Chapter 62: Small Misunderstanding II
Sid caught the blade just before it made contact, the sharp edge cutting into his palm, but his thick hide protected him from serious damage.
With a grunt of effort, Sid wrenched the blade out of Liam's grip and tossed it aside, swinging his massive arm in a wide arc toward Liam as he growled.
"You're going to need more than that."
This time, Liam was prepared. He crouched swiftly, evading Sid's swing effortlessly, and countered with a precise punch to Sid's abdomen.
"Seriously? Is that the best you can do?" Liam jeered, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips as Sid stumbled backward.
Sid reeled back, momentarily breathless from the impact, yet he sensed a change; his attributes appeared to be improving at an accelerated rate than usual.
He even felt unable to control the transformation as his rage escalated rapidly.
This is a special ability of the Blood Rage Bear, which he acquired through beast transformation, which enhances his attributes as his anger grows during the transformation.
However, there is also the side effect of losing control when one becomes too angered.
"Why is this jerk getting stronger?" Liam on the other hand quickly noticed the change in Sid, but he was determined to keep his advantage, unleashing a series of punches at Sid's side, each blow landing heavily on Sid's sturdy frame.
Yet, he was still unaware that it was his own actions, or more precisely his talent, that was fueling Sid's anger, consequently amplifying his attributes.
Sid's reaction was swift. "Hahaha, not bad," he grumbled, his voice deepened further as he slowly began to transform into a full bear, seizing Liam's punch right out of the air.
"But it's not enough!" he declared. In a fluid motion, he twisted Liam's arm behind his back and flung him down, the force of the impact rippling through the ground.
Liam hit the ground hard, the impact rattling through his bones, but he rolled to his feet quickly, wiping blood from his lip, ready to distance himself.
"Fuck! You're strong, I'll give you that," he spat, "but you're still just a big, angry brute. All that power and you're still too slow."
Sid flexed his massive arms, feeling the raw power coursing through him.
"You're not too shabby yourself, for a little guy," Sid sneered, catching Liam by the collar and lifting him off the ground.
"But it should be over soon."
"Yeah? Then let's see who will finish whom," Liam said, struggling as his feet kicked in the air.
He maintained his composure, locking eyes with Sid, ready for whatever might come next.
Both were panting heavily, their bodies aching from the intense exchange.
It was evident they were evenly matched in strength, though Sid might have had the upper hand, yet neither was willing to back down.
Sid snarled, his grip tightening as he prepared to slam Liam into the ground again. But before he could, a voice cut through the tension like a knife.
"Stop!" Ram's voice echoed through the woods as he sprinted into the clearing.
He skidded to a halt between them, raising his hands to calm the situation. "Both of you, knock it off!"
Sid froze, his grip on Liam loosening slightly as he looked over at Ram. "Huh, do you know this guy?" he growled, still holding Liam up.
Liam, taking advantage of Sid's distraction, kicked out, planting his boot squarely in Sid's chest.
Sid grunted, releasing his hold as he stumbled back. "You're welcome for the assist," Liam said dryly, landing gracefully on his feet.
Ram stepped between them, his expression stern. "Sid, Liam, enough. We're supposed to be on the same side here."
Sid, still in his bear-like form, glared at Liam, his red eyes glowing faintly. "He doesn't look like he's on our side," he rumbled, his muscles tensing as if ready for another round.
"Almost had me there," Liam shot back, rubbing his sore shoulder. "But you're not half bad for a walking furball."
Ram sighed, stepping closer to Sid, who was about to beat Liam again, "Sid, this is my brother, Liam. He's... well, he's got a knack for getting into trouble. And Liam, this is Sid, he is a friend. Now can we please stop trying to kill each other?"
Sid's glowing red eyes flickered for a moment before returning to their normal color.
His massive bear-like form began to shrink and shift, fur retracting into his skin, muscles smoothing out until he was back in his human form.
"You never mentioned you had a brother," he said, his voice rough as he wiped blood from his mouth.
"That's because we were supposed to meet up today, but you encountered him before I had the chance to introduce you," Ram replied with a small grin. He then turned to Liam. "You alright?"
Liam nodded, though his body ached from the fight with blood stains. "Yeah, I'm good. Just didn't expect to be wrestling with a bear today."
Sid crossed his arms, eyeing Liam with a mix of suspicion. "You fight well... for a gang member."
Liam smirked, dusting off his clothes. "I'm no gang member. Just happened to steal their hoverbike."
Ram chuckled, the tension finally easing as he patted Sid on the shoulder.
"Looks like we've got some catching up to do." He turned to Liam, his expression softening. "Come on, let's head back to camp. You can fill us in on what's going on."
Liam nodded, finally letting his guard down. Little Black barked happily, jumping up to lick Liam's face as they began walking back toward the camp together.
Ram, upon witnessing this, was somewhat surprised by the Little Black; he was aware of Liam's fastidiousness in choosing his pet.
He still recalled the days they spent searching for the perfect pet before being captured by the Shadow Society.
Intrigued, he promptly used his Spiritual Eye to identify its attributes.
[Name: Little Black]
[Race: Demon/Canine]
[Level: Black Iron]
[Quality: Elite (Young)]
[Physique: 1.1 (+1.1)]
[Spirit: 0.6]
[Description: Mutant dog, having awakened the bloodline of the Night Demon, contains the blood power of Night Demon that can strengthen all its attributes by 20% under the cover of night.]
[Skills:
Grade 'C165'-Giant: This skill allows the creature to enhance its size and physical attributes like increased strength, endurance, speed, defense, and other senses by 100%.]
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