Dan was pushed back as Icar's whip chi lashed into him, the force sending him stumbling across the battlefield. Blood dripped from the cuts lining his arms and legs where the sharp edges of the whip had struck.
"I thought you said you weren't going to lose," Icar taunted with a smirk. "Come at me."
Icar's whips lashed out again, this time extending not just from his palms but also from his ribs. Dan dodged the strikes as best he could, his movements a mix of desperation and determination. But for every attack he avoided, another landed, slicing into his flesh.
Damn it, Dan thought, gritting his teeth as the pain coursed through his body. This guy's tougher than I expected. I only had three days to train. My lightning isn't fast enough to outpace him… What do I do? He clenched his fists, his breathing ragged. I have to catch him off guard and end this with my special attack, or I'm done for.
Icar suddenly merged the whips from his palms and ribs into two massive, glowing constructs. With a wicked grin, he lashed both whips toward Dan in a devastating attack. Dan managed to jump out of the way, but not unscathed—one of the whips grazed his side, leaving another deep cut.
"Shit," Dan muttered under his breath, staggering as blood trickled from his wounds.
Meanwhile, at the Knight Administrators' office, the senior officials watched the battle unfold on a large screen.
"This isn't looking good for him," Vixen, the Vice-General from the Fire Nation, said coldly, her chain chi swirling lightly around her fingers.
Commander DG, a Barrier chi user, shook his head. "I can't believe we're watching someone from the great Lightning Nation lose so easily. What a disappointment."
General Greg, the Fire chi user from the Denver family, leaned back in his chair, puffing on a cigar as he watched the fight with sharp, focused eyes. "Is that how you see it?" he asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"What do you mean, sir?" Vixen raised an eyebrow. "The whip chi guy has him completely covered. That boy doesn't even look comfortable using his lightning yet."
Greg chuckled softly. "True… but do you know what makes the people of the Lightning Nation special?"
"What?" DG asked, intrigued.
Greg tapped his cigar on the edge of the ashtray, his expression serious. "Their blood."
"Blood?" Vixen frowned, clearly confused.
"Their bloodline," Greg said, leaning forward. "People from the Lightning Nation are born prodigies. They may not win every fight, but I've never seen one of them lose easily in a knight exam. They're strong, clever, and always able to think on their feet. Even with minimal training, they can pull off impossible victories. That nation is full of beasts."
Back in the arena, the crowd was growing restless.
"Why is he defending so much?" one spectator shouted.
"I thought he was supposed to be from the Lightning Nation!" another jeered.
Icar's laughter echoed across the battlefield as he taunted his opponent. "Hehe, looks like your fans are abandoning you."
Dan wiped the blood from his lip and glared at Icar. "I don't care about them." Damn it, he thought. This guy is matching my speed, and his whips keep landing hits. I need to end this fast. I can't take much more damage… I'll have to use my special move, even if it drains me completely.
Lightning crackled around Dan's body as he gathered his energy. His focus sharpened, his eyes locked on Icar. With a burst of speed, he charged forward, moving faster than before.
Icar's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he just get faster? No matter—I can still see him coming."
Icar lashed out with his whips, attempting to strike Dan mid-charge. But this time, Dan dodged the attacks with precision, weaving through the strikes and landing punches and kicks on Icar's body.
"This kid…" Icar growled, staggering back under the relentless blows.
Don't stop now, Dan told himself. Keep going. I'm almost there.
Enough!" Icar roared, increasing the speed of his whips. The glowing constructs lashed out in rapid succession, striking Dan repeatedly.
"Got you now," Icar sneered as his attacks battered Dan.
But despite the bruises and cuts covering his body, Dan stood his ground, his resolve unshaken. He gritted his teeth, dodging the strikes as he closed the distance between them. With a sudden burst of speed, he drove his fist into Icar's stomach, then followed up with a powerful uppercut to his chin.
Icar stumbled, dazed and defenseless.
Now, Dan thought, gathering all of his remaining energy. Lightning crackled and surged around his right fist as he prepared to unleash his special move. "Take this!" he shouted, driving his fist forward in a devastating karate straight punch.
The impact was explosive, sending Icar flying across the arena. He crashed into the ground, unconscious
The crowd erupted in cheers as the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. "Wow, wow, wow! What an incredible match! The winner is Dan, the boy from the Lightning Nation!"
Back at the administrators' office, Vixen stared at the screen, her jaw clenched. "What the hell…"
Greg smirked, leaning back in his chair. "I told you. That nation is full of beasts."
On the battlefield, the crowd was wild with excitement.
"I always believed in him!" one fan shouted.
Dan staggered to his feet, smiling weakly as the adrenaline began to fade. "I won," he whispered before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.
Hours later, back at home, Sofia greeted him with a proud smile.
"Well, well, well, congratulations, Dan!" she said.
"Thanks," Dan replied, wincing as he sat down. "But my body hurts like hell."
"You really won again," she said in disbelief. "I can't believe you're going to be a knight."
"Not yet," Dan said. "I still have three more matches to go."
Sofia grinned. "But I know you're going to win."
Dan smiled back. "Yeah. I will."
Over the next three days, Dan threw himself into training. He refined his techniques at the karate dojo, pushed his limits in the forest outside the city, and tested his agility by leaping across tall buildings. By the time the day of his next match arrived, he was battered but determined.
At the arena, the announcer's voice rang out again. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! The boy you've all been waiting to see—Dan, the lightning boy! And his opponent, Dosu, the mouth acid chi user!"
Dan stood in the arena, his body still sore from his last fight. He clenched his fists, trying to shake off the fatigue. Damn it, he thought. I haven't fully recovered yet… and now I'm up against another tough opponent. Just my luck.