Chapter 20: The Crimson Fang Captain
The townspeople gathered behind the guards.
The guards gathered behind Rhaizen.
And Rhaizen stood alone—facing a wall of Crimson Fang bandits.
But the real danger was the man walking toward him with slow, heavy footsteps.
Every step made the ground shake a little.
His axe was taller than Rhaizen.
Its edge was chipped from years of battle.
His arms were thick like logs.
His face was covered with scars.
A red shoulder guard marked him as someone important.
And the killing intent he carried made the air feel heavy.
The bandits stepped aside to let him through.
Some even bowed their heads in respect.
Rhaizen felt a cold sweat crawl down his back.
This man… was different.
Stronger.
Faster.
More dangerous than any bandit he had ever seen.
A Crimson Fang Captain.
The captain stopped just a few steps away from Rhaizen.
His eyes scanned him from head to toe.
"So you're the brat who burned my men," he said with a low, rumbling voice. "You look smaller than I expected."
Rhaizen forced himself to stay calm.
He raised his fists.
"Leave this town," he said. "Now."
The captain laughed.
A long, loud laugh that sent chills down the guards' spines.
"You think you can make demands?"
He pointed his huge axe at Rhaizen.
"Boy, you should've run when you had the chance."
Rhaizen stepped forward.
"So should you."
The bandits around them began shouting:
"Get him, Captain!"
"Make him scream!"
"He killed Garel and the others—crush him!"
But Rhaizen ignored them.
This fight… he couldn't lose.
If he fell here, the town would be wiped out.
He took a steady breath.
His black-red aura flickered weakly around his arms.
The captain rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck.
"Fine," he said. "Let's see what you're made of."
---
The Battle Begins
The captain moved first.
And he was fast.
Faster than Rhaizen expected.
He swung his massive axe downward.
Rhaizen barely dodged using Crimson Step, sliding to the side as the axe smashed into the ground.
The impact made the dirt explode upward.
A shockwave rippled across the street.
Rhaizen landed on his feet and punched forward with a Crimson Strike.
Fire flickered around his fist.
He hit the captain's ribs—
But it felt like punching a stone wall.
The captain didn't even flinch.
He grabbed Rhaizen's arm, lifted him like a toy, and threw him across the street.
Rhaizen crashed into a fruit stand, wood splintering as he rolled across the ground.
The captain rested his axe on his shoulder.
"That all?"
Rhaizen pushed himself up slowly, coughing.
His whole body hurt.
But he refused to stop.
He dashed in again using Crimson Step, circling around the captain and striking with rapid punches—
One to the side.
One to the back.
One to the kidney.
Then he kicked at the captain's leg.
It forced the captain to shift his stance slightly.
A small victory.
The captain growled.
"Annoying."
He spun with the axe.
Rhaizen ducked right under it, feeling the blade brush the top of his hair.
He counterattacked, hitting the captain's stomach with another Crimson Strike.
This time the flame burned brighter.
The captain grimaced, stepping back.
"Tch… so you do have some power."
Rhaizen didn't answer.
He didn't have the breath.
His lungs burned.
His body ached.
And the fight had barely begun.
---
The Captain's Full Power
The captain kicked the ground.
His foot dug into the dirt.
He launched himself forward like a charging bull.
Rhaizen's eyes widened.
He had no time to dodge.
The captain slammed into him with his shoulder.
Rhaizen flew back again, bouncing off the ground before sliding several meters.
He gasped for air, vision spinning.
The captain approached slowly.
"You fight better than most small sect recruits," he said. "But you're still too weak."
He lifted his axe high.
"If you want revenge or whatever motivates you—"
He brought the axe down with both hands.
"—you need strength."
Rhaizen rolled out of the way just in time.
The axe slammed into the ground, splitting the earth.
Rhaizen pushed up on shaky arms.
He couldn't take many more hits like that.
---
Rhaizen Tries to Turn the Tide
Rhaizen rushed forward again.
His legs screamed in pain.
His arms shook.
But he kept going.
He ducked under a horizontal axe swing and aimed a strong Crimson Strike at the captain's jaw.
This time, the fire wrapped tightly around his fist.
He hit the captain squarely in the chin.
The captain staggered back half a step.
A single drop of blood fell from his lip.
The bandits gasped.
Rhaizen took the chance.
He punched again.
And again.
And again.
One hit burned the captain's arm.
One hit burned his chest.
One hit burned his shoulder.
The fire grew hotter.
Stronger.
Rhaizen's aura flared with more intensity.
His fire flickered with bright red sparks.
He clenched his right fist tight.
"Crimson Flame Fist!"
He struck with everything he had.
The punch exploded with fire and force, sending the captain sliding back several meters.
The ground burned under his feet.
The captain touched his cheek.
He saw the burn marks.
Then he grinned.
"Good hit," he said. "Now here's mine."
He vanished for a moment.
Then—
BOOM
His fist collided with Rhaizen's stomach.
Rhaizen's breath exploded from his lungs.
He bent forward, choking, unable to breathe.
He fell to his knees.
The captain lifted him by the hair.
"You have talent," he said. "But talent without strength is useless."
Then he punched Rhaizen in the face, sending him rolling across the ground.
Blood dripped from Rhaizen's mouth.
His vision blurred.
His ears rang.
He forced his hands to press against the ground, trying to stand.
But his legs wobbled.
His body was reaching its limit.
---
Rhaizen knew he needed a big hit.
Something strong enough to make the captain take him seriously.
He gathered Qi again.
His aura flared.
Black and red colors swirled violently across his arm.
He forced more Qi into his fist.
Too much.
The heat burned his skin.
His vision shook.
He knew this was dangerous.
But he did it anyway.
Crimson Flame Fist—
overcharged.
He charged forward.
The captain didn't dodge.
Rhaizen punched his chest.
A huge explosion of fire burst between them.
The heat burned Rhaizen's arm up to the shoulder.
The captain slid back several steps—
His armor cracked
His chest bleeding
Breath forced out of him.
Bandits stared in shock.
Even the captain looked surprised.
But Rhaizen—
Collapsed to one knee.
His arm shook uncontrollably.
His eyes couldn't focus.
He had pushed too far.
His Qi was nearly empty.
He gasped for air, chest heaving.
The captain spat blood onto the ground.
"You almost made me kneel," he said. "But you're done."
Rhaizen tried to stand.
But his legs refused.
The captain pointed his axe at him.
"This town is ours."
He raised it high—
"And you die first."
---
The axe fell.
Rhaizen rolled aside, but too slow.
The blade grazed his back, cutting deep.
He cried out, hitting the ground.
The captain raised the axe again.
Rhaizen forced himself onto his elbows.
His arms shook so violently he could barely move.
He couldn't use fire anymore.
He couldn't use Crimson Step.
He had nothing left.
But the captain kept walking toward him.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Rhaizen's breathing stopped for a moment.
He was going to die.
The captain swung the axe horizontally.
Rhaizen ducked—
Barely—
The blade sliced off several strands of his hair.
He stumbled back, falling again.
He tried to get up—
Hands slipping on the blood-stained ground—
The captain swung again.
Rhaizen blocked with his forearm.
The impact felt like being hit by a hammer.
His arm went numb.
But he didn't drop.
He didn't surrender.
He refused.
---
The captain grabbed Rhaizen's shirt and lifted him effortlessly.
"Why do you keep standing?" the captain growled. "What drives you?"
Rhaizen coughed, blood dripping from his lip.
"My promise…"
The captain frowned.
"What?"
Rhaizen clenched his fist.
His aura flickered—just barely.
"I promised… I would never fall again…"
The captain raised his fist to finish him.
Rhaizen used the last of his strength—
Not fire.
Not Qi.
Not Crimson Step.
Just pure movement.
Pure strength.
Pure will.
He twisted out of the captain's grip, dropping to the ground, and used his entire body weight to drive a heavy punch straight into the captain's injured ribs.
A clean hit.
No fire.
No aura.
Just raw force.
The captain staggered back, gasping.
The punch hit harder than expected.
It forced him back several steps.
The bandits murmured in shock.
The captain clenched his ribs and glared at Rhaizen.
"You little—"
He stopped.
He looked at the guards gathering.
The townspeople watching.
Then at Rhaizen, barely able to stand but still glaring with stubborn fire in his eyes.
The captain growled.
"This isn't worth it today."
He slammed his axe into the ground, angry but not beaten.
"We're not done, boy," he said. "Crimson Fang will return. Stronger. And next time, we'll crush your whole body."
He turned away.
"Fall back! Fall back!" he shouted to the bandits.
The Crimson Fang pulled out of the town, dragging injured men with them.
Rhaizen watched, breathing shallowly, unable to move anymore.
He wanted to chase them.
But he couldn't.
He fell to his knees.
Then onto his side.
The world spun.
Voices blurred.
Hands reached out to help him.
Elder Jonas shouted something in the distance.
But Rhaizen couldn't hear clearly.
He stared at the sky, his vision fading.
"I… did it…" he whispered.
Then everything went dark.