Chapter 233: Let’s Spar
"It seems you’ve already met each other," Elder Silvia commented with an amused gaze. Sel and Bahamut just turned towards her and looked at the veiled girl, expecting an answer. Elder Silvia just shrugged and stared at the veiled girl.
"I believe we should introduce ourselves," Sel suddenly spoke, since both Bahamut and the girl showed no signs of speaking. The way they stared at each other was like long-lost enemies meeting. Not to speak of how Ren was staring at the girl with thinly veiled interest as though he wanted to prove something, which was true.
"My name is Sel Siegfried, Elder Silvia’s disciple," Sel introduced himself first and turned towards Bahamut. Bahamut tilted his head.
"The name’s Bahamut, also Elder Silvia’s disciple."
"My name is Exildra Esteria. Elder Iset’s disciple," Exildra introduced herself next with a light smile. The veiled girl looked at both of them with visible shock in her eyes beneath the veil.
’Siegfried and Esteria... What are people of their caliber doing here?’ She wondered. The Siegfried’s ruled the whole of the El’goroth kingdom. They were the elven royal family. Esteria was also the name of one of the greatest elven families in history. They were the most knowledgeable family in the whole of El’goroth, but they’d fallen from noble status due to reasons unknown.
"I am Lily Kurama, and Bahamut is my mate..." Lily said next, stretching the last part with a kind of venom that made the others sigh in exhaustion.
"LILY!"
"I’m just introducing myself."
’A Kurama! What is happening here?!’ The veiled girl was once again shocked. She had totally forgotten the last part of Lily’s statement that was a warning. She had had her suspicions when she first saw her. Red hair, red eyes, fox-kin... But hearing it from the horse’s own mouth was better.
"Hello! My name is Alana Nyx. I also love Master very much," Alana said with enthusiasm, finally drawing her attention to something so obvious she failed to notice. Bahamut was locked between the three girls. She almost blurted out in shock, but was quick to keep everything in.
"Uh... My name is Gabi. Gabi Jormu. My master is Elder Baset," Gabi said shyly from the side as if he wanted to hide, but the veiled girl’s eyes widened the more beneath her veil.
’Just what am I seeing?!’
She couldn’t understand what was happening. First it was Bahamut, then Sel. Exildra and Lily were powerful, but among the group, they were the most normal. Alana was a shadow among. But Gabi... the lizard-kin. She could feel all her senses screaming danger just by looking at him, and it was no less than what she could feel from Bahamut and Sel.
"I am Ren," the bunny on Bahamut’s shoulder spoke, and for the first time, the girl really focused on him since she noticed something about the way he spoke.
’He sounds just like him...’
As for X’Uric, he’d disappeared into Bahamut’s contract space with the wyrms. Bahamut didn’t know how he was able to do that, but he was too exhausted to find out.
"I am the Black Fang Prodigy," she introduced herself, causing everyone to look at her in shock. In fact, the way Bahamut looked at her made her embarrassed.
"Let’s spar," Bahamut blurted out subconsciously while everyone else facepalmed.
"Okay. I also wanted to spar with the current Rank 1 of the new disciples," Black Fang Prodigy said with a smile.
The open field behind Elder Silvia’s residence was wide and quiet, illuminated only by the pale moonlight above and the warm glow from the residence behind them. It was already nighttime. The grass swayed softly beneath the night wind. At the center stood Bahamut and the Black Fang Prodigy.
"The rules are simple. No deaths or killing moves. No use of affinities. Just physical strength," Elder Silvia said from the side.
Neither of them moved as they were assessing each other. The darkness elemental was currently seated on Elder Silvia’s shoulder, cheering for her master and partner. The others watched with varying reactions. Sel had his arms folded while Ren sat atop his shoulder now, with his ears twitching attentively.
Exildra looked calm, though her glowing eye remained fixed on the veiled girl. Alana looked excited, while Lily looked jealous. Gabi looked nervous for absolutely no reason. Elder Silvia sat atop a stone chair with a cup in hand, looking far too entertained.
"Begin," she said lazily.
The moment the word fell...
BOOOOM!
The ground exploded under both of them simultaneously. Bahamut vanished first. He accelerated so violently that the air detonated behind him. The Black Fang Prodigy reacted instantly. Her body leaned sideways just as Bahamut’s fist passed beside her veil with enough force to create a shockwave.
BOOOOOM!
The air burst apart behind her. Without hesitation, she countered. Her knee shot upward toward Bahamut’s ribs. Bahamut twisted mid-motion, and her knee slammed into his forearm instead. The impact cracked the ground under Bahamut’s feet. The two froze briefly in a clash of raw strength before they went at it again.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A barrage erupted instantly. Their bodies blurred across the field as explosions echoed endlessly behind every collision. This was pure physical combat, and it was terrifying.
"She’s keeping up..." Gabi muttered in disbelief.
"No," Sel corrected calmly. "She’s matching him."
That was the frightening part. Bahamut fought like a monster physically. Even among beasts, his body strength was abnormal, yet the veiled girl was exchanging blows with him directly without losing ground. The Black Fang Prodigy ducked beneath another punch before spinning sharply.
WHOOOSH!
Her leg tore through the air toward Bahamut’s head. Bahamut caught it instantly, or at least, he tried to. The moment he grabbed her ankle, her body twisted unnaturally mid-air. Her second kick slammed into his shoulder hard enough to launch him backward through the field.
BOOOOOOOM!
Grass and dirt exploded while several trees bent violently from the pressure. Bahamut slid backward before digging his feet into the earth and smiled. A dangerous smile.
"Oh..." Ren muttered. "She made him excited."
Bahamut disappeared again. This time, he was much faster. The Black Fang Prodigy’s eyes widened beneath her veil.
BAM!
Bahamut appeared directly before her and drove a fist toward her stomach. She crossed both arms defensively...
BOOOOOOOM!
The impact blasted her backward across the field, tearing trenches into the ground. But before Bahamut could continue, she vanished too.
"Fast," Sel commented.
THUD!
Bahamut’s head snapped sideways from a sudden punch to the jaw, then another hit his ribs, followed by his back, and his shoulder. She moved fluidly and silently like flowing darkness. It was so powerful that even Bahamut momentarily lost track of her movements. The spectators watched in shock as the two exchanged dozens upon dozens of strikes in mere seconds.
Every collision sounded like explosions. The field was already collapsing. Cracks spread everywhere while dust filled the air. The nearby trees were being shredded by the pressure waves alone.
But, Bahamut instantly got serious. His stance changed slightly, and the Black Fang Prodigy noticed instantly.
"Oh no," the bunny whispered.
Bahamut stepped forward once, and that was all, yet the pressure behind the movement alone made the air distort. The Black Fang Prodigy reacted immediately; her own aura sharpened.
BOOOOOOOM!
Their fists collided head-on. The shockwave erupted outward violently enough to flatten the entire field. Grass vanished instantly while trees shattered apart. Sel had to raise a spatial barrier around the others. The two remained locked for a brief second before they moved again. This time, it became a brutal fight.
Bahamut fought like a beast, and the Black Fang Prodigy fought like an assassin. She struck joints, weak points, and blind spots. Bahamut responded with monstrous instincts alone. He adapted terrifyingly fast. Each exchange became sharper than the last.
CRACK!
Bahamut finally landed a clean hit. His fist slammed into her shoulder hard enough to spin her violently through the air, but before she could crash, she twisted gracefully and launched herself back toward him. Her palm strike connected directly with Bahamut’s chest. Both of them froze for a few seconds.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
They were both blasted backward simultaneously. Bahamut skidded across the ruined field, while the Black Fang Prodigy slid in the opposite direction. Silence fell while dust filled the air slowly as everyone stared at the place in silence.
Bahamut slowly stood. Across from him, the Black Fang Prodigy also stood. Their breathing was slightly heavier now, but neither was seriously injured. Bahamut stared at her for a long moment and grinned.
"You’re strong."
The veiled girl adjusted her sleeve calmly.
"So are you."
Another silence followed before Bahamut asked.
"Again?"
"NO!" everyone else shouted at once. Ren smacked Bahamut across the head with his paw.
"You psychopath! The residence almost collapsed!"
Elder Silvia burst into laughter from her seat while Sel rubbed his forehead tiredly. Exildra sighed softly, while Lily immediately attached herself to Bahamut again possessively, glaring at the veiled girl. Meanwhile, beneath her veil, the Black Fang Prodigy smiled genuinely for the first time in years. Bahamut looked strangely like her love, Ren, but this spar had confirmed it. It wasn’t him. She had instructed Ren some time and taught him some moves. Bahamut didn’t use those moves, and those moves were totally ingrained into Ren.
Bahamut wasn’t Ren. For once, she thought the worst had happened, which was true in some way, but at the same time, she felt that he was still there, somewhere.
