Chapter 20: The sparring match
Finn and Terrence stood close to the edge of the slightly raised platform already prepared for the sparring match.
Opposite them stood their opponents.
Edmund and Clara.
Clara seemed to be stretching herself for the battle, rolling her shoulders and loosening her muscles, while Edmund remained completely unmoving, his eyes fixed on Finn the entire time.
’Why is he staring at me so weirdly?’ Finn thought, taking his eyes off the brutally large man as tension suddenly crept into his chest.
And for the first time, he somewhat missed the presence of his talkative Guardian, who somehow managed to make every situation feel unserious, even life-or-death ones.
He turned to Terrence.
"What do you think? Any prediction that would help?" Finn asked.
Terrence shrugged.
"I don’t know. I’m not even sure I can beat the big guy myself."
Finn swallowed.
"How reassuring."
After that, a long silence settled between the two.
Up until Terrence decided to speak again, his eyes still locked on their opponents.
"Why do you fight... in general?"
Finn threw him a curious glance, taking his time to reply.
"I don’t know why you’re asking, but let’s just say... it’s personal."
Terrence sighed at the answer.
"Whatever your personal reason is, hold dearly to every ounce of it. I can’t lose this duel."
Finn nodded.
Terrence was also from a highly exalted family, just like Frey and Artemis. Losing to two nobodies would be a stain on his name.
Realizing that made Finn’s chest tighten.
’Now I can’t afford to lose either.’
"Now then."
Bethany Antigonus’ voice boomed across the hall as she and Antonio stood amidst the dueling platforms, watching as many recruits as they could at once.
"No killing. Win by knockout or by throwing your opponent off the platform."
She paused briefly before declaring,
"Begin!"
Immediately, the hall exploded into noise.
Battle cries.
Crackling energy.
Violent explosions.
The clash of steel.
All of it blended together into a chaotic symphony.
This was not a battle between ordinary humans.
This was a fight between Awakened.
---
Finn gritted his teeth as he watched Clara lunge forward with unbelievable speed.
Her hands spread apart.
A pink construct instantly materialized between them, rapidly taking the shape of a massive battle axe with a crude, jagged blade.
The weapon hummed with energy.
Reaching them in a blur, she swung downward at Finn’s head.
Yet somehow, even without the augmentation of his swords, Finn reacted.
He ducked beneath the attack cleanly.
The axe tore through empty air above him with enough force to create a violent gust of wind that ruffled his clothes.
He staggered backward several feet, creating distance.
And then—
SLAM!
A horrid groan escaped Finn’s lips.
A massive fist crashed into the two hands he had instinctively raised in defense.
The impact echoed through his bones.
The force behind the blow was monstrous.
It felt less like being punched and more like stopping a speeding vehicle with his bare hands.
His arms trembled violently.
For a terrifying moment, Finn genuinely thought his hands were about to shatter.
He staggered back several steps, teeth clenched tightly as he lifted his gaze.
Not toward the sweet, convincing Clara.
But toward the strange silent bastard.
Edmund.
His fist was still extended, his massive body frozen in a fighting stance.
’This bastard used her as a distraction to get a surprise attack on me. Just as I feared... he’s after me.’
Finn’s gaze drifted briefly toward Terrence.
The boy was already locked in a rapid exchange of blows against Clara.
Weapons flashed.
Pink energy burst through the air.
Neither seemed willing to give an inch.
"What’s wrong?"
Edmund spoke for the first time.
His thick, heavy voice instantly disgusted Finn into a frown.
"Don’t tell me I upset you with just a simple attack."
Finn stifled a groan.
"I didn’t know large fools like yourself still needed cheap tricks to hit someone as scrawny as me."
The remark got to Edmund.
His expression twitched.
For a brief moment, the smile disappeared before he forced it back onto his face.
"Oh well. Against the Traitor’s son, what else would you expect?"
His grin widened.
"I only hope you live up to your father’s name... or at least keep living when I’m done with you."
With that, Edmund was done talking.
Finn instantly summoned his sword into his grasp.
Steel shimmered into existence.
He lowered his stance.
Edmund charged.
The platform trembled beneath each thunderous step.
Augmented by the enhanced Spirit Will of his blade, Finn exploded forward as well.
The distance between them vanished.
The two collided.
Edmund threw another devastating punch toward Finn’s face.
Finn sidestepped effortlessly.
The fist roared past his cheek.
The sheer force behind it generated an explosive gust that whipped his hair backward.
In the same motion, Finn drove the hilt of his sword into Edmund’s side.
The strike was precise.
Clean.
Perfectly timed.
At least, it should have been.
His calculations were wrong.
Very, very wrong.
CLANG!
The impact sounded metallic.
Finn’s eyes widened.
The sword hilt bounced off Edmund’s stomach as though he had struck a steel wall hidden beneath flesh.
"Shit!"
That was the only word that escaped Finn’s lips.
Edmund’s grin widened.
Then he moved.
A powerful left hook slammed into Finn’s face.
Pain exploded across his jaw.
His vision blurred.
The world tilted.
Finn staggered several feet backward.
A hand instantly rose to his face.
"Damn it..."
The attack had felt like being struck with a metal bar.
But it wasn’t over.
Not even close.
Edmund pressed the advantage.
Another punch came.
Finn jerked his head backward.
The fist grazed his nose, passing so close he could feel the skin burn from the friction.
Another followed.
Then another.
Each strike carried terrifying force.
The air itself seemed to groan whenever Edmund swung.
Suddenly, a massive hand clamped onto Finn’s shoulder.
Before he could react—
YANK!
Edmund pulled him forward with overwhelming force.
His head shot forward.
A brutal headbutt aimed directly at Finn’s skull.
WHAM!
A sickening crack echoed throughout the platform.
Then came the scream.
Edmund instantly released Finn.
His hands flew to his forehead.
Blood poured between his fingers.
His eyes widened in horror.
His skull had cracked.
The large boy let out another agonized roar before collapsing to one knee.
Meanwhile, the cause of his misery simply stood there.
Finn remained upright.
One hand held his sword.
The other was drenched in blood.
His fist no longer resembled a fist.
It was mangled.
Several fingers bent at grotesque angles that should not have been possible.
"Arghhh, what the hell?"
Finn groaned.
His eye twitched from the agony.
"How do fools like you get such thick skulls?"
Edmund couldn’t even hear him.
Pain had completely consumed him.
His thoughts were shattered.
All he could do was kneel there, clutching his bleeding forehead as panic overtook him.
At that moment, Antonio appeared on the platform.
One instant he wasn’t there.
The next, he stood beside Edmund.
His expression remained blank.
Antonio glanced at Edmund’s blood-soaked face.
Then his gaze shifted toward Finn.
A strange look of curiosity flashed through his eyes.
Finally, he looked back at Edmund.
"I’ll get him to the clinic. Follow me."
Finn nodded slowly.
A groan escaped his lips as another wave of pain surged through his broken hand.
It was only then that he noticed his surroundings.
The entire hall had gone silent.
Those who had already finished their battles.
Those still fighting.
The instructors.
Clara.
Terrence.
Every single person present.
All of them stared at him.
And in their eyes was something profound.
Something unsettling.
Dread.
Antonio hoisted Edmund’s arm over his shoulder.
Before leaving, he cast one final glance at Finn.
Then he walked away.
’To shatter another human’s skull is one thing... but doing it to a Mage who specializes in Armament is another entirely.’
Antonio’s eyes narrowed slightly.
’Even his speed and precision seemed to have increased. Just how much stronger has he gotten in the few hours since battling that mech?’
