Chapter 429 - Rematch after year.
Ichiro smiled and took a sip of the water bottle, ''Is that so?''
Slych nodded with a rugged look, ''Yes.''
''Alright…'' Ichiro put the bottle back on the desk and cracked his neck, ''How is the winner determined?''
''Whoever falls first is the loser.'' Slych stood up and took off his jacket.
''Ok.'' Ichiro stood up and moved his limbs around while moving closer to the middle of the room.
Slych looked at his hand and saw his fingertips trembling, 'It isn't time to feel afraid… I might not win. However, I will show him that I am not someone who should be underestimated.'
They stopped in the middle of the room with five meters distance between them.
''Whew…'' Slych lowered his center of gravity and went into a fighting stance that maximized his speed to the fullest.
Ichiro went into his Predator Stance. His stance looked firm, without any weaknesses.
The calmness of the surrounding building surrounded them, making their muscles relaxed and their faces calm.
Soon, the calmness was disturbed.
''Tomahawk Missile!''
*CRACK!*
A black blur moved forward like a missile without any signs of stopping. However, when the blur was getting nearer, Slych's figure became clearer.
''Tomahawk!'' His feet left the ground, and a powerful roundhouse kick was unleashed.
*Bam!*
Ichiro put his forearm as a block and dealt with the strike with relative ease.
Slych landed on the ground and sent a back-kick. However, he felt the bottom of his foot hitting nothing but air.
A shadow loomed over him, and when he turned his gaze around, he saw Ichiro's punch nearing.
''Tomahawk Resistance!'' Slych quickly moved their hands as a block and stiffened his muscles.
*BAM!*
''Grah!'' Slych's back crashed on the floor with a spurt of saliva flying out of his mouth.
Ichiro stopped moving and offered a hand, ''You wanna continue?''
''Ah…'' Slych let out a confused sigh. Only a moment ago, he was fighting well. However, the next moment his vision was swimming, and the next thing he felt was the cold floor.
''I… I didn't come here to have a two-second fight.'' Slych jumped to his two feet and sent a strike of his fist forward.
''Steel Edge.'' Ichiro calmly redirected the punch. While his fingertips were touching the flesh of Slych's fist, he inserted more pressure.
''Eh?!'' Slych suddenly felt the pressure around his fist increasing, which sent his fist to the side in a rag doll-like manner. His eyes widened in shock, with disbelief filling his face.
Ichiro moved to the side, grabbed the tip of Slych's shirt, and twisted his hand.
Slych once again saw his vision swimming, and soon he was sitting on the floor with undeniable shock.
''Damn…'' He cursed under his breath. However, he didn't want to end it so soon!
Slych jumped to his feet and kept raining punches at Ichiro, each punch being faster than the previous one!
Ichiro calmly deflected them all. However, Slych's speed suddenly increased, and his fist managed to make a scratch on his cheek.
Ichiro glanced at the bleeding cheek with a surprised look.
''Tomahawk Piercer!'' Slych raised his leg and sent a front kick in front of him with the tips of his toes raised.
*Bam!*
''Ironing Ridge.'' Ichiro went to his knees and elbowed the kick away.
Slych struggled to keep standing and already felt the looming doom approaching.
*Grab*
Ichiro's hand moved, his fingers locked with Slych's shirt, and he used a fraction of his strength from his explosive muscles to pull him toward him.
Slych smacked Ichiro's hand away. A strike hit him to his jaw, which sent him stumbling backward.
Ichiro jumped to his feet and elbowed Slych's torso, and at that moment, he knew that the spar was over.
*Thud*
Slych fell on his back, and for the next several minutes, he didn't move.
He only looked at the ceiling with beads of sweat trailing down his body.
''Whew…'' Ichiro grabbed a water bottle and offered it to exhausted Slych.
Slych took it and gulped it down.
''Haahh… You have gotten too strong…'' Slych had to admit that Ichiro was leagues above him.
''I guess so…'' Ichiro sat down on a chair and watched Slych's exhausted figure. Only a year ago, he suffered a loss against Slych, a person who seemed to be miles ahead of him in terms of strength, speed, and intelligence.
Slych sat up and rubbed his painful jaw, ''Hmm… I thought I would be able to put a better fight…''
After ten minutes of catching their breath and calming down their beating hearts.
They could finally talk more freely like they weren't fighting only a moment ago.
''When are you going to return to Armya?'' Ichiro asked and rested his arm on the backrest.
''Tomorrow should be the flight.'' Slych casually mentioned.
''Alright…'' Ichiro soon remembered an event that was supposed to happen tonight, ''Do you want to come with me to my… Birthday party, Lucas should be there.''
''Oh, it's your birthday?'' Slych looked surprised, ''Sure, I would love to.''
Isaac ran his hand through his hair and sighed, ''Sigh… I don't really like to have a party, and it is unnecessary in my opinion.''
''Then, why have?'' Slych asked.
''Well, Azura wanted, and so did my family.'' He shrugged, ''I guess this might as well be a farewell party… Soon, I have to return to Coldland.''
''Oh.'' Slych nodded with understanding, ''I heard… That High School of Fighting isn't doing that good, especially after you left.''
''Yeah… They will do fine. However, they need me once the start of the fight…'' Ichiro stood up with a tinge of fighting spirit in his eyes.
''Ah.'' Slych stood up and asked, ''Something happening there?''
''Yeah.'' Ichiro put his hands on his pockets and walked with Slych out of the building.
Once they reached outdoors, Ichiro said, ''Apparently, all Coldland High Schools are participating in Battle of Cities, and they all aim to defeat our school…''
They started walking in the streets with conversation topics circling around Coldland.
''With your strength, it shouldn't be difficult to beat them, right?''
Ichiro had a bad feeling about the upcoming tournament, ''I have a feeling… That with only me, there isn't a chance of victory. There are dishonest types in the other schools, and I feel that if Michael, Sariel, and Rafael haven't gotten strong enough, we will lose.''