Chapter 32: Chapter 32 : The Sparring Match Concludes

‘We definitely made the right choice back there,’ quickly shifting back, Rei couldn’t help but think.

When proposing this match, Rei knew that odds were against him. He wasn’t one to rush into losing battles, but he knew that the experience of battling a psionic firsthand would be incredibly valuable.

And it truly was.

During the clash, the delusional thoughts he’d been accruing lately were scattered into the void.

‘Even with Jeff holding back, the difference between us two is staggering.’

Rei’s thoughts were put on hold as Jeff swooped in. A quick flurry of punches followed. Using minimal motions, Rei evaded the first two, having them glide past him by mere centimetres, then slashed out with his right knife. Putting weight into his slash, he redirected Jeff’s left cross off course.

Failing again, Jeff didn’t linger, and Psi Stepped away. Moving from point to point, he created an intricate constellation on the floor before appearing at Rei’s side and launching his next attack.

Over and over, this pattern continued.

Rei was put on the back foot. Using his superior martial skill, combat sense, and knife parries, he desperately hung on. He had managed to land slashes on Jeff's ‘soft’ sections, but it was no use, and any damage done to the armour was repaired in a flash. Even worse, his constant parrying had reduced his knives' blades to jagged razors.

It was a frustrating state of affairs for Rei, especially when he knew that Jeff was holding back and could take him down whenever he wanted. The knowledge really got under his prideful skin.

With Jeff’s power, Rei was left with only two options, dodge or parry. And against Jeff’s speed, he could only manage four or five consecutive attacks before his defence crumbled. Jeff understood this well. And so, when Rei was on the precipice of collapse, he would pull back and give Rei time to readjust before rushing back in.

Jeff fell into his usual instructor routine as he admired the other's combat prowess.

‘Such skill and composure... no doubt, he must be a real Fawkes, I won't believe otherwise. He'll have a bright future ahead, well long term that is. Short term, not so much. Haha, what three questions should I ask? Or should I save them for later? Only twenty-three seconds left to go...'

Carrying out his attacks with these thoughts swirling through his head, Jeff’s movements became more careless. He recognized this fact but didn’t mind it. Rei had performed exceptionally, but the difference between a psionic and Consolidation Phase psionic was too great of a distance to bridge even with an enhanced body. Rei could barely handle his speed and had practically no way of breaking through his barrier. To Jeff, the match was effectively over.

But it wasn’t, at least not in Rei's mind.

[[13 12 11 10 9…]]

With Ralf’s voice echoing in his head, Rei’s focus was brought to their utmost limits. He had been waiting for the final seconds to arrive. While things were bad, Rei didn’t lose heart. His desire for victory had never waned an iota. He knew people often relaxed at the last leg of the journey and was looking to take advantage of that moment. Observing Jeff, Rei knew that he had succumbed to this phenomenon. ‘I’ll only have one chance. Come.’

With a final back step, Rei arrived at the corner of the room. He lowered himself slightly, scrunching up his body like a spring. It was time. His mind played out several possible ‘lines’. Any line would do, a punch but ideally a kick. If Jeff started with any of these attacks, he would fall right into Rei’s trap.

Wanting to bait him into a line, Rei dropped down, entering a sprinter’s ‘get set’ pose. Gambits, Rei was no stranger to them. His current actions were exactly that.

Taking in Rei's form, what kind of attack would you throw if you were in Jeff’s position?

In Rei’s mind, it would be a kick. His lowered posture made punching very awkward, so a kick made more sense. Would it be swinging or direct, left or right leg?

For each option, Rei had a response. The crux of which was to launch forward into the other’s pelvis, wrap his arms around Jeff’s leg, then use it as a lever and smash him into the wall or floor. This was Rei’s solution. If he couldn’t produce the necessary force to break the barrier, the environment would have to do. His Judo background made this a natural thought. Rei’s body was tense, awaiting the outcome.

And then it happened, fate smiled upon him.

Stopping outside his left shoulder, Jeff delivered a swinging kick with his right leg.

Swoosh!

Rei pounced like a hungry beast staring at a juicy steak. Utilizing every muscle in his body, he shot up, then dove in while doing a speedy anticlockwise rotation.

Bam!

The kick landed on his ribs, but due to Rei’s rotation and positioning, the attack had lost most of its oomph. Struck, he moved swiftly. His arms wrapped around the extended leg, then planting his right foot, he sped up his rotation. Using all his might, he spun Jeff around. Then, like a rag doll, he smashed Jeff back- first into the nearby wall.

Boom!

The room shook from the thunderous collision. Web-like cracks now adorned the wall and looking at Jeff's scrunched-up face, Rei was certain his backside armour had a few cracks in it as well.

Rei's motions didn't end there. Moving seamlessly from one to another, Rei, with Jeff’s leg still in hand, smashed him face-first into the ground, then swiftly mounted his right thigh. Bending the knee back, his hands moved to the other’s armoured shoe, left hand going to the back and right hand to the tip.

His arms quickly filled with strength.

‘No wa-’

Before Jeff could finish the thought, Rei, using all his might, twisted. An audible snap sounded, and then…

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrghhhh!”

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With Jeff’s loss of composure, his Psi faltered as well. Rei seized the opportunity, and with his sorry excuse for a knife, etched a shallow line on Jeff’s skin before rolling away.

‘I won,’ Rei thought.

With three seconds left on the clock, Rei had pulled off the upset. Coming to a stop, exhilaration, pleasure, accomplishment, and a slew of other positive emotions began flooding in. This unique concoction of sensations was one only victory could provoke in him.

While he was bathing in victory’s warm light, Jeff was miserable.

“Aa ow ow ow ow ah ah ah aargh...”

Holding his leg, he squirmed like a worm. Sweat filled his twisted-up face and the once orderly Psi now moved around his body like a spastic amoeba.

Pain!

Just as Psi use affected the body, the body’s state affected Psi use. The sensation of pain affected Psi manipulation the most. When a psionic was overwhelmed by pain, their Psi control would falter.

To combat this effect, fighters would do pain resistance training. This process was gruelling but worth it. Eventually, psionics would be able to do battle even while heavily injured. Jeff wasn't a fighter though. Instead of subjecting himself to such torturous experiences, he combated pain in a different way, the more conventional way. With trembling hands, he retrieved a vial, popped it, and brought it to his lips. Within five seconds of downing it, Jeff’s entire being became relaxed.

“Thank Raiken for potions…no thank Micheal. Aah.” Relieved, he rolled onto his back and took deep breaths. As he did, his figure was shadowed. After coming down from his high, Rei’s heart was pricked with guilt. ‘Ah, maybe I shouldn’t have gone that far.’

He didn’t like seeing suffering, be it physical or mental, not in himself, or in others; Rei had a strong aversion to it. Eyes moving to Jeff’s injured foot, his guilt flared up.

“Sorry.”

Jeff shook his head with a smile on his face. “No need for that, it was a sparring match. Injuries are commonplace. It can’t be helped.” He wiggled his leg and smiled. “For such an amazing sparring match, this injury is a small price to pay.” Jeff, Psi now orderly, floated himself upright. “The medics at this place are top-notch. Forget this tiny injury, they can reattach severed limbs with ease. Actually, I’ve been wanting to see a nurse and looking for a reason. You're really helping me out here, thanks,” his hand patted Rei’s shoulder as he said.

Rei’s eyes zeroed in on said hand. Usually, he would pull away, but on this occasion, that inclination was absent in him. “Glad to help,” he said, his voice softer than normal.

Jeff smiled and tossed in another few pats. “Ah, that sparring match was great. It sucks to lose, but it was so worth it. So exciting, so many surprises. You’re a real monster, Ralf.”

Rei shrugged. His eyes moved around the room. ‘I really made a mess,’ he thought as he looked at the damaged walls and knives. “I’ll pay for the damages.”

“Ah yes, please do. Genise is a real stickler about that.” Mentioning the name, Jeff’s face paled as he remembered the lecture awaiting him in the near future. But just as the darkness swarmed, light, in the form of an idea surfaced in his head.

“You’re a lifesaver, Ralf.” Patting Rei’s shoulder, he lowered himself into a sitting posture. Psi gathered around him, and a moment later, a Psi wheelchair materialized below him.

Seeing the intricacy of the design, Rei’s brows raised. “This is stored in your Conceptual Memory?”

“It is. My Conceptual Memory is abnormally large, so I can fill it with all sorts of useless objects. Anyway,” he rolled to the doorway, “let's go. We’ll have to make a stop by the medic’s section first to check us out, then we’ll head to the reception desk to make it official.”

Rei nodded and followed along. He cast his attention inward.

[[And what’s your take?]]

Several seconds passed before Ralf’s response arrived.

[[Nice character development.]]

Rei wobbled at the comment.

"Ralf, are you okay? Need a wheelchair?”

“Uh, no thanks I’m fine.”

Rei responded, arms wrapped around his head, hiding the bashful expression that suddenly invaded his face.

[[Ahahaha, how cute.]]

Rei gritted his teeth and tightened his guard. [[Ralf, I’ll remember this well.]]

[[Hahaha…me too.]]

Without looking, the smirk on Ralf’s face as he said these words was clearly felt.

Rei clicked his tongue.

‘I’ll get you back, idiot.’

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