COVELENT: XenoTrait

Rain poured relentlessly from the sky as the road beneath them was already shattered. Cracked asphalt, broken concrete, scattered debris, and in the middle of it all, Abel and Blade collided once more.

The ground beneath their feet fractured outward on impact.

Abel ducked beneath a right hook. ”The punch only missed by inches,” Abel thought. The air pressure alone whipped his hair backward.

Blade immediately followed with a knee, but Abel twisted sideways to avoid it. The attack grazed his ribs. Pain shot through his side, but he ignored it.

Instead, he planted a foot on Blade’s thigh, pushed upward, and spun.

His heel slammed into Blade’s jaw, snapping his head back.

Abel landed and immediately rushed forward.

He threw a left punch to Blade’s chin, followed by a right hook leading into a spinning elbow.

Each strike landed with sharp, bone-jarring impact.

”Each and every strike this kid’s connecting with is strong enough to break bone,” Blade thought as he barely moved.

Then he smiled. ”Oh damn, that was clean.”

Abel’s eyes widened.

”Too late,” Blade barked. He grabbed Abel’s wrist and yanked him, launching him overhead.

Abel slammed into the ground, and the road caved inward beneath him.

Before he could recover, Blade was already there. A massive foot came down, but Abel managed to roll away.

The stomp crushed the asphalt where his head had been.

Chunks of concrete burst outward, and Abel sprang to his feet.

Immediately, Blade charged. At the same time, Abel charged, and the distance between them vanished.

The two exchanged blows in a blur. Abel threw an uppercut, but Blade blocked it with his hands, grabbed Abel’s arm, and struck him with a clean elbow.

Abel’s head snapped back as blood spilled from his mouth, but he drove his knee into Blade’s hand, loosening the grip and breaking free.

Blade swung wide as Abel ducked underneath and pivoted, driving a punch directly into Blade’s liver.

Blade staggered.

Abel’s eyes narrowed as he thought, ”Now... I must capitalize on this.”

He rushed forward to throw a hook to Blade’s left side, but Blade blocked it and threw a kick toward Abel’s liver. Abel caught it, pushing Blade backward, which led into a spinning elbow.

Blood spilled from Blade’s lip, and the giant laughed. ”Hahaha!” His eyes gleamed. ”Now this is fun!”

Then he grabbed Abel by the shoulder and headbutted him.

Abel’s vision burst with stars as Blade followed with a heavy body shot.

The air left Abel’s lungs.

Blade threw another punch, and Abel crossed his arms to block. Each impact forced him backward as his boots carved trenches into the road.

The rain mixed with their blood, and still neither of them stopped.

Far away, high above the battlefield, Felix stood on a rocky ridge. His clothes fluttered in the wind.

From this height, he could see everything. The ruined road, the fight, and Abel.

Felix released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

”...Idiot.” A faint smile appeared. ”At least you’re alive.”

His eyes followed the battle below, watching carefully, studying, analyzing.

Felix flexed his newly regenerated arm and clenched his fist. ”There is no pain, no stiffness. It’s almost like a new and improved arm... good,” he thought.

His attention returned to the battle, to Abel narrowly slipping beneath another punch.

Felix nodded. ”Nice dodge.”

A few moments later, Abel landed a counter.

Felix smirked. ”Not bad.”

Blade forced him backward again.

Felix folded his arms. ”This is actually good for him.”

”Abel lacks experience. He has power, instinct, potential too, but experience... not enough. Every second of this fight is teaching him something. How to move, how to adapt, how to survive... at least he doesn’t have to go through what I went through,” he thought.

Felix continued watching.

Ten minutes later, everything had changed.

Abel’s breathing had become ragged, and Blade noticed immediately. His grin widened. ”There it is.”

Abel’s stomach sank as the giant stepped forward.

Abel raised his fists. ”I’m running out of energy faster... I have to think of a way out of here.”

Blade cracked his neck. ”You’re done.”

Then he moved.

The ground beneath him shattered as he launched forward with explosive force.

Blade propelled himself high into the air, rain scattering around him.

His fist pulled back as every muscle in his body tightened. ”This is enough force to end the fight, to end this guy.”

Abel’s eyes widened. He tried to move, but he was too slow.

Blade descended like a falling mountain. ”This is the end of the fight, and let me tell you, it was a good one,” he barked.

His fist came down as the air itself seemed to collapse under the force.

Dust and debris burst outward on impact.

After a few seconds, Abel opened his eyes.

”Huh... what’s going on?” he thought.

A hand had caught the punch.

The shockwave tore across the ground, sending cracks racing through the road.

Felix’s regenerated arm held Blade’s fist firmly in place. The ground around him fractured, but Felix remained standing.

Blade’s grin slowly disappeared. ”...Well, who do we have here?”

Felix glanced at him. ”You’re loud.”

Then he casually shoved him away.

Blade was sent skidding across the ruined road, tearing through broken asphalt before coming to a stop.

His eyes widened. ”Who the hell is this guy... he isn’t even taking me seriously. This guy is dangerous. If I have to fight him, I have to use that...”

Felix turned toward Abel. He looked him up and down. ”You see... this is what you get for just leaving like that.”

Abel looked down, saying nothing.

Felix sighed. ”Look, man, just imagine I did not arrive when I did... it’s clear you have no idea how to fight properly.”

Felix extended his hand. ”So stand up and let me show you.”