Baraf's Demise

"Good," said Alex as he prepared a stance. The leader of the yetis raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the sophisticated way of fighting that the other humans hadn't displayed. Yet, this only pleased him even more.

"Name, Baraf!" The leader of the yeti, also known as Baraf, introduced himself. "What, yours?"

"Alex, Alex Horatius," said Alex.

"Will remember, Alex," Baraf stated as he finally charged at his opponent, his great sword clutched between his palms. The sword was rusty as if it hadn't been taken care of properly.

Alex sprinted, colliding Durendal with with Baraf's sword. A deafening noise erupted from the clash as the two immediately retreated. Baraf, taken aback by the incredible physical strength his opponent displayed, smiled.

The two rushed in once again. Only, this time, their bodies were clad in mana. It was as if shockwaves were being produced. The sheer impact of the clash cracked the ground below the two combatants as if acting according to their will.

Baraf summoned mana containing the element of ice to encompass his great sword, actively pushing Alex back in the process. Whirlwinds formed as Baraf called upon the power of the cold.

A white aura appeared on Baraf's body as it radiated strength. The yeti swung his blade several times, and Alex could do nothing but retreat. The yeti possessed mana incomparable to that of Alex's, which was troubling. The gap was large, and Alex could not request help, as the others were busy holding off the yetis.

Baraf's great sword continued colliding with Durendal, forcing the latter sword to shake in agony. It was as if the sword itself was crying for help against the force it faced. The sword was nothing without the strength of the wielder and his/her mana.

"Fuck," Alex cursed under his breath. His teeth rattled when struck by the sheer force exerted by Baraf's hands. The great sword pressed upon his body shook his core. 'Such strength so early on!'

Comparing sheer physical strength, mana, or even durability, Baraf was obviously the better of the two. However, those three traits weren't the only factors when determining the winner of a battle.

Alex called upon a steady stream of mana. A refreshing feeling flooded to his mind as his body felt incredibly light. Instantly, he initiated the technique used only by him and Isabella, [Sea of Ryoujin].

The space in which Baraf and Alex stood was isolated, as the surroundings suddenly turned dark. Baraf's eyes widened as he gazed at the unfamiliar surroundings, but his attention was attracted by Alex's figure, which had become a blur.

Alex moved fluidly through the air, imitating the waves of the ocean and water dragons. A trail of non-existent water was left behind as he practically teleported to where Baraf stood, swinging Durendal in an arc, slicing the abdomen of the leader of the yetis.

The dark space disappeared and what was left behind were two figures. One seemed injured, while the other was exhausted.

"A shallow cut," Alex commented as he cast a glance at the wound on Baraf's bulging stomach. The armor encompassing Baraf's body had prevented a fatal blow. The situation seemed incredibly dangerous and disadvantageous for Alex, who was now exhausted and had incurred Baraf's wrath.

Chills shot down his body as he gazed at Baraf's figure, which seemed to be overflowing with rage. Killing intent burst from his body, providing the surrounding area with a red tint.

"Strong!" Baraf roared, yet his tone did not provide it with the qualifications to be called a compliment. "Like!"

The surrounding moisture was sucked dry as it became solid ice. Alex struggled to breathe as his skin dried incredibly quickly. Retreating, he gazed dumbfoundedly at the ice, which succumbed to Baraf's palm and was being manipulated freely.

Baraf extended his palm as spikes of ice shot from it, threatening to pierce Alex's body. The latter groaned as he activated [Fleeting Steps] to rapidly yet narrowly avoid the projectiles from digging into his skin.

Baraf swung his great sword in order to keep Alex on his heels. The great sword radiated mana which then shot out at Alex, turning into particles of ice as it approached the currently cyan-eyed boy.

Alex's eyes widened as he immediately extended Durendal to protect himself. His insides rattled as his teeth threatened to give out. His ribs shook violently as he struggled to keep himself in place. Eventually, however, he succumbed to the pressure of the ice, falling a few meters backwards.

Baraf, deciding not to let Alex regain composure, charged once again. He endlessly poured a barrage of ice spikes while swinging his great sword, expending tons of energy in order to kill his opponent.

By this point in time, both combatants had exhausted both of their energy. Alex revealed a triumphant smile as he noticed Baraf's heaving chest, praising himself for having resisted until his opponent began getting tired.

'The playing field is even now,' Alex commented inwardly. Sucking the moisture from the surrounding air and turning it into ice is the yetis' most vital ability, but it could also be interpreted as a curse in certain situations. That was the situation Alex aimed for.

By pressuring the yeti and causing immense rage to overtake him, Alex implicitly forced him to utilize a technique that would usually be forbidden unless during dire situations. By making him think it was a dire situation for him, Alex incited a negative response filled with unreasonable choices, in which he were clouded by rage.

Now that Baraf was exhausted, Alex could take advantage of the situation. Thankfully, the former's exhaustion was more severe than the latter's.

As Alex stood up with much difficulty, he revealed sinister smile before retrieving a Stone of Soma from the bag he carried behind his back, swallowing it whole. As a warm light embraced his body, he approached the enormous yeti, who seemed to be struggling due to loss of breath.

"It was an enjoyable fight," Alex muttered. "You could've won if you kept that temper of yours under control."

Baraf grit his teeth, refusing to look his opponent in the eye. He punched the ground with tremendous force, causing cracks to appear. Alex was surprised that the yeti still had this much power.

"Baraf, right?" Alex asked. "I'll remember that name. The next time I meet someone of the Morana Tribe, I'll be sure to go easy on them, unless they do something unredeemable."

The leader of the yetis didn't raise his head, but one could easily imagine the expression of sheer rage weighing on him. Beli had informed Baraf that the humans were incredibly weak, which is why he now considered himself weak for having lost to them.

Alex stared at the back of the yeti's neck for a split second before raising Durendal. Light reflected off of the blade as the other yetis turned to look. Their eyes widened to the size of saucers as they witnessed the figure of their leader seemingly prostrating before a human, who seemed to be less than half Baraf's height.

Confusion engraved itself in their minds as they wondered how such an event came to be. How had their fearless leader succumbed to the might of a measly human?

Alex swung towards the enormous yeti's neck, ending his life in an instant. Silence descended upon the battlefield as the yetis as well as the humans stared at the scene, bewildered expressions vivid on their faces.

"Who's next?"