Hasya spread both his arms wide. A soft crack was heard from his shoulder joints. He looked up. His eyes gazed at the night sky dominated by pink and blue auroras. Neon green light from the giant vines around the arena reflected a dim sheen on his pale skin. The white ground beneath his feet felt solid and hard.
"One by one first, as agreed." Hasya smirked faintly. "I want to test you one by one."
Hasya began to count.
"One."
His voice echoed among the trunks of those giant alien plants. The night wind rustled coldly, moving the glowing leaves.
"Two."
Hasya lowered his stance. His leg muscles tensed behind his trousers. He was ready to unleash his power.
"Three."
His eyes glowed bright white.
"Fight!"
Sst!
Bang! Bang!
Two bullets streaked through the cold air, aiming for Hasya's eyeballs.
In the same second, killing intent exploded from two different directions simultaneously.
Whoosh!
Zaefal appeared from the shadow behind Hasya's back. His long sword was wrapped in pitch-black Void energy. The blade slashed horizontally, aiming for the neck.
Sst!
Rasie lunged from the right side. Her sword blazed with orange fire. The tip of the sword stabbed straight towards the ribs.
Oh my dear Rasie, I told you one by one, you really are impatient...Hasya muttered inwardly.
Hasya did not panic. Time seemed to move slowly in his retinas.
He raised his right hand in front of his face. White energy exploded, halting the bullets' speed. The metal stopped abruptly and fell with a clink.
Without turning his head, he twisted his upper body in a half-circle. His left hand, wrapped in dense telekinesis, moved with precision to catch the sharp edge of Zaefal's sword.
Clang!
The collision of Void energy and telekinesis created sparks of black and white fire.
At the same time, Hasya stomped his right foot onto the ground.
Boom!
A telekinetic shockwave exploded from the ground towards the right.
Rasie's body, which was rushing forward, was slammed by a solid wall of air right in the face.
The girl was thrown back violently before her fire sword could even touch Hasya's clothes. Rasie's back crashed into the trunk of a giant plant. Glowing leaves fell, showering over her.
"Fucking hell...." moaned Rasie.
Hasya returned his focus to the only remaining threat at close range.
Zaefal forcibly pulled his sword from Hasya's grip and stabbed straight at the chest. Hasya tilted his shoulder to the left. The sword tip tore a bit of his shirt fabric.
Zaefal twisted his wrist. The sword blade slashed vertically from top to bottom.
Hasya tried to catch that wrist with a telekinetic shield.
Sst.
The protective energy on Hasya's skin was completely absorbed upon contact with Zaefal's Void aura.
Hasya released the catch. He jumped back. Zaefal slashed horizontally at the stomach. Hasya pulled his stomach back. The slash passed razor-thin in front of his navel.
Zaefal kept pressing forward. Cross slash. Right. Left. Hasya parried every attack with the back of his hands, which were repeatedly coated with telekinetic shields. The sound of flesh and metal colliding rang out rhythmically.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
Hasya saw an opening.
He ducked to avoid a horizontal slash from Zaefal, then dashed inside the opponent's defense. His fist slammed into Zaefal's solar plexus hard.
Thud!
Zaefal coughed. His eyes widened as his lungs suddenly emptied.
Hasya didn't stop. He channeled telekinetic energy to his fingertips, then struck Zaefal's wrist holding the sword with one precise jolt.
Crack!
The nerves in Zaefal's hand went numb instantly. The black sword slipped from his grip and was flung far onto the ground.
Hasya took another step forward. He grabbed Zaefal's collar with his left hand. He pulled the man's body closer so he couldn't run. His right hand clenched tight. He punched Zaefal's face at high speed.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Barrages of punches landed on Zaefal's cheeks and jaw. Fresh blood spurted from Zaefal's nose, staining the white ground.
"Strong!" thought Zaefal.
Amidst that beating, Fyar saw an opening.
Sst!
Fyar appeared from Hasya's blind spot with Illya on his back. Illya aimed her hand at Hasya's head. Her fingertips glowed bright blue.
Phew phew!
Two blue laser beams streaked toward Hasya's head.
Simultaneously, Fyar swung his dagger, aiming for the jugular vein in the neck of Hasya, who was busy beating Zaefal.
"Area..." muttered Fyar.
Hasya glanced out of the corner of his eye. He didn't dodge.
Instead, he pulled Zaefal's battered body. He twisted his torso and used Zaefal's body as a living shield to block Illya's magic and Fyar's collision.
Hasya threw Zaefal's body toward Fyar and Illya.
Fyar gasped.
He saw Zaefal's face only inches away from the tip of his dagger.
Cheating!
Fyar's eyes widened. He forcibly diverted the direction of his dagger to the side to avoid killing his own friend. Illya jerked her hand upward, causing the lasers to shoot into the sky, missing the target.
Fyar's balance was totally destroyed.
Thud!
Zaefal's body slammed into Fyar and Illya hard. Fyar staggered back, supporting the weight of two people at once. His legs wobbled on the white ground.
Sst!
Hasya didn't waste that moment. He dashed low, sweeping across the ground. His right leg slammed into Fyar's ribs with a heavy roundhouse kick.
Bam!
Fyar, Illya, and Zaefal were thrown sideways simultaneously. Their bodies rolled roughly over the cold white ground. They left long drag marks on the arena surface before stopping in a messy pile.
Hasya stood tall. He patted the dust off his clothes while staring at the pile of his friends' bodies.
"My friends..." Hasya shook his head slowly.
"I haven't even used my other abilities yet."
Fyar rose slowly. His fingers gripped the white soil tightly. Sharp pain shot through his ribs, forcing a harsh cough. Illya groaned softly beside him. Her hands still emitted faint residual blue mana particles.
Zaefal had risen firs, he dashed forward again.
"Oi, come here, stupid boyfriend!" Rasie shouted loudly. She dashed toward Hasya at breakneck speed.
"Fire."