Chapter 19: Zowie vs Richie

*Creak*

The sound of wood creaking resounded as a rusty door opened.

"Oh f*ck! I'm gonna be late! Why didn't they wake me up?"

A young guy ran out of the door hurriedly. He was still tidying his half-wore suit and hurried to the cafeteria.

Usually, sleep was scheduled, but since it's wartime, sleeping is allowed anytime. After all, a lack of focus can be fatal in a fight.

As he entered the door, the aromatic scent of meat dispersed from the kitchen. The young guy saw that the cafeteria was crowded and knew that he couldn't get breakfast.

'Oh f*ck! I should have slept earlier!'

He repent as he went to the training field.

"Oh, he's here." "He still had the guts to come?" "Of course, he's known for his stubbornness, you know."

The surrounding soldiers murmur as they look at him. Most of them had a hint of schadenfreude while others cast their pitiful eyes on him.

'Those guys must be feeling good from seeing that they're not at the bottom. Whatever.'

The guy felt disgusted at those gleeful smiles but he just smiled brightly. He was used to those.

"Good morning, seniors."

While he was enthusiastically greeting the others, he heard an angry voice at the front.

"Richie! You're late! Do you see us as nothing?!"

Richie looked at the source of sound and saw a young man looking angrily at him. He had an authoritative and arrogant aura in his actions and eyebrows.

"No sir!"

Richie answered.

"As a punishment for being late, run 10 laps around the field! This will teach you to respect your seniors! Remember, no magic!"

"Yes sir!"

Richie apologises as he knows that it was his mistake of being late. He ran around the field for 10 laps.

After 10 laps, Richie stood shakingly but you can see that his posture is still straight.

"Hmph! Looks like you learned your lesson."

The squad leader nodded gleefully.

"Attention soldiers!"

After that, all the soldiers paid attention to the squad leader.

"Because of the attack yesterday, the Commander has ordered our squad to clean all the surrounding enemies. We will be departing after 2 days. We will be gone for a week, so prepare the rations, weapons, and other necessities. Do you understand?"

'I should get more just in case. I feel like they'll steal some of mine.'

Richie thought to himself while he answered.

"Yes sir!"

"Good! These 2 days will be spent for preparation. Also, yesterday, the Commander noticed that the camp was rather lacking in strength. Therefore, just like what we discussed, we will be demonstrating a fight at the public field. Who would like to help me? They will get contribution points of course."

After the squad leader said that, the surrounding soldiers all looked at Richie. He has always been beaten by the squad leader, so everyone was used to him being a punching bag.

"Richie, you won't mind helping me won't you?"

'Yup, I do mind.'

The squad leader looks at him mockingly.

Left with no choice, Richie smiles wryly and agrees.

"No sir!"

"Good."

The squad reaches the public field. They saw many soldiers with different aura. It was messy yet there were no problems. All of the soldiers stopped what they were doing and looked.

The squad leader and Richie went up the sparring area. The squad leader faces the surrounding soldiers and speaks in a loud voice.

"Attention soldiers! I am squad leader Zowie and this is Richie. I am currently a level 8 Core state."

"The Commander has entrusted me with the task of demonstrating to you the might of a Gold-level Martial Arts. I won't be spreading the technique, but I hope that you'll learn a lesson on how to efficiently use magic."

"Yes sir!"

The referee then proceeds to explain some matter.

"Please don't kill your opponent. Don't also destroy their mana heart. The fight ends if one is unconscious, surrendered, or is in danger. Okay, please proceed to your places."

With that, Richie and Zowie proceeded to enter the stage on both ends.

Richie and Zowie bow to each other. This was a sign of respect to each other as Martial Artists.

They both closed their eyes and breathed in deeply, to calm their nerves, prepare their bodies, and to focus their mind.

Abruptly, both of them opened their eyes and their atmosphere changed. It was the atmosphere of the hunter. This was the aura that veterans produce— the accumulation of their experiences.

This actually also has a purpose, this was to steer clear of fear and to scare the opponent.

They both took on a stance. Zowie's stance looked overbearing like a bear, fierce like a tiger and explosive like a volcano. He looked menacing with his smile and red eyes.

His feet were already on their tips, ready to pounce. His legs were bent, like a spring ready to jump. If his hands were paws of a tiger, then his fingers were like the claws by how they bent. There were flames on his fingertips and claws.

Meanwhile Richie looked silent and deadly, like a serpent in the shadow. His face was indifferent but his eyes never blinked and looked away.

His fingers were straight and sharp as a spear, ready to take a life in a blink of an eye. They were dyed black as if he was using pure black gloves. There was no aura leaking from his hands at all.

His legs were not on their tips, but they were ready to move in any direction at all times.

'Is that the rare shadow element? The one that's famous for their silent while deadly nature? I didn't think that he had a side like that, I guess that's how he survived the war.'

Insig thought to himself as he watched the fight. Just the atmosphere alone actually scared him, but not to the point of running away.

A second later, a bubble-like barrier was formed around the arena. There was a defensive formation around the arena. There were water element mana crystals and wave-like runes circling under the arena.

"Begin!" The referee decrees.

*Boom!* *Whoosh*

An explosion was heard as Zowie pounced on Richie rapidly, he was so fast that the sound of a bullet piercing the air was heard. He brandished his claws at Richie with hot flames at his nails.

'Damn! I can't fight him face-to-face, I'm weaker than him!'

But it was like Richie expected this, he broadly jumped sideways to dodge and bent his elbows behind his back as he prepared to pierce the enemy with it.

Unfortunately, Zowie was launched too far away because of too much force. Helpless, Richie can only retract his arm and bides his time again.

*Burble* (Sound of bubbles)

Zowie spins around mid-air by twisting his body and using fire magic. He aims his feet flat towards the barrier. After his feet touched the barrier, he bent his knees and kicked the barrier. With the force from the previous dash, his speed of flight became even more rapid. He dashed towards Richie again.

Richie dodges again but Zowie kicks the barrier again. This repeated for a number of times.

Insig was shocked as he watched the fight. His mouth was actually already hanging from the start.

"How did he get a speed that fast? Did he use an explosion?"

"He's using the power of flames in the opposite direction of where he moves his body."

Insig heard someone explain to him, he saw that it was actually Rolly, but this time, he looked deadass serious. He was watching intently and unblinkingly. There was an aura of an experienced fighter around him.

'Did I underestimate everyone or did they just hide their abilities from me?'

Insig's evaluation of Martial Artists was raised by a large margin again. He heard Rolly explain again without looking at him.

"At the start, he used the violent energy of flame magic at the soles of his feet, behind his finger joints, and behind the elbow to speed up. Then mid-air, he used it again, one at the front left side of his waist whilst the other behind the right side of his waist, making his body spin easily."

Insig was amazed by Rolly's observation skills. But when he thought about why he wasn't able to take notice of Insig's result of purification, he became speechless.

'I guess the only downside is he's too horny.'

"This method of applying magic is only applicable to wind and flame users. But just this application alone can greatly enhance their speed. This is different from the usual application of fire magic as most usual use of fire magic only covers the skin to increase the defence or burn the enemy."

Rolly explains to Insig as he knows that he was only a beginner.

"What?! That's so envious!"

Every element has its own nature and advantages. Flame was power, earth was defence, water was flexibility, plant was life, and air was mobility.

This method of using flame like this can actually make the flame copy the advantage of wind to a certain extent, making it extremely valuable. I mean, look, if a single element can copy the advantages of other elements, how OP would that be? It's like being omnipotent!

Insig looked at the stage and saw the same scene repeating over and over again. But Zowie was slowly gaining momentum. He was becoming more and more like a bouncing meteor.

"Won't he get tired or dizzy from doing that?"

Hearing that, Rolly looks at him speechlessly, like he was an idiot.

"What are you talking about? Dizziness? The violent energy of flames can burn that thing to ashes! But well, it is true that it is energy consuming, but look."

Rolly points at Richie, who was standing in the middle. He looked indifferent and cool while biding his time while dodging. He sometimes dodge while attacking but was met with burning claws.

"What's with him?"

Insig asks while looking.

"Aren't you a healer? Check his condition!"

Insig slightly focused and saw Richie's true condition. His head was sweating from the heat. His clothes were slightly burned too, showing his slightly red-from-burn skin.

What was also perplexing was that he sometimes lost his balance and his legs were wobbly.

"This.... He also won't last longer! Is Zowie gonna win?"

Insig thought and oddly, he was worried about Richie.

'Damn it! He actually was planning all of it from the start! He made me run 10 laps to make me lose some of my energy while also making my legs weaker! I also haven't eaten yet!'

Richie was anxious as Zowie was gaining more and more momentum.

'I need to do something! I gotta think fast!'

After dodging, Richie immediately covers his hands with dark energy. He clenches his fist and punches the ground.

The ground trembled and cracked. Zowie passed by again once more, but because of his speed, the air was blown and dust rose up.

'Oh! He finally has a plan. Is he trying to blind me? What does he want?'

Zowie once again reached the barrier and he kicked it once again. Unfortunately, he still can't see Richie as too much dust rose.

'I should use this built up energy. It won't be too useful in this environment.'

Zowie decisively thought. He looked around and saw the darkest part of the clouds of dust. It might be an illusion but he saw a faint silhouette inside. He hurriedly dashed there. He covered himself in flames to protect himself from the impact.

*Boom!* *Burble*

The earth quaked and the bubble barrier rippled from the vibrations. A slight tremor was felt by the soldiers watching outside.

"Woah! Is it this strong? it almost reached the power of rank 10!" "Yeah, it even reached outside the barrier!"

Mutter of amazed soldiers was heard throughout. Reaching the power level of 10 was quite rare as a level 8 Core state, that would be a difference of 100× of magic energy!

*Clank!*

The sound of iron was heard throughout the arena. The surrounding dust was blown away. The soldiers saw that Richie is actually behind Zowie. He was aiming his magic-covered hands at his nape. Unfortunately, this sneak attack failed because his nape was covered with flames.

Flame users, if their level is high enough, they can protect and cover themselves with it.

"Hahaha, you're really good. You used the power of darkness to make a faint silhouette of you. Even though it's only applicable to dark areas, it's already useful enough. Looks like it's time to show you the real might of Gold-level Martial Arts."