Chapter 249: I know you said I shouldn't do this, but...
"If you grant me the chance to fight you, I swear I will never disturb the high-elf tribe until my last breath!" Liora declared with unyielding determination, her voice resonating through everywhere.... as if her previous comment was nothing.
"Aether, do a--" Aria began to shout, but Maelona swiftly interrupted her, placing a gentle yet firm hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Let him decide."
"B-But Mother--"
"Dear, let him grow," Maelona insisted, her eyes conveying both strength and wisdom. Aria pouted but reluctantly sank back into her seat, her expression a mix of frustration and concern.
"Elder Liora! What is the meaning of this?" one of the Darkfang's tribe in the audience demanded, his voice trembling with a mix of outrage and fear.
"How can you possibly say such reckless words?"
"Don't you care about your tribe?"
The cacophony of objections grew louder, but a single piercing glance from Liora silenced them all. "If you have the balls, come and fight me!" she challenged, her tone icy and commanding.
The Darkfang tribe members lowered their heads, swallowing hard. 'Fight? We would die!' they screamed inwardly, haunted by the memory of the wolf that had fallen by her hands. A collective shiver ran down their spines... She basically threw the dead body without even respect or care!
Liora tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. She glanced at Aether, who appeared lost in thought, his brow furrowed.
'I need to fuc- I mean seduce this insane woman who just killed her husband! You bloody fucking LOG! Are you insane? What are you up to now?' Aether raged inwardly, his frustration mounting, 'If you want, go and fuck her, bastard!' he added mentally, his anger palpable.
Sweating inwardly, he struggled to comprehend the madness of the situation. It was his first time seeing a woman kill her husband simply because she had taken an interest in another man. 'What kind of insane world is this?' Aether screamed again in his mind.
He sighed deeply, unsure of how to navigate the turbulent waters he found himself in. Moreover, they were Aria's rival tribe. 'Sigh... Are you saying this is the only way to solve the problem or what?' He thought randomly with growing annoyance before realizing the implications of his own words. 'Don't tell me!... OMG...' Aether's eyes widened in surprise as the realization dawned on him.
"Boy?"
Aether snapped out of his reverie and nodded resolutely, "Fine."
A satisfied smile spread across Liora's face. "Don't worry, it's just a fistfight. I'll adjust myself to your current strength," she assured him, her voice a blend of confidence and reassurance.
Aether nodded, positioning himself cautiously. But before he could fully prepare, his eyes widened in shock as he barely dodged Liora's sudden, lightning-fast attack, his upper body bending back in a desperate manoeuvre.
'This wolf!' Aether thought with a frown.
[+100 AP]
Liora looked down at him with a grin, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "You have quite the flexibility!" she remarked, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and challenge. In an instant, she swung her leg in a sweeping motion, aiming to take him down. Aether reacted quickly, jumping to avoid the strike and catching her hand in mid-air. He twisted her arm, trying to gain the upper hand.
But Liora was unfazed. Her grin grew wider as she used her formidable strength to slam the ground, Aether still in her grasp. Dust and debris flew around them as the impact shook the earth.
BOOM!
[+100 AP]
"Not bad, boy!" Liora muttered, genuinely impressed when she saw Aether escape in the nick of time, putting distance between them.
"She is testing..." Aether thought, a grin spreading across his face as he realized she was testing his abilities.
"Come on, boy... There's no need to hide your ability," Liora said with a smile. Before Aether could react, she appeared in front of him, her fist speeding toward his face.
Anticipating her move, Aether blocked the punch. In a fluid motion, he shifted his stance and countered with his own punch, only for Liora to block it effortlessly with her other hand.
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
Their fists met in rapid succession, a flurry of blows and blocks exchanged at a speed few could follow. The intensity of their hand-to-hand combat was breathtaking, a testament to their skill and agility.
Neither could land a decisive hit; each attack was met with an equally swift and calculated defence.
Aether's mind raced, analyzing each of Liora's movements, searching for an opening. Meanwhile, 'H-He is...' Liora mumbled inwardly as she effortlessly blocked his attacks as if he was predicting her every move.
'Awesome... To think he is not only able to predict my attacks but also block them... What kind of stance is this?' her lips curled up in a mix of admiration and curiosity.
[+200 AP]
She pushed him harder, her attacks growing more complex, yet always staying just within the limits of his ability to counter.
"Not bad, boy," she muttered, a grin tugging at her lips as she blocked another one of his punches.
Even though she was limiting herself to his level, Aether soon ran out of breath. Her first punch landed on his gut, knocking the wind out of him.
"That's it?" Liora's haughty smile struck a nerve with Aether. He wasn't sure why, but the way she looked at him... Pathetic... A feeling he had almost forgotten resurfaced.
"Heh..." Aether's eyes suddenly turned cold, and Liora's tail twitched in response. "Heheheh...." Aether chuckled with an uncanny sound, his voice dripping with an unsettling tone. "Not bad at all... Wolfy~"
'Increase Agility'
[+1 Agility]
Ssshh
Aether's elbow shot towards Liora's face with sudden increased speed, but she reacted swiftly, evading just in time. "Not bad, boy," she remarked, her tail swaying slightly before a smirk crossed her face.
However, her smirk was short-lived because,
[+1 Agility]
[+1 Agility]
[+1 Agility]
[+1 Strength]
[+1 Agility]
[+1 Strength]
[+1 Agility]
[+1 Strength]
[+1 Strength]
[+1 Strength]
....
..
Liora's expression shifted to one of shock as she witnessed Aether's speed and strength increasing by the second, as though he were growing before her eyes. The way he looked at her as if poised to strike, sent a chill down her spine.
'Hehe...' Liora chuckled inwardly. 'Servant? No way in hell!' she thought defiantly, matching Aether's rising prowess as she gradually unleashed more of her own strength.
The audience held their breaths, captivated by the spectacle unfolding before them. Their gazes darted to Aria, who watched with a mix of happiness and worry, 'Where did she find this man?' they wondered collectively.
It wasn't surprising about his strength rather he was able to block her attacks which was hard for others.
Maelona and Kaelith observed Aether's every move keenly, while Aria's eyes shimmered with pride.
Liora smiled as Aether's fist aimed directly for her face, but just as she was about to casually dodge,
!~Ding~!
[You have Levelled up!!]
[Level: 22↑]
!~Ding~!
[Congratulations on Levelling up]
[Reward: 10,000 Affection Points]
Thud
A powerful punch landed squarely on her cheek.
"That's it?" Aether taunted with the same haughty expression. Liora stared blankly at him for a moment before spitting out blood and grinning wider.
"Not bad, Man..." She mumbled as wiped her blood on her lips.
[+1000 AP]
!~Ding~!
[Survival Rate: 38%↑]
However, Aether paid no attention to his log, completely focused on the woman before him. His mission, whatever shit it was, had faded into insignificance... all that mattered now was defeating this woman who looked at him with disdain.
His ego was stung!!
[You have Levelled up!!]
Thud
[+2000 AP]
[You have Levelled up!!]
Thud
[+2000 AP]
[You have Levelled up!!]
Thud
[+3000 AP]
The battle escalated to a frenzied exchange of blows, each strike landing with bone-crunching force.
Aether struck her gut, and Liora retaliated with a punch to his face, followed by a kick to his back. Aether managed to evade her next attack, countering with a kick to her jaw that sent blood and saliva flying. Grinning even wider, Liora responded by kicking his chest and slamming him into the ground.... Even Liora's affection increases with every beat she takes.
"Hah"
"Haha"
Both laughed maniacally as they fought with reckless abandon, oblivious to the blood splattering around them, resembling brawling beasts in a street fight.
"A-Aether," Aria called out, her voice laced with worry, she knew Aether loved to fight but.... this was madness..... she glanced at her mother, silently pleading for an end to the madness. Maelona nodded in understanding, ready to intervene, when suddenly,
Ssssshhhhhhhhh
A strong gust of wind swept through the clearing, Aether, bloodied but determined, locked eyes with Liora, "Let's finish this with something good.... I hope you don't mind."
"Haha... I hope to see more from my future husband," Liora replied, her voice tinged with both amusement and a hint of desire.
"Grrrrrr"
Her body, streaked with blood, seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. Her smile, stained with red, revealed teeth that glinted dangerously.
Liora cracked her neck, the sound echoing ominously. Her transformation began with a slow, almost graceful shift. Her form elongated and contorted, bones and muscles reshaping themselves into a more primal, ferocious figure. Her skin darkened and shimmered, taking on a dangerous, sensual glow as it turned into a coat of red and black fur that rippled like flames.
Her body morphed into a fearsome wolf, each movement a symphony of power and elegance. A long, sinuous tail emerged, swishing through the air with menacing grace. Her eyes, now a hypnotic blue with multicoloured slits, burned with a predatory intensity, locking onto Aether with a gaze that was both seductive and deadly.
'I am sorry, Principal... but I know you said I shouldn't do this, but... I am really curious about myself,' Aether thought with an amused smile, unfazed by the daunting sight before him. He pointed his hand towards the wolf hurtling towards him with killing intent.
[Remaining: 1,213,432 AP]