Chapter 2: Awakening of a Demon 2

After the white glow went away, the onwatchers, Hime and Jhon had their mouth wide agape as instead of their expectations of Blade flung away, it was John who moved back, albeit only a few inches according to the land scratches from his boots.

"W-What the..."

John stared at his right hand, the green energy was diffused, and then to Blade who was staring at his left hand.

"Huh? Didn't know that'll happen, whatcha' call this stuff?"

Blade's maniacal grin came back as he tilted his head and leaned back, his question was aimed for Jhon who was most likely going to answer.

"T-T-T-That was e-e-e-energy reinforcement, ev-ever-"

He was cut off by John who straightened his pose.

"Energy Reinforcement, it's a core technique for every Martial Energy users, it gathers the neutral energy in the surroundings and puts them inside the user, every other Martial Energy users have different colored Energy Reinforcement, some even go as far as to have unique individual properties such as fire, ice, lighting, and more"

He stopped and looked at Blade, eyes furrowed and serious. He inhaled and exhaled, calming himself and then glared back at Blade.

"I challenge you to a duel, right here and now"

"Whaz that?"

Slightly annoyed click of the tongue was heard from John, he hated telling others how stuff works and the only reason he answered Blade before was one thing.

Pride.

John might be a douchebag but he wasn't a stupid asshole who disobeys rules, he might've lost track of his anger before and attacked Hime but he mostly followed the rules and didn't cause chaos and whatever. As his pride was a little stroked at attacking a little girl with Martial Energy without even confirming is she really was a Magic Energy user, and how a boy a bit younger than he was blocked his strike.

He had to regain them, with honor and strength.

Also known as initiating a duel.

"A duel is an official battle between 2 Martial Energy users, although it is official, it's mostly done anywhere, where 2 with consent fought, asking for a duel would need a witness on each side, we have that. And most importantly, a duel is fought fairly, if you were a Magic Energy user able to cast 3rd Tiers, the enemy, Martial Energy or not, would use only up to 3rd Tiers, it might be to the advantage of the weaker but only the stupid ones say that, a 2nd Tier attack by a 4th Tier user is still stronger than a 2nd Tier attack by a 2nd Tier user and thus it's all fair"

Blade scratched his head, he really had no idea what the heck that duel thing was but it sounded stupid to him so he nodded his head anyways.

"Sure, what now?"

"Judging as I am a trainee and you were able to match me, that means our limit is up to the 1st Tier, any attack out of that, intentional or not, is a clear disqualification, we stop once an enemy is unable to fight, since this is not a death battle"

"Why isn't it? Ya' scared of some blood bashin'? HEEEEHEHEHE!"

John grit his teeth and kept his temper in check, pride and honor, he reminded himself.

"Because it's usually pointless, and illegal for below 4th Tiers to do death battles, their potential has not been explored as of yet, thus making killing them a waste and most 1st to 3rd Tiers are not that much of a kill technique unless used by a 6th Tier or above, do you understand? We are fighting but no killing"

"Kay' whatever, as long as I beat ya, I win 'ight? That means ya'll leave my sister alone 'ight?"

"Yes, for the most part"

Blade's grin went away.

"Whaddya mean for the most part?"

John didn't want to speak any longer and readied himself, Blade saw this and did to as well, although the difference between the 2 were as clear as day and night.

John had a form, was trained and was a proper student, he crouched a little, placed his left arm pointing downwards as if holding a shield and covering his bottom front, his right arm in a pre-hook form to his right torso, the wind around them swirled wildly, most of it going to John as green energy appeared and went to his right arm, but unknown to any but Jhon, John was a Tier 2 user, limiting the fight to a 1st Tier fight, he added the element of surprise to his attack as the enemy would be expecting 1st Tier levels of power.

It was slight cheating but no one needed to know that.

Blade stared at the hand and his grin came back, he won't say anything but...

He loved this type of things.

He loved fighting.

He loved punching and killing, it wasn't usually in front of Hime but he did them nonetheless.

For him, those who tended to touch Hime or try was dead by daylight, John did not only try to touch her but wanted to hurt her and take her from him.

Blade did not like any of those, and unknown to him, he was also doing something that made the 2 J's a little shocked.

John added just a little more power, he wasn't scared but he had to be cautious.

'He's really using Energy Reinforcement, how long has he actually known Martial Energy? You can't tell me he just learned today, it takes a year to even use Energy Reinforcement for any level of talent, the only thing talent changed is the speed of learning and advancing Tiers'

"1st Tier Martial Arts: Spear Punch!"

The wind around Blade started forming a whirpool, a yellow eerie energy formed on his right arm. The face off lasted a bit more before, once more, John flickered and appeared in front of Blade, right arm already launched and heading for Blade's face, but luckily, Blade's instincts and reflexes were a little bit better than most, he had his right arm barely blocking the strike, the power was a little diminished but Blade's blocking arm was flung away and the strike was a little redirected, instead of his face, it was his chest.

The Spear Strike was a 1st Tier technique that was part of the 4 Animal 4 Weapon 1st Tier Martial Arts, based on the Spear, it was able to pierce through defenses easily and was known as the hardest of the 4 weapon to learn.

Mainly because it required the user to focus all the Martial Energy he gets to the knuckle that was going to hit the enemy, mostly, the middle finger's knuckle, that much control was hard for most, but the pay off of using the technique?

Blade was shocked, it wasn't strong as to the point of force and making him fly away, it was strong as to the point where the middle knuckle the striked his chest pierced deeply that it left an inch deep wound, if he didn't follow his instincts and send the Martial Energy he felt to his chest, he felt that would actually go through him deep enough to cause an even more severe wound.

John saw the unexpected slight miss and kicked Blade, after gaining some distance, he did another from, this time placing his left hand to hips and his right arm in a vertical chopping form.

"1st Tier Martial Arts: Sword Strike!"

Sword Strike was a 4 weapon that instead of a punch was a chop, as the namesake says, it's a sword strike using the hands.

John disappeared, but instead of appearing right in front of Blade, he arrived slightly behind him, to the left where his right chop would be easier to land. He was expecting it to be a solid strike but he sweat dropped when Blade grinned maniacally again as his eyes, his pupils, followed him.

"Gotcha'"

The chop was sent, a small force was sent destroying a bit of the wall as Blade ducked and spun, facing John as he sent out his hand and went for a grab to John's neck.

"Ghu!?"

Blade used the leftover force from his lunge and lifted John before spinning and dropping him hard on the floor. Boosted by Martial Energy, the floor cracked, leaving a small barely noticeable crater.

Blade tried to mount John but he wasn't going to let him, John rolled back and used his hands to spring himself back up, taking the slight pause in Blade's failed mount motion, he placed his left arms to the hip and made a clawing form with his right arm.

"1st Tier Martial Arts: Tiger Strike!"

Tiger Strike worked the same way as Sword Strike, the only difference was that the former was a clawing attack while the latter was a slashing attack.

John disappeared flickered and clawed Blade right at the chest, sending it upwards as to make Blade fly slightly, John took this as a chance for a combo and used one of the projectile attack he knew.

He brought his hands together near his hips, forming something similar to a mouth of a dragon, green energy gathered inside it and grew larger and brighter, Jhon saw this and sent silent prayers towards Blade, albeit jokingly.

"1st Tier Martial Arts"

Blade's eyes widened, his instincts screaming for him to dodge whatever attack John was charging, but he couldn't anything he did would still get him hit as he was airborne. He could only say one word as he grit his teeth.

"Fuck"

"Dragon Strike!"

John pushed out his arms, opening the closed mouth like form as he did so, same time as the green energy shot forward, making the shape of a dragon and collided with Blade head on sending him flying, again, towards the wall.

"BRO!"

Hime tried to help but was stopped by Jhon who was already holding her, as much as he knew, Blade already lost and was taking the prize.

"Fight's over girly, you're ours now"

Hime looked terrified and fought away the bald boy's hands off, it was a futile effort because John was now looking at her, a serious but slightly prideful look.

"We won, it's over, he got knocked out officially and we're taking you as it was our goal from the start, don't fight back, we won't hurt you"

"You're not going to hurt me?"

John looked at the girl and felt offended that she actually thought they were going to hurt her.

"What do you take as for? Rapist? We're only doing this because that slum trash is obviously a bad influence for someone with a beauty like you"

John had another reason but he kept that to himself. He was about to grab her also when a terrifying amount of bloodlust or rather Martial Energy swirled into a place that was not his.

"And what gave ya' the idea that I was gon' and sleepin'?!"

Blade still stood, at first John humored the idea that he wasn't injured by the Dragon Strike but as the smoke cleared, he could see the state Blade was in.

He had 2 holes on his body, one was from the Spear Strike, small and not that deep. While in his stomach, laid a hole as big as his head, it obviously didn't pierce through but was slightly deeper than the small one. Blood was gushing out of it like a dam and Blade's mouth was over flowing with blood as well.

Hime was now officially traumatized. John and Jhon was now having second thoughts on their foolish knight play.

Blade stood there menacingly, slightly leaned back with the wall behind him in a bad state, but that wasn't what really terrified them.

No, Blade was smiling.

He was smiling with all those injuries.

"The thing's still up, I ain't knockin' the sleepin' pants yet"

Jhon let go of Hime and quickly skeddadled away from her, whistling and was trying to stay away and be ready to bolt out if need be.

John grunted, he was not going to be that terrified of a zombie slum boy. John took another form, he planned to end the pointless bravado with one Turtle Strike.

Turtle Strike was literally just a punch with Energy Reincforcement, it was simple as it was the first 4 Animal 4 Weapon technique usually taught.

But then...

Blade picked up a nearby sharpened pipe.

"I'm goin' to kill ya'"

"Killing is prohibited in a due-!?"

Blade this time, did the flicker and appeared right in front of John, swinging the pipe that glowed an eerie yellow.

"I don' care, yer' goin' to die"

The force of the slash sent out a small wave that asid from strong wind currents did nothing.

'He's using Energy Reincforcement on a weapon?! How does he even know how to do that?! Let alone he used Bird Step?!'

Bird Step was one of the 4 Animale techniques, unlike the previous 3 that was aimed for offense, Bird Step was a movement technique that uses Martial Energy to boost speed in the feet, the glow usually wasn't seen because it was done at the soles of the feet, it was more of a high speed horizontal jump than anything.

Blade saw John dodge but didn't give a care about it and continued to slash madly, or it appeared to be random but right at the moment that John ducked, Blade used his left free arm and grabbed John by the neck.

"?!"

Blade then pummeled him in the face with the sharpened pipe.

"How'd ya' like that huh?!"

And he kept pummeling.

"How 'bout blood in the mouth?! Is it good?!"

Pummeling.

John's grip on his left hand loosened, until eventually it dropped to the sides limp.

"HEEEEEHEHE! HEEEHEHE!"

Blade laughed loudly and maniacally, he was happy that this John guy was dead and he had fun, he dropped the body to the ground, expecting it to drop to the floor and continue bleeding so he can step on it but...

John landed on his feet.

"You disrespected the rules of a duel"

Blade's eyes widened, it made no sense for him, most people he pummeled died but why wasn't John dead? As some sort of prove, Blade sent one last thrust to John's face but John defended.

"1st Tier Martial Arts: Shield Block"

Green energy formed some sort of solid circular shield that blocked the thrust. John's eyes started glowing green as the the wind in the surrounding swirled harder than ever.

"2nd Tier Martial Arts..."

Blade smiled. He understood what was happening. Since he essentially broke the rules and tried to kill him, John didn't see the worth in still acting honourable.

His grin widened, reaching towards his ears, Blade was now liking this, a death battle, even if they weren't 6th Tiers, doing major attacks at injured people was still going to kill. The only reason death battles don't become death battles was that the witness usually stopped the fight before it got deadly or most stopped when someone was knocked out or unable to fight.

That didn't happen here, the 2 witnesses were quaking in fear. And the 2 fighters didn't know what unable to fight means.

"Gun Strike!"

Gun Strike was part of the 4 Weapon, it was also the last tecnhnique anyone learned, it represented the door to the 2nd Tier and was the strongest offensive move a 1st Tier could use. Well, technically, using the skill makes you a 2nd Tier but everyone ignores that. It was strong, lethal, and requires great training, it was strike that didn't require any form, all it did was gather massive amounts of Martial Energy and using Energy Reinforcement on from the shoulders to the wrist, and then focusing the rest of the Martial Energy to the fist, this made John's whole right arm look green.

The strain it does and the sound of breaking the sound barrier made the loud sound similar to a gun being fired. It was fast, lethal and most of all.

Accurate.

Blade did his own strongest, gathering his own Martial Energy and used Energy Reincforcement on his arms and sharpened pipe, he aimed the tip at the fist coming for him and they both collided.

The 2 were locked in place, John's face was nothing but determination, John wanted one thing, to free the poor girl from the clutches of what seemed to be Stockholm Syndrome, his friends might be a little perverted but they honestly weren't going to do anything to the girl, he was going to take her to the adoption center and allow her a better life.

He was a monk, he upheld honor and pride, he wasn't going to lose to some slum boy who probably did bad things to the girl. For John, he was the hero of his story, he was going to win against the villain, he was going to walk out victorious.

"I'm going to end you!"

Oh how wrong he was.

At first glance it looked like John was winning but then...

The yellow energy of Blade started forming a demonic face behind him, nearby debris started rising up and an invisible pressure started pushing things down, a crater formed at anything heavier than a trash can and the nearby onwatchers felt crippling terror and fear strike them, it was commanding them to kneel, kneel to the demon.

"HEEEEEE!HEHE!"

Blade had no other wants than to stab John, at this moment, he cared for his little sister, yes, but it was overruled by his want for a good ending to a good battle.

There was a reason as to why despite the constant bickering of which Energy was better, no one got the upperhand. Martial and Magic Energy came from the same source, and because of that, a phenomenon similar to using a same amount noise to cause destructive interference, in which same frequency are sent to each other and cancel each other out.

Similar.

In both Martial and Magic Energy, if an attack was 2 Tiers stronger than another, it could cancel out that attack while the stronger of the 2 kept going. This was called Energy Countervail.

Blade's sharpened pipe diffused the green energy surrounding John's arms.

It went through the space in between his ring and middle finger's knuckle and pierced through all the way to the wrist up out to the elbow. The force of the strike was strong enough that the whole right arm all the way to the shoulder was ripped off. All while the sound of bones and muscle breaking and ripping to shreds was loudly heard, followed by a shrill, anguished, despairing, pained shout from John.

"𝐚𝐑𝐠𝐆𝐠𝐇𝐡𝐇𝐡𝐇𝐡!"