(Three chapters again today, everyone. Please spare a few five-star reviews.)
Ace's punch came fast, its wind sweeping over the beach and whipping up a spray of fine sand.
The villagers cried out, and Makino instinctively raised a hand to cover her mouth.
Ethan stood motionless nearby, but his gaze grew serious.
He could tell that Ace's physique far surpassed an ordinary boy's, with outstanding explosive power and ferocity.
But his opponent was Lorne.
Lorne stood where he was, his feet not shifting an inch.
As the fist reached him, he raised his right hand, closed his fingers, and caught Ace's fist firmly.
Ace's full-speed charge came to an abrupt halt.
His body still carried its forward momentum, yet Lorne stopped him cold with one hand.
Ace's pupils contracted sharply.
"How is that possible!"
Lorne looked at him, his tone calm.
"Good power. Much stronger than before."
The praise did not please Ace. Instead, his expression darkened further.
Ace yanked his fist back, only to find that Lorne's fingers remained immovable, as though cast from iron.
He immediately drove a knee toward Lorne's stomach.
Lorne's left hand still hung at his side. With a gentle tug of his right hand, he instantly threw Ace off balance.
The knee strike brushed past Lorne's hem, and Ace was pulled through half a turn.
Clenching his back teeth, he twisted his waist with the momentum and swung his other fist at Lorne's temple.
Lorne released his right hand and raised it again, casually deflecting the blow with the back of his hand.
Ace's fist felt as though it had struck an iron wall. It was knocked aside, its force cutting through empty air.
"You're too impatient."
Lorne offered his assessment.
Ace's anger flared hotter. His feet hammered the ground as punches, elbows, knees,