For a moment, River could feel the tension in the room rise. The crowd's whispers faded into the background as they braced for what was coming. Then, without warning, Tongue Ripper lunged.
His movements were unnatural, almost inhumane, like a nightmare creature pouncing on its prey. Earl reacted instantly, his wooden limbs swinging out to intercept the attack, but Tongue Ripper was too fast. Too unpredictable.
With an animalistic snarl, he ducked under one of Earl's swings, his body twisting unnaturally low to the ground. He, then, suddenly shot forward with a brutal, bone-crushing punch aimed at Earl's side.
"IS THIS REALLY ALL YOU'VE GOT?!" Tongue Ripper howled, his voice feral as his fist connected with Earl's side, making the air crackle with the force of the blow. "I'VE SEEN MORE FIGHT FROM A CORPSE!"
The impact was savage, sending Earl staggering back, his wooden limbs creaking under the force of the blow. But Tongue Ripper wasn't done. He was everywhere, a blur of violence. An unending massacre. Earl barely had the time to recover when Tongue Ripper was on him again, his hands slashing through the air like claws.
Earl tried to raise his wooden arms in defense, but the unpredictability of Tongue Ripper's attacks threw him off balance. Finding a gap, Tongue Ripper sent a vicious knee to Earl's stomach, sending him gasping for air. And before Earl could even attempt to regain his footing, Tongue Ripper was already circling him again, like a predator toying with its prey.
"C'MONNNNN, SHOW ME MORE!" Tongue Ripper roared at the top of his lungs.
River couldn't help but stare in awe at Tongue Ripper's performance. He was raw and untamed brutality. He wasn't interested in technique or finesse; he was a storm—unrelenting and unforgiving. Earl's disciplined, controlled style was no match for the savage, chaotic force that was Tongue Ripper.
With a guttural growl, Tongue Ripper lunged forward again, this time attempting to aim a teeth-baring bite at Earl's chest.
'Did… did he just try to bite him..? Is he fucking serious?' River's mind couldn't even begin to comprehend the animalistic nature of Tongue Ripper. And clearly, neither could Earl.
Earl blocked with his wooden arm, but the sheer force of the attack was enough to splinter the bark-like texture along the surface. He staggered back, eyes wide in surprise. Tongue Ripper, sensing the weakness, launched himself forward with a terrifying speed, slamming both fists into Earl's chest with a sickening crack.
Earl's body flew backward, crashing into the ring with enough force to rattle the floor. The crowd let out a collective gasp as the echo of the impact reverberated through the room.
Tongue Ripper stood over Earl, his breathing shallow but relentless, eyes glinting with dark satisfaction. Earl tried to push himself up, but his movements were slow and sluggish, and he was clearly winded from the brutal assault. His wooden limbs groaned as he attempted to rise, but it was clear that the fight had been taken out of him. He was no longer the force of nature he once seemed.
"Is that really all you've got?" Tongue Ripper remarked, bored of him already. "Pathetic."
And with a quick, fluid motion, he grabbed Earl by the collar of his shirt and tossed him out of the ring like a ragdoll. The crowd exploded into shocked murmurs as Earl hit the floor outside the ring with a heavy thud, unable to even try to stand.
Instructor Rock's voice cut through the stunned silence. "And that's the match! Tongue Ripper wins this round."
"What the hell did I just watch…"
"Is he even a sleeper like us…?"
"Yeah… fuck that… I ain't fighting him."
With the sudden lack of sleepers volunteering, Instructor Rock was a bit unsure of what to do while glancing around at the silent, uneasy crowd.
Then, a low chuckle cut through the tense air. Tongue Ripper licked a streak of blood from his knuckles, his grin widening as he scanned the crowd. "What's wrong?" he taunted, his voice dripping with amusement. "No one else feeling brave?" He let the silence stretch, feeding off the discomfort that filled the room like a thick fog.
Then, his head snapped toward a particular spot in the crowd, and his grin sharpened into something more dangerous.
"Syf," he called out, his voice carrying across the room like a challenge carved in stone. "You sitting this one out too?"
Syf's gaze slowly narrowed as he made eyecontact before he let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable. "You're too eager, Ripper. A reckless blade dulls the fastest." He took a step forward, eyes steady. "I'll make sure you learn that firsthand."
Syf pushed through the crowd, making his way toward the center of the room with slow, deliberate steps. As he walked, River could see the flicker of faint runic patterns swirling across Syf's clothing, the magic of his infusion subtly glowing as he walked, the aura around him palpable.'
Tongue Ripper's eyes gleamed with a wicked, almost manic excitement as he watched Syf step forward. He let out a low, throat laugh. "Oh, how I was hoping you'd step up." His voice was almost playful but carrying an undertone of malice.
"Let's see if your pride can back up that little speech of yours. Or if you're just another pretty face in the crowd."
"Who do you guys think is going to win?"
"I'd have to give it to Syf, did you see the strength score he got?"
"Nah man, it has to be Tongue Ripper. He's way too insane to lose."
"Anyone else kinda into this..?"
As Syf stepped into the ring, Tongue Ripper's grin widened to an almost unnatural degree. "C'mon pretty boy, let's play."
"Let's see if your strength matches your mouth," Syf replied, his voice calm, indifferent to Tongue Ripper's taunts.
In an instant, Tongue Ripper was on him. His movements were fast and unnatural, but Syf seemed to anticipate them. No matter what feral blow Tongue Ripper threw at him, Syf seemed to narrowly dodge it, remaining as calm as he had been before.
Tongue Ripper, on the other hand, seemed to grow more excited with each passing moment.
"FINALLY, A WORTHY FOE." He snarled, throwing punches so fast they seemed to blur, his arms moving like whips through the air.
Syf stepped back, narrowly avoiding a claw-like swipe, before weaving around one of Tongue Ripper's wide swings. Then, he quickly threw a punch directly at Tongue Ripper's side.
"Disappointing, is this truly the strength that you're so proud of?" Syf remarked with an expression of dismay clearly shown on his face.
"You're quick," Tongue Ripper growled, his voice tinged with frustration. "But how long can you keep that up?" Speeding up his attacks even more, he aimed one of his attacks directly at Syf's ribs. It was a fast, angled punch that looked as if it had no form or technique to it, only raw violence.
Unable to dodge the blow completely, Syf braced himself just enough to absorb the hit, stepping into it and using his own momentum to roll with the punch. The punch glanced off him, but the force made his stance waver. It wasn't enough to knock him off balance, but it created a gap in his defenses.
Tongue Ripper grinned, sensing the slight opening. "A little tired, huh? I knew it wouldn't be long before you slipped." Tongue Ripper's claw-like fingers reached for his neck, but Syf just barely sidestepped out of the way. Without missing a beat, he drove a sharp kick into Tongue Ripper's side, forcing him back.
"Your attacks are as empty as your words," Syf said, his voice steady but with an edge to it that almost seemed to mock Tongue Ripper's fury.
Tongue Ripper's eyes narrowed, and his next series of attacks came even faster, wilder—each punch, each slash coming without warning. The sound of fists slicing through the air rang out as Syf barely avoided each attack, twisting his body just out of reach with a practiced fluidity.
The crowd was silent, watching the two of them with bated breath. They saw the raw power behind Tongue Ripper's strikes, the sheer chaos that poured off him, but they also saw Syf—calm, calculating, and elusive. Two entirely different forces clashed in a battle where the outcome seemed impossible to predict.
"I can't believe that they're only sleepers…"
"Do we even have a chance against people like them?"
"Are you serious? There's no way any of us have a chance against them."
'Tsk, speak for yourself.' River thought with annoyance, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
Tongue Ripper let out a snarl, his rage growing. "You're wasting my time, pretty boy. Come on, fight back!" Tongue Ripper lunged once more, his fist crashing down toward Syf's face, aiming for a finishing blow. But Syf stepped back just enough, letting the punch graze past him, and instead of countering with force, he let his opponent's momentum carry him off-balance.
With a swift move, Syf placed a hand on Tongue Ripper's shoulder and spun him, using the brute's own weight and speed against him. For a split second, it looked like Syf was going to capitalize on the opening, but instead of striking, he allowed Tongue Ripper to regain his footing, stepping away, just out of reach.
Tongue Ripper's breath was ragged now, his eyes wild. "You think you're better than me?" he spat, eyes burning with fury.
Syf didn't respond. He just exhaled softly, his stance shifting, his body slowing down just a fraction. The two were locked in a deadly dance, each pushing the other to their limits.
Then, finally, Tongue Ripper lunged forward, his wild eyes filled with a calculated rage. His fist came crashing down—this time aimed squarely at Syf's chest. But Syf couldn't evade it.
Instead, the punch landed directly on his ribs, causing Syf's body to rock back from the force of the blow, sliding back just enough to push him out of the ring. His chest heaved slightly, but his eyes—his eyes never wavered. He was still standing. And Tongue Ripper was breathing harder now, his energy beginning to flag.
The room fell silent. River knew that Tongue Ripper was strong but he didn't think he had the ability to even best Syf of Aegis Rose. And he still didn't, something about the battle seemed strange. The fight had played out in front of him, but it felt... off, like a puzzle with a missing piece.
'It just doesn't make sense… why does it feel like Syf took that last blow on purpose?'
But before River could understand why, Instructor Rock's voice broke through the stunned silence. "And that's the match! Tongue Ripper wins this round."