Chapter 633 Curing Superiority Complex (2)
The unexpected counterattack caught Rikk off guard, and his sneer was quickly replaced by a scowl of pain. Ashton didn't waste a moment and got back to his feet.
Ashton's defiant grin remained, despite the blood oozing from his wounds. He knew he could always recover his lost blood later, but Ashton couldn't the opportunity to smile at the Xyran, knowing his smile was like poison to the member of the 'superior' species.
Quick as lightning, Ashton lunged forward, his fists a blur as he delivered a series of punches aimed at Rikk's midsection. Rikk's defensive manoeuvres were less refined now, his movements hampered by the injury to his leg. But even then, he persevered, trading blow for blow.
"Should I say we are on equal 'footing' now?" Ashton smirked as another one of his punches landed on Rikk's face.
Rikk's face twisted into a snarl as he countered Ashton's assault with a powerful knee strike, catching Ashton off guard as he didn't expect Rikk to lean on his broken leg, but he did and barely flinched.
"You talk too much," Rikk retorted, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Your cheap tricks can only get you so far against centuries of experience."
The blow landed with a sickening thud, and Ashton grunted in pain as the impact sent shockwaves through his body. But Ashton quickly recovered, using the momentum from the strike to propel himself backwards and regain his footing.
[Centuries worth of experience, my ass! This fucker always slept through the exercises!]
'But he is strong... there's no denying that.'
[I guess it's time to switch strategies.]
'He doesn't like cheap tricks, so we'll use an elegant one. Do you remember anything about him that I can use against him?'
[Let me think... ah, right, he has a short fuse. Like most of the Xyrans.]
'Well, that's something I can work with.'
The two warriors clashed once again, their movements a blur of strikes and dodges. Ashton's instincts guided him as he expertly manoeuvred around Rikk's attacks.
His movements were calculated and precise, exploiting gaps in Rikk's defence and delivering punishing blows whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Rikk, however, was no pushover. He showcased his own mastery of combat skills, his strikes coming from unexpected angles and forcing Ashton to remain on his guard.
Being complacent meant getting his ass handed to him, and Ashton wasn't a fan of anyone but Anna touching his butt.
Regardless of his personal preferences, their dance of combat continued, each exchange growing more intense as they pushed their limits.
Ashton knew he needed an edge, something that would turn the tide in his favour., and it was then a plan formed in his mind.
Flintmace had taught him an important lesson. If one can't win a fight solely on your strength, then one has to use his surroundings to his advantage. And that's precisely what Ashton was planning to do.
Suddenly, while attacking Rikk, Ashton began missing his target. Funnily enough, something similar happened with Rikk as the punches intended for Ashton started hitting the walls behind him.
Ashton carefully manipulated Rikk's movements, subtly steering him towards certain areas of the mine. Moreover, he provoked Rikk, goading him into launching attacks that caused vibrations and stress on the already unstable structures.
"Stop fidgeting, you bastard!" Rikk cursed in anger as his attacks kept missing.
"Tsk tsk tsk, the great Xyran needs his opponent to stand still just to finish him off," Ashton clicked his tongue, mocking Rikk. "How sad can you be?"
"You..."
Rikk's attacks grew more aggressive, his frustration evident as Ashton cunningly guided him into digging his own grave. Soon the mine's walls creaked and groaned under the strain, and Ashton seized the opportunity.
He expertly dodged one of Rikk's powerful strikes, causing Rikk to crash into a weakened support pillar. The pillar cracked under the impact, a crack that spread across the section of the mine where Rikk was standing.
"Watch your step," Ashton taunted, a wicked glint in his eyes. "Wouldn't want the ceiling to crumble over you."
Rikk's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but it was too late. Ashton had already manipulated him into striking another vulnerable point. All it needed was a slight push, and Ashton graciously offered that push with the help of his scythe lying under his feet.
With a loud noise, the mine's walls began to collapse, rocks and dust filling the air as chaos erupted around them.
Rikk tried running out of the danger zone, but Ashton summoned a massive wave of skeletons to keep Rikk rooted to his spot.
Meanwhile, Ashton used the distraction to his advantage, swiftly moving out of the collapsing area and taking cover behind a large rock.
He watched as the mine crumbled, burying Rikk under a mountain of rubble. Ashton's heart raced, his breathing unsteady as he surveyed the destruction he had barely escaped.
The dust began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the collapse. Rikk's muffled shouts could be heard from beneath the debris, his attempts to free himself futile as there were skeletons with him, holding him down.
Ashton's lips curled into a triumphant smile as he realised his plan had succeeded. Rikk was trapped; his superiority and sadistic pleasure were now nothing more than echoes in the darkness.
[Tsk, the bastard didn't die.]
"It wasn't my plan to kill him," Ashton mumbled with a villainous grin. "I just wanted to trap him so that he wouldn't be able to escape from what's about to happen next."
[Eh?]
Ashton didn't bother quelling Astaroth's confusion as he walked up to the debris and slowly bre began clearing it until just Rikk's face was visible.
"My, my, looks like the tables have turned," Ashton muttered, mocking Rikk again before reverting to his human form. "Guess that's what happens when you underestimate your opponent."
"You... think this will... be the end?" Rikk weakly smiled. "I have seen you... and now I won't rest until I rip you to shreds-"
"Shh... people on the verge of death should bark like this," Ashton smirked as Rikk realised Ashton had no intention of letting him go.
However, the horror on the Xyran's face after Ashton revealed the Seraph's crystal was something else.
"How... how do you have this!?" Rikk yelled, trying his best to free himself.
As a Xyran, Rikk knew all about the fables surrounding Seraph's crystal and the mysteries surrounding its disappearance. But never in his wildest dreams, he'd have thought the crystal would be in possession of a human.
"It's a long story," Ashton replied, staring at the crystal in his hand. "But I'll tell you all about it while searing you, so pay close attention."
Saying so, Ashton placed his hand on Rikk's face. Rikk struggled with all his might but couldn't free himself.
"Goodbye... Colonel." Ashton mumbled before unleashing the crystal's uncontrolled fury on Rikk
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦