Adrian straightened, his smirk fading into cold focus. Without warning, he lunged forward, his movements a blur. Travis barely caught the shift in Adrian''s weight before he was already closing the gap.


    "Here he comes!" Carlos shouted. "Adrian''s not holding back this time, folks—he’s got the speed of a predator on the hunt!"


    Adrian opened with a feint, jerking his right fist forward before twisting his body mid-stride. His left leg whipped around in a high, arching kick aimed at Travis’s head.


    Whoosh!


    Travis ducked just in time, feeling the air ripple above him as the kick passed harmlessly overhead. He countered instantly, springing upward with an uppercut aimed at Adrian’s chest.


    Thud!


    The blow connected, but Adrian rolled with it, absorbing the impact as he twisted his body into a spinning backfist. The attack was seamless—fluid and fast.


    Crack!


    The backfist grazed Travis''s cheek, snapping his head to the side. Staggering for a split second, he regained his footing and brought his arms up to block as Adrian pressed the attack.


    "Unreal! Adrian’s got Travis on the ropes! That spinning backfist was brutal—how much more can Travis take?" Carlos boomed.


    Adrian unleashed a flurry of punches, each strike calculated and relentless. Travis parried most of them, his arms moving in tight, practiced arcs.


    Thwack-thwack-thwack!


    The sound of fists meeting forearms echoed like gunshots.


    Suddenly, Travis saw his opening. He sidestepped one of Adrian’s punches, letting it sail past him, and pivoted sharply. Using the momentum, he drove his knee into Adrian’s side with a sickening crack!


    Adrian grunted, stumbling sideways, but he recovered quickly. His eyes flashed with determination as he planted his feet and threw himself into a low sweep kick.


    Smash!


    The kick caught Travis off balance, and his legs were swept out from under him. He hit the ground hard, the impact jarring through his body.


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    "And Travis goes down! Adrian’s relentless—this fight might end here!" Carlos’s voice rose with excitement.


    But Travis wasn’t finished. Before Adrian could capitalize, he rolled backward and launched himself to his feet with a smooth kip-up. The crowd roared.


    "Whoa! Travis is back on his feet! This guy’s got the resilience of a beast!"


    Adrian smirked, impressed despite himself. "Not bad," he muttered before charging again. This time, he led with a flying knee strike aimed at Travis’s chest.


    Bam!


    Travis crossed his arms just in time, absorbing the hit, but the force pushed him back a few steps. Adrian landed gracefully, immediately transitioning into a roundhouse kick aimed at Travis’s ribs.


    Travis ducked low, lunging forward and driving his shoulder into Adrian''s midsection. The impact sent Adrian staggering backward, but he twisted mid-fall, landing on his feet like a cat.


    "Did you see that?! Neither fighter is giving an inch! These two are evenly matched—it’s a battle of speed, precision, and sheer willpower!" Carlos’s voice carried over the deafening cheers of the crowd.


    The fighters paused for a split second, circling each other like wolves, their heavy breaths visible in the cold air. Travis wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned.


    "Ready for round two?" he asked, his voice low and challenging.


    Adrian''s smirk returned. "I was about to ask you the same thing."


    They launched at each other simultaneously, fists and kicks flying in a blur of motion too fast for the untrained eye to follow. Each strike was met with a block, counter, or deflection, the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoing like a drumbeat.


    "This is it, folks! They’re going all out now! No hesitation, no holding back—this is what real combat looks like!" Carlos roared.


    Travis suddenly halted his assault, standing firm as Adrian unleashed a flurry of punches. His body moved effortlessly, weaving left and right with precision. Each strike missed by fractions of an inch, his movements fluid and relaxed, as though the fight had become a dance he’d already mastered.


    Carlos’s voice boomed through the arena. “What’s this?! Travis isn’t even trying now! Look at him—dodging Adrian’s attacks like it’s child’s play! Can anyone believe this?!”


    Without warning, Travis leaped back, landing gracefully with a soft thud. He straightened, the faintest smirk playing at his lips.


    ‘Alright, I’ve had my fun. Time to end this.’ His thought carried a calm finality as his body shifted subtly, readying for a decisive move.


    The mana in his legs stirred violently, glowing faintly beneath his skin as it surged through him. The air around him shimmered slightly, heat waves rising from his feet as energy built up.


    Carlos shouted, his voice tinged with both confusion and excitement. “What’s happening now? Travis’s entire stance has changed! And…is that mana coursing through his body? Folks, something big is coming!”


    In the next instant, Travis’s figure vanished. A shockwave rippled through the arena floor as he propelled himself forward, moving so fast he became nothing but a blur.


    Adrian’s eyes widened in alarm, but it was already too late.


    Thwack!


    The sound was sharp and brutal, echoing like a gunshot. Travis’s kick landed cleanly across Adrian’s face, the sheer force lifting him off the ground. Adrian’s body flew backward, spinning uncontrollably through the air before slamming into the arena wall with a deafening crash.


    The crowd erupted in gasps and cheers. Dust and debris fell from the wall, forming a cloud around Adrian’s crumpled figure.


    “Unbelievable! Did you see that?!” Carlos shouted, his excitement palpable. “One second, Travis was standing there, and the next—Bam!—Adrian is sent flying across the arena! That kick was faster than the eye could follow!”


    Travis landed softly on the ground, barely out of breath. His expression remained calm, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.


    He flexed his legs experimentally, feeling the lingering hum of mana still coursing through them. ‘Even without fully tapping into this skill’s power, I’m still faster than him,’ he thought, his confidence unshaken.


    Carlos’s commentary continued to fill the air. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re witnessing a masterclass in speed and precision! But just how much power is Travis holding back?!”


    Travis’s gaze flicked toward Adrian, who was slowly pulling himself out of the rubble, coughing and groaning from the impact. ‘During this fight, I’ve been using my speed only to dodge, testing our differences. Even when he used that Blitz skill of his, his movements were clear as day to me.’


    He adjusted his stance, his focus unwavering. ‘This fight was over before it even began.’


    Adrian staggered to his feet, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he glared at Travis. His legs trembled slightly, but he steadied himself, refusing to go down easily.


    Carlos’s voice rang out again. “And Adrian’s back on his feet! But for how long? Can he possibly come back from this, or is Travis simply too far ahead?”


    Travis smirked, his eyes narrowing. The fight wasn’t over, but to him, the outcome was already decided.


    TO BE CONTINUED