My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 99: Pride Comes Before The Fall

Kace involuntarily flinched when he thought about the damage that would come from that. He suppressed the need to cover his manhood from her sight, just barely though. As he was thinking about what he could say to defuse the murderous intent in her eyes, the announcer interrupted his thoughts.

"Begin!" He roared enthusiastically as the crowd went into an uproar.

"Wai..." Kace began to say but was cut short as he forced to avoid a blow to his skull.

'What the fuck! I didn't even see her move!' Kace's full attention snapped to Sonja's figure. He had jumped backwards and only narrowly avoided the blow from landing on his face. She was just standing there, staring at him as though he were a dead man walking. She gently caressed the head of her mace with her free hand while deciding where to strike at next.

'I don't like the look in her eyes. The way she moved just now, I'm almost sure she could have killed me without me even noticing.' Only a few seconds had passed, but he was breathing heavily. His mind was facing an extreme amount of mental pressure right now.

His eyes moved all over the Queen's body, trying to notice even the slightest hint that she was about to move. He blinked. At that moment she was right in front of him yet again, swinging her mace with deadly precision. He performed a side step that allowed his groin to avoid being pulverised. 

The Queen had a cruel smile on her face as she easily kept track of his movements. Before he could complete the move, Sonja's steel covered knee was heading to intercept him. 'She wasn't kidding about crushing my head! Give me a break! I haven't done anything!' Kace was sweating bullets as he realised that he had no way to escape the well-timed blow.

"Mother!" Sophia yelled from her position. Halting the Queen in her tracks with a hate-filled glare.

Kace quickly put some distance between them, he was thrilled for the momentary respite that Sophia had just bought him. Sonja faced her child in the audience with a complicated look on her face. 'So, she noticed, huh? Despite that, she's choosing to protect his assets? He's even more of a threat than I thought he was.'

When she turned her attention back to Kace, she was surprised to see that he was now holding a long spear. The tip looked especially vicious as it was decorated with barbs below its tip. 'Those things are designed to rip apart the flesh once it penetrates your defences.' Her eyes narrowed as she reevaluated Kace.

'I have no idea how she can be so fast, but this is definitely the best weapon for dealing with her. If it's some kind of skill similar to my Stampede, then she'll have to travel in a straight line. If she does that she'll just impale herself now.' Kace thought smugly as he prepared himself to dodge just on the off chance he was wrong.

"Won't you just be a good boy for me and stand still?" Sonja asked him with a sickenly sweet voice.

"Not on your life!" Kace growled back. 

He did not want to get drawn into her pace or become distracted by her words. The look on her face from his response told him that he was right to be wary of any action she took. He could only watch as she slowly paced around him in a circle.

He made sure to position his body with every step that she took to keep the spear between them. He kept his movements as small as possible so he could ensure a solid stance if she suddenly went on the offensive. Kace clearly heard her click her tongue in annoyance as she noticed how careful he was being.

The next time she made a move, she did not instantly appear before him. Instead, she ran at a breakneck pace in a circle around him. 'Guess I was right about it being some kind of skill. Now this, I can deal with!' He thought as he activated Kinetic Vision.

Sonja looked to be frustrated when she noticed that Kace had absolutely no problems with tracking her. 'If only the rules did not prevent me from using my full power, this would already be over!' She thought as she decided to go back on the offensive. Seeing as there was no way for her to exploit any openings since he had none, she had to settle for creating one herself.

She dashed forward swiftly and smiled as Kace lunged forward with the spear. Attempting to use his superior reach to his advantage. 'You're far too green if you think that will work!' she snorted at his pathetic attempt as she slid beneath it. Her confidence was cut short as a malicious grin crept across Kace's face.

The spear shapeshifted into a short blade that was easy to handle. She could not hide her surprise as Kace easily changed his trajectory to intercept her. Seeing the blade inch closer to her, she dug the nails of her free hand into the stone beneath her.

She quickly ground to a halt before using her grip to pull her body out of harm's way and throwing herself across the arena. The sound of metal upon metal still rang in her ears as she landed gracefully on her two feet. Spinning like a top to face Kace while holding her mace in a position that was ready to intercept the follow-up blow.

Except it never came. She was confused as her eyes studied Kace who was still standing in the exact same spot that she had left him in. 'Why didn't he give chase?' she wondered. It was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of her weakened position. Or at least, that is what he was meant to believe. Instead, he was grinning at her. He lightly tapped his own shoulder before pointing at her.

She was alarmed as to why he would make such a meaningless gesture at this point in time, so she took a look at her own shoulder. There was a solitary white scratch in the steel that protected her. It was the only blemish on her entire armour. She could not help but chuckle. 'To be so proud of such an insignificant thing. Maybe he does have potential.'