Chapter 256 Why not laugh?
I climbed on top of him, attempting to catch him off guard. His hand swiftly maneuvered between my arms, gripping the back of my neck—a peculiar position, yet he seemed to have a strategy to evade any potential harm I might cause.
I struggled against his grip. Even with my heightened mana strengthening, freeing myself from his hold proved challenging. His movements were deft, his defenses well-constructed.
Suddenly, I collided with the floor, a grunt escaping my lips as he released his weight, causing me to topple over him. Wincing momentarily, I seized the opportunity, turning the tables by straddling his neck.
Despite my position, he appeared rather composed—his face slightly flushed, but otherwise showing no signs of concern.
Forming a fire bolt in his right palm, he aimed it towards me, attempting to strike—confusion flickering across his expression as my own plan unfolded.
"Do you think you're the only one who can strategize?" I questioned, releasing a spinning sphere around the right side of his rib cage.
As my spell connected, I gasped in surprise.
However, my momentary distraction allowed him to retaliate, throwing me to the side with unexpected force, forcing me to relinquish my spell involuntarily.
The water from the sphere created distance between us. Recovering, I noticed the scratch the fire bolt had left on my skin. Hastily, I retrieved the sword I had left on the ground for spellcasting.
Sensing an incoming attack, I leaped to the side, a visible frown etched upon my face. Meanwhile, he seemed detached, giving no indication of his thoughts or intentions.
Why is he so fast with this?
"Ugh," I grunted, observing his sudden stop.
...What?
He squatted down to the floor. Is this some kind of technique?
Taking a deep breath, I made it clear that I wasn't about to lose to some kind of pervert and hooligan.
I stood my ground, sword firmly in hand, facing off against him. With each step, he moved closer, swaying and dodging in a mesmerizing display of fluidity.
As he approached, dropping low and closing the distance, I braced myself for his unpredictable actions. His swift dodges and evasions were impressive, effortlessly avoiding every strike from my sword with incredible agility.
Suddenly, his leg shot upwards in a swift, forceful kick aimed at my lower jaw. Reacting quickly, I swung the sword in defense, attempting to intercept his attack, but his speed caught me off guard.
"Fuck," his foot landed precisely on my jaw, sending me staggering backward from the unexpected impact. The sheer force of his kick left me momentarily disoriented, reeling from the unexpected strike.
Struggling to regain my balance, I grappled with the shock of his rapid and precise maneuver. As I steadied myself, I refocused, determined not to be caught off guard again.
The fluidity in his martial arts movements left me astounded. What kind of martial arts is this? His controlled pause before his next move only heightened the tension in the air.
He paused, not immediately launching another attack, and instead, his gaze fixated on me. I glanced behind him, catching Adam's worried expression. The humiliation seeped through me—how humiliating!
T h a d*
My vision blurred momentarily as I felt the solid impact against the side of my face. Struggling to maintain my stance, I found myself forced to the side. Reacting swiftly, I extended my hand, managing to catch his knee as it aimed for my abdomen. The collision left a drop of blood trickling from the corner of my lips, the stinging sensation spreading.
Despite the shock, I clung to his knee, using it to anchor myself. His movements were lightning-fast, and it was a battle just to hold my ground against his force.
His hand lunged, attempting to cup my face. In a reflex action, I seized his wrist, dropping low to evade the incoming pressure as his foot pressed against my tailbone. My instincts screamed as I avoided being pinned to the ground.
As he adjusted his stance upon landing, I swiftly turned, maneuvering onto my back—
S t a b*
"Haa," I unleashed a two-foot-long, sharp, clear ice shard aimed at his wrist, leaving a visible mark. Finally, a frown etched across his face as he stepped back, the first tangible reaction I had managed to elicit from him.
Adapting my grip on the sword, I raised it straight, channeling my mana into it. The tip of the sword reddened due to the generated heat—it wasn't meant for this kind of usage. Placing both hands on the handle, I applied a small pressure of water just under the butt of the hilt to create a forward propulsion.
The sword, intricately engraved for thrusting and recoil, responded to my command—
T h a d*
The recoil propelled me backward, but not before—
"Is this all?" His voice, for the first time, seemed too silent to be called, sending shivers down my spine. It was eerie, chilling to the bone.
"Huh?" My eyes widened as I saw the sword pass by his forearm while he gripped my ankle tightly, blood trickling down from where the sword had made its mark on his bone.
"....." Shouldn't he react? Even the dark elves had tears if they were hurt!
"Laugh," he commanded.
"Eh?"
"I said, laugh again." He raised my leg—what was his intention? I had no more mana left, already straining myself with whatever remained.
He stretched my foot until it nearly reached his face—what was this surreal scenario unfolding before me?
"I-I..." The thought of forfeiting crossed my mind. Me? Forfeit? What was happening to me!?
Before I could comprehend further, my back lifted from the floor, his grip forcing me to dangle upside down, I tried to pick myself up but my body was out of mana- agh!
"Agh-"The world spun in a bizarre whirl before—
T h a d!
The impact robbed me of my breath, the force making it almost impossible to gasp. Darkness enveloped my vision... Was this the death for me?
