A Speedster's Duel [Part 2]

The tiger beetle fell back onto his legs, his gaze fixed on Asumi with a mixture of surprise and admiration. "This guy," he muttered, his voice tinged with respect, "he's definitely not weak." With a sly smirk, he added, "But that's what makes it fun."

In a blur of motion, the tiger beetle dashed from his position, his form circling around Asumi with excitement. "Wow," he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the air, "you really impressed me. It's been so long since I've gotten this hyped for a fight."

Suddenly, the beetle sprinted off in one direction, creating a sizable gap between himself and Asumi before abruptly coming to a halt and turning back to face him. "Let's try this one more time," he declared, his tone filled with seriousness.

With groundbreaking speed, the tiger beetle charged toward Asumi once again, the sound of his approach resembling the whoosh of a speeding train as he tore through the air. But just as suddenly as he vanished from Asumi's senses, he left Asumi momentarily disoriented.

Asumi's brow furrowed in confusion as he strained to locate his fast opponent. "I can't sense him anymore," he mused, his senses on high alert. "Did he run away?" But then he remembered the tiger beetle's expression, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No," Asumi realized, tightening his grip on the ground, "he's up to something."

Asumi braced himself, his muscles tensing as he prepared for whatever the tiger beetle had planned. And just as he anticipated, the beetle suddenly reappeared, jamming into Asumi's left side with enough force to send him staggering backward.

The impact hit Asumi like a lightning strike. The gust of air ripped him from his grip on the ground, sending him tumbling across the forest floor.

But even as he collided with the earth, Asumi was still conscious, regaining his senses swiftly. His instincts kicked in as he swiftly placed his feet back on the ground, his muscles straining against the pull of the ground.

Standing tall on his feet, Asumi looked at the spot where he had been slammed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he noticed a dent in his once impenetrable armor.

Shocked, he pondered the anomaly, his thoughts racing as he recalled the toughness of his body. "After devouring the centipede, my body armor became stronger," he mused, a note of confusion tainting his voice. "I was able to withstand falling from that deep hole a couple of times before getting out, and there wasn't even a single scratch. So how is this possible?"

Turning his attention to the tiger beetle, Asumi's suspicions deepened. "So he was hiding his true strength," he realized, a sense of heightened defense settling in. "This might not end well."

"I guess if the smallest of things move fast enough, they turn into the deadliest of weapons. For the tiger beetle, it was his absurdly durable body."

Meanwhile, the tiger beetle cracked its neck nonchalantly, a smirk playing at the corners of its mouth. "Ugh, I was sure that one would pierce a hole through your body," it remarked casually, its tone tinged with a hint of disappointment. "Oh well, guess I'll have to try again."

With a burst of speed, the beetle darted off into the distance, leaving Asumi alone in the eerie silence of the forest. "Where is he going to come from this time?" Asumi wondered aloud, his gaze darting around him in search of his opponent.

Suddenly, without warning, the tiger beetle appeared behind him, jamming into his abdomen with enough force to send him hurtling through the air.

Asumi's senses reeled from the pain; he tumbled across the ground, his body battered and bruised from the impact, his wing coverings cracked and damaged.

The tiger beetle dashed forward, his movements swift as he came to the front of Asumi, his gaze locking onto the beetle below him with a feeling of impatience. "Ugh, just give up already," he muttered. "This is getting boring."

Asumi, lying on the ground, felt a surge of energy coursing through him. His eyes glowed with fierce red intensity as he met the tiger beetle's gaze. With a sly smirk, he muttered, "Hmm, I wasn't planning on injuring my first villager, so I held back a bit. But if that's what it takes to get you on my side, then so be it."

Asumi rose to his feet, his stance firm as he faced his opponent head-on. "Come at me with all you've got," he challenged, feeling confident. "That's if you can survive my next attack."

Looming over the tiger beetle, Asumi watched as a flicker of fear crossed the beetle's expression.

The image of the giant centipede flashed before the tiger beetle's eyes once more, sending shivers down his spine, fueling his excitement.

With a smirk, the tiger beetle replied. "Fine. If you beat me in my next attack, I'll join your stupid village, no questions asked. But if I win, you'll become my lifelong slave and be used as bait when I'm hunting... Deal?"

Asumi nodded, with resolve he uttered. "Deal." As the tiger beetle vanished from sight, Asumi felt a pang of shock. He muttered, "He's faster now!" but quickly composed himself, steeling his resolve for the impending final showdown.