Both stood still, approaching each other cautiously, their feet being dragged against the dirty floor, backhanding each other's hand, mere inches away from one another. Arthur looked to Adel with a malicious grin, the salt slowly coating his fingers and palm. Adel responded back with his own cocky expression, letting the nails sharpen and be drenched in its venom. As they stood in silence, Adel was the first one to deal the next strike. A quick jab straight into his cheek, prompting Arthur to smack the arm away to dodge it, followed by a palm straight into Adel's eye. The Snake Charmer was quick on weaving his neck to dodge the blow, letting him move to the side in order to land a slash against his chest. Arthur simply used the Salt to block the blow and catch his hand, a free hit in the form of a chop to his neck. Adel, however, tanked it and lunged out a knee to catch him off guard, following it up by a few jabs into an uppercut, using the momentum to break off the Salt that bound his hand.
Arthur would retaliate by the strikes with a grab, snatching his fist before the uppercut connected, pulling him close so he can issue an elbow against his cheek, followed by another palm into his chest, then an uppercut of his own. Adel, however, was keeping watch, his tongue flickering to sense the next attack before it would connect, letting him weave once more, copying his move by grabbing his arm and pulling him in for a headbutt, followed by a hook to stumble him back. Arthur set up some Salt to try and pierce through the Snake Charmer during his combo, leaving him an opening to issue a smack against his face, followed by an elbow to pull him back, then another palm to push him away, picking up his own momentum to issue a straight tiger palm to fling him off of the halls. Amidst the momentum, Adel would send a massive wave of venom towards the Bounty Hunter, stopping himself mid-throw so he can push himself forward, switching the velocity back to sender. Arthur merely used his salt to slash the wave in half and follow it up with a knee, but Adel would grab said knee to hoist himself over the Hunter, stabbing into his body to inject the venom, attempting to weaken his performance.
Arthur would have the salt embedded on his hands slip down to the wound, healing it, as well as purifying the venom in regards to its negative effects. The pain still lingered, but it at least ensured he can move properly. He'd throw himself forward to deliver a smack again, but Adel weaved it and flicked his fingernails, causing the small droplets to try and hit his eyes. Arthur anticipated such a trick, however, having small specks of salt be floating around the air, catching each droplet and using them to fire back, letting Adel dodge it again so he can follow up with a heavy uppercut, then with a high kick to keep him mid-air, all to grab him by the foot and try to dislocate it. Arthur smirked at such an attempt, watching his body be quick to react, letting the salt that he dodge rebound to strike him in the back, hitting his spinal chord in a way where it locks up the rest of his combo, letting Arthur land down and check him back with a palm strike, slamming him straight into the ground, hoping such a shot on his back paralyzed him. To his surprise, however, he would see Adel merely grab him by the arms and pull him further, hitting him directly, striking at his stomach in a way where it curved the spine back, letting him clap between the Hunter's ears once his momentum was brought back, and then sending him into a wall with a haymaker, a crater made from the impact itself.
"GOODNESS ME! YOU CAN ACTUALLY HIT!!" Arthur cried, impressed by the Snake Charmer's movements, rushing forward to try and set up another exchange, lowering himself so he can palm his stomach before issuing some pressure hits from gut to throat. Adel was quick on backing himself before the pressure points connected, grabbing at his fingers to break them, a strong grunt made by Arthur, before being struck down with a jab to the left, a jab to the right, and a devilish straight to knock him back in the crater, chasing him down so he can deliver a barrage. As he tried to, though, he can see the Salt kicked in to block each and every one of his strikes, as well as catching and draining the venom out of his nails, while a small portion of salt came to snap his fingers back into place, letting Arthur retort with a chop to the temple, followed by a tiger palm to the face, then delivering the salt straight down, crashing him like a tidal wave, drowning out the Snake Charmer, hoping it floods into his mouth to make him choke. Adel, however, thanks to the Snake Magic, would merely swallow a large chunk to escape, spewing them out in the form of bullets to push Arthur back, watching it be laced with his venom, letting it sink into the other purification salts, but to no avail. Such cleansing was too potent for the venom to wear it down completely. The two stand atop at the large salt pile, staring down at the mess they made, then at each other to see the wounds they inflicted.
It was as if they were never injured in the first place.
"Now what exactly motivated you to be the way you are? Don't tell me it's from that putrid spawn of the Devil's Chambers." Arthur would question.
"Ironically, yeah. Was up against....what was it called....the weird dukes and nobles..." Adel would answer, trying to recall such a title.
"Goetia?"
"Those ones! Nearly had a death wish experience against them. Same with another kid as well, Solomon. The whole Bible stuff was throwing me off like crazy, especially with what he did to me."
"Bible stuff? You mean you've seen such holy magic before?"
"Yeah, technically speaking!"
"Remarkable! And here I thought you ignored the Lord's Light! I thought you went mad there, defending the demon."
"Props are Props. I have to give my respect to the kids that brought me down." Adel readied himself once more, a smile on his face. He was enjoying this fight, especially with a surprisingly respectful opponent.