It was not every day that there appeared an oblivious kid who thought they were special. Seeing the kid talk back to The Bear was the epitome of foolishness.
They were interested in how The Bear was going to deal with this kid. If he got rough, he would appear like a brute beating up children and if he left after the spit in the face, then there was no getting his face back again.
He knew so and that was why he was standing there with clenched fists. His thoughts were already set because no matter what he did, he was going to lose some face but walking away was going to cost him more than being a brute.
Everyone knew he was a brute already and that was why they called him The Bear.
He had thought that his huge size was going to scare the kid but the kid had ended up turning the tables against him and now he was going to take the fall for acting first.
He looked at the kid who was wearing an amused smile and he too could not help but feel amused. The kid was definitely toying with him.
"Listen kid. In this place, no one dares to go against me or talk back. I am giving you a last chance to end this peacefully. I don't want to spill your commoner blood in this place. What do you think? My offer still stands."
The Bear said as he leaned forward and whispered even though the majority heard him.
"So, if I give you my sword and fifty silver you will let me go and pay me back ten copper coins?" Lyren asked in contemplation.
"If you phrase it like that you make me sound like a bad person. I am actually doing you a favor by taking the burden everyone here is lusting for. I promise that I will not hurt you. I am a man of my word." He said self-righteously.
"I am sorry but I don't think I like your offer. I will pass."
"Good, good, good. Then do not blame me if I get rough with you. I tried my best."
The Bear as they called him was really annoyed as he easily stretched his hand and caught Lyren by his chest and pulled him up on the table.
His eyes were ferocious and annoyed as he glared at Lyren. It turned out to be a staring contest for a few seconds. One glaring and the other just casually staring.
The latter even had a smile.
This contrast hit The Bear as his rage seemed to have ben shitted on. He was fuming yet a kid was staring at him with a smile as though he was making a funny face.
"Kid…"
The Bear wanted to speak when he felt five fingers hold on to his wrist. His eyes broke contact and he looked at the small fist but he could tell there was strength to it that shouldn't be there.
This made him raise a brow but there was already no turning back for them as a fight was destined to happen.
"I will beg your pardon for using you…"
Those were the last words the crowd heard before they saw Lyren pull the hand away from his chest as the Bear was forced to release his shirt.
His eyes were wide with disbelief but it appeared that the disbelief was shared by everyone in the room because their eyes were almost popping.
Had the brute just lost in brute force? That was his forte and for him to lose so easily, it was inconceivable.
Lyren then released the hand as he waved his before rolling off the table. He then faced The Bear and the height contrast dwarfed him so much that he appeared like an ant before The Bear.
The Bear was also surprised by the strength the kid had revealed and he did not for a moment believe that he had lost.
He was also in the seventh stage and for him to lose, a dent had been made on his pride and since it was obvious the kid was strong, he was going to have an excuse to go all out.
"I didn't think that you were this strong. I guess this has turned to be a fair challenge and not a bullying. I am still taking the sword and coins after this. Just blame your luck you encountered me."
The Bear said as the removed the axe strapped on his back. This act alone shocked everyone because who used a hammer to crush an ant? Wasn't The Bear overdoing it or was it that he was getting serious with a kid?
Then they separated at five meters away from each other
Lyren was surprised the guy was actually drawing a weapon against him. Who could have thought that his life would be on the line this soon.
Well, if this was what it took for him to grab his own position, he was going to do it and experience his first battle.
He was also going to check whether he had learned anything from his travels with the academy students. Well, making him mad had worked but it appeared that he had calmed down.
Lyren raised his hand to chest level as a fire materialized. This caught everyone off guard and his seventh stage aura leaked catching everyone by surprise.
Even The Bear was caught off guard as his eyes suddenly turned serious. This was not what he had signed up for when he approached.
The waiter shivered when he felt the aura and he started shivering. Had he just offended and extorted some big shot?
"I wonder how hot my flame has gotten since I awakened it. I wonder if it is enough to burn you…"
Lyren spoke almost to himself as his flame grew larger and started changing to a deeper orange. The fire condensed into a fire ball that kept getting calmer and hotter.
The Bear looked at the flame that kept getting stronger and e could not help but get a bad feeling. As though he had lost already.
"Catch!" Lyren said suddenly throwing the fireball at The Bear who instantly swung his axe at the flame. It appeared that it was not easy to catch him off guard with simple tricks.
After all, he was honed in battles as he had probably spent his life as a hunter. He did not lose his composure but well;
Lyren watched The Bear swing his axe downwards and he knew that he for sure could not take that strike.
He had not drawn his sword to anyone and he did not feel like anyone worthy for him to draw it yet had appeared.
And since The Bear was already swinging downwards, it was the perfect chance to attack.
Lyren charged after the ball and the bear seeing him charge felt like the kid was a fool but he then realized that he had been trapped as his body was already in downward motion.
He gritted his teeth because he had to choose one thing to defend and it was obvious the flame was more dangerous and thus, he braced himself as he slashed at the ball.
He watched with his periphery vision as the kid charged sideways and clench his fist.
On a normal day, he would have ignored it but he knew the punch caried some weight.
His axe had just finished cutting the flame which had dispersed and heading to the ground and the kid was already onto him on the side. A fist was already punching at his ribs right exactly where his heart hid beneath.
Crack..
The sound that came was impossible to distinguish whether it came from the axe hitting the ground or from the punch hitting his ribs.
It could even be the kid's armed being turned to pulp after punching something too hard that his body could not take it.
There was a delayed split second of confusion but immediately after, the kid quickly retreated five meters back as his hair fell on his face once again.
His right hand which he had used to punch was totally fine because he used it to prop himself up as he skidded backwards.
This led to everyone turning their heads to The Bear who seemed to have been stopped in time.
His eyes were bloodshot as though he was holding back so much pain and in the next second, blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth.
His grip on his axe loosened as he let it go.
Lyren saw an opportunity as he did not hesitate before charging at him once again.
His fist clenched when he covered half the distance and in no time, he was on to The Bear who was about to get his bearings back.
He punched at the stomach this time but his punched did not seem to reach The Bear and all of a sudden, he was getting further and further away as a salty taste came to his mouth.
He sprayed a mouthful of blood with his eyes popping out as they turned bloodshot.
He had miscalculated…