"!Coepite!" (Begin)
Valyn had with him an M4 assault rifle with optical telescopic sight, drum magazine, hollow point bullets and extra modifications that allowed him to change its parts as the operator required, he could well retreat if he wished.
At this distance between him and his target it was essential to cover the largest field of fire, not focus on a single point of aim, he was very aware of his target's high speed and although he was going to lose, he had to make it convincing.
With a sigh, Valyn had unloaded his entire magazine, trying to land some shots on his opponent.
The ritual combat wasn't exactly traditional or rather crude, what was important was to fulfill the rites, especially the final part where he said goodbye to the fallen blood.
"!Bang!", the last bullet from his cartridge ran out, and he proceeded to change it for another.
Each instructor had a shield in front made of a graphene and titanium alloy.
Their supervision couldn't falter even if they were exposed. Even if Heiss was accused of betrayal, it was Valyn's duty if he accepted or proposed the challenge, although if he didn't they could call him disloyal to the Principality.
Heiss evaded the irregular forecast of his shots by predicting the movement of his hands and their contraction, taking advantage of the stones in the place he was able to take refuge in the intervals while running.
Once the last bullet was fired, he took a bar with a piece of concrete at the tip.
Putting his hand on the ground he fired in a parabola toward Valyn's position, before reaching, taking advantage of the accumulated potential energy he let drop at the same speed it was going, the amorphous concrete solid on top of Valyn.
"!THUD!", "!CRAACK!", the concrete stone crashed into the ground, cracked and broke, releasing the remaining part of the bar.
As if nothing had happened, Valyn pulled out his weapon after having evaded and fires almost at close range.
Spinning quickly now with the bar in hand, Heiss avoids the weapon's range by getting closer and moving it only with his arm, then taking advantage of that speed, he moves the bar horizontally to hit squarely the body of his opponent.
Upon foreseeing this change, he forces his abdomen and lowers, avoiding the blow.
Without appearing disconcerted by the evasion, he spins the bar with his fingers in a masterful way, then grabs the bar with the intention of driving it, advances a step and throws it with the purpose of piercing his chest and leaving him immobile.
Seeing the bar change direction, Valyn uses every muscle in his feet to jump back, barely managing it by a fraction and rolling.
As he falls, with his right hand still on the weapon, he shoots in the direction where the bar was driven.
In a thought, Heiss held the bar that he had driven with force, put his hands on the top part, bending used his arms and legs with force, as if it were a slingshot he fired into the air in a somewhat comical manner.
Contrary to expectations, he did an elegant forward roll, making a kick fall toward the weapon that was trying to aim toward his new direction.
Hitting the weapon, Valyn couldn't exert enough force to not let it go, causing the weapon to fall to the ground.
With his rifle hanging from the strap unable to use it, it was like a disguised trap.
A trap that cost him even more when Heiss fell and in a single movement threw his arms at the rifle strap, with the force placed in that same spot, he tied Valyn in his rope with a lock and threw him like a plush toy.
"!Thud!", crashing into the earth, a dry blow was heard.
"!Glack!", then a groan as he spits out some saliva from his mouth.
All present who were watching from a safe distance were amazed, not even a minute had passed and there was already a large concentration of attacks and blows.
But at that moment everyone focused on Heiss, to everyone's surprise he had put a knee on the ground.
"Haaaa…haaaa"
It was to be expected that his limit was near, he had been through so much.
Several years ago district 3 conducted an experiment with its apprentices, the idea was to see how strong they were if they were pushed to the limit and at the same time food was restricted from them.
The result was the fainting of 60% of the apprentices, death of 25% of the participants, still conscious participants 10% and 5% that gave surprising results from adapting to the feeling of starvation and fatigue; managing to stay physically well thanks to the continuous breathing they maintained to keep their organism functioning, reducing metabolism, but somehow keeping their energy, it was a state of rest where they stayed energized but at the same time saved it.
In this way they arrived at the idea of being able to bring the body to its best state while maintaining minimal resources possible.
Now then, that was about to end for Heiss.
His body had gone through hunger during the time he was here, was tortured, beaten and deprived of good sleep.
In the last 24 hours, he had been electrocuted and drugged in order to obtain his information.
He fought against the traffickers in his escape and to obtain the van's resources, then Lykos's subjugation which made him spend energy and finally this encounter, made him spend even more reserve resources.
His muscles tensed every 3 seconds and his coloration was pale, almost like that of a ghost, a little more, and he would start to tremble or convulse from his wounds or lose consciousness from exhaustion.
"Pff", spitting drool on the ground, he forced his gaze to where he had knocked down Valyn.
Looking at each other, Valyn smiled.
"I see you didn't come out unscathed in the escape from the traffickers, you've gone soft, I wouldn't have let it go this far and lose effectiveness"
He rose slowly, then grabbed his rifle and threw it far from his direction, prepared his hands in a fighting manner.
Personality #4: "…Ha, speaking of going soft"
Nevertheless, what Heiss had been expecting from the beginning occurred, Valyn began to breathe harder, absorbed air through his nose and then even more through his mouth, then exhaled it; more times passed until his exhalations became slow, as if he controlled the air coming out of his body in a precise way to give his best condition to each of his muscles.
Personality #4: "I see this is the last fight"
Positioned in fighting form with hands on top with his fists semi-closed, leaning his center of gravity back and putting himself to the side.
According to Heiss's memories, Valyn practiced Krav Maga in his own way, it wasn't based only on attacking the enemy's weak points, with his form of ecstasy he could detect the enemy's weak points while moving to make a forecast and attack in the best way.
In short, it was almost like having a forecast of the battle, it wasn't compared to the sight my brothers had, but it was very good.
Taking gulps of air to try to keep up with the pace of the fight, I prepare to put my fist forward, the other near my waist, ready for the attack.
"!Crack!", the ground sounded as heavy footsteps hit it.
Valyn launched, getting under the sight of his opponent, to the lower front of Heiss's fist, moved his side and his arm moved to land a punch against his ribs.
The brief thought was 'fast', recognizing his opponent.
Moving the same elbow of his extended arm he blocked and forcefully deflected the blow that was going to a critical part.
The two knew it at that moment, they were in the same field conditions.
What followed were fist blows thrown at the abdomen, head, thighs, arms, ribs, neck and any part that could cause significant recoil of his opponent.
High, low and middle kicks. The blows at each other's knee pads sounded in their collisions of preventing the other from achieving his attack, it was a battle of foresight for whoever would win just one advantage of the confrontation, any blow that was missed could make the difference as great as running the distance from 1 to 10 to one of 1 to 15 meters.
Like lightning the blows of both were exchanged and barely seen by the spectators behind the camera; no matter how much they had increased the cameras, it still cost them to capture that speed unless they were special for that, the place was moderately lit and made it difficult to see from afar, which is why they could see the battle, but some parts would be blurred by its speed.
Finally a disparity began to show with respect to the inclination of the blows dealt and blocked, Heiss's defense was slowly retreating.
Added to this, Valyn changed strategy in a moment and pushing Heiss backward, pulled out a type of can, removed the safety that held it, and let it drop between the two.
Immediately smoke started coming out from everywhere like a whirlwind.
Then he pulled out 2 more that he threw at Heiss's feet, realizing what he was planning he kicked the cans out of the place, despite everything it was already too late, the place had a lot of smoke.
It was a perfect target, his only chance was to run from here.
He knew that Fenrir Squadron had advanced electronic tools, contact lenses that could track heat signatures would make it possible to see the target.
Trying to get out of the fog, Heiss runs toward the outside, but is immediately counteracted and sent to the center by a very fast kick, then he gets up, but another kick is given to the back of his knee, making him fall.
A dozen blows came from different places, the physical increase provided him the way to arrive from everywhere making his body stumble before the offensive.
Trying to get out of the ambush Heiss pulls out a weapon from his ankle and starts shooting around him, at the shadows where they moved and the fluctuations of air movement.
Everything was partially visible through the thermal camera they were monitoring him with.
In consequence to the pistol attacks, Valyn's attacks became more irregular, to make him come out of hiding Heiss pulled out 2 grenades and threw them in two directions, with luck they would help give his opponent and if not help disperse the smoke.
Against all odds, at the same instant 5 different cans reached Heiss's feet, with a quick thought, he did a 360-degree spin and kicked them all, but that's what Valyn wanted, the cans exploded in the air, lights and a deafening sound echoed throughout the place.
'Stun grenades'
"!BOOM!"
Everything lost sound, only partial lights from some reflectors placed in the place remained, kneeling on one foot again, he couldn't stay on his feet after the attack.
Looking around, he pulled out a knife from a pocket of his pants, but before he could use it to defend himself from more blows, something pierced him from behind.
It was cold, uncomfortable, smelled like iron, looking at the front of his chest he saw it, it was the same bar with which he had tried to pierce Valyn in the confrontation.
The smoke started to become clearer, and he saw in front, it was the boy with amber eyes, sharp features and ash gray hair who looked at him, he was injured in one leg and an arm, plus his hand was partially injured by shrapnel.
Seeing that he couldn't move, he approached slowly.
Their eyes met.
Personality #4: "….You improved since last time"
"Yes"
His eyes turned red.
Valyn wanted to tell him that it wasn't fair that it ended like this, that he didn't like seeing him hold back with him, that his friend having to reunite with him this way was sad, horrible, irritable, painful, that he did everything possible to reach the expectations he trusted him with, at the moment the Principality fell and we watched as everything turned to ashes.
But he couldn't, because they were being recorded, and any word could risk the plan he had in his hands, to free himself from this destiny, from this end.
Approaching slowly he crouched down, took the knife he had in his hand.
Personality #4: "Thank you"
A satisfied smile and happy eyes looked at him as he prepared the knife
'It's time'
"!!Crack", a low sound was heard of something breaking.
Then an "!!Fsh" was heard, cutting the wind in an eerie manner.
A red splash crashed into the ground, the knife was stained and dripping.
Looking at the camera in the distance, he raised the knife as a sign of victory.
"!The Code #13 gave his life in honor of the fallen brothers, let this sacrifice be a tribute to God who watches over a forgotten world!"
"Let everyone remember the name Codex Mortis, who carried the codex of the dead"
At that moment everyone knew.
Heiss was dead.