Leon's hands whizzed forward like a pair of rubber bands. From his wrist to his fingers, his hands flapped around with loud swooshes. The slaps, if landed, would leave more than a red mark.
However, his opponent, Nath, was quick on his feet and stepped around the platform to dodge every blow.
The area near Leon was off-limits. If Nath tried to come closer, those slaps would land with a force strong enough to tear off the flesh.
'How troublesome.' Nath circled around Leon, trying to find an opening, but those hands were as fast as a professional boxer's.
In general, slapping was faster than punching. Its strength couldn't match a punch, but its speed was what made it a very formidable threat.
It was like there was an invisible zone around Leon. If one stepped into the zone, they would be met with a stinging slap to the face.
"Nath and Leon are both Middle Stage Martial Soldiers." Jin said to Kiernan, "Their strength is near equal. In these types of matches, strategy often plays a more important role than raw power."
"Nath needs to be careful." Ryan said with a serious look. "If he makes a mistake now, he'll lose."
'There's one weakness I can find.' Kiernan thought to himself. 'Nath could use his kicks to either strike at Leon's body or at those hands. Legs have a longer range by about 30%.'
Nath, while dodging those slaps, had the same idea. Still, he was hesitant about something.
Kiernan's eyes widened slightly. 'Leon must be anticipating a kick. There's only one clear weakness. It's like he created that weakness on purpose to lure Nath in…'
Nath realized he had to trust his instincts and go for it. He took a long stride forward and dipped his front toes inside Leon's zone.
At that moment, the hand came flying in with a terrifying whizzing sound, as if it were a whip.
Nath's eyes widened, and he pulled back. The hand whizzed past him. Its fingers narrowly missing Nath's face.
"That's not good~" Leon laughed and started walking forward. His hands moved around him like whips made of flesh. He started to approach Nath.
Nath quickly backed off, not wanting to get hit by those dangerous hands.
However, Leon continued walking after him, and soon, Nath reached the edge of the platform. His left leg was already hanging outside the platform.
"Not good!" Klaus cried out.
'Cursed.' Jin's face looked sour. 'Nath is afraid of those hands, and Leon knows it. That's why he started pushing in so he could force Nath to the edge, where he can't dodge!'
Nath paled, but he then firmly planted his feet on the ground. His body slightly leaned forward, his muscles tightened, and his eyes locked into one of the hands that moved like a possessed serpent.
At that moment, Leon stepped an inch closer. This caused Nath to be inside his attacking zone. There was no escaping.
…
Karuza High, one week ago.
"You want me to help you?" Ryan asked with a frown.
"Yep!" Nath said with a large grin.
They were all alone in the gymnasium. Today's training had already ended, and they were about to pack their stuff and leave.
"Hmm." Ryan dropped his bag to the ground. "I never expected you to ask me for help."
"Leon is dangerous." Nath said. "His slaps are fast. I've seen him in a few ranked matches, and his zone is extremely dangerous. You're the fastest fighter I know; maybe you can help me prepare."
"Hmm, okay." Ryan raised his hand and slapped Nath across the face. It was so fast that Nath couldn't even see what hit him.
"Ouch!" Nath touched his red cheek and cried out. "That hurt. I wasn't ready!"
"Leon won't care whether you are ready or not." Ryan said with a smile. "I won't go easy on you."
"Mmh…" Nath stopped touching his swollen cheek and lowered into his fighting stance. "Come on, then, do your worst!"
Ryan chuckled. He again raised his hand, and as soon as his hand twitched, it was already in contact with Nath's face. It created a loud smack sound, echoing through the gymnasium.
"Ouch!"
…
Irio High's stadium, present day.
'Calm…' Nath breathed in and out. 'The twitch… the twitch…'
Leon inched another step closer, and then one of his whizzing hands twitched slightly and immediately flew towards Nath's face.
Nath's eyes turned red, and he then moved his hand. It wasn't fast. However, it was accurate.
Grab!
Nath's hand grabbed Leon's wrist. The slap was inches away from contacting his face.
"What?!" Leon's cried out. 'How did he catch my hand?!'
"You're inferior to him." Nath said coldly.
"Fucker!" Leon moved his other hand immediately, but Nath blocked it with his forearm, locking it in place.
This time, Leon's attack was even weaker and slower. It was because he couldn't move his body properly from such a close angle. It greatly decreased his speed, so much so that it was easy for Nath to block it.
"Gooo!" Klaus and Timothy screamed.
"Crush him," Ryan said with a grin.
Nath pulled back his head and then headbutted Leon in the face. Crack. Leon's nose broke instantly, and blood spewed out of his mouth.
"This is bad!" Madigan cried out.
Jonathan and Shura were shocked. They hadn't seen anyone stop Leon's attack like that before. It was too fast, even for them!
Nath immediately followed up with a low kick at Leon's shinbone. Smack. It created a chilly sound, and Leon's posture immediately crumbled as his knees buckled down.
Leon coughed in pain, and he quickly stepped back to gain distance from Nath. His left arm was still somewhat free, and if he had enough space, he could still use his superspeed slap.
It was enough to close the gap between him and Nath again, perhaps even the scale of victory for him.
Nath quickly punched towards Leon's face. But he had already retreated, barely far enough to be away from the attack.
At that moment, Nath's arm started stretching like rubber. His attacking range suddenly increased!
'I know you can do that, but I am still too far!' Leon grinned in victory.
"Argh!" Nath screamed in pain, and suddenly, his arm stretched even further and his fist slammed into Leon's face with incredible force.
Leon coughed out blood and staggered backwards like a drunken man. His brain bounced inside his head like a pinball. This wasn't supposed to happen.
'H-how, his extra range should've been only five centimeters; how did he hit me?'
"I am sorry, but you underestimated me." Nath said coldly and punched Leon deep in the gut. It instantly forced him down on his knees, gasping for breath.
"My extra attacking range is actually seven centimeters." Nath said with a smile.
That extra two centimeters decided this match. It was long and straining training, but Nath managed to improve his strange physique during his tireless training regimen.
"Good night." Nath launched his kick, and like a whip, it struck Leon's face with a resounding, flesh-smacking sound. Everyone knew that the match was now over.
Leon collapsed on the ground, a blank look on his eyes.
"The winner, Nathaniel Waters from Karuza High!" Rio announced loudly.
Cheers!
Karuza High's supporters exploded in cheers. It was so loud that the ceiling almost ruptured.
"Yes!" Jin shouted, pumping his fist in the air. 'Nath also survived with zero injuries. This was a perfect performance by him!'
"Heh." Ryan chuckled with a smile, but as soon as his gaze landed on the other side of the platform, his smile slightly vanished.
Kang sat there with the same look on his face. Nothing had changed in his expression.
'It still doesn't matter if we cannot defeat that monster.' Ryan frowned.