Chapter 97: Kyle Vs Void

Kyle and Void made their way down to the expansive training room downstairs.

As they reached the center of the room, Kyle stretched his neck before calling out the rules for the match.

"Alright, Void, let's set some ground rules. The match ends when one of us forfeits or goes unconscious, got it?"

"Please, I know all these already. Just get ready to lose."

Kyle chuckled, but before he could signal the start, Void held up a claw. "Wait. How about we make this more interesting?"

"Hmm. What did you have in mind?"

Void smiled with mischief. "If I win, you owe me… let's say… ten mana cores."

"Twenty, huh? That's quite the demand for someone who's not going to win." He pretended to consider it before nodding. "Okay, ten mana cores if you win."

Void smiled when Kyle agreed to his deal, before promoting Kyle for his.

"And what about you? What do you want in return if by some miracle you win?"

"Honestly, I don't need anything from you, Void. Teaching you a lesson is enough of a reward," Kyle said with a grin.

"Suit yourself, then. There's no need in even asking because there's no way you're winning."

"Yeah, right. Take note I'm not holding back; I'll be using my mana reserves to their fullest."

"Blah, blah. Enough talking. Let's fight," Void said with a yawn, trying to feign boredom.

Kyle barely had time to blink before Void had shot forward. Thankfully he had reacted quickly and dashed to the side, just before Void's claws slashed through the air where he'd stood.

'That speed... He didn't use a spell,' Kyle bit his lips grimly after his observation. 'T-that was his natural speed!'

Kyle felt a shiver on his spine as he wondered how hellish what he had gotten into would be. He couldn't let himself lose, not when he was trying to teach Void—that would only make him more arrogant.

'I have to win this!' Kyle concluded, activating [Lightning Dash] once again and giving Void more distance.

"You're trying to run?" Void asked after seeing Kyle dash further away from him. "Too bad I like to run too."

Immediately Void finished his statement, he activated [Lightning Dash] and gave Kyle chase. Kyle had already given some distance between them, but he was confident in his ability to catch up; if the speed he was witnessing was truly his speed.

'Ah shit!' Kyle couldn't help but exclaim when he saw Void rapidly approaching. He was in a very precarious situation at that point, as he was just running in circles and couldn't make a mistake, as that would cause Void to catch up with him.

Kyle knew that this wouldn't last forever. Surely, Void's mana could deplete but he still had 550 MP and had only used [Lightning Dash] thrice—15 MP.

Practically, Void could continue going and he would surely discover his moves and catch up if this went up.

'I have to do something.'

Kyle immediately formulated a plan as he weaved across the room. Just before Void could attempt to lunge at him once again; Kyle slowed his movement, and in a quick spin, he met Void's face, who was a hair breadth away from him, with a [Lightning Bolt]

The bolt cracked through the air with a flash, and though Void swerved to avoid a direct hit, the residual energy crackled around him, slowing his momentum.

Void shook it off and glared, his eyes practically glinting with excitement. "That all you got?" he taunted, grinning wide enough to show his sharp teeth. Continue reading at m|v-l'e -NovelFire.net

Kyle grinned back, masking the tension in his chest. "Not even close."

He immediately activated [Lightning Dash] once again, surging forward with a surge of electricity, weaving erratically around the room to keep Void guessing.

He fired bolts whenever he could, capitalizing on his mana. Void snarled, retaliating with a swift [Lightning Breath], sending a dense blast of raw electricity in Kyle's direction. S~eaʀᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Kyle barely managed to dodge, but even the grazing force was enough to singe his clothes.

'Damn, that was close. I have to keep up the pressure,' he thought, landing after his dash and flicking his hand to release another rapid [Lightning Bolt].

Void twisted his body, evading the bolt with ease. "You're just going to keep throwing those? You'll have to try harder!"

"You're talking big for someone who's missing every chance to land a hit," Kyle shot back, masking his nerves.

He knew Void wasn't bluffing about his strength and speed—the dragon was built for close-quarters power. And he could feel it every time Void lunged at him—the power the claws used to slash the air.

Void clicked his tongue. "Fine. Guess I'll stop playing around."

Before Kyle could brace himself, Void vanished—disappearing without a trace.

Kyle's eyes darted around. He knew Void had used [Invisible], but the exact location was now a mystery.

Bracing himself, he focused his senses, trying to anticipate where Void would strike. He knew Void couldn't phase through elemental attacks, so his lightning bolts should reveal his location even if he was phased.

He whipped his arm around, firing off a series of [Lightning Bolts] in every direction. Sparks filled the air, illuminating the room, but Void didn't reappear.

Kyle's heart pounded. He couldn't afford to slip up now. Just then, his intuition screamed that Void was close to him. He was moving fast and desperation was filled in his attack, as he well knew the mana that was burned every second from keeping the skill active.

"Nice try," Kyle muttered, spinning and sending a crackling arc toward the shimmer. Void dodged, quickly losing his invisibility in the process.

"You're getting annoying, you know that?" Void suddenly said with a hiss.

"Just trying to make it fun for you," Kyle added with a smirk.

With that, Void's eyes narrowed. He leaped backward, creating some distance before disappearing again into thin air.

Kyle could feel the pressure building; he knew Void was going all-out, probably watching for any pattern in Kyle's attacks to exploit. Kyle would need to switch things up to stay ahead.

Kyle fired another sequence of [Lightning Bolts] into the air, calculating that Void would get closer each time he blinked in and out of invisibility.

He activated [Lightning Dash], keeping his movement unpredictable as he dashed forward and then stopped abruptly, whirling around just in time to see Void reappear, a mere breath away.

Kyle grinned. "Got you!" He summoned a dense [Lightning Bolt] and released it point-blank. Void managed to raise a claw, deflecting most of the impact, but the blast was enough to rattle him.

"I see you're not holding back," Void growled as he steadied himself.

"Neither are you," Kyle replied. He knew Void's mana reserves were extensive, but Kyle's relentless spell-spamming strategy seemed to be paying off. He had infinite mana—Void didn't.

They continued their deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Kyle alternating between dodging with [Lightning Dash] and firing spells at Void's anticipated positions.

Void relied on his superior speed and strength, countering with well-timed [Lightning Breath] attacks that made the ground around Kyle crackle, forcing him to stay mobile.

Just as Kyle anticipated, Void went invisible again, the faint shimmer indicating he was coming at him fast from the right.

Kyle quickly summoned another [Lightning Bolt] to intercept, but Void had moved away before the bolt hit and appearing right at Kyle's side.

[HP: 58/98]

Before Kyle could react, Void's claws slashed across his arm. Pain shot through him as he barely managed to stagger away, clutching his arm where blood welled from a fresh cut.

Void grinned as his confidence returned. "It's only a matter of time before you're worn down."

He was shocked at how much HP Void had chopped off him with that slash. He knew he couldn't afford to get hit again.Instead, he forced a smile, summoning another bolt. "We'll see about that."

The next several minutes of the fight turned into a relentless exchange of attacks. Kyle continued to spam [Lightning Bolts], keeping Void at bay while strategically dashing out of reach.

Void's superior speed and strength were a constant threat for Kyle, but he had confidence of lasting, the longer the fight was drawn.

Each time Void attempted a sneak attack with [Invisible], Kyle was able to read his movements, gradually picking up on Void's slight tells and adjusting his timing to intercept.

Void's panting was now audible. That was a clear sign that his mana reserves were already depleting. He'd used [Invisible] several times, and Kyle had calculated that each usage must be taking a toll.

'He's got to be low by now,' Kyle thought, noticing the labored rise and fall of Void's chest. Still, Void's strength remained a formidable challenge. But Kyle had committed to the battle, and he would see it through.

Void glared, realizing the tide was turning. He lunged one last time, aiming his claws at Kyle's side, but Kyle anticipated the move.

In a final burst of energy, he used [Lightning Dash] to sidestep, spinning on his heel to face Void. Before Void could react, Kyle released a powerful [Lightning Bolt] directly into his chest, the impact finally forcing him backward with a thunderous crack.

Kyle kept his guard up, but he knew Void was reaching his limit. Void attempted one last charge, he barely had any mana left.

Kyle sidestepped and unleashed another series of bolts, each one cleanly hitting Void until, finally, Void collapsed to the ground. Kyle had won

Kyle approached, breathing heavily but victorious. He looked down at Void, who was down already.

"You… you actually won," Void admitted with a soft voice.

Kyle knelt beside him with a smirk. "Told you it was all about experience."

Void grunted when he heard Kyle rant about experience once more. "Hmph... You were just lucky. If I hadn't run out of mana, I would've clawed you down in no time."

"Luck, huh? Maybe. Or maybe it's just that I know you a bit better than you think. Besides, a win's a win." Kyle reached out, giving Void a small pat on his scaly shoulder.

"Don't feel too bad. You were impressive out there... You just made some mistake, tons of them I meant."

Void's sharp eyes softened just slightly, though he immediately huffed and turned his head away. "Next time, I won't be so merciful."

Kyle laughed, "Looking forward to it. But you'll have to earn those ten mana cores now."

Void snorted, rolling his eyes. "Keep dreaming. Next time, you won't stand a chance."

Kyle leaned back, crossing his arms as he watched Void settle down, visibly exhausted but still proudly holding his head high. "Guess you learned a thing or two about not underestimating your opponent, huh?"

Void's expression softened, and though he remained silen; he felt some respect for Kyle after his loss. He had superior stats and skills, yet Kyle had triumphed, that could earn Kyle some respect.

After a long pause, Void sighed, sounding half amused and half annoyed. "Fine, Kyle. I'll admit it. You're…not terrible. Maybe worth keeping around."