The gym was silent, save for the sharp clash of blades. Everyone was intently watching the spectacle unfolding before them.
Parkinson moved like a shadow, his wooden sword slicing through the air with a whistle. Austin barely deflected it with his soul-shard, sparks flaring as the weapons collided. Sweat ran down his brow, his feet sliding back from the sheer force of Parkinson's attack.
"Too slow, Austin!" Parkinson taunted, darting in low. The wooden blade struck Austin's thigh with a crack, making him stumble.
A ripple of murmurs echoed from their classmates, who leaned closer, their eyes wide with awe and anticipation.
Parkinson didn't let up. He spun on his heel, his sword aiming for Austin's ribs. The blow grazed him, drawing a grunt of pain. Parkinson grinned, relentlessly, his strikes blurring together in a flurry of arcs and thrusts. Austin ducked, sidestepped, and blocked, but each movement cost him ground.
"He is getting dominated. Parkinson is in the top five of the first year, and Austin..."
"Austin was ranked in the bottom five in the practical assessment."
"He is too predictable and slow on his feet." Comments like these continued to flow toward the arena, where Austin had been getting overwhelmed for the past two minutes.
Valerie was clenching her fist with enough force to turn her knuckles white. Seeing her Lord getting harmed was not something she could ever enjoy. Her heart bled, and her mind was filled with agitation toward Parkinson.
However, she chose to believe in her beloved and silently watched the battle,
'You can do this...'
"What's wrong? Out of tricks already?" Parkinson sneered, stepping forward with another sweeping strike.
Austin's mind raced. He wasn't fast enough to match Parkinson's speed, but speed wasn't the only weapon in a fight.
As Parkinson's wooden sword came down again, Austin sidestepped sharply, letting the blade skim past him. With a flick of his wrist, one dagger flew from his hand, spinning toward the ground near Parkinson's feet.
The clatter of metal drew Parkinson's eyes for a fraction of a second. That was all Austin needed.
He surged forward, slamming his shoulder into Parkinson's chest. The impact sent the faster fighter staggering back, his footing wobbly from the distraction. Austin's second dagger flashed, nicking Parkinson's arm with a shallow cut.
"Agh!" Parkinson gritted his teeth; he didn't think Austin would ever let go of Soul Shard, knowing that the idiot would lose his connection with his Shard once it was released from the hold.
"Way to go, Austin!"
Suddenly, a cheer from the audience erupted, and that made Parkinson's eyes widen.
He couldn't believe that no one....but...Rhea cheered for him.
The slight distraction was all Austin needed as he shot forward, his fist cocked, and the teenager aimed to hit the boy in the chest.
**DHAK**
However, something unexpected occurred and Parkinson held his fist right before it could have made contact with its target.
Parkinson's grip tightened around Austin's fist like a vice, his knuckles white with pressure. His eyes, sharp and furious, locked onto Austin's with an intensity that made the room fall silent.
"You think you can win this?" Parkinson hissed, his voice low but filled with menace. He shoved Austin back with a force that sent him stumbling. Without hesitation, Parkinson closed the gap, his wooden sword forgotten on the floor.
Before Austin could steady himself, Parkinson's palm slammed into his chest, driving him backward. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he barely had time to raise his daggers before Parkinson was on him again.
"You stole her from me!" Parkinson roared, his movements faster and more brutal now, fueled by frustration and humiliation.
A sharp kick caught Austin in the side, sending him crashing to the floor. He rolled quickly, trying to recover, but Parkinson was relentless. A downward strike with his palm connected with Austin's shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
The crowd winced as the sound of the impact echoed through the gym. Parkinson's expression was a mix of fury and something darker—a need to reassert his dominance. He grabbed Austin by the collar, lifting him slightly off the floor.
"You don't deserve to fight me!" he spat, glaring furiously at his opponent.
Austin, being held by the person who went back on his words for not using Aura, chuckled.
Under everyone's astonished gazes the Soul Shard of Austin began to levitate as the owner of the daggers remained tightly held by Parkinson.
"You don't deserve to live! You are nothing but a piece of trash wh-"
"Parkinson, watch out!"
Someone from the crowd shouted, alerting the green-haired before he spun on his feet and barely caught the dagger by his hand.
**SHLINK**
The momentum of the blade caused his hand to bleed; however, Parkinson fueled his body with enough Aura to withstand the impact.
"Such a cheap tri-khuk!"
Suddenly a kick was delivered to his ribs, making Parkinson wince. Turning around, Parkinson found his eyes widening.
In a blur of motion, Austin's aura flared, a faint glow igniting around his body. His muscles tensed, his form becoming even more solid and powerful.
The same person who can barely use his Soul Shard was now utilizing his aura to strengthen his body?!
"How is that even possible?!"
"I heard he was getting trained by the best...but this is too sudden!"
Even Valerie was amazed since her Lord wasn't able to use his Aura for anything other than utilizing it to summon his Soul Shard.
Amidst the growing curiosity and tension, Austin threw his shoulder into Parkinson's chest, the impact causing the faster fighter to stagger back, his footing momentarily compromised. Parkinson grunted, trying to regain control, but Austin was already closing the distance, moving with fluidity and precision.
Austin's foot snapped upward, catching Parkinson in the midsection with a devastating knee strike, the force amplified by his aura. The wind was knocked from Parkinson's lungs, and he doubled over, gasping for air. Before he could react, Austin surged forward, locking his arms around Parkinson's waist in a powerful clinch.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Austin used his aura to strengthen his body, lifting Parkinson off his feet with ease. He slammed Parkinson to the mat with an earth-shaking thud, the crowd wincing at the brutal impact.
"What kind of brute fighting style is that?" Even the instructor was amazed.
Without missing a beat, Austin moved like a seasoned fighter. He mounted Parkinson, straddling him with perfect control. His fists rained down in rapid succession, each punch laced with the power of his aura.
Parkinson tried to cover his face, but Austin was relentless. A jab to the jaw, then an elbow to the temple. Each strike pushed Parkinson further into disarray.
Austin didn't slow down. His fists turned into a blur, the blows landing with brutal efficiency. Each punch caused the blood of his enemy to spurt.
Parkinson's face was slowly changing as Austin continued to charge like a restless bull.
Parkinson's attempts to block and counter were futile against the onslaught.
Austin had him trapped. With a roar of frustration, Parkinson tried to push Austin off, but Austin was too fast, too strong. He wrapped one hand around Parkinson's neck in a tight chokehold, cutting off his air supply. The green-haired fighter struggled, his hands clawing at Austin's arm, but his movements grew weaker as the pressure increased.
However, before Austin could continue, someone pushed him away from Parkinson—allowing Parkinson to choke out-breath.
Everyone watched in awe and admiration how Austin shifted the tides of the battle in an instant and completely overwhelmed Parkinson.
Surely, the green-haired wasn't using his strongest weapon, his Shard, but still, in close combat, Austin showed his dominance.
Standing at one side with his hands resting on his waist, Austin couldn't help but mutter,
'Who knew three years of MMA training would turn out to be helpful someday....'
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A/N:- Now, he is so gonna get out of control. Drop a comment.