Tahik stood meters away from TaiKhan, right before the shimmering mana barrier.
He rolled his shoulder slowly, then glanced down at his right arm, twisted at a grotesque angle. With a grunt, he gripped it and snapped the bone back into place with a sharp crack. Pain hissed through his teeth as he tore a strip of cloth from his belt and wrapped it tightly around the bleeding edge.
The entire coliseum was silent. Every spectator sat on the edge of their seat, breath held.
It seems it will take more than that to bring this boy down, Tahik thought, a faint smile tugging at his tusked mouth.
TaiKhan remained standing, barely. His ribs were cracked, every breath a wet rasp. Blood dripped steadily from his mouth and ears. The faint red glow in his eyes had dimmed, leaving them dull and lifeless.
Tahik walked forward, hammer resting casually on his shoulder.
"What are you?" he asked, voice calm and genuinely curious.
TaiKhan didn't reply. He didn't move. He simply stood there, eyes fixed on the sand, blood leaking from his ears.
Tahik stopped a few paces away.
"I underestimated you," the orc admitted. "That was my mistake. But now that you've shown me what you truly are…"
He gripped his hammer tighter, muscles flexing.
"…I will face you with full force. You may be a worthy foe after all."
TaiKhan remained perfectly still, blood leaking from his ears, eyes pointed at the floor.
Tahik exhaled, then took a step forward.
"I'm coming."
He darted forward at breakneck speed, hammer raised high, ready to bring it down with crushing force.
For a moment, TaiKhan remained still.
Then his eyes lifted.
They locked onto Tahik.
Time seemed to slow.
Tahik noticed the change instantly and tried to slow his charge, but it was too late.
TaiKhan moved.
He leaped forward on instinct, slipping past the descending hammer in a blur. His knee slammed into Tahik's face with a sickening crack, snapping the orc's head back. Before Tahik could react, TaiKhan's right fist followed, punching the brute square in the jaw. He twisted mid-air and delivered a spinning kick to the side of Tahik's head.
The combined force sent the massive orc skidding backward, crashing hard into the mana barrier with a burst of wind and sparks.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, leaning forward, completely silent, trying to process what they had just seen.
Tahik leaned against the barrier, blood pouring from his tusks and a cut above his eye. A few teeth clattered onto the sand. His breath came ragged.
How…? I couldn't see him. He just appeared in front of me in a blink. Just how fast can he move?
He coughed blood, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
The silence broke.
The crowd erupted in a storm of shocked cheers and disbelief.
"What the hell was that?!... What is even happening?!"
"Did you see that speed?! The kid just blitzed him!"
"Impossible!"
Even the announcer stuttered for a second, voice cracking with genuine surprise.
"I… I don't believe what I'm seeing! The boy… he just turned the tables in an instant!"
In the Stormcrag section, fans sat stunned. Some even began to clap slowly, muttering in reluctant respect.
"To think Crimson Reach had such power...it seems we underestimated them."
Lord Thorne Varkis of Stormcrag stood up from the VIP box, laughing out loud, a deep, booming sound.
"Lady Phoenix!" he called across the divide, voice carrying over the noise. "Where in the hell did you find such a talent?! On the verge of death, the boy awakens to challenge the brute himself!"
Lady Phoenix remained composed in her seat, a slight, enigmatic smile on her lips. She narrowed her amber eyes, studying TaiKhan carefully.
How strange… she thought. The boy doesn't even have mana.
In the waiting area, Indura rose slowly from his seat, a wide grin spreading across his face. His golden eyes glowed faintly with interest as he stared at the arena.
How fast he closed the distance… landing strikes the normal eye couldn't even notice. Ah... I really want to go in and clash too.
TaiKhan's gang stood on their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs.
"TAIKHAN! YOU DID IT!"
"GET HIM! DON'T STOP!"
Tahik straightened himself, wiping blood from his face. He pulled his hair back with a bloodied hand, revealing a satisfied, almost joyful smile.
An Orc in the stands stood up, voice booming.
"The real match is starting now! Tahik has gotten a taste of his foe… and he will respond with his might!"
A beastman beside him asked, confused, "What are you talking about?"
The Orc grinned darkly. "The boy's fate will be decided in the next minute. Whether he lives or dies… it doesn't matter anymore."
Tahik spread his arms wide, exhaling deeply. He began to bounce off his feet in rhythm, feeling the air across his skin and blood rush through his veins. Then he flexed, muscles bulging, veins standing out across his massive frame.
He looked at TaiKhan with genuine respect.
"I'm sorry, little one. Earlier, I said I wouldn't break you… but now… I feel I must."
Suddenly, deep drum beats sounded around the coliseum — slow, rhythmic, primal. Flames around the arena flared high, then dimmed, casting dramatic, flickering shadows across the sand.
The Orcs in the stands rose to their feet as one. They began to chant in low, guttural voices — a song of declaration, an ancient war hymn of Stormcrag:
"Blood calls to blood, Steel sings to steel, The strong shall rise, The weak shall kneel. From the wild we come, To the wild we return, Break or be broken, Let the fires burn!"
The air around the arena shifted, growing heavier, charged with raw energy.
TaiKhan's body twitched. His eyes, still fixed on the floor, slowly lifted.
Tahik laughed, a deep, rumbling sound.
"Now then…"
He made a final bounce on his feet, then dashed forward at terrifying speed, swinging his hammer in a wide, devastating arc.
Time seemed to slow.
The hammer reached TaiKhan's face—
—and passed through him like smoke.
TaiKhan appeared above Tahik in a blur, fist clenched and ready. He struck the brute on the head with a heavy blow, then followed with another, then unleashed a rapid barrage of punches to the orc's face and neck.
Tahik felt the sudden ache explode through his skull. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to turn as quickly as he could, bringing his hammer around in a counter-swing.
It slammed into TaiKhan with another sickening crack, sending the boy crashing into the arena wall, forming a deep crater. The shockwave rippled through the entire coliseum.
Thousands watched… and no one understood.
Tahik rested his weight on his hammer, the head planted firmly in the cracked sand. Pain throbbed through his skull from the barrage of punches, a dull ache that refused to fade.
He lifted the massive weapon slightly and looked at the small boy standing across from him.
"Can you...still rise?" Tahik asked, voice steady and serious. "You must rise. You have no right to back down now. Stand and bear the pain in your broken bones."
TaiKhan slowly rose to his feet.
His right leg hung limp and swollen, barely able to support his weight. One eye was nearly shut from swelling, blood streaked across his face, and dripped from his mouth and ears. His small frame swayed, but he stood.
Tahik froze in shock.
Is this boy even human? He shouldn't even be standing right now… how?
He looked closer at TaiKhan's face, and his eyes widened.
"Hey boy... Are you even breathing?!" Tahik shouted, genuine disbelief in his voice.
The entire coliseum leaned in, the crowd holding its collective breath.
Lady Phoenix rose slowly to her feet, amber eyes wide with shock.
That boy… he's not breathing.
A stunned silence fell over the arena as they all noticed it — TaiKhan's chest was still.
Then, something shifted.
TaiKhan began to move.
He started bouncing slowly on his one good leg, the motion shaky and uneven at first. Each bounce sent fresh pain through his broken body, but he kept going, finding rhythm, mimicking the orc's earlier dance.
Tahik watched, stunned.
This boy…
He smiled, the grin widening across his tusked face.
"You…"
TaiKhan bounced one final time.
He blurred forward.
In a blink, he appeared right in front of Tahik.
His right fist clenched and drove straight into the brute's chest with terrifying force. The impact pushed inward, then exploded outward in a violent burst of raw power.
BOOM.
Tahik was sent crashing backward into the mana barrier with explosive force. The barrier hummed loudly, flaring bright as the shockwave rippled through the entire arena.
For a heartbeat, the coliseum was silent.
Then a single man rose from his seat and let out a thunderous cheer.
"TRUE TAIKHAN!"
The crowd followed.
The sound built like a wave — shock, disbelief, and pure exhilaration crashing together.
"TRUE TAIKHAN!"
"THE BOY DID IT!"
"Hold on... It's not over yet."
TaiKhan staggered on his one good leg, eyes fixed on the ground. Gusts of hot wind brushed against his bloodied face and torn clothes, carrying the sharp scent of scorched sand and iron. Every breath felt like shards of glass in his lungs, but he remained upright, swaying slightly, refusing to fall.
Tahik was on his knees a short distance away, blood erupting from his mouth in thick, dark spurts. He clutched his side, feeling the sharp edges of broken ribs piercing into his organs with every ragged inhale. Pain radiated through his chest like molten iron.
This hurts… he thought, coughing more blood onto the sand. The second time, he's sent me crashing into the barrier.
He forced himself back to his feet, towering frame unsteady for the first time. His gaze locked onto the small figure standing opposite him.
How is this even possible? Tahik thought, disbelief cutting through the pain. I'm getting crushed by a corpse… How pathetic.
The arena held its breath.
TaiKhan's body twitched harder now.
The sounds of cracks in his bones grew louder with every shallow breath. He coughed out a thick mouthful of blood, staggering as he tried to hold his balance. His left leg dragged uselessly behind him, swollen and twisted.
Tahik watched him, slowly easing his own breath. The war drums continued their deep, rhythmic beat in the background.
It's too late now, Tahik thought, gripping his hammer. I must use it...yes...he is worthy.
He set the weapon down and began to chant — a low, guttural hymn that rose from his chest.
The Orcs in the stands joined him, their voices merging into a powerful, ancient song of endurance and war:
"Blood of the wild, iron in the vein, Stand unbroken through fire and pain. From dust we rise, to dust we return, The strong endure, the weak shall burn."
Tahik danced — each movement swift but heavy, pain flaring in his chest with every step. He spat blood mid-dance, but kept moving, eyes closed in prayer.
"God of the Orcs, giver of strength and fury… lend me your power for this final blow. But pity this young soul I am prepared to crush. Let his end be swift, and his spirit find peace in the wilds beyond."
The drums beat louder. The flames around the coliseum flared brighter, casting dramatic, flickering shadows across the sand.
Indura watched from the waiting area, his eyes narrowing as a strange presence brushed against his senses. A fleeting vision flickered in his mind — an Orc kneeling before him in reverence. He closed his eyes and shook his head.
What was that? It felt familiar… and yet not.
In the far stands, the armored figure with long white hair stared silently at the arena, then looked up at the sky, as if looking at something.
The air around the coliseum shifted.
As the Orcs finished their song, mana erupted from Tahik in a violent burst — bright green, red, and white energy surging from his body, sending visible waves through the entire arena.
His body began to change.
Skin hardened into living iron. He grew wider, taller, bulkier, transforming into a towering iron giant. His eyes opened, flaring with mana.
He stepped forward and roared.
The Orcs raised their weapons and answered with a thunderous war cry that shook the stands.
The crowd held onto their seats, hearts pounding.
Renn clutched the railing, breath held. TaiKhan…
TaiKhan's body twitched violently once more. His right leg cracked and twisted back into shape with a sickening sound. He let out a small hum of pain, though his lifeless eyes showed nothing. He now stood on two feet again.
He turned his gaze toward the iron giant.
Tahik waved his massive hand at him.
"Come."
TaiKhan stared at the iron giant for a heartbeat.
Then he moved.
He vanished from his spot in a red streak, closing the distance in a blink. He landed a furious barrage of punches all over Tahik's massive body — moving side to side in blinding angles, fists slamming hard into the giant's iron-like torso, ribs, and shoulders.
Each strike landed with a meaty thud, the sound echoing across the silent arena.
He finished with one final, desperate punch straight into Tahik's stomach.
Tahik didn't even flinch. He was unfazed.
He looked down at the small figure, voice calm and almost regretful.
"It's a pity."
TaiKhan tried to leap back.
Too late.
Tahik's technique unleashed.
Iron Judgment Avalanche.
The orc brought both fists together above his head and slammed them down in a devastating double hammer strike. The air itself seemed to compress, then exploded outward in a lethal cone of force that shook the entire arena. The ground buckled. The mana barrier flared violently.
TaiKhan twisted desperately at the last possible moment.
The attack grazed his side.
It was enough.
The force tore through his flesh like a blade, ripping open a deep, ugly wound that exposed white rib bone glistening beneath. The impact sent him skidding across the sand in a spray of blood, body tumbling like a broken doll.
He looked like he had just escaped death by a single breath.
No one spoke.
TaiKhan slowly pushed himself upright, his body swaying side to side. He leaned backward dangerously, almost falling, then caught himself and forced himself straight again. Blood poured from the torn gash in his side. He didn't even look at it. He didn't even know.
Tahik stepped forward, voice heavy with reluctant respect.
"No enemy of mine has lasted this far. If you can hear me… You should be proud. And this… is goodbye."
He leaped high into the air, hammer raised above his head with all his remaining might.
The hammer came down.
TaiKhan vanished from his spot at the last possible second.
The hammer struck the ground with tremendous force, creating a massive crater. The arena floor lifted in huge chunks, shockwaves rippling outward and cracking the mana barrier.
Tahik turned quickly, eyes tracking the boy weaving through the flying debris. There you are.
TaiKhan dashed forward, fist ready — but Tahik was already there.
The iron giant brought up his fist like a boulder and slammed it into TaiKhan's entire body with a devastating BOOM.
The impact lifted the boy clean off the ground and sent him flying high above the arena, a broken figure trailing blood against the red sky.
Even the drums seemed to hesitate.
Tahik dug his feet into the ground, creating spiderweb cracks that spread outward like lightning.
He launched upward like a living missile, chasing TaiKhan's limp body through the air above the arena.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the massive orc reached the boy, who was swaying loosely, barely conscious.
Tahik grabbed him mid-air with one massive hand.
Then they descended like a comet.
The two figures plummeted toward the arena floor, wind howling around them.
Renn, Lir, and Miko stood frozen in the stands, tears streaming down their faces. They held their breath, then shouted desperately at the top of their lungs.
"TAIKHAN!!!"
Their cry echoed across the arena, cutting through the wind.
It reached TaiKhan's leaking ears.
For a moment, his lifeless eyes twitched.
A single tear rose from one eye… then both eyes glowed bright red.
Tahik's grip tightened in surprise. This boy...
Too late.
TaiKhan forced himself free, snapping his remaining good hand out of the orc's hold. He twisted around Tahik's body in a desperate struggle, then slammed his forehead into the brute's face with a sickening crack.
His right arm, though broken earlier, snapped back into motion with unnatural force.
Glowing red lines formed across his fist. Steam hissed from his knuckles as raw power compressed into a single point.
Tahik raised both iron arms to block.
TaiKhan brought his fist down.
The impact was cataclysmic.
His glowing fist slammed into Tahik's iron chest with devastating force. Iron cracked audibly on contact. The strike drove inward, crushing through armor and muscle, sending the massive orc crashing first into the arena floor.
BOOM.
The collision created an explosion of force.
The ground erupted in a violent shockwave. Stone shattered. The mana barrier cracked with a loud, sharp CRACK that echoed through the coliseum. Dust and debris blasted outward in a massive cloud, the entire arena floor lifting and buckling under the sheer power of the blow.
The crowd was thrown back in their seats.
Tahik lay in the center of a newly formed crater, chest caved in, blood pouring from his mouth and nose.
TaiKhan landed unsteadily a short distance away, breathing ragged, body trembling, and he collapsed to the ground.
The entire coliseum fell into shocked silence for a heartbeat.
Then the roar began — a mix of disbelief, awe, and pure adrenaline.
The boy who should have been dead had just turned the tide.
And the Grand Bout had never seen anything like it.