CHAPTER 20: REGULUS VS. CHASE [2]

Chapter 20: Regulus Vs. Chase [2]

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Regulus’s eyes darted to his women. Their expressions were not of terror, but of uncertainty and fear. The sight fueled his rage, but a cold, calculating part of him took over. He wasn’t going to lose, not here, not in front of everyone.

"Don’t you dare look at them!" Regulus roared, his voice shaking the air. He lunged forward again, a blur of motion, his blade a silver streak aimed at Chase’s throat.

Chase simply sidestepped, the katana in his hand moving with a relaxed, almost lazy grace. He parried Regulus’s attack, the clang of steel ringing out. Regulus was fast, his movements a chaotic storm of furious swings and stabs, but Chase was faster. He blocked every attack with minimal effort, his body a fluid dance of defensive movements.

"Your anger is making you sloppy," Chase said, his voice calm amidst the chaos. "You’re all raw power, no technique. A child’s tantrum."

Regulus gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting with every block. He put more force into his swings, but it was useless. Chase’s defense was like an impenetrable wall. The red crystal of his katana shimmered with a faint light, a visual representation of the immense power held in check.

"I don’t need technique to beat you," Regulus growled, his eyes burning with fury. "I just need to break you."

He leaped backward, creating some distance between them. The air around him began to shimmer, growing hot and hazy. Golden flames erupted from his body, licking at the edges of his uniform. The temperature in the room skyrocketed, and the students in the class gasped, shielding their faces from the intense heat.

"Phoenix Flames," Regulus declared, his voice deep and resonant. "You can’t block what you can’t touch."

He launched himself at Chase once more, but this time, his blade was wreathed in fire. The flames licked at the air, and Chase immediately felt the difference. The heat was immense, a physical force pushing against him. He tried to parry, but the Phoenix Flames were not a solid object. The fiery blade passed through his defense, forcing him to dodge.

For the first time since the duel began, Chase was forced onto the defensive. He moved quickly, his feet a blur as he weaved and dodged Regulus’s relentless attacks. The fiery blade was a thing of beauty and destruction, a testament to Regulus’s power. It left trails of scorched wood and melted plastic wherever it struck, proof of its immense destructive capabilities.

"What’s wrong, Chase?" Regulus taunted, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Can’t block the flames of the phoenix? I thought you were supposed to be strong."

Chase didn’t respond, his focus absolute. He moved with a practiced grace, his body a symphony of dodging and weaving. He couldn’t block the flames, but he could avoid them. He waited for an opening, a misstep, any sign of a flaw in Regulus’s furious offense.

Regulus, however, was not giving him any. He was a force of nature, a hurricane of fire and steel. His movements were wide and powerful, leaving no room for Chase to counter-attack. The fight was turning into a one-sided beatdown, with Chase constantly on the back foot, a desperate dance to avoid the fiery blade.

"Give up!" Regulus shouted, his voice filled with triumph. "You can’t win! You can’t beat the power of the Phoenix!"

Suddenly, Chase’s eyes narrowed. He had found it. A tiny flaw in Regulus’s wide, powerful swing. As Regulus brought his blade down in a fiery arc, Chase didn’t dodge. Instead, he met the attack head-on, his katana glowing with a deep crimson light.

"Who said I wanted to touch the flames?" Chase said, his voice a low whisper.

*Clang!*

The sound was immense, a thunderous crack that shook the entire classroom. Chase’s katana, imbued with his gravity magic, had met the Phoenix Flames. The gravity magic, a force that bent reality itself, had warped the space around the flames, twisting them and dissipating their heat. The Phoenix Flames flickered and died, leaving Regulus’s blade bare.

Regulus’s eyes widened in shock. This was impossible. The Phoenix Flames were his ultimate attack, his trump card. Nothing could touch them.

Chase didn’t give him time to recover. With one swift motion, he disarmed Regulus, sending his blade clattering to the floor. Regulus was left standing there, weaponless and stunned. Chase brought the tip of his katana to Regulus’s throat.

"It’s over, Regulus," Chase said, his voice a cold steel.

Regulus glared at him, defiance in his eyes. "You think you’ve won? You think this changes anything?"

"It changes everything," Chase replied, his voice echoing with authority. He slowly lowered his blade and looked at the terrified students in the class. "From this day forward, Class 1-C is no longer yours to control. It’s mine."