LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 14: Chapter - 13
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Chapter - 13: A Dragon Rises
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The bell rang. There was no more time to think. Crossbones stared at me like a predator ready to pounce, and I knew I couldn't afford the privilege of distraction, not even for a second.
He was not an opponent to be underestimated; not only was he skilled with weapons, but he was also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, and his body was at peak human condition, which made it clear how dangerous he truly was.
He advanced, his imposing frame moving with surprising agility. He charged at me with a punch aimed at my face; his intention was likely to end the fight with this blow.
Unfortunately for him, he was quick, but not quick enough. My spider sense activated just a moment before his hand could reach me, and I ducked swiftly, feeling the wind of his punch brush the air above me.
"I'll tear you apart, kid," he grunted, his guttural voice laced with rage.
It was clear that his pride had been severely wounded by the thought of being humiliated by a teenager. He believed he could take me down with a single blow, but now he realized things wouldn't go as he had planned.
I didn't respond; there was no need to. At that moment, words would have been a waste of time. I knew it wasn't the time for sarcastic remarks or provocations, and personally, I never made them unless I was in a clear position of advantage.
I studied him for a moment, trying to figure out how I could strike and emerge victorious from this ring since I honestly knew I couldn't afford to fight by his rules.
Another punch came, and I dodged backward, letting it hit nothing but air. Crossbones was not only strong but precise with every damn blow he threw at me, which was starting to seriously annoy me.
His strength was impressive, but he was slow, and I could see him coming from a mile away thanks to my enhanced reflexes and spider sense, giving me an advantage that felt almost like a cheat code I wasn't complaining about at all.
I was pulled from my thoughts when he threw another punch, this time a hook aimed at my ribs. I sidestepped, allowing his fist to hit only air next to me.
"Stay still for a damn second!" Crossbones grunted, frustrated by his inability to land a hit on me. His eyes were filled with rage, and every movement he made was heavier than before.
Instead of responding, I simply smiled beneath my hood and focused on his movements, which I had finally almost completely understood, allowing me to move into the counterattack phase.
Crossbones threw a hook, and I ducked just in time, feeling the air whistle above my head. For the first time, my fist moved in response, striking his exposed side.
My hit made him stagger slightly, but for now, I was hoping he would underestimate my offensive power so I could surprise him and finish him off with a combo to take him out of the fight.
"I'll tear you apart!" he spat in anger, shaking his head to shake off the impact from my attack.
I didn't even expect him to feel my weak strikes. Crossbones was used to enduring pain, and his resilience was a problem if I didn't really want to hit to kill.
But the fight was honestly going better than I had initially anticipated. Especially since I was finally getting accustomed to my spider sense for longer periods of time.
He took another step forward, raising both arms to block my escape route. His intent was clear: he wanted to corner me so that I had no way out and finish me there.
But I wouldn't allow that, and this time I waited until the last moment before moving. I jumped back, dodging another punch, and this time I struck higher, aiming for his jaw with a high kick.
Crossbones didn't relent. He kept charging at me, trying to catch me, but every time he attempted, I was already on the other side of the ring. I could clearly hear his breathing becoming heavier. Each of his movements was accompanied by a grunt, and sweat began to glisten on his forehead.
His anger was growing; his punches became more violent but less precise. My spider sense continued to guide me, warning me far enough in advance to avoid his attacks.
"You're a damn insect!" he yelled, hitting the air with a devastating punch, but completely off-target. I could really feel him getting furious, and that was exactly what I wanted—making him lose his rationality in the fight.
I decided to change tactics and be more bold. Instead of staying on the defensive, I began to charge at him, ready to take the initiative.
I watched his movements closely, waiting for him to throw another punch, slow and clumsy. When he finally moved, I easily dodged, avoiding the strike with a simple lateral step. Without wasting any time, I leaped forward, this time with renewed determination.
My fist connected with his stomach with enough force to make him buckle. I felt the impact, the dull sound of the hit resonating in the air, and I saw him double over, breathless from the surprise and pain.
Crossbones grunted in pain, bending forward. I didn't give him a moment to recover. With a series of quick, targeted strikes, I attacked his knees and sides, hitting him repeatedly.
He tried to retaliate, but he was too tired by now. His movements were slow, and my spider sense warned me in advance of every attempt he made to hit me. Each punch he threw only made him lose his balance.
"You're slow," I told him, dodging another punch and hitting him again, this time with a fist to the chest. "And predictable too."
This really made him furious. His face contorted into a mask of pure rage, and without even giving me a moment to react, Crossbones charged at me with all his strength.
A direct hit to my side caught me full force. I felt the pain explode throughout my body. I had been hit by punches before, but nothing like that. It was as if a hammer had struck me squarely.
I flew against one of the ring posts, my vision momentarily blurred from the impact. Air whooshed out of my lungs with a painful hiss; fortunately, the symbiote had absorbed most of the impact.
But for a moment, everything seemed to spin around me. I struggled to get back up, and when I finally managed to focus, I realized he was already on top of me.
"I told you I'd tear you apart," he growled, his voice thick with hatred and determination. Before I could react, he grabbed my throat with one enormous, muscular hand, lifting me off the ground as if I were a feather.
His grip was like a steel vice. I tried to free myself, but at that moment, he had too much of an advantage. His wicked grin was the only thing I could see as he held me up, squeezing tighter and tighter.
"This is how you fight, kid. But I promise you, this ring will be your grave," he said, while clearly my current situation was not looking good.
I felt my spider sense screaming in my head, the imminent danger. But I had no intention of giving up. I twisted, desperately trying to break free from his grip, and in a swift motion, I delivered a straight kick to his face.
He grunted in pain, loosening his hold slightly, and I seized the opportunity to free myself with a quick strike to his arm that sent me crashing to the ground, gasping for air, but there was no time to rest.
Crossbones was already ready to strike again. I scrambled to my feet, dodging a devastating kick aimed at my head that would have likely given me a severe concussion had it connected.
"I will win," I said, gritting my teeth. My muscles coiled, ready to spring. In my ears, I heard the sound of spiders, a creepy rustle that heightened my adrenaline.
And that's exactly what happened. In a surge of rage, Crossbones charged with all his strength, aiming straight for my chest. I moved to the side at the last second, and he, unable to stop himself, crashed into the ring post. The sound of the impact was tremendous, and for a moment he stood still, staggering.
Without a second thought, I struck his legs with a sharp kick, causing him to wobble. I wasted no time and, grabbing him by the head, I pushed him down towards the ring floor with all my strength. The sound of the impact resonated like thunder, producing a dull thud as his skull hit the wood.
I climbed on top of him, pinning his movements with my legs. I began to rain down punches to his face, holding nothing back. His mask shattered under my blows, blood splattering, staining the ring floor and my face.
Every punch that struck his face felt more powerful than the last, the sound of flesh breaking filling the air. Crossbones tried to defend himself, but his hands moved in vain.
I continued to pound him, his nose shattered and his eyes filled with blood. The screams of pain he tried to emit turned into muffled growls as his face became a canvas of blood.
Finally, Crossbones managed to rise, but he was a shadow of his former self. His eyes, once full of threats, were now only filled with fear and helplessness. With a growl, he attempted to strike me, but his movements were clumsy and slow.
There was no escape for him. With a swift motion, I grabbed him again and slammed him to the ground. The sound of the impact was deafening, and the ring trembled under the weight of my body as I pressed down.
Crossbones collapsed, a heap of crushed flesh and bones. His resistance had faded. The crowd was silent, hypnotized by the brutality of the scene. But I could no longer stop as his body writhed in endless agony.
Crossbones crumpled, his body lifeless beneath me. There was no more resistance, only the sound of his labored breathing, and with one last motion, I grasped his head and slammed it against the floor with unimaginable force.
With a monstrous growl escaping my lips, I prepared to deliver the final blow. I grabbed his head, the strength pulsing inside me accumulating, ready to explode.
With a devastating punch, I struck his face, the sound horrendous, a cracking echoing through the ring. His face exploded into chaos of flesh and blood, the red liquid spraying like a geyser.
The sound of the impact was deafening, and his body contorted before falling limp, like a puppet with its strings cut. The ring was completely drenched in blood, and I slowly stood up, my heart pounding in my chest.
"It's over," I said, my voice charged with adrenaline and disbelief, as I gradually regained control of myself. I turned and began to make my way toward the exit of the ring, my steps slow but steady.
I had won.
The weight of my victory hit me sooner than I had expected, and there was no time to celebrate. As I walked away, an eerie silence fell over the ring, as if the entire world had stopped to absorb what had just happened.
No one seemed able to process the brutality of the fight, the way I had taken down Crossbones with a ferocity that surpassed any limits rarely seen even in this place.
"I can't... I can't believe it," stammered the man who was conducting the fight, incredulous, almost in shock. "Crossbones... has FALLEN!"
His words echoed like a refrain, bouncing off the walls of the arena. The crowd, which had moments ago erupted into deafening cheers, was now left stunned, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the significance of what they had just witnessed.
The tension in the air turned into a roar, a scream of disbelief and wonder that suddenly erupted. Some applauded, others shouted in surprise, while many were simply paralyzed by the sight of my opponent sprawled on the ring.
I, however, remained still, my breath ragged and my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes burned from the adrenaline leaving my body, and mental fatigue began to set in, reminding me of everything I had just done.
But I had no intention of stopping to think about those things at a moment like this. There would be time to question my morality, but not now, while the crowd was chanting my name with all their might.
"Nidhogg! Nidhogg! Nidhogg!" Their voices filled the air, creating a chorus that pushed me forward. My mind was focused solely on not showing weakness, since I had achieved exactly what I wanted.
From this moment on, it was only a matter of time before someone would try to contact me to work with them. Climbing into the world of villains, I would seize everything I could, to ensnare them in my web before devouring them all.
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Marvel: I'm Spider-Man in this Damn Reincarnation: 3 advanced chapters
Osmosian Sorcerer?: 3 advanced chapters
Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters
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Chapter - 14: Symbionte - Chapter - 15: White Tiger
Chapter - 17: Onmyoji - Chapter - 18: The Power of Bao
Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown
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