Ryan's move startled Mordo. Until then, Mordo had been the one hitting him.
It felt like pounding a steel plate with all his might. Ryan was fine, while Mordo's fists were nearly shattered.
Now Ryan took an attacking stance.
Alarm bells blared in Mordo's head. "I surrender. Don't hit me. I surrender."
He felt ashamed, so he kept his voice low.
Only Ryan heard him.
The students on the Training Ground watched Ryan and Mordo, puzzled that the two had suddenly stopped fighting.
The scene seemed frozen.
After a long moment,
a breeze brushed Ryan's cheek. He broke into a grin like Billy's in The Boys and told Mordo, "Sorcerers die fighting. They don't surrender."
With that, Ryan stepped forward, cracking the stone beneath his foot.
Mordo saw trouble coming. Ignoring their agreement, he hurriedly raised an Energy Shield over each hand and crossed them before his face.
Then he watched Ryan charge like a human tank, leaving cracked stone in his wake.
They collided in an instant. Before Mordo could react, he was sent flying.
The Energy Shields in Mordo's hands had dimmed, and the impact had left his hands numb. "Is that really the strength of an ordinary man?"
Fear flashed in Mordo's eyes at Ryan's inhuman strength. He used his Jumping Shoes to maneuver through the air.
Within a couple of steps, he landed again, only to find Ryan closing in.
Worse, Ryan said something that made him ashamed. "Mordo, didn't we agree not to use magic?"
"How can sorcerers not use magic? Sorcerers fight with magic." Mordo's mind raced for an excuse.
After speaking, he stole a glance at Ryan's face and found him nodding in agreement.
Ryan nodded. "Then I won't hold back either."
"No, no, let's stick to hand-to-hand combat."
"How can sorcerers not