Chapter 49 mma guys vs fantasy guys ahh
Aldes stepped down the stairs. He arrived at the lower level of the ship. The room looked like a massive dojo. The dark brown wooden floor reflected the calm yellow light from the brass lamps on the walls. Wooden pillars carved with ancient Eastern motifs stood firmly, supporting the ceiling.
The right wall was made entirely of thick glass, displaying the open ocean like a giant aquarium. The deep blue light from the depths of the water pierced through, blending with the yellow lighting inside the room.
*Looks like a dojo. Wait, does this mean Villavia...No no no,* Aldes muttered in his mind.
On the other side, Amor walked to the center of the room. He stopped and turned around, his back against the underwater glass wall. The blue light illuminated his back. Amor raised his right hand. A thick black metal bracelet circled his wrist. He pressed the center of the bracelet. Glowing red lines appeared on the metal's surface.
"With this, I can only use ten percent of my power," Amor muttered quietly.
Amor hopped lightly. "Hmm." He rolled his shoulders. "Not bad."
He looked at Aldes, who seemed confused looking around the room. "What is it?" Amor asked.
Aldes snapped out of his daze and shook his head. "I am just surprised by the design of this place."
"Ah," Amor nodded, "it is unique, I admit. They have good taste."
Aldes walked forward. He stretched his neck and shoulder muscles. "Are you sure about one hundred percent?"
Amor smiled. "Kill me."
Mila, Leafa, and Illfa stood in the corner of the room near the stairs. Leafa folded her arms across her chest. Her eyes never left Aldes.
"Leafa, Illfa, want to bet?" Mila asked. She looked back and forth between Illfa and Leafa. Mila pulled a gold coin from her pocket. "Two gold coins on Amor beating Aldes."
"Huh," Illfa frowned, looking confused. "Generally speaking, Amor's strength is obviously incredible, but with his power suppressed by ninety percent," Illfa tapped her forehead with her index finger, "I choose Aldes."
Mila and Leafa's eyes widened, surprised by the answer.
"You are joking," Mila said with her mouth slightly open.
"I have fought Aldes before," Illfa swallowed hard. "His martial arts, the way he fights. If he were at the same level as me, he would kill me."
"Oh, interesting," Mila took out another gold coin and smiled broadly.
"I will not bet," Leafa said casually, her eyes still staring sharply at the arena without blinking.
"Heeeh, even though the result is obvious," Mila shook her head.
"I bet they are equal," a heavy male voice sounded from behind them.
A man stood under the blue light beam in the center of the room. He wore a long white coat and a pitch-black mask covering his face. The man was Vival.
"Vival?" Mila looked up. "Since when have you been here?"
"I am curious about His Highness's choice," Vival replied flatly. "That drunkard and coward of a prince suddenly joining a suicide mission like this."
Mila sighed. "You did not answer my question."
In the center of the arena, Aldes took a deep breath. Both of his eyes glowed bright red. Thick red energy seeped out and coated his hands.
Amor walked slowly toward Aldes. Then, he dashed forward.
*Swish.*
*Thud.*
Amor threw an incredibly hard straight punch at Aldes's head.
Aldes quickly raised his hands, tucked his elbows closely in front of his chest, and pressed his gloves against his forehead, forming a tight *High Guard* typical of the *Peek-a-Boo* style. Amor's punch slammed hard into the outside of his left arm.
Amor furrowed his brows. *He did not dodge, he actually took it head-on!* Amor muttered in his mind.
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
Amor accelerated his movements. He unleashed a barrage of punches to the head, straight down the middle, to the right, and to the left. However, Aldes quickly and accurately withstood every single movement with his boxing defense, blocking impact after impact with his arms while slowly stepping backward.
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
Amor threw fast punches to the head, then sharply switched to the solar plexus, targeted the stomach, and struck the shoulder.
But Aldes blocked and executed a *parry*, deflecting the strikes neatly using his palms. He kept stepping backward steadily, maintaining his distance.
*What is this. What is this. What the hell is this. Prince, what kind of technique is that, Prince?!* Amor muttered enthusiastically. A wide smile was painted clearly on his face.
His heart beat faster.
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
Amor attacked relentlessly.
Aldes's backward steps halted when his back almost touched the wooden wall. Seeing the opening, Amor pulled his arm far back and unleashed a deadly straight punch that shot right toward Aldes's face.
Aldes immediately executed a *pivot* to the left, twisting his lead heel to rotate his body entirely out of the line of attack. Amor's punch hit nothing but empty air next to Aldes's ear.
Aldes thickened the telekinetic energy in his right hand. Utilizing the momentum from his hip rotation, Aldes delivered a counter punch at Amor with blistering speed.
*Swish.*
*Bam!*
The solid blow struck directly on the side of Amor's jaw.
The heavy impact twisted Amor's head slightly to the side. Without giving a break, Aldes dipped his shoulder for a split second and launched a sharp *uppercut* from below using his left hand.
*Bam!*
The punch lifted Amor's chin. His body was launched upward.
But in mid air, Amor quickly adjusted his posture. He landed back on the wooden floor and stood upright, staring at Aldes.
Aldes did not step back anymore. When Amor attacked again, Aldes executed a cross *parry*, deflecting and immediately grabbing Amor's wrist tightly.
Locking one of his opponent's arms, Aldes raised his right knee high and executed a *Teep kick*, a Muay Thai style front push kick, with the sole of his foot landing squarely on Amor's solar plexus.