- Heaven's Last Breath -

Brain vs Brawn

- Hurakan -

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"So? Are going to get to it then Hurakan?"

I looked over to the man before me. He was still sitting down in his comfortable chair and despite what he was saying, he showed no intention of moving.

"Elemental versus Conceptual. I wonder who will prevail here. After all, aren't we the strongest of our types?" Ek Chuah pondered over his words, as if he had just broken through with a new philosophy.

My usual upbeat smile had been wiped away the moment I laid eyes on the man before me. He was the reason Chaac and I had to go our separate ways and there was no other way about it.

I felt my blood boiling as I trained my eyes on the man in front of me. His apathetic face showed that he had no idea what I was thinking, or he simply didn't care.

"You and this entire library. I'm going to burn it to cinders."

"Ah well, I can't have you doing that. This is my life's work after all. Besides, do you really think you can win?"

"It doesn't matter if I win. For you to die here, that is a victory, even at the cost of my own life."

He didn't seem fazed by what I was saying but we both knew the truth. The moment I got my hands on him, this fight was over. I already knew his fighting style and he knew mine. Just the graze of a finger would be enough to end this.

I made the first move, raising my arm as I fired a blast of scorching hot flames at my opponent. Ek Chuah made no attempt to move from his seat, only reaching for his spear as he deflected my attack.

"You're not going to move?"

"I'm quite enjoying this book and this comfortable seat, really."

I spat out at my opponent's overconfidence. His arrogance was nothing new to me but seeing it again, in this light, stirred a feeling of unrest within me.

Without giving my opponent any more time to breathe, I propelled myself forward with the use of my flames, cloaking my fists in burning white fire. My opponent made no attempt to move out of the way as I threw my fist forward with full intent to kill.

I looked closer, seeing that Ek Chuah had blocked my attack with the flat side of his sentinel spear blade. He let out a short sigh, snapping the book in his other hand shut.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you Hurakan?"

I gritted my teeth, swinging forward with my other hand. With unexpected speed, my opponent blocked my attack once again with the flat edge of his spear.

"You should get serious or I'll kill you right here."

Ek Chuah let out a slight laugh, mocking my determination, "And you really think you can do that? Your confidence is admirable but I am the worst opponent for a meathead like you."

I didn't respond to his provocation, knowing that was what he wanted. But it was the truth. I wasn't exactly known for my great strategies or for thinking a lot of things through and that made Ek Chuah the last man I wanted to fight.

Yet there was something within me that couldn't accept what I was hearing. Every time I looked up to my opponent, all I could see was Chaac's distraught face. It was an image I couldn't get rid of but the pain would be eased if I could just tear Ek Chuah's cocky head from his lifeless body.