I am Just an Average Tamer

A shadow loomed above Kai.

HISS!!

A volcanic serpent, leapt towards his head baring fangs.

Eyes glowing like magma.

'Shit!'

Kai cursed, inwardly.

It was only few inches away, just about to bite, but—

HISSSS!!!

Another serpent slammed into it from the side, flames engulfing both creatures in a rolling inferno.

Kai blinked.

Then—

Kai chuckled low as a familiar voice came from behind.

"Need some help, brother?"

Riven stood at the edge of the clearing, hands tucked into his pockets, a familiar grin tugging at his lips.

His eyes locked on the blonde-haired boy perched up high on a branch.

A soft click of annoyance echoed nearby.

"Tch." Tristan's tongue flicked in frustration as the flame serpent slammed into his Volcanic Serpent mid-charge, knocking it back.

"Come, Nivex!" he barked.

Nivex stopped struggling, turned back obediently, and slithered over to Tristan's side.

The flame serpent didn't chase. It simply stood there for a second, then turned and breathed a steady stream of heat—melting the ice that still clung to Kai's limbs.

Kai rolled his shoulder as the last of the frost vanished.

"Thanks," he said, quietly, right as Riven stepped up beside him.

"Hahaha!" Riven's arm dropped lazily around Kai's shoulders, his laughter echoing out, carefree. "I knew my weak little brother would end up like that if I didn't find him sooner."

Kai swatted his arm off. "I don't need your help."

"Focus on fighting, you two," came a tired voice from the side.

Sitting atop an obsidian-black panther, Aria narrowed her eyes at them, her golden hair pulled back and wind-swept from the ride.

"Alright. Take care of things here, Aria," Riven said, already taking a few steps back.

Then, without warning, he shot off into the woods.

His flame serpent darted ahead, weaving through trees before hurling itself straight toward Tristan's retreating figure.

But Nivex wasn't slow.

It lunged, meeting the flame serpent mid-air with a crash of heat and smoke.

"Running away, Tristy boy?" Riven's voice came with a chuckle as he stepped out from the trees again, cracking his knuckles.

"Tch." Tristan didn't bother replying with words this time.

A flame blade formed in his hand with a shimmer of light. "Why don't you go back to your little friend, Riven?" he growled.

Riven didn't say anything.

He just moved.

Tristan barely had time to react before Riven lunged. He gritted his teeth and braced—

Boom!

The impact sent him flying.

Thud!

He crashed hard into the ground, dust rising around him.

"Cough! Cough!" His breath caught in his throat, pain lancing up his side.

'Damn it… I underestimated him.'

Tristan staggered up, dragging in breath through gritted teeth. He wiped the blood at the corner of his lips, took a stance and launched forward again.

His body spun, flame blade slicing the air in an arc.

Riven exhaled softly, dropped his stance, and let the blade pass inches from his face.

Then, his fist struck.

Clang!

Tristan twisted mid-air, barely blocking with his flame blade.

The shock made him stumble, but he planted his foot down hard and swung again—this time straight for Riven's neck.

But Riven moved like water.

He stepped in, chopped Tristan's wrist, redirected the blade into the dirt, then brought up his knee.

"Guagh!"

The air left Tristan's lungs in a rough wheeze.

He staggered back, hands up, but Riven was already there.

A punch to the face.

Tristan ducked last second, summoned his blade back, and thrust it straight toward Riven's stomach.

But Riven's hand snapped out, grabbing the blade with his bare palm.

Blood trickled down between his fingers.

Tristan's eyes widened, but he didn't hesitate. He yanked the blade, pulling Riven in, and slammed his forehead against his.

Crack!

But all it earned him was a dizzy head and a headache.

Riven barely flinched.

Tristan, on the other hand, stumbled back with a groan, one hand to his face.

Riven tilted his head, grinning.

Palm still bleeding slightly. "Not bad," he said, cracking his neck, "But you're still a few years too early to try that on me."

The he closed the distance in a flash, spinning on his heel as his leg whipped out toward Tristan's head.

But Tristan ducked low, blade flashing upward.

Riven twisted mid-spin, palm landing square on Tristan's head.

Then flipped clean over him, landing at his back.

Tristan didn't hesitate.

He carried his slash through, twisting his body with it. The blade chased Riven's movement.

But before he could fully turn—

smack!

Riven's foot slammed into Tristan's ankle.

"Guh!"

His balance wobbled.

Then—

Wham!

A solid kick to the back sent him rolling across the dirt, body skidding with sharp grunts.

"Damn it…" Tristan groaned, pushing himself up, shoulders trembling.

But Riven didn't wait.

He was already there.

A punch flew in. Tristan ducked just in time and slashed upward.

But.

Riven caught the blade with his bleeding palm again, without flinching and any hesitation.

With a flick of his wrist, he hurled Tristan away like dead weight.

Though Tristan twisted mid-air, teeth gritted, and landed on one foot, the other sliding across the dirt to slow himself.

The second he lifted his head—

Riven was already moving.

He lunged again.

Tristan blocked, countered, kicked back.

They clashed, steel meeting skin, sparks flying.

A jab to the ribs—

Blocked.

A sweep to the legs—

Leapt over.

Riven spun, fist grazing Tristan's cheek, but the blonde boy stepped back and slashed low.

They moved fast, fluid, brutal, precise.

Dust kicked up around them, the trees trembling at their rhythm.

Each movement was instinct now.

Raw.

Unrelenting.

And neither of them was holding back anymore.

Nearby, the flame serpent and Nivex were locked in their own savage brawl.

Fangs bared, flame soared, and fury twisting midair.

The ground sizzled where they clashed, smoke curling off the scorched earth.

Then—

"Argh!" Tristan groaned out loud.

Riven was already mid-swing, fist cocked back, ready to end it right there, his knuckles aiming straight for Tristan's skull.

Seeing its master in danger, Nivex didn't hesitate and.

With a guttural hiss, the volcanic serpent snapped its tail around the flame serpent's throat and flung it aside like dead weight, tearing across the battlefield.

"Huh?!" Riven's eyes narrowed, instincts flaring.

But.

Too late.

Crack!

The serpent's tail slammed into him like a battering ram.

Riven skidded across the ground, boots digging in, arms crossed just in time to shield the brunt, but the impact still rattled through his bones, heat and force lashing his guard.

"Damn…" he muttered, shaking off the sting.

Nivex coiled protectively around Tristan as the blonde staggered up, flames dancing along his blade again.

Riven's lips curved into a crooked grin. "So, that's how you wanna play, huh?"

He raised a single arm into the air, and the flame serpent roared, shooting down like a blazing comet—spiraling around his limb, scales melting into his skin.

[Semi-Beast Sync!]

His arm ignited, glowing molten red. The ground cracked beneath his feet from the heat alone.

Then.

Riven lunged.

A punch—pure fury—rocketed toward Tristan, flame trailing like a jet burst.

Tristan didn't flinch. Nivex curled around his arm like armor, as he brought his flaming blade down to meet the blow head-on.

Boom!

The shockwave cracked the ground. Both were thrown back, their synced beasts unraveling in a blaze of sparks.

But neither of them gave in.

Whoosh!

Their figures blurred—

Clang!

And they crashed again in the middle of the smoke, fists and blades and fire flying like a storm trying to tear itself apart.

While the two men with serpents were colliding in the woods, the chaos in the center clearing had started to thin out. The number of participants was dropping fast.

Whiish! Whiish!

Kai's knives cut through the air, spinning toward Serena, who had already recovered from the previous blast.

She weaved through them with fluid steps, ducking under one, smacking another aside with the flat of her twin blades.

Her boots kicked off the dirt as she rushed him again.

But—

Blink.

Kai vanished—reappearing behind her, crouched low on a broken stump.

"Argh! Stop running away, coward!" Serena snarled, spinning and charging again.

But Kai didn't say a word.

He just flicked more senbon at her and darted off, silent and fast, always out of reach.

Clink. Clink.

He reached for another pair, but—

'Shit.'

He cursed, as he ran out of all his throwing weapons.

'Damn it. Can't even use my beasts right now…'

He barely had a second to think before—

FWOOOM!

A fireball screamed toward him.

Kai's eyes widened. He kicked off the branch.

BOOM!

The blast tore through the tree limb behind him, splinters and flame exploding into the air.

He hit the ground in a roll—

Then froze. His instincts screamed.

And he raised his daggers.

CLANG!

Serena's blade met his daggers mid-swing, knocking him back. He skidded a few steps back.

She smiled like a fox who just cornered a rabbit.

"How weak are you, pretty boy?" she teased, twirling one blade.

"Even a cute and harmless girl like me is tougher than you," she added, tossing him a wink.