The two opponents reached each other in an instant.
The purple fire around Crimson Inferno's body moved towards his sword and shrank, coating the edges with a purple sheen.
Kyle felt his body getting pulled towards the sword.
The gravitational pull changed and became more intense, changing Kyle's speed unexpectedly.
The sword slashed.
Kyle's hammer struck.
BOOOOOM!
The two weapons hit each other, warping the space around them.
Kyle's entire body shook violently as it resisted the tremendous force. It tried its best to disperse the force with the vibrations, but it wasn't enough.
Kyle's muscles tore as his skin ruptured. The blood shooting out of his body immediately turned into smoke, and Kyle's skin received several burns. Just by being close to the sword, his body was getting injured.
On the other side, Crimson Inferno's body vibrated like a piece of iron that had been struck by a hammer.
He was uninjured.
Both combatants were thrown into the distance by the clash for about equal distances.
While Crimson Inferno's body was more powerful, Kyle's Law of Hammer made up for the difference.
Yet, the result of the clash was clear.
Kyle had been injured, while Crimson Inferno hadn't been.
Kyle's injuries rapidly healed, consuming some of his Biological Energy. At the same time, he narrowed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and charged forward again.
'I have to break through! I have to get past him!'
On the other side, Crimson Inferno looked with shock at his opponent.
Kyle had directly clashed with his sword, and he had only received minor injuries?!
Crimson Inferno didn't remember the last time someone at the same level as him had managed to block his attack in such a direct manner.
This intimidated him since he hadn't even seen his opponent use any kind of fancy Law or technique.
'He must have some kind of trump card!' Crimson Inferno thought. 'This can't be all of his power. I need to be careful!'
This time, Crimson Inferno didn't charge forward. Instead, he kept his stance and readied himself for another attack.
Kyle reached Crimson Inferno and readied his hammer again.
Meanwhile, Crimson Inferno's sword released a slash.
Kyle's mind was trying to find a way past the attack. If he could somehow avoid the attack, he could strike his opponent's body directly, maybe ending the fight.
Yet, the difference in speed created by the gravitational pull made it impossible. There was just no way Kyle could get past the attack.
Once more, Kyle was forced to hit the sword with his hammer.
BOOOOOM!
Another collision.
However, compared to last time, Crimson Inferno was thrown further away than Kyle.
Crimson Inferno's body was still uninjured, but Kyle's injuries had not been as severe this time.
When Kyle saw the outcome of this clash, he immediately charged at his opponent again.
'He's playing it safe!' Kyle thought. 'I have to take advantage of that!'
Crimson Inferno lifted his sword again, but didn't move forward.
Once more, they clashed.
Kyle kept charging towards his opponent, while Crimson Inferno kept countering his strike.
After three more clashes, Kyle's Biological Energy had dropped to 80%, while Crimson Inferno was still in his peak condition.
If things continued like this, Kyle would lose. Every clash moved him closer to death.
Yet, he just kept charging forward.
One strike.
Another strike.
More injuries.
More strikes.
Crimson Inferno glared at his opponent. At some point, his opponent would show his real power. He could see that Kyle was losing Biological Energy slowly, and he knew that Kyle couldn't keep going like this.
As long as things continued like this, eventually, Kyle would be forced to show his trump card.
Another strike.
Another clash.
That was when Crimson Inferno noticed something.
His opponent wasn't getting injured as heavily as before.
'Are his attacks getting stronger?' Crimson Inferno thought. 'I'm getting pushed back more, and he isn't receiving as many injuries as before.'
'Is this some kind of accumulation technique that increases his power the more times he strikes in a row?'
Crimson Inferno's eyes narrowed. 'I have to stop it before it's too late!'
Kyle charged forward again, but just a moment before he arrived, Crimson Inferno also charged forward.
Kyle was pulled towards the sword, forcing him to adapt.
He was about to release his strike early.
BANG!
Suddenly, the front of Kyle's chest exploded, slowing his movement significantly.
The sword swung downward.
Its tip burned a scar into Kyle's nose as it passed.
Crimson Inferno's eyes widened in horror.
Kyle's eyes widened in intense focus.
Just now, Kyle had noticed that Crimson Inferno hadn't aimed his attack at his body, but at the place where Kyle's hammer should have been.
An opportunity!
An attack he could dodge!
The sword moved past Kyle's body. At the same time, Kyle's body bulged as he put his everything into the next strike.
"RAAAAAHHH!" Kyle shouted as he swung his hammer forward.
Crimson Inferno watched in horror as the hammer's pick reached his chest.
CRACK!
The pick crashed into Crimson Inferno's chest, burrowing deeply into it.
It reached Crimson Inferno's Center…
And stopped.
The tip of Kyle's hammer barely touched Crimson Inferno's Center, but no matter how much he tried, Kyle couldn't move it forward.
Crimson Inferno's physical defense was crazy. His Complex Body Law was made of nothing but different Metal Laws, which almost all focused on defense.
But it wasn't over yet!
Kyle used his Law of Minor Metal to extend his hammer's pick, the image of the Centipede Divine Beast appearing in his mind.
The pick rammed into the Center.
BOOOOM!
A terrifying wave of purple fire pushed out of the Center, forcing the pick out of Crimson Fire's body.
At the last moment, Crimson Inferno had used the dense and powerful Fire Energy in his Center to remove the hammer.
His Center had received a tiny scratch, but there was no hole!
Crimson Inferno's Center and body recovered as he shot backward.
He instinctively moved his Energy through his body to get rid of any foreign Energy his opponent could have put into it, but he surprisingly didn't find any.
Kyle hadn't even attempted to poison Crimson Inferno's Energy due to the difference in quality between their Energy. Crimson Inferno had a Complex Center Law while Kyle didn't.
Nevertheless, this stunt had cost Crimson Inferno almost 50% of his Energy Storage.
Kyle's attack hadn't ended the fight, which was hard to swallow…
For anyone else.
To Kyle, this didn't represent a setback. Instead, it represented a crack in the wall impeding his progress.
He could win!
He just had to try harder!
More power! More effort!
Kyle didn't pause at all and charged directly at Crimson Inferno again.
Crimson Inferno's mind went wild.
If his opponent had a trump card, this would be the moment to unveil it!
Play it safe?
Risk it?
Crimson Inferno's eyes widened in rage and determination.
Risk it!
End the fight!
He had to kill his opponent before he could show his trump card!
Hammer and sword swung again.
Suddenly, the sword retreated, and Crimson Inferno moved to the side.
The hammer missed, but the sword wasn't in any position to strike.
But that was never the goal. Crimson Inferno's left arm moved forward, pointing at Kyle's face.
Then, an intense ball of Fire Energy gathered on Crimson Inferno's hand.
This attack would blast Kyle's head off and end the fight.
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