Elijah stood, bloodied and battered, facing his formidable opponent, the Martial King. The taste of blood filled his mouth and ran down his face, covering one eye. With a determined wipe, he cleared it, standing tall despite the pain. His opponent's mocking stare only fueled his resolve.
Amidst the fear pulsating through him, another sensation surged within Elijah — an intense excitement for learning. It was as if a fire ignited within him. With a primal yell, he unleashed his power, screaming, "AAAAAHHHH!" A silver lotus appeared behind him.
A burst of energy erupted from Elijah, causing even the Martial King to frown. Surrounded by a pulsating silver aura, Elijah seemed almost otherworldly. The King couldn't help but wonder if the boy had lost his mind, channeling such raw power.
"You've closed the power gap a bit, but what about experience?" the Martial King asked before they clashed.
The battle between Elijah and the Martial King, a paragon of earth-based martial arts, unfolded with fierce intensity. Despite using his lotus technique, Elijah's (F+) rank paled in comparison to the Martial King's formidable (E-) rank. The contrast between their abilities was stark, with the Martial King's experience and mastery evident in every fluid movement.
When Elijah stopped holding back, his lotus changed to blue as lightning flickered around him before bursting ragingly. As they exchanged blows, Elijah's movements became a blur of lightning, pushing the Martial King back. His punches landed with thunderous impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Yet, for every blow Elijah landed, the Martial King countered with calculated precision, his earth-infused arms weaving a tapestry of destruction.
Despite being outmatched in terms of rank and experience, Elijah refused to back down. Blocking his push, Elijah used Flash Step, greatly increasing his speed. Suddenly appearing behind the Martial King, spikes emerged from the ground, trying to stop Elijah's attack. He destroyed them, but an earth armor had already formed on the King's back, spreading to cover his entire body.
Both fighters jumped back from the recoil of their attack and rushed toward each other. The Martial King used the earth below to hold Elijah down. Trapped, Elijah's single leaf on his lotus shone even more brilliantly.
"Full burst: Lightning…"
With a smile, the Martial King unleashed a devastating technique: "Earth Dragon Roar." He punched out, and with a mighty roar, a massive dragon of earth materialized before him, its scales gleaming with an otherworldly light. But even as the dragon surged forward, Elijah just smiled.
With a primal scream, he channeled every ounce of his remaining strength into a single, devastating blow. "Fist!" His lightning-covered fist was so fast none of the watchers could see it as he collided with the earth dragon, sending shockwaves rippling through the arena. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the two titanic forces clashed.
The clash destroyed the dragon, but Elijah wasn't unharmed; he was sent flying.
BOOM!
As the dust settled and the echoes of their battle faded, Elijah stood amidst the wreckage. His breath came in ragged gasps, mingling with the swirling clouds of dust and debris. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
The ground beneath him bore the scars of their battle, cracked and fractured from the force of their blows. Yet, amidst the chaos, Elijah remained standing, his form a stark contrast to the devastation around him. Though battered and bruised, his eyes were focused on sensing his opponent's presence.
His single lotus still glowed brightly, knowing he could do another Full Burst before running out of chi. As the dust disappeared, both men smiled at each other before suddenly disappearing, the crowd roaring like a fierce animal. The ground trembled, and the sound intensified with every clash.
BOOM!
Their fight reached a crescendo, each blow resonating with the force to rend the ground. Elijah, moving at the speed of 15 m/sec, was reaching his peak. The smile on his face remained as he destroyed the earth fists the Martial King created.
Creating more earth fists, the Martial King stood at a distance, the ground trembling beneath their feet, unable to withstand the magnitude of their clash. Despite this, Elijah and the Martial King didn't stop for a single second as Elijah destroyed the earth fists and closed in on him.
Seeing Elijah closing the distance, the Martial King, with a thunderous roar, unleashed his signature technique, the "Earth Tiger Fist," a devastating onslaught too fast for Elijah to dodge. The flying earth fist sent Elijah hurtling through the air like a ragdoll.
Summoning every ounce of his strength, Elijah destroyed the fist and regained his footing, his hand pulsating with lightning as it covered his entire arm. "Full Burst: Lightning Fist!" he intoned, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos. The King, recognizing the imminent danger, retreated momentarily, preparing his own counterattack. "Lion King Earthly Roar."
As Elijah's hand transformed into a lightning hue, he unleashed his final gambit. The clash that followed was nothing short of cataclysmic, the force of their collision shattering the ground beneath them and sending shockwaves rippling outward.
In the aftermath, a deafening silence descended upon the arena. The earth lion, once a formidable manifestation of the Martial King's power, lay shattered and defeated. Meanwhile, Elijah's hand, now mangled and crushed, hung limply at his side, a grim testament to the toll of their battle.
As the dust settled, both combatants stood bloodied and battered, their bodies weary from the relentless onslaught. Elijah, resigned to what he believed was his defeat, let out a weary sigh.
The Martial King stood there with an amazed expression, not holding his handless right side. He tried to dodge it, but it was too late, and he decided to face the attack head-on, resulting in the loss of his arm. He smiled and even laughed, while Elijah sighed, "Seems like I have lost."
Stopping his laughter, the King stared at him with a confused expression. "What are you talking about, kid? I'm the one who lost." The truth was that Elijah was out of energy and heavily injured from using so much lightning in his Full Burst; he didn't even think he could win.
On the other hand, the Martial King could still stand and had the mana to continue fighting but decided to let him win, for reasons unknown. He laughed and started walking away. "In the future, let's fight again," he waved his hand, leaving Elijah further confused.
"Oh, by the way, what is your name?" the King inquired.
In his confusion, Elijah answered, "Elijah."
"Call me Leo. Have a nice day, boy."