Chapitre 52: 52. Blaze Vs Zion: Hidden Third Party

Zion jumped gracefully through the air and landed slowly on the roof Blaze fell from. His movement in the air was akin to him riding slowly on the wind. However, when he looked downward, he only saw a patch of blood on the ground, but Blaze was nowhere to be found. It made Zion squint.

Bang!

The resounding shatter of splintering wood caught Zion's attention, causing him to swiftly pivot. Yet, what met his gaze was a countenance akin to a demon clawing its way out of the depths of hell. A vertical half-mask concealed the face, its visage marked by a smattering of bloodstains. However, it was the unmasked half that caused Zion to flinch—an ominous crimson shroud draped over the unveiled features. Indeed, this person was none other than Blaze, with the blood adorning his countenance, rendering him an eerie semblance of a resurrected fiend.

Blaze almost got decapitated from the attack if not that the mask was made of a tough, strange material. Remembering that all Awakened Mages have almost equal physiques, he decided to lure Zion by falling as fighting from a distance was the same as having a death wish for him.

When he fell, he ran into the house and listened to the sound of the roof if Zion picked the bait. Luckily, Zion followed, and he burst out through the roof. Zion and him were face to face.

His only weapon, being his hands, already had the layers beneath the surface coated with ice, making them as hard as they could get. Yet, he remained acutely aware of the dire consequences that lay in the aftermath of his actions.

"You…"

Blaze didn't wait for Zion to finish as he launched himself at the Baron, throwing a punch at Zion's face.

Zion swiftly raised his sword, poised to deflect the impending strike. However, instead of the anticipated sound of steel rending flesh, a resounding 'ding' reverberated through the air, causing Zion's sword to vibrate.

However, Blaze wasn't joking. He followed up with another punch. Like an unrelenting piston, Blaze relentlessly pummeled Zion, his blows targeting critical junctures with pinpoint accuracy. The sheer fluidity of his movements momentarily subdued Zion, forcing him into a staunchly defensive stance. Astonishingly, despite being overwhelmed, Zion managed to keep pace. Though engulfed by the relentless barrage, none of Blaze's blows managed to breach Zion's defenses.

Blaze, well aware of his prowess in wielding his fists, recognized their deadliness surpassed when he used blades. Being neither a swordsman nor a bladesman by nature, his true mastery lay within the art of hand-to-hand combat.

"Blaze, he has reached the peak of the solid core Awakened Mage. He's just a step from becoming a Grand Mage," Aphrodite quickly informed Blaze, knowing that backup might arrive for the Baron.

This forced Blaze to squint and observe Zion's sword movement while delivering multiple punches. Zion's hand movements were slow at first, but they became abruptly fast – an instantaneous speed that is impossible for an Awakened Mage.

Aphrodite added, "You've seen it. He's using his element to influence his body movement: his hand to be precise, an ability exclusive to Grand Mages and above. But he's still an Awakened Mage, just that he has touched the surface of a Grand Mage rank."

As Blaze's fists danced upon the Baron, he skillfully divided his attention, lending an ear to Aphrodite's words amidst the relentless onslaught. The Baron, resolute and unyielding like a steadfast turtle, endured the onslaught with unwavering fortitude. Zion kept backing slowly under the barrage. However, Blaze's unwavering gaze, fixated intensely upon the Baron, caused Zion to inadvertently overlook a fleeting opportunity to launch a counterattack.

'You can move fast, huh?' Blaze thought as his lips curled up into a smirk. However, the deep gash and half-blooded face made him look like a devil. It even gave Zion chills.

In a sudden and swift motion, Blaze unleashed a powerful punch towards Zion's head, swiftly followed by another strike targeting his stomach. The Baron, ever vigilant, raised his sword to fend off the incoming blow aimed at his face, swiftly redirecting it downwards to block the strike aimed at his midsection. However, Blaze's hand unexpectedly decelerated, disrupting the rhythmic flow of their clash. In the midst of this split-second diversion, the Baron, attuned to Blaze's tempo, instinctively lowered his guard to shield against the anticipated attack on his stomach.

Zion's eyes widened in realization as he felt no impact against his sword. He had made a critical misjudgment. Swiftly, he raised his sword, employing the power of the wind to maneuver it with lightning speed in a bid to shield his face. Alas, he was a mere second too late.

With sudden ferocity, Blaze's hand, initially aimed at Zion's stomach, came to an abrupt halt, while his delayed strike, targeting Zion's head, surged forward.

A resounding impact echoed through the air as Zion's head felt the force of a solid steel rod. For a fleeting moment, his vision blurred, his head tilting backward from the sheer impact. He could swear that, in that instance, he caught a glimpse of the ethereal gates of heaven. Yet, his resilience swiftly prevailed as he regained his composure. Alas, before he could fully recover, a devastating blow to his stomach launched him airborne, hurtling towards the roof before crashing mercilessly to the ground below.

With a jarring impact, Zion's descent was abruptly halted as his back collided mercilessly with the unforgiving ground. A crimson stream of blood escaped his lips, staining his pristine white garment, transforming his chest into a scarlet canvas.

Blaze, sensing the imminent danger of his continued assault, reluctantly refrained from pressing the attack. The impact of using his hand to parry Zion's sword strikes had taken its toll, the strain building to a point where it threatened to explode if he pushed further. His trembling hand bore the marks of numerous criss-cross cuts etched upon his knuckles. The outer layer of his skin had been cleaved by Zion's blade, only to be halted by the ice concealed within his hand. Gazing down at his wounded hand, Blaze took a moment to assess the situation.

Being a discerning individual attuned to the aura of impending death and killing intent, Blaze had sensed the presence of a third party. Yet, as swiftly as the sensation had arrived, it dissipated into thin air. That was another reason why he had momentarily paused his battle. However, despite scanning his surroundings intently, he failed to detect any abnormalities, except for the crumbling brothel that lay before him.

Caroline's plight weighed heavily on Blaze's mind as he contemplated a way to save her amidst the engulfing flames, all without jeopardizing his carefully laid plan. Yet, no perfect solution presented itself. Moreover, he realized that he could not even save himself at this moment, let alone anyone else.

Blaze knew nothing was right, from the third party to his disoriented plan. His body screamed at him to quickly leave the town.