Welcome to the Innocent World-Chapter 271: Zero vs Alaric

The night sky stretched vast and endless above the island, a glittering dome of stars sparkling under the moon’s pale glow, casting a silver sheen across the restless ocean below. Alaric and I hovered high in the cool night air, our bodies suspended in a tense standoff, the air crackling with the raw energy of our clashing auras.

Alaric tilted his head, his red eyes narrowing as he looked down at me, his voice dripping with contempt. "Humans, you say?" he said, his tone sharp and mocking. "Weaklings that’re worth nothing—that’s all I see."

I shrugged, my black coat shifting as I leaned back slightly, my smirk fading into a bored expression, like I was about to explain something painfully obvious. "Listen here, alien," I said, my voice steady but laced with impatience as I prepared to set him straight. "This world is run by humans. Together, we create life, we build, we fight. Weak or not, every life has worth."

Alaric’s lips twitched, a sharp *tch* escaping him as he rolled his eyes. "Stupid ideals," he said, his voice cold and dismissive, his red aura flaring briefly, casting a crimson glow across his face.

I straightened, my dark aura pulsing stronger, its purple accents glinting in the starlight. "Maybe for you, alien," I said, my voice firm as I locked eyes with him. "But not for me. I value life." A memory flickered in my mind—my past life as Jaden, a scrawny kid bullied and humiliated, pushed around until the day I died. That’s what happens when you’re weak, I thought, the weight of it settling in my chest. But I wasn’t Jaden anymore. I was Zero, the chosen one, and I’d fight for every life that mattered.

Alaric’s red eyes glinted, his smirk returning as he raised his right hand, palm facing down toward me. "If you’re done talking," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "I’d like to end you." Red energy crackled in his palm, gathering into a glowing beam that pulsed with heat, the air around it shimmering. With a flick of his wrist, he fired the beam straight at me, its *hiss* cutting through the night.

I grinned, my black aura surging as I dropped into a stance mid-air, my coat billowing dramatically. "Well, I was thinking the same," I said, my voice sharp with confidence. In a blur of motion, I dashed upward, my dark aura flaring as I deflected the red beam with a swipe of my hand, sending it streaking harmlessly into the night sky. I didn’t stop, charging straight at Alaric with my fist cocked back, my aura trailing like a dark comet.

*BOOOM!* The sound exploded through the air as Alaric blocked my fist with his bare palms, our energies colliding in a shockwave that made the stars seem to flicker. The force rippled outward, shaking the palm trees below and sending a gust of wind across the island. My black aura clashed with his red, sparks flying where they met, the air crackling with tension.

Below, the crowd on the beach gasped, their cheers momentarily silenced by the sheer force of the impact. A guy in a tank top, clutching a beer, turned to his friend, his eyes wide.

"Damn, he blocked Zero’s attack!" he said, his voice tinged with shock.

His friend, a lanky guy with sunglasses perched on his head, nodded. "That alien’s strong, no doubt," he said, squinting up at us. "Looks like a real fight."

A third guy, older and grizzled, waved them off, his voice calm but confident. "Nah, this is normal for Zero," he said, crossing his arms. "He always tests his opponents, starts slow, then levels up. Just watch—he’s gonna wipe the floor with that alien."

I grinned, my fist still tingling from our last clash, my black aura surging around me. "Whoa, not bad," I said, my voice laced with a mix of surprise and excitement, my smirk sharp as I hovered across from Alaric. His block had been quick, precise, and I couldn’t help but respect the move, even if I’d never admit it out loud.

Alaric didn’t respond, his red eyes glinting as he moved in a blur, his leg swinging toward me with a fast *swoosh*. I bent backward, my body twisting just in time to evade the kick, the air hissing where his boot sliced through. Without missing a beat, I spun on my heel mid-air, my black boot swinging like a pendulum toward his face.

*BOOM!* Alaric raised his other hand, blocking my kick with his bare palm, the impact sending a shockwave through the air that made the stars seem to flicker. The force rippled outward, shaking the palm trees below and stirring the ocean’s waves.

"Wahaaoo!" I shouted, my voice bursting with excitement as I pulled back, my heart pounding with the thrill of the fight. I launched forward again, throwing a quick punch, then another, followed by a spinning kick, each move punctuated by a slow *BOOM* *BOOM* that echoed through the night. The crowd below gasped, their cheers—"Zero! Zero! Zero!"—swelling louder as they watched the sky light up with our clash.

Alaric blocked each strike with eerie precision, his hands and legs moving in a blur, his red aura flaring with every impact. I grinned, my excitement building as I picked up the pace, testing his limits. My punches and kicks came faster now, a flurry of blows that sent invisible energy waves rippling around us, the air crackling with the force of our clash. Sparks flew where my black aura met his red, the night sky pulsing with light and sound. But one thing stood out—Alaric didn’t move from his spot, his body rooted mid-air, his hands and legs shifting only to block, his red eyes never leaving mine. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I laughed, stepping back five paces mid-air, my black coat billowing as I took a moment to size him up.

"Hehehe, now that’s something alright," I said, my voice dripping with admiration and taunt, my dark aura pulsing steadily as I got a clear look at Alaric’s unmoving stance. "You’re good at blocking, alien. I’ll give you that."

Alaric’s red eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in his throat. "You done playing around, Zero?" he asked, his voice cold and dangerous, his red aura flaring hotter, tendrils curling around his body like flames.

I grinned, bending my knees mid-air, dropping into a stance as my black aura surged, its purple accents glowing like embers.

"Yeah," I said, my voice sharp with confidence. "Time to get serious." My muscles tensed, my body ready to launch, the air around me humming with the power of my aura.