Sword Fight

The ring was quickly cleaned and the headless body was taking away.

The next fight was between two sword wielders. Swords are the most common type of Astral weapons in this world with seventy percent of Astral Wielders possessing swords. Looking at one way it is a terrifying number!

However their weapon type was their only similarity as there are many different kinds of swords in the world.

One the fighters was dressed in black form fitting robe while the other wore only jeans and was shirtless.

"It is a feud battle," Charles said.

"What?" Yamato said.

"Don't you see their similarities with the former fighters?"

"Oh," Yamato looked back at the pit. Now that he thought about it, the person in black robes dressed similarly to the woman that was just beheaded a while ago, and the other guy wore the same red arm band as the axe wielder.

"The one in black is from Crimson Moon Sect while the other guy is from the Six Brothers triad. They came to Kreal city this time to settle their feud,"

Yamato knew about martial sects and clans so he only nodded. Though it was the first time he saw people from a sect, since Kreal city didn't have sects.

"It's not always death fights here you know," Charles continued. "If it was so our fighters will desert us. However we give others a worthy arena to settle their feud. That's why underground fights are illegal unlike Street Fights but the law also ignores it to some extent, well that's only in Kreal city. In other cities of the empire it is a big crime punishable by death,"

"Is that why they came all the way here from another city?"

"Kreal city is cut off from the empire after all, what you do here stays here. That's why joining the Fight Club will not affect your chance of being a pro fighter,"

"Nah I'll pass a live time of slavery," Yamato said.

"Be careful what you say brat!" Mr Leonard snapped angrily. But Charles lifted a hand to stop him and turned to Yamato with an intense look.

"What do you mean boy?"

The man's glare scared Yamato so he only shook his head. "Nothing,"

"Suit yourself," the fat man grunted and took a drag of his cigarette. Not in the mood to talk amicably with Yamato anymore. "You fight next,"

In the ring the fight begun. Despite not knowing much about their feud, Yamato chose a side. He favored the Crimson Moon Sect, if only because the Triad sounded too evil and he didn't like how that guy had ruthlessly killed that female fighter. Though admittedly both sides are probably all ruthless, but still...

The shirtless guy's sword was bigger than the one the black robed person was holding, which is a short curved sword. In terms of weapon the heavy sword of the shirtless guy seem to surpass the curved sword of his opponent, looking like he could hack his opponent to death with one move.

But as the fight started the man in black robe moved very fast, attacking aggressively, stabbing at his opponent, thus quickly forcing his opponent to the defensive.

Sparks flew whenever their swords clashed in this intense battle. The man in black robe moved his blade in his hand with direct lethality, always aiming at his opponent's weak spots. In terms of skill and speed he surpassed his opponent in every department that the fight was underwhelmingly one-sided. Though the shirtless guy was no slush either, with lots of battle experience to fall back on, his opponent could not take him out quickly.

They danced around the arena, quick on their feet. However their swords moved faster, it was a sword fight after all. The speed of their body didn't matter as much as that of their deadly blades.

One clash turned to two, two turned to four and four turned to sixteen and so on. Unlike the previous fight that was loud and chaotic, this fight was quiet and precise, yet more intense. The sound of metal clashing against metal was only occasionally interrupted with cheers from the spectators.

Yamato drank it all, watching the fight intently. It was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen with his own eyes. After all, fights of this level are not easy to witness. The quiet aggression of these men, the suffocating intensity of their aura, their patience. Yamato has seen some fights in his life but only one rivaled this masterpiece; That was the fight between Risla and Shark that he saw all those years ago that affected him so much he realized he wanted to become a fighter.

The Fight Club has a certain feeling to it.

Yamato decided coming here today was not a bad thing. He realized suddenly that he loved the crowd, he loved the ring, he loved the atmosphere here. Fighting in front of these kind of crowd is every Street Fighter's dream.

Alas if Yamato didn't have great ambitions to travel the world and become the strongest, he might have been seduced by this atmosphere and join the Underground Fight Club. But since he had great ambitions, this little place couldn't really move his heart.

Out there in the vast Human Realm and the Cosmos are great Arenas waiting for him to fight in. He couldn't be satisfied with a mere Underground fight club!

Now calmer Yamato just watched an epic battle that told a thousand stories, and soaked in the energy of the place yet didn't covet it. The more Yamato watched the fight though the more he realized this fight was not that simple. The shirtless guy from Six Brothers Triad and the black robed man from crimson moon sect has history! No they have either fought each other before or have irreconcilable enmity.

From what Yamato could infer it is probably both.

They say a fight could show the nature of a person. In this case it could show so much about the two fighters. Yamato could see their anger, their regrets, their pride after every swing or slash of their blades. He followed them with his eyes, tracking every sway of their body, every feint and attack, every change of posture. He drowned in their battle, taking in their fighting intent till he felt drunk.

"Don't jump down boy," Charles said bringing Yamato back to his senses. He noticed he'd leaned forward at some point as if he was about to jump down and join the battle in the cage below. Only the hand Charles placed on his shoulder stopped.

As if he stepped on fire Yamato stepped back feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Battle intoxication," Charles said in surprise. "I have never seen it affect someone so young. Boy who's your father?"

"Eh?" Yamato was confused, no one has ever asked him about his father before. "He's just an ordinary person. You won't know him,"

"Just tell me his name,"

"Old Two," Yamato replied.

"Old Two?" Charles questioned feeling that the name was strange.

Yamato ignored the man and continued watching the fight. He wanted to capture every moment of it, after all by watching experts of this level he might gain something. Alas like all good things the fight came to its end sooner than he wanted.

The two fighters had clashed swords more than a thousand times in that brief time of battle, but a slight mistake from the shirtless guy gave the black robed man an opening. The black robed man stepped forward into his opponents personal space and stabbed his short sword at his opponent's neck.

It was the same kind of strike he tried many times when aiming at his opponent's vital. Nothing different, but just because the shirtless guy misstepped and lost balance for a moment, it cost him his life.

The shirtless guy stumbled back holding a hand to his bleeding neck, his eyes wide open with unwillingness.

"Head, head, head,"

The crowd chanted.

"You want the head?" The black robed man looked up at the crowd, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, and shouted out.

The black robed man walked to the dead man slowly, then he swung his sword casually. The head rolled away.

Everything was still, the black robed man grabbed the head by the hair then lifted it up in the air. The crowd's ecstatic roar drowned every sound.

Yamato frowned. He liked this place but he hated the killings. Still if he hardened up... Wait he still wants to go pro! Even if he wants to join the underground fight club temporarily, that won't be possible. He's never going pro as far as he has blood in his hand, as far as any of his opponent die fighting him he'll never escape Charlie's hand.

Plus he couldn't kill in cold blood, for sport or for a wrong cause or his Astral Weapon would get tainted. To reach the peak of martial arts he must reign in his desires and be patient. So Yamato is no saint but he has many reasons that he'll not kill anybody for anyone.

Today he'll fight to help out a friend then walk away and continue his life. He's never returning here. Just as he was thinking that, a hand patted him on the shoulder. It was Ralph "Let's go," The man said.

Yamato looked at Charles then nodded and followed Ralph down the container. Immediately they descended the man suddenly look at him with a serious expression. "You should have told Charles all about how your friend was exploited," he said.

"What do you mean?" Yamato asked in confusion.

"What do I mean, you fool? Now Mr Leonard would shut you up for good!"

Hearing that Yamato frowned. Are these people that vicious? He thought gloomily. Life in the street told him that was possible.

Ralph suddenly burst out in laughter making Yamato's pale face turn red in an instance as he realized he had been tricked.

"Haha haha, you look like you have seen a ghost kid," The man laughed and said then he sneered. "No, you are lucky you didn't make any accusations kid. Don't be deceived by his smile, Charles would have skinned you alive!"

Saying that the big man matched away. Yamato stood frozen in one place not knowing what to think. The man looked back and waved in annoyance. "Come on,"

The two squeezed through the crowd. "Make way, fighter coming over!" Ralph shouted. A path that led directly to the ring immediately opened up. When they crossed over to the front of the ring they stopped.

"Hello Kreal city!"The commentator's voice sounded over the speakers. Yamato spotted him above on the crate beside the one Charles and the others stood. The commentator is a short guy holding a microphone in front of his mouth.

"The Crimson Moon sect and the Six Brothers Triad has torn each other apart for the past two fight nights. Four battles won by both, going to the final and most anticipated battle of their feud next. But first how about a little side entertainment? Fight between two young ones!"

The crowd immediately roared.

Ralph gave Yamato a shove in the back making him stumble into the ring. Yamato turned and glared at the man before turning his attention back forward.

The sand under his feet felt soft and the air smelled of blood and tension. The body of the Triad guy was just dragged out so that's natural. Yamato looked up at crowd that were staring at him as if he is an exotic animal in the zoo.

At that moment his opponent stepped into the ring too. Yamato looked at the direction spotting a slim figure in all black ninja like cloths. A black scarf covered the figures nose and mouth but from the body shape and the part of the face he saw, Yamato was sure it was a girl.

Not just any girl, but one he's very familiar with. His friend Shandy!

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Author's note; I apologize for not updating yesterday.... I had some issues but we'll continue with the usual update pace onwards!!!