The chainsword in his hand was not activated, but its heavy weight and distinctively serrated blade made it a formidable bludgeon on its own. He wielded it into deadly silver whirlwinds, at times transforming it into a heavy Warhammer smashing towards Caleb's arm, and at other times sweeping horizontally like a long staff, aiming directly for his exposed shins.
"Good, come on!"
Caleb roared, calling upon all the combat experience accumulated throughout his player career. With his feet firmly planted, he advanced instead of retreating, charging into the deadly storm of steel.
Facing Rivers' powerful overhead cleave, Caleb neither dodged nor evaded. He stomped his left foot forward, and his right fist, like a burning meteor, shot downwards to meet the massive blade.
The crimson Dragon Flame collided with the heavy metal blade, erupting in a loud "clang" and dazzling sparks. Rivers felt a scorching and violent force transmit through the blade, numbing his arm. He immediately changed his move, flicking his wrist, dropping the sword's momentum, turning the chop into a sweep, and smashing it horizontally towards Caleb's right arm.
Caleb's reaction was equally swift. After landing a hit, his body didn't pause. Using the recoil, he ducked, dodging the horizontal sweep, while his right leg, like a whip, brought with it a whistling wind and scorching Dragon Flame, kicking towards the back of Rivers' supporting leg's knee.
This rapid series of offense and defense changes was as quick as lightning, dazzling the onlookers. The Helldivers Legion players erupted in cheers, while the Space Wolves growled tensely, cheering on their brother.
As a seasoned veteran, Rivers' combat instincts were deeply ingrained. The moment Caleb's sweeping kick came, he advanced instead of retreating, powerfully pushing off with his left leg, leaping into the air. He not only dodged the sweep but also adjusted his posture mid-air, gripping the hilt with both hands, and slammed the chainsword's blade down like a shield onto Caleb below!
A massive shadow enveloped Caleb, the heavy blade whistling as it tore through the air.
However, there was no trace of fear on Caleb's face. He crossed his arms above his head, enduring the crushing blow!
"Dong—!"
The terrifying impact caused the ground beneath Caleb's feet to crack inch by inch, and he sank by half a foot. But he ultimately blocked it.
"It's not over yet!" Caleb gritted his teeth. While taking the hit, he pushed off with his feet, springing forward like a coiled spring, and delivered a powerful headbutt to Rivers' head!
This was unexpected. Even Rivers, a veteran of countless battles, was rattled by this savage attack, his blood churning, and he stumbled.
Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Caleb's offensive unleashed like a storm. He closed in, abandoning long-range harassment, and brought the fight into his preferred close-quarters combat domain.
A series of lightning-fast, blurring punch and kick combinations were executed flawlessly. His fists, enveloped in Dragon Flame, struck Rivers' joints with precision, producing a rapid succession of muffled "bang, bang, bang" sounds.
For a moment, the situation on the field reversed. The experienced Space Wolves veteran was being pushed back by a rookie using an unheard-of, ferocious boxing style, only able to parry with great difficulty.
"My goodness! Caleb is suppressing his opponent! I've never seen such exquisite martial arts!" Cohen's commentary chimed in at the right moment, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
However, Caleb, in the center of the battle, felt no ease.
He knew very well that his advantage was only temporary. This high-intensity burst output consumed a tremendous amount of stamina and Dragon Flame.
And his opponent, Rivers, was calmly waiting for an opportunity.
After being forced back again by Caleb's combination punches, Rivers' back was against a thick metal pillar, with nowhere left to retreat.
"Now!" Caleb's heart swelled with joy; he saw a prime opportunity for a "corner juggle." He took a deep breath, preparing to end the fight with his most powerful move. He pulled his right fist back, crimson Dragon Flame wildly converging, his entire arm seemingly turning into a burning brand!
However, just as he was about to punch, a cunning glint flashed in Rivers' eyes.
The Space Wolves did not choose to block or retreat. Instead, he stepped forward, allowing Caleb's incredibly powerful punch to strike his left shoulder.
"Bang!"
As both sides had removed some armor, exposing their arms and thighs, this blow even produced the sound of bones cracking, and the powerful impact made Rivers let out a muffled grunt. But he used this pushing force, his body twisting sideways at an incredible angle, and the chainsword in his hand traced a perfect arc, bypassing Caleb's defense, and slammed its broad blade heavily onto his left thigh!
"Whack—!"
A heavy, teeth-grinding thud echoed!
Caleb felt an irresistible immense force come from his leg, as if he had been hit by a speeding truck. Intense pain instantly swept through his body, his left leg went numb, and he lost his balance!
"Oh no!" Caleb was horrified. In his pursuit of maximum power, he had gone all out, leaving himself wide open, and the opponent had exploited this vulnerability with a "trade blows" tactic!
Having landed a hit, how could Rivers let this opportunity slip away? Enduring the sharp pain in his left shoulder, his offensive instantly reversed. He wielded the chainsword with fierce vigor, like an iron whip in a storm, frantically striking at Caleb. Caleb's rhythm was completely disrupted, the intense pain in his left leg slowed his movements, forcing him to retreat and block clumsily, his previous advantage completely gone.
"Bang!"
Rivers kicked Caleb in the chest, sending him flying backward to crash heavily on the ground.
"Rookie, your fists are good, but your combat awareness... still has a lot lacking," Rivers walked closer, his heavy footsteps like a death knell.
He raised his chainsword high, preparing to deliver the final blow with the hilt to Caleb, ending this sparring match.
The players outside the arena gasped, and Andrew even instinctively took a step forward.
However, just as the hilt was about to smash into his face, Caleb's entire body suddenly erupted with an unprecedentedly brilliant crimson flame!
"It's too early to boast!"
Name: Dragon Flame Teleport
Attribute: Active Skill, Permanent Mastery
Skill Category: Movement / Combat
Activation: Instantaneous
Effect: Mobilizes Dragon Flame to instantly cloak the body, causing the user to vanish and reappear directly behind a targeted enemy within a short range. This skill grants an immediate tactical advantage by bypassing an opponent's guard.
Boom!
A scorching wave of air spread outwards, and Caleb's figure vanished into thin air!
Rivers' certain strike hit nothing, leaving a shallow pit in the hard ground. He was startled, but centuries of combat instinct allowed him no hesitation, not even wasting a tenth of a second to turn and search for the enemy.
His combat intuition screamed like a beast's alarm—behind him!
"Hah!"
Rivers roared, powerfully engaging his waist, his body remaining tilted forward, his right hand gripping the hilt swung backward at an ergonomically impossible angle, the heavy blade like a battering ram, striking with incredible precision behind him!
This lightning-fast counter-attack was both incredibly quick and incredibly vicious!
And almost simultaneously, Caleb's figure appeared behind Rivers. He concentrated all his strength into his right leg, aiming for the exposed, supporting knee joint behind Rivers' entire steel body, and kicked with all his might!
The next instant, time seemed to freeze.
The heavy blade slammed hard into the side of Caleb's head.
And Caleb's kick squarely struck Rivers' knee joint.
"Clang!"
"Crack!"
Two distinctly different sounds rang out simultaneously.
"Ugh..."
"Mmm..."
Both let out an uncontrollable, muffled groan of pain at the same time, their bodies trembling violently.
Rivers felt a heart-wrenching pain in his right knee, as if the entire joint had been roasted by flames and then shattered by a hammer, no longer able to support his body's weight.
Caleb's vision spun wildly, the intense impact making his head buzz, almost causing him to faint on the spot.
Then, in the deathly silence of the entire audience, the two steel giants, one stumbling forward, the other swaying backward, finally could not support themselves and fell to one knee.