I entered the Fighting Tower and made my way directly to the registration table.
"Look, Silas is fighting again!"
"Finally! My gold reserves were getting low!"
I could only imagine their reactions when I win and they lose their bets. However, the one who wagers on me will be swimming in gold.
I registered for a fight with the familiar old man at the table, noticing that his usual look of disgust was no more.
"You're queued for a fight in an hour," the old man informed me.
I nodded and went back to my seat, contemplating my potential opponents. If it were someone like Joe Kold, I knew I'd be in trouble; it wasn't a fight I felt confident about. But if it were a fighter of lesser caliber, I was sure I could win.
An hour later, my name was called.
"Silas Raven and Joe Kold to arena one!"
I heard the one name I didn't want to hear.
"Speak of the devil," I muttered.
As I made my way to arena one, I saw a crowd rushing to secure a good seat.
upon arrival, I saw Joe stanaing there angrily.
"Finally! I've been staying on this floor just to rip your tongue out and beat you until you beg!" Joe snarled, his eyes bloodshot.
A shiver ran down my spine at his threat. I wasn't confident in beating this nut case, especially after noticing his record had increased by twenty.
32 - 2.
"How about we let bygones be bygones and have a good fight?" I said, forcing a bright smile.
Joe slapped both of his hands against his head multiple times, leaving me and the entire crowd in dishelief.
I was facing a lunatic who had every intention of doing some very bad things to me. The thought of surrendering crossed my mind, but I knew that if I couldn't face this bastard, I wouldn't be able to confront the even stronger and crazier threats that awaited me.
I took a deep breath, recalling Luna's teachings: control and precision over power.
I had trained hard for this moment, mastering the subtleties of combat. I knew I could win.
Joe cracked his knuckles, bones audibly shifting beneath his skin. "Ready to beg for mercy?" he taunted, licking his bones.
I didn't respond, instead dropping into a balanced stance, every muscle ready for action. The signal was given, and the fight began.
Joe lunged forward, bones extending into sharp spikes aimed at me.
I sidestepped with fluid movement, narrowly avoiding the attack and countering with a precise jab to Joe's ribcage.
Joe grunted, retracting his bones and swinging a sharpened elbow at my head. I ducked, delivering a swift uppercut to
Joe's chin.
The fight continued, a dance of strikes and evasions. My movements were a perfect thanks to Luna's training; every motion was calculated, every strike precise.
Joe was relentless, his bone manipulation creating a constant barrage of unpredictable attacks.
But I held my ground, controlling the rhythm of the fight.
Feeling the tide starting to turn in my favor, I decided to use my ability to gain an edge.
I focused, and the air around Joe shimmered briefly as the force of attraction pulled at him, causing Joe to stumble.
I capitalized on the moment, delivering a series of rapid strikes to Joe's torso.
But using my power disrupted my own flow.
The concentration required to wield it threw off my precision, making my movements less fluid. Joe recovered quickly, bones lashing out like whips.
One spike grazed my cheek, drawing blood.
Another moment's hesitation, and a sharp bone caught my arm, causing me to grimace in pain.
"Still not enough," Joe sneered, sensing my struggle.
I steadied myself, realizing that my power, while useful, was more of a hindrance than a help in Luna's style of combat. I let it go, focusing entirely on Luna's teachings.
Control and precision. Her training was working so far.
Joe attacked again, bones shooting out like spears. I weaved through the onslaught, my movements smooth and precise.
I anticipated Joe's next move, ducking under a horizontal bone slash and landing a solid punch to Joe's jaw.
Joe staggered back, surprised by my accuracy and speed. But Joe wasn't done.
Desperation flickered in his eyes as he took a step back.
"You've forced my hand," he growled, his voice tinged with fury.
His entire body began to shift, bones extending outward, covering him in a protective and menacing armor.
His speed and strength increased twofold, a forbidden form of his ability that made him a untiuchable.
My eyes widened as Joe charged at me, his movements now a blur. I struggled to keep up, my training pushed to its limits.
Joe's sharp bones struck with brutal efficiency, each hit landing with crushing force. I managed to dodge and counter some attacks, but Joe's speed and power were overwhelming.
A bone spike sliced across my thigh, causing me to stumble.
Joe followed up with a devastating punch to my gut, sending me flying backwards.
I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. Joe loomed over me, a victorious grin on his face.
"This ends now," Joe declared, raising a bone
armored fist for the final blow.
in that moment, I threw away my training. I focused, drawing on every ounce of my remaining strength.
As Joe's fist descended, I used my power one last time, repelling Joe just enough to roll out of the way.
Joe's punch smashed into the ground, creating a crater.
Joe turned, fury blazing in his eyes, but then his body began to tremble. The forbidden form was taking its toll.
His bones, now overextended, started to crack under the strain. He took a step forward, but his legs gave out, sending him crashing to the ground.
I, panting and battered, pushed myself to my feet. Joe lay before me, his body reverting back to normal, too weak to continue.
"Winner, Silas Raven!"
As I stood victorious over Joe, the crowd erupted into a cacophony of reactions. Some spectators, shocked by Joe's sudden defeat, muttered in disbelief.
"I can't believe it! I lost my bet on Joe!"
"He was supposed to crush Silas!"
Others, angry and frustrated, clenched their fists and grumbled.
"Damn it, Joe! You had one job!"
"This isn't fair! I put money on Joe winning in under a minute!"
Amidst the anger, there were voices of awe and admiration for my accomplishment.
"Did you see that? Silas is a generational genius!"
"He's only been training for a few weeks, and he took down Joe like that? Incredible!"
"He's a natural talent. His family made a grave mistake at disowning him."
The mixed reactions swirled around me as I stood in the center of the arena, catching my breath.
Despite the chaos of emotions around me, I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger from this match.
I didn't stick around much longer and headed straight to the infirmary, the excruciating pain from Joe's attacks cutting deep. However, I was stopped by Luna, who appeared from around the corner and blocked my path.
She wore a warm smile. "Congratulations, big head," she said, ruffling my hair.
Sensing something amiss, she stopped. "What's wrong? You won; be proud."
I shook my head. "I didn't win. You saw what happened towards the end. He completely annihilated me when he used that form of his. He only lost because it was too taxing."
"If I hadn't used my ability at the end, I would've been crippled. But when I use my ability with your fighting style, it disrupts my flow, leaving gaps in my defense," I explained.
Although Luna's fighting style is effective, it doesn't suit me. However, I remembered what she mentioned back at the warehouse.
"How long will it take for me to learn how to use your fighting style and incorporate it with my ability?" I asked with a determined gaze.
"One day, if you learn fast enough. However, you have the academy tomorrow, so you might not learn it in time," she said.
Luna raised both her brows in shock. "You know the academy is extremely strict. You may get suspended for being late on the first day," she said, wondering if I knew the rules or not.
"Better than getting my ass beat," I replied and began walking towards the warehouse.
"What about your injuries?" Luna asked, stopping me in my tracks.
I paused, realizing I had been so distracted I had forgotten about the literal holes in my body.