The whispers had not stopped since the firewood incident.
"He's dangerous."
"He's our only hope."
"Get him out before he curses us all."
Children ran through the streets, arms flailing as they imitated Orin's crooked stance, shouting, "BOOM! Orin fist!"
Their parents dragged them back with sharp warnings. Some clutched charms and muttered prayers when Orin walked by.
Yira overheard one man mutter, "That boy's a disaster waiting to happen."
She slammed her basket down and snapped, "That boy saved your worthless life from an Orc!"
But Orin only grinned when he heard. "Disaster, savior—same thing if they're all watching me."
Yira glared. Her heart, however, beat faster.
At dawn, Code stood waiting at the forest clearing, staff in hand.
Orin jogged up, barefoot, bruised but beaming. "Today's lesson?"
"No rocks. No trees," Code said, eyes sharp. "Today, you test it on me."
Orin's grin widened until it nearly split his face. "Finally."
He cracked his knuckles, aura already flickering to life—black haze swirling, blue sparks biting the air. The ground at his feet trembled faintly.
The clash began with a thunderclap.
Orin lunged first, fist tearing through the air like a cannon. Code tilted his torso slightly; the punch screamed past his ribs. Orin pivoted, other fist swinging at Code's flank, sparks hissing, ground smoking.
Code's palm tapped his wrist, redirecting upward. The strike detonated into the sky with a BANG, dust scattering above the treetops.
Orin growled, blood spraying from his lip. "I'll crush you!"
He stomped, launching a flurry—left, right, hook, uppercut. Each blow carried unstable ki bursts:
A jab cracked the earth.
A hook shredded bark from a tree trunk.
An uppercut ruptured the ground, sending stones flying.
Code weaved calmly, movements minimal. One step, one turn, one staff tap—enough to divert Orin's fury.
Orin slammed both fists together, aura compressing, sparks burning his skin. He lunged, punching downward.
BOOOM!
A double shockwave erupted, carving a crater into the clearing. Dust mushroomed upward, trees rattling.
For the first time, Code's cloak whipped sharply, his hair stirred by the force.
Orin's grin widened. "Ha! Made you move!"
He blurred forward, aura blazing, punches leaving trails of crackling energy. He aimed at Code's face—
Code lifted one forearm. A ki barrier shimmered faint, and Orin's punch exploded against it with a deafening crack.
Orin snarled, spinning low, sweeping a kick. The ground split under the arc, stones flying.
Code hopped lightly; the sweep carved a trench instead.
Orin's aura flared unstable, black haze and blue lightning colliding around him. His fists glowed faint, raw ki condensing briefly. He launched a desperate barrage—each strike detonating the air, each blow shaking earth.
Code's eyes sharpened. His palm glowed calm, ki tightly controlled. He stepped in—
WHOOOOOM!
A single palm strike, precise and devastating, slammed into Orin's chest without touch.
The air exploded.
Orin's body rocketed back, spinning, dirt and leaves spiraling in the wake. He crashed, carving a trench before coming to rest in a heap of smoke and sparks.
Silence. Only the crackle of fading aura.
Then, slowly, Orin pushed up. Blood streaked his lip. His chest heaved. His knees shook.
And yet, he grinned.
"Next time…" He staggered upright, fists trembling, grin wide and sharp. "…I'll make you move for real."
From the treeline, villagers had gathered, wide-eyed.
Some clutched their mouths, horrified at earth splitting and trees shattering.
"He's a monster…" an old man whispered.
"He's our savior," another argued, trembling.
Children gasped, awestruck. "He's fighting the traveler! He's winning!"
Parents yanked them back, hissing, "Don't admire him! He's dangerous!"
Code lowered his hand, breath steady, eyes narrow. He grows too fast. If he ever masters this… even sect masters would tremble.
Behind him, dark clouds swelled at the horizon.
Hell stirs. And this boy… is the storm waiting to break.