Juan stared at his hands. Am I really this strong? he wondered, a tinge of disbelief coloring his thoughts. Growing up, he'd always ended up in fights—at school, at home, alone—but he'd never imagined he could overpower two opponents like these... cavemen.

Yet, as Juan replayed the battle in his mind, he couldn't deny the sense of familiarity, the way his body had moved with a fluidity that felt almost natural. The sharp focus that had narrowed his world to the clash of weapons—it was as if he'd been training for this moment.

"I want more," Juan felt, a flicker of something primal stirring within him—a quiet, unspoken urge to reclaim control and test his limits.

Juan scanned the battlefield, his gaze sharp with caution and curiosity. Patches of ground sizzled with goo, scattered debris marking his struggles. His eyes flicked to Derek and Nathan, standing apart, their hushed voices laced with tension.

Suddenly, Nathan turned and disappeared into the dense foliage, leaving Derek alone. This isn't good.

Juan gaze settled on the underbrush, where the more irritating Nathan had disappeared. Are they planning to flank me?

"Come on out!" Derek's loud voice echoed through the forest. "I'll finish you off myself!"

Juan kept his guard up, knowing this fight was far from over. The situation was only growing more complicated. His eyes darted across the dense foliage, carefully scanning for any hint of Nathan's movement. A single misstep could cost him everything.

Do I need to retreat? he thought, his gaze fixed on Derek. A part of him wanted to turn and run, to escape the growing danger, but his feet refused to move. As he weighed his options, a guilt settled in—like he was betraying himself just for thinking about leaving.

Then Juan barely heard the muttered curse that followed. "Fucking coward Nathan..." Derek growled, then his hand reaching out through his Codex.

This was the scenario Juan hated most—the uncertainty, he didn’t have a clue how the book - Codex, worked.

Derek's voice boomed again: "I don't care if you're a Baiter or a fucking worm! Come out and fight!" While furiously flipped through the pages of his Codex.

“Baiter?” the word echoed in Juan's thoughts, confusion flickering across his face. He remained uncertain about what to do.

Suddenly, Derek let out a warcry, his hand going to the Codex. From its pages, he pulled a glowing brown orb, its surface pulsing faintly. In his other hand, a red orb suddenly appear and shimmered with a sinister light. Without hesitation, Derek swapped the two, the orbs throbbing with an unsettling energy as they shifted places.

Juan recognized the orbs—exactly the same ones Derek had swapped earlier.

Retreat... fight? Juan knew this was a critical moment. He slapped his cheek, trying to shake off the doubt.

Fight! Juan charged forward.

The thought flickered briefly in his mind—if it gets too dangerous, I can pull back. It didn't offer much reassurance, but it steadied his nerves as he closed the gap between himself and Derek. But this is already dangerous, a grim smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

The sound of rustling leaves in the distance only heightened his senses, reminding him that Nathan could reappear at any moment.

----------------------------------------

Juan charged forward, his body moving with a newfound confidence that contradicted his earlier doubts.

Derek, caught off guard by the sudden assault, braced himself, his muscles tensing as he prepared to meet Juan's attack.

Juan's strike met Derek's broken spear. Blood oozed from the edge of Derek's mouth, yet the spark in his eyes showed no signs of fading.

"This won't cut it," Juan readying himself to counter Derek's next move.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

Juan's muscles tensed as he braced himself for Derek's counterattack. But to his surprise, the larger man remained rooted in place, waving his broken spear in a chaotic manner.

What's he playing at? Juan narrowed his eyes, studying Derek's movements. The spear's reach still gave the larger man an advantage, forcing Juan to stay on his guard.

"Come on, then!" Derek's voice boomed, the challenge clear in his tone. "Show me what you've got, you little worm!"

Juan's jaw clenched at the taunt, but he refused to rise to the bait. Instead, he shifted his weight, circling Derek cautiously, looking for an opening. The older man's erratic swings left him vulnerable, but Juan knew better than to underestimate his opponent.

He's toying with me, Juan realized. Derek's refusal to launch a proper counterattack suggested he had something else planned. Juan's gaze darted to the Codex still clutched in Derek's free hand, now the red orb hovering nearby. "He is buying time" Juan concluded.

Juan pushed forward, his gaze laser-focused on Derek's exposed right side. That right eye injury. Feinting left, Juan then lunged right, his weapon arcing towards Derek's vulnerable flank. This is my chance!

Derek's left eye widened as Juan's strike closed in, but he was no fool. With a swift turn, he deflected the blow, his broken spear clashing against Juan's weapon.

Undeterred, Juan pressed his advantage, raining a flurry of strikes against Derek's defenses. The larger man's attack, while still powerful, had a noticeable hitch, his right eye clearly impacting his depth perception. I can use this.

Blood soaked the cloth around Derek's side where a deep gash had opened, and his breath came in ragged bursts, the effort of blocking each strike visibly weighing on him.

Juan’s own body ached, his arm throbbing from an earlier blow. He could feel the sting of several shallow cuts across his arms and neck.

"He's tiring", Juan thought. But as he prepared to land another blow, he noticed a faint glow in Derek's Codex. Instinctively, Juan knew he had to stepback.

Just as Juan leapt back, a wall of hot air exploded between them, the searing heat singeing his skin. Juan stumbled, his eyes watering from the intensity.

"Time's up, worm. Flameforged!" Derek's body seemed to becoming reddish, an intense heat radiating from him. Juan realized the danger he now faced. Without warning, Derek charged forward with his broken spear.

Juan gritted his teeth as Derek's strikes grew faster and harder, the heat radiating from him stifling and draining Juan’s strength with every blow.

Sensing an opening, Derek suddenly abandoned his spear, his fist snapping forward in a powerful punch. Juan barely had time to react, his body recoiling from the impact.

Juan staggered, his vision blurring from the impact of Derek's powerful punch.

As his eyes refocused, he noticed something that gave him a glimmer of hope - Derek's fist also received damaged, the skin reddened and blistered from his own punches.

Derek sneered "If I had my lovely orb from the start—you’d be a piece of cake,"

"If you hadn’t pointed it at me, you might still have both your eyes," Juan shot back, his voice steady but sharp.

Derek chuckled darkly. "Here I thought you were a mute!"

"And here I thought you hated excuses," Juan countered, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"I like you, boy!" Derek barked, almost amused.

"No, thanks," Juan replied coldly.

----------------------------------------

The tension hung thick in the air as the standoff continued.

The weight of the axe dragged at Juan’s arms, each second making it harder to grip. I can't keep up with this. Without warning, he hurled the axe at Derek, the sudden move catching him off guard. The weapon spun through the air, forcing Derek to stumble as his stance faltered.

Seizing the moment, Juan surged forward. Their fists collided with bone-jarring force. He felt the sting of split knuckles as he traded blow for blow with the enraged caveman, the fight devolving into raw fist fight.

Similarly, Derek's attacks were relentless, each punch carrying the weight of a sledgehammer. Juan felt his ribs ache with every impact, but he refused to back down. Gritting his teeth, he returned each strike with equal ferocity, his body moving on instinct. I can do this!, Juan growled inwardly, the thrill of the fight mingled.

An opening!

Juan lunged forward, slamming his forehead into Derek's, the impact sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Juan scrambled toward Derek's abandoned, broken spear. He gripped it tightly and drove it downward, aiming for Derek's chest.

Derek’s hands shot up, grasping the spear's shaft in a desperate attempt to hold it back. Their strength clashed, but Derek’s resistance was waning. The oppressive heat radiating from his body faded, his energy draining as Juan pushed the spear closer and closer to its target.

With a final surge of strength, Juan drove the shattered weapon into Derek’s chest. A pained gasp escaped Derek’s lips as he crumpled beneath the force. Juan staggered back, collapsing onto his knees, his chest heaving as he gulped down ragged breaths. Derek’s own breathing was harsh and uneven, a gurgling rasp that filled the air.

Juan dragged himself closer, his voice trembling with anger and desperation. “Tell me,” he demanded, “are you one of the men who put me here? Why?!”

Derek let out a weak, rasping chuckle, blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth. “You’re... the real deal... a 100% idiot,” he managed, his voice thick with mockery. “So it’s true... someone like you would... ha...”

Juan shook him, his voice rising. “So its you?!”

Derek’s chuckle deepened into a broken laugh, his body trembling with the effort. “Idiot... remember my name... Derek... don’t forget it...” His lips curled into a twisted grin. “And... welcome... to Paradise.”

With a sudden, violent motion, Derek gripped the spear embedded in his chest and yanked it deeper, blood pouring from the wound as his laughter faded into silence.