Kian vs Arthur

"Flame Stream," Kian thrust his palm forward, shooting out a thin stream of flames aimed straight at Arthur's forehead.

Arthur reacted by tilting his head just enough for the blazing stream to miss, but the searing heat licked his cheek, leaving a red mark. He staggered slightly, fanning his face with his hands in a futile attempt to cool the burning sensation.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Arthur exclaimed, his movements frantic.

Shit! I'm so used to dodging attacks with minimal movement that I forgot—fire can hurt even without touching! The inexperienced Arthur had made his first mistake of the fight.

The audience roared with laughter at his apparent clumsiness. Sarcasm and ridicule echoed through the grounds, with a few spectators outright mocking him.

Yet, there was one woman standing in a corner, her face etched with concern. Her hands were clenched tightly together, a silent plea for her son's safety. No one stood near her, treating her as if she were untouchable.

Meanwhile, Kian's face showed a flicker of surprise. He hadn't expected Arthur to evade his attack so casually. Even though Arthur had made a rookie mistake, he neither panicked nor froze like a statue.

This might actually be fun. Let's see how long you can last.

Kian's lips curled into a wicked smile. He reveled in the opportunity to show the crowd just how outmatched Arthur truly was.

This time, he conjured three flaming streams in rapid succession and shot them toward Arthur. It was the same attack he had used to defeat Gina in one move. But Arthur had spent countless hours imagining himself in similar situations, replaying the matches he had witnessed and preparing for every possibility.

Arthur slid to the ground, dodging all three streams with remarkable agility, and began circling his opponent. Kian responded with another volley of flame streams, aiming to block Arthur's path. But Arthur had honed his movement skills to a razor's edge. Without the aid of any element, relying solely on overwhelming speed and refined techniques, he evaded each attack with finesse.

The crowd's mockery continued, many assuming Arthur was merely running for his life. Yet, among the sea of laughter, a few sharp-eyed observers watched in silence, recognizing the precision in his movements.

"He's not just dodging," Sir Arash murmured, a hint of admiration in his tone. "He's predicting every move."

By now, Kian had launched six flame streams. A typical Elemental neophyte could use the basic technique two times. Kian's higher than average elemental affinity ensured that he could cast the basic technique three times before exhausting their reserves, but Kian's mastery allowed him to create each stream with roughly one-third the strength of a full-powered attack, enabling him to launch up to nine flame streams. It was more than enough to overwhelm several opponents in most situations.

However, the reality was stark: he had only three flame streams left, and Arthur remained untouched. If he used the full-powered version, he had just one remaining attack.

Kian halted his attacks, his eyes narrowing as he studied Arthur. The dog he hadn't even cared to acknowledge was now making a mockery of him in front of the entire crowd. His pride stung, a boiling rage rising within him.

"This is unforgivable," Kian growled through clenched teeth. His fists tightened, anger radiating off him in waves. You will pay for this.

Though furious, Kian wasn't reckless. He scanned Arthur's movements, searching for any flaw or opportunity to trap him. His eyes darted toward the crowd, calculating his next move. Then, his gaze landed on a particular spot, and his lips curled into a malicious grin.

Let's see how you dodge this, he thought, forming another Flame Stream.

He aimed the flame stream with precision when Arthur was crossing a specific spot. Arthur easily evaded the attack, pivoting with practiced ease.

"Aaah!!" A shrill cry erupted from the audience moments later.

Arthur's head snapped toward the sound, his heart plummeting. His eyes widened as he saw flames licking at his mother's clothes. Rage and fear surged through him as he sprinted toward her.

"Mother! Are you all right?" Arthur cried, dashing toward her.

The flame stream had been aimed at her face, but she had instinctively shielded herself with her arms. Her hands were burned, and scorch marks ran along her forearms where the fire had caught on her clothes. Tears streaked her soot-stained cheeks as she tried to smile, reassuring her son despite the pain.

Teacher Larry stepped in front of Arthur, signaling him not to be rash. If he stepped out of the designated boundary, he would forfeit the match.

"I will make sure she is taken care of. Focus on the match," Larry said firmly, motioning for nearby Water element users to assist her.

Arthur's face was pale, his fists trembling as his nails dug into his palms.

"You shouldn't have done that," Arthur said, his voice low and deadly as he locked his eyes on Kian. His bloodshot gaze never wavered as he began walking back to the center of the arena.

"Are you blaming me?" Kian sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. "You dodged my attack, didn't you? I was only aiming at you. If you had taken it like a man, your mother wouldn't have suffered. It's your cowardice that caused her pain. And really, the attack had almost no energy left when it hit her. All it caused was a few minor burns—nothing that can't be cured with some herbs from the market."

Arthur's entire body shook with fury. Minor burns!? He lost all self-control, his mind blank with rage as he charged toward Kian.

Kian's grin widened. Yes! The last thing you should do in battle is lose your calm.

Kian excelled at psychological warfare. When his elemental prowess wasn't enough to secure an easy victory, he would manipulate his opponents' emotions, ensuring they lost focus and made critical mistakes. Arthur, too, had fallen prey to Kian's calculated mind games.

Pouring all his remaining energy into one final attack, Kian formed a thick Flame stream in his hands, its flames roaring twice as fiercely as before.

"Come on, then!" Kian shouted, hurling it directly at Arthur.