"I truly didn't expect you to arrive so soon, 'hero'," Kuin sneered, his grin twisting into something malicious. "It's a genuine shame I couldn't even taste her flesh before beating the hell out of you. Since you enjoy playing the hero who saves beauties."
"I am no hero, and I'm here to talk with you, not to fight, but you don't seem inclined to conversation," Sky stated calmly, watching Kuin leave Isha and stride towards him.
"Right. First, I'll beat you and make sure you know exactly whose path you crossed that day," Kuin declared, lunging at Sky with maximum speed, delivering the first strike. Sky instinctively blocked the attack, the force pushing him back a few steps. A flicker of resolve hardened Sky's expression; he aimed to land a punch on Kuin's face, just as he had before. He surged forward and swung his arm, but Kuin effortlessly caught his fist, a smile spreading across Kuin's face. This unexpected ease surprised Sky.
Did this guy really get stronger in half a month? Sky thought as his next punch was also blocked by Kuin. Kuin laughed, "What happened, 'hero'? Didn't you eat today, or did you not expect me to be this strong?" He then delivered another punch directly to Sky's mouth, a blow far stronger than before. It sent Sky flying backward, colliding with a tree trunk. His lips instantly swelled, and blood began to trickle from his mouth.
"My lord… no…" The sight of Sky being overwhelmed by Kuin terrified Isha. She cried out to him, but Sky's mind was reeling from the sheer brutality of the force. His head throbbed from the shockwave of that punch. Kuin watched Sky, who was barely able to remain standing, propped up by the tree bark.
"What happened, 'hero'? Is that all you've got? I haven't even started, and you already look like you're losing," Kuin mocked, laughing. He moved swiftly in front of Sky, delivering a high-speed punch to his stomach, causing Sky's face to contort in pale agony. Kuin didn't stop there, delivering several more brutal punches to Sky's stomach, face, and chest, making Sky vomit a mouthful of blood.
"Wait, something isn't right…" Kuin thought, even as he continued his assault. Suddenly, Sky deftly dodged Kuin's next strike to his stomach. Kuin's punch slammed into the tree trunk, instantly shattering the wood around the impact point. The tall, wide tree began to topple towards Kuin.
Kuin simply swung his arm, and as his arm brushed the falling tree, he effortlessly redirected its trajectory to the side, away from himself. This casual display of strength demonstrated the incredible power Kuin possessed.
The resounding crash of the tree hitting the ground made Isha's heart pound. Her entire attention was fixated on the brutal confrontation. She desperately wanted to help Sky, but she knew she was powerless. Sky had told her he only acted when confident, so she had no choice but to watch, praying for both their lives. Running away during their fight would be futile; that monster could easily find her, even at her home.
"Shit, what a nuisance. He dodged my attack," Kuin muttered, shifting his attention back to Sky. He saw that Sky wasn't looking at him, but was instead bowed, a hand pressed to his chest. Kuin felt a surge of satisfaction.
"You know, 'hero'," Kuin began mockingly, "I thought about leaving you alive, keeping you as a rival to fight. It's no fun ruling the world alone, you know. It wouldn't be entertaining to be the only superpower. Forget about it, I even considered bringing you to my side as a helper, but it's a pity you don't even have the qualifications to join me or be called my rival." Kuin spoke with the arrogant confidence of the strongest, slowly approaching Sky, his walk full of ego and a psychopathic smile. But suddenly, his smile froze. Sky, who had remained silent until now, had finally spoken.
"That's right, I do need a helper," Sky's deep voice resonated, causing Kuin to frown in confusion.
"You need a helper…?" Kuin asked, bewildered.
"Yes. You're going to be on my team. Your abilities are good and strong. I need a helper and a slave who follows my orders," Sky declared, straightening his back and meeting Kuin's eyes. This stunned Kuin slightly.
"What the hell are you mumbling about? Are you talking about that stupid bitch?" Kuin demanded. He didn't attack; instead, he observed, sensing something was profoundly wrong. Sky's previous expression of pain was replaced by a slight smile, and his lips seemed to have returned to their original shape, completely unswollen.
"Oh, fuck. So now I understand. You can recover from injuries fast, like me. Amazing. And because of that, you were mumbling, wasting time to recover some minor injuries. Bravo. But it won't work, though I might consider making you my slave," Kuin conceded, realizing Sky had been deliberately stalling. He launched his fist at Sky again, but this time, something entirely unexpected happened.
"Aghhh… my fuck… my knuckles…" Kuin thought, hissing in pain. It felt as if his fist had collided with a solid iron pole.
"You were holding back…?" Kuin asked in genuine surprise, retracting his arm from Sky.
"Of course not. You didn't want to talk first. Now, I suppose I have to make you understand something before you'll be willing to converse with me," Sky stated, stepping towards Kuin. Kuin, still reeling from the unexpected pain in his knuckles, immediately became serious. He launched another punch at Sky with even greater brute force, a blow powerful enough to shatter large rocks. It connected with Sky, bringing a fleeting smile to Kuin's face as Sky was driven back several steps. But that brief satisfaction was instantly shattered by the shock that followed.