That had been Tiana’s reasoning after hearing how they functioned, but they didn’t actually have proof. Fortunately, the argument seemed to convince Nargava. “Interesting… You clearly did your research,” he said. “The orb ceases to function once the illusion has been broken. You should never have confirmed your identity,” Nick said. Nargava looked flustered, but he soon began to chuckle. “I see I’ve been cornered… Well, that simplifies the situation,” he said, once again assuming a fighting stance. Nick decided this was his opportunity. He resumed speaking, careful not to let the man pick up on his intention. “Wait a second. It’s not every day you get a view like this. It’d be a shame not to take a moment to enjoy it. This might be your last night of freedom. Want a drink?” Nick took a small bottle of alcohol out of his pocket, but Nargava showed no interest. “Yeah, that’s what I expected.” Nick sighed. He took a large swig and lit a magic igniter. “What are you doing?!” Nargava shouted. Nick then spit the contents of the bottle forward, sending a large flame toward Nargava. There was nothing magical about what Nick had done, which was exactly what threw the priest off. He would’ve sensed an offensive spell before it was cast. Realizing he had been fooled by a street performance trick, Nargava glared angrily at Nick. “What the…?!” Nargava shouted. Nick was no longer there. “You thought that was the whole trick? Take this!” “You’re up there?!” He looked up to see Nick falling toward him to perform a spinning kick with all his might. Nargava crossed his arms and blocked the attack. “Ngh, you fool! Do you not realize what putting that much weight behind an attack up here will do?!” Nargava yelled. “That’s the whole point. Geronimo!” Nick shouted. They heard a loud creak below them. Most roofs were not made to support the weight of two people fighting, and this one was no exception. A hole opened beneath them, and they fell into the building. They fell into a wide, open space. “This place is a laundromat that went out of business. The company recently went bankrupt after the owner started an affair with an employee and skipped town, but the building’s too old for anyone to want to buy. That means we can fight as much as we want without upsetting anybody,” Nick explained. Like he described, it was a deserted laundromat. The floor was riddled with large, abandoned laundry barrels that looked like dusty witches’ cauldrons. Both Nick and Nargava landed lightly despite having fallen over a couple of meters, kicking up a little dust but not as much as they should have. Naturally, neither of them was injured. “Man, you’re good,” Nick said. “That is a basic skill. Shall I give you a much-needed lesson?” Nargava responded. “I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to pass. Tiana! Karan!” Nick called out. “Ice Shield!” “Hi-yaaaah!” An incantation, a roar, and a crash echoed through the facility. Tiana, who was hiding atop the ceiling beams the lights were suspended from, blocked the hole in the ceiling with a shield of ice and looked down at Nargava. At the same time, Karan threw a metal shelf and trolley to block the exit. She drew her Dragonbone Sword and glared at the priest from a distance. Luring Nargava here was Nick’s plan. He wanted a place where they could neutralize the Steppingman’s great leaping ability and prevent him from escaping. Learning how to use Light Body and blowing fire in his face were just a part of his plan. He’d found the laundromat by pure chance. A few days earlier, when he was thinking of a strategy, Nick had run into Fil, the second girl they’d saved from the Steppingman. They struck up a conversation, and as Fil told him about herself, she mentioned the deserted laundromat her father used to own. When Nick asked if they could use it to take down the Steppingman, she asked them to “wreck the place so badly that Father would never be able to come back.” “The stage is set. Show us what you’ve got, Nargava,” Nick provoked. Nargava smiled self-deprecatingly upon realizing how perfectly they had manipulated him. “Impressive… It seems I have been trapped.” “Try to run if you want. You can use those chains you’re so fond of,” Nick said. Nargava drew his chains back into his sleeves. The building was far from cramped, but he must have realized it was an unfavorable environment. The moment his chains got tangled on anything, the Survivors would overwhelm him. “I could, but it would be faster at this point to finish you off here,” Nargava responded. “Now that’s what I wanna hear… But first, there’s one more person I want you to see,” Nick said. Another man emerged from the darkness of the facility to face Nargava. “Zem… You were the one who realized it was me, weren’t you?” “Hmm, it’s hard to say,” Zem responded. “Don’t play dumb. Though I suppose I am guilty of the same,” Nargava admitted. There was an intensity in Zem’s eyes that Nick had never seen before. “Now would be a good time to be honest, then. Why did you start an epidemic? Your daughter died in the capital, not in Labyrinth City. Furthermore, she wasn’t murdered. She died from an illness. Are you doing this for some kind of revenge?” he asked. “Revenge, huh…? That might not be far off the mark,” Nargava said, beginning to laugh for the first time around the Survivors. It sounded almost like a wheeze, which was typical of people who didn’t laugh very often. The tinge of insanity in his voice sent a chill down their spines. “You said it earlier, boy. I have been ‘as sloppy as a magazine reporter rushing to meet a deadline.’ That is exactly right. Some infectious disease researchers have shown interest in my thesis. They advised me to find more evidence before our next research paper seminar.” “Are you serious?” Nick said, his voice trembling with fear. “I wanted one or two more children to use as test subjects, but acquiring them proved difficult given how busy I am with research and treating patients during the day. You all have caused me more than enough trouble. I welcome this opportunity to get rid of you,” Nargava said, speaking with intense hatred. Nick had seen people display such animosity on a bloodthirsty rampage or out of a desire for glory, but he had never seen it from a person with a motive to kill. “If I find a cure for the illness that killed my daughter, her death won’t be in vain. I can give her death meaning and restore our reputation.” “You killed for that? What nonsense,” Zem muttered. “Excuse me?!” Nargava shouted, his anger growing. “Your daughter’s death was a tragedy, made all the worse by being unfairly blamed. But how many lives have you taken for that purpose? I am sure it was not only one or two. Does that not defeat the purpose of researching a cure for an infectious disease?” Zem asked. “I could not care less about the deaths of some nobodies who must rely on others to survive. They are nothing compared to my daughter.” Nargava looked at Zem, but it was clear from his eyes that he was not in the present. “I…was a bad priest. I have never once cared about saving others like you do, Zem. In my youth, I was a knight who mainly served as a bodyguard, but I got tired of being surrounded by ruffians and blood. One day I happened to save a high priest on the road and curried favor with him to become a priest myself. I concentrated on my studies and spent my time navigating the politics of the sanctuary, caring for nothing other than my own personal advancement. That was how small a man I was.” “So you were a knight. That explains your strength,” Zem said. “My family lacked social standing. I had to work hard to make my place in the world. That was why I wished for success so badly… Until my daughter was born.” Nargava’s tone softened when he mentioned his daughter. “I still remember when she was a baby, and when she started elementary school, like it was yesterday. She was so intelligent. There was no piece of scripture she couldn’t read and recite right away. She even had a gift for magic and could cure a broken finger with ease. Her carefree manner got her in trouble, but her smile was so infectious that even when she got up to her usual mischief, no one stayed mad at her for long. She was talented and so full of love.” Nargava clenched his fists tight. “I cannot allow the death of my beautiful daughter to be meaningless!” he shouted. “That must be why you bought a magic item and hid in the Garbage Heap,” Zem said. “I acquired the magic item by chance. I had no desire to live… But once I came up with this idea, I had no choice but to go through with it. I suppose I can make up for the deaths I have caused with the lives my efforts will save in the future.” “What do you mean you had no choice?!” Zem yelled. “I’m sure all the people in this city appear worthless to you! Even the children must look like fools compared to your daughter! But that does not justify the cruel manner in which you are playing with their lives!” “Trust me when I say no one will miss them.” “Let’s end this here. If you do not regret your crimes, there is nothing more to say,” Zem declared. Nick, Tiana, and Karan readied themselves. “Very well. You may even be able to stop me… I apologize for underestimating a group of bounty hunters,” Nargava responded with a heavy sigh. He expelled all the air from his lungs, then took another deep breath. It seemed his breath could knock the old building down. “However… Do not expect me to hold back.” Nargava looked at them with open hostility. He was finally baring his fangs after using his skills entirely for defense to this point. Nick had only fought a handful of people who were this strong. He felt a level of intensity that reminded him of his experience sparring with Argus, but the circumstances could not have been more different. He always fought Argus with the goal of improving so he would be ready to face real danger in the future. Argus never held back and had always left Nick battered and bruised in defeat. But this fight was not a practice round. His opponent was a villain who they now knew was much worse than a simple kidnapper—he was like an evil spirit that spread disease. Defeat would mean death. “Let’s do this!” he shouted. The Survivors sprang to action. Just like in their first encounter, Nargava was before Nick’s eyes in a flash. Nick shuddered at the man’s shocking speed. He seems stronger than when we were on the roof! he thought. Nargava threw a terrifyingly strong punch at Nick. There was only one explanation for this newfound force—Nargava must have used Heavy Body, the opposite of Light Body, to increase the strength of his attack. “Yaah!” Nargava yelled. There was a fine sharpness and weight behind his punches, kicks, and elbows. He could fight monsters barehanded like Nick, but his attacks carried significantly more force. Nick retreated instinctively. “You’re mine… Obsidian Blades!” Nargava shouted. Nick jumped behind a large iron barrel to avoid Nargava’s spell, but it proved incapable of protecting him completely. The sharp projectiles chipped away at the barrel, and a few scraped Nick’s arms. “These are stones… And they’re really hard…,” Nick muttered, studying the obsidian arrowheads that had hit the barrel and his arms. Nargava was shooting an endless stream of them from his hands with tremendous force, tearing apart the machinery and floor. Obsidian could be used to make a knife even sharper than an iron sword, but its fragility made it unfit for weaponry. That weakness hardly mattered, though, when producing such projectiles with magic. “Hraaaah!” Karan shouted, holding her Dragonbone Sword like a shield and charging boldly toward Nargava as the crunch of the arrowheads hitting the floor echoed through the facility. Zem stationed himself behind her. “Karan, be careful!” Nick shouted. “I’m fine!” she responded. When Nargava’s spell ended, Karan sucked in a large breath and expelled flames. Nargava sensed what she was going to do and jumped back to retreat. Zem took advantage of the opportunity to approach Nick and heal him. “Thanks!” Nick said. “Don’t let Nargava escape!” Zem shouted. “Don’t worry. Tiana!” Nick called out. “I’m on it. Take this!” Tiana yelled from her perch on the ceiling beams. She took aim at Nargava and cast Ice Spear as he flew backward through the air defenselessly. “Grr!” Nargava grunted. He produced a rope from his sleeves, wrapped it around a light on the wall, and pulled himself up to change his trajectory. The ice spear passed through the spot where he’d been standing just a moment before. “What are you, a spider?! Icicle Dance!” “Diamond Shield!” Tiana and Nargava chanted spells at the same time, one firing ice fragments and the other producing a shield to block them. They appeared to be at a stalemate, but Nick realized Nargava was up to something. “Crap… Move, Tiana!” he yelled. “I know he has a shield, but I can at least restrain him!” Tiana shouted back. “That’s not what I mean—he’s going to throw it!” Nargava threw his shield like a boomerang when Tiana fired the last of her icicles. She dodged it by a hair’s breadth, and the shield broke through the wall of the facility. “Since when can that spell be used that way?” Tiana grumbled. “He lulled you into a false sense of security and used his strength to hurl it,” Nick said. “Ridiculous…,” Zem muttered in disbelief. “What should we do? We could fetch Bond and Olivia…” “No, they’re our last line of defense in case he gets away,” Nick said. Bond had positioned multiple copies of himself throughout the southeast district of Labyrinth City in case they incorrectly predicted Nargava’s route. Similarly, they assigned Olivia the role of leading Nargava here in case Nick couldn’t find him. It would be a while before they reached the laundromat. “We’ll stick to the plan and take care of him here! Let’s go!” Nick ordered. “Okay!” Karan responded, raising her Dragonbone Sword. She leaped with impressive lightness and swung her sword down. “Ngh…!” Nargava cast Diamond Shield again to block her attack. Karan’s sword collided with the shield, and she kept pushing with enough force to break it. The floor creaked beneath Nargava’s feet from the weight of the attack. He tossed his shield aside and jumped backward just before the sword reached his neck. “You’re not getting away… Fire Dragon Fan!” Karan spun and swung her Dragonbone Sword in a powerful sideways sweep, sending flames after Nargava in the shape of a fan. It was a less powerful attack that covered a wide range. “Hi-yah!” Nargava shouted, diverting the flames with a thrust of the back of his hand. “Wha…?!” Karan gasped. “You’re too predictable!” the priest yelled. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that!” Nick exclaimed, thrusting his dagger at Nargava’s side. He had approached Nargava by hiding behind Karan’s flames. “Not so fast!” Nargava shouted. He summoned a miniature Diamond Shield in his left palm and used it to block Nick’s dagger. The dagger broke on impact; only a weapon as sharp as the Dragonbone Sword could cut through a Diamond Shield. “Crap!” Nick yelled. He tossed his dagger aside and threw a punch. Nick lacked Nargava’s strength, but he thought he might be able to best him with his greater variety of attacks. Nargava fought with a defensive style, combining strengthening and defensive magic, which was expected of knights hired to escort horse- or dragon-drawn carriages and handle attacks from monsters and thieves quickly, or protect someone important while unarmed. That was what Nick inferred from Nargava’s words and from actually fighting him. He knew he needed to hit him hard. “Oof… You’re pretty good yourself…,” Nargava said, withstanding Nick’s punch. “What the…?!” Nick exclaimed. An odd feeling spread through his hand after the impact. It was as if he had punched a boulder, or a giant tree in the shape of a human that was firmly rooted in the ground. That didn’t make sense, given Nargava’s medium build. His weight did not match his appearance. “Hi-yah!” Nargava used Nick’s momentary confusion to counter with a deadly punch. Nick hurriedly crossed his arms to try to block it, but Nargava’s punch was too strong and knocked him off his feet. “Nick?!” The other Survivors watched in shock as Nick flew across the room. Nargava hit him so hard, they would not have been surprised if he had been knocked unconscious. “Grk… I’ll heal him. Cover for me!” Zem shouted. “Okay!” Karan responded. Zem rushed toward Nick, and Karan charged at Nargava to protect them. “Foolish girl! It seems you still don’t understand that such recklessness will get you killed!” Nargava said. Karan swung her sword with immense speed, but it wasn’t fast enough. Nargava had a huge advantage in agility. He dodged Karan’s attack, then feinted like he was going to chase after Nick and instead punched Zem as hard as he could. “Gah!” Zem shouted in pain. The magic-enhanced punch felt as strong as a blow from a mace. “Damn you!” Karan yelled, burning with rage. She turned around and rushed at Nargava, but quickly froze. Nargava was cunning, and created a situation where he could attack either Nick or Zem, forcing Karan to abandon one to protect the other. “Crap!” She could have solved the problem by just attacking Nargava, but he gave her no time to think about it. “Too slow!” Nargava kicked Karan fiercely. Tiana watched for a chance to attack, but as if he had eyes in the back of his head, he cleverly positioned himself where she might accidentally hit a party member instead. She couldn’t cast a spell unless she was willing to risk hurting an ally. Nargava had them all in the palm of his hand, despite being outnumbered four-to-one. “A party amplifies the strengths of its individual members, but it can also be taken advantage of in this manner. You’re the weak link, Zem. It’s a shame I have to do this. Our conversation resonated with me,” Nargava said before kicking Zem into the air. Zem healed himself when he landed, then staggered to his feet and glared at Nargava. “You lied to us when we told you about the kidnappings. You said the Steppingman should be condemned. What could possibly have resonated with you?” Zem asked. “It was not my intention to lie. I truly believe my actions to be shameful and cruel.” Nargava rushed at Zem with a cool expression. He dodged an attack from Karan and delivered accurate blows to Zem’s solar plexus, chin, and throat. Nargava was about to kill Zem right before Karan’s eyes. “No! Stop!” she cried. “You cannot stop me. You only know how to hunt beasts in caves—that skill does not translate to killing a highly trained fighter. You all chased me down, but you were not prepared to fight me,” Nargava said in a bored tone. Nick surprised him by coiling around his body like a snake. “Wha…? You?!” “You’re right. This is a manhunt, not a contest of strength. We know we’re finished the moment we engage you in actual combat. But let me show you what I’m really good at,” Nick said. He had quietly crawled toward Nargava while the man was focused on Zem and Karan, then wrapped himself around his legs and used a locking technique. “Your strength and agility are meaningless when I have you trapped like this. I doubt you have much experience dealing with this joint lock. It’s not something a knight would ever use when fighting off thieves or monsters.” Nick lifted his legs into the air and wrapped them around Nargava’s neck, making it look like he was doing a handstand as he locked the man in place. Nargava struggled, trying to avoid suffocating, and collapsed. The more he struggled, the tighter Nick’s grip became. “Did you just try to save me, Zem? Get a grip. Right now, I’m the one who’s saving you,” Nick said. “But Nick! You’re hurt!” Zem protested. Nick looked like he had turned the tables despite being bruised all over. Zem had thought he needed to heal his injuries right away, but Nick was insisting it wasn’t necessary. “Shut up and listen! Is it so embarrassing to let someone help you?! Or are you looking down on me for trying?! Priests always act all high and mighty, then disparage you behind your back!” “Nick…” “Like Nargava said, you’re the weak link right now. You know what you have to do. Calm down and think.” “You’re right… I apologize. I lost my cool.” Nargava cried in distress. He was using all his strength to try to crush Nick’s legs and free himself. Trying to interfere with that deadlock would probably only aid Nargava. It was then that Zem decided to relent and entrust the situation to Nick. “Nick. I need your help. I am going to run, so please buy as much time as you can,” he said. “What?” Nargava responded, confused. “I am powerless to defeat you, Nargava. Nick has you trapped right now, but our party has no chance as long as I am here to be taken advantage of.” “Hmph… So what are you going to do?!” “I am going to run.” “Huh?” “I’m going to go to your clinic in the Garbage Heap and burn it all down. I’ll then reveal everything to those who read your thesis and cause a scandal to ruin your achievements.” Nargava appeared even more shocked than when Nick had exposed his identity. “Good-bye, Nargava. I doubt we will ever meet again,” Zem said. He turned his back and ran off. “Grr… Y-you coward! And you call yourself a priest?! Don’t you realize how many people my research is going to save?!” Nargava shouted. “I am no more a priest than you are,” Zem responded. “Noooooooo!” Nargava screamed in anguish, fighting even harder than before to break free. Nick didn’t feel like he could hold him for much longer, but Nargava had to be close to losing consciousness. He then felt something shift from Nargava’s body, and his chains shot out of his sleeves. “Hraaaah!” Nargava shouted. The chains slithered toward the ceiling, wrapped around a beam, and lifted both Nick and Nargava into the air. The Survivors immediately realized what he was trying to do—he wanted to swing like a pendulum and crush Nick’s body against the wall. “Big mistake, you dimwit! I’ve been waiting for you to do that! Freeze!” Tiana chanted, freezing the chains. Karan sprang forward once they were restrained. “Fire Dragon Slash!” she shouted, seeming to vent her frustration as she covered her blade in crimson flames and cut the metal chains. The dramatic difference in temperature triggered an explosion and broke them, causing Nick and Nargava to fall from a decent height. “Owww… That hurts…,” Nick muttered. “Damn you…!” Nargava cursed. They were both hurt from the fall. Nargava staggered to his feet while healing himself, and Zem ran straight for Nick. “Heh, you really are an idiot. You bought that hook, line, and sinker,” Nick said. “That was a dirty trick!” Nargava shouted. “I know, right? I’m proud of that one,” Nick said with a wicked smile. “But you get the point, right? We can expose you whenever we want, even if we don’t feel like it right now. You can’t trust that we won’t.” That was a bluff, too. The Survivors’ top priority wasn’t to defeat Nargava or stop him from achieving his goals. It was to figure out where he was keeping the children he abducted and save them. Regardless, they could not afford to let him get away. “Are you okay, Nick?” Zem asked. “Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’ve got him figured out,” Nick responded. He took a deep breath, stood up, and took one step forward. “Could you give me another lesson?” “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, foolish boy. Do you really think you can pull the same trick after already revealing your hand?” Nargava asked. He approached Nick with calm steps. Karan looked like she was going to attack, but Nick stopped her with a look. “Nick…,” she said. “Leave this to me.” Nick and Nargava’s fists collided once again. “Grk…!” Nick grunted. Nargava’s superior strength proved evident once again as he sent Nick flying across the room. The other Survivors watched dumbfounded as Nick soared over a few meters through the air. They were worried the earlier events of the battle would just be repeated. “Nick!” Zem yelled, beginning to rush toward him. But just when Nick was about to crash into the ground, he twisted his body in midair and landed softly. “Huh?” Nick ignored Zem’s shock and brushed dust off his knees. He looked unhurt. “Did you really figure out how to use this spell in such a short amount of time?” Nargava asked in surprise. “Have I? Let’s find out,” Nick responded. “Impudent little…!” Nargava threw another forceful punch and sent Nick flying through the air like a toy. “Hraah!” Nargava shouted, running after him in pursuit with steps so powerful it seemed like he would break through the floor. He reached Nick’s landing spot in no time and tried to stomp on him as if he were trying to crush a grape. Nick dodged by rolling to the side and used Light Body to increase his agility. He got up and faced Nargava again, but the man landed another punch, once again sending him flying. “…Okay,” Nick muttered as he twisted his body in midair again like a cat, aiming for a soft landing. “Man, this is kinda nauseating. You can only use this so many times.” “Astounding. You’ve learned vector control in the course of this fight,” Nargava said, visibly shocked. “Vector control? What’s that?” Nick asked. “It’s a defensive skill that involves adjusting your own weight to align yourself with the flow of your opponent’s attack. If you lighten your body with magic and allow the attack to carry you, you can reduce the impact enough to take as little damage as if you were a falling leaf or feather.” “I’m not perfect at it yet, though.” “Even so, it is the most effective way to defend yourself against Heavy Body.” “I figured,” Nick said, looking content and much more composed than Nargava. “But you’re not just increasing your weight. You used Heavy Body to propel yourself forward and grant extra strength to your blow when you rushed toward me. And unlike me, you’re making yourself heavier to lessen the damage you take… Oh, I just realized something. Do you use Heavy Body instead of Light Body when you swing around with your chains?” Nargava exhaled quietly with a stern expression, then answered with surprising calmness. “I travel irregular trajectories by quickly switching between Light Body and Heavy Body. I can also shift my center of gravity by chanting them both simultaneously. You cannot consider yourself a practitioner of Stepping until you master two kinds of vector control: one where you give yourself over to the flow of things, and another where you create it yourself.” “Stepping? I’ve never heard of that,” Nick said. “I wonder if your instructor decided you weren’t ready to be taught that yet, or if they thought you would reach it on your own… Anyway, how did you realize my technique?” Nick answered as casually as if he were discussing the weather. “Because I’ve studied a ton of empty-handed fighting styles, and I can more or less tell how heavy a person is when I fight them. I figured it out while trying to make sense of why your weight and your appearance don’t match.” “I see.” “So you said you would give me a ‘much-needed lesson.’ Is there anything else you wanna share with me?” “No, I’ve said too much. Consider what I’ve told you as a final gift on your way to the afterlife… Enticing you with more would only be cruel. Also, noticing my technique does not mean you can handle it.” “Heh, I know I’m too much of a beginner to beat you… But who says I have to fight you on equal footing?” Nick steadied his breathing. “You’re a skilled mage, you’re quicker than a wolf, and you’re a heavyweight martial artist. But at the end of the day, you’re only human. Taking you down will be a cinch.” Nick stretched his fingers and wrists to make sure he was loose, declaring his intent to get serious. “I welcome you to try. We’ll see if you can back up that confidence of yours,” Nargava said. “I’ve gotten a good sense of your strength. Now it’s my turn to give you a lesson.” “Don’t make me laugh. You are powerless before me.” Nargava threw a punch. Nick answered with a punch of his own, and they began to trade blows. Nick’s proximity to Nargava rendered the other Survivors unable to help him. After a couple of minutes, Nargava feinted a punch and stepped back. “Obsidian Blades!” he chanted, aiming the obsidian arrowheads for Nick’s abdomen. Nick reacted quickly, taking a big step forward and knocking Nargava’s hand aside with a backhand blow, diverting the arrowheads toward empty air. “You can tell when an opponent’s about to cast a spell by studying their eyes, hands, mouth, and mana. You clearly did train as a knight rather than as an adventurer. Your skill at deception is average,” Nick said. “What?!” Nargava shouted, flustered. He attacked Nick with a left-handed palm heel strike, but Nick proved too cunning for him. “Not so fast!” Nargava used every move in his arsenal, including punches, kicks, knifehand strikes, spells, and more, but Nick blocked them all by subtly diverting the angles to avoid the full weight of the blows. “Man, Magic Sense is useful. All I have to do is touch you and I can tell when you’re gonna cast a spell. I didn’t realize how convenient it is until using it in battle,” Nick said. “Ngh…!” Nargava activated Heavy Body and aimed a punch at Nick with all his strength. “I couldn’t get a feel for you until now because you were constantly changing your weight. But now that I know your trick, this is easy,” Nick said. Nargava broke off a piece of Nick’s leather armor with a sharp blow, but he was yet to scratch Nick’s body. His fully extended arm provided the opportunity Nick was waiting for. “Got you,” Nick said. “Grk!” Nargava grunted. Nick coiled his arms around Nargava’s arm like a snake. The former high priest cast Heavy Body and tried his best to shake free, but Nick skillfully predicted the directions he would try to throw him in and tightened his grip. “Hi-yah!” While still holding Nargava’s arm, Nick lifted his lower body off the ground and aimed for the man’s neck with both his legs, once again trying to bring him down. “I said the same move wouldn’t work twice!” Nargava yelled, trying to fall intentionally. He realized he had no chance of throwing Nick off unless he abandoned the notion that falling would put him at a disadvantage. He was beginning to notice the subtle differences in Nick’s style of combat from his own. “Normally, that’d be the right move. You’ll want to break free even if you have to hurt yourself a little in the process. However…,” Nick said before doing something that shocked everyone in the facility. He wrapped his legs around Nargava’s shoulders instead of his neck, pulled himself up, and did a handstand on Nargava’s head with one finger. He then shifted his weight in the direction Nargava was trying to fall and kept him upright. Nick was preventing Nargava from falling with just one finger. Nimble didn’t even begin to describe his actions. “Hup!” Nick bent his elbow and jumped using only his arm, then caught Nargava by surprise by grabbing him from midair and wrapping his arms around his neck. He put all his strength into the chokehold, but Nargava refused to collapse, fighting hard to tear him off. The sounds of panting and skin chafing echoed through the facility. Exhaustion racked them both as drops of sweat fell to the floor. “…It’s over,” Karan muttered when Nargava finally collapsed.
Chapter 56
28 min read