Ilfa's pupils constricted. She immediately stepped forward to separate the two of them. But Klaus's hand moved quickly, holding the woman's shoulder.
"Klaus," Ilfa muttered while turning to the man beside her.
Klaus did not answer. His eyes stared sharply straight ahead. His expression was deadly serious as he observed the arena.
"Crazy! What kind of move was that?!" Martius shouted. A wide, enthusiastic smile spread across his face.
He drew the sword from his waist, then threw the weapon aside. The sound of metal rang loudly as it struck the stone floor.
Aldes stared at Martius with cold eyes. Slowly, he raised his right hand and showed his middle finger right at his brother's face.
Martius dashed forward. His boots scraped harshly against the floor. He swung a full-powered straight punch toward Aldes's cheek.
Aldes reacted like lightning. He raised both arms tightly, covering his face—a high-level defensive stance.
Bam.
Martius's fist slammed into Aldes's arms. Numbness spread straight into the bone. The sheer force pushed Aldes's body backward a few centimeters.
His power is too great. I have to move my head, Aldes thought.
Martius attacked again without pause. A sharp left punch shot toward Aldes's eye.
Aldes tilted his neck slightly to the right. The punch missed, slicing through empty air.
Martius twisted his waist and unleashed a massive swing from the side.
Aldes ducked instantly. The wind from the punch swept past, messing up his hair.
Aldes shifted his body weight left and right in constant motion. He dodged every incoming strike by the thinnest margin. His head moved fluidly, always slipping outside the strike zone.
What is this? What kind of movement is that? When did this bastard learn this weird technique? Who is his teacher? Martius muttered inwardly.
Frustration began to build as Aldes's upper body moved like something impossible to lock onto.
"What kind of defense is that..." Ilfa whispered softly. She stood frozen.
Klaus's eyes moved rapidly. He tracked every shift in Aldes's center of gravity, analyzing his posture in silence.
"He is able to fight stably against Martius, who is using thirty percent of his power," Klaus said quietly. "What is actually happening?"
Amidst the relentless attacks, Aldes saw it—an opening.
Martius's right shoulder dropped slightly, fatigued from throwing empty punches.
Aldes focused blue energy into his right fist. He twisted his hips and launched a straight punch toward Martius's cheek.
Martius chuckled mockingly. He tilted his head, dodging the punch with ease.
Aldes smiled.
That punch… was meant to miss.
Using his extended arm as an axis, Aldes redirected his momentum. He poured telekinetic energy into his left elbow. His body spun sharply, waist fully rotating—
A spinning elbow.
Thud.
Aldes's left elbow crashed directly into the center of Martius's face. The sound of bone colliding echoed across the room.
Martius's head snapped to the side. His body was thrown backward, losing balance completely.
Fresh blood dripped from his nose, staining the white stone floor.
How could this be?! Martius thought in shock.