Chapter 118 - 200%

Lorisian's image reflected off of Quintin's glasses. The man in front of him filled Quintin with nothing but contempt and annoyance. Yet, he couldn't help but smile. The man that referred to himself as his uncle brandished his sword and shield which he had not done against his opponent in the previous round. The knowledge that the knight wanted to fight him seriously enough to use weapons filled him with an unmatched delight.

Quintin's thoughts: It's a good thing I've had my legs improved for this match. That armor isn't very thick, but it was able to survive multiple throws from Mason. A shield and sword will be annoying, but I got this.

The referee stood between the two men, his glance shifting between them. Lorisian was silent, his expression hidden by that helmet. No one in the audience was able to tell what was going through his mind. No one could make a guess except for Quintin.

Referee: If you two are done staring at one another… FIGHTERS! ENTER YOUR STANCES!!

Lorisian widened his stance, raising his sword high while having his shield cover his left. Quintin slid his left foot out, moving his upper body back while placing out both hands. From an outsider's perspective, Ser Lorisian had every single advantage. However, Quintin's face didn't show a single sign of fear or worry. The referee could feel an uneasy tension between the two fighters.

Referee's thoughts: There is something off between these guys. They seem entirely different from how they were in round one… But that isn't my job to think about.

The referee raised his arm in the air, preparing to cut through the tension the two fighters had brought in. Everyone moved forward in their seats, waiting for the moment to be called. Tensing his arm, the referee swung his arm down.

Referee: BEGIIIIIN!!

Before his arm could fully extend, Quintin had flown off the ground. Lorisian sensed the impending danger and raised his shield. He was sent flying back, Quintin's leg finishing an arcing motion. The audience was left speechless, seeing the heavy knight get sent sliding back.

Zachary: What amazing force!

Zenzo: We could hardly follow what happened, but it's clear that Quintin sent out the first strike!

Doctor A wrote down on her clipboard, glancing up at the monitor occasionally.

Doctor A: The base speed of the legs has proven to have a nearly two hundred percent increase since the removal of the other tools. They also are durable enough to resist the strain of the speed. Looks like everything is going accordingly.

Quintin turned to face Lorisian, whose gaze had not shifted from Quintin. The knight had stood firm, his balance hardly shaken. He took a step forward, the sound of the metal clanking against one another audible. Quintin scoffed before disappearing from his spot once again. Lorisian moved his shield to his right, taking another quick kick. The knight's helmet perked up, noticing the force of that kick was far weaker than the previous. As this thought settled in, another kick weaved around the left side of the shield, connecting directly with Lorisian's helmet. The knight staggered. Quintin jumped back and then charged in with another left kick. His eyes shot open, his legs suddenly shifting and forcing the man to jump back. No one in the audience could tell why Quintin had jumped back, but his eyes quivered behind his glasses.

Quintin's thoughts: I saw it! I knew that the moment I tried to connect that following kick, he would cut me with that sword!

Lorisian brought his sword down and returned his shield to its initial position. Despite the kick to the helmet, he regained his composure immediately. Quintin couldn't see a single thing in the darkness of that helmet. Had the figure not spoken mere moments ago, he would have assumed he was fighting a statue. Lorisian was unnaturally still, his stance firm. Quintin readied his stance, his eyes shot open once more. The once still knight burst into a charge, raising his sword into the air. Quintin's mouth curled at the ends, his legs clicking before he disappeared. Lorisian threw the shield in front of him, preparing for the incoming attack. A sudden force pushed the shield downward, Quintin's foot rocketing downward. Everything in Quintin's face yelled that he aimed to crush Lorisian's helmet right here. The knight shifted forward, the kick landing on his back rather than the head as Quintin had hoped. Lorisian spun on his heel, throwing an elbow to Quintin's back. Quintin was sent flying, bouncing off the ground once then hopping back to his feet.

Quintin's thoughts: He reacted to it. Dammit, I should've aimed lower. I gave him time to react properly with his shield going down…

Quintin gritted his teeth. His smile was now replaced with the annoyance he felt the day prior.

Quintin's thoughts: I let my augmentations get to my head. I forgot who exactly I'm up against here.

Zachary: Lorisian has finally pushed Quintin back!

Zenzo: Is it possible for the knight to overcome technology and show that knighthood is truly the way to go?!

Quintin's thoughts: In your dreams…

Quintin felt a whirr in his legs, the skin above it started to tingle. His legs let out a low glow under each foot. Lorisian could do nothing but stare down at his nephew. He readied his shield, waiting for the moment Quintin would move. Quintin shot into the air, everyone's gazes following the now airborne man. He spun before vents opened in his legs. A harsh burst of air blew from the vents, sending him down with great force. Lorisian brought his shield upward, taking the brunt of Quintin's downward kick. Everyone's jaw dropped the moment Quintin's foot tore through the shield with little effort. Lorisian swung his arm back as Quintin impacted the ground. Quintin swung his left leg from the ground and aimed it directly towards Lorisian's head. The knight, now missing his shield, brought forth his armored arm to take the brunt of the blow. The sound of the metals clashing didn't last for long, as Lorisian's arm began to bend. The large knight was sent flying back with immense force. Quintin slammed his foot down, letting out a heavy breath.

Quintin's thoughts: There we go… that should've broken your-

Quintin's eyes quivered when he looked back at the knight. His hand was still tightly latched around the hilt of his blade. Despite the damage taken by the armor, the knight's arm had hardly bent. Lorisian clasped both hands around the hilt of his blade and pointed the tip towards Quintin.

Lorisian: Art thou did finish playing hero, little nephew? Thy uncle shall showeth thee the power yond us knights wield.

At the creaking of his legs, Lorisian charged forward with amazing speed. Quintin followed his movements until his head was looking directly above him. The shadow of Lorisian's blade overheard covered the self-made man. Quintin's legs began their whirring noise once more. He flew back, Lorisian's swords swung downward and struck the ground he once stood with great force. Debris and dust flew upward from the impact, and Quintin could do nothing but stare in fear.

Quintin's thoughts: If he landed that… he could've killed me…

Lorisian: Thee checked at. As I did expect, little nephew.

A cold sweat formed on Quintin's face as the knight appeared from the debris and dust. The knight he had dreaded for as long as he could remember seemed nothing short of invincible.

Quintin's thoughts: What the hell is this?! I prepared my legs just for this, but he doesn't even seem the slightest bit bothered!

The three members of the Arachna, separate from the others, watched the match closely. Magnus quickly wrote down whatever he could witness. Shun wore a nervous smile, and Daymond crossed his hands before him.

Magnus: Quintin is showing some of his greatest output yet and Ser Lorisian is handling him perfectly fine!

Shun: Man, these two are completely different from their previous matches.

Daymond: Quintin is most definitely different. In my opinion, he has worsened.

Magnus: What makes you say that?

Daymond: He's abandoned his Yaw-Yan, purely giving into speed and strength.

Shun: I mean, that's not all bad, right?

Daymond: It most definitely is. You and Jason showed that to make the most of speed, you need to also have great skill. Quintin clearly believes speed and direct attacks are all one needs. He's flashy, nothing more. He lacks the skill to make use of his new speed and power.

Magnus: It's true. Many of his attempts to attack currently have left him wide open and Lorisian was able to counter or respond accordingly.

Shun: Well I'll be damned. Quintin better pick up the slack now or he'll make us fast guys look bad.

Daymond's thoughts: His augmentations are no laughing matter. He has become a danger big enough to likely harm Cero. But brute strength and speed are useless when your opponent is prepared for such a thing. Lorisian, however, is quite dangerous himself. He took a powerful crescent kick to the arm and hardly seems hampered. These two may give me a rush if I am to face them.

A smirk grew on Daymond's face as he watched the match. In the ring, Quintin racked his brain. He attempted to think of anything, anything to get him out of this situation.

Quintin's thoughts: Do I need to use overdrive already? I can easily go for twenty minutes, so it shouldn't be too hard, right?

A bolt of electricity ran through his still human thigh. He looked down, analyzing his legs. He let out a quiet laugh as a faint smile appeared on his face.

Quintin's thoughts: Man, did Doctor A do that? She gave me these legs after all. But they're nothing on my own. I practiced for this day, so I won't let some fucking knight stop me.

Lorisian continued his march, closing the distance between himself and Quintin each second. Quintin brought both of his open hands forward, bringing his right foot back and having it rest on his toes.

Zachary: Could my eyes be tricking me?! Has Quintin returned to his Yaw-Yan style?!

Zenzo: Things are about to start heating up!

Lorisian tightened the grip on his sword. He changed his march into a bolt, bringing his sword into the air. Quintin moved his legs in tandem, twisting his hips to knock the sword away with his first kick. Lorisian brought his sword high once more and aimed to swing from his right. Quintin hopped feet, knocking the second swing away. Refusing to give Lorisian a moment to prepare another attack, Quintin spun on his heel and struck Lorisian's helmet with the heel of his right foot. The knight stumbled back, staggered by the kick. Quintin's eyes moved like a blur, looking for the right follow-up. He planted both feet on the ground, his back facing Lorisian. Lorisian aimed for a swing to Quintin's right, but the self-made man had expected that. With lightning speed, Quintin turned and struck the chin of Lorisian's helmet with a back kick. Quintin pulled his knee in before unleashing a strong kick to Lorisian's torso. The kick sent the knight soaring back, his legs slowing his fall. The knight's body heaved, a new dent of a foot on his armor.

Zenzo: He's pushed Lorisian back! What will the knight do now?!

Zachary: This is anyone's game!

Quintin turned to face Lorisian. He noticed that the knight had not fallen once. Despite the power and skill behind each kick, Lorisian refused to go down.

Quintin's thought: That fucking knight spirit is going to be a pain in the ass.

Lorisian let out one last heavy breath from behind his helmet. He stood back up, gripping the hilt with both hands once again. He watched Quintin return his stare, but their eyes didn't meet. Quintin didn't acknowledge the man within the suit, only the armor itself.

Lorisian's thoughts: Little nephew…

Lorisan's eyes shook, seeing an image overlap with Quintin's. The self-made man had become smaller in his eyes, younger. He looked to be no more than ten years old in Lorisian's eyes.

Lorisian's thoughts: Thy future wast stolen from thee.

Another figure appeared from behind the now younger Quintin. It was a man in knight armor different from Lorisian.

Lorisian's thoughts: Our future wast stolen from us.