AND IT RAGES ON IV (Ch. 128)

MINUTES PRIOR TO RAVEN'S DETONATION.

Three pivotal battles separate from Raven and Duke's conflict with Lingyun, Warden having intervened in Daniel and Bradley's battle, Yanick, Jayson and James squaring against Abel and DEALERS Sword, Tobi park against MERCHANT's Cain.

Warden blurs to meet his opponent, the Chinese woman spins on her toe gathering momentum as her long legs whip dangerously with inhuman flexibility towards his jaw, Warden gives no inch in retreat, meating the woman with an ATTUNED empowered blow cracking the bone in her leg, she gives a scream falling back in retreat as Bradley and Daniel engage the spearmaster, Warden blurs to her side, a herculean right hooked blow caving her ribs in. She screams dragging the spearmaster's momentary attention, Warden clatters his shin against the side of her head wordlessly, watching her body drop limp as blood pumped out the side of her skull, the only ensurance of her survival her existence as a Shifter. Wasting no time he proceeds to the spearmaster, bluring to his side with a heavy jab, executing a technique that split's his spear into three individual bars still empowered by his Combination technique, coated in 'Force', Warden's arm is wrapped and help in place inches from the spearmaster's face, his black shades cracking from the 'Force'. Unperturbed the Spearmaster pulls on his spear now a nunchuck, contrary to his expectations Warden blurs in tandum with his left fist, driving it deep against the spearmaster's instinctively formed guard. Pushed back several metres he's given no time to react as Warden's down kick crashed against his pole forcing him to a knee, Bradley and Daniel spectate in astonished awe,

(I see, so this is what it takes to be our vice's rival) Bradley ponders,

(So this is what it'll take, no, the minimum, the level i need to surpass to reach him) Daniel mules,

"Bradley!" Daniel calls, "there's still work to be done!" Daniel states bluring away into the raging background conflict.

Warden forms a boxing guard, protecting his head from the tail end of the spearmaster's swing, the 'Force' coated weapon thundering loudly against arm protected his unified ATTUNED full form 'Brigade'.

Warden executes a quick jab knocking the trailing third section of the pole back, leaving him open as the spearmaster stamps his heel into Warden's plexus, pushed back three meter he blurs launching a varied combination of quick jabs and heavy hooks relentlessly, and despite the Spearmaster's excusite use and execution of technique he is being overpowered, Warden's superior advancement coupled with his ATTUNED arts overpowering the Chinese. In a bid to turn the tides the spearmaster focuses his combination technique centered on his striker on the tip of his realigned spear, spinning it with ferocity as it raises the air around it into a frenzy gathering momentum, his feet glide across the ground as he spins the spear dragging 'Force' by its head against Warden, Warden dodges bending low as he shits pressure to his thighs to allow him spring up in an upper cut, having expected this outcome the spearmaster falls back, spinning the spear between his fingers then shifting his torso to allow it snake behind him to lance at Warden's head, with little time to think nor react Warden's best reply is to meet the spears blunt head head on. his arm is blown back, bitting back a groan from the mildly shaking arm which stayed in place courtesy of his ATTUNED arts, nevertheless, with such an attack only giving such a result the Spearmaster understood only drastic measures would ensure any hope of victory, pumping his Combination technique with copious amounts of 'Force', even the durable metal began to sing, it's frame trying to hold on against the compounding pressure.

(What the hell is he...) Warden ponders momentarily, instinctively understanding the Spearmaster's intention he further empowers his ATTUNED arts holding nothing back as he blurs to meet his opponent, watching as the spear begins to visibly vibrate,

"BÀOZHÀ!!" The spearmaster roars, stamping the spear's head not at Warden, but toward's his intended path, Warden digs his heels deep while compressing his muscles to change his path, the spearmaster stops his spear from connecting with the ground, spinning as his feet glide as the head stabs at Warden, Warden depowers his ATTUNED arts in favour of his Auxiliary: ' Full Circle', instantaneously rings of 'Force' of varying sizes form into existence.

The spearmaster gives space as the spear explodes with blinding light, becoming a mass point of raging 'Force' as it explodes, Warden's rings tighten at his motion, the rings wrap and coil around the explosion, forcing it into a shining sphere. The spearmaster blurs to obstruct Warden's delicate concentration but he'd come a step late.

"TOBIIII!!!!" Warden roars.

As Warden moves to aid the  DEALER'S duo, Tobi meets Cain in open combat, the two gazing at each other in silence. Tobi empowers his 'Force' arts, his combination technique holding his Striker and Enforcer coming to being, while Cain does the same, unwilling to repeat his earlier mistake of underestimating the enemy, his ATTUNED arts enacted. His Striker : Heat Wave, a technique that enables the user through the aid of 'Force' release pulses of heat from their body in compressed air to burn, his Enforcer, Top Heavy, a technique that enables the user through the use of 'Force' to shift the weight of their bones and lastly his Defence, 'Refracted Heat', allows the user absorb and release impact as burning heat. Having no Auxiliary, an currently incapable of handling any more strain as the pressure and difficulty in maintaining is ATTUNED arts is visible on his person.

"It seems my comrades did a number on you, allow me to add to that" Tobi declares his fist crashing against the Cain's, Tobi strains pushing himself beyond his limit to give no ground but well aware who is superior in physical capabilities, nevertheless several Shockwave punches fly out in quick succession, some connecting against the opponent others from a meter a way, nevertheless Cain holds his counter till the retraction of Tobi's fist from a connecting blow, a blow just short of penetrating to vacuum crashes on Tobi's liver, with little contest he loses his legs, his mind hazy, Tobi unwilling to give in flings his flailing arm at Cain who watches the powerless fist connect with little concern, Tobi however detonates a compressed shockwave, injuring his shoulder as his arm is flung back violently, Cain's head gives no inch in movement, his stare domineering, his leg blurs whipping violently to shatter his opponents skull when a loud roar pierces the battle.

"TOBIIII!!!!".

Warden releases the explosion towards Cain who moves to raise Tobi to use him as a shield, Tobi digs his finger into Cain's eye,

"Ahhh!" The teen exclaims, the momentary delay enough to see the compressed 'Force' explosion connect with him and detonating in a wave blowing anyone in the vicinity away while flooring the the two center of the impact, a succesive wave follows from another huge release of 'Force' moments later.

 The spearmasters high kick clatters into the side of Warden's jaw dropping him to a knee, quickly recovering Warden raises his guard as a following kick knocks him aside, Warden follow the flow rolling away before finding his feet, the spear master blurs to finish his opponent when Warden throws his white suit jacket up, empowering his Auxiliary, sensing his opponents movement and quickly determining his path he switches to his ATTUNED art executing a vicious down kick just as the spearmaster's head pulls up under the out thrown suit jacket, his heel crashing against the Chinese youths skull digging it into the asphalt ground forming a crater, a glance at the man in black, donned in an oni mask using a simple stamp to bullet Yanick a hundred plus feet away and he knew,  their battle was far from over.