Bab 178: Give up yet? II

Standing mere inches away, Ryan let out a weary sigh, his battered and bruised body sprawled across the earth, a testament to the brutal skirmish that had just unfolded.

His tattered attire clung to him, besmirched with dirt and sweat, a stark contrast to Rugard's imposing figure towering above.

Rugard's piercing gaze fixated unwaveringly upon Ryan, his stern expression etched with a mix of triumph and condescension. 

"Even you must have noticed," Rugard's voice rang out, confident and measured, "you are simply no match for me… although I can tell you are a strong warrior, but a warrior alone isn't enough to conquer me."

His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of finality. A palpable tension enveloped the clearing, the surrounding trees casting elongated shadows that danced with the shifting sunlight. The village, a mere distant hum of activity, seemed worlds away as this showdown held the center stage.