Free Web NovelChapter 79: An Unlikely Alliance (3)
As Shinon crept into the main tent, he knew he had to be careful. The map showed someone’s presence inside the tent, unlike anyone Shinon had encountered inside the camp yet.
His footsteps barely made any sound on the dirt floor, but then he heard a rustling sound behind him. Before he could react, a big beefy man leapt at him from the shadows, his fists glowing with an eerie red light, a pair of brass knuckles glinting in his hand.
Shinon barely had time to react, but he dodged the attack and drew his sword. The man stood up, revealing to be a towering figure with bulging muscles and scars all over his face. He wore a dirty leather jacket and pants and had a bandana around his head.
"I don’t know who you are," the man growled, revealing his yellow, crooked teeth. "but you’re not leaving this tent alive."
"Let’s just say I saw our weak-ass men and thought it’d be fun to play with them," Shinon smirked. "Now I think you’re no different from them either."
"Is that so?" the man chuckled. "You should have kept your delusional desires close to your heart."
Shinon gripped his sword tightly and prepared for the attack. The man charged at him with a roar, his fists swinging wildly. Shinon dodged and swung his sword at the man’s side.
The man blocked the blow with his knuckles, and Shinon felt a jolt of pain run up his arm. The man’s knuckles were imbued with fire, and Shinon had to be careful not to get hit, or the results would be painful, to say the least.
They circled each other, each looking for an opening. The man was quick for his size, and his punches were like thunderbolts. Shinon had to rely on his agility and swordplay to stay alive. He managed to land a few blows, but they seemed to have little effect on the man.
It was obvious that the jacket and clothes the man wore were imbued with damage-reduction attributes.
’I would’ve used the knife I made to nullify the effects of his clothes,’ Shinon thought. ’But I don’t want to accidentally kill him or something.’
The tent was soon filled with smoke as each punch caused small flames to ignite on the ground. However, it didn’t seem like the man cared about burning his living space.
Shinon kept his distance from the man, his sword held steady in front of him. He tried to slash at the man’s arms, hoping it would slow down his relentless assault. But the man was quick, evading each blow with little effort.
Shinon was forced to block several punches with the flat of his sword, sparks flying as the brass knuckles struck the metal.
The two fighters circled each other, each looking for an opening. The man’s fists continued to glow with an infernal light, and Shinon could feel the heat radiating off them.
The dance of blades and fists continued, each combatant attempting to find an opening in the other’s defences. The man unleashed a flurry of punches, his fists leaving trails of fire with each swing.
Shinon deftly parried and dodged, his movements fluid and precise. His sword sliced through the air, a blur of steel, as he aimed for Drake’s vulnerable spots. freewёbnoνel.com
The clash of their strengths echoed throughout the tent, a symphony of grit and determination.
Shinon’s movements were calculated, his every strike a testament to his honed skills. On the other hand, the man relied on his raw power and the elemental fury he could command.
As the fight raged on, both combatants exchanged blows, leaving no room for respite. Shinon’s agility and strategic strikes kept him one step ahead, but Drake’s unyielding determination proved a formidable obstacle.
The clash of their forces created an atmosphere of controlled chaos, flickering flames and steel intertwining in a mesmerising display.
But just when Shinon thought he was making progress, a fierce uppercut from the bandit sent Shinon reeling backwards, and his lip split from the impact. But that wasn’t all as the man punched him again, but this time straight into his left temple.
"Fuck!" freewebnovel.cσ๓
Blood trickled down his forehead and chin, mingling with the sweat on his brow. Despite the blurring pain, Shinon refused to yield. He drew upon his inner reservoir of strength and determination, mustering every ounce of his skill to retaliate.
"I didn’t want to use it here, but you left me no choice!" Shinon mumbled, wiping the blood off his face.
Suddenly, the Blade of Chaos began glowing in his hand as the blade visibly grew bigger. It wasn’t a skill Shinon had used since obtaining it after Core Forging, nor had he expected to use it there, but his plans changed the moment he got struck.
[Unique weapon option: Soul Strike is active.]
Shinon launched forward with a quick spin, his blade arcing toward the bandit’s exposed side. The bandit did not bother dodging the attack as he was confident his armour would negate the strike... a big mistake.
The blade connected, slicing through flesh and fabric. A deep gash marred his torso, crimson staining the man’s clothes.
The pain and surprise flickered across his face, his flames momentarily subsiding. The injured lieutenant staggered back, a mix of fury and admiration in his eyes.
"You... you’re good, kid," he grunted through clenched teeth. "But this fight isn’t over yet."
"Hate to break it to you, but it is." Shinon panted.
"What do you- ARGH!" the man howled in pain before collapsing on the ground.
As the name suggested, [Soul Strike] wasn’t a physical attack but a psychological one. Even though the bandit felt the full brunt of the attack as if his torse was ripped open, it all happened inside his head.
However, unlike physical attacks, psychic attacks tend to have a ’backlash effect’. It was similar to being struck twice in a row, but the intensity of the second impact was much higher, and people were often known to faint after being exposed to such attacks.
’Well, it wasn’t like the system had allowed me to kill him either way.’
Shinon fell to his knees before quickly using [Shadow Heal] to get rid of his injuries. Once done, he turned his attention towards the fallen bandit.
"You and I will have a nice and long chat once you wake up."
