of the platform.
Jarett seeing this threw a punch with the chained fist at his gut. Raten crouched a bit, he held the loose end of the chain and immediately tied it around Jarett's other arm. He then kicked him on both knees. Then another and another and another, till Jarett grabbed hold of his feet. Raten did a flip to set his leg free and kicked the side of his head sending him flying a few feet to the side. As soon as he rose to his feet, he received a devastating kick to the chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. He was pushed back, kneeling, gasping for air.
Raten then stood, waiting for his opponent to get back on his feet.
"Get up!" He yelled.
Jarett stared at the floor for a while, his lips curved into a smile as he got up. "This is getting interesting."
Both boys stood staring at each other. Raten placed his right foot a bit behind, and his fists in front of him. Jarett loosened the chain around his wrist a bit making the chain longer that it touched the ground.
Jarett dashed forward this time. As he neared, Raten threw a kick. Expecting it, Jarett ducked, moving to the side, he gave a blow to his opponent's ribs. Moving forward he kept dealing punches at Raten who could only dodge or counter with an attack of his own. Each one of his punches was getting blocked or avoided, he resorted to his chain again.
As soon as Raten went for a kick, his opponent caught his foot and delivered a kick of his own. His foot collided with Raten's face, flinging his head back. Letting go of his ankle, Jarett kicked him in the gut, sending him flying back.
Getting back on his feet, he wiped off the blood that trickled down his nose with the back of his hand. Right now, neither of them had the intention of ending the match until they feel they could no longer go on. Raten's breathing was unsteady and he now had a more fierce look in his eyes.
'Too many hits, I've taken too many hits. He's not nearly as injured as I am. Weak ?! Weak ?! Am I really ?!' He cursed inwardly, clenching his fists. Jarett had already made his move. As he neared, he placed both his palms aiming for Raten's chest. Raten, just in time, bent backwards. Making a backflip, he kicked Jarett with both feet on the jaw and landed on both feet.
Jarett staggered backwards trying to regain composure. A punch to the middle of his face and another to his jaw, dropping him to one knee, blood was beginning to ooze from the holes in his face and his burst lips.
Looking at the one who attacked him now throw another punch, he moved his head to the side, avoiding the blow. Quickly getting to his feet, he held the fist aiming to land another punch in his arm, tightening his grip.
With his free arm, Raten went for another punch. Pulling back, he only got more furious. He kept punching and kicking but hit nothing but air as Jarett would constantly avoid them as quickly as they came. Seeing a smile etched on his opponent's face only made him furious.
"I see you find me amusing." He raised a brow.
"I'm amused you've pushed me to this point." He answered with an even larger smile.
Raten threw a punch, Jarett threw a punch of his as well. Both fists connected with their faces.
Drawing his hand back, Jarett punched fast and hard with his chained arm. Raten lifted both his arms over his head, blocking the hits. A kick to the side threw him off balance and immediately, a chain was wrapped around his neck.
"How about a taste of your own medicine." Jarett whispered to him as he pulled on the chain.
The kids kept chanting their names as they fought.
"They are really taking this whole thing too far." Lecter said to Kiyan who watched as his brother, who was down on his knees, try to get up on his feet. Using his elbow, he hit Jarett repeatedly on the head and managed to get a breather as his grip on the chain had loosened.
Kicking him in the mid-section, he unwrapped the chain around his neck. He laid face flat on the floor trying to catch his breath. Jarett was down as well, they were both tired. The platform began to vibrate. The kids in front were banging on it, cheering for them to get up. Jarett was ahead already with one feet up. Raten was dragging his body off the floor. After a while, they were vertical staring at each other. This time, they were both smiling.
"Want to end it?" Jarett asked.
Raten gave no answer. Ducking a blow, he held onto the chain and pulled on it, reeling in his opponent.
A knee to the face, kick to the head, another to the jaw, he repeatedly attacked not letting his opponent fall back. Seeing it looked like Jarett could no longer go on, Raten let go of the chain. Drawing his foot back, he sprinted and landed a hard kick to the chest of Jarett, sending him flying off the platform and onto the ground, away from the little audience.
The kids had their jaws hung open and then roared with a loud cheer. Raten stood the Victor.
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Author here: Sorry for the slow updates. More chapters will come in, and more often as well.
Still a novice here, you can point out my mistakes in the comment section.
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