Daniel marked Vincent closely, his fist were like bedim coiled snakes, striking with lethal precision.
In contrast, his opponent floundered, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated, as if he were trying to navigate through a thick fog.
The first few seconds into the fight overwhelmed Vincent. He had probably never been in a fight like this—and never knew that it required lightning fast thinking and action execution.
The king's attack left him with no open space. Yet he held on, arms guarding his head together with the toughness of a tortoise.
Daniel frowned slightly and jumped back. With a swift jab, he broke Vincent's disgraceful defenses, the impact reverberating through the latter's bones like a thunderclap.
Staggering backward, Vincent attempted to retaliate, but his opponent was already before his eyes, fists hauling in like a vicious storm.
Daniel's blows rained down on Vincent, each strike calculated and merciless.
With every punch, Vincent's resolve wavered, his strength fading like a dying ember. It was overwhelming, he didn't know what to do—he bit his inner lip angrily.
Desperation fueled his futile attempts to counter, but Daniel's mastery of combat left him no room to maneuver.
With nowhere to retreat, Vincent huddled behind feeble defenses, his arms locked in a feeble attempt to shield himself.
Daniel's brow furrowed in disgust as he lunged in a blur of motion.
Each punch landed with cobra-like accuracy, slipping through Vincent's guard to pound his ribs and jaw relentlessly.
Staggering, Vincent tried to mount some semblance of defense, but his limbs flailed drunkardly.
He had clearly never faced an onslaught of such blistering intensity.
Daniel's assaults came in merciless waves, fluid combos crashing down on Vincent as he desperately threw up his arms.
The defenses proved pathetic, ripped apart by Daniel's ruthless combinations.
A straight right cross smashed into Vincent's mouth, sending blood and spit flying. Before he could recover, a devastating uppercut snapped his head back viciously.
'...crap…'
Vincent's ears rang deafeningly, his vision swimming as warm blood filled his mouth. He had drastically underestimated the King of Mereung's skill.
'I'd be damned if I don't get one in at all!'
But he was not going to go down without landing a single blow.
[You are using skill swift serpent strike(E+)]
Gritting his teeth defiantly, Vincent hurled his head forward from the recoil and lunged a jab with a serpent-like agility.
The blow sliced through Daniel's defenses, catching him off guard for the first time.
Vincent's fist plowed mercilessly into the king's unguarded midsection, satisfaction surging through him at the solid thud of impact.
Daniel's brow furrowed in shock and pain as he staggered back a step.
'What? That punch just now?'
It was unlike the imagery Vincent had been painting since barely one minute of starting this battle.
"Are you sure you have never learned how to fight before. Don't lie to me you bastard." Daniel tilted his head, his face contorted and twisted with a threatening overcast.
Vincent did not say anything but instead wiped away the blood on his face.
By now, he had learned his lesson.
'I need to figure out a way to instinctively use the skill while he attacks'
Daniel smiled like a dark mordant doll a second later and hissed:
"Don't worry, you don't need to answer, it does not matter. I think I'm beginning to enjoy this. You've taken several of my attacks and still holding on." He looked at his fist, folded and unfolded a series of time, "or did I go rusty… it's been a while since I threw a punch"
Seizing the moment, Vincent shot forward like a blizzard.
"How petty!" Daniel quickly assumed a blocking stance, ready to counter the imminent attack.
Seeing that the King was more than ready to take on his attack, Vincent feinted left before pivoting right with viper-like speed.
He didn't know what he was doing—all he knew was that he had to make his decisions fast, or he would get caught by the red-haired King.
And the system responded with the same speed:
[You are using skill Uppercut(D)]
His fist rocketed upwards, empowered by desperation and fury.
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise as he realized too late that he had fallen for the feint.
Vincent's empowered blow slammed brutally into his jaw in an uppercut, snapping his head back violently.
Staggering backwards, Daniel tasted blood as pain exploded through his face.
Daniel's neck suddenly snapped back forward like that of an Immortal zombie. He twisted left and right making sickening cracks.
Then a smile curled on his lips as his eyes fell on Vincent again.
"Wow… you scrawny whelp managed to drop not one but to hits on me?" He licked the blood in behind his lips.
"I really did not expect this…" a compromising frown creased upon his face. Then he began clapping.
"Alright, alright, my bad… it seems you are worth some attention. I should take you seriously."
A palpable aura of danger now exuded from Daniel as his demeanor grew deathly serious.
The air became stifling, laden with menace. Vincent tensed, his fists tightening involuntarily.
Without warning, Daniel exploded forward, crossing the distance between them in a mere instant.
Vincent reacted on pure instinct, throwing up his guard while his mind reeled to catch up.
But no attack came. Daniel had stopped just short, glaring at Vincent with a predatory stillness.
"Let's see how long you can entertain me for," Daniel uttered softly.
Before Vincent could move, a vicious fist plowed into his stomach, folding him in half.
The wind burst from his lungs in an agonized gasp. He crumpled to his knees, struggling for breath through the pain.
Daniel loomed above, his earlier strikes now looking like mere playthings. "Get up," he spat. "I'm not finished with you."
On shaky legs,Vincent slowly got up, the King allowed it. However, Vincent suddenly proved smart and hoisted an uppercut.
His fist cut through the breeze, Daniel's head tilted to the back with a downturned smile.
"Thinking the same attack would work one me twice is an insult."
He plowed him with a kick to his belly making him fold again. This time Daniel himself pulled him up and began to plummet him.
Vincent barely had time to brace himself as Daniel launched at him again and again, a blur of lethal strikes.
He threw up his guard desperately, but the blows slipped through, slamming into his ribs and jaw in quick succession.
Grunting in pain, he tried to counter, throwing a wild haymaker. But Daniel easily ducked under it, smashing a fist into Vincent's exposed side. Vincent staggered, gasping.
"Come on, is that really all you've got?" Daniel taunted. "Cause you raised my hopes up just now."
Vincent spat blood and gritted his teeth.
'This guy is mad! He is a madman!'