Chapter 164: The Master of Tides [Part 1]
Currently, Ethan was three times stronger than his normal self. However, the first clash between him and Rex still sent him skidding a few meters away.
This just proved that his opponent\'s physical prowess was at least three times stronger than his own.
The cheers of the people watching them reverberated in the surroundings as the two exchanged blows with each other.
After that test of strength, Ethan resorted to deflecting and blocking the warrior\'s attack as he waited for an opportunity to strike.
However, it didn\'t take long for him to realize that Rex didn\'t plan to give him any chances.
The young warrior\'s battle style was fast and erratic, making Ethan unable to predict where his attack was going to come from fast enough.
Although his opponent wasn\'t as fast as Lily in her Demi-Wolf form, Rex was still fast enough to put pressure on him.
\'It\'s like I\'m fighting Nicole all over again,\' Ethan thought as he gritted his teeth. \'His style is hard to read.\'
While the handsome teenager was thinking about these things, his opponent managed to make him lose his balance for a brief moment.
Using this opportunity, Rex lashed at him, hitting the side of his body with the handle of his spear.
Ethan felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him, making him fall to the ground.
His opponent didn\'t make a follow-up attack and simply stared at him, waiting for him to stand up again.
The cheers of the crowd intensified as if urging Ethan to stand up.
Since he was wearing his Wizard\'s Robe, part of the attack was mitigated, so he was able to stand up after a few seconds.
Rex waited until he had taken a fighting stance before he attacked once again.
He could have knocked Ethan unconscious while the latter was still down, but he didn\'t do that. The warrior wanted the young man to understand that he was much stronger than him and make him accept that he was the better man between the two of them.
The spectators could tell what Rex was thinking, so they continued to cheer for the two warriors, hoping to see a good fight.
A few more minutes passed as Ethan repeatedly fell to the ground. His Wizard Robe was covered in dirt, and he was a sorry sight to behold. Even so, with each fall, he would always stand up and fight.
It was a one-sided beating, and even the warriors watching the scene felt as if Rex was bullying his opponent too much. If it were them, they would just simply knock Ethan out and end his suffering.
At the end of the day, the young man was a guest of the Kendall Tribe and only fighting to protect his wife\'s honor. Although they wanted Rex to win, they didn\'t want to see a one-sided beating because it made them feel guilty and embarrassed.
They could tell that Ethan knew how to fight, but compared to most of them, he was like a toddler brandishing a stick in their eyes. How could they possibly enjoy watching an adult bullying a child?
Perhaps getting annoyed by his opponent\'s tenacity, Rex used the butt of his spear to hit the side of Ethan\'s face, making the latter fall to the ground once again.
This time, however, the young man tasted blood, and a bruise slowly manifested on his cheek.
Blood spilled at the corner of his lips, as he leaned on his trident to force himself to stand up. His whole body was in pain, reminding him of the days when Nicole beat him to a pulp.
This memory made him chuckle, making those who heard it think that he was feeling helpless about his current situation.
"Give it up," Rex said. "You will not beat me. This will be the last time that I will show mercy. My next strike will knock you out. This is your last warning."
All eyes focused on Ethan, as they waited for his reply.
The young man was panting for breath while leaning on his staff. Slowly, but surely, he propped himself up. He then spit out the blood that was inside his mouth and wiped the bloodstain with the back of his hand.
Everyone thought that he was going to surrender, but his next words surprised not only his opponent but surprised everyone who was staring at him.
"Thank you."
Ethan\'s words were softly spoken. It didn\'t carry any hint of anger, helplessness, and distress. It was a simple thank you, which caught everyone by surprise.
"Thank you for telling me that this is the last time that you will show me mercy," Ethan said as he took a deep breath to compose himself. "You\'re a good person."
The corner of Great Chieftain Adrian\'s lips twitched after hearing Ethan\'s reply.
\'He beat the crap out of you, yet you\'re even thanking him for it?\' Great Chieftain Adrian thought. \'That last hit might have shaken your brain too much.\'
This was the same thought of the other warriors who were watching the battle. Unless you are a masochist, why would you thank someone who made you suffer?
Are you insane?
Lily, who understood what Ethan was thinking, laughed internally. She had been waiting for Ethan to use his magic, but after observing the battle, she understood that Ethan was trying to train.
His purpose for doing this was simple.
Since there was a big chance that they would be involved in a war, he wanted to know if he could withstand the battle style of the warriors of the ancient past.
Of course, Ethan understood that Rex wasn\'t taking him seriously.
There was no bloodlust or a hint of killing intent in the warrior\'s attacks. He had even stopped attacking the handsome young man every time he fell on the ground, allowing him to stand up and fight once again.
\'This sucks,\' Ethan thought. \'It seems that I can\'t fight on the front lines since I\'d die without my magic.\'
Ethan gripped the handle of his trident firmly as he looked at his opponent.
"Since you have given me a warning, I will also give you a warning," Ethan stated. "From this moment onwards, I will be fighting you seriously."
Marco, who was watching this battle beside his father, almost choked after hearing the young man\'s words.
\'Fight seriously?\' Marco scratched his head. \'How?\'
Rex\'s expression became solemn because he thought that Ethan was just bluffing him. However, seeing how serious Ethan seemed, his instinct was telling him that he should be careful.
"Very well," Rex replied. "I will take you seriously. Are you ready? I will end this quickly."
The handsome young man smiled before nodding his head.
However, before Rex could even close the distance between the two of them, Ethan said a single word, and that was…
"Illumina."