Fractured God

Ash dropped the burnt hair out of his hand and produced a flame.

He held his hand out and pointed it towards Tibaut.

(“Is gonna try and hit me with a fireball? What a cock-”) Tibaut thought before quickly blocking. Instead of a fireball, it was a torrent of flames that slammed into him.

From his hand, Ash created a pillar of fire that caught Tibaut off guard. It tossed Tibaut off balance, but thankfully it seemed he didn't get any major burns.

(“It looks like my fire resistance is going to be heavy lifting for me tonight.”)

He flicked his gauntlets after dealing with that, with both making a hissing sound likely from the heat.

(“What the hell was that?”) Tibaut thought as he noticed an approaching Ash. By the time he steadied himself, a blow landed in the same spot that Ezekiel had stabbed him earlier.

The effects of the battle with Ezekiel were already showing. He was positive, no, certain he would have blocked that punch if he was fresher. But his body was not moving the way he wanted it to.

Another blow rocked his face, with Ash, wearing gentle smirks as he felt his blows connect with Tibaut.

(“Ah, what a joy it is to be young again. Oh, Daniel you bastard, this certainly isn't the last of the bottles you created, is it? I'll have to go to that bastard's hideout immediately after I finish with this boy.”)

His punches continued to land on Tibaut, with the boy almost helpless to stop it. But with each subsequent blow, he could feel his blood boiling even hotter, and now he had an opponent he didn't care for, he could fight without worrying about their life.

He blocked a blow with his gauntlets and the now young man in front of him didn't so much as react, grabbing his arm and pulling him forward into a headbutt.

The pair both headbutted each other, with neither man backing down. Then a second time, with Tibaut gritting his teeth, hoping he had a thick enough skull to smash the bastard's head in.

Their heads returned for a third blow, and immediately after, with Ash's smirk turning into a smile and Tibaut’s face looking like a beast's, Ash went for a clothesline while Tibaut turned himself around and went for a reverse elbow.

Ash was obviously the quicker and sent Tibaut flying, nearly flipping him 360 from the force of his blow.

Tibaut landed on the floor and Ash couldn't help but audibly start laughing.

“HAHA, that's it, boy, more! I haven't felt this alive in years! I can't believe I've forgotten the joys of inflicting pain and receiving it. Now get up and test this body more, boy!” Mr. Bentley said, playfully jumping up and down as he looked towards Tibaut. His smile was child-like in how joyful it was, which made him all the more unnerving as an opponent. He didn't see this as a battle to the death, but rather, as regaining something he didn't know he had lost.

Tibaut was floored, struggling to get up off the floor as he turned his head to the man called Ash. He felt one of his lips and saw it was bleeding. His forehead was now painted a deep red from his headbutting, while the only blood on Ash's forehead was Tibaut’s.

He slammed his fist into the dirt ground and forced himself on his feet. During the initial encounter with the old man, he noticed the arm that he had dislocated twice, was moving much slower and in far more pain than the other. Who would have thought?

The only thing he could reliably count on it for was blocking. The moment he stood back up, Mr. Bentley was already back in his face and threw down a heavy blow towards Tibaut’s head. He managed to block with the weakened arm but even with the gauntlets on, the pain had him hesitate for a moment.

His next fist collided with Ash's, with the old man not in the mood to back off. He quickly opened his fist and grabbed Tibaut’s hand, throwing him upwards.

Tibaut managed to land, though the landing wasn't the best and he fell to his knees. As he tried to stand back up he felt a foot on his back.

He turned around to see the orange-haired bastard, grinning.

He had his arms crossed with an almost disgusting amount of giddy on his face.

“Why don't you call this here, boy? I can't imagine it'd be pleasant to deal with Elizabeth if I dealt with you here, so I think it'd be mutually beneficial. After all, nobody would blame you for retreating from a foe far stronger than yourself, right?” Mr. Bentley stated as he rubbed his foot into Tibaut’s back. He was surprised the boy was so docile until Tibaut immediately grabbed the leg he placed against and he felt a heat building.

He quickly dragged his foot away and ended up having his shoe dragged off.

Regardless of his sneak attack failing, Tibaut created a fireball and shot it off at him.

The old man dodged it and narrowly missed a gauntlet aimed at his face. It left a cut on his cheek and the old man was almost casual in his counter.

Even Tibaut didn't realise what had happened until he fell back to his knees. Mr. Bentley had again struck the area of Ezekiel stabbed and looked ready to smash Tibaut's face in with another punch.

Tibaut quickly threw a fireball at the floor between them and ended up kicking up some dust. He used the lack of visibility to quickly dodge and trip Ash before escaping the dust. He used this brief time to catch his breath and waited for the counterattack the old man likely had prepared.

When the dust settled, it revealed Ash doing pushups, seemingly ignorant of Tibaut.