(Arena Ground — Earth Pavilion)
The same arena Merkules had trashed Socrates, that was the same arena he's now standing on waiting for his challenger. The dusty earth beneath his boots carried faint cracks from previous battles, and fragments of broken stone still lingered at the edges of the ring as silent reminders of past humiliation.
Apart from Merxile, no one knows that Nicollo is already dead.. No one knows what had happened to him... The truth hung silently in the air like an unseen blade waiting to fall.
They just saw Merxile who also follow Nicollo around suddenly following another red haired disciple without any robe.. His sudden loyalty shift had not gone unnoticed, sparking whispers among the curious.
They were even meaning to confront Merxile about the whereabouts of their champion when they heard the announcements...
The champion of the Earth Pavilion challenging the champion of the Sky Pavilion.
It started as a joke, then a rumor but then it spread and now they are all standing here.. The whispers had grown louder, swelling into heated conversations that refused to settle.
The Earth Pavilion disciples didn't know if they should cry or not..
Although they're aware that the Earth Pavilion Champion is very powerful but he's nothing but an ant compared to Merkules.. Their confidence trembled under the overwhelming shadow of the Sky Pavilion Champion's reputation.
"Why isn't he here yet?"
"Is he still cultivating?"
"Has he given up already knowing fully well that he can't win this fight?"
"Why did he issue the challenge in the first place?"
"No matter how he cultivate, he can't breach the gap between him and Merkules in a short period of time."
The disciples discussed amongst themselves.. Their voices overlapped in waves, blending fear with frustration.
They weren't just the Earth Pavilion disciples here but also the Sky Pavilion disciples wanting to watch Merkules trash down the pride of the Earth Pavilion.. Many of them folded their arms confidently, already anticipating a humiliating defeat.
The Earth disciples wore yellow robes while the Sky disciples wore sky blue robes, carrying themselves with pride as they looked down on the Earth Pavilion disciples. The difference in posture alone revealed the hierarchy between the two groups.
"Someone's coming.."
"Is he the one?"
"Why is he covering himself with a dark cloak? Is he trying to act mysterious?"
The disciples gave way as a male silhouette covered in a dark cloak walked forward towards the arena ground.. His steps were calm and measured, each movement deliberate as if he feared nothing.
The arena ground of the Earth Pavilion was just a ground surrounded by short metal poles with rope attached all over it forming a ring.. It's not something so grand.. The ropes were worn and slightly frayed, swaying gently with the breeze that passed through the open courtyard.
There was no spectator's chairs and the disciples had to stand around the ring watching the fight. Their bodies pressed closer together, forming a thick wall of anticipation around the battlefield.
The cloaked silhouette entered the ring and took a position at an end, his gaze burning on Merkules who turned towards him. Even beneath the cloak, the intensity of his stare felt sharp enough to cut through steel.
The black haired youth widened his arms as he stared at the cloaked figure with a smile on his face.. Confidence radiated from him like heat from burning iron.
His sky blue robe perfectly fit his figure which had silver stripes that aligned with his silver pants that tightly hugged his legs. He wore a pair of black boots and a pair of black hand gloves that screamed quality. The polished leather reflected faint light as he shifted his stance.
One glance at Merkules and one would know for sure that the youth isn't just any person. He screamed noble. His posture alone carried authority and arrogance sharpened by victory.
"You kept me waiting." Merkules initiated a conversation but instead of replying, Socrates folded his fist into a blow and bring forward his legs.. The silence that followed his words only deepened the tension hanging over the arena.
"Oh.. I wonder what gives you the confidence of you facing me... You might as well bring it on, I'll give you the opportunity of the first strike." Merkules beckoned and the cloaked figure didn't hesitate.
He dashed instantly towards Merkules in a speed that even surprised the Sky Pavilion Champion. The ground beneath his feet kicked up dust as his cloak flared violently behind him.
'How is he so fast?' He watched as Socrates reached him in an instant as he quickly raised his both hands to defend himself against the blow that's coming.
Socrates body went before his fist which was trailing backward as it tore through the air with great force and crashed into the arms of Merkules. The sound of impact echoed sharply, like metal colliding against iron.
The force caused the Sky Pavilion Champion to move four steps backward as he felt all his body went numb due to impact.. His boots scraped against the rough ground, leaving shallow trails behind him.
'What.. What just happened?' Merkules stared in confusion.
"I can't believe this."
"He actually forced the Sky Pavilion Champion into retreating."
"Does he have strength that can rival that of the Sky Pavilion Champion?"
"Is the Earth Pavilion Champion this powerful?"
"Fools. Can't you realize that the Sky Pavilion Champion isn't even serious?"
"Yes.. He just allowed him to deliver that blow."
The argument soared into the air instantly but that didn't concern the cloaked figure at all as he dashed forward again wanting to strike another punch but Merkules who had already felt the force in cloaked figure's punch didn't hesitate in sidestepping, dodging the punch completely.
The cloaked figure didn't falter... He just turned his body and then thrust in with another punch.. His movement flowed like water, smooth yet lethal.
This time around.. Merkules had recovered as he coalesced energy into his fist and returned the figure punch in kind.. The green energy gathered tightly around his knuckles, swirling like mist pulled into a storm center.
Boom!
Fist colliding with fist head on as the green energy swirled and ruptured in the air but this time it was the cloaked figure that shifted back. A shockwave rippled outward from the point of contact, stirring dust and loose debris around their feet.
But he didn't shift back more than three steps.. His boots scraped against the ground, stopping firmly as his cloak settled back into place behind him.
'My punch could only make him move back three steps.. When did the Earth Pavilion Champion get so strong?' Merkules wondered as the cloaked figure rushed in again.. His brows tightened slightly, the first sign of unease flickering across his confident face.
This time his fist was more tighter as he threw a straight jab at Merkules with both of his hands but the Sky Pavilion Champion had another plans.
He condensed his energy into a projectile of shield before speeding off at once.. A translucent layer of condensed green energy appeared instantly before him, forming a curved barrier that shimmered faintly like glass under pressure.
The fists of the cloaked figure banged into the shield shattering it instantly but Merkules was no longer there anymore, he was now behind the cloaked figure with his right hand stretched out. The broken fragments of energy scattered into the air like shattered crystal before dissolving completely.
The hand wasn't folded but straightened, his fingers facing the sky without leaving any space between them. Energy wrapped around his palm as he turned it, bringing down the side of the palm to Socrates' back. The motion was swift and precise, carrying the weight of practiced combat technique.
The air tore violently as the energy rippled through it but that was just it.. The side palm strike could only hit the air and nothing more. The strike produced a sharp slicing sound, yet touched nothing but empty space.
The cloaked figure was no longer where he's some seconds ago.. His movement left only faint dust drifting in the air where he once stood.
"You're not the only fast one present." The cloaked figure said as he appeared behind Merkules and go in for a knee jab but then Merkules retreated instantly and he was only able to jab the air.. His knee cut through empty space with force, missing its intended target by mere inches.
The duo took a stance looking at each other as they analyzed each other. Their breathing steadied, shoulders squared, each waiting for the smallest mistake from the other.
"You're not the Champion of the Earth Pavilion.. Who are you?" Merkules demanded.. His voice deepened, suspicion creeping into his tone as his confidence began to shift into caution.
"Oh.. How am I supposed to answer that? Why not take off my cloak and find out yourself?" The cloaked figure chuckled as Merkules' face turned solemn.. The low chuckle carried an unmistakable hint of mockery.
'Whoever this is.. His strength isn't low at all.. I've to take this fight seriously.'
Merkules pulled out a longsword from his inventory... The longsword had a blue hilt and was emitting blue energy.. Faint pulses of light traveled along its blade like flowing water, humming softly with contained power.
He pointed the sword at the cloaked figure.. The sharp tip gleamed under the daylight, steady and unwavering.
"Time to unveil the cloak."
"Let's see you try."
The words settled between them like sparks before ignition, and the surrounding disciples instinctively stepped back slightly, sensing that the real battle was only just beginning.