Protagonist?Antagonist? I Reject Both

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Leon and Arwin faced each other amid the chaos as their eyes locked in a deadly duel.

The air around them seemed to condense with murderous intent dyeing the place in red.

Fluctuations in qi started to run haywire as both charged forward to have the imminent clash of fists.

With a primal roar, Leon pounced forward, his fist became a blur of motion tearing through the air and aimed straight at Arwin's jaw.

Arwin who took the initiative first was startled a bit, only for a bit.

Arwin, moving as quick as lightning, ducked under the punch and retaliated with a sweeping kick. The force of his blow missed Leon's torso but the motion sent forward a glaring beam of destructive flames that connected with a nearby building.

BOOOM!

Like a bomb explosion, it was ravaged into rubble that cascaded to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Despite dodging the mass of hot flames, Leon staggered back, shaking off the debris as the ground was flattened into molten lava due to the high glaring temperature.

Regaining his balance, he launched another attack followed by a barrage of punches that Arwin deftly blocked with her forearms.

But each punch was laden with a frightening amount of power, which was though blocked by Arwin each impact reverberated through the ground, echoing like thunder.

Her arms shook, and the ground behind her was pulverized as shockwaves in quick succession struck one after another.

Both of them retreated, and then with a blur appeared right before one another.

Their eyes carried a subtle understanding as both fists moved at one another in an epic clash. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Soon, time started to slow down.

On one side, the air seemed to be compressed, on another side the air itself started to burn.

Just as the two pairs of fists were about to clash, in the inhumane reflex of Leon and Arwi, they spotted a figure that startled both of them.

A shadow flashed right in between them, and a cold angry roar echoed.

"ENOUGH!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The collision of Leon and Arwin's punches unleashed devastating shockwaves that tore through the chamber. The air trembled as building pillars shattered and marble floors cracked, fissures snaking outward like hungry serpents. Statues toppled along the pedestals crumbling and grounded into a pile of dust.

Outside, the landscape quivered in response, trees drubbing and birds fleeing in panic.

 A wave of heat and flames radiated around the place burning down an area.

The garden was destroyed until nothing of it remained.

In the aftermath, silence settled over the ruined place, and dust swirling in the air.

As everything started to disperse…

Leon and Arwin's eyes narrowed as they saw a figure standing in between and holding their hands.

The two arms of his seemed to have been burnt and destroyed leaving behind grotesque skin and burst-out blood vessels oozing with blood.

Arwin's cold eyes turned into shock.

Dispersing her power, she immediately screamed, "GEN!"

"Are you alright?"

Gasping heavily, and with a slurred back Gen sucked in air greedily and murmured in a feeble yet audible tone, "For now, I am good…If both of you hadn't pulled back your strength at the very last moment, I might have been wiped out of existence."

A trace of guilt shone on Arwin's face unlike before. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she had no relationship with Gen.

Both of them had been friends for a decade and as the one representing Elves and ambassador of their species, Gen had been the one receiving her and had treated her well so if something happened to Gen now she might not forgive herself.

While the two started becoming lovey-dovey, ignoring them Leon looked at his finger.

'Damn!'

While pulling back at the last moment, he suffered a backlash.

A part of his muscles eroded and his flesh started rotting. This was the first time he had suffered from something like this. The patch of tissue seemed to be dead.

Despite his power getting out of control a few times, it hadn't affected the outflow as it always radiated outside but a part of the power channeling through him got blocked as he suppressed the power.

Shaking his head to shake away the awkward pain, he eyed the two.

Noticing their gaze Arwin flinched back but before she could say, Gen spoke aloud, "Leon, end this farce. I know you have no intention to kill anyone and just want to test their level."

"How do you know?"

"I can get that from your look. You aren't the type to waste time and go for a kill. And knowing your character, this isn't enough to kill someone, am I right?"Gen smiled bitterly while hiding his uneasiness.

In his mind, he wants to curse Arwin for provoking this little demon.

Leon raised his brows making Gen uncomfortable.

"Okay, you are right about it but he is the one who provoked it. Also, I am a bit curious about this third eye and that armor."

Before Arwin could speak, Leon smiled coldly.

"You can refuse to answer but I have another way to know later. After all, I am sure I can find my hands on someone."

"Is that a threat?" Arwin's eyes stared at Leon with her dagger-like gaze but Leon shrugged it off.

Taking a deep breath, Arwin decided to cool down and not press further.

Yeah, she might be in the wrong here..might be…

"About the eye…It's not an eye but you can say it is the core that's a source to store power. My full name is Arwin Castlebane and I am from the royal family, a side branch."

"As for Ael…He is one of the princes. Might be the most important Prince out of everyone and had a maximum chance of becoming a King."

Leon's expression paused and he squinted his gaze staring deeply at the woman looking for any sign of falsity after all….

Didn't that mean he just beat the shit out of their future King?

"As for the armor. It is someone that is made by mixing a special metal and some other things and then crafted with unique runes that help us harness the power of our light element and also boost it. It can also enhance the power of humans who might have a light-elemental Martial Soul."

"What is special material?"Leon asked bluntly.

"That's a secret that I nor anyone can reveal unless there is some deal. Humans have been trying to buy this armor but our side has always refused."

Gen glanced at Leon anxiously.

"Okay. That's good enough. Let's leave it at that."Leon raised his hand.

"HHush"Gen exhaled in relief.

As the situation calmed down a bit, Arwin looked around and muttered, "It's over but I think I am forgetting something."

"Huh!"

Gen and Leon's eyes narrowed onto Arwin.

Just then, they heard the sound of someone approaching.

"LEON!"

Turning towards the source of the sound, they saw Su Lin and Gwen approaching them while Gwen carried or dragged a half-dead guy with a bloody expression.

"Hukk! I remembered now. I forget about Ael, "Arwin screamed in shock while Leon's eyes were set ablaze as he screamed.

"What the fuck are you doing by touching that piece of shit? Gwen, immediately that shit away."