"Spar with me as well."
Nux spoke and Nawdren's face paled.
"B-But I stopped as soon as she told me-"
"It's not about that.
I am not that petty.
I progressed a little as well."
Nux replied.
"Y-You progressed…?"
Nawdren stuttered.
This monster progressed?
Just how far did he wish to go?
Can he get stronger even after this!?
Does the limited Mana in this continent not affect this bastard!?
"Don't think too much, I am just trying to control my power and I feel like I have gotten used to it."
Nux replied as he clenched his fist.
Nawdren gulped.
"You don't have to fight me directly. Just keep running I will try to chase you after using Mana to increase my speed."
"But won't you overtake me that way?"
Nawdren questioned with a frown on his face.
"That's what control means. I need to control the output of my moves."
Nux replied.
He had been working hard to improve his controls as well and today, he was pretty confident.
"Let's make this a little more exciting actually.
If I manage to stay an arm's length distance near you for 5 seconds, I will punch you after boosting my strength with Mana."
"!!!"
Nawdren's eyes widened in horror.
"I WILL DIE!!"
Nawdren has personally seen how destructive Nux's punch actually is.
Truthfully, he was the only one who has seen it.
Even Nux's wives hadn't seen his real strength yet.
'Force me to use it in front of you.'
That was what Nux said when they asked about it.
And this method worked.
The women's pride didn't allow them to ask about it anymore.
'Be ready then.'
They accepted his challenge.
"Oh don't worry, as I said, I will be controlling the output, you won't die.
Trust me."
Nux replied with a confident look on his face.
"Oh yeah? Then why don't we make this even more exciting?"
Nawdren spoke.
"You have another idea?"
Nux raised his eyebrow.
"Of course.
Why don't we increase the number of people playing this game?
All your wives are now Emperors, I am sure they would learn a lot if they participate, it would be good training for them and you would find this much more challenging as well.
How about it?
What do you all say?"
Nawdren questioned as he glanced at Nux's wives.
The women's eyes brightened up.
Of course they wanted to participate.
Especially Astaria, the fighting spirit in her eyes was engulfing Nux.
The desire to improve…
She just couldn't hide it even if she wanted to.
"No."
Nux, however, quickly shook his head.
"Huh?"
The women frowned.
"I won't put any of you at risk."
Then he glanced at Astaria who was still in his arms and replied,
"Not even you."
From his stern tone, it was clear.
This was not happening.
"Hmmm? Why? What's the risk here, I don't understand. Please explain."
Nawdren spoke.
All the women glanced at Nux's face as well, waiting for his answer.
"…" Nux moved his face away.
"Hmm? Master Nux?"
Nawdren tilted his head, waiting for his answer.
Even Astaria was looking at Nux's face with a similar expression,
"…I am not sure if I can control my strength well enough…
So you people cannot participate…"
Nux replied.
"So you admit it!!"
Nawdren shouted.
"Just participate in the game okay!? I told you didn't I!? I won't kill you!
…probably."
"Pro- Probably!?!?"
"Oi, don't you think you are biting more than you can chew?"
Nux narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Nawdren.
Nawdren quickly stepped back.
"Let's start the game now."
Nux spoke as he then disappeared and appeared right in front of Nawdren.
"You have 5 seconds, if you fail to get away from me,
I will punch."
"!!!"
Nawdren's face paled in horror and he dashed away as if his life depended on it.
Nux smiled, then, the Mana near him moved to his legs and, he ran.
*Whoosh*
A gust of wind passed through Nawdren.
He quickly realized that it was Nux.
He couldn't believe how unbelievably fast this monster was.
However, soon, he realized something.
'This bastard said he learned how to control the output…
That's his control!?'
"Ahh, there was a slight mistake."
'That's a slight mistake!? I would burst into a blood mesh if you make that slight mistake while punching me!!'
Never in his life did Nawdren imagine that he would fear a 20-something-year-old kid to this extent.
This was just…
Horrifying…
However,
Luckily for him, Nux wasn't lying when he said he learned to control his output.
After the first few failed attempts, he improved drastically and managed to stay an arm's length distance near Nawdren for 2-3 seconds. Nawdren was forced to modulate his speed in order to get him out of that range.
Once he succeeds, Nux was forced to count from 0 again and this cycle continued with Nux not being able to punch Nawdren.
However, he was improving very, very quickly.
So quickly that Nawdren had already started dreading the time this bastard would stay in the range for 5 seconds and punch him…
He didn't want to die…
At least not like this…
He wouldn't mind dying like a warrior, giving his all and fighting against an opponent, injuring him to some extent, taking at least his limb away from him, leaving permanent damage, making his opponent regret fighting against him…
That death, he would accept.
But this…
Running away like a dog and dying while playing a stupid game…
Nawdren trembled in fear.
"1… 2…"
Suddenly, Nawdren heard a voice. Nux was inside the range again.
He quickly slowed down,
"Do you think it would keep on working?"
Nux smiled as he slowed down as well.
"3…"
Nawdren tried to increase his speed but…
"4…"
It didn't work.
Nawdren panicked.
He tried to jump around like a monkey, doing his best to be as less predictable as possible and get out of Nux's range, however, as if he had already read all his moves beforehand, Nux countered them all and,
"5."
"Be prepared, Nawdren."
Nux smiled.
Nawdren quickly moved all his Mana to his Back, enforcing the best possible defense he could and soon, he felt the Mana in the surroundings move towards Nux's fist.
'I am fucked…'
He gulped and then,
Nux finally punched.
*WHOOSH*
*BAM*