Chapter 164: The duel(3)

Tyler stood across from Davon, flames flickering around his hands. They had met, five minutes after the duel had begun.

Davon looked almost completely relaxed, despite being tagged a noncombatant.

Tyler raised an eyebrow.

"You don’t look very confident."

Davon tilted his head. "I’m confident enough to take you on, your highness."

Tyler grinned. "Good."

His flames suddenly erupted.

He shot forward. His fist came straight toward Davon’s face, testing the waters with it.

Davon moved, and Tyler’s fist passed beside him.

"What—?"

Davon twisted his body unnaturally, letting the punch pass without even taking a step.

Tyler immediately swung again.

Davon ducked.

A third strike, and he leaned backward.

A fourth, and he stepped between Tyler’s arms.

Tyler’s eyes widened. He grinned. "That was unexpected."

Davon tapped his chest. "You’re too predictable."

Tyler jumped backward. "What the hell was that?"

He shrugged. "My ability."

Tyler rushed him again, this time surrounding his fists with fire.

A punch and Davon dodged.

Kick. Same thing.

Tyler’s attacks became faster, while Davon became faster with them. He bent his body around every attack as if his bones had no limitations.

Tyler finally jumped into the air.

"Then try dodging this!"

He dove downstairs. Fire exploded from his fists.

Davon looked up. He didn’t panic. Instead, he waited for the last second, and moved.

The fire crashed into the ground. Dust filled the area.

Tyler narrowed his eyes.

"Where did he—"

Davon was already behind him.

Tyler barely turned before Davon’s fist struck his stomach.

He was sent flying.

Tyler recovered in the air, coughing. "That actually hurt..."

Davon swung his fist. "I can control every part of my body."

Tyler raised a brow. "Every part?"

"Every cell." Davon flexed his fingers. "My muscles. My nerves. My heartbeat. Everything. I live in my own world."

He disappeared.

Tyler’s eyes widened as Davon appeared beside him. He immediately blocked a powerful punch. Another one came right after. Another strike came from below

He dodged some, and took some.

Tyler twisted away and shot fire at him. He had expected Davon to dodge, but instead, he caught the fire in his hand.

"What?"

"It’s my body." Davon shrank it, till it became nothing. "I can make it do anything."

"Woah. How convenient." Tyler attacked again.

For minutes, they repeated the act.

Tyler didn’t land a single hit, while Davon kept dodging. At some point, it wasn’t the fight anymore. They just analysed each other.

"You’re not going all out." Davon spoke.

"And you’re getting tired." Tyler grinned. "You’re like a superhuman. Aware of every cell in your body. It’s putting a strain on your brain."

Davon heaved a sigh. "You deduced that much from a simple duel."

"You would have gone for the kill if it were an actual fight," Tyler continued to throw fire. "But since it’s not, you’re testing how long you can hold out."

"As expected of the crown prince."

Tyler landed and swept his hair behind his forehead. His eyes, once a dormant wine, suddenly turned to blazing red.

He began to step closer. "I’m curious. I want to see how long you can hold out if I use a small faction of my powers."

He suddenly grinned. "Don’t worry. I have mastered control to some point—"

Thud!

Davon collapsed.

"..."

Tyler blinked.

"...Huh?"

His eyes returned to their dormant colour.

"Davon?"

He stepped closer.

’Did he tire himself out?’

Tyler looked around, then sighed.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

He crouched beside him.

"Does this count? My win or your win?"

There was no response.

’Should I just roll him on his back?’

He shook his head.

"I couldn’t even hit you once."

He lifted Davon on his back.

"I’ll just say I win."

At that time, an explosion rang through the forest and shook the surrounding area.

He looked up.

"Who the hell is fighting like that?"

He traced the direction that led back to the temple and began to walk.

’An ability that lets you control everything in your body. It’s dangerous.’

He smirked.

’If I had fought with half my strength, how long would he have lasted?’

He walked for a long time, until the temple was in sight.

"Finally!"

He entered the temple vicinity and raised a brow.

"Are you responsible for the explosion earlier?"

Fayera raised her head, and pointed to Kael, still unconscious on the ground.

"He did it."

"Woah. I wish I had seen it." Tyler dumped Davon beside Kael.

"How did you carry him here?"

"With my hand."

Davon slapped a hand on his forehead. "Of course."

"I see Davon lost." Fayera glanced at him.

"I didn’t even land a hit. He exhausted himself."

"So you have seen his ability."

Tyler sat down. "if he were an opponent, I’ll waste no time in slitting his throat."

Fayera felt the hair on her skin stand. "you shouldn’t say things like that."

"He’s controlling his own body today. Tomorrow, you’ll become his puppet. In other words, he’s a puppeteer."

A voice grew their attention.

"Aaaahhhh!!" Tiana burst out of the woods. "I hate this! I hate—huh? You guys are done."

Fayera waved at her.

Quil walked out of the woods, eyes closed like he was half asleep. He climbed the stairs and lay on the ground.

Tiana glanced at Davon and Kael. "Aaarrrggghhh?! We lost?!"

"I lost." Fayera shrugged. "He tired himself out."

"Similar case." Tyler nodded.

"So we didn’t list," her smile returned.

She moved closer to them, her eyes settling on Fayera’s tattered clothes.

"Did the explosion earlier cause this?"

"Sort of."

"And..." she narrowed her eyes. "The markings on your body."

All eyes instinctively moved to Fayera. Her ankle has inscriptions in strange language, disappearing up her shoulder and even her neck.

"Look like the way Elias’s own was done. Is it similar?"

Fayera smiled. "Sort of."

"You both are not the same species, so why are you using the same marking style?" ℴℴ𝘮

"Coincidence, perhaps?"

"Coincidence?"

"Right," Tyler cut in. "The duel. Who won between both of you."

Tiana blinked.

"I..."