The Dark Novels

"This is what I'm talking about!" Joshua roared, his voice brimming with excitement as he pushed off Reinhard's tonfa guard and unleashed a flurry of rapid-fire kicks. His movements blurred with speed far beyond human limits, each strike whistling through the air with terrifying precision. "A fight against someone truly strong!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm almost unhinged.

Reinhard remained composed, his steel-toned arms moving in perfect synchronization with his tonfas. Each kick met its match as the weapons deflected blow after blow, the impact of every clash ringing out like hammer strikes on an anvil. Yet even the mightiest of Ironhelm struggled to keep up with the relentless pace, the force behind each block sending vibrations through Reinhard's body.

"You!" Joshua barked as he suddenly launched himself backward, springboarding off Reinhard's tonfas and soaring into the air. "Are—" He twisted his body mid-flight, rearing his leg high above his head, his entire weight poised for a devastating strike. "—excellent!" His voice boomed as he brought his leg crashing down like a guillotine.

Reinhard braced himself, crossing his tonfas just in time to meet the attack. The sheer force of the impact echoed through the sawmill, and the ground beneath Reinhard's feet fractured into jagged cracks. But the veteran fighter held firm, his stance unyielding even as the blow pushed him slightly deeper into the broken floor.

"And you're despicable," Reinhard spat, shoving Joshua off with a forceful push that sent the younger man skidding back. Without hesitation, Reinhard pressed the counterattack, his tonfas becoming a blur of silver as they lashed out in rapid succession. His strikes were calculated, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next as he expertly shifted between offensive angles. One tonfa jabbed toward Joshua's ribs while the other swept upward toward his jaw, the rhythm of the assault relentless and punishing.

Joshua, however, met the storm with a grin that could only be described as maniacal. His arms moved just as fast, parrying Reinhard's onslaught with a mixture of deflections and dodges. Yet, despite his confidence, the effort was evident—Reinhard's speed and precision left little room for error, and Joshua's own blocks began to falter under the strain. 

"Just from our brief meeting I can discern that you," Reinhard said between strikes, his voice steady despite the intensity of the exchange, "are the type who belittles the weak because you're strong. The kind who values no life other than his own."

Joshua's smile widened into a sinister, toothy grin, his eyes gleaming with unrestrained glee. "You're absolutely right!" he crowed, catching one of Reinhard's strikes and retaliating with a palm thrust imbued with a radiant, golden aura. The attack hit Reinhard square in the chest, the force of the energy exploding outward like a shockwave and sending him hurtling backward.

Reinhard grunted as the impact sent him flying, but his reflexes kicked in before he collided with the wall. Twisting mid-air, he extended his tonfas and hooked them onto two sturdy metal beams, using their leverage to stop his momentum and stabilize himself. He landed lightly on his feet, his composure unshaken despite the attack.

"I live however I want," Joshua declared, his voice dripping with arrogance as he strutted forward. "I kill whoever I want. I fight whoever I want. And when I find someone interesting, I see how long they can hold my attention before I get bored and throw them away." A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest, his golden aura flickering like a flame in the dim light. 

"That's exactly how I want to live my life!" Joshua roared, his body tensing like a spring before launching himself toward Reinhard with feral intensity.

Reinhard surged forward with equal intensity, his tonfas held firm in his hands as he clashed head-on with Joshua. "I pity you!" he roared, his voice cutting through the air like steel. The impact of their collision reverberated through the room as fists, tonfas, and blazing energy collided in a chaotic symphony of violence.

The two fighters moved at blinding speed, exchanging blow after blow. Reinhard swung his tonfas in rapid arcs, one strike aiming for Joshua's ribs while the other followed with a crushing horizontal slash toward his head. Joshua dodged with inhuman agility, weaving under the first strike and catching the second with his forearm before retaliating with a spinning kick aimed at Reinhard's temple. Reinhard ducked just in time, countering with a swift jab to Joshua's midsection that grazed his target but failed to land cleanly.

"You live life without meaning," Reinhard growled between strikes, his tonfas spinning like extensions of his arms as he alternated between offensive strikes and defensive blocks. Joshua leaned back to evade a downward strike, then stepped inside Reinhard's guard, delivering a sharp knee aimed at his side. Reinhard twisted his torso to deflect the blow with his armored forearm before retaliating with a quick upward jab of his tonfa, forcing Joshua to leap backward. 

"Someone like you," Reinhard continued, his tone unwavering even as his strikes came faster, "is unable to find satisfaction in anything. You act like a child lashing out because you have nothing to hold onto."

Joshua blocked a tonfa strike with both arms crossed, the force pushing him back a step. His grin widened as he retaliated with a flurry of punches aimed at Reinhard's head and chest. Reinhard deflected each with calculated precision, his tonfas a blur of motion. "And?" Joshua spat, punctuating his words with a heavy kick aimed at Reinhard's shin. The Specialist sidestepped just in time, using the momentum to swing a wide arc at Joshua's neck, which The Grand Lotus barely ducked under. 

"Is that such a wrong way to live?" Joshua continued, his voice rising with unrestrained confidence. He twisted his body, spinning into a high, arching kick that Reinhard instinctively raised his tonfas to block—only to realize too late the kick wasn't aimed at him. The motion seemed almost theatrical until Reinhard caught sight of the blazing arc of flame trailing from Joshua's foot. The fiery crescent roared toward him, forcing Reinhard to drop low and roll beneath it. The heat singed his hair, but he emerged unscathed, immediately surging forward to close the gap. 

Joshua barely had time to reset his stance before Reinhard's right tonfa came crashing down. The weapon connected with his shoulder, the force sending a tremor through his body. Joshua hissed in pain, his smirk faltering for the briefest of moments before his eyes lit up with a renewed, almost manic fervor.

"Looks like there's no getting through to the likes of you," Reinhard said, pressing the attack with another sweeping strike aimed at Joshua's side.

Joshua caught the tonfa with his hand, the impact reverberating up his arm as he laughed. "Is that what you're trying to do?" he mocked, his voice dripping with derision. "Well, stop trying, because I'm never changing!" 

With a burst of explosive movement, Joshua closed the distance between them and delivered a devastating one-inch punch straight to Reinhard's sternum. The strike hit like a sledgehammer, knocking the air from Reinhard's lungs and sending him skidding back several feet. Reinhard's boots scraped against the fractured ground as he fought to steady himself, his chest heaving with labored breaths.

Both fighters stood their ground, their bodies battered and their breathing heavy. Blood trickled from Joshua's shoulder where the tonfa had struck, while Reinhard clutched his chest, wincing slightly but refusing to show weakness. The two stared each other down, their intensity undiminished, the battle at a razor's edge as their strength seemed evenly matched. 

Reinhard squared his shoulders, his tonfas held firmly in his hands, his body still aching from the brutal exchange. "Time to end this then," he said, his voice tight with exhaustion yet filled with the resolve of a true warrior. His eyes locked onto Joshua with the same fierce determination.

Joshua, still smirking despite the sweat and blood staining his body, exhaled sharply, preparing for the final act. "Agreed," he said coolly, his voice tinged with anticipation. His stance shifted, his limbs coiled like a predator preparing to strike.

"Joshua Ambrose, The Grand Lotus," he announced, his words carrying the weight of his pride and reputation. Reinhard's eyes narrowed in understanding.

Reinhard took a deep breath and stood taller, his voice ringing out with certainty. "Reinhard Leo Topaz, The Fearless Lion."

Then, they charged.

The Lotus struck first, a flurry of fluid, lightning-fast movements. His leg arced toward the Lion's head in a brutal arc, aiming to land a blow that would snap his neck. Reinhard, anticipating the move, ducked low, narrowly evading the attack. He countered with a vicious thrust of his tonfa aimed directly at The Lotus's exposed ribs.

The Lotus's eyes gleamed with purpose as he shifted his weight and twisted, evading the tonfa with a barely perceptible sidestep. In an instant, he enhanced his finger with chi. With a terrifying speed, The Lotus's fingertip shot forward, aiming directly for The Lion's throat, a blow capable of ending the fight in an instant.

The Lion felt the terrifying intent of the attack and instinctively leaned back. The finger of death missed his throat by mere centimeters. The air rushed past him as his muscles screamed in protest, but his instincts had carried him just far enough to avoid the death blow.

Seizing the opportunity, the Lion rammed his tonfa into the Lotus's stomach with all his might. The force of the blow left the Lotus winded even as he blocked it, but The Lion wasn't finished. In an instant, The Lion pressed the button on the handle of his tonfa, and with a mechanical hiss, a blast of steam shot from the back end, propelling the tonfa and The Lion's strength forward in a brutal follow-through. 

The steam-powered thrust hit The Lotus square in the chest, launching him backwards with explosive force. The impact of the blow and the release of steam sent him crashing into a nearby metal beam, the clang of the collision echoing through the room as the beam buckled under the impact.

The Lotus crumpled to the ground. The Lotus struggled, coughing as he attempted to push himself up, but his arms quivered under the strain. His once-cocky grin was gone, replaced with grit and desperation as his body refused to respond. Reinhard stood tall, his breathing heavy but steady, as the power of The Fearless Lion overwhelmed The Grand Lotus.

The battle was over. The Lion had triumphed.