184 Kiss of the Viper_2
Patience... and stamina.
He had not been without defeat; in that one lost battle, he had not managed to strike a single blow from beginning to end. The opponent's perfect attacking rhythm left him no chance for retaliation, and the abundant stamina the opponent possessed completely drained his own, as the defender.
He had suffered a crushing defeat in that battle, so much so that he even began to deeply doubt the combat style he adhered to, sinking into silent contemplation and absence from even a single match for a long time.
It wasn't until that opponent later achieved a dazzling and unbelievable record in this arena that he finally let go—
It wasn't that he was weak, it was just that the opponent was too strong.
That opponent was known as the "Blood God"!
An opponent like that, there was only one, and there would only be one!
Beyond that, all other opponents would merely become stepping stones for him, step by step as he climbed upwards!
...