Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Physical Strength
Realizing the danger, Seojun immediately backed away, trying to put distance between himself and Nerathiel. But before he could move far, he felt a sudden sharp pain. He looked down in horror and saw his left arm falling to the ground.
"What—" Seojun gasped, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Before he could react further, he felt a crushing blow to his stomach. The impact sent him flying through the air, and he tumbled and rolled on the ground. He landed heavily, his body aching all over.
Seojun bit his lip, trying to suppress a cry of pain. His scythe clattered beside him, and he grabbed it, using it to stop his rolling and stabilize himself. He looked at his left arm, still bleeding profusely, and felt a wave of panic.
\'I might die from blood loss,\' he thought, his heart racing. The pain was intense, and the realization that he was seriously injured hit him hard.
He forced himself to his feet, despite the pain and blood loss. He couldn\'t let his guard down now.
Seojun knew he had to hide. The pain was overwhelming, and the blood loss was making him weak. He tried to run, focusing on stopping the bleeding from his severed arm. His thoughts raced as he stumbled away, looking for any way to escape.
Just as he was about to get some distance, Nerathiel appeared in front of him, blocking his path with his sword raised high. Seojun\'s heart skipped a beat. He was barely able to react.
Instinctively, Seojun twisted his body to the side, demonstrating impressive skills to avoid the sword strike. He ducked and rolled, narrowly escaping the blade\'s deadly arc. While moving, he ripped a piece of his shirt and used it to tie his severed arm, trying to stem the bleeding.
Nerathiel watched with fascination. His eyes widened in surprise. "Not only are your mana and magic skills impressive," he said, his voice filled with awe, "but you seem to be physically skilled too."
Seojun gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain. He knew he had to stay focused. Even though he was injured and bleeding, he had to find a way to fight back or escape. Nerathiel\'s admiration was unsettling.
Seojun stumbled back, his breath ragged and pained. As he tried to regain his footing, Nerathiel casually threw his scythe away, sending it skidding across the ground.
"Show me more of your physical strength," Nerathiel taunted, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Show me what you\'re truly capable of!"
Seojun gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain and blood loss. He knew he had to push himself beyond his limits. Nerathiel threw his sword to the ground, signaling that this would be a test of physical skill rather than magic.
Seojun took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay sharp. As Nerathiel charged, Seojun reacted with a series of detailed, precise moves.
Nerathiel lunged with a powerful swing, aiming to catch Seojun off guard. Seojun quickly lifted his leg, bringing the ball of his foot up toward Nerathiel\'s midsection. He extended his leg forcefully, striking Nerathiel in the stomach. The impact was firm, pushing Nerathiel backward and creating a brief opening for Seojun.
As Nerathiel stumbled and charged again, Seojun executed a high kick. He raised his leg straight up, keeping it close to his body for a moment before extending it outward with a snapping motion. The kick aimed for Nerathiel\'s shoulder, connecting with precision and making Nerathiel wince.
Seojun followed up with a spinning back kick. He pivoted on one foot, using his hips to generate power. As he spun, he extended his other leg in a powerful, circular motion. The heel of his foot struck Nerathiel\'s side with a solid impact.
Nerathiel, trying to close the distance, reached for Seojun\'s arm. Seojun responded by performing a smooth redirection. He used Nerathiel\'s forward momentum against him, guiding Nerathiel\'s grip away while stepping to the side. As Nerathiel lost balance, Seojun swiftly followed with an elbow strike to Nerathiel\'s face, making him stagger.
With Nerathiel momentarily disoriented, Seojun used his right elbow to strike Nerathiel\'s jaw. He aimed his elbow at an angle, striking with the point of the elbow for maximum impact. The hit connected with a solid thud, causing Nerathiel to stagger backward.
As Nerathiel tried to regain his balance, Seojun executed a side kick with his right leg. He lifted his leg to the side, keeping it straight and powerful. The edge of his foot hit Nerathiel\'s ribs with strong, outward force. The kick pushed Nerathiel to the ground, creating a small crater around him.
Seojun, breathless and weary, prepared himself for another attack. He launched a powerful kick, hoping to gain the upper hand. But suddenly, Nerathiel\'s hand shot out and caught Seojun\'s leg mid-air.
Nerathiel\'s eyes gleamed with amusement as he smirked. "Amazing moves," he said, his voice echoing with satisfaction. "Now it\'s my turn."
With a swift motion, Nerathiel used Seojun\'s captured leg to his advantage. He twisted Seojun\'s leg and then executed a kick identical to Seojun\'s previous high kick. The move was precise and powerful, a perfect mimicry of Seojun\'s technique.
Nerathiel\'s kick connected with Seojun\'s torso, sending him hurtling through the air. Seojun was thrown violently, crashing into the ground with a painful thud. He rolled across the dirt, struggling to regain his footing.
Seojun gritted his teeth as he lay on the ground, his mind racing. \'He copied me! Damn it, he let me hit him just to use my own move against me.\' He pushed himself up with his right arm, fighting through the pain.
Nerathiel, watching with a malicious grin, approached with confident strides. "You\'re impressive, human. But don\'t think you can outdo me so easily."
Seojun, barely able to stand, tried to block out the pain.