Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 107: Ingredient x Card - Alex VS Tonpa

Menchi announces the result of her first draw: "Examinee No. 777, Alex Kerber, versus Examinee No. 16, Tonpa."

Tonpa stares at Alex with an unhappy expression as he approaches the cage and immediately begins to plead, "I'll give up as soon as the fight starts... don't attack me, please!"

Alex returns his look with pure disgust. "Your tricks don't work on me, you scumbag. You'd better pray I don't lose control and cripple you."

The threat strips away Tonpa's mask of weakness for a moment, revealing a sneer. "Well, let's see if you can actually do that without your pistol, sword, and shield!"

Both Alex and Tonpa hand their equipment to one of the exam helpers stationed outside the cage.

Though confident, Alex feels a slight edge of nervousness. He's not totally wrong. I'm not great at unarmed combat if I can't use conjurations or spells. The only advantage I have here is my stats and basic skills. Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 3, Basic Footwork lvl 3, and Basic Endurance lvl 3 will have to carry me through.

As Alex steps into the cage, he feels a faint, compelling voice in his head accompanied by a burning sensation on the tattoo on his left wrist. "Human. You know how to fight with clawssss. Your fingerssss are your clawssss. The ssssame way you ussse me when you conjure me, you can ussse your own handsss! You know the sssstances, you know the form—all that'ssss left issss to claw! CLAW UNTIL YOU KILL."

Alex looks down at his fingers, still encased in the [Gauntlets of Pluto] and thinks, Mustrano, you're right. Even though my hands aren't the ideal tool for the claw techniques in that skill book you swallowed, I can still use the forms and get a boost. I know the stances, the movements. Tons of martial artists use techniques like this. Why didn't I think of it before? And with the gauntlets protecting my fingers, my strikes will hurt him even more. A small grin forms. He won't see this coming.

Loosening his fingers, he mentally prepares, treating his hands as if he were wielding Mustrano himself. He takes a low combat stance, clawed fingers poised in front of him, angled aggressively like a pair of deadly weapons.

The referee's voice cuts through the air, "Take your positions at opposite sides of the cage. Prepare to fight for one minute! On my command... 3... 2... 1... FIGHT!"

Alex doesn't charge recklessly but approaches Tonpa with swift, measured steps, maintaining control.

Tonpa, true to form, immediately drops to his knees, throwing himself on the ground. "I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

Alex, having glimpsed Tonpa's cruelty just moments before, doesn't buy his act for a second. He notices Tonpa subtly grabbing a handful of dirt from the floor, and in a flash, Tonpa hurls it at him. Anticipating the move, Alex raises his left arm to shield his face, blocking the dirt just in time. He jumps back, watching as a surprised Tonpa punches the air, not expecting Alex to dodge so quickly.

Seizing the opportunity, Alex springs forward, forming his right hand into a claw and driving it straight into Tonpa's stomach.

You have dealt 19 damage to Tonpa

Despite feeling a slight sting in his hand, Alex can sense Tonpa's agony as his hand sinks into Tonpa's abdomen. Grinning, he thinks, This isn't over yet. With his left hand, he claws at Tonpa's face, ripping into his skin. Though his knuckles are blunt, the impact still leaves deep, bleeding cuts across Tonpa's face. Alex feels an almost supernatural power coursing through his left hand, as if he's channeling Mustrano's Malice Mauler lvl 3.