40 Close Quarter Combat

BANG!!!

When our fist clashed, the flowers around us were instantly blown away and a loud noise echoed through the air.

I threw my fist first and aimed for his head. He blocked and countered with a back fist. I parried and did an uppercut which he also dodged.

We kept on going at it. Throwing any kinds of punches that we could think of and do. A Jab, a Cross, a Hook, literally any form of punches that could be performable. Of course, with our instincts, we both dodged each other's attacks.

Later, I decided to take it up a notch.

I guarded one of Marth's attacks and with the blades on my arms, I went with a forearm strike. The blade quickly closed our distance and Marth was only seconds away from getting his head cut off if he hadn't had fast reflexes.

I went with the same attack a couple of times and Marth began to lose his footing. Then I found an opening, and I took it.

What I did was cut off his right wrist and a wolf fist dropped onto the ground, blood following after.

"Aah… shit!"

Marth backed off and looked at his hand which laid on the floor. Marth took some deep breaths as he held his right forearm.

Then a minute later, his hand began to reform.

"Fuu… you got me there."

"So you feel pain?"

"Of course I do, it's not like I'm an immortal being who can't feel pain."

After his hand was fully healed, he stood back up and got into a stance.

"Now, let's resume."

"If you wish."

After we interlocked in another brawl, I decided to switch it up.

I defended against his last attack, and now it was my turn. But instead of returning a punch, I gave him a high-flying flip kick.

Marth was only so close to having his chin broken if he hadn't had realized I stopped punching. My mind told me to quickly kick down so I did. I slammed downwards with a powerful kick. Marth however managed to do the same flip kick, countering me.

This dude. His reflexes and his speed grew so much in just one month. Whatever training he did must've been torturous.

I landed and rushed towards him. In the process, I accumulated fire magic into my feet and they began to emit steam. I then sent him a volley of powerful heated kicks.

Marth who had just landed had no option but to block. Every time my kicks hit his arm, it would leave a burn mark which made Marth wince.

After that, I finished it off with a strong spin kick.

Marth was blown away and landed on his back. Marth attempted to get up but fell down because of his burnt arms. I could almost smell a scent of barbeque coming from him, should've brought some sauce if I knew we were going to barbeque. Anyway...

"Come on, you're not giving up just because of a little burn, are you?" I jeered.

Marth looked up and me and balled his hand. The burn marks on his arms eventually faded away.

"Don't worry, I won't give up just because of a small burn. Though I'd say you'd probably give up because of a little shock," Marth mocked back. Then he lunged forward.

He threw a heavy punch towards me which was pretty obvious. I immediately backflipped away while kicking his hand, hitting him in the funny bone.

"Fuck!" He cursed as he held his right arm. Huh, even if he's something else, looks like the effects of a funny bone still work.

I realized that this was an opening and I shouldn't waste it.

It's time for the results of my training to be used.

I concentrated vigor(not mana) into my hands. Then when I brushed my hands together, violet energy wrapped around my hands.

Marth looked up at me and his eyes widened as he saw a glowing purple fist heading straight for his face.

WHAM!!!

I gave him a devastating blow which could've probably killed someone if they were a normal human.

Marth flew back and landed in a small puddle, staining his armor with mud.

"Aah god damn it. Now I'm all dirty!" Marth complained as he slowly stood up.

"No one said a fight wouldn't get messy."

Marth looked at me and I noticed his eyes were quite different. They were faintly glowing blue. Then I realized why.

It had gotten dark and I didn't realize it.

"Yes… it would be unavoidable for us to get our hands dirty."

Clang!

Marth began to strip himself of his armor until he was left with a chain-mail jacket. Wasn't he going to turn into a Lycan? Well, unless he can only turn when the moon is up, then that's good because yesterday it was a crescent moon and there won't be a full moon until next week.

"Now then, let's continue, shall we?"

Marth said but I didn't even get to answer as he was already in front of me. I blocked his incoming punch and slid back from the impact.

I ran forward and went for a punch. I managed to hit Marth directly in the face again but this time he stood unaffected. That's when I realized he was wrapped around in a dark blue aura. This energy-

"Since you used vigor, I might as well do the same."

He placed his palm on my chest and I was blown away by a blinding light. As my vision returned, I was abruptly assaulted by a barrage of quick, powerful blows.

Then to finish it off, he did a quick flip kick, launching me into the air. He appeared above me and dove down, striking me with his foot.

Crash!

I was kicked into the ground and a small crater was made.

Marth backed up and allowed me to get up, but the thing was I couldn't. There was some kind of invisible weight holding me down and I could get up.

"If I recall, I think you were a focus type. Well, I'm an enhanced type if that wasn't obvious."

I tried my hardest to lift myself off the ground but I just fell back down. Crap, so this is what would've happened if I didn't block his first kick. It feels like my chest is about to rip apart.

I managed to send waves of mana directly into my chest and I could finally get up.

"Hmm, are you tired already? You look like you are about to faint."

I'd take slow ragged breaths as I rose my fists.

"I can do this all day."

"Then let's see."

Marth threw an overhand punch at me, but I dodged, sinking into the shadows. I then rose again and grabbed Marth by the foot and I pulled it, making him fall. I would then move directly beneath him and start barraging him from beneath. Every few punches I did, he would look like he was hovering.

After I completely surfaced, I would grab onto his leg and smash him around. I would summon my doppelganger above us. It would dive and slam Marth into the ground. Then it picked him up, and I spin kicked him away.

"Gaaaah!"

He'd slid back and fell into the water.

After a few seconds, he surfaced again and gave me an irritated look.

"Using your doppelganger, huh?"

"Complaining?"

"...no... this is exactly what I needed to prove my strength. My ancestors once fought an army of undead. If he can do that, then fighting two should be enough for me."

"There is a dramatic difference fighting an army of undead and fighting the guy that beat you in our first bout, plus a shadow clone."

"That's a clone? More like a beast."

I turned towards my doppelganger and I had to look up because of its size. Damn, so this is how I look like? A humanoid dragon beast measuring at 9 or 10 feet.

I walked around it and thoroughly inspected it. Wow, I actually look pretty cool, though that glowing crest in the middle is giving me a bit of OCD. Though I am a bit curious. Since it is in the shape of broken wings, maybe it's supposed to represent Kage's spirito; a fallen angel.

Ok, enough about my doppelganger, I'm sure in the future I will be able to obtain this form. Though I'm going to have to find a proper catalyst to unlock this.

Marth was already ready, prepared to go against me and my doppelganger. I guess I have no choice but to comply.

Me and my doppelganger dashed towards Marth and started throwing punches. Every punch that I landed, my doppelganger would go for a kick. When I went for a kick, it would go for a punch. It was a perfect combo because Marth can only block so much.

Eventually, Marth was unable to hold his ground and we broke his guard, his waist up exposed. I did a spin kick and my doppelganger went for an uppercut. Marth flew up into the air and we jumped up, appearing above him. Then we plunged down foot first, how feet engulfed in flames and we crossed, striking Marth at the same time.

Ka-boom!

An explosion erupted in the air along with Marth where the explosion had erupted from. Marth eventually came plummeting down, crashing into the ground, forming an enormous crater.

My doppelganger eventually sank into back to its realm. It did enough; I think I should fight by myself now.

Marth slowly crawled up from the crater. He slowly rose from his feet and looked at me with a grin.

Marth opened his mouth, speaking. However, he was talking extremely quietly so I couldn't hear a word he said.

Suddenly, he appeared in front of me with his claws extended. I quickly rose my guard, but I was a bit too slow. I felt my neck get cut and I immediately stepped back.

Crap, that was close. I almost got caught and would've died if I hadn't had noticed.

I readied my fists, but Marth was standing there nonchalantly. Then he pointed at me.

"Nice scar, where d'you get it?"

That was when I realized that not only did he get my neck, but he also tattered my scarf, exposing the scar on my neck. Crap, I almost forgot I even had a scar.

I immediately covered it up. I also healed the gash he inflicted with shadow mending.

"It's none of your business."

"Oh, but I'm interested. Do tell me how you got it. Or at least tell me its significance. All scars are a symbol of something."

He had a curious look in his eyes. Guess I'll satisfy him.

"It's a sign of failure. Every time I look at it, it would remind me of that day when I wasn't focused enough."

"Hmm, interesting."

"Now enough talking, let's get this going."

"Agreed."

We both hunch over, ready to pounce. We both used vigor and wrapped energy around our arms. I'm going to end this quick, with no interruptions. My scar resulted from my failure because I was distracted.

But I won't be distracted now. I'm prepared, motivated, and most importantly... concentrated.

I leaped forward and so did Marth. I focused my energy on my right fist, which I was going to attack Marth with. I won't miss, I'll end this quick and painless. By going for the head.

All reasons inside me were lost, and I was filled with bloodlust. I could feel Kage taking over as I quickly inched closer to Marth.

"TAKE THIS SEIYA!!!"

"DIE!!!"

But when we were just about to collide fists, the ground shook violently and we lost our balance, completely missing each other.

"Oof!"

"Ack!"

We both stumbled and fell on the floor.

"What the hell, what's happening?" I quickly questioned as all that filled me was confusion. The floor kept on shaking as time passed by.

About two minutes passed and the floor kept on shaking. It was silent between me and Marth until he broke the silence.

"So we've been standing on it the whole time."

I glanced at Marth. It? What have we been standing on?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The S-rank, we've been standing on it the whole time."

"What?"

Suddenly, large tentacles erupted from the lake and soon, the floor began to rise. I then realized that the craters we made were slowly filling up. Wait, no, it's more as if they were inflating.

Marth quickly jumped off and landed at the shore of the lake. I quickly summoned my wings and flew off the platform I was on.

When I landed near Marth and looked back at the lake, there was now a large... turtle, squid monster. Well, it had the body structure of a turtle, but the legs and the head were replaced with the parts of a squid. What is this thing called? Squid... turtle... damn, I don't know what to call this.

"That is a Lulator; the spawn of a Kraken and a kappa," Marth said before he gulped loudly.

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