The Inner Odyssey

Soon, the two combatants slowly circled each other again.

The only difference this time was that they were without weapons.

Both were struggling, their gait affected by bone-deep fatigue.

Alden panted heavily.

His lethargy clouded his focus, dulling his senses and reaction time. No doubt the Dark Elf was also experiencing the same - based on its weary movements and occasional daze.

Grinning like a madman, Alden planted his feet on the ground.

The Dark Elf kept circling him.

He remained calm, closing his good eye.

Alden inhaled deeply, shifting into a martial stance. So long as he had a drop of mana left in his mana pool, he could still use his mana sense.

…That was why he was so nonchalant about the Dark Elf circling him, and why he had closed his good eye.

Alden had his mana sense trained on his frigid foe. Every slight movement, every twitch… he didn't miss any of it. Suddenly, his eye snapped open and he turned, twisting the creature's arm and delivering a swift punch.

Anticipating that, however, the Dark Elf nimbly escaped his grasp. It caught his fist, its ice cold-skin sending a chill through the young man's body.

Alden immediately retaliated with a roundhouse kick, aiming for the being's temple.

The Dark Elf let go of his fist.

It took a half-step back, evading his attack.

Then, it surged forward once more.

Alden quickly righted himself, his foot returning to the ground. And just in time.

The Dark Elf's fist hurtled toward him, full of dire menace.

He bent his knees slightly, and instinctively raised a forearm.

However…

It was a feint.

The Dark Elf dropped its shoulder, and its fist crashed into Alden's stomach. His back arched, breath ripped from his lungs. It felt like he had been punched by a behemoth, such was the power imbued in the blasted creature's strike.

Power only those with a tempered constitution could unleash.

Alden gritted his teeth.

Doubtless, he would be sporting a large bruise from that.

As he absorbed the blow, the corrupted creature wasted no time in pressing its advantage. Alden's neck suddenly whipped to the side, his cheek flaring with pain. An iron taste filled his mouth.

Abruptly, his neck snapped in the other direction.

Another pulse of pain followed.

Staggering back under the weight of consecutive blows, the young man displayed a bloody grin.

His vision swam.

Disoriented, Alden shook his head, retreating a few paces.

The Dark Elf's approaching footsteps echoed like thunder in his ears.

Spitting the blood that had slowly pooled in his mouth, Alden's lips curled even more.

It was a little strange for someone to enjoy being hit like Alden, and even more strange for them to find it so pleasurable, but he was a musclehead, and all brutes shared one thing in common: their love for a good fistfight.

Alden dashed forward, taking the initiative.

He was determined not to let the pain and damage he received shake his confidence.

He had the self-belief to win.

It was only a matter of how.

'I can do this.'

With such thoughts bolstering him on, Alden threw himself at his foe.

He abandoned any pretense of strategy or cold, calculated cunning.

Instead…

He let himself surrender to his primal instincts.
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The young man released a bestial snarl.

In response, the Dark Elf's grin became even more crooked - if such a thing was still possible.

A hint of dark glee brewed in its gaze.

Once Alden entered within the corrupted creature's range, he threw a swift right hook. The punch was solid and his technique was flawless - rotating his hip, as the power travelled from his core, up into his shoulder, and through his arm. Added to that the momentum of his earlier dash, and the young man's strike packed quite the punch.

Of course, the effect would have been greater if it was augmented with mana.

However, Alden currently lacked that precious but finite resource, so he just had to make do with what he had. A second later, his fist slammed into the Dark Elf's cheek. For some reason, it hadn't bothered to dodge.

At the same time…

A ram of violent force suddenly crashed into Alden's jaw.

His neck whipped to the side, and more blood pooled in his mouth.

His cheek throbbed.

Alden was taken aback slightly for a moment - the small lucid part of his brain that hadn't been devoured by his bloodlust making itself known, before it was drowned by a surge of deep, murderous desire.

Another bloody grin marred Alden's pale face.

The crimson liquid seemed to perfectly mirror his blood-red gaze.

If the Dark Elf found the sight unsettling, it didn't show it. For just then, it launched another blow.

Not to be outdone, Alden responded in kind.

This time, with his opposite hand.

…Inside the spacious cavern, the sound of flesh striking flesh reverberated.

Again, and again, and again.

It was a distinct, heavy sound.

The sound would pause for a brief moment, but return very quickly.

Like a pulse.

Or a beat.

…Of madness.

A rhythm of savagery and pure, infectious chaos.

Soon, numerous cuts littered Alden's face. Large bruises covered his skin, and his good eye appeared swollen from the fistful barrage. Staggering back, Alden growled.

The Dark Elf flung itself at him.

He shifted at the last moment.

However, he couldn't quite get out of the way.

Alden and his foe wrestled on the ground. A demented thirst and thrill sparked between them. They rolled, each trying to claw at the other's face.

Unsuccessful, the Dark Elf's sharp nails gaze Alden's side.

He roared.

In response, he bit the creature's nose.

It shrieked.

Their struggle only intensified.

Alden's arms wobbled, desperately fighting to prevent himself from being pinned.

Unfortunately, he was just too tired…

Another fist slammed into his cheek, and a flood of immolating fury suddenly blazed within Alden.

It was the type of rage one felt when they had had enough.

Gritting his teeth, Alden strained his burning muscles, using the last embers of their strength to switch positions with the Dark Elf. Now, he was the one on top. Capitalising on his advantage, Alden delivered a quick double strike with his fists.

Something gleamed in the corner of his vision.

There, Alden discovered the broken remains of the earlier stalagmites sprawled on the cavern floor. Best of all, these frigid shards were within reach. His good eye lit up. Grinning madly, Alden hurriedly grabbed a fistful of the shattered icicles, ignoring how they cut his skin.

Then, he shifted.

The Dark Elf raked its claws desperately along his midsection.

Yet, Alden ignored the agony, pain numbed by his bloodlust.

He raised a trembling arm, sensing he had regained another drop of mana in his once empty mana pool. Knowing he did not have much time, Alden did not bother forming a tenebrous dirk. Instead, he circulated that drop, augmenting his arm just enough for it to plunge down on his opponent's face, shards of ice piercing its skin.

A distorted shriek escaped the Dark Elf's greyish-blue lips.

Panting, with his vision blurry, Alden shifted behind the creature, placing it in a chokehold.

The Dark Elf struggled with all its might.

However…

Very soon, it grew deathly still.