*Smack* "Argh!" *Smack* "Kah!" *Smack*
A girl on the cusp of puberty is beating a young boy, no older than 5.
"Why can't you understand!" *Smack* She yells at him, as she strikes once more. The boy is curled up in a fetal position. Doing nothing, but bearing the girl's wrath.
She continues to beat him until she's satisfied. Only then relenting and leaving the bleeding boy alone.
"Clean yourself up..." These are the cold words she leaves behind, as she walks away.
Seeing the girl depart, the little boy slowly rises. There are traces of tears on his face, but by now his expression is numb.
The small boy is Hong, when he was 5 years old and the girl beating him was his older sister.
Little Hong stands up with a bit of difficulty and heads to the house to clean his wounds.
This is nothing new. He's already quite used to it. His elder sister always ends up beating him when she trains him. He can never meet her expectations.
He's just not that talented...
Another memory.
Hong is now 7 years old.
"You will stay here until you understand how to execute this technique." His elder sister states. Her eyes have no warmth, nor care in them.
She closes the lid of the big chest. Trapping Hong inside. *Click* And locks it.
Little Hong is left there with a glowing stone for light and a scroll.
Another memory.
Hong is now considerably older. Almost a man.
He's swings his sword in a garden. Training his footwork and executing several techniques. Panting and sweating hard.
"Did you hear? The young lady has already achieved the 5th tier." Hong overhears a servant gossiping behind the corner.
Hearing his older sister mentioned subconciously sends a tremor down his spine. He grips his sword a degree stronger.
*Gasp* "The young lady is so talented! She was always quick to pick up martial arts." Another servant speaks.
"I know right. Meanwhile the young lord of the house is still stuck in tier 2."
"What? Wasn't he trained by the young lady herself? How is he so weak?" The servant asks in a confused tone.
"He was. But it seems he just wasn't that talented..."
Meanwhile Hong who's secretly overhearing their conversation is gritting his teeth so hard, that they creak in his mouth. His face completely red.
....
Hong stares at his opponent. A young boy with red eyes.
The young boy in front of him has exceptional looks. And talent even greater.
Something Hong never had...
Hong executes a low level, nameless technique, he picked up form the sect.
He stabs with his naginata, covered by aura.
When it almost reaches Zeldris, the stab splits in four. Targeting his head, chest, groin and knee.
His disciple deftly avoids all of them and executes a counter attack. An attack which would have sliced off his arm, if he wouldn't have moved out of the way.
Hong finds this disciple truly displeasing. He's just a little brat and he dares to challenge him!
So what if the brat is talented? He is the master here!
Hong executes another technique. Splitting the air with a violent swing of his polearm. Aiming for Zeldris's head, but changing course as it's about to hit.
Zeldris manages to block it, but just barely. The boy goes flying. Hong quickly pursues.
"There is no way you can beat me. Just give up!" Hong yells at the boy. Swinging his naginata once again.
Zeldris somehow manages to block it. But is having even more difficulty than before.
"Heh. Who decides that? You?" Contrary to the situation, Zeldris sneers, ridiculing Hong. Causing his master's face to become grim.
"It looks like you don't know how to show respect to your elders..."
This time Hong's speed is far faster. His strength is far stronger. It's obvious he was holding back before.
He executes a devastating slash towards Zeldris, who looks at the blade coming at him with apparent suprise.
Somehow the brat manages to avoid it, but another strike immediately follows up. A stab at his chest.
Zeldris deflects that and backs away.
"What!" Hong exclaims, stopping his attack.
'How did he avoid that?' Hong is confused. He knows his disciple's progress in martial arts well. He knew Four couldn't handle those attacks and aimed to end this stupid spar. However unexpectedly he's done just that.
"Heh." He hears a sneer come from beside him.
"I bet you thought that was my limit, didn't you..." Hong looks at Four, who has a disgustingly creepy smile on his face.
Suddenly a ferocious blow comes at him from below. Completely catching Hong off guard.
*Clang* He manages to block it at the last second.
"What?!" Hong exclaims with a shocked expression. How is Four this strong?!?!
"I never showed you my true power..." Four states. His aura flares. Executing another slash at insane speed.
*Voosh* *Boom* The sheer clash of their weapons causes huge gusts of wind and takes a layer off the arena with pure air pressure.
Hong is speechless. This?... How is this even possible?!
*Clang* *Boom* *Clang* Several loud noises are heard, as Zeldris and Hong exchange blows. Hong is still in a state of shock.
However. The master's expression suddenly changes. His face becomes eerily numb. Completely blank, without emotion.
"Still... It's just this..."
Suddenly Zeldris feels a huge sign of danger. A cut that he didn't even see happen, appears on his leg.
*Bam* A nasty punch to his gut sends him flying. *Boom* Into the wall of the arena. A tremor shakes the whole arena, including the spectator stands.
His impact with the arena destroyed the wall and kicked up a lot of dust. The referee quickly rushes to inspect Zeldris's condition, not seeing him through the cloud of dust. Thinking of ending it here.
Most of the spectators consider the match over. This ending was to be expected though. Hong is tier 5, but Zeldris is still only tier 4. No matter how talented one is, a whole realm worth of difference is impossible to overcome.
No one expected him to win. He did amazing as is...
However Zeldris seemingly casually walks out of the dust cloud. Shocking everyone, including Hong.
The expression he has, is absolutely not what a young boy should have on his face.
Zeldris'd eyebrows are in a deep furrow, yet his mouth has a disdainful, almost crazed smile. His teeth covered with blood. The sheer amount of malice he radiates is insane. With his red eyes seemingly glowing, he looks absolutely evil...
Zeldris looks at Hong's expression. Finding his master's shocked expression incredibly amusing.
"I suppose it's time to stop playing around."
Suddenly Zeldris's aura spikes. His red aura radiates off his body, like a flame aggressively blowing in the wind.
However the visuals are completely irrelevant. It's the aura itself that shocks everyone silly.
"Tier 5!" "How the hell?!" The spectator stands are in chaos. Even elder Wu is stunned silly.
'How old is this kid?!? 9!?!?! WHAT THE FUCK!!!' The old man barely contains screaming out the profanities he's thinking.
To put it into perspective, the fastest cultivation speed in history currently belongs to Wu Mei. She reached tier 5 at just 10 years old. Being a mid stage tier 5 currently at 12.
But you have to consider the fact that Wu Mei is the direct disciple of the sect master and from the Wu family. She has been showered with incredible cultivation treasures and resources since birth.
Not only that, Wu Sheng knows something even more shocking!!! When he picked this kid up 2 years ago, he didn't even have a tier!!!! HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY AURA!!!!!!
*Huu* *Haa* *Huu* *Haa* Elder Wu is panting. He feels like his heart will explode any minute now. Damn this kid, this is too much!.. Zeldris might literally kill elder Wu with the shock he got from finding out the speed of the boy's progress.
Not paying any attention to the chaotic reactions of people, Zeldris ducks and leverages all the power in his legs to shoot forwards.
*Boom* A sonic boom happenes just after he starts moving.
*Clang* The resulting clash of their weapons is deafening.
"It's time for you to die." Zeldris states, attempting to sweep Hong's legs out and slash at him.
From now on Hong becomes completely serious. He is no longer trying to hold back to spare the pain on his ego.
Hong quickly backs away. Being close is not good for Hong, for he has a naginata. His weapon has considerably more reach than Four's. Hence Hong's goal is to keep him out of range.
Zeldris instantly understands what Hong is doing. Just the fact that Hong finally started paying attention to the distance tells him that Hong is now serious. Zeldris grins again.
The two fighters clash at incredible speeds. To a normal person, they look like a blur.
Zeldris attempts to breach Hong's defence and reach inside, but Hong is doing a great job at keeping him away.
Their strength is about equal. Hong has a very tough time swallowing this bitter pill, however deluding himself is only detrimental right now.
But Hong knows Four's glaring weakness. Four has not mastered any sword techniques. The ones he knows are flimsy at best.
Zeldris has spent the last two years learning how to fight with the sword and training his aura. He has barely touched any techniques.
As Hong defends against his disciples vicious strikes, this thought gives him great confidence.
The fight has come to a standstill. Both fighters are kind of stuck. Zeldris can't reach closer and Hong can't go on the attack. Since if he does, Zeldris will immediately close the distance.
Zeldris is watching Hong like a hawk, as he strikes at him. Paying attention to the slightest movements. He only needs a chance. A lapse in concentration and he's in.
However the standstill does not break.
Even after 10 minutes of fighting at superspeed, the two are still at it.
The arena is completely destroyed by now. They are fighting on the rock bedding of the mountain. Shaving off even that with each strike, burrowing deeper.
Zeldris is in a pinch. At this rate, he will sooner or later exhaust himself. He has to do something fast!
He has baited Hong multiple times, by revealing an opening. But the bastard has a solid martial arts base. He sees through it.
Oh well, looks like it's time to pull out a card he's been saving...
Suddenly Zeldris's blade catches fire. Lighting up in a purple flame.
Hong is suprised by a sudden attack from a flaming blade. This change from the routine catches him off guard.
Suddenly an opening reveals itself and Zeldris takes it immediately.
Too bad it was a bait.
*Slice* Hong brings his naginata back around and makes a deep gash on his disciples left arm. But it's a shame it wasn't the arm holding the sword.
Zeldris bears the pain, stabbing his flaming sword into Hong's stomach. Hong pulls back on the last second, but the sword cuts him anways.
"Aaaaaargh!" The hellish pain of the destructive hellflame is insane! It instantly burns a hole in his stomach.
Zeldris is immediately back on him. His expression completely cold, his red eyes glowing, about to slice Hong's head off.
"Gale flash." Hong executes a movement technique, instantly disappearing and appearing meters away. He manages to take out a slice of Zeldris's side as well, spraying blood.
But in a show of sheer will, Zeldris ignores the pain and makes a shocking move.
He throws his sword at Hong. Who only spots it at the last second, being too late to dodge.
*Stab* "Kuh!" The sword is lodged in his back, piercing a lung.
Zeldris runs up to him, blood spurting out of his side. Hong sees him and makes a sloppy swipe with his naginata, but Zeldris ducks under it and kicks his knee. Making it bend backwards.
"Aaargh!" Another scream from Hong.
What happenes next is a complete beat down.
Hong drops his naginata and engages Zeldris in a fist fight. But how could he take on someone who is a master in modern mixed martial arts.
Zeldris delivers combo after combo, while dodging every blow Hong attempts to land on him.
*Bam* *Bam* *Bam* *Bam* If there is one thing Zeldris has to give his master credit for, it's that he's a tough bastard.
However soon enough, Hong finally falls down, unconcious, in a pool of blood. Mixed from both his and his disciples.
Zeldris stands over him panting and bleeding profusely.
"The winner, Disciple Four!!!" Referee announces the exciting conclusion.