After T.K. announced the beginning of the fourth round, he stepped back. But even though he basically told the two applicants to begin their match, neither of them made a move. They both just stood there in place, staring at one another.
As they did, Jake made his way back to his original spot, back to Zack. As he did, he saw the spiky-haired young man fully enveloped by a match that hadn’t actually started just yet. Jake smirked when he saw Zack entranced.
“I see you stopped pouting like a five-year-old,” he joked. Zack didn’t look at him; he only rolled his eyes and responded, “Shut up, you bastard. I wasn’t pouting; I simply soaking up my win.” Jake chuckled. “Yeah, sure, whatever you say.”
Jake knelt down to the seated Zack as he turned his attention to the ring. “So, who’s up next? It’s the wooden helmet punk that interrupted my fight in the first phase and some guy with a buzzcut.” As Jake focused on the ring, he couldn’t help but be drawn to the young man with the buzzcut. He was the same young man that Jake had sized up before the third round had even started, and standing in the ring, his eyes were even more piercing and focused. He looked dangerous. Jake could tell this guy was on a whole different level.
“Damn, I’ve got money on the buzzcut,” Jake said. The words left his mouth without him realizing. Zack smirked. “I’ll take that bet. I guess I’ve got bucket head then.” Jake was shocked, being drawn into a bet he didn’t know he had started, zack the cheerfully said “Okay, whichever of us loses has to buy the winner a drink,” Jake exhaled, then smiled. “Alright, porcupine, you’re on.”
In the ring, both Lex and Biscuit continued to stand still, staring at one another even though their battle hadn’t yet begun. The buzzcut young man named Lex was already breaking down his opponent in his head.
“They haven’t moved, just like me,” Lex thought. “So, they aren’t a fighter that just throws caution to the wind and just attacks. They like to watch and wait, like me.” Lex’s eyes scanned Biscuit’s body. “I can tell they’re big, not just in height but physically big. Even with them wearing those baggy clothes, I can still tell. Then there’s that wooden helmet thing. Not sure why they’re wearing it or what purpose it serves, but I do know the one thing it is doing is hiding their face. As long as they wear it, I can’t get a read on their facial expressions. I’m pretty sure this Biscuit isn’t a novice, but I’m not sure yet the full extent of their capabilities. I wasn’t watching them during the second phase, so I don’t know what they can or can’t do. But to find out…”
Lex got into a fighting stance, getting his sword ready. As he did so, Biscuit got into a defensive stance. “To find out all the info I need, I must be the one to strike first.” In a flash, Lex pounced and clashed his sword with Biscuit’s claymore. Their battle finally beginning.
Biscuit held his opponent back with ease, and noticing that Lex put one of his feet on top of Biscuit’s arm then pushed it down with all the strength he had. The force of the leg shove forced Biscuit’s arm down, including their claymore. Biscuit was shocked, but with no room for hesitation, Lex swung his blade at Biscuit’s helmet-covered head. Even though Lex couldn’t see it, Biscuit’s eyes went big. They quickly leaned back, the blade completely missing its mark.
Before Lex could perform another attack, his opponent, Biscuit, continued to lean back, placing one of their hands on the ground to hold their weight. Then, as they were in the position they were in, Biscuit leaned forward as if they were trying to do a stomach crunch. But no, they weren’t trying to start exercising; they were performing an attack. They ended up kicking Lex with both of their legs, knocking their opponent away and giving themselves, some breathing room.
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But as Jake noticed before, Lex was no novice. While being knocked away, he spun in the air, then plunged his sword into the ground, stopping his momentum. Then, without rest, he sprinted full speed ahead at Biscuit. As he closed in, he thought to himself, “Now, let’s try this on for size.” He readied his blade, then thrust it forward towards Biscuit’s head. Seeing this, Biscuit let out an audible, “Shit,” as he quickly dodged.
Even while attacking, Lex watched his opponent closely, carefully watching the mysterious applicant’s body language. Then he thrust his sword again and again, each time he aimed for Biscuit’s helmet, and each time Biscuit dodged the strike. “I thought so,” Lex concluded as he spun then slashed at Biscuit’s side. Like before, Biscuit used their claymore to block the incoming attack. But as they did, Biscuit couldn’t help but be frustrated.
“Damn it, I can’t win this match if I allow myself to be stuck on defense all day.” The mysterious applicant let out a battle cry as they broke the Clash between them and Lex. Then for the first time since the match began, Biscuit swung their sword. They swung it in a downward slash. Again, Lex couldn’t see it because of the helmet, but Biscuit smirked. ‘Okay, now it’s your turn,’ they said. ‘Now it’s time for you to play defense.’
Biscuit’s attack was coming in fast. Lex knew if it hit him, it would be devastating, but that was only if it hit him. As Biscuit’s attack was coming down, they blinked. When their eyes opened, Lex was gone. Biscuit’s eyes went big. ‘Wait, where’d he go?’ Biscuit thought. Then they realized that in the blink of an eye, Lex slid behind Biscuit. Zack’s mouth went slack jawed as he watched. ‘Holy shit, maybe I should have bet on the buzz-cut guy. Damn, he’s pretty good,’ he said.
As he said this, the little girl Gabby nodded her head while watching. ‘Wow,’ she said excitedly. ‘He timed it. He timed his movement with the blinking of his opponent’s eyes, which gave off the impression that he had disappeared. He did it even though none of us can see the big guy’s eyes. He’s amazing. He used the shadow blink technique on an opponent whose eyes he couldn’t see. I’ve heard papa mention this technique but have never seen it in person.’
Those that watched were either astonished, impressed, or both. As Lex was getting ready to attack again, he thought to himself, ‘Looks like I managed to time it just right.’ Lex then slashed his sword at his opponent’s open, unguarded back. ‘Now your back is wide open,’ but before Lex’s sword could collide with Biscuit, it collided with something else—Biscuit’s sword.
In what seemed to be an instant, Biscuit, without looking, flung his claymore behind him to guard his open back. Lex’s eyes went big with surprise. He guarded his own back without even looking. ‘No, that’s not what’s impressive,’ Lex thought, and as he did, he thought was unknowingly shared with Zack. ‘He stopped himself mid-swing,’ Zack said in his own mind with pure excitement. ‘He stopped himself mid-swing, then guarded his back without even looking to see the attack.’
Zack smiled from ear to ear, entranced by the fight after what had just transpired in front of him. Lex, for a brief moment, was caught off guard and lost focus. Guessing that his surprised block had stunned their opponent, Biscuit tightened their grip on their sword. Then, in one swift motion, flung the sword forward like a catapult. With their sword still colliding, this action made by Biscuit knocked Lex’s sword out of his hands, flinging it into the air. ‘He disarmed him,’ Jake exclaimed, completely perplexed on how the scales of the battle had so quickly shifted. ‘Now I’ve got him,’ Biscuit thought, as they then spun around, swinging their claymore.
‘I’ll end it right now.’ But as quickly as Lex lost his focus, he just as quickly regained it. As Biscuit completely turned around, their sword didn’t touch a single hair on their opponent. All their sword touched was air because as Biscuit swung their sword around, Lex had dodged the attack by jumping. Biscuit watched their opponent hovering over their sword. Then Lex did something no one expected. He put both his legs down onto Biscuit’s swords then jumped again, eventually catching his flung sword. His weapon only being out of his hands for a few seconds. After reclaiming his lost weapon, Lex then spun down towards Biscuit.
It took the mysterious applicant a second to process what was happening. But when they did, it was already too late. Biscuit brought their sword upward to block Lex’s incoming attack, but it was no good. By the time Biscuit brought the sword up to block, Lex had already cut Biscuit’s left shoulder. Then landed behind them. Biscuit tried to swat at their opponent quickly to get a little strike in, but it was of no use. Because as Biscuit was swinging, Lex had already dodged the attack, putting a good bit of distance between them.
Lex stared his opponent down for a moment, then flicked his sword to get all the blood that was on his blade off of it. Then, for the first time, Lex spoke to his opponent. ‘Well then, Biscuit, it would seem that I have drawn first blood.’ Biscuit chuckled as they shrugged their shoulders. “Yeah, I guess you did.”