“Let’s decide who is strong and who is weak between us.”

Feeling the pressure on him, Krul smiled.

“Let’s.”

This time, Krul took the initiative. He kicked off the ground and cut the distance. He threw a punch. Miko evaded with a sidestep. Krul swung his elbow at him. Miko bent his back swinging his leg. The elbow missed and Miko kicked him in the chin. Krul held his ground. He dodged a kick from Miko. He thrust his palm at Miko’s chest. Miko countered with a palm strike of his own. A shockwave forced them apart. They rushed at each other again. Miko flew over him and landed behind Krul. He spun around with a kick. Krul countered with a palm strike. Miko stumbled. Krul swept Miko off his pivot foot. Miko landed on his hands. Krul ran up and slammed his leg in his midsection. Miko’s body bounced off the ground. Krul chased after him. Miko sprung to his feet and crossed his arms in front of him. He blocked a kick from Krul. He stepped in and punched Krul in the face. Krul hit him with an uppercut. Miko replied with a kick to his side. Krul grabbed his leg and lifted him overhead. Miko pounded his head with quick jabs. Krul ignored them and slammed Miko into the ground. Cracks ran through the earth and lava splashed.

Krul lifted Miko again. Miko swung back and flung himself back up. He used the momentum to headbutt Krul. The collision of heads caused a boom. Krul released Miko’s leg. Miko slammed his palm in Krul’s chest. He was blown back. Krul’s feet skid on the ground. He placed his hand over the handprint on his chest.

“You’re really amazing, Miko. You went toe to toe with me despite not being in your best condition.”

“Cut the crap. All the damages you received have already healed.”

Krul took his hand off his chest. The handprint was gone.

“You got me there.”

Miko smiled.

“Don’t worry. I’m gonna hit you with some that will leave a permanent mark.”

“Hm? What do you—?”

Krul was interrupted by the sight of the images of five dragons appearing behind Miko The dragons all had a different color: Azure, Purple, Crimson, Green, and Black.

“Quinta-Dragon Martial Arts.”

The five dragons looked their eyes on Krul. His body froze up.

“Azure Dragon Style…”

All the dragons except for the azure dragon disappeared. It grew five times bigger. An azure glow covered Miko’s body as he walked forward.

“Let’s see how you fare against this.”

Miko accelerated with a sonic boom and quickly cut the distance between him and Krul.

“Flood Step!”

*BOOM!*

Krul was shocked by his speed. Miko started rained down lightning-fast attacks on him. Punches, kicks, palms strikes, knees strikes, etc. Krul tried to counter with attacks of his own. However, Miko’s attacks were too much for him to handle. His hands bent unnaturally when it came in contact with Miko’s. Krul’s body danced as it was forced off the ground. He was flung around while being bombarded. To those in the stands, it was as if Krul was swallowed by a flood. Krul crashed into the side of a volcano. He slid to the ground when the flood receded.

“Cough! Cough!”

He desperately tried to catch his breath. Bruises covered his entire body.

“W-What the hell was that?”

He struggled to his feet.

“So, did that do any damage?”

Krul glared at the approaching Miko.

“Just so you know, I could’ve continued. I only stopped to see that look on your face.”

“…You sure know how to provoke a person.”

“So what are you going to do now that you’re angry, Strongest?”

“This.”

Golden aura covered Krul’s body as he took a fighting stance. Star marks appeared on the back of his hand and his feet. A star-shaped crest opened up underneath him.

“Stellar Tactics!”

“Oh? This looks interesting.”

“Tactic #14:…”

A star appeared next to Miko. He turned his head a fist was inches away from him.

(He teleported??!)

Miko was hit in the face. His feet lifted off the ground as he was blasted away.

“Stellar Walk.”

Miko twisted his body to land safely. Another star appeared at his side before he could. Krul appeared and kicked him in the face.

(He can teleport in the air too?)

Miko hit the ground and bounce off it. He sprung to his feet and stars surrounded him. Krul attacked from his side. Miko twisted his body to avoid it. He immediately attacked from behind.

(He moved from one star to another?)

Miko smiled.

“Flow Step.”

Miko avoided his punch with swift and smooth steps and stopped behind Krul. Krul disappeared and attacked from another direction. Miko evaded with minimum movements. Krul continued to move from star to star and attacked from every direction. Yet, he couldn’t touch Miko.

“Stellar Tactics #29:…”

The stars around Miko shattered. The shattered stars flew at Miko like bullets. He tried to evade them but it was unavoidable. His body danced as it was pierced.

“Stardust.”

Krul reappeared several hundred meters away.

“Stardust, huh?”

Krul’s eyes widened. Miko stood there without a scratch on him.

“You dodged it?”

Miko smirked.

“No, I blocked it.”

He lowered his center of gravity, drew his arm back, and took a deep breath. The azure aura around then gathered at his palm and swirled like a vortex.

“Let’s see if you can block this.”

A chill ran up Krul’s spine.

“Fuc—”

“River Delta!”

Miko thrust his hand forward. Krul suddenly felt like a river was rushing towards him to swallow him whole. A vast amount of azure aura crashed into him and forced him away. The whole scene looked like a dam had burst and flooded the area. When it was over, there was nothing in Miko’s way; the only thing that was left were strange markings on the ground that looked like sediments carried by a river.

“……….”

He silently looked around.

“?!”

Star-shaped shackles appeared on his wrist and ankles.

“Stellar Tactics #03:…”

Krul appeared bleeding and breathing heavily.

“Celestial Bind.”

The azure aura around Miko disappeared.

“Huh?”

He looked at his hands confusingly.

“Azure Dragon Style was forcibly deactivated?”

“I sealed it.”

Krul’s breathing steadied but the injuries remained.

“That technique of yours was becoming a nuisance.”

(So he used something similar to Ishma’s Crow of Restriction? Which means he sealed the power source of the Azure Dragon. But that’s only one of the power sources inside me.)

Krul’s body flickered. He popped up in front of Miko and slammed his leg in his stomach.

“Ugh?!”

He followed with a punch to the ribs. He lifted him off the ground with an uppercut. He slammed both palms on Miko’s chest.

“Stellar Tactics #09:…”

A giant star appeared behind Miko.

“Starburst!”

A crater opened up underneath Miko. A large star-shaped bruised appeared on his chest. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell towards the ground.

“With your power sealed, you’re no threa—?!”

Krul’s words were cut off by the appearance of a purple dragon behind Miko.

“Purple Dragon Style…”

Electric aura engulfed him. He grabbed Krul’s hand.

“Stunner!”

Purple static flowed into Krul. His body stiffened up. Even his heart stopped beating.

(I can’t move!)

“You…”

Miko clenched his fists.

“Son of a bitch!”

He slammed his fist in Krul’s face. The punch forced his upper body into the ground and burst it open. His body bounced off the earth multiple times. Krul sprung to his feet with a bloody face.

“Did I seal—”

“Strike Fist!”

A purple flash and a sharp pain interrupted him. He looked down a saw a burn mark on his chest.

“What—Cough?!”

He vomited blood the moment he took a step.

(What’s going on? Did he undo the seal?)

“Stellar Tactics—”

A purple light flashed. Miko appeared in front of Krul.

“?!”

“What? Couldn’t track my movements?”

Miko locked eyes with him. Miko’s eyes were darker than normal.

“You said that my technique was a nuisance. Well, yours is beginning to piss me off.”

“….You didn’t attack just to tell me that?”

“No, I didn’t attack because I’m here to give you a warning.”

He brought his face closer to Krul’s as if to show off his demonic eyes.

“I’m barely holding myself back from killing you. So you better step your game up.”

“…Huh?”

Krul looked at Miko dumbfoundedly for a bit. The veins in his head bulged. His pupils trembled.

“HUH?!”

“Shit!”

Sophia held onto the railing in front of her.

“Calm down, Krul! You need to stay calm!”

Krul took a step closer to Miko.

“Repeat that.”

Miko’s eyes flashed between black and azure.

“Step your game up or die like a bitch.”

“Oh no…Miko’s symptoms are acting up.”

Momo mumbled.

“I see.”

The two punched each other at the same time. Shockwaves spread around them. They clenched their other fists and punched each other again. Neither showed any intention of blocking. They glared at each other as their fists pressed against their faces. Seeing this, Alec smiled.

“This fight is going to get even more intense.”

Miko and Krul kicked each other away. Purple static gathered at Miko’s feet.

“Flash Step!”

He turned into a lightning bolt. Krul jumped over him.

“Stellar Tactics #11:..!”

He thrust his hand down.

“Celestial Palm!”

An overwhelming force hit the ground and left a giant handprint in the earth. Miko was flattened in the center.

Krul landed and rushed at him as he got up.

“Stellar Tactics…!”

“Strike Fist!”

Krul was blown back with purple static piercing through him. His feet skid on the ground. Miko appeared out of a purple flash.

“Stunner!”

He thrust his palm at his chest.

“Stellar Tactics #19:..!”

A wall of golden light blocked Miko’s palms. Purple static danced a crossed it.

“Celestial Cover!”

Krul stepped forward and slammed his fist in Miko’s face. Miko stumbled back. Miko ducked under a kick and countered with a palm to the chin. Krul kicked the side of his head as he stumbled back. Miko straightened his fingers and pulled his arm back. He thrust his arm forward so fast it left afterimages.

“Strike Spear!”

A lightning bolt pierced through Krul, torching his insides. He stumbled back with a huge burn on his stomach. He pointed his fingers like a gun. A golden light pierced through Miko.

“Tactic #08: Shotgun!”

Miko’s knees buckled. He gritted his teeth.

(Can my body handle another Electric Doping?)

Both he and Krul were seriously wounded and breathing heavily. The difference was that Krul was healing. However, it was far slower than earlier.

“If this continues, both will suffer even more serious injuries.”

Alec leaned over on the railing. He lifted his hand to stop Momo and the triplets from speaking.

“As I said earlier, I can’t stop the competition nor can anyone enter the field. So there’s no stopping. However, I understand your concerns. Both Miko and Krul are like walking time bombs because of their unstable minds. If the fight continues and they snap, it’ll be a battle to the death. Those two know this, yet they aren’t backing down nor can anyone stop them.”

He became quiet for a bit.

“The best outcome would be for one of them to win while they’re mentally stable. This is what everyone wants.”

He smirked.

“But if either of them loses control, it’s game over. With that being said…”

He rested his head in his hand.

“I wonder who’s gonna snap first?”