CHAPTER 77: ZEN VS BAO

They ran through the dark to one of the well-lit training grounds. The closer they got, Zen could see tow figures, one skinny and suspended in mid-air, Deng Ai. The other was plumper and held the other figure by the neck above the ground, Xaun Bao.

Zen mustered all of his courage and breath, “Xaun Bao!” He was now close enough to see the smirk on Xaun Bao’s face.

“Well well,” Xaun Bao said as he drew Deng AI’s body back, “the coward has come!” As if to emphasis the last word, he threw Deng Ai.

“Deng Ai!” Li Ao shouted as they both sped up.

Li Ao gained more ground and reached Deng Ai’s body first, catching it before it hit the ground. Zen came to a stop, sliding in front of the two. He looked back at Deng Ai’s battered and bruised body. Then it hit him… Waves of killing intent. His head snapped forward towards the source, an angry Xaun Bao.

“Xaun Bao, stop this.” Zen said in a shaky voice. “If you continue to act this way, the school may…”

“Ha! There is nothing more they can do to me!” he spat. “They have expelled me and its your fault, you dirty bribeblood!”

“You… You can’t seriously blame me.” Zen said as the killing intent intensified. He now knew why Li Ao suspected that he would kill Deng Ai.

“I do!” Bao shouted. “And I am going to get my revenge on you, you traitor!”

Bao charged for him, his fist rippling with energy. Zen was seemingly rooted in place by the killing intent. Only at the last moment did his instincts kick in and he dove to the side. Bao’s large fist passed a few inches from his face, sending his teeth clattering and his skull quivering. He rolled on the floor, awkwardly, noticing the throbbing pain in his head.

He was confused, he had not been hit but it almost felt like he had. Bao came again for him but he was able to leap back out of the range of his swinging fist. Zen took a breath of relief. It seemed he was at least faster than Bao. The other boy tried to hit him again and this time, he dodged easily and countered with a kick to his exposed side.

Bao grasped his side in disbelief while Zen took a fighting stance, his confidence steadily growing. Bao was stronger and sturdier than him but at least he had the advantage of agility.

“You crooked nosed bastard!” Bao said as he attacked again. “Stand still and take your beating!”

Zen dodged again, making sure to stay in range. The vibrations from Bao’s fist once again made his bones rattle uncomfortably. He knew then that he had to avoid whatever ki technique the chubby boy was using. Zen came closer, about to deliver a punch to his face but was stopped in his tracks when the punch he had dodged came back for him as a swinging hammer fist. Zen crossed his arms before him and blocked the punch. Violent vibrations travelled along his arms and bypassed to his chest. The pain took him off his feet and sent him flying back and sliding along the ground.

Bao laughed as he strolled closer to Zen. “I am going to beat you int a pulp, boy!”

Zen tried to use his arms to get to a sitting position. He succeeded in getting halfway before falling back onto his back. He rolle to his stomach and used his hands and legs to get on his feet.

“So you can still use those arms of yours?” Bao said as he got closer to Zen. “Well, I should fic that, shouldn’t I.” he said as his fists were once again surrounded by vibrating energy.

Zen’s hand touched his lips to see it stained by blood. So I can’t block that move and I can’t definitely get hit by it too. If I dodge it too closely, it also carries some damage. Zen felt his fear returning at analysing Bao’s fearsome ki technique.

Zen dodged Bao’s next punch, positioning himself on his open side.

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“Blits Punch!” Zen shouted as his fists began moving so fast that it seemed that had multiplied for a second. He was surprised when Bao did not move back after taking all of his 80 punches in one second. Bao angrily tried to claw at him but Zen retreated away, delivering a kick to his face in the process.

He looked at Bao in disbelief. The boy was still on his feet after his attacks. Xaun Bao is as close to my rival Chen Jian in strength. If I can’t even move him with my best moves, what chance do I have against that bastard? Zen shook his head, making his headache worse. No! I lack a sing powerful attack but what I can’t do in one attack I can do in many and I have the perfect move for that.

Zen clenched his fists and sped forward. Bao tried to punch him but he flipped over him, a little too close to Bao’s move, making his head throb even more. He landed behind him.

“Blits Punch!” a volley of punches throttled into Bao’s big back.

Bao screamed as he spun with a hammer fist but Zen had already dodged it. Bao chased but Zen used his superior speed to dodge his punches and counter with a kick and a punch to his exposed areas. This carried on for a while before Zen had an opening worthy of his Blits Punch.

“Blits Punch!” His fist throttled away.

“Vibrational Power Punch!” Bao surprised Zen by throwing his attack during Zen’s own. As the last of Zen’s fist found Bao’s face, Bao’s meaty fist found his chest.

Zen felt as if his organs were being stirred into a soup by the vibrations running through his body. Blood splattered out of his nose and mouth as he was hurled back onto the ground where he coughed out more blood upon landing. Zen’s vision blurred. There was a high pitched sound in his ear accompanying Bao’s laughter. He looked up to see Li Ao and Deng Ai looking at him in worry. Why were they still here?

He clenched his teeth and rolled on his stomach before he struggled to his feet. Bao stopped, his eyes widening as Zen made it to his feet. “Tha-That’s impossible! You shouldn’t be able to get up!”

Zen’s lips curled up, revealing his blood stained teeth. “I should avoid getting hit by that again.”

“Shut up. Shut up! Shut up!” Bao charged forward. “Shut up and die!”

Zen dodged the punch. He noticed that Bao did not use his Vibrational Power Punch as much. This gave Zen more confidence to launch more counters. “Blits Punch!” Zen delivered another volley of punches into Bao, making him stumble back.

Zen dodged Bao’s retaliatory punch and countered with a kick. Zen noted that his attacks were having more effects on him. I understand now, Zen thought as he dodged Bao’s attacks and retaliated, his Vibrational Punch Technique costs him a lot of ki, leaving less for him to use for hardening, which is why my attacks are hurting him a little more.

Zen sidestepped Bao’s vibrational punch. He countered with a kick to Bao’s knee, sending him collapsing down. Zen was about to finish him off with a kick when Bao blocked it. When the vibrational energies passed through his leg, he knew that Bao had blocked with the arm that was covered with the Vibrational Power! He was sent falling away from Bao and landed on his hands and knees. Zen looked up in time to see Bao thrust his vibrating fist into his chest.

Zen was sent hurtling away, a stream of blood trailing from his mouth and nose. He landed on the ground and rolled along the ground before stopping on his front, a small pool of blood gathering around his face.

Bao swaggered closer to him, “Finally caught you, you crooked nosed bastard.”

Zen began to stir and then his face started to rise, strands of blood clinging to his face and steam rising from his bloody mouth to mingle with the cold air as he got up to look at Ba.

“No,” Xaun Bao said. “Impossible!”

Zen once again forced himself to his feet, with every exertion causing him to cough out a unhealthy amount of blood. He did not know how but he had made it back onto shaky legs and weakly put his trembling fists up in defiance. He now knew one thing, this was his last stand, his last act, his last breath.

He helplessly watched as Bao strolled closer to him, shaking his head. “You think you’re big stuff uh? Well, all your defiance won’t change a thing. Although it is impressive that you’ve taken two direct hits of my Vibrational Power Punch, it still did not change the result. I’m still going to beat you to a bloody pulp and everyone will know what kind of pathetic scum you are.” Bao lifted his arm and clenched his fist.

“Don’t you dare touch my cousin!” A figure dropped from seemingly nowhere and kicked Bao’s hand away before kicking the big boy in the face, sending him stumbling back.

Zen looked at the figure before him. She turned and gave him a worried smile. “Jao… Fuu…” was all Zen could say before his feet gave out from under him, sending him falling forward. He was suddenly caught and guided to his knees. “Jao Cong?”

“Sorry to have run out on you earlier.” Jao Cong said as he helped him keep his balance. “When I heard about Xaun Bao, I thought it be best to call one of the few people who can handle him and who’ve wanted a piece, my sister.”

Deng Ai smiled in Li Ao’s face, “Wow,” he weakly said, “who is that fairy?”

“Deng Ai, your timing for admiring girls is way off!” Li Ao grumbled.

“Relax, Wang Zen.” Jao Fuu said as she looked away from him to Bao, “I’ll handle this.”