Chapter 52

KCCHINK!

KCCHINK!

The sound of a pick axe breaking rock echoed through the air. Dan raised it in the air and brought it down like a meteorite. The giant rock crumpled into pieces after two hits from Dan.

"You are really good at this," a man said. He was wearing an unbuttoned shirt exposing his stomach and shorts. He wore slippers as well. Dan looked at the man's face with interest. His face had a strange scar. It was the same type of mark that the ground would have when it was struck by lightning. His name was Tero.

For the past few days that Dan had been working in the fields he learnt how to stare without getting caught. In the morning he would clear the land, breaking rocks, boulders and trees or anything that was in the way.

He would do it until it reached midday and then he would stop and then train with Charlie. Once it reached dusk he would just relax and spend his time flirting with the girls.

For some reason no one seemed to mind him shooting his shot. He was expecting some kind of disapproval from the elders saying that an outsider should not try anything.

"Yes, I have a lot of experience in this field, pun intended." Dan said with a smile.

Tero chuckled slightly after hearing the joke. He looked at the field to see how much they had cleared.

"It's really nice having an extra helping hand, Yopli died 2 years ago and since then I had to do all of this myself." Dan put the pick axe over his shoulder and waved his hand airily.

"Your welcome, but don't worry about it to much, I needed this workout to get my body back in shape. But I'm wondering..." Dan scratched his head as he looked at Tero.

"What is it?"

"Why do you need this much space? This field alone could feed everyone for several decades yet you guys are expanding, why is that?"

"It's quite simple really, trade." After seeing the confused look on Dan's face he quickly added. "There are lots of other settlements in the abyss, we trade the crops grown using the river for important stuff such as weapons, salt, sugar, books among other stuff."

Dan was surprised but not to much. He kinda expected this but did not expect it at the same time. After he saw there were people living in the abyss he thought there could be more.

"Are they humans?"

"Well there are a lot of human settlements in the abyss but there lots of other races. There are goblins, orcs, elfs, dwarves and demons."

"Demons? What are demons doing in the abyss? Does the abyss not belong to the elves?"

The man sat down on a huge rock and drank some water before continuing to explain.

"The abyss is nothing but a dumping ground. They dump freedom fighters, criminals of the worst kind, warlords and people who are to nosy to mind their own business."

Tero continued to explain to Dan how they traded with the others, how they hunted for food and what races they avoided. They avoided the demons, orcs and goblins as they did not speak the same language and were hostile to humans, dwarves and elfs.

"What happened to your face?" Dan asked.

Tero touched his face. He felt the scars on his face running all the way down to his neck. They were rough and coarse to the touch. They had stopped aching long time ago and now they were nothing more than just a reminder.

"A demon! I fought with a demon, the price of victory was my face and my friends lifes."

Tero took a look at Dan to see his face. He had an empathetic yet mean attitude. He had the kind of face a mother would make when she told her child to not touch the burning coal but they touched. The type of face that said 'Sorry about that but you deserved it.'

"Do you want to fight?" Tero asked.

Dan's eyebrow rised in answer.

"What kind of fight?"

"How about a pick axe fight? We'll use them in the place of swords." Dan nodded his head and accepted.

"Physical attacks are allowed but no magic!"

'If I did use magic you would probably be dead within 10 seconds.' Dan thought to himself.

Dan raised his pick axe holding it in two hands ready for battle. Tero however held it in one hand. He seemed carefree.

"Is this sparring match supposed to be a testing match in which you measure my strength and see whether or not I will be a danger to you guys?"

Tero stood blank faced before letting out a chuckle. "No, not at all, I just want to blow of steam, if I wanted to measure your strength I wouldn't have told you to not use magic and fight at full strength."

Dan shrugged his shoulders. "Good answer, but I honestly do not care either way, Charlie is not a good sparring partner. I hope that you do not disappoint me."

"I won't disappoint you, I hope you do-"

KLAAAAAANNNNNGGGGG!

Dan's attack was stopped by Tero. The ground shook and an expanding crater was formed. The crater reached 20 metres in diameter and everything in it was crushed. There were mostly rocks and several trees.

"Not letting me finish talking are you?"

"Victory favours the one who strikes fir-"

KLAAAAANNNGGGG!

After Dan's sneak attack Tero let out one of his his while he was talking to even it out.

Dan swung his pick axe again and again and again only for Tero to dodge him casually. Tero caught Dan's pickaxe with his and twisted it. He was planning on disarming him but he failed. Dan's grip on his pick axe was firm. Dan tugged at the pickaxe and with his strength he threw them several metres away.

Tero rushed in landing several punches while Dan withstood them. Then it was Dan's turn to punch while Tero withstood it. Dan and Tero stepped back to see the damage they had done. Neither of them had done much damage.

They rushed at each other at fast speeds. Tero lunged forward and tackled Dan. They sprawled onto the ground struggling for a while. One second Tero was on top while the next Dan was on top.

Tero having seen that he made a terrible decision kicked Dan away. The only problem was that he kicked him towards where the pick axes were. Dan took a quick glance and grabbed them both one in each hand.

WHOOOOVVV!

A pick axe cut through the air, and then another. Tero was dodging them accurately after seeing where they were heading. As he dodged another attack he punched Dan's finger loosening his grip on the pick axe. He caught the pickaxe and blocked an attack.

Dan's strength was overbearing. Tero was down on one knee holding his pickaxe horizontally. He kicked Dan in the knee making him buckle. He used that chance to stand up and go on the offense. He swung his pickaxe without stop trying to land a hit. Whether it was blocked or dodged the pickaxe continued swinging.

______

Hum was on her way to see the progress Dan and Tero had made. She was cautious about Dan so she paired him with Tero, the strongest swordsman in this entire floor and possibly the entire abyss.

If he tried anything shady then Tero would cut him down. Hum remembered how proud he looked when he said he was a murderer. What kind of twisted things did he have to go through to become like this? He was still young and had a bright future ahead of him.

At least he was telling the truth when he said he was not planning to disrupt their peace. She could trust Banner's word. Never had his skill ever been wrong before so it eased her mind greatly.

As Hum walked onto the field behind the hill she did not know what to say. The ground was flattened. There were craters as far as she could see. She could see Dan and Tero fighting with pick axes. She was so surprised that she watched for a while before taking action.

She raised her hand and from the sky came lightning. It fell a hundred metres away from the two who were fighting.

Her intention was to get their attention and make them stop fighting but she failed. They continued with their fight ignoring the thunder accompanying the lightning as if nothing happened.

Hum watched as Dan struck Tero's pick axe so hard that they both broke. She thought that was were the fight stopped but she could not be anymore wrong as it continued.

There heavy exchange of physical attacks brought forth aftershocks that were more terrifying than thunder. Hume's brain could not even process what was going on as there speed increased until they were nothing more than a blur.

Their speed and strength caused heavy debris, wind and dust to fly all over the place. Dan punched Tero in the chest successfully but for some reason it felt like punching steel. Tero stood still without guarding and ate all of Dan's attacks.

'How did his body become stronger? Is he using magic or some kind of ability?' Dan wondered. He didn't bother to stop attacking and in fact doubled, no tripled his speed.

Tero's brows furrowed and veins popped out of his face. He parried one of Dan's punches and used the instability created to his advantage.

He brought down his fist punching Dan on to the ground. A giant crater formed underneath Dan. Had anyone looked at it they would think it was due to a meteor. That was the end of the fight.

___________

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