Chapter 185 Love and War

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Blood poured from his nostrils as his nose was completely bent to the right, bruising immediately before he caught himself from falling backward, leaning back unnaturally before he grabbed his nose.

Crack.

With a simple tug, he snapped it back into proper position as the bruising subsided alongside his momentary concussion, bringing him back into the fight just as he looked up, finding Ikar leaping towards him.

“You’re great!” Ikar said in earnest delight.

Emilio flipped backward to avoid being landed on as Ikar slammed his gauntlet into the ground upon landing, causing the entire arena to tremble beneath his savage might.

As Ikar looked up with his dreadlocks swaying in the wind caused by his own might, he burst forward as Emilio was already doing the same, resulting in a clash of sword against fist.

Needless thoughts ceased as the triumphant instincts of the dragon set in, guiding his sword forward as through his heightened focus in the heat of battle, he ducked beneath one of Ikar’s blows, delivering a spinning slash against his abdomen in a clean counter.

“Gh–!” Ikar winced.

Despite landing a direct strike, it was only a skin-deep cut as the muscles held by the demon were as stiff as steel, though Emilio followed up as he spun back around, catching Ikar off-guard with his relentless combination.

As he went for a slash with his black-and-silver blade, Ikar flexed his muscles in preparation, though found the attack to be shifted into another entirely as Emilio lowered his sword, instead throwing his fist forward.

“What–?!” Ikar witnessed.

It was a faint; swelling in the knuckles of the draconic young man was the destructive might exclusive to him in the form of the draconic force.

Striking against the stiffened, already injured abdomen of his opponent, Emilio’s fist released a supernatural force in its impact, blowing the large man back as he shot against the barrier with a devastating impact.

“...Phew...” Emilio breathed out, catching his breath as he stayed in his readied stance.

As the sand settled, it revealed to him and the anticipating audience alike the state of Ikar: the brawler was slumped over against the farthest wall, unconscious.

“WINNER: EMILIO DRAGONHEART!” The announcer yelled out.

The decided result of the match caused a massive roar from the audience as cheers cascaded from the stands and down to the victory, who stood there in surprise.

With the battle finished, the Dragonheart System deactivated, leaving him to bask in triumph for a minute as he smiled brightly, waving his hands to the crowd.

As he returned to the private area of the Tower, exclusive for combatants, staff, and sponsors, he was cheerfully greeted by his sponsor the moment he entered the room, being hugged repeatedly by the dwarf.

“Emilio, my boy! You did it! You actually did it!” Alfobromli said with an excited smile, letting go of him, “I mean, I believed in you the entire time, obviously!”

“Thanks...” He wryly chuckled.

From the look he gave Mr. Merryfoot, the small man seemed to understand what he was waiting for as he waddled over to the desk, grabbing a bag filled with coins before handing it over to Emilio.

The horned man towered over him, looking down at the young man for a moment before a cheerful smile came across his lips, suddenly lifting Emilio up into a bearhug.

“You were awesome, man! Let’s do that again sometime!” Ikar said, holding him while laughing.

“–Huh?” Emilio was caught completely off-guard.

To his shock, the intimidating man was as affable as could be, outside the arena, that is. After tapping the man’s rock-solid bicep repeatedly to be let down, he was finally freed from the tight embrace, catching his breeze.

“If I didn’t know any better...I’d say you were trying to squeeze the life outta me,” Emilio said, catching his breath.

“Ha-ha! Give yourself some credit, you’re as tough as the valleys of Marjuar!” Ikar laughed, slapping him on the back.

Though the man was treating him fondly, there was still an abrasive nature to his ‘kind’ gestures as the brawler wasn’t exactly aware of his own strength. Despite the difference in stature and their love for fighting, he found himself intrigued by Ikar nonetheless.

“Hey, I’ve got a question,” he said, looking up at the large man.

“Yeah?” Ikar looked at him.

“You’re a demon, right? The continent of demons–err, Ennage, is a long way out from Vasmoria, isn’t it?” Emilio asked.

Ikar seemed perplexed by his question as if it wasn’t much of a mystery as the man scratched his scruffy beard, beginning to walk down the corridors of the private sector of the Tower alongside the young man.

“I take it you’ve never met a demon before?” Ikar asked before answering the prior question.

The youthful mage shook his head in response, prompting a short-lived, booming laugh from the man.

“Ha-ha! I bet you expected a big, scary monster then, didn’t you? That’s what those in the human kingdom seem to think all of us demonkin are, anyway,” Ikar said.

“Err, no...well, sorta,” Emilio admitted.

“I’m just messin’ with ya’. The truth is, there are a lot of different demonkin–those like me, handsome warriors, ha-ha! Then there are some truly monstrous types like the Garana or the Yunam. Count yourself lucky that they’d never step foot off our home continent,” Ikar explained, “So, why’d I leave? That’s what you want to know?”

“Yeah, please,” Emilio insisted.

As they walked down the hall, passing members of the Iron Magi had to squeeze by as Ikar lacked any manners or consideration for others, not moving out of the way as he strutted down the middle of the narrow corridor.

“Truth is, I was on the run! Ha-ha!” Ikar laughed.

“On the run?...Like, a criminal?”

“Exactly! I’m always lookin’ for strong guys to fight–doesn’t matter if it’s a kid, adult, woman, man, or beast! If they’re strong, I’ll fight ’em!” Ikar told him, punching the air as his dreadlocks swayed, “...So, when one of those pesky Shadowlords got in my way, I socked him, well n’ good!”

‘Shadowlord’? Emilio thought.

Though there was no chance to ask as Ikar continued with his story like an excited child, “Well, I thought I knocked him good, but he was barely phased! Ha-ha! Still, those Shadowlords think of themselves too ‘high and mighty’ for a good ol’ fight, so he stuck me on a wanted list! I hightailed it off of Ennage and jumped on a ship. That’s how I ended up here in Vasmoria.”

“...I see,” Emilio wryly chuckled.

This guy is nuts! He thought.