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844  Spar

The Ef’i formed an orderly group before the building’s entrance, and Khan approached them, planning to greet their leader. He could sense a fifth-level warrior among them, so his legs headed for her. Yet, his eyes suddenly spotted familiar features.

“[Mezmac]?” Khan called, looking past the first row of aliens to focus on a female Ef’i in the back.

The alien stepped forward, crossing her companions to reach Khan. She stretched her hand, keeping her black claws at bay, and Khan didn’t hesitate to shake it.

“[You remember me],” Mezmac announced, using her language since Khan had done the same. “[I’m glad we could meet again, Prince Khan].”

Mezmac had been Khan’s last opponent in Onia’s tournament. The two hadn’t seen each other in years, inevitably changing. Mezmac had become a fourth-level warrior, albeit seemingly recently. Still, Khan’s transformation was far more evident.

The Ef’i were a heavily battle-oriented species. They wors.h.i.+pped strength and never refrained from testing themselves. Their mindset was simple and straightforward, leading to great results in that specific field.

Nevertheless, no one challenged Khan to a friendly spar. That would usually be the norm, especially in Khan’s experience. His fame would even push the Ef’i to test him out. Yet, no one mentioned the topic.

The matter involved the Ef’i’s heightened survival instincts. Their minds existed for battle, so they obviously developed a certain sharpness in those fields. They also had plenty of experience, leading to a clear conclusion. Khan couldn’t be beaten.

The conclusion wasn’t rational. It was rooted in a mere first impression, but no Ef’i questioned it. Khan’s savage appearance matched his imposing and dangerous aura. The aliens felt they were in the presence of an otherworldly beast capable of eating them alive on the spot.

Khan ignored that reaction and watched Mezmac retreat to make room for her leader. The fifth-level warrior approached Khan, shaking his hand before voicing basic pleasantries.

“Prince Khan,” The alien said in a perfect human accent. “I’m Tlexicpalli, the chosen Amba.s.sador for this mission. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Khan responded. “Thank you for agreeing to my proposal.”

“We found it quite compelling,” Tlexicpalli admitted. “Do you mind attending to it now?”

Khan knew what the alien wanted. It perfectly aligned with her species’ creed, and refusing her request never crossed Khan’s mind. He had actually expected it, and the landing’s location reflected that.

“[Follow me],” Khan ordered, switching to the Ef’i’s language.

The group followed Khan through the barren ground, heading toward an unmistakable landmark. The Thilku Emba.s.sy was only a few kilometers away, so the Ef’i could use the walk to get used to Baoway’s environment.

The quadrant didn’t vouch for Baoway’s peaceful sceneries, but the Ef’i could spot forests and more in the distance, hinting at highly livable environments. The aliens even noticed differences from Onia’s sandy and barren ground. Baoway clearly lacked Onia’s harsh conditions.

The march didn’t last long, and reaching the Emba.s.sy revealed a series of tall figures waiting for the newcomers. Many Thilku had come out to inspect the building’s landing and welcome the Ef’i, but tension inevitably invaded the air as the two groups grew closer.

The Thilku and Ef’i didn’t have a bad relations.h.i.+p. Their domains were too distant to engage in battle, and their common friend created a vague alliance. Yet, the current tension had nothing to do with politics.

The Ef’i were a battle race that wors.h.i.+pped strength. Meanwhile, the Thilku took pride in their supremacy over other species. The two shared some features, but having them in the same environment led to a fundamental conflict.

The Thilku couldn’t accept that another species could attempt to claim superiority over them, and the Ef’i wanted to test their new neighbors’ strength. Sparks seemed to crackle in the air as the two groups inspected each other, forcing Khan to take control of the situation.

“Enough,” Khan exclaimed, using the human language to make both groups understand him. “Fight now so we can move on. I’ll be the mediator.”

The announcement pleased both groups, but the Ef’i were the first to move. Mezmac stepped forward, entering the empty area between the two species to state her intentions.

“I’m Mezmac!” The alien shouted. “Give me a good battle!”

The Thilku didn’t like Mezmac’s words. She seemed to imply that the Thilku could fail to satisfy her thirst for battle, which was unacceptable. Short cries that resembled snorts immediately resounded among the Thilku before a fellow fourth-level warrior stepped forward to meet the Ef’i on the barren battlefield.

Khan also left the Ef’i’s group to reach a middle point between the two sides. Meanwhile, the Thilku performed a traditional bow with his cape, which Mezmac met with a smile.

“Begin!” Khan eventually shouted, and the two warriors promptly jumped at each other.

The two fighters couldn’t look more different. Mezmac was relatively short and slim. Her muscles were st.u.r.dy and firm, but her figure remained lean and harmonious.

Meanwhile, the Thilku was tall and huge. His arms’ muscles seemed on the verge of bursting out, and his praiseworthy speed intensified the danger posed by his size.

Nevertheless, Mezmac was faster. She dodged to her right when the Thilku charged ahead, running circles around him and swiftly finding his back. Her tail promptly cracked, slamming on the cape.

The impact threatened to send the Thilku flying away, but the latter relied on his weight to remain on the ground. His feet slid over the barren soil for a few meters, but he promptly turned to wave his huge hand.

Mezmac was outside the hand’s reach, but mana escaped those six fingers, creating tongues of red fire that shot forward. The flames expanded and fused, giving birth to an advancing wall that threatened to engulf Mezmac, but the latter snapped her fingers, digging holes into the enemy spell.

The Ef’i jumped through the fiery wall, enduring its weakened power to charge at the Thilku. The latter didn’t expect that sudden response, and Mezmac’s speed made her sprint unavoidable. The Thilku could only cross his arms before his chest, but Mezmac’s punch slipped under them, hitting the center of his torso.

To the Thilku’s surprise, the punch pierced his thick abs, sending shockwaves to his insides. Mezmac’s attack had been oddly heavy, something the Thilku couldn’t expect from someone far shorter and leaner than him.

The Thilku audience also felt surprised, but Khan remained impa.s.sible. Biologically speaking, the Ef’i were superior. Their smaller size didn’t speak for their physical strength since their tinier muscles were firmer and denser. Their skin was also tougher, and their living conditions further deepened that quality.

Moreover, the Ef’i had sharp claws on their hands and legs, and their tails were more dangerous than both. Their additional limb and agility provided a stark advantage in a one-on-one battle.

Mezmac didn’t stop her offensive after her punch landed. Her tail promptly rose, cracking in the air to send a sharp mana bullet toward the Thilku’s chest. The attack was unavoidable at that distance, but the Thilku showed his pride in that instance.

The Thilku bent to his left, letting the bullet hit his shoulder. The spell dug through his flesh, creating a gory hole, but the injury didn’t affect the alien’s following movements.

Mezmac felt an unstoppable force closing around her left wrist. The Thilku had grabbed the arm on his abs during the dodge, trapping the Ef’i in his unbreakable grasp.

The Ef’i tried to crack her tail again, but her whole world suddenly turned upside down. The Thilku lifted her from her arm, pulling her above his head before forcefully slamming her on the ground.

The impact on the barren ground created a deep hole that lifted a lot of dust. Still, red flames illuminated the scene, burning everything inside the cavity and the surface around it.

The dust quickly settled, revealing the Thilku standing before a vast charred spot. The ground cracked, and the same went for the hole’s insides. Yet, n.o.body could be found at its bottom.

The scene didn’t surprise the Thilku. He turned, bringing his bleeding hand to his grinning mouth. He had lost three of his six fingers, but the injury didn’t affect his battle drive at all. He only smiled as he looked at his opponent.

Mezmac had escaped the deadly spell but not unscathed. Her pale-brown skin had grown darker, featuring multiple fuming burns. Live flesh also littered her body, showcasing her poor condition.

Both warriors had suffered injuries during the last exchange, but neither lost their desire to fight. They actually acc.u.mulated mana, wearing battle stances to prepare for their next attacks.

The Thilku joined his palms before spreading his arms, giving birth to a series of flaming spheres that hovered before him. Those flames slowly flew toward his sides, surrounding him while waiting for additional orders.

Meanwhile, Mezmac stretched her arms and fingers, her claws growing as mana acc.u.mulated on their sharp tips. She also lifted her tail, pointing it at the Thilku. Her toes even dug the terrain, preparing her best sprint.

Silence reigned for a few seconds before both warriors shot forward. The flaming spheres turned into bullets, and Mezmac launched a piercing attack, planning to dig a hole through her opponent. The two seemed engaged in a suicidal charge, and their clash lifted enough dust to hide the outcome.

The dust slowly settled, showing holes, burns, and cracks. The fight between two fourth-level warriors had turned the ground into a mess, but no one could spot bodies there. The two fighters seemed to have disappeared, but the Ef’i and Thilku groups eventually lifted their heads, finding their representatives.

Khan hovered in the air with his hands full. His left palm held the Thilku by his neck, keeping him still. Meanwhile, his right had seized the Ef’i’s tail, leaving Mezmac hanging from it.

“No one dies unless I say so,” Khan said, his eyes lighting up to add weight to his order.

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