Bonding Through Dueling (Sedrix)

[victor]

He wasn't dressed in his usual attire of industrial combat gear. Rather instead, Victor simply war white sneakers, a black muscle shirt, and black wind pants. Not the sort of attire he was into, but he felt it would be best for this occasion. In fact it would be sort of essential.

Sedrix had invited him out here the previous day. He had said he wanted a match. Victor, always eager to test his abilities, had agreed. Besides, he had been training harder than ever lately, and had worked a good deal of the flaws out of his style. He had stopped using so many fancy moves and had become more of a raw combatant. It was good, since many of the fighters in Hiricine-he had heard about many of them, some of which he secretly desired a battle with-were exceptionally dangerous warriors. Victor didn't really care about being the strongest in the school. He just cared about... well... he didn't quite know.

He walked through the gymnasium past the boys and girls who were chatting, lifting weights, jogging, and doing what people usually did in the gymnasium. He had no interest in them. His focus was on the single door at the end of the room.

Victor opened the door and stepped into the old fashioned dojo. Unlike the gym, this place was more old fashioned, made up of honest wood with mats here and there and a heavy bag hanging down in the middle of the room. The only modern thing about the place was that there was a stereo in the corner of the room. To Victor that had always seemed a trifle out of place in a dojo like this, but he didn't argue with the management here. Besides, nobody was in here. Yet.

Victor set his backpack down, unzipped it, and took out his CD holder. He selected a CD-a custom mix of hard rock-and popped it into the stereo. With a few presses of a few buttons, the music began to play, not too loud, not too soft. Victor liked to be able to hear his own thoughts while he trained.

Victor approached the heavy bag in the middle and set to work, beginning a series of punches and Savate kicks to the bag, sometimes making them hard enough to send the bag reeling, other times making them slow and soft to measure his technique. After fifteen minutes of this, he began a series of one armed push-ups with his right arm for ten minutes.

"I sure hope Sedrix gets here." Victor thought as he began on his other arm. "It's been awhile since I've seen him and I wonder if he's learned any new tricks. Lord knows I have. After all, sometimes the best way for two men to bond is to fight."

[Sedrix West]

ooc: Sorry for the days wait man ;D

Sedrix had been looking forward to this. The tradition, the Victor, Sedrix duel. He sent him a message saying he wanted another, None of their previous spars had an ending, a winner, yet Sedrix always felt Victor would win. He had more of a mind for these things, where as Sedrix had strength and instinct. He was a bear, to Victor's hunter. He had been working hard. Mostly on his body, he had gained size and strength since last time, furthering his incredible endurance, but he still knew little about the art of fighting. It was no doubt he was going to take more hits, it was all whether he could supress, and take the damage.

He had sent Victor a message a few days before, requesting a fight. He liked Victor, he was a trustworthy aquaintence, but they were not best of friends. A good way, surprisingly, to further sociality is to fight, as long as there is no fatality involved, which of couse there would not be.

He was in the gymnasium, doing pull ups on the bar, before moving to sit and press ups on the mats, squats with the medicine balls, and light excersise with the skipping rope. He was not training to vigorously, just warming up for his fight. He was not tired, sweat had not even started forming. He saw Victor enter the gym. He was dressed the part, where Sedrix was wearing baggy jeans, no shoes, no shirt, and a few bracelets, Victor looked pretty threatening in his all black muscle clothing.

Sedrx finished his excersise, and walked into the saprring section of the gym, where Victor had put on some appropriate hard rock tunes, and was warming up on the punch bag. His kicks looked improved already, and so was his balance. Sedrix smiled, adrenaline pumping, he could hardly wait. The room was that of a kung fu film, or almost at least. Rather than ugly, modern tiles, it was oak floors, pillars, and one punch bag. Sedrix really could not wait.

He approached Victor, swaying his welcoming arm out, and saying, "Vic, long time no fight."

[victor]

Victor got up from the floor and was greeted by the familiar face of one Sedrix West. Sedrix was as muscular and handsome as ever, wearing baggy jeans and bracelets. He wore no shirt or shoes and Victor was impressed by Sedrix' body build. Vaguely he wondered if any of the girls in Hiricine were impressed by this. Not that it was any of his business of course.

Victor got up from the floor and turned off the music. He walked over to Sedrix and shook his hand, remembering the power Sedrix held in his Goliath like body. Victor wasn't frightened in the least. The form of training he had been through had given him strength to conquer such adversaries, and he was curious as to what new tricks Sedrix had learned. He was practically itching to begin.

"Buenos tardes, Sedrix." Victor said with a smile. "It has indeed been a long time. I see that you've been training hard. Well, so have I, and I'm in the mood for a good spar." A small gleam appeared in Victor's eyes. "And this time, it will be to the end. Our past matches haven't had any winner, have they?"

Victor let go of Sedrix' hand and stepped away from him, stretching his well toned arms behind his back and cracking his neck from side to side a few times. Before their battle began, they should talk for a little while to catch up on old times.

"As for me, I've got good reason to beef up my training schedule. One of my previous matches went badly. I mean really badly." Victor said with a disappointed sigh. "He didn't hit me, but I didn't land a single hit on him either, and he parried all of my attacks like they were in slow motion. I mean, I knew he was one of the top fighters in here and at Varron, but I wasn't counting on him to be that good. And the guy wasn't even a martial artist! He was a freakin' street fighter."

Victor stopped for a moment, then continued on. "I don't know what my plans are exactly. I'm going to keep training in hopes of becoming strong enough to challenge some of the really strong fighters here. I'm not interested in becoming a pillar or anything. I just... I guess you could say I want the thrill of a good match. And more then that I want to find a lover. I did try talking to this girl on the roof once but..."

Victor's words trailed off. That was the one thing he didn't want to speak about. God damn it, how could he have been so stupid on that day?! He hadn't been trying to seduce the girl or anything, he hadn't said anything sexual, he hadn't done anything like that! He had simply let his tongue slip in the matter of trying to console her and she had taken offense at it! Damn it, why had he made such a stupid mistake?!

Victor shook his head, regaining his composure, but not before a brief, but poignant look of loneliness came into his eyes. He prayed that Sedrix didn't see it. "So what about you Sedrix? What have you been up to here?" he asked.

OCC: The fight I'm referring to was in the last tournament if you are wondering.

[Sedrix West]

Sedrix greeted him heartily. Victors eyes instantly illuminated in the excitement of their spar, this made Sedrix smile. He also knew about how their was no winner to their previous fights. "For sure man, this time we fight teeth and nail, not literally of course, we're not girls." he said smiling.

It seemed Victor had been working hard, on his style more than everything. "Same old Vic eh?" He said with a grin, it had not changed. He was constantly working on his fighting style. He was a particularly motivated person, a perfectionist. Sedrix just liked being strong, he did not do much about his fighting style, because he did not get in many fights. He just liked being strong, for anything.

It would be good to have a small chat before they duel. They shook hands graciously. They released as Victor stretched, and clicked his neck. His arms and chest were well defined indeed. He was in amazing physical shape, but he was a sportsman, not a bodybuilder. Whether this was advantage or disadvantage would be unclear until they start fighting. Victor began discussing his last fight, "I heard about your first fight, Dante is a friend of mine, in fact he dates my step sister."

"You faced Rydell next right?" He said, he knew about Adam, only rumours, but most of them reliable, and some confirmed. He was quick, with reflexes of a fox. "Never fought him meself, but rumours say he's more slippery than an oiled snake." Victor's life seemed quite mixed up these days, he knew what it was like, thankfully he found Raven, and his life changed. He was not synical, shy, and quiet anymore. He was bouncey, kind.

Victor began telling him about how he tried to talk to a girl the other day. By the tone of his voice it did not go great. Talking to girls was difficult, thankfully again Raven spoke to him. He was binge drinking at 9:00 in the morning, when Raven talked to him. They both had something to grieve, and they shared, and found solitude with eachother. Victor thought to himself for a moment. Sedrix broke the silence, althought his being a sensitive subject he tried to surpress his emotions of overjous,

"Yeah, i met a girl a couple of months ago, you know Raven?" he said, careful with his words, "We are a couple now," He did not know where to go from here. Either he says what he truely feels, love, never been happier, therefore risking Victor's feelings, or he says nothing, setting a feeling of not a good relationship, which could not be more wrong. Something in between, "It's awesome man... i am real lucky." He did not know if that was subtle enough, but he was sure Victor was mature enough to treat it properly.

"New stuff with me? Raven, obviously. I've gained strength, lotsa strength, bragging unintentional. Other than that my life is pretty boring." His mother had recently been taken ill, but her condition was still stable, it was her heart. He would only be depresse dif it turned to critical, which praise god, it hadn't.

[victor]

Raven... he knew that name from somewhere. Victor searched through mental files, trying to figure it out. At last it came to him. Raven had been a beautiful, well muscled girl with who stayed with a boy named Felix at Varron. Back there, Victor had been involved with some questionable activities and had done some recruitment for his employer. Raven and Felix had been the first-and only-two. He remembered them clearly.

Victor envied Sedrix a little. Yet at the same time he was happy for him. Sedrix had found somebody to love, and what else could a person really ask for in life? Victor gave Sedrix a smile that said "I wish you the best in life, amigo."

"I remember the girl you speak of." Victor said. "I met her once back in Varron when I was..." His words trailed off again. He didn't know how to put it delicately to Sedrix that at Varron he had temporarily been in the service of the most dreaded and hated gang leader in the school. Their motives were pure, but their methods... dear lord their methods...

"I only spoke to her in a casual manner." Victor said. "When I was at Varron I had to do some recruitment jobs and she was on the list. I didn't hurt her, and the people who wanted her didn't, but the guy who wanted her was..." Victor shuffled his feet slowly, feeling a little apprehensive about mentioning the name of the infamous Danish psychopath whom even the freshman knew about. "Have you ever heard of a gang leader named Donar Kvist? He wanted Raven for some reason back then. I wasn't sure why."

Victor took a few steps back. "But that is behind me now. After Varron was shut down, Kvist's group got mixed up and I took that time to cover my tracks. For all I know, Kvist doesn't know about me, and if he does, he doesn't care. Although if he did... well... his gang had a saying... nobody leaves the hand of fate alive..." Victor was confident in his skills as a fighter, but Kvist's soldiers were the only gang he knew of who went so far as to carry guns. And he had been with them long enough to hear enough stories about what had happened to those unfortunate enough to have crossed Kvist or his followers.

"That's about it." Victor said. "Unless you have anything else to say, I'd like to get this match underway. I'm just itching to see what you've got up your sleeve."

[Sedrix West]

After Sedrix's comments about Raven, he was slightly nervous about Victors reaction, but he was the perfect gentleman. He wished them the best, which was an awesome thing to do. Sedrix nodded in gratitude. Victor began to reciet a memory he had of Raven, but again he trailed off. Sedrix scarecly new of Victors life outside their duels. It was clear he had done some regretable things. He said elegantly how he remembered her.

Sedrix had to put pieces of Victors information together. They met in varron that much is clear, where he and Victor had their first duel, and Sedrix had never heard of Raven before. They spoke before, but only rarely, which Sedrix assumed is why Victor had trouble remembering. He left out a major piece of information as he spoke about how he had been asked to recruit her. Recruit her for what exactly? is all Sedrix thought, yet he had a feeling he would find out.

He continued a sentence, but trailed off again, shuffling his feet nervously. It was as if he was afraid to say the next words, whether it was because Sedrix would look on him synically, or try to beat the shit out of him. He continued and heard the name.

Donar Kvist.

"Dude, what the hell were you doing with Donvar Kvist?" It seemed this was a dark chapter in Victor's life, so he did not push it further. His tone was regretful. He had a tone of worry as he finished about the reprocusions of him leaving the hand of fate. Sedrix was truely worried about him. He tried to change the mood to more light hearted as he said jokily, "If you ever need a henchman, i'm there for you man."

Victor seemed enthused to start a fight, Sedrix was the same. Victor moved more central in the room, as Sedrix moved to his 'corner' as it were. He said, "Yeah, lets get going." To test his reflexes, he instantly dashed towards him, quickly forming his simplistic stance. He threw out his right forearm at Victor, as a backhand slam, aimed at his head. His left arm stayed clamped in position, for defence, and his legs were well tensed, to stop any sweeps.

This move, in all probability, would not work. It was a way to get underway, and start off.

[victor]

Victor smiled, but it was a weak smile. Chances were a million to one the Hand of Fate would come after him, but if they did, he was probably a dead man. Still, he was glad Sedrix was there to help. It was always good to have somebody on your side.

"Thanks Sedrix. I feel a bit better now." Victor said. His eyes showed relief. Had he still been involved with Kvist's group of killers, who knows what he would have gotten into?

As Victor got towards his position and Sedrix his own, Sedrix rushed at him. Victor, as always, kept his stance neutral so as not to let his opponent see what he was going to do. He was doing a quick analysis of what Sedrix' attack would be. Already, he had planned what to do.

Sedrix brought out his right forearm in a swipe and Victor slid his right leg diagonally forward while rotating his left leg behind him. It was quite an awkward position, but it would soon work. As soon as Sedrix' arm came within range, Victor reached out with both of his tight, powerful hands and seized Sedrix' wrist and arm.

It was an army styled grappling technique designed to stop a direct attacker. Now that he had seized Sedrix' arm, he would twist his body to the left so that his left leg would become the leading leg and he could lean forward. At the same time, the force of Sedrix' strike combined with the fact he was putting a good deal of his upper body into the strike and Victor was throwing him with his entire body strength would topple him to the ground to land painfully on his back.

[Sedrix West]

ooc: Sorry for the wait man

Victor gave a smile in appreciation, but a child could tell he was still clouded in worry. It sounded like Victor needed a drink, and a strong drink at that. Sedrix smiled back reassuringly.

The fight began swiftly indeed. Victor moved quickly, very quickly indeed. His thoughts were fast, he analysed all of Sedrix's aspects, not just his move. Although, this move was fast, so Sedrix could probably get out of anything he could throw at him. Victors stance was neutral, this had advantages and disadvantages. Disadvantages being it is not great for defence, but the advantages counter it slightly, because it is difficult to read.

Victors move was, to be overly critical, common. It was a simplistic army style throw. He slid to the right quickly, Victor grabbed his forearms with both hands. He could see a disadvantage in this technique. Sedrix thought Victor was underestimating his immense weight advantage. He was at least a stone and a half lighter, at least. He moved siftly back nearly in front of Sedrix, and threw his weight forward.

Before Victor took the step, Sedrix changed his stance, moving his left leg firther back. His stance was now balanced, and strong. If Victor continued to move forward, he would be stopped. This still did not make Sedrix safe however, he was still vulnerable to attack. He swung his left arm forward as he stepped back, for defence. If Victor continued forward, he would give a harsh tackle, damage not being the priority, but getting that vice like grip of his forearm was.

If Victor changed plans and moved back, Sedrix could swung, his readied, tensed left leg into a sharp roundhouse kick, Victors positioning being closer to the end of his leg, so the momentum would be more affective, and it would be stronger.

[victor]

"Damn. I forgot about his size again." Victor thought.

If there was any advantage Sedrix had over him, it was brute strength. Victor was very strong to the point where he could take down powerful opponents, but Sedrix was over six feet and well over two hundred pounds, not to mention he was loaded with muscles. That made throwing him difficult. That was one option down.

However, the fight had only begun.

Sedrix stepped backward with his left leg, and Victor saw a sickeningly easy opportunity. Sedrix could tackle him if he went to the other side, but he was still gripping his right forearm in his powerful grip, and he already knew what he was going to do.

"Sorry Sedrix, but there are some things that even your strength can't overcome." Victor thought. Rather than continuing to lean in, Victor came back up, still gripping Sedrix' right arm. He stepped back with Sedrix, moving to his unprotected right side and sprang into action.

Victor went for a combination of C.Q.C. and Savate. He twisted Sedrix' captured arm around with his right hand so he could get his elbow upward, then brought his left arm rushing toward Sedrix' elbow with a descending elbow strike. He wouldn't break the arm, but he would strike it with enough force to bend it and cause severe pain. At the same time, he used his left leg to thrust at the right of Sedrix' ribcage with a chasse kick.

OOC: Chasse is the Savate version of a side thrust kick, aimed low, middle, or high.

[Sedrix West]

The tight grip Victor had on his forearm was getting irritable. Maybe it was time to show Victor just how strong he was. Victor did what was expected and moved back from Sedrix's firm, strong stance, seeing the fault in his move, and avoiding the tackle. Sedrix stopped in his tracks, he had orginally planned a roundhouse kick (ooc: which you seemed to ignore...) but Victor was planning something else.

He moved his arms, and into his unprotected side cleverly, he know had no real defenceless points. Sedrix immediately moved his left leg forward, closing the gap between them both. Victor began to twist Sedrixs trapped arm. Sedrix had to free his arm. Victor began to raise his free arm, as Sedrix worked quickly, with his free arm, he snatched it at the fist. Now it was practically neutral, only Sedrix could do more damage to Victors hand, then Victor could to his forearm.

(ooc: bit of a rip from the tourney ;D) Sedrix began to squeeze in on Victors knuckles, with the same amount of strength that could dig his fingernails into his palms. If he went all out, with a technique he learnt from his dad, he could dislocate one of Victor's kncukles, but he did not want it to go that far. He kept his hands normal, rather than rearranging to this technique, and squeezed with all his might. "You let go, and i let go Vic." Sedrix said with a grin.

A few possibilities. One, a stalemate, Victor refuses to let go, as Sedrix refuses to let go, Sedrix would simply continue to damage his hand. If this still does not work, there needs to be a deciding move. The strength and weight advantage means using all of both, he could tug Victor backwards, into a sharp right knee to the abdomen. Advantages being it would be incredibly effective, with his strength, and solid legs. His style was massively kick prior, therefore his legs were like steel.

The second posibility was rather best case scenario. Victor gives in, lets go, and attends to his hand. Leaving him almost defenceless. The perfect oppertunity for a decent move. His incredible kicks seemed a good way to administer it too. A roundhouse kick, aimed at Victor's left kidney area. A winding, nerve shattering solution to a horrible problem.

His choice...

[victor]

OOC: I'm going to assume you're using your right leg.

Victor was caught my surprise as Sedrix seized his fist in his own and began to apply pressure to his knuckles. Victor gasped, realizing that there wasn't much of a chance of getting out of Sedrix' grip. If he fought, Sedrix would continue to squeeze it like a boa constrictor until his knuckles popped out of place, or he could surrender and see what happened. Victor wasn't stupid. He knew what to do.

"Alright, I know when I'm trapped." Victor said with a smile. "I'll let go." With that said, he let Sedrix' captive arm go. On cue, Sedrix' released his hand, which was throbbing slightly from the force of the grip.

As he examined his fist, Victor saw Sedrix attack with a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at his kidney. Victor was almost caught off guard, but his instincts kicked in at just the right moment and he stepped just ever so slightly backward, not totally dodging the kick, but just enough so that the kick stopped a little bit aways from him.

As Victor slid away from the kick, Victor raised his right leg up and shoved it out in a front thrust kick aimed at Sedrix' kneecap as it came around to strike. If it worked, his foot would strike directly into Sedrix' kneecap just at the end of the roundhouse kick and inflict severe pain.

[Sedrix West]

Victor was definately not stupid. He smiled at Sedrix, and said calmly that he admitted Sedrix had the upper hand, and that he would let go. Of course, Sedrix could make an instant upper hand if he went back on his word, but that would never happen. Victors tight grip was released, and Sedrix released his shortly afterwards. Sedrix shook his forearm briskly,stopping the begining numbness.

Victor examined his fist, Sedrix did not apply enough pressure to even disable it for this fight, he tried not to break bones in sparrs, it did not seem right to him. Its not a fight. Sedrix saw an oppertunity, and went forward with his devistating plan. He threw out his right leg in a vicious roundhouse kick aimed at Victor's kidney area. Of course, Sedrix was too slow for Victor to get fully hit.

Victor slid away from his leg faster than Sedrix could descend it, as he aimed a violent thrust kick at Sedrix's ascended knee. This could disable it for the fight, if not for a couple of weeks. He did not have the balance and leverage to dodge, he was on one foot, and his weight was leaned forward. He was going to get hurt here, it was just a question of minimalising damage.

There was one thing for it. Sedrix leapt back, he would roll on the floor a good distance away, and with all hope dodge the kick. He was not fast enough again. The kicked missed his knee, but hit his shin hard. Sedrix was off balance slightly, he landed with a thud, and rolled back on to his feet instantly. "Damn..." The damage was considerable. His shin throbbed, it was a decent bruise at least, and his back was hurt slightly. He could take it. His endurance was his main advantage.

Sedrix moved forward swiftly, not wasting any time. It was time to quicken his move. He got close, and jumped slightly a feint, to make the impression of an air attack, when he was just switching stances to rapid kickboxing. He bounded on his feet, and sent a left hook, aimed at Victors right cheek. He would follow up with a right uppercut to the gut, in all circumstances except a unforseen counter.

[victor]

The blow didn't connect quite as planned, but it did strike Sedrix' shin, doing fair damage from the looks of it. One blow only, but every hit counted. This was a match to the end and the two of them would not stop until one was incapacitated. Every blow would be one more step.

Sedrix rolled backward and rose to his feet with the speed a soldier would have been proud of, uttering a brief curse as he did. Right away, Sedrix came back at him shifting into a more aggressive style of kickboxing. Victor remembered this style. When Sedrix went into offense mode, he became much more aggressive and ironically, because of his increase in attacks, it was harder to attack him.

Sedrix hopped slightly into the air and Victor saw a left hook come at his cheek. He chambered his left hand back and brought his right hand up in a circular block, only to be caught by surprise as the strike turned out to be a feint. Sedrix suddenly shifted gears and launched a horrifying uppercut at his stomach. Victor decided there was only one technique to use. It was a horrible gamble, but maybe it would work.

He had been listening to other people talk around about the more powerful students and somewhere along the road he had heard the name "Maverik" mentioned. Victor did not know anything about this man, or what he did, only that he was one of the most powerful fighters known. Rumors were he had studied Ninjutsu in the east. Victor had been fascinated and amazed. To learn Ninjutsu... God... That was one of the most lethal and dangerous forms of hand to hand combat in all the world. And for a foreigner to learn it... This Maverik, or whoever, must be incredible... Victor had not seen him fight, but he had heard about a technique he had once used on an opponent to inflict severe pain on him in a fight. It was a gamble, but it was a simple technique, and it was similar to the techniques in the C.Q.C. style. And there was a prime opportunity here.

As the uppercut came, Victor kept his left hand chambered back and his right hand slightly out. He swerved with the twisting strike, then pushed out his left hand in a diagonal block to the right while bringing his right hand back and curling it into a palm strike formation. The blow would push Sedrix' extended arm outward to the left. At the same time, Victor would use his right hand to deliver a devastating palm strike to the slight underside just between Sedrix' body and arm, just below his shoulder. That area was extremely sensitive to pain and a palm strike given by a powerful fighter there could inflict severe pain.

OOC: Yeah, I took a page from Maverik's book, hope you don't mind (laughs anxiously). Also, if you have trouble knowing where Victor's striking, you may want to look at a picture of the body. It's quite easy when ya look!

[Sedrix West]

ooc: Forgive me if i have mis-read your move, if i have i'll be happy to correct it...

Sedrix darted forward with his intended kickboxing style assault. The left hook was predictably dodged with moderate ease, and Sedrix did his switch, his feint, and moved to hook his gut with a winding punch. Victor did something unpredicted, and unpleasantly reminisant. It looked like a Maverik move. Sedrix had faced Maverik in a previous tournament, and lost miserably.

Victor moved quickly, successfully blocking and redirecting his punch, and throwing and elegant palm strike aimed at the are below his shoulder. This move was risky, and would be terribly effective if encountered, unfortunately it was a pretty easy dodge. Sedrix stepped to his right, and Victor's left. The palm strike sliced in front of him, narrowly missing. Victors free arm was held back, so he could still block a counter.

Sedrix needed more vulnerability. He stepped a little further to the right, and went for rauccus viciousness. He sent a vicious right hook aimed at Victor's temple. There was an immense power behind this. Sedrix moved his back leg forward, and changed his stance to horizontal and neutral. This was for further moves.

If his hit enountered, Sedrix could continue his step forward, and send another shot to the gut. If it was dodged, he could move With Victor and send a left hook to Victor's gut, if he blocked, Sedrix would move his leg back, and prepare for a counter.

[victor]

"Damn it!" Victor thought. The move had been a gamble and the dice had turned up snake eyes. Now he was paying for it. He would have to be more tactful from here on out.

Sedrix stepped to the left and sent a powerful hook toward his temple. Sedrix had Olympian strength and Victor knew that if the strike connected, he would suffer heavy damage and become disoriented. He couldn't even minimize damage it was coming so quickly. The only thing he could do was redirect the attack so that he would still take damage, but not be knocked utterly senseless.

The hook came. Victor raised his head and turned it in the direction it was coming so the blow would slightly slide off, reducing the damage only ever so slightly. But there was no way to dodge it. Rather than strike his temple, it struck his cheek and Victor felt a wave of pain wash over the side of his face. The inside of his mouth was evidently cut as he immediately tasted the salty, coppery taste of blood in his mouth.

"Very nice." Victor thought as the blow continued past his cheek. "Now it's my turn."

Sedrix was coming forward still and Victor saw him using his reverse hand to fire a reverse punch at his stomach. Victor intercepted this technique and slid in close. He went into offensive mode, knowing Sedrix had inflicted good damage with the hook, but the punch would take slightly longer to recover from and the reverse punch wouldn't have much power until he pulled his extended arm back, making his chambered arm pretty much useless for now.

It was a pretty simple combination. Now that Victor was close enough and Sedrix was off guard, he would deliver two rapid punches to his stomach, then a knee strike to his groin. Simple, yes, but he was off guard and Victor was in close enough for it to be effective.