In a burst of speed, Eli charged towards Van, catching him off guard. His hands clawed at Van's face, barely missing their mark by a millimeter. Van's eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled backward, struggling to regain his balance.
"What the...?" Van muttered, his voice laced with shock. He had anticipated Eli's aggression, but the speed was unforeseen.
Undeterred, Eli continued his feral assault, his hands swiping at Van like an animal. Van narrowly escaped each attack, but not without sustaining some cuts on his body. Eli's relentless pursuit pushed Van to his limits.
"Haa... Haa... Haa" Van panted, his chest heaving as he stared at Eli in utter disbelief. 'What kind of fighting style is this?' Van thought, inwardly shocked, yet still sporting a persistent smile.
The onlookers watched the clash with wide eyes, familiar with Eli Jang's reputation as the salon department's "hot cake." His exceptional handsomeness made up for his lack of haircutting skills. However, none of them knew about Eli's troubled past – half a lifetime on the streets, fighting to survive by any means necessary.
"Tsk, I'll just have to beat some sense into him!" Van said with a chuckle, advancing towards Eli, who stood with his back arched in a crooked manner.
Eli suddenly sprinted towards Van, slashing at his chest. Van barely dodged the attack, but Eli's relentless assault continued. Strike after strike, Van's stamina slowly waned, his body drenched in sweat. The fight had dragged on much longer than he'd anticipated.
"Huff... Huff... Huff" Van weakly panted, assuming a defensive stance. Eli, too, was depleted, his clothes soaked with sweat.
Van reflected on his situation, realizing he'd neglected the fundamentals of his path, letting pride cloud his judgment. 'This is to be expected... What did I think, carrying around an untrained body?'
Yet, Van's determination remained unshaken. 'Still... I refuse to lose!' he yelled inwardly, rallying himself. With a burst of speed, he launched a punch at Eli, who bent his body to avoid the attack. Van, however, wasn't finished.
He rapidly unleashed a flurry of punches, each one aimed at Eli's vulnerable spots. Eli, anticipating the attacks, contorted his body to dodge and weave around the blows. The air was filled with the sound of Van's fists slicing through the air, mere inches from Eli's face.
As the exchange intensified, the onlookers watched in awe, their eyes darting back and forth between the two combatants. The atmosphere was electric, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance.
Van's determination and pride fueled his assault, but Eli's raw, unbridled ferocity kept him in the fight. The question on everyone's mind was: who would emerge victorious from this frenetic, all-out brawl?
Van's body suddenly froze, refusing to budge as Eli seized the opportunity to unleash a flurry of claw-like attacks. Van's only recourse was to endure the agony, his mind screaming at his body to move.
"Move, damn it!" Van's inner voice yelled, feeling fresh wounds being inflicted upon his body. "Moveeee!" he mentally shouted, but his body remained stubbornly still, his feet rooted to the floor, refusing to yield.
Eli, now fully regained from his feral state, wondered, 'What the...?' He was perplexed by Van's sudden pause in attack, choosing instead to absorb the blows. 'What is he planning?' Eli thought, his eyes narrowing.
Vasco, observing the fight, felt his resolve to grow stronger intensify. The others watching alongside him seemed to share the sentiment.
Just then, visible smoke began to emanate from Van's mouth, his hair obscuring his eyes, rendering them invisible. An unsettling feeling washed over everyone, prompting an overwhelming urge to retreat as far away as possible. Even Eli backed away slowly, his instincts screaming warning.
A minute ticked by, and Van remained immobile, his body finally giving in. He bent forward, and Eli instinctively jumped back, anticipating another surprise attack. Instead, Van's body collapsed, unable to withstand the strain.
Eli stared at Van's fallen form, muttering, "This..." He knew he hadn't truly won. Van had fought Vin earlier and still managed to confront Eli in a depleted state, enduring the barrage of attacks without surrendering.
'I'll have to keep an eye on him!' Eli thought, impressed despite himself. He approached Van's body, lifting him up with ease, and headed towards the med bay for treatment. Vin, accompanied by Mary, followed closely behind, concern etched on their faces.
Hours passed, and Van slowly regained consciousness in the med bay, his body covered in plasters. Groggily, he tried to recall how he'd ended up there, but his memories were hazy. After a few moments, his thoughts cleared, and the events leading up to his defeat came flooding back.
He'd lost. The irritation and annoyance were palpable. Van had yet again lost his first battle in this new world. However, amidst the frustration, he sensed that he'd gained something – though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Before he'd fallen, Van had felt an unusual sensation, a feeling that lingered, hinting at a newfound understanding.
***
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