"Arghhh…"
Rowan launched a flying kick aimed squarely at Ashan's head, his muscles coiled like springs. Ashan leaned to the side with effortless grace, dodging the attack, and retaliated with a lightning-fast punch to Rowan's exposed belly. The impact reverberated through the air, forcing Rowan to leap back immediately, his breath catching.
"Oh... you're not only good at dodging. You're good at fighting too," Rowan admitted, wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow.
"Fighting? I haven't even started yet. Prepare yourself," Ashan replied, his voice calm and taunting.
In a blur, Ashan vanished from his position, reappearing behind Rowan like a shadow.
'So fast!' Rowan thought, his instincts screaming.
A powerful side kick struck Rowan's legs with blinding speed. By the time Rowan processed the motion, it was too late. He was hurled away, crashing into the wall with a resounding crack that spiderwebbed across the stone.
"How is that? I managed to hit you first," Ashan taunted, crossing his arms.
Rowan dusted himself off, a grin spreading despite the pain.
"That was one hell of a kick. I'm impressed."
He leaned forward, his stance shifting to something more aggressive.
"If you're getting serious, I will too."
Rowan charged at full speed, the floor beneath his feet cracking under the force of his momentum. A relentless barrage of punches followed, each one aimed to shatter bone. Ashan guarded his front with his forearms, absorbing the blows. Rowan's heavy punches left only superficial scratches on Ashan's skin, but the sheer force sent vibrations through his arms.
Seizing a fleeting opening, Ashan swept Rowan's legs out from under him, flipping him upside down in mid-air. He followed up with a devastating uppercut to Rowan's back, the impact launching him upward. Rowan's hand got stuck in the ceiling, dangling helplessly for a moment.
"Haha... how about that, punk? I bet it was refreshing," Ashan laughed, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
Blood rose in Rowan's throat, but he swallowed it back, fueling his rage.
'How the hell does he possess this much power? That strength can rival the association president. If I hadn't twisted at the last moment, it might've damaged my spine. But I'm not going to get defeated by him.'
Ashan casually swept the floor with his foot, kicking up dust.
"What the... It was so easy. You just got hit and did nothing. I had high hopes for you, but now I'm disappointed. You lack experience. A shame for S-rankers."
That struck a nerve, igniting Rowan's pride like a spark to dry tinder. He yanked his hand free from the ceiling and leaped at Ashan with murderous intent, his eyes blazing.
"See my true power. No mercy from here on."
Rowan swung his fist toward Ashan's face with all his might. Ashan blocked with his bare arms, the collision sending shockwaves. Instead of countering directly, Rowan grabbed Ashan's wrists and flipped behind him in a fluid motion.
Whoosh... A deadly kick sliced through the wind, slamming into Ashan's waist. He staggered back. Another blow followed instantly, targeting his belly and slamming him to the ground. Nonstop attacks pummeled Ashan, each one faster and more vicious, leaving no room for retaliation.
Sorin grew increasingly nervous, her hands clenched.
'This is bad. Rowan seems to have lost his mind. This is getting too heated up. They need to stop before someone gets seriously hurt.'
Boom... A sudden, explosive kick shattered Rowan's relentless assault. A punch exceeding the speed of sound struck his chest with bone-crushing force.
Bluhh... Rowan vomited blood, spinning away and clutching his chest in agony. "You bastard!"
Ashan flexed his muscles, his expression turning deadly serious. "My play time ends now. Try to save yourself from here on."
Ashan appeared instantly in front of Rowan, delivering a brutal uppercut to his face. Despite his injuries, Rowan raised his arms to shield himself, but the force was overwhelming. Ashan's punch twisted Rowan's right arm like a broken twig, the bone snapping audibly.
"Aaaghh…" Rowan recoiled in pain, jumping back frantically. Ashan materialized behind him, landing a heavy kick to his waist. The agony from Ashan's blows was no joke, each one sending waves of excruciating pain through Rowan's body.
'What's with this ridiculous strength and speed? I can't even react to his movements. It's like fighting a monster.'
Ashan's attacks escalated further, his movements blurring into invisibility. Rowan was thrown around like a basketball, bouncing off walls and floors, his body accumulating bruises and fractures.
Sorin was utterly amazed, her eyes wide.
'His speed is crazy. Even as an S-ranker, I can barely keep up with his motions. He instantly turned the tables on Rowan.'
"ENOUGH…" Rowan's entire body erupted with mana, a visible aura of power surrounding him. Ashan halted his assault and stepped back, his gaze steady.
"What a prick. So it's alright to make rules and break them yourself," Ashan mocked.
"Holding back my mana was impossible for me from the beginning anyway. Since things have come to this, how about adding mana too? You'll get to see my full potential if I use mana. Since I'm using mana, you can use mana too."
"No need. I can still beat the shit out of you without it," Ashan replied coolly.
Rowan smirked mockingly, his confidence surging. "You'll regret it."
He pounced like a wild beast unleashed, his fists and legs a whirlwind of destruction, targeting every weak point he could exploit. But Ashan kept pace, evading every strike with supernatural precision.
'He's using mana as a medium to decrease air resistance on his body. That's a clever tactic. It indeed increased his speed and accuracy significantly. Even so, I'm still faster than him. His attacks are still predictable now.'
Rowan grew impatient, his eyes reddening with frustration. 'Why can't I hit him properly? I got faster than before. I'm one of the S-rankers famed for high speed. But why is this bastard faster than me?'
Bit by bit, Rowan's attacking accuracy deteriorated, creating openings in his defense.
Slamm...
A merciless punch landed squarely on Rowan's face, breaking his nose with a sickening crack. Blood spilled out like a fountain, staining the floor. He covered his face and jumped back, gasping.
"See? You're still inexperienced. We should stop this," Ashan suggested, his tone almost bored.
Rowan said nothing, lifting his head slowly. His pupils vanished, his eyes turning a stark white. Mana began emitting from his body like raging flames, signaling his descent into berserk mode.
Sorin's body trembled. 'He... he went berserk? Oh no! I need to stop him before he does anything stupid. In this state, he'll kill without hesitation.'
She shouted urgently at Ashan. "Move away! He went berserk and lost his senses. He'll try to kill you!"
Even without her warning, Ashan had already assessed the situation. "So what do I need to do to snap him out of it?"
"He needs to go unconscious or receive enough shock to regain his senses," Sorin explained, her voice frantic.
"So if I beat him enough, he'll return to normal. Got it. You stay there," Ashan replied calmly.
Sorin's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Is he saying he's going to stop an S-ranker who went berserk? He might be strong, but it won't be possible without a cost. No way is he going to manipulate Rowan's blood. I can't let that happen. He'll try to resist blood manipulation, and it will cause severe internal damage to his body.'
Rowan stretched out his hand, pointing his palm at his sword. The weapon floated through the air toward him, humming with power.
Hash...
A mana slash erupted from the tip of the sword, hurtling toward Ashan at lightning speed, capable of cleaving through steel.
Ashan leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the slash as it carved a deep gash into the floor below.
"You fully broke the rules of this duel. I'll use my powers to even the score."
Ashan aimed two fingers like a blade and slashed at Rowan's right hand.
[Dismantle]
An invisible, formless cut sliced through the air, severing Rowan's shoulder cleanly and ripping off his right arm, the one he used to wield his sword.
"AAARRRGHHH…" Rowan's agonizing roar echoed through the dungeon, reverberating off the walls. Blood sprayed from the severed wound like a geyser. He staggered back, clutching the stump in horror.
"Rowan…" Sorin's heart nearly burst from her chest. She covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes from the shock and disbelief.
'The formless sword? How could he perform such a sacred sword technique? Only two S-rankers in the whole world can execute it at such a mastery level. And he did it with just two fingers?'
'Who in the world is this guy?'