Dark Magus Returns

Mantis didn't understand the incredible pain he was feeling on the back of his body. Something felt like it was trying to crawl from inside his body, to the outside. Yet, it was almost as if he didn't have much time to worry about these things.

Because there was an onslaught of Qi-filled fists that came down on him. Simyon readied his fist again and slammed it right into Mantis's ribs; he heard a cracking sound and could feel part of the bone fracture or break.

"You don't remember me, you don't remember what happened last time, I guess you'll remember me after today!" Simyon said as he went to punch again, and broke another couple of ribs with his fist.

The fight had become extremely one-sided, and all they could see was a Dark Faction student hammering down on a Demonic student. Many in the crowd were wondering the same thing: why wasn't the fight being stopped?

"Our top student is producing this kind of result!" Sha Mo complained. "For someone who talked a lot, he isn't showing a lot with his fists…maybe I was wrong about the feeling I had."

Raze wondered the same thing. Everyone could somewhat feel it; there was something about Mantis that was different, an underlying strength that had even caused the beasts to not even bother to attack him.

If anything, Raze was a little worried for Simyon. 'He was the first person that openly talked to me, and much like Safa…the two have been by my side since the start of my entry into Pagna. Even though Simyon had seen me do certain things, he had kept his mouth shut. He is young as well, not like me; he is someone that deserves to continue living in this world…I guess that's where my worry is coming from.'

When Simyon went to deliver another large strike toward Mantis's ribs, he felt something strange. He had punched in the same place, and in doing so, the cracking sound was heard, but Simyon could feel the full impact, of part of the rib bone breaking…just like he had done before.

'Am I imagining things,' Simyon thought; he had somewhat stopped his onslaught of punches because there was great confusion in his mind. 'That rib, I thought I had broken it with my last hit, yet I could feel that I hit it and broke it again, but it's the exact same spot, did his body heal from this, how could that even happen.'

Just to make sure, Simyon continued to punch the same spot, dealing more damage, and each time, Simyon could feel the bone breaking, and when he kept a close eye, he could see the muscles and body of Mantis acting strangely.

With the next hit, Simyon had even caused part of the bone to pierce part of the skin, but visible to the human eye, and in real-time, he could see the bone going back into his body, his skin healing up, and it returning back to its perfect condition.

'What is this, how can he heal so fast, is this magic…or is it something else,' Simyon's heart was beating faster, a deeper worry was taking over him.

Winding up his fist again, he went for a punch and rather towards the stomach, or feinting the attack toward the head, he actually went for the head this time, and Mantis was ready for him; he grabbed onto Simyon's fist and held it tight.

Simyon yanked his hand away, or at least tried to. 'I can't…I can't pull my fist away, he's gripping onto it so tight.'

In that moment, Simyon finally had let go of Mantis with his other hand. The one that had held him the entire time, to make sure he didn't get away. When pulling away though, he saw it; Mantis' eyes alive and well, they had narrowed like a beast's and were looking straight at Simyon.

'Those eyes…I remember them, I remember seeing them before. The same eyes that took out my town, and my sister!' Simyon thought.

A surge of power was going through him. Perhaps before, as soon as he saw something that reminded him of such beasts he would have run or pulled away, but instead he saw something in front of him that he believed he could take out.

He went to punch with both of his fists; they were aiming for the head, but Simyon's fists didn't reach Mantis's head. Instead, they were just short and weren't moving any further.

A stinging pain could be felt in his abdomen, and looking down, both of Mantis's hands with his sharp black fingernail equipment had dug into him. They lifted him in the air slightly, stopping him from reaching.

"You, are just in my way!" Mantis said, as he stood up on his feet still with Simyon's arms tacked to his arms; he had jumped off his legs and then pulled one of his hands out, and swung it upward delivering a large claw strike across Simyon.

When the attack hit, Simyon's body detached from the claws, and bounced off the floor several times until he had crashed into the side wall.

The dust was filling the area; they could see Mantis standing in the crater that was created from the punches of Simyon. Suddenly the match had turned around at the click of the finger, and they wondered how it was possible.

However, when the dust settled on the other side, they could see Simyon standing there. He had cuts on his arms and across his body, but he still looked strong as he stood there.

"This body was made to take a beating, because it's the only thing I can do!" Simyon claimed. "This body was made to get rid of the monsters, to take the hits of all those that suffered, if I can't take a beating from a human then what about those beasts, so I will take all your hits and I will do the same now!" Simyon shouted.

Simyon looked up from his position, and placed both hands by his side. The crowd cheered him on; they were impressed by his determination, the words he had spoken.

A lot of them had lost those they cared about, to beasts as well, so they resonated with his words, the reason why he wished to become a Pagna warrior, and they were impressed with his ability to stand in this moment.

"Bring it on!" Simyon claimed.

When looking ahead though, Mantis wasn't in sight; he had already moved and was right by his side. Seeing this, Simyon had just enough time to get both of his hands to block the attack coming.

As it hit him, he was hit across the arena, bouncing on the floor and crashing into the side of the wall. Yet, he was quickly back on his feet.

"Again, again!" Simyon shouted. "I will take as many hits as it needs, I'll take all the hits to get rid of someone like you!"

When Simyon looked across the field at his opponent, who was breathing slowly, he was in a slightly more crouched position. There looked to be no form at all to his fighting, and his hands by his side.

All Simyon could see in front of him wasn't a participant, but instead it was a wild beast. Just like those that killed his family.

"I won't run away again, even if I die here, I will get rid of you!" Simyon claimed.