Eckert took a deep breath, steeling
himself as he prepared for the grueling battle ahead. "We'll fight for seven days straight until I can't move. Don't care about injuries or exhaustion-just fight me until I drop."
Angel regarded him with a raised eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and mild annoyance. "You think I'll get tired fighting a kid who can't even use aura? Not to mention,you can't even sense it," she retorted.
But Eckert wasn't interested in what she thought. He narrowed his eyes, determination hardening his features. "Remember, don't show mercy" he called out, his voice firm as he launched himself into a sprint.
Angel sighed, shaking her head, but followed suit. She wasn't about to let him off easy, even if he was being absurdly stubborn.
Eckert moved with precision, using the spear in his left hand as a defense while wielding the sword in his right for attack. As they closed in on each other,he leaped into the air, aiming to overwhelm her with a two-pronged assault. He hurled the spear with all his might, following it up with a wild,overhead slash aimed at her head.
Angel, however, was far from a stationary target. With swift, fluid motions, she caught the spear mid-air,spinning it around to block his sword strike with the bottom end.
"Clang!" The sound of metal clashing echoed through the arena.
Undeterred, Eckert used the force of the collision to propel himself forward,kicking the spear's handle out of her grasp and snatching it back. He barely had time to adjust before-
"Bang!"
Angel's fist drove into his stomach with the force of a battering ram, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could react, her other hand came around in a brutal backhand to his cheek.
"Bang!"
The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, his weapons clattering beside him. For a moment, his vision blurred,but he pushed himself up, stubbornly refusing to stay down. He lunged at her again, spear and sword raised, butAngel was relentless.
She moved with lightning speed,closing the gap between them in an instant. With a blur of motion, she disarmed him effortlessly, sending his sword flying across the arena. Eckert tried to backpedal, but Angel was on him before he could even think.
Her hands became a flurry of strikes-each punch landing with devastating precision. One to his ribs, another to his jaw, then a brutal uppercut to his chin.The force of her blows was inhuman,and despite his best efforts, Eckertcouldn't keep up. He staggered backward, trying to catch his breath,but Angel didn't let up for a second.
"Bang!" Another punch to his gut, so powerful that he felt his insides twist.
"Bang!" A fist to his shoulder,dislocating it with a sickening crunch.
"Bang!" A straight punch to his sternum,knocking him to the ground once more.His body hit the ground hard, but even then, Angel showed no mercy. She grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him up only to deliver another flurry of punches that left him dazed and bloodied.
Eckert's world became a whirlwind of pain, his senses overwhelmed by the relentless assault. His vision blurred,the edges of his consciousness fraying as Angel's fists continued to rain down on him. He could barely register the blows anymore, his body numb from the sheer brutality of it all.
Finally, his body couldn't take any more.His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious before he even hit the dirt.
But Angel wasn't done.
With a cruel smile, she slapped him
hard across the face. "Wake up, Prince,"she taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. When he didn't stir, she slapped him again-harder this time."Wake up, Eckert!"
His eyes fluttered open, and before hecould even process where he was,Angel's fist connected with his face again. "Bang!" Another hit to the jaw, jolting him fully awake. The pain was sharp, and his vision swam, but Angel didn't let up.
She dragged him to his feet, holding him up by the colar of his robe. Eckert tried to raise his arms in defense, but they felt like lead, heavy and unresponsive. "You wanted this,remember?" Angel whispered, her voicelow and menacing. "No mercy."
Then she let loose again.
Punch after punch, her fists pounded into him, each strike harder than the last. Eckert's body jerked with every hit,his mind reeling as he struggled to stay conscious. He wanted to fight back, to prove he was strong enough, but his body had long since betrayed him.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity,Angel stepped back, letting go of hiscollar. Eckert crumpled to the ground,too battered to move. She looked downat him, her expression unreadable ass he crossed her arms over her chest.
"Maybe next time, you'll think twice before asking for something so foolish,"she muttered, turning on her heel and walking away.
Eckert lay there, broken and bruised, his body screaming in pain. But somewhere deep within, a small flicker
of determination remained. He had asked for this-demanded it, even. And though he had been thoroughly defeated, he knew this was only the beginning.
If Arizona's theory was correct, then this pain was necessary. This sufferingwas the path to shattering his shackle. And Eckert Van Bilbord wasn't about togive up now. Not when he was this close to uncovering the truth.
As darkness crept in andconsciousness began to slip away, he made a vow to himself.
He would endure this. He would fight, and he would break his shackle--no matter what it took.