Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

It goes without saying, but he is faster, stronger, and more durable, too… fighting fists against fists wouldn't be good for Rain… so he considered making the earth blades appear on his forearm guards… that would make things more interesting.

"No, I can't leave any room for them to think that they could have defeated me if I hadn't used that," Rain thought.

Since he couldn't rely on that, Rain's best bet was to rely on the counterflow technique… but since his attacks weren't landing properly, the enemies' stamina wasn't being sapped. He had to think of something else…

"If you aren't coming, then I will attack," The beast king declared.

The beast king charged with all his might and attempted to punch Rain in the face. Still, his punch hit the air when Rain moved his head to the side and then tried a counter… the opponent reacted fast enough to avoid the counter even in that state… His reflexes were insane.

The arms of those two got locked for a moment. Still, the beast king ended up winning the exchange and sent Rain spinning to the other side of the arena… he ended up landing in one of the seats with his legs… he almost smashed the body of a little boy thanks to that, but his reflexes helped him avoid that.

"This is his true strength…" Rain said and then fixed his dislocated shoulder with a palm Strike. "He knows how to fight, but he probably never got hit by a counter, so he doesn't know what it is and showed his true strength out of shock."

Rain jumped back to the arena and then looked at the beast king, who seemed a bit surprised after seeing what almost had happened… if he had been a moment slower, he would have suffered great damage since the counter uses the weight and the power of the opponent against them as well.

"Martial arts in this world are developed to complement the strong bodies of the people in this world, so they don't know many techniques that don't use that to their advantage," Rain thought while looking at burn marks on his left arm. "I can use that in my favor…"

Rain began to run toward the opponent before he could recover from the initial shock, but it seemed that the beast king's surprise also made him raise his guard. He lowered his stance to face Rain properly, and when he got in range, he punched Rain's face, or so he tried… in the last moment, Rain used Impulse to the side and then punched the lower part of the opponent's elbow.

The beast king didn't suffer any damage, but he was still surprised to see that Rain managed to react in time to avoid his attack…

"It was too obvious since I am a bit tense… that technique was truly curious," The beast king thought.

The beast king's gaze stayed locked on Rain after he turned. However, he noticed something unusual. Rain wasn't using his Limit Breaker or his new technique despite the fierce engagement. This puzzled and intrigued the beast king.

A deep frown etched on the beast king's face as he pondered Rain's strategy. He knew Rain was a formidable foe, and his decision to hold back these powerful abilities left the beast king surprised. Was Rain trying to trick him, setting up a trap, or simply conserving energy for a crucial moment?

This uncertainty added complexity to their fierce battle. The beast king couldn't shake the feeling that Rain had more surprises in store… Still, just waiting wasn't his style, and the audience was cheering for him intensely… he couldn't let someone just invade his territory and then defeat all the tribe leaders just like that.

As the beast king contemplated his next move, Rain abruptly surged forward with incredible speed, employing his Impulse technique. He moved in a zigzag pattern, darting from side to side. The beast king quickly raised his guard, anticipating Rain's approach.

With lightning-quick reflexes, Rain closed in and aimed a punch at the beast king's right side. Anticipating the attack, the beast king tried to block it. However, Rain expertly pulled back at the last moment, swiftly altering his trajectory to strike from the opposite side.

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Even with his exceptional reflexes and combat prowess, the beast king found it challenging to keep up. He managed to block Rain's attack using his left elbow. Still, the sheer speed and unpredictability of Rain's movements left him on edge, struggling to anticipate each strike.

Amidst the intense battle, a peculiar sensation pricked at the beast king's left elbow, a subtle but persistent sting that raised his suspicion. Initially puzzled, he swiftly pieced together Rain's underlying strategy. Rain's every move and attack wasn't arbitrary; they were part of a calculated plan.

Rain had embarked on a deliberate and systematic campaign to target the beast king's left arm. With each well-placed strike, he aimed to weaken the limb, impair its function, and expose vulnerabilities. The nagging sting in his elbow acted as an ominous signal, warning that Rain had set a trap—an imminent threat.

A deepening frown creased the beast king's brow as he grasped the gravity of the situation. Caution became his watchword, for Rain's strategy now lay bare. Every moment carried the potential to become a pivotal turning point in their fierce duel.

In the end, the beast king couldn't help but sigh… he was expecting that Rain would be able to make him fight for real. It wasn't like he wasn't expecting him not to use such tactics since the difference in strength was that big, but he still hoped that he would find other ways to do that… It was disappointing.

After taking a deep breath, the beast king decided to end that fight by going all out instead of waiting for Rain to prove his resourcefulness… but also because he was too cunning to let a fight that interesting keep going.

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