"Arghhhh!!!"
Blood Shark's pathetic scream filled the air as he howled in pain.
"My eye! Damnit, my eye!!!" Blood gushed out of his wounded left eye as he quickly clutched it while madly swinging his dagger in all kinds of directions.
Rey quickly hid in his blind spot, ensuring he wouldn't get hit by the dagger's unseen attacks.
'I was going to get the dagger away from him, but… his grip on the weapon is too tight, and after using that punch to confirm his density, I realized trying to go at it that way would be pointless.'
With a solemn gaze, Rey sank into contemplation.
Although it didn't seem like a lot, he had actually achieved something quite spectacular.
'He uses his weapon in his right hand, so by blinding his left side, he won't be able to properly launch attacks in that blind spot. I can use his current injuries to better predict his attack path and have an easier time avoiding his fist.'
This would give him a major advantage moving forward.
Even though Blood Shark was faster, by getting rid of one of his major senses, his targeting ability would drastically reduce. He would make inaccurate and inefficient attacks, and that would give Rey more opportunities to counter.
'I've also succeeded in making him angry, which means he'll be more aggressive from this point on. Although this means he'll burn more energy, I don't know his limits, so I can't count on him running out of steam before me. His overwhelming emotions should let him make some mistakes which I can exploit, though…' Rey constantly schemed against his enemy while also thinking about his own situation.
'I am also close to my limits in terms of my Ether reserves. If I consider my next match, I can only use Minor Flip two more times.'
Ether was finite.
It needed to be exercised like a muscle to grow in quantity and quality.
Since Rey had just awakened not too long ago, he didn't have a lot of Ether, and although he was only using the lower Sequences of the Inverse Technique, he ran out of energy very quickly.
He had already used the Inverse Technique three times in this fight, which already exceeded what he used in the previous fights. Although he only resorted to the lowest Sequence, it still ate at his Ether reserves.
Inverse Technique #9: Minor Flip.
It allowed the user to make simple inversions of themselves.
For example, moving forward instead of moving back. Using your left hand to punch instead of your right hand. It created mirror-like effects that achieved the opposite of what the user's actions would have normally been.
That was how Rey had evaded his opponent and even managed to wound him.
'I initially feared it would be useless to use such a weak Sequence of a well-known Technique, but this man is most likely an illiterate. He wasn't formally taught Chaos Art, and his use of it is due to a fortuitous encounter.'
Rey's questions might not have provided the result he wanted, but they gave him some insight into this man's life and his capabilities.
This assured him that his use of Minor Flip would become a problem for his opponent.
'The most dangerous part of this Sequence is that it's difficult to predict when I'll use it. It's why, if I were him, I'd keep my distance and attack in all kinds of directions so I bleed out more and grow exhausted. But, is that what he will resort to?'
"I'll kill you, bastard!" Blood Shark charged at Rey with an even bigger murderous intent.
"Of course not."
Rey laughed heartily, not backing away but instead also charging towards Blood Shark. He made sure to stay in Blood Shark's blind spot, forcing the latter to constantly shift his head to keep a close look on Rey.
Once the distance between them closed again, Blood Shark began to attack recklessly.
He attempted to overwhelm Rey with multiple attacks.
However, just as Rey expected, it became much easier to evade when the attacks were inaccurate.
He didn't even need to dodge some of them.
But—
'I'm quickly hitting my limits. Having to maintain this level of speed is difficult, but if I fall a little short of this, I'll be swept up by his barrage.'
Rey was sure of his situation.
He wasn't invincible. Even though he held the upper hand, he could be defeated at any moment.
'Then, let's switch things up a little!'
After Blood Shark swung his blade, Rey intentionally entered his field of vision and targeted his second eye, having a cruel and determined look on his face.
Naturally, Blood Shark blocked with his unoccupied hand, but Rey used Minor Flip at this moment. All of a sudden, it was his other hand that was targeting his eye. Unwilling to lose his second eye and forfeit his victory, Blood Shark had no choice but to resort to his only means left.
He had to use his dagger.
But due to his long and powerful swings, it was difficult to reverse the trajectory of his hand. Thus, he could only twist his wrist and throw the dagger directly at Rey's hand.
Even if Rey managed to dodge, he could always grab the dagger with his unoccupied hand. Since Rey had inverted his position, his hand was busy hanging in the air. It would take a great deal of effort, but he could catch his blade if he timed it perfectly!
WHOOSH!
The dagger came, whistling through the air.
Rey's hand was so close to his eye, but the dagger was certainly going to hit it in time.
Then—
'Minor Flip!'
—Another Minor Flip occurred at this moment, and the targeted hand was no longer outstretched. It was the previous hand that was outstretched, but that hand was being intercepted by Blood Shark.
Blood Shark instinctively grabbed Rey's hand, which was closest to him, but this caused the dagger to stab him in the eye.
"ARGGHHH!!!"
His second eye was busted too, making him blind.
But it wasn't a total loss.
With sufficient payment, he could have it recovered a the end of this fight. When he won this tournament, he would have more than enough money for it.
Now that he had Rey's hand, the boy would no longer be able to escape.
"You're dead!"
The moment those words echoed from Blood Shark's lips, his dagger was plucked out of his eyes.
But it wasn't by himself.
It was by Rey!
He reached for the dagger first and then sliced at his own hand!
Rey… cut off his own hand.
Blood spurted out of his open wound, but he paid it no mind and hurriedly retreated.
"Y-you! What did you—?!" Blood Shark screamed in pain and anger. "Come back here this instant!"
"Why should I?" Rey laughed, although his face was pale and his breathing was ragged.
However, he was truly glad.
After all, he had achieved his goal of stealing the dagger and blinding his target.
The audience was stupefied by Rey's sudden decision.
He actually cut off his own arm.
So decisively, for that matter—as though that had always been his intention.
Rey used 'Minor Flip' on himself one more time and cauterized his wound, quickly closing the gaping hole before he lost any more blood.
Then, he turned to his screaming target and laughed like one courting insanity.
Now…
"… It's my turn."