"You said you wanted to test my strength... so, a duel it is?"
"Yes. But you don't need to put anything on the line. If you win, I'll follow you."
"Is that okay? Sounds like a raw deal for you, doesn't it?"
"Don't sweat it. Mad told you, didn't he? If you lose to me, things will get ugly. Specifically, you'll be looking at a long stay in a hospital bed."
"Haha, I see how it is...!"
Hugo, finding Fango’s bluntness refreshing, cracked his knuckles with a grin. Standing in the Duel Grounds where only the four of them—Hugo, Fango, Fee, and Dorowa—were present, Hugo rotated his shoulders to loosen up.
"Can I ask one thing? You're not actually interested in the seat of the next head of the house, are you?"
"Exactly. I couldn't care less about such a thing. But I refuse to serve someone weaker than me. I decided I’d rather stand at the top than bow to the weak. It's as simple as that."
"Hah! Simple, but I can respect it. I don't dislike guys like you, you know?"
Hugo laughed, but Fango said nothing more. He simply cast off his haori, revealing a massive physique visible even through his dress shirt. Thick, log-like arms were encased in Lion-designed Gauntlets that ran from his forearms to his knuckles. He dropped into a combat stance.
He’s a power-type through and through, Hugo thought. He has the look of a man who has no time for cheap tricks.
Fango didn't seem to possess any specialized abilities like Abyss’s [Word]. He was equipped with Magic Items designed purely to amplify his own physical strength and facilitate direct martial combat. Still, Fango didn't charge in recklessly; he radiated the steady, disciplined aura of a seasoned veteran.
If he's talking that big, his skills are clearly no joke... Hugo mused.
Fango, still holding his stance, finally spoke. "...The chatter is over. Since you have the composure to talk for so long, I assume you're ready to begin?"
"What!?"
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Fango released his magic power. He unleashed a flurry of jabs with movements faster than the eye could follow. While he was too far away for his physical fists to connect, fireballs the size of human heads manifested with every punch, hurtling toward Hugo at a ferocious speed.
Hugo instantly rolled across the ground to evade the incoming projectiles. As he moved, he poured magic power into the bracelet on his left arm and shouted.
"Transform!!"
As Hugo dodged and wove between the relentless fireballs, plates of Black Iron armor began to encase his body. Seeing Hugo charging forward without fear, Fango decided that further distance-closing feints were useless. He abandoned his long-range attacks in favor of a brutal infight, lunging forward with a heavy punch.
"Uooooooooooooooo!!"
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
"U-uwaah!?"
The moment their fists collided, a dull thud resonated through the grounds, followed by a shockwave that rattled the air. Fee let out an involuntary cry at the impact. Fango, whose fist had clashed directly with Hugo's, let out a low groan. A sharp pain shot through his flame-clad hand.
"Guh...!"
The flames that had been swirling around his fist were snuffed out the instant he felt the pain. Sensing something was wrong, Fango immediately leaped backward, shaking his wrist to check the damage.
Just now... did he channel his magic through his fist the split-second after the blow landed?
It was the specific type of magic power manipulation Hugo had used before. By injecting magic power a fraction of a second after a physical strike, Hugo had created a pseudo-double impact. Realizing his hand had sustained actual damage despite his protection, Fango’s mouth twisted into a fierce smile.
I have the advantage in height, reach, and weight. Yet, he overturned those factors and pushed me back... Interesting!
Fango was no stranger to the battlefield; he had crossed blades with numerous powerful foes. That single exchange was enough to tell him that Hugo was the real deal. Recognizing Hugo as a top-tier formidable enemy, Fango decided to release the true ability of his magic item.
"This is interesting, Hugo Clay! There is no need to hold back against you. I'm going all out."
Fango crossed his clenched fists in front of his forehead before slowly pulling them apart. In sync with his movement, Magma-like Armor manifested over his chest, and his gauntlets began to radiate an extraordinary, shimmering heat.
"Heh, for Fango to use his trump card this early... Hugo must be quite the fighter," Dorowa noted.
"Is that... additional armor formed by releasing the power of Flame and Earth Attribute magic ores?" Fee analyzed. "He's using heat to boost his physical parameters while the Earth Attribute reinforces the magic item's durability...!"
"Oh, you're quite excellent too," Dorowa said, looking at Fee with newfound interest. "To see through the properties of that magic item at a single glance... you're not to be underestimated either."
Fango’s equipment utilized magic ores of two distinct attributes. By activating them, he gained armor that was as rigid as stone and as volatile as a volcano. Now clad in a mantle of molten energy, Fango glared at Hugo.
"Clad in the power of Fire and Earth, my fists are now unbreakable and unstoppable. This next strike won't be anything like the last. Now... what will you do, Hugo Clay!?"
Hugo remained silent.
Fango let out a deafening roar and lunged, his fists trailing wake of shimmering heat as he bore down on his opponent.
Watching from the sidelines, Dorowa smiled as she observed Hugo’s every movement.
Now, how will you handle this? Show me your true strength, Hugo!
Dodge, defend, or counter? How Hugo handled a Fango who was finally serious would reveal his true character. Dorowa stared at Hugo, her eyes fixed on him as the critical moment approached.