Chapter 23 - VANISHED

The clang of metal on skin echoed through the crimson-tinted realm, a testament to the fierce battle that was unfolding.

In this otherworldly arena, two figures locked in combat, their silhouettes illuminated by the hellish glow. The first, shrouded in a dark cloak, brandished a massive scythe-like spear, its cold, unforgiving blade singing a deadly song with each clash.

The second, his body exposed and adorned with the ink of a skeletal tattoo, was a specimen of perfect masculine form.

The naked figure was a sight to behold, a paragon of masculine beauty. His muscles rippled like waves in a storm, each sinew and tendon working in perfect harmony to display a prowess forged in the fires of combat.

In the midst of the ferocious battle, Asha's eyes narrowed and his body tensed as he gauged the exact moment to strike. The arena reverberated with the sharp clangs of scythe on kick, but Asha would not be deterred.

With a burst of superhuman strength and speed, Asha launched himself at Leach. The sound of the arena fading to a distant roar, he kicked out with all his might. The force of the blow was such that it not only sent Leach flying backward, but also shook the very ground beneath their feet.

As Leach hurtled through the air, Asha's feet dug deep into the ground, his muscles straining as he fought back against the force of his own momentum. A shimmering halo of power enveloped his body, as the trait [Blessing of Cronos] imbued his movements with an almost divine speed.

Leach hit the ground with a deafening thud, leaving a crater in his wake. The giant staggered to his feet, the dark cloak that shrouded his face billowing in the wind. Asha saw it then - the fury in Leach's eyes, a silent threat of retribution.

"DOO!" The cry bellowed from Leach's lungs, each syllable echoing through the arena like a portent of doom. The darkness within him, long kept in check, now surged forth, enveloping him in a cloak of black energy.

The earth groaned in protest as Leach's pleasure intensified, the weight of the air around him increasing tenfold. Asha, his senses on high alert, reacted quickly, crossing his arms to form a barrier against the encroaching darkness.

But the winds were unrelenting, howling with an unearthly ferocity.

Asha, pushed back by the unrelenting winds, struggled to hold his position. As the air itself seemed to conspire against him, he cursed under his breath, his voice a low growl of frustration. "Fuck," he muttered, his words lost to the wind but his determination unwavering.

As the winds buffeted him and the darkness tried to overwhelm him, Asha's body responded to the threat with a primal instinct. The [Blessing of Cronos], a part of his very essence, activated without conscious effort, flooding his being with a surge of godly energy ,Asha seeing this realised ,he was adapting.

The Blessing, the core of Asha's adaptability, seeped into every fiber of his being, fortifying him against the pressure that threatened to crush him. His muscles hardened, his skin grew tougher, and his bones became reinforced, all as a result of the power that coursed through him.

With each passing second, the Blessing worked to align his body with the chaotic forces around him, creating a symbiotic relationship between Asha and the chaos.

The raging winds and oppressive darkness seemed to lose their power over Asha, their intensity waning with each moment that passed. A smile of triumph played across his features, as he stood tall against the forces that threatened to overwhelm him.

Asha strode forward, his feet pounding against the ground with each purposeful step. The darkness and wind, now reduced to mere whispers of their former power, parted before him, revealing the masked figure of Leach.

His hands, once raised to defend against the pressure, now hung casually at his sides. His voice, calm and confident, cut through the air.

"Even now, you hold back," Asha said, his tone as cold as the blade of Leach's scythe.

Leach's masked face remained impassive, but Asha could sense the tension coiled in his opponent's body. He knew that beneath that mask lay a fury that had yet to be fully unleashed, a rage that could turn the tides of this battle in an instant.

Asha stood ready, his muscles taut, his eyes locked on Leach's form.

As the winds and darkness retreated, and Asha stood his ground, Leach seemed to falter, as though in a moment of confusion or hesitation. And then, in the blink of an eye, his form vanished, leaving behind only a wisp of darkness and a "swoo!" sound that echoed through the arena.

Ashas eyes darted around frantically, searching for any trace of Leach's presence, but he found only shadows and silence.

In that instant, Asha felt the icy grip of fear clutching at his heart. He knew that Leach's sudden disappearance could only mean one thing - an incoming attack.

But where would it come from? He whirled around, muscles tensing in anticipation, only to see the vast expanse of the arena stretched out before him, empty and still.

And then he heard it - the rustling of air, the faintest whisper of movement from above.

As Asha's gaze snapped upward, he was met with a sight that froze his blood. There, descending from the sky like a vengeful wraith, was Leach, his scythe raised high, its blade glinting in the crimson light.

In that moment, Asha felt the weight of his mortality bearing down on him, the realization that his life hung by a thread. He knew that if Leach brought the scythe down upon him, there would be no escaping its lethal edge.

As the scythe's blade glided towards Asha's neck, time seemed to slow to a crawl, each second stretching out into an eternity. The world around him faded away, replaced by a single, crystalline image - the sharpened metal poised to end his life.

But just as the blade reached the apex of its descent, Leach halted the deadly strike, pulling the weapon away with a fluid, practiced motion. Asha, breathless and trembling.

Leach landed in a cloud of swirling blackness, his cloak billowing around him like a storm-tossed sea. As he straightened, the shadows retreated, revealing the imposing form of the giant, his face still hidden beneath the mask.

Asha stared up at the masked figure, a complex blend of emotions welling up inside him. Fear, relief, curiosity, and a growing sense of awe, all swirling together in the aftermath of the near-death encounter.

With his heart racing and sweat beading on his brow, Asha stumbled to his knees, the fear and adrenaline coursing through him. "Why stop?" he managed to choke out, fear and curiosity entwined in his trembling voice.

Leach, towering above him like a living monolith, responded in his gravelly, unyielding tone. "The Lord is satisfied with your development."

The words hung in the air, heavy and ominous, as Asha fell to the ground, exhausted by the battle and the weight of Leach's words, catching his breath and trying to process what had just happened, his gaze was drawn inexorably to the abyss that yawned beneath him, endless and all-consuming.

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Dang as some of u might know now this is my first fight scene 😂,this was challenging to make but I plan on improving it ,now this is one of those times I ask u guys what u would like to see improved in future fights 🤤now gimme them stones🥴