Chapter 15 : I win

"All that for hair?" I thought.

I once had hair like that, but I prefer it shorter, because it got in the way of movement

"If anything, she should be thankful, she looks way better now"

Marse did not pick any weapon, claiming she did not need it. Seems like she throw that pride out the window. As soon as she was done yelling at me, she formed an Qi blade, and lunged right at me.

I was lucky that her energy was restricted to only A1. I completely dodged, but just a single scrape of her blade left a gash on my arm.

"Good. She can only attack with energy one more time. All I need to is get her on the defensive. If she can defend three times then that's the same as winning"

My shield was gone now, but I thought that would happen. That's where all my training in flow would come into play. I formed a shield out of navitas, although harder to control. 

"Cool party trick eh?" I said loud enough for everyone to hear.

The arena was filled with awe, everyone locked into the fight, silent as they watched breathless. Were they surprised, or were they so surprised to the point that the words didn't come out immediately.

I could feel everyone's breath getting heavier, so I decided to spice more a bit. I clanked my cutlass on my shield 3 times, as loud as I could, enhancing the sound of my voice and the metal with QI.

"Why did you send out such a pushover? If your champion will stand there and watch me, why didn't you bring me a rock?!"

I turned my attention to Marse.

"You there! Staying still up until now?! Should I bake you a cake birthday girl? Sing for me! Maybe then I'll spare you a little more!"

"This wont do me any good" I thought to myself.

Everyone, regaining their senses in a single bout of retaliation to the humiliation that was shoved in their face, coupled with the boldness its delivery rose to their feet engulfed with rage. They all yelled curses, hurling ancient languages in my direction.

Marse stood still.

She returned the Qi blade, the look of anger now gone. She looked up at me and spoke. I couldn't hear the words, but I made them out from the movement of her lips. She said  "Die, human"

The words contained no emotion, just pure intention. She walked up close to me, the crowd's cursing growing louder with each step. I held my blade up and swung at her, she deflected it with energy. I swung again, she deflected it with energy this time too.

"Nice"

She balled her fist, and made for my chest. I blocked the hit, but still flew the other way. As I flew in shock, she kicked me in the back, sending me to my original position. Before I reached the ground however, she grabbed my wrist and threw me away, right before twisting it. I managed to land on my feet. I returned my shield as well, its purpose fulfilled. I held my blade tight and with all my might and poured my energy into it forming an aura blade. The hole on the end would come to play now.

She hit me again but this time, using her momentum against her, I threw her like she did me. she landed seamlessly. Going for the win, I used the hole on the end of the blade, to spin it around my hand, like a magician would a wand. I learned this trick during my time in the cave. I turned, throwing my blade at her, she dodged the blade, ducking beneath its path.

"I can bet she wouldn't think it can spin back to me" 

Just before I reached a good distance form her, the blade flew back. In a quick motion, I grabbed the blade and swung it, making for her arm, she dodged it safely, but a finger. The expression of a diluted anger returned to her face.

"You brat!" she yelled.

She kicked me away not expecting my ambush as she took a glance at her hand. I launched my next attack, an classical energy blast. She attacked with her own energy, nullifying the attack.

"One more to go" 

Just then I trembled. My body shook greatly, the world before my eyes becoming dizzier with every second. My limbs went numb, and my voice died. In a grueling effort, I managed not to fall immediately, dropping slowly to the ground. My head was bowed, forcing an uncomfortable submissive position. My own body, betraying me had embarrassed me, losing the match. In a quick guess I figured it out. QI poisoning, or as some call it, reflux.

Reflux is the forced backward flow of QI, intended to cause pain on the victim. It is often used for interrogation, punishment, a method to humiliate your enemy after capture and the sort. It was deemed a weak and backhanded technique not suitable for combat, because of its unpredictable nature. Thus, it was a modus operandi for it not to be used in actives fights. That is the textbook definition. although a backhanded move, it was not banned here.

Marse stepped on my head, posing as the victor over my now useless mass. Just then the host decided that it was the perfect time to wake everyone up from their quiet watch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that is it! The human is down! " 

The whole arena steadily gained back its madness from before, laughing and jesting at the fact that I was losing, to a move like that.

"So confident and arrogant, only to end up groveling beneath our feet as you are supposed to, why dont you clean her feet? Maybe then she'll fall in love with you. Isn't that right fellas?" the host gloated, as he poked at me and Venus.

The jest grew louder.

I looked around the arena, and saw Venus cover her face, get up ad walk out of the arena. I tried to say something, something to stop her. I only ended up mumbling a couple of sounds. Marse in return kicked me in the jaw.

"Did he try to say something, or does he want to use his spit to wipe her feet? Very obedient. If you had been like that from the start, you wouldn't need to face such humiliation."

"Finish him!" I heard a voice say from the crowd, as the other voices joined in to support it. 

My heartbeat grew even more. Loud enough for even Marse to hear.

I moved my hand slowly, trying to bring it to myself. Marse, in a quick movement, crushed my palm with her foot to disable any counterattack. 

All of a sudden I didn't see the arena. I was in a different world, empty with only me as the occupant. Under my feet was a a thin layer of 'water', not even enough to drown an ant. It was just puddles here and there. Looking closer, it was navitas. I took a sip of this 'liquid', and then I knew what to do. Something overtook me, some strange power, making me want to destroy. This time, I had a clear image in mind, Marse. It completely expelled my will, doing as it pleased.

Another flash and I was in the arena. I got up strongly, casting Marse away. Before she could land, I blasted her with enough energy to scorch the rocks she landed going to land on. I picked up my sword, slowly raised it up and made for Marse. She got up with a look of annoyance. I punched her in the face, grabbed her short hair, and dragged her across the arena, to where the biggest rock, the size of a small mountain was. I laid her numb body there, go into a close position, dropped my sword and go to work

I punched her again and again, with speed that I couldn't see. Though not my style as I was not in control, it was pretty satisfying watching it. I mutilated her, her body full of bruises, as she made futile attempts to escape, only for me to drag her back by hair to continue.

The host and audience were now silent. 

They for sure had nothing to say now.