Chapter 182
"Brought a gun to a knife fight did you?" I laugh when Karl comes up to join us in the stands.
"The twirling swords thing made it far too difficult to resist." Karl shrugs, making me laugh but everyone else look confused.
"It’s a scene from a popular comedy where we come from. The antagonist swings his swords, showing off his incredible skill and the main character shoots him dead instead of fighting him." I explain.
"I’ll have to watch that comedy one day. Seeing you do the scene was pretty funny." Betty smiles up at Karl.
A little later the second combatant we have in Group A loses to an extremely strong fighter of the Divine Fist. I swear, those guys just exist to ruin our fun.
Karl is up again, this time against one of the Sacred Thunder Disciples staying in the same hotel as us. They exchange pleasantries before the fight, not showing the anger and aggression so many of the fighters hold toward their rivals. The Sacred Thunder fighter is almost to the end of Condensation, one of the top 5 in Group A, so it’s a bit unfortunate for him that he has to face Karl so early.
The referee starts the fight and Karl goes to the finger guns, launching a barrage of Arrows that’s met with a streak of lightning. The Sacred Thunder disciple flashes closer and launches a kick at Karl’s side that is met with a heavy block and a quick snapping kick to keep him from getting into grappling range.
Most prefer to fight on their feet, but fighting from the ground isn’t prohibited and knocked out with a choke hold is the same as knocked out with an energy strike. Karl is very strong when it comes to grappling though, and it appears that his opponent wouldn’t object. Both the Shadowed Blade and the Sacred Thunder have very effective energy attacks to use when you’re already in contact with another person.
They trade a few more strikes before Karl lunges forward, grabbing his opponent across the neck and under one arm, trying to lock him in tight as he drags them both to the ground. White Blue lightning flashes three times in rapid succession, lighting up the purple Arcane energy of Karl’s barrier before the two become steady glows as the opposing energies compete.