POV: Arthur Kojiro
As I laid against the tree in a daze, I eventually recollected myself as I shifted my focus onto Rai, who watched me from afar with a nonchalant gaze as my lips curled into a grin.
I want to win, but as frustrating as it is to admit it, there's no way I can defeat Rai without the use of my own Aspect.
Our raw strength is relatively equal, but his hand-to-hand combat is far greater than my own, nonetheless his fighting style, which I still can't seem to get a read on.
In most cases, everyone has a single fighting style that they never deviate from unless they are proficient in multiple ones, but for Rai, he doesn't have a specific fighting style or any repeating patterns.
His attacks are too unpredictable for me to anticipate and his body moves as if he's completely free.
After recuperating, I stood from the ground and planted my back foot into the ground, preparing to dash towards him as Rai left his guard open, welcoming me as his arrogance was thrilling.
I want to win and in order to achieve that…
As a draft of wind blew throughout the forest, a loose leaf descending onto the ground sprung me into action as I sprinted towards Rai with the aim of smashing my fist into his chest, prompting him to raise his guard, but within a split-second, I activated my Aspect, releasing my Aspectual Force in the midst as I smashed my fist through his guard and onto his chest, arising a disconcerting expression from Rai, who was winded as the impact sent him flying backwards through a few trees within the forest of the facility.
I just have to use my Aspect.
In the span of a few seconds, Rai emerged from within the forest and dashed towards me with a double high kick towards my temple and chin, but despite the lethal precision of his attacks, he lacked power and speed as I had the advantage of an Aspect, allowing me to anticipate his absurd movement as I parried his leg away, disrupting his balance as I then countered with a forceful overhand into his face, sending him crashing backwards into the earth below.
Partially buried beneath the rubble, I waited for him to recover his senses, using my patience as a provocation for him looking down on me earlier, but to my surprise, Rai recovered in a near instant, attempting to knock me down with what I assumed was a low sweep as I evaded his attack by stepping back, although my assumption was far from right as Rai twisted his body upwards, using the momentum from his initial motion as he spun on one arm and smashed the back of his heel into my jaw from an unbelievable angle, causing me to only stagger backwards as the effectiveness of his attack was reduced from the physical enhancement I received from my Aspect.
I was lucky.
If I didn't have my Aspect activated, I would have been knocked unconscious.
As Rai jumped to the ground, we dashed towards each other and initiated an exchange of hand-to-hand combat, but despite Rai's exceptional grasp over combat, it was worthless in the face of overwhelming power as I weaved through every attack and stepped forward, prompting an dissatisfying reaction from Rai, whose his eyes narrowed irritably from me invading his personal space as he tried to shove me away, however, I parried his arm into the air and landed an uppercut into his chin, sending him upwards into the air as I planted my feet into the ground, preparing to jump after him.
Arrogance is one thing, but why is he not activating his Aspect yet?
As I was about to jump towards him, Rai managed to grab onto a tree branch amidst his flight as he used the momentum to spin himself around the branch before launching himself towards me with a flying high kick, rousing a grin across my face as I weaved his attack, causing him to slide forward across the grass until he turned around and faced me as our eyes locked.
I'm sure he's aware that without his Aspect, he doesn't have a chance at winning against me, so what could he possibly be thinking…
Ah, so that's what he's doing.
"Trying to gauge my power?" I asked, irritated, yet, electrified from his swagger as we both dashed towards each other and clashed fists, but as expected, I overpowered him with ease as he stumbled backwards, his guard open as his chin was vulnerable to yet another uppercut, prompting me to rush towards him as I tried to capitalize on my opportunity to win this fight by smashing my fist into his chin with a deciding uppercut, however, Rai swiftly leaped onto my fist and used the momentum from my heavy swing to launch himself towards the ceiling of the dome as the refulgent moonlight shone over him.
What is that reaction time?!
As I watched him reach the apex of his ascent, Rai activated his Aspect as his Aspectual Force overwhelmed my senses by surprise, conquering my own Aspectual Force in the midst as his brilliant, yet ferocious lightning began to surge around his hand.
You've got to be kidding me-
"Asunder." Rai uttered, hurling a bolt of lightning towards my chest as it exploded on impact, shattering the earth below as the area around me was unable to escape from the wrath of his attack.
POV: Rai Shinsei
I underestimated him.
I believed that I could defeat him without the use of my Aspect because he wasn't using a sword, but he's stronger than I expected.
As I descended from the air, the moment I landed onto the ground, Arthur emerged from within the dust cloud as he slid past me in the blink of an eye, landing two slashes across my chest, which overlapped one another as his actions left me baffled.
"Trinity." Arthur uttered as I staggered backwards with blood seeping through my shirt.
"I know you're strong, but there's no way you didn't suffer any damage from my attack." I remarked as Arthur turned around with a cheerful grin.
"Of course not." Arthur replied as lightning engulfed his entire body, electrocuting him relentlessly until he collapsed onto his knees with blood trickling from his mouth and nose.
I was beginning to doubt my own strength until I remembered his Aspect.
Since he delayed my attack, he was able to attack me without any immediate repercussions.
It's a double-edged sword, but it's a very strong Aspect and an annoying one to deal with at that, although, there's something that's been bothering me ever since our mission.
Arthur stated his Aspect is Delayed Impact, which allows him to delay any impact, but if that's true, then how is he able to delay his opponent's attacks before he receives them?
Considering how fast my lightning is, Arthur would have to calculate the exact moment before the lightning bolt touched his chest in order to delay my attack, but to pull that off, you would have to possess near instant reflexes.
What if his Aspect isn't the power to delay any impact, but to delay something entirely?
I'm sure he understands his Aspect better than myself, but theoretically, if he desired it, could he potentially delay me?
What about time itself?
No, maybe I'm just overthinking it.
After my lightning dispersed from his body, Arthur stood from the ground and wiped the blood trickling from his mouth as our eyes locked, prompting a subtle laugh of joy from him as I couldn't help but smile at his excitement.
"You know, I could have ended this fight three times already. Are you a masochist or is it your desire to become the strongest that continues to push you forward?" I asked as Arthur stretched out his body.
"When we first met, there was an ambition within your eyes that I wasn't able to decipher, but as of now, I think I may have a faint idea of what it is, so to answer your question…"
"I want nothing more than to win." Arthur replied, his grin widening as his aura began to surge, alerting me as I sharpened my focus, but in the moment I blinked, Arthur vanished from my sight and appeared before me as he tried to strike my face, however, I was able to duck under his attack as I lunged forward and tried to grapple him onto the ground, but in the moment I stepped forward, my chest began throbbing with pain as I clutched it, buckling onto a knee as I noticed a third slash across my chest, which overlapped the two initial slashes Arthur marked.
Huh?
When did he…
His Aspect.
I was unable to notice his third attack, which he delayed amidst my confusion.
As I tried to pick myself up from the ground, Arthur rushed towards me and tried to smash his knee into my face, but despite my position, I managed to catch his knee with my hand as I shoved his leg away, breaking his balance as I then smashed my fist into his liver with an uppercut from an awkward angle, seizing his breath as I ended my counter-attack with a sharp palm strike into his chest, sending him tumbling backwards through the grass as I stood from the ground.
Arthur, your intuition is terrifying.
As for what you said before, you are correct.
In order to avenge my parents, I have to become the strongest as my enemy has already reached the highest echelon in terms of power.
Although our ambitions may be similar, the difference which will lead to your defeat is that you don't have to become the strongest.
As time passes, you'll soon find out that your mere desire will shackle your growth as there is no backbone in your ambition to become the strongest, so for your sake…
"I can't allow you to win, Arthur." I said as my lightning crackled fiercely while I watched Arthur, who picked himself up from the ground as he grinned ear-to-ear while I braced myself for Arthur's inevitable defeat, wishing that his spirit can survive the harsh trial awaiting for him.