TBATE: Brothers Forever (Beta Version)

Chapter 6: Brothers Forever

Arthur Leywin

Let's see how much my training with Grandpa Virion had paid off.

My body, already strengthened through assimilation, responded to mana much more acutely than it had before. Before my brother had the time to prepare, my fist was already in range of his body.

Even my hearing was more sensitive now as I could hear Vincent mutter faintly, "What in the..." along with several gasps by the others.

Jay responded immediately as I could sense mana spreading throughout his body.

Feigning a punch, I twist my torso and go for a high kick, but was promptly blocked by my brother's left arm.

His arm flung back from the blow, opening his guard. However, before I was able to make use of that opening, he used the momentum to leap at me.

I had the idea for a counter but it seems I reacted a bit too slowly. After all, I never expected Jayden to be this fast.

I took his punch with my left forearm and right palm to soften the blow, and also to create enough space for me to slip inside.

My body wasn't big enough for me to shoulder-toss him so instead, I grabbed his right arm and kicked the back side of his right knee.

Losing balance, he fell forward as I used my mana-imbued body to throw him. Unfortunately, he regained balance too quickly and I had no choice but to put some distance between us before he got a hold of me.

Jay then proceeded to put on a more serious face. It was apparent to both of us that we had both been holding back.

He let out a loud screech, putting me in a daze for a few seconds. 

Sound magic?! Seriously?! Of all the deviants he had to obtain, it had to be the one I was the most weak to?

Those few seconds were what he needed to launch a punch at my face.

Snapping out of my daze, I smirked at him.

"Impressive, but now it's my turn."

Crackling sounds popped in the air around me as my hair stood on its end by the electric current coursing through me. There were currents of yellow lightning enveloping me as I prepared to attack.

I dashed towards him, leaving a trail of charred grass and earth behind me. I blinked behind him, concentrating lightning into my fist as I go in for a hook. 

He tried not to act surprised, but his face betrayed him.

A frightening explosion occurred as my fist collided with his. While my brother had managed to block my attack the recoil pushed him into a nearby tree.

Getting back to his feet, he summoned a cyclone in his left hand and threw it at me. I countered with my fire magic, dispersing the spell. As soon as the spell dispersed, he used his wind magic to get me in range of his punch. 

Jayden let out a flurry of precise jabs as my assimilated body, coupled with the nerve enhancing effect of the lightning coursing through me, was able to dodge each one with some wasted movement. Lightning and wind intertwined as I parried and dodged his fists, each of his jabs growing faster and sharper; he truly was a monster.

As I parried each of his fists, I fired small bursts of lightning, slowly whittling down the feelings in his arms. Jayden noticed what I was trying to do and he immediately used his wind to put some distance between me and him. 

He let out another screech, but this time, it knocked me down to the floor. Seeing this, Jayden dashed towards me but started coughing as the screech probably hurt his vocal cords.