Chapter 233: You are good! You are really good!

He...

He was going to win.

Lucian’s breathing suddenly slowed down as he stood still.

Rhydan watched him carefully.

The knife flew back to Lucian’s hand, then he threw it past Rhydan. The Wolf’s eyes remained on Lucian, he had seen this before.

Lucian rushed forward. He could sense that the Wolf was prepared to block with his left hand, so Lucian attacked from the right.

Rhydan’s hand moved, the knife came back, Rhydan turned his shoulder to stop it, Lucian changed the direction of his punch, Rhydan adjusted to that as well and caught his fist.

The knife reached them. Rhydan raised his other hand and caught the blade without looking.

Both attacks failed.

Rhydan’s eyes met Lucian’s and—

Lucian smiled.

He didn’t see failure.

He only saw a Wolf whose hands were now occupied.

Rhydan noticed that as well. He moved his knee to attack, Lucian had already sensed that, so he moved his waist away using Telekinesis. The knee passed beside him.

Lucian used Rhydan’s momentary imbalance to drive his forehead towards Rhydan’s chest. Rhydan tightened his body to absorb the strike.

That was when Lucian activated One-Inch Dominion.

Not through his forehead.

Through the arm Rhydan was holding.

BOOOOM

The burst travelled through Lucian’s wrist and exploded directly into Rhydan’s palm.

The Wolf’s grip opened.

Lucian twisted free. He caught the knife falling from Rhydan’s other hand with Telekinesis and sent it towards Rhydan’s face.

Rhydan moved his head aside.

That was the final response Lucian needed.

The movement exposed the side of his face and—

BOOOOM

Lucian punched Rhydan’s face.

Rhydan’s head snapped from the impact, even his body was pushed back a little. A thin line of blood trailed down his mouth and for the next few seconds—

The entire corridor turned silent.

Rhydan’s companions couldn’t believe it.

Lucian stood in front of Rhydan, breathing heavily. His legs trembled, one arm was completely useless, his regeneration still hadn’t caught up, there was blood almost all over his body but...

His punch connected.

And that made his face distort into a wide, demonic grin.

Rhydan slowly wiped the blood from his mouth. His dislocated jaw healed. For a moment, he stared at his own blood that was now on his fingers.

Then he looked at Lucian and—

"Heh."

He laughed.

"Hahahaha!"

He laughed heartily.

"You are good! You are really good!"

The praise filled the corridor. Rhydan’s companions were now even more surprised. Sabine, Isolde, and Naomi couldn’t believe their eyes.

"Well done."

Rhydan lowered his hand with a big grin.

"I thought you said I wouldn’t touch you again."

Lucian’s grin widened even more.

"I was wrong."

Rhydan laughed even more loudly.

Then the Werewolf settled back into his stance, the fire inside his golden eyes now matching the one burning inside Lucian’s.

"Again."

Lucian raised his damaged hand.

"With pleasure."

The two moved at the same time.

The battle continued for another thirty minutes.

Rhydan still held back enough to avoid ending the duel outright, but he no longer fought casually. His movements became faster and his attacks became heavier.

Lucian welcomed every bit of it.

The two exchanged blows throughout the corridor, both wearing the same wide grins on their faces. Their fists shattered stone while weapons flew through the air, making the scene even more unbelievable.

Lucian continued creating newer and newer combinations. Rhydan continued thinking of ways to stop them and Lucian continued finding more and more openings.

Still Pulse, Red Quiet, One-Inch Dominion, Telekinesis, Energy Barrier—Lucian continued mixing them in different ways, using his knife, broken stones, the walls, and even his own injured body as weapons.

Of course, he was still nowhere near Rhydan.

The Werewolf was still stronger, faster, and vastly more skilled.

But Lucian had improved too.

Significantly.

It was as if the Lucian now and the Lucian before the duel had started were two completely different Warriors.

The current Lucian would defeat the previous one in a matter of minutes.

Rhydan could feel it as well.

He could feel Lucian’s strength growing as they fought. His punches now carried more force, his movements were faster and cleaner, and his technique had improved significantly as well.

And even now, the Wolf had no idea how a monstrosity like this could actually exist.

One thing he did know, however, was the fact that he was loving every second of it.

His laughter echoed through the corridor whenever Lucian surprised him. Lucian laughed with him, even when the Werewolf’s fist sent him flying.

It was like two Warriors testing how far the other could go.

Eventually, however, Lucian’s body began slowing down.

The knife floating behind Rhydan suddenly fell.

Lucian tried to call it back. It trembled a little but did not rise. Rhydan noticed that immediately. Lucian didn’t care. He stopped using Demonic Energy, which was now running out, and started relying on his physical body instead.

Though without Demonic Energy, even his fists became slower.

Rhydan caught his fist with ease. Lucian twisted and tried to strike with his other arm, Rhydan blocked that one as well.

In a situation like this, Lucian would have used One-Inch Dominion, but even that needed Demonic Energy, so he couldn’t.

His body stopped regenerating as well.

Rhydan sensed that and pushed him back. Lucian stumbled several steps before falling onto one knee.

"Haaahh... Haahhh... Haahhh..."

He breathed heavily. Blood covered his face and clothes. His arm never had the opportunity to heal and his damaged leg could barely hold his weight.

"That’s enough."

Rhydan lowered his hands.

"The duel’s over."

"Who decided that?"

Lucian looked up, his eyes still flaring.

"Your body."

Rhydan answered calmly.

"My body complains a lot.

Ignore it."

Lucian spoke as he planted his foot on the ground and forced himself up. Rhydan watched him lose his balance.

"You have no energy left, boy."

"I still have my hands."

Rhydan stared at his "hands."

"Your right arm is broken."

"I still have one hand."

Lucian corrected himself.