Chapter 41: Worthy

Chapter 41: Worthy

As soon as the countdown ended, Cedric charged at me and threw a punch, I dodged it and countered with a kick to his stomach, but he blocked it with his arm.

"Not bad" he commented and tried to hit me again, but this time he succeeded as he was grabbing my free arm, thus sending my flying into the wall.

"Ugh..." I groaned in pain, but I quickly recovered and got up, I ran towards him and punched him in the face, making him stagger backwards.

But he got his balance back almost instantly and summoned a giant tree from the ground, it grew rapidly and tried to crush me, but I jumped out of the way and landed behind him, I then proceeded to kick him in the back, making him fall forward.

"You bastard!" he shouted and turned around, he was now holding a spear in his hand, "I'm gonna kill you!"

Cedric's ability was his nature magic along with his infused nature spear, making him able to control plants and such, if this kept going there was no way I would win as I would be overwhelmed soon.

Another branch then grabbed my leg as I was too focused protecting myself from his punches and I was slammed several times on the ground.

"Arghhhh..." I screamed in pain each time.

"Hahahaha, you're done for" he laughed and raised his spear, ready to impale me with a giant branch he summoned.

But before he could do anything, I used my axe to cut the branch and freed myself, then I rolled over and got up, I was covered in blood and bruises, but I didn't care, I had to save Mina.

"You're still standing?" he was surprised.

"Of course I am" I replied and pulled out my axe of hatred, "your trick won't work twice!"

"Tsk..." he clicked his tongue and charged at me, he was holding his spear tightly and aiming it at my heart.

I dodged the attack and swung my axe at him, but another branch came in the way and blocked it.

What followed was a sparkly fight as our two weapons kept clashing with each other.

Cedric would summons his magic trees while I would raise my hatred aura to cut them.

After a few minutes of fighting, we were both exhausted and injured, but I was clearly worse than him.

"Give up yet?" he asked.

"Never" I replied and charged at him, I was swinging my axe wildly and trying to hit him, but he was blocking my attacks with his spear.

"You're pathetic" he insulted me and kicked me in the stomach, making me fall on the ground.

"Urghhh..." I groaned in pain.

"I guess it's over now" he raised his spear and aimed it at my head, "i'll use my final attack."

At the very end of his spear started forming a ball of energy, and once it was finished, it started dividing and scattering in all directions around me, coming closer to my weakened body as I could do nothing but watch.

There was no escape from it as the energy balls were surrounding me.

"Goodbye" he smirked and launched the attack at me, thus increasing the balls speed.

No... I can't lose like this, not after everything I did to come here, not to some random side character who's name was only mentioned once.

And as I looked at Mina, who was crying and being held by the other guests as to not approach me, I knew that I couldn't give up.

"Fuck you..." I mumbled before the impact.

But that's during this moment of extreme rage that I saw it.

[New skill: Aura Body]

[Oh come on, you're in a situation where it's impossible to avoid an incoming attack? Well let me tell you that there isn't a single attack that is unavoidable!

This skill allows the user to completely turn his body into aura for a short period of time, thus letting him escape from tight places.]

As soon as I saw that, I knew I had to use it.

[Skill: Aura Body, activated]

My body started decomposing and merging with the aura behind me, and realizing that, I passed through a small gap between the energy balls and reappeared behind Celdric who looked confused at what I had done.

"What the-" he exclaimed.

"You're dead" I interrupted him and swung my axe at him, cutting his arm off.

"AAAAAHHHH!" he screamed in pain and fell on the ground, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"I WIN!" I shouted and lifted my axe, ready to finish him off with absolutely no remorse.

But before I could do anything, someone held my hand with surprising ease.

"Let's stop for now, you won" Julius was holding me and I couldn't move a single muscle in my body, it was as if he was trying to show me he could kill me at any moment.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to see my daughter sad, she obviously cares about you" he answered, "and I respect that, plus I think you're strong enough to protect her."

"Really?" I was surprised.

"Yes... I think you are worthy" he said the words I wanted to hear, this was basically confirmation for him, "but I have one condition" he looked at me seriously with overwhelming aura around his body, "if anything happens to her, i'll be sure to hunt you down and execute you on the spot"

"I promise" I nodded while hoping nothing happens in the future.

"Good" he smiled and released me, "now go to her, I'm sure she wants to see you."

I looked at Mina who was crying and running towards me, I opened my arms and hugged her.

"I missed you" she spoke in a teary voice and wouldn't let go of me. n--o).v/(E.(l-/B-)I--n

"WHAT?!" Cedric shouted, "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"Shut up" Julius kicked him in the face, knocking him back on the ground, "you lost, now accept it, those who lose are not worthy."

"..." he stayed silent, going agaisn't Julius was never a good idea.

"They grow so fast" Tina, Mina's mother, sighed, "soon enough she'll lose her virginity and become an adult."

Hearing that, Mina stopped hugging me and turned to her mother with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"M-mom, I already lost it..." she was trying to hide her blushing face.

"WHAT!" even Julius, who had been calm since the beggining started freaking out, "WITH WHO? WHO DARED?"

In response to his question, she raised one of her fingers in my direction.

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" Julius shouted at me as he noticed her gesture.

Damn, couldn't have kept that to yourself could you...