Lifting his sword up, Zain just added five strength to his stats, due to the diamond reward he had received before, and swung it down right towards Carl. It looked like an exact repeat of what had happened before.
'I can't afford to lose this fight!' Zain thought.
The sword clashed against Carl's black armoured arms again. His feet dug into the floor and his knees bent further than they did last time. It was a struggle, and a clear one at that.
'His hit, it just got stronger, was he holding back?' Carl thought.
Not only that, but for the first time in a while, Carl could feel a sharp pain on his arm. That was because the stage three Titan sword, being swung that hard, with the speed and strength of its additional stats, had managed to cut through the black armour, and a small cut had been made on the skin.
It wasn't quite pain that Carl could feel, because zombies didn't feel pain, but more so the pressure, he could still feel the touch of the blade ripping through his skin now that it had got through the armour.
Immediately, the whole air around Carl had changed. The black armour started to ripple and the red energy was going through his hands, until it suddenly exploded with power.
Zain was sent flying backwards, his legs skidding across the grass. When he finally recovered, he could see that Carl was already on top of him, having jumped up in the air with pulling his fist back, and the same red energy surrounded his fist.
Zain wasn't just strong though, he was quick as well, and he managed to roll out of the way, while doing so he made sure to attack with his Zombone sword , while avoiding the attack.
It scratched the back of Carl, but did next to nothing.
'Damn, without taking a full swing, it looks like I can't get through his armour even with all my strength, but just making little scratches here and there isn't going to make me win this fight either.'
When Carl landed, his fist slammed into the ground. It uplifted the ground beneath it, and made cracks on the floor, while sending out a red pulse that hit Zain, he could feel the pressure and the energy from the attacks.
'I'm not an enhanced fighter type like Carl. I need to think and use my head to beat him, or get him to drop his guard down.' Zain thought.
Maybe some thought that this wasn't fair, with how Zain was planning to win, but he didn't care, he just wanted that reward card.
Holding both swords out, Zain waited for Carl to attack with his red fist, rather than hitting them with the sword head on, Zain decided to avoid the strikes. He was able to narrowly avoid them, while swinging his sword smoothly, but Carl also wasn't slow and he too was able to avoid the strikes.
The two were taking it in turns, almost as one would strike and avoid the attacks, the other would come in fast. Zain swung his swords while Carl avoided them, then Carl threw out punches while Zain stepped to the side as well.
The onlookers could tell that it was a high class battle and one that was a lot closer than they originally thought.
'Alright, now that the two of us are used to each other's speed, it's time to change things up a bit.' Zain thought.
[19 Agility >>>> 20 Agility]
[1 stat point has been used]
[9 Stat points remaining.]
The sword wings continued like before, coming from the sides, but the sword was ever so closer to hitting Carl.
'Not fast enough!'
[20 Agility >>>> 21 Agility]
[1 stat point has been used]
[8 Stat points remaining.]
'Faster!' Zain thought to himself as he continued to swing, he could see his swords nearly getting there.
[21 Agility >>>> 22 Agility]
[1 stat point has been used]
[7 Stat points remaining.]
Zain's swords were now skimming the sides of Carl's skin bit by bit, and for the first time, he was unable to attack back, because Zain's swords skills were perfect. One moment would follow after the other, just in the right place not giving a chance for Carl to attack back, and Zain was still getting stronger and faster.
[Agility 24]
[5 stat points remaining]
Now the shallow strikes had become clean strikes, hitting the sides of Carl's arms. He was no longer able to dodge but was still able to block but it was hard work. When one was faster it meant their blows were stronger as well.
Small cuts were appearing all over the hard black scales of Carl.
"Hey this is crazy, is Carl going to lose?" One of the zombies asked.
The attacks were relentless with no sign of slowing down from Zain and he still wasn't done.
'Now that I'm fast enough, I just need to increase my strength, here It goes!'
[Strength 30 (+10)]
The Titan sword was the first to hit, and this time it had cut in a few inches deep. Pulling the sword out, if Zain used it again it would slice off Carl's other arm, making him a lot easier to fight and a lot easier to hit.
He came swinging with the white sword first though, and rather than block, Carl went to grab it, he managed to grab it, but with a pull, Zain strength won out, and the blade sliced the armoured part of the hand, making a deep cut in his palm.
'The armour, he can cut through it now.' Carl realised. 'Was he playing this whole time, was he the one that was trying to test me?'
It was hard for Carl to believe, usually he would be the one that would up the ante as things went along, but it was the first time anything like this had happened before.
Swinging his sword again, Zain was ready to cut off Carl's arm, he had to do something. Carl's legs now started to light up with red energy, and he stomped the ground. Dirt flew up in the face of Zain.
Having somewhat expected it though, Zain was ready as he appeared from the side, but before Zain could react, Carl went to punch, the hit though, it wouldn't hit Zain, his arms weren't long enough, which left Zain confused.
Until the red energy shot out as the fist hit the air. The red ripples came out, and the energy had disrupted Zain for a moment, the ripples had broken his flow.
"Clench your teeth!" Carl said, with another punch ready, right for his face.
*****
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