Chapter 41 : Duel

Chapter 41 : I can't

Willow's eyes welled up with tears as she thought about the past. She wished Ini could forgive her, wished he could look past all the events that had transpired. She wished he had come to see his sister, not the murderer of their parents.

As she gazed into his cold, hard eyes, she felt a pang of sadness. There was no love, no affection, just hatred and anger. 'Must I lock him up?' she thought to herself, wondering if she could win him over.

But her concern wasn't about winning; it was about Ini being detained and hating her even more. She was about to speak, to try and reason with him, when a white flash zipped past her, accompanied by a crackle of lightning.

Her eyes widened as she realized it was Moray. But what happened next shocked her and the recovering S-ranks. Moray was floating in the air, his fists clenched into a punch, stopping inches from Ini's unwavering face.

Ini didn't even flinch. He just kept walking, his eyes fixed on Willow. And then, in a burst of speed, Moray was thrust into the wall, his body crashing into the concrete.

Willow's voice was laced with warning as she said, "Don't interfere, it's family business." She didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not Moray.

Ini's laughter was mocking, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You still have the audacity to call me your family? Please don't." His words were laced with venom, and Willow felt a sting from his rejection.

Arike slowly opened her eyes, groggily taking in her surroundings. She was in a luxurious room, but she had no idea how she got there. The last thing she remembered was eating burgers with Ini and the driver. "What did they put in those burgers?" she wondered, feeling a bit disoriented.

She threw off the covers and got out of bed, her curiosity getting the better of her. As she walked out of the room, she picked up on Ini's presence, sensing that he was nearby.

Back at the gym, Willow had made up her mind. She would fight Ini and end this as soon as possible. Maybe, just maybe, when he's calmed down and detained, he'll be easier to talk to. She believed that his emotions were flooding to the surface after seeing her after all these years.

The fight began, with Willow wielding her steel fans and unleashing her ice powers. Ini, on the other hand, was using his sword to channel fire, and occasionally, his space power to block her attacks.

The battle was intense, with Willow throwing all sorts of ice attacks at Ini. She sent shards of ice flying towards him, created ice walls to block his sword strikes, and even summoned a blizzard to try and overwhelm him.

Ini dodged and weaved, his movements swift and agile. When he got close, Willow used her fans to deflect his sword strikes, the metal clashing with a loud clang. Despite being slightly overwhelmed, Willow was putting up a good fight, determined to prove herself.

The fight was long and grueling, with both opponents refusing to give up. Willow's ice powers were relentless, and Ini's fire sword was unstoppable. The gym echoed with the sound of clashing steel, the air thick with tension and anticipation.

As the battle raged on, it was clear that only one person would emerge victorious. But for now, the outcome was far from certain. The fight would continue, with both Willow and Ini giving it their all.

Arike walked into the gym, her eyes scanning the room for Ini. She had been looking for him everywhere, and finally, she found him. But what she saw took her by surprise. Ini and Willow were in the midst of a heated battle, their movements lightning-fast and their magic swirling around them.

The two fighters didn't notice Arike's arrival, too caught up in their intense duel. But the other S-ranks in the room did, and they turned to her with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"Who are you?" one of them asked, their voice firm but polite. "This is the private S-rank gym, and we don't usually allow outsiders in."

Arike didn't let him finish, pointing at Ini instead. "I'm with him," she said, her voice confident.

The S-ranks looked at her, then at Ini, and back again. One of them, the one with air magic, raised an eyebrow. "I wonder whether we're not S-ranks or he's above the rank," he said, his voice laced with intrigue.

He turned to Arike, his eyes narrowing. "How does he train?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Arike remembered the way Ini had trained her, the intense sessions and the grueling exercises. But she wasn't about to reveal that information to these strangers. She turned her head, her expression neutral. "I can't tell you that," she said, her voice firm.

The S-rank raised an eyebrow, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned back to the battle unfolding before them.

Arike's eyes followed his gaze, her attention drawn to the fight. She watched in awe as Ini and Willow clashed, their movements lightning-fast and their magic swirling around them.

"What's that about?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The S-rank turned to her, his expression serious. "It's a long story," he said. "But let's just say that Ini and Willow have a... complicated history."

Arike's eyes widened, her curiosity piqued. She wanted to know more, but the S-rank didn't elaborate. Instead, he turned back to the battle, his eyes fixed on the two fighters.

Arike watched, fascinated, as the fight continued. She had never seen Ini like this before, his movements so fluid and his magic so powerful. And Willow was holding her own, her ice powers swirling around her like a shield.

The battle was intense, the air thick with tension and magic. Arike felt like she was witnessing something epic, something that would change the course of history. And she was right in the middle of it, watching as the two fighters clashed in a spectacular display of power and skill.