System Ascension: The Vermillion Legacy

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Leave them alone!" Aiden shouted as he stepped forward. Lloyd and his gang stopped for a moment while turning to face him.

Lloyd and his guys let out a mocking laugh.

"Look at this little hero, you think you can stop us boy?" Patrick hissed.

"Brave but foolish, what do you plan to do? Fight us? With what?" Lloyd said with anger.

"Relax Patrick, this won't take long. After I'm done with him, he will be added to my slave trade," Lloyd said mockingly with ego.

Aiden's mind raced for a second and he began to doubt his abilities. What was he doing? These weren't just any thugs, they were powerful and dangerous criminals and he had no experience fighting anyone, let alone bandits like these.

But the system was awakened inside him and a force pushed him forward and his body began to tense and he could feel the energy within him.

The battle between Aiden, known as Draken, and Lloyd begins with a tense atmosphere. Lloyd was a dangerous criminal and taunts Aiden. Lloyd's confidence was high as he was ready for the challenge.

 The other people gathered around, eager to see how the strange guy, who is an underdog, will fight against someone as strong as Lloyd.

Aiden, known as Draken, steps forward, his heart beating. He knows he cannot rely on strength alone. His system has given him unique advantages, but he must hide it from Bernard and the rest of the people. 

As the duel begins, Lloyd rushes at Aiden, known as Draken, with a lot of attacks, his speed and power clearly superior. Aiden, known as Draken, dodges, narrowly avoiding each strike while carefully examining the situation.

In his mind, Aiden, known as Draken, activates his system, which starts to analyze Lloyd's movement and weaknesses. The system identifies a slight delay in Lloyd's punches, noting that his overconfidence leaves openings.

Aiden, known as Draken, uses this information not to attack directly but to stay on the defensive, dodging and blocking at the last possible second, making it seem like he's just barely keeping up.

Frustrated, Lloyd begins to transform partially into his werewolf form, his strength and speed increasing. He slashed at Aiden, his fingers slightly touching Aiden's shoulder. 

The people cheer for Lloyd, while Aiden, known as Draken, feels the pressure mounting. He knows he needs to act fast. 

Quietly, he uses his system to boost his reflexes and stamina just enough to survive the next few moments without making it obvious.

As Lloyd charges forward for a final attack, Aiden, known as Draken, sees his chance. He fakes a stumble, drawing Lloyd in close. The system flashes a weak point in Lloyd's exposed ribcage from his aggressive stance. 

With precise timing, Aiden, known as Draken, delivers a swift, calculated punch filled with a touch of his hidden power. 

The blow hits Lloyd with more force than expected, sending him staggering backward and confused.

Lloyd, who is now furious, charges forward again, but this time Aiden, known as Draken, is in control. Using his system's predictions, Aiden, known as Draken, dodges each strike flawlessly, making Lloyd look clumsy and desperate. 

Aiden, known as Draken, lands a few more powerful strikes, enough to weaken Lloyd without revealing his true strength.

Finally, as Lloyd prepares one last attack, Aiden, known as Draken, focuses his energy into a single decisive move. He moves away from the spot Lloyd was charging to with full speed and trips Lloyd, sending him crashing to the ground. With Lloyd pinned down, unable to rise, the duel ends.

The people are stunned into silence. No one expected Aiden, the strange boy, to win. Lloyd, who was humiliated, glares at Aiden, known as Draken, but can't deny his defeat. 

Aiden, known as Draken, was breathing heavily, his eye meets Bernard's eyes hoping he didn't notice anything unusual. Bernard nods, impressed but slightly suspicious, as Aiden, known as Draken, keeps his secret intact.

The battle marks a turning point for Aiden, not just in the eyes of the people but also in his understanding of how to wield his system's power. Lloyd may have been stronger, but Aiden's discipline and intelligence and hidden system gave him the victory.

Lloyd is defeated, the atmosphere among the people shifts from excitement to shock. Every hunter was discussing how Aiden, a strange boy, just defeated a C rank like Lloyd, something no one thought possible. Tension rises and murmurs move through the people. 

The members of Lloyd's gang who have been watching closely are visibly angered by the outcome. Among them is Khan, one of the dangerous members of the group. 

He is larger than most of them, with a reputation for brutality in combat, and unlike Lloyd, Patrick isn't human, he is a half-ogre, known for his raw strength and relentless aggression.

As Aiden, known as Draken, catches his breath, Patrick steps forward, clenching his fists tightly as he growls.

"You think you're something, don't you, fool? You got lucky with Lloyd but that's over now," he said angrily.

Without warning, Patrick charges at Aiden, his massive frame moving with surprising speed. His intentions are clear, he is not here for fun. He wants to crush Aiden, known as Draken, for embarrassing his leader. 

The rest of Lloyd's gang stands behind him, ready to jump in if necessary, but Aiden's focus is entirely on Patrick.

Aiden, known as Draken, knows that in a direct confrontation, he can't match Patrick's brute strength. But his system has already begun analyzing Patrick's movement and calculating the best strategies to avoid a full assault. 

Using the training he learned from Bernard, Aiden, known as Draken, plans to maneuver around Patrick rather than confront him head-on.

As Patrick swings a massive fist, Aiden, known as Draken, ducks low, rolling under the attack with ease. The system highlights Patrick's sluggish recovery time after each strike, showing Aiden, known as Draken, the gaps he can exploit. 

Patrick, frustrated by his miss, swings again, but Aiden, known as Draken, is already one step ahead, moving away from the blow and moving behind Patrick with quick reflexes.