Dark Reincarnation: Nightshade

Chapter 24

Alice's POV

    Following the guild master through a door towards the back of the guild house we entered into a huge arena. It didn't really look like anything special, about the size of a football stadium. There was some training dummies in one corner and what appeared to be a small archers range in another. Other than that there was just an empty space with a couple racks of various weaponry here and there.

       "Alright, everyone clear out!" Alister said, grabbing the attention of the few adventurers training in the arena. "We're about to do a rank dual, you all know the drill. If you want to stay and watch them hit the sidelines."

    As everyone started to move to the sides I heard some of them whispering to each other.

     "Wait, the guild master is doing the dual....-"

               "This is gonna be nuts!.."

       "Is he fighting those girls, they don't stand a chance.."

    I simply smirked as I heard that last one. Boy, were they in for a hell of a surprise. I just wanted to end this quickly so we can get going so I don't plan on holding back too much.

        "Alright lil lady, your up first." Alister said once everyone else had reached the sidelines.

    I looked back at Lily and motioned for her to join the others. She didn't really look too happy about it but she did anyway. Once she was in the clear I turned back to the guild master and asked, "So, what are the rules?"

           "Well normally the rules would be as follows, no fatal injuries or magic and the first one either knocked out or rendered unable to continue loses the match. However, those are the rules for A rank duals and lower. When it comes to A rank or higher there is only one rule, no killing. Now then, Eileen, if you'd please."

      As soon as he said this I felt a huge surge of magical power behind me. Quickly turning to see what it was I saw Eileen stretch her arms out creating a dense barrier that soon covered the entire arena. Looking back at Alister I gave him a questioning look.

        "Don't worry," he laughed, "the barrier is just to keep everyone else safe in case things get a bit heated up. Now then, I'm a fair man, I'll give you one last chance to reconsider this."

      
                 "What? Scared to lose to a girl?" I retorted mockingly.

        "You've got spunk kid, I like it. As soon as this coin hits the ground the match starts. Hope you're ready."

   Before he had even finished speaking he had flung a coin straight up. As it started to fall he tensed up, getting ready to launch forward at me. Letting my enhanced senses take over everything seemed to slow down. By the time the coin hit the ground we were both already moving.

    Noticing that he was going right for a forward punch to my face I met his fist head on with my own. The resounding shockwave from the collision sent dirt and debris flying everywhere. Seeing that I met his punch head on he smiled even wider before sending a flurry of strikes at me. Using my enhanced state I blocked and parried every hit waiting for an opening.

   Just as he switched up and quickly spun around trying to deliver a sideways fist to my head I used that opportunity to duck down low and aim a spinning kick to his gut. Effectively sending him flying back a few yards. Sadly, that wasn't enough to take him out as he remained on his feet.

         "Impressive girl, show me what else you can do."

   In an instant his speed increased tenfold and before I knew it he was suddenly behind me. I barely had time to raise my arms to block his kick as it was my turn to go sliding back a few yards. He was definitely a lot faster then I had thought. In the blink of an eye he was back in front of me trying to knock me down. I increased my spread to keep up with his volley of punches as we traded blow for blow.

   Growing weary of this I used a mix of enhancement magic and wind magic to further increase my speed and power. After blocking a few hits I jumped straight up twisting in the air and as I was directly above him I used another form of wind magic to create a foothold in the air and launched down at him from above. As my first met it's mark I was surprised to see that he had managed to raise his arms and block it. Even though the hit had created a crater at least five feet wide beneath his feet from the sheer impact.

    To have blocked a hit that strong is crazy, this guy was a fucking tank. I quickly leaped back to try and gain some distance. I need to think of a different approach. But before I could get too far he turned and smirked at me.

        "Where do you think you're going lil lady?" He asked. But instead of launching at my like I had thought he would, he actually just launched himself straight up. As he came down with an immense force he clenched his hands together and brought them both down on the arena floor. Instantly the ground shifted and rose heading straight for me. The ground rushed me like a twenty foot tidal wave of pure stone.

     As the so called tidal wave got closer to me I simply laughed and with one fluid motion I brought my foot forward and stomped on the ground using the same earth magic to negate its effects. As the rock split in front of me and veered off to either side I saw a look of pure shock on the guild masters face. Growing bored of this I looked straight into his eyes.

         "You've had your fun but sorry to say...-" Using shadow magic I instantly sank into the ground appearing directly in front of him in the same instant. "-this is where it ends.." I gathered up a shit ton of mana into my fist and backed it up with wind magic to propel my arm fast and in one swift motion I drove my fist into his gut. The guild master was then flung back so hard not only did he clear the distance to the back wall of the arena but also hit the barrier so hard it shattered.

          Seeing that he wasn't getting up any time soon I dusted myself off and walked back towards Eileen and Lily.

     "So.. that means I win right?"