Chapter 25

"That was over rather fast."

"He must be very durable, maybe he's a god?"

"No way I'm saying tera. Bet you a few furs it is. Did you not see that healing?"

"Another fight!"

The crowd was excited from the match but was wanting more. Once a night like this got started it usually became an event. Akando was eager to see more. He definitely misjudged the man, but still, wasn't impressed.

"Sven has won, is there anyone else wanting to participate tonight?" Mika called out to the crowd.

A young man quickly jumped down into the arena. The crowd immediately began to cheer. He was clearly a crowd favorite. Most of the people in the audience who adored him were the women. When Akando noticed who it was he grinned. He fought alongside the man many times, and there's no way Sven could beat him. Akando has never once won against him so in his mind, Sven couldn't.

The young man had medium curly blonde hair, white skin, and blue eyes. He was wearing gold-colored boots, leather armor pants, white chest armor made of adamantine, and had gold arm guards made of adamantine as well. This man was well protected, and Sven knew how light the material was. After damaging Helga's long ago he closely examined the quality of it. So he knew his claws would have difficulties cutting it, but it should be possible. He wielded two daggers, and Sven noticed the runes early this time.

"My name is Alexias, and I bear you no grudge. I heard mention of a man named Sven earlier who was here as a guest of Lilith. She once helped me long ago, and if she took an interest in you. Then this should be a fun battle. Hope we can be friends after. So no hard feelings on the result. "

"Nice to meet another friend of Lilith's. Don't hold back. " Sven said as he manifested his claws.

"A tera I knew it!" Yelled a man from the crowd happy to win the bet.

"I wasn't planning on it," Alexias said with a smile on his face.

The man vanished, and in an instant, several wounds began to open around Sven. The man was hitting him so fast his eyes couldn't catch up with it. He could only witness a slight flash briefly going by as more wounds began to open. Every cut was hitting deeper, and deeper. He could feel the daggers hitting bone, and even Sven's hardy body could barely keep up. He never felt a weapon go so easily into his bones. If he wasn't careful this man could even lob of his limbs. Sven began to swing out around him in an attempt to catch the blur. Coming close almost a few times. He was starting to catch a pattern to the attacks and swiped ahead of the flash. He felt something connect, but didnt smell blood. He had to have scratched his armor, or collided with his weapon. He was preparing to try again but before he could. The tendons in his arms were rapidly cut up, and the next to go was his legs. As he collapses to his knees Alexius was now visible again, there was a set of claw marks across his chest.

He was sweating and seemed to be catching his breath. The crowd continued to cheer him on as they all yelled from excitement. Helga was concerned for Sven. She knew they wouldn't kill him, that he could easily recover, but she never seen him overwhelmed before. Akando and Nova both were joyed to see this. They both had been waiting to see him on the losing end. Astrid was the only one of them not worried.

A child of Hermes is no slouch in battle, but I'm sure he will figure something out. Astrid thought to herself while she watched on.

"Your body is very durable, I was trying to cut deeper, but couldn't. Also, I didnt know you could cut something as dense as my armor. No wonder Lilith is interested in you. To bad, I won't give you time to heal." Alexias said as he was starting to move in.

He wasn't using the same speed from before, but it was still very fast. Sven quickly focused, and his wounds rapidly started healing and launched a condensed fireball towards him aiming for the center of his armor. Alexias rapidly sped up and dodged it. Sven was finished healing when he reappeared and swarmed him with a barrage of attacks. Alexias wasn't expecting him to heal so fast and thus was caught off guard. Quickly he was being pushed back. Sven took a stance and gathered his fingers together intending to thrust through a part of the armor, to inflict a wound to the shoulder. When Alexias saw this coming a quick look of panic was in his eyes. He saw this man was clearly powerful, and if his claws can scratch his armor then a thrust like that would surely pierce it. He quickly vanished again before impact.

Once again Sven was being pushed back and was keeping his healing going to avoid his nerves being severed so easily again. He was entering a calm state of focus. Lately when he's in tough battles its the most relaxing feeling to him. He was starting to be able to counter the attacks. He starts holding his own and even lashing out at the flashes. He was quickly adjusting to the speed. He began to realize if this kept up he would be on the losing end, for many cuts were still making it through. His regeneration would begin to slow if he didnt end it now. Recalling what Mika said about the strength of the barrier here he knew what to do. He used his forearms to guard himself as he took a deep breath. The cuts began to appear faster on his body, but he didnt let it distract his focus. He recalled the feeling of the energy swirling in his body after absorbing that tera's essence, and gathered all that energy into his chest. When he opened his mouth the entire arena was rapidly engulfed in flames. Alexias began to burn quickly, and with nowhere safe to retreat, it didnt take long for Alexias to retreat out of the arena forfeiting the match.

The crowd was silent for a minute, it took a while for the loss of Alexias to sink in. He was a formidable warrior in the sanctuary after all. They realized how strong Sven was, and quickly began to cheer his name. Astrid and Helga began to cheer loudly. Letting it known to those around them that they were his friends. Akando was no longer confident in his taunts to Sven and began to feel glad he didnt challenge him. Nova was angry when she saw Astrid calling out to him.

Mika was even surprised by the outcome, and couldn't believe how quickly he released those intense flames. It wasn't magic, and not even a chimera can output that much flames. Her intrigue in Sven continued to grow.