I fired my punch aiming at his jaw. He chuckled slightly as I did so, his confidence palpable in the curve of his lips. Suddenly, my punch stopped dead in its tracks, a perplexing sensation seizing my arm mid-swing. This wasn't just a display of physical strength; it felt as though my fist had collided with an imperceptible barrier, halting its momentum with an eerie force. Panic surged through me as I attempted to wrench my hand free, muscles straining against the invisible restraint, yet my efforts were futile, trapped in an inexplicable hold.
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Cheating detected. Checking..
Ignorance of rules. Slight punishment given.
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He explained, "It wasn't your turn. Don't try and cheat," his voice carrying a tone of warning, tinged with a hint of amusement. What? As he spoke, he swiped his arm through the air, the flesh dissolving like mist, leaving behind only the stark outline of his skeletal structure. All that stood before me were his bones, a chilling sight. His bones contorted and shifted, bending in unnatural ways. He can manipulate his bones? My arm remained suspended in the air, a vulnerable target in the wake of his unsettling display. He exclaimed, "How about I destroy your arm now?" I have to defend myself. I flexed my arm, bracing for the impending impact. With alarming speed, he unleashed a right hook, his bone striking my arm from the side with precision. The sickening crunch of bone meeting bone reverberated, his skeletal structure proving stronger than my own. Pain seared through my arm as blood began to flow, a crimson tide staining the ground beneath me. This will not... kill me! With a fierce determination burning, I glanced at my injured limb for a split second, then unleashed a primal yell, channeling all of my remaining strength into the coming struggle.
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Soul: 420 (-190)
Skills:
Lvl. 3 Dragon's Roar - Channel your inner spirit, unleashing a deafening roar that instills fear in your enemies, momentarily paralyzing them and lowering their defenses. 190 soul to use, one hour cooldown. (Activated) The one hour cooldown has commenced.
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My roar echoed through the space, a primal declaration of a dragon's might, despite the raggedness of my breath after the harrowing ordeal. With a steely gaze, I directed my attention downward, only to observe him stepping back. He knows something is up. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, his body betraying the strain of our confrontation as it tensed, freezing in place under the weight of my fierce resolve. I spoke, my voice resonating with him, "Now you can't move. You cannot defend, and you're weakened. It's time I end this." With deliberate precision, I curled the fingers of my right hand into a formidable fist, a promise of impending retribution. Bringing my injured arm to the forefront, I began to rub the two hands together, a ritualistic gesture. I don't like using this much soul so fast, but this should end it.
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Soul: 320 (-100)
Skills:
Lvl. 3 Blazing Fists - Ignite your fists with intense heat by rubbing them together, causing your strikes to burn upon impact, dealing additional damage to your opponents. 100 soul to use, one hour cooldown. (Activated) The one hour cooldown has commenced.
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My fists began to emit wisps of steam, a telltale sign that the culmination of my skill was underway. Without hesitation, I took a step backward, creating a slight but crucial distance between us. Gathering every ounce of strength within me, I propelled myself forward with relentless determination, my arm held firmly by my side. I addressed him, my voice powerful, "Only one attack, right?" His posture had shifted, forced into an awkward lean as he struggled against the invisible constraints binding him. With a strained breath, he replied, "Yeah, give it your bes-"
The force of my movement culminated in a devastating punch aimed directly at his sternum, the full weight of my body behind the blow. He recoiled violently, propelled backward as he was struck by a tempest of unrestrained power. Steam billowed from his form, a sort of soft flame visible. Despite the lukewarm sensation lingering in my hands, it was evident that the same could not be said for him. However, amidst the chaos of the moment, one detail stood out to me with chilling clarity. At the last second, just before he was thrown backward, I caught a glimpse of bone protruding from his stomach. What was that? As he crashed to the ground several hundred feet away, the concrete beneath him shattering upon impact, a sense of relief washed over me. He left an immense trail in his wake. Glad that's over.
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Challenge completed. Movements unrestrained.
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I propelled myself upwards, soaring a hundred feet into the sky, refusing to grant him even a millisecond of respite. I was not about to offer him the opportunity to retaliate. Descending with unyielding force, I delivered a crushing stomp directly to his already battered sternum, the impact damaging my foot. Surely, this would be the end of it. His eyes remained closed, his body still, an eerie stillness that hinted at the finality of the bout. But then, to my astonishment, he opened his eyes and grinned devilishly, taunting me with a smirk. "See the bone yet, idiot?" he jeered, his voice dripping with mockery. My gaze fell upon his chest, where a formidable chest plate of bone now shielded his vulnerable sternum, unyielding and intact. I hadn't even made contact!
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Refusing to succumb to despair, I swiftly shifted my focus, seizing his ankle with a vise-like grip as I hoisted him high into the air. "What about this?!" I demanded. Veins pulsating, I threw him with all my body weight yet again. In a blink, the bone that had protected his chest now started to materialized around his head, a crude and incomplete defense. He's vulnerable! This was my chance! With a primal roar, I drove him face-first into the ground below with all the force I could muster, the earth trembling beneath the sheer power of the impact. Surely, this would rattle his brain. Yet, to my dismay, he merely supported his body with the bone cage now encasing his head. "Not good enough." he retorted.
His back kick struck my stomach, a wave of pain coursed through my body, forcing me to double over in instinctive recoil. Before I could fully recover, he executed a swift flip mid-air, his toes aimed menacingly for my head as he descended with predatory instincts. In the midst of his acrobatics, I seized his incoming kick with enhanced reflexes, my words dripping with a confidence born of necessity, "In this transformation, I'm so much faster than you." Decisively, I countered with a powerful front kick aimed squarely at his chin, the force and gust of my blow driving through the concrete. However, the bone remained resolute, absorbing the impact without faltering. Frustration gnawed at the edges of my resolve. Alright, what about this?!
With calculated agility, I slid beneath him, positioning myself directly beneath his bone-ridden form. I unleashed a relentless barrage of punches aimed at his vulnerable face, each strike fueled by a potent mixture of desperation and resolve. As my fists connected with bone, a satisfying crack reverberated through the air, a small victory. I can't stop here! With a surge of willpower, I activated Speed Booster, amplifying my movements to unprecedented levels.
The intensity of the white lightning surrounding me surged, crackling with more power. I felt its electrifying energy pulsating through my arms, infusing every movement with heightened speed. I seized the moment, tearing open his mask with a swift motion and twisting my hips downward, a calculated maneuver that positioned me for the impending strike. Rebounding, I unleashed an uppercut that struck true, the force of my blow causing him to spit out blood as he was propelled upward into the vast expanse of the sky. I pursued him, soaring through the air with the agility of a seasoned martial artist. As we reached the apex of our ascent, I spun gracefully, channeling the kinetic energy into a devastating tornado kick aimed squarely at his neck. His bone manipulation conjured a single bone in a desperate attempt at defense, but it proved futile against the sheer force of my assault, shattering under the relentless pressure.
With a resounding crash, he plummeted back towards the earth, his descent halted only by the jagged protrusions of bone that sprouted from his hand, anchoring him to the unforgiving ground below. As his legs made contact with the earth once more, I descended gracefully, landing with practiced precision amidst the chaos of battle. Turning to face him, I observed the aftermath of the fierce exchange etched across his bruised and bloodied visage. Yet, despite his injuries, he remained defiant, his voice ringing out, "I'm still alive!"
I met his defiant gaze with a steely resolve of my own, reassuring him with a pointed remark, "But worse for wear." With a grunt of acknowledgment, he drew ragged breaths, the toll of our battle evident in every labored exhale. What's my health looking like?
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Health: 16000 (-4000)
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Not bad. Looking back to him, he stood back upright, his breaths labored, and his muscles tense beneath the torn fabric of his clothing, now marred with streaks of crimson. Despite the blood staining his attire, there was a grim determination in his eyes, indicating that he wasn't succumbing to those wounds anytime soon. He angled his arm out, and as my gaze followed, a sight both gruesome and surreal greeted me. The skin was pierced from the inside, revealing a jagged protrusion that defied any logical explanation—it was a bone sword, fashioned from his own flesh. A weapon born from the very essence of his being. He tapped his chest twice, the sound echoing hollowly in the tense silence that hung between us. Bone adorned his chest once more, extending to cover large swathes of his body until it seemed as if he were encased in a macabre armor of his own creation. There were very few open spots left, leaving him resembling more of a living skeleton than a man.
But could he produce an infinite amount of bone? The thought raced through my mind, dispelling any illusion of safety in his limited arsenal. If he could, he would have pierced me from across the open area by now. There had to be a limit. My transformation dissipated suddenly, the rush of speed fading as quickly as it had come. That was the moment, the crucial instant when I knew I had to act decisively. I activated Acceleration the moment I laid eyes on War. I need to see my current stats.
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Strength: 2686 (+200)
Speed: 3200 (+200)
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The longer this fight goes on, the more I'll have the advantage. I opened my palm to him, feeling the crackle of energy gathering within me as I focused my will. With a sharp intake of breath, I crushed the air, exerting my power over the very atmosphere around us. A gust of wind erupted from my palm, whipping out in all directions, carrying with it the force of my justice. Is it bad that I feel excited? I told him, "Let's continue, shall we?"