Chapter 13 — The Fight Continues
The battle in the forest continued.
Morry was still fighting Varen, but the difference between their ranks was becoming more noticeable. Morry’s movements had become slower, while Varen was still able to create ice with almost no hesitation.
Varen attacked with his ice weapon.
Morry blocked it with one sword and tried to counter with the other.
Varen moved aside and kicked Morry backward.
Morry caught his balance before falling.
He looked at his two swords.
Both blades were damaged from the continuous attacks.
Varen noticed.
"Your swords won’t last much longer."
Morry smiled.
"Then I’ll have to finish this before they break."
He rushed forward.
His right sword attacked first.
Varen blocked it.
Morry immediately attacked with his left sword.
Varen moved backward.
Morry continued attacking, switching between both swords.
For a moment, Varen was forced to defend.
Then Varen created ice beneath Morry’s feet.
Morry jumped before the ice could trap him.
He landed behind Varen and swung both swords.
Varen quickly turned around and blocked.
The two weapons collided.
Morry pushed forward with all his strength.
Varen was forced back several steps.
Morry breathed heavily.
He had managed to push an Elite backward, but he knew he couldn’t maintain that level of effort for long.
Varen looked at him.
"You’re improving."
Morry smiled.
"I’ve been practicing."
Varen raised his hand.
Ice began gathering around his arm.
"Then practice surviving this."
Morry’s expression became serious.
At the same time, Kil Ful was still fighting Darian.
Darian had changed his approach.
He was no longer simply attacking Kil Ful with ice. He was using the entire area around them.
Ice covered the ground, trees, and even parts of the path.
Kil Ful moved carefully.
His speed was his greatest advantage, but the frozen ground was making his movements more difficult.
Darian sent an ice blade toward him.
Kil Ful moved aside.
Another appeared from behind.
His reflexes reacted immediately.
He turned and avoided it.
Darian followed with another attack.
Kil Ful moved again.
Darian smiled.
"Your reflexes are good."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"You’ve said that already."
"But you’re still relying on them."
Kil Ful became slightly more serious.
Darian continued.
"You use your Energy Manipulation to increase your speed and strengthen your attacks. But your fighting style is predictable."
Kil Ful looked at the frozen ground.
Darian was right.
Kil Ful’s ability wasn’t complicated.
He could manipulate his energy, strengthen his body, increase his speed and reinforce his attacks.
But if his opponent could predict where he was going to move, his speed wouldn’t be enough.
Kil Ful smiled.
"Then I’ll have to become less predictable."
He suddenly rushed forward.
Darian prepared an ice barrier.
Kil Ful changed direction before reaching it.
Darian turned.
Kil Ful appeared on his other side.
Darian immediately created another ice wall.
Kil Ful changed direction again.
For the first time, Darian had difficulty following him.
Kil Ful appeared directly in front of him.
He concentrated his energy into his fist.
Darian blocked.
The impact cracked his ice defense.
Darian was pushed backward.
Kil Ful landed several steps away.
Darian looked at the cracked ice.
"Better."
Kil Ful smiled.
"I’m learning too."
Nearby, Ravian and Kaizen were still fighting.
Kaizen’s Ice Power had turned the ground around them into a frozen battlefield.
Ravian was using Force Manipulation to control the attacks coming toward him.
Kaizen created an ice spear and launched it.
Ravian raised his hand.
The spear slowed down.
He changed the direction of its force, causing it to move past him instead of striking him.
Kaizen immediately followed with another attack.
Ravian blocked it with a concentrated force field.
The impact pushed him backward.
Ravian looked at his hand.
His ability allowed him to manipulate the force acting on objects and attacks, but using it continuously was putting pressure on him.
Kaizen noticed.
"You can’t keep controlling everything around you."
Ravian smiled.
"I don’t need to."
He raised his hand toward Kaizen.
"I only need to control you."
A powerful force suddenly pushed Kaizen backward.
Kaizen dug his feet into the frozen ground and stopped himself.
He looked at Ravian.
Ravian was breathing slightly heavier now.
Both of them understood that the battle was becoming a test of endurance.
Back with Morry, Varen finally released a stronger attack.
A large amount of ice formed around his arm and turned into a heavy blade.
Morry crossed both swords.
The attack struck him.
Morry was pushed backward several meters.
His feet dragged across the frozen ground.
He finally stopped.
His arms were trembling.
Rin looked worried.
"Morry..."
Morry looked back.
"I’m okay."
Lena knew he was struggling.
"You don’t have to keep pretending."
Morry smiled.
"I’m not pretending."
He looked at Varen.
"I’m just not finished."
Varen approached him.
"You’re already exhausted."
Morry slowly raised both swords.
"Then I’ll fight while I’m exhausted."
Varen attacked again.
Morry moved forward instead of backward.
He blocked the first strike.
Then the second.
His movements were no longer as smooth as before, but he continued using both swords.
One sword defended.
The other attacked.
Varen was forced to step back.
Morry saw an opening.
He swung his left sword.
Varen blocked it.
Morry immediately attacked with the other.
This time, the blade cut through Varen’s armor.
A small wound appeared on his side.
Varen looked down at it.
Then he looked back at Morry.
"You managed to hurt me."
Morry smiled.
"Finally."
Varen’s expression became serious.
The battle between the two had changed.
Morry was still struggling.
But now Varen knew that he could not underestimate him.
Across the battlefield, Kil Ful and Ravian also continued fighting their opponents.
None of the three battles had ended.
The treaty was still in their possession.
And the journey to the neighboring kingdom was becoming much more dangerous than they had expected.