Pit Fight

With those words, the gong of battle was rung. No referee, no countdown, just two adventurers, the ring, and a wall of noise. 

"Why you.... I'll make you regret looking down on me!"

Baldy rushed forward his longsword gripped in both hands. Swinging wildy with rage, the longsword sliced through the air, barely missing Reiji as he swayed out of reach. 

Ducking under the swing, Reiji drove a palm strike into Baldy's ribcage. A loud bang could be heard as the crowd roared with excitement.

Staggering slightly, Baldy gritted his teeth, before slamming Reiji with Pommel Strike. "Take this!"

Blocking the blow with a cross guard, Reiji slid backwards from the force of the blow, taking a bit of damage.

"Phew, that was dangerous, Baldy." Reiji grinned, shaking the paralysis out of his arms.

Closing the gap, Baldy rushed in with a flurry of slashes, trying to cut into him. Still lacking feeling in his arms, Reiji swayed to avoid the slashes, each one by a hair's width. 

"I'm getting bored." He taunted, hoping to create an opportunity.

Infuriated, the bald adventurer attacked harder, each swing becoming more wild and desperate as he kept missing, his veins bulging with strain.

Seizing the opportunity, Reiji countered attack with multiple swift kicks, each one landing in a different spot.  

Gritting his teeth, baldy leapt backwards from the blow, trying to regain his balance. 

Rushing in, Reiji unleashed a "Rending Strike" through a elbow attacking their sternum. Denting, the armor, Reiji unleashed a barrage of attacks using his limbs, capitalizing on the debuff placed on the bald adventurer.

"Guah." 

Barely able to weather the onslaught, Baldy used a succession of skills to force Reiji back.

"Don't get cocky, brat!"

Flash Swipe, Heavy Slash, Cleave. Each one a stronger attack skill than the previous one. Unable to dodge all of them, Reiji had no choice but to guard against the last attack, losing a chunk of his HP.

"So you do know how to fight... Good. It wouldn't be fun otherwise." Reiji puts up his guard and takes a proper fighting stance for the first time. 

Flicking his hand, Reiji taunts the bald adventurer to come at him. 

"Bastard..." Growling furiously, Baldy dives in at Reiji, stabbing with Quick Thrust. Aiming at the moment where Reiji dodges, Baldy launches two consecutive skills. Rising Slash, followed by Cleave, drawing a white line from the air down towards Reiji. 

A large cloud of dust appears swallowing the two figures inside it.

"Heh, how predictable."

Bang. Bang. Bang. Three loud bangs rang out of the cloud before baldy came flying out of the smoke, Reiji following behind him.

 "I think it's time we end this." Reiji grinned baring his fangs.

Using Blitz, Reiji appeared ahead of Baldy, catching him with another Rending Strike, he shoots baldy up into the air. Jumping up he unleashes a devastating axe kick with Stunning Blow, smashing Baldy into the stone floor.

"Phew. That's some strong stone, not even a single dent on it." Reiji whistles as he lands on the floor.

A loud cheer erupts from the crowd, amazed at the outcome of the fight.

"Wow, they seem to really like you." Elnyra noted surprisedly.

"My money. Noooooooo!" "Yeahhhh! I'm gonna feast tonight!"

"Oh...  nevermind I guess." Elnyra sighed to herself.

As Reiji turns his back, and begins to walk away. A bright flash of light appears behind him as Baldy gets back up and unleashes his most devastating skill. Aiming to sucker punch Reiji and maim him from the back.

"Die!"

Unable to react in time, Reiji could only watch as the glowing sword approached him in slow motion. 

"Reiji! Lookout!" Elnyra screamed telepathically.

"Dammit!" Throwing up his guard, Reiji braced for an impact that never came.

"That's enough!" A loud voice echoed out like a thunderclap.

A figure appeared in between the two. With a single hand, he caught the blade between his two fingers, glaring at the bald adventurer.

"The match is over. Have some dignity."

"Guh-Guild Master." Baldy quickly dropped to his knees, apologizing to the man who had swooped in to protect Reiji.

The guild master, was a middle age looking man. He wore black slacks and vest over his white shirt, unbuttoned showing off the top of his pecs. His body was honed through years of training, packing his body with muscles befitting a swordsman. 

His raven blue ponytail ran down to the middle of his back, contradicting his piercing blue eyes. The katana hanging from his waist was not decorated or ornate. It was simply practical, and well maintained, despite the wear and tear over the years.  The power and pressure radiating out of him reminded Reiji more of a beast than a human.

"What a monster."

"..." Elnyra eyes were filled with a mix of unreadable emotions as she looked at the back of the guild master.

Flicking his wrist, the sword pierces into the stone floor, halfway up the blade. Turning around, the guild master walks over to Reiji with a smile, yet his eyes were calm and cold.

"Tch. To be saved by a handsome guy. How shameful." Reiji grumbled to himself.

Stopping just outside of Reiji's reach the guild master calmly greets Reiji.

"So you're Reiji, the one Souma mentioned." Nodding to himself. "I can certainly see why he was interested in you."

"Whaddya want?" Reiji glares at the Guild Master.

"Oh, how rude. My name is Xenon, I'm the founder and the master of the Grand Adventurer's Guild." Xenon bows slightly, before continuing. "Souma came to inform me that you were here for the application process, so I thought I'd come see you for myself." 

"It's not often a lonewolf like Souma would recommend a stranger."

"So? What? You came to find me?"

"Something like that. Based on his description of you, I assumed you would probably be here in the training pits, fighting with someone."

"Tch."

"Oh? Did I say something wrong?"

"I just dislike know-it-alls."

"You certainly have the attitude befitting someone strong... however, you are far too weak to be acting conceited." The smile fades from his face as Xenon stares coldly at Reiji.