The sun rose at the end of the horizon. The cold wind flowed from the sea. The waves washed my feet as I faced my potential teammate.
Omenrex stood on my opposite side, his tall stature being stiff. Judging from his relaxed face, the Troll wasn't nervous. An expert with keen eyes could tell that he was a rigid, slow type.
Time ticked closer to our scheduled match, but my opponent still confused me. His muscle structures screamed about his innate strength, but at the same time, the way he stood, breath, and even walked didn't feel like a martial art expert.
"Getting a stiffy, aren't you? If big trolls passed by, they would confuse you with a giant dildo. First, why don't you take out your weapon and shove it to your ass? Maybe you will find some comforts with that," I provoked.
"Little one, is dildo a weapon? Do humans love to shove their own weapon into the very place they produce waste? Omenrex must say that it is an interesting habit. Even humans in my world don't do that. Omenrex suggests Little One should take out his weapon first and let this mighty troll bear witness to the glorious culture of Earth."
"Wow. Gotta admit, in terms of annoying people, you are my grandpa. Shouldn't you set a good example for your grandson? Do you want him to grow up to be a lawless person?"
"If the mighty Omenrex had a descendant, he would teach them to be a powerful warrior, speaking with big fists instead of chirping like a hungry chick. So, does the puny human want a contest of fists or chirping? Because if this match is just a contest of chirping, the mighty Omenrex will let the puny human win."
I grinned. "Alright. In the contest of chirping, you win. Now, let's fight for real."
At the same time, Butler Jin who stood nearby swung a flag and exclaimed, "The match begins!"
Since he kept showing openings even after the match began, I sprang in action. Even if he baited me, only a coward would refuse such a big bait.
I gathered my mana in my elbow and hit his solar plexus, lightning scattering like a spider web from the impact. Even though the application of my mana flowed impeccably, it only charred his dry-toned abs. The Troll reached out to me like the shocked left no big impact on him. Still, it slowed him a bit to let me swing on his log-like hand. With my body upside-down in the air, I landed my knee straight to his ear. Grabbing his air, I swayed onto another side and dealt the same damage. No matter how tough this big guy was, his brain surely took the toll.
He tottered about as I landed with light feet. Like a falling leaf, I produced no sound as I approached. Then, my mana cried as it manifested into lightning. The rumble of the storm echoed as I landed punches after punches.
His hands waved from the corner of my eyes, so I ended my combo with an upper kick to the neck. However, I wasn't really finished. My final deal commenced as I spun and stabbed his chest with my sole, hurtling him across the sand.
The scattering sand irritated my eyes, but I still looked at the lying Troll cautiously. I knew well when I struck a meaningful impact on my opponent, but with all those combos, my fists and kicks ached like attacking a steel beam.
"Stand up. I didn't know how you managed to get a fighter physique, but you are not a martial artist. You are planning something."
He chuckled and rose on his knee. "Does human figured it out?"
"Any experienced martial artist could tell."
He coughed up blood and wiped his lips like it was not a big deal. "Not many fighters could tell at a few glances. As expected, Ryder isn't just a puny human. The mighty Omenrex acknowledges you. Let me show you my power in respect."
I frowned as he changed his way of talking. I knew something bad was brewing.
He extended his hand and grabbed a staff out of thin air. No, it looked like a log more than an ordinary staff. It stood on the same level as him. With a cow skull as the top core, other people would mistake the weapon as a monster. Not to mention, it emitted red light from its eye sockets.
"[Rondo of Omen Bringers]!" He exclaimed.
I immediately put on my fighting stance, eyes focusing on his mana flow. The staff definitely sucked mana from his body, so I knew a spell was coming, but...
"Aghhhh!!!" I rasped as a steel ball struck my solar plexus. I desperately drew air for naught. Biting my lower lip, I bounced the metal object with a sheer of will, but another one tripped me over. Still, I refused to fall easily, so I supported my body with only one hand onto the sand, but another one thwarted my effort. I had no chance to indulge in pain as several steel balls came closer.
"Rahhhhh!!!!"
Maybe my desperation awakened my latent power as my fist produced a lightning blast and destroyed the balls into ashes.
[Lightning Demon's Thunder Annihilation Fist]!
It was the name of the technique I had been practicing. It required me to eat a secret potion and electrified my hands. Brian claimed that the learning rate for this technique varied, but the practitioner could speed it up by experiencing an intense emotion. Still, the fastest someone learned it was a month. Maybe the gramp was right when he said Eldora's Lightning Demon Techniques suited me the best.
My legs staggered as I stood up, but I laughed. "Never give a mage a chance to attack, they said. How true is that. Well, this is my first time fighting a mage, so it's a good lesson."
"I am not just an ordinary mage. I am a fortress of magic."
"Heh. I heard mages strive to be stronger by following their vision, so that's your vision. I can say that is so you. I'm sure you will walk your path far, and that's why I will show that I am worthy to be your leader."
"You are welcome to challenge my fortress."