Chapter 417 - Bully

The arena where Afton and Hardin were supposed to be fighting wasn't how he'd expected... He'd thought he'd be thrust into some kind of Mortal Combat arena, but instead, he's just in the center of a room surrounded by people.

The trial begins as soon as Afton steps forwards, he and his opponent beginning to circle one another. He could hear people talking about the unfairness of it, forcing him to fight without armour.​​

Indeed, it would be unfair if Afton didn't already have advantages... Still, this brought up a couple questions... His brow rises into his hairline when he puts two and two together. "Hardin, you knew I would be at a disadvantage once I officially resigned from the Brotherhood, which is why you challenged me..." he says, loud enough for most of the room to hear.

Afton was sure Hardin's face would've been set as a scowl, but he couldn't see it through his helmet. "You may think what you want, traitor, but there is only one place the likes of that abomination should exist. Since you wish to ally yourself with it, maybe you should join it!" he shouts, running at Afton to attack.

Of course, Afton didn't even have to rely on his Danger Sense to know this was coming. He easily dodges Hardin's charge and ducks under the reflexive backhand after he misses. As he's crouched, he drives a fairly strong uppercut into Hardin's armoured ribs, causing a large metallic *Ding!* to ring out around the room.

"Heargh!" Hardin groans as he stumbles backwards from the unexpectedly painful strike. He glares at Afton and quickly looks down at his armour to check if it'd been pierced or breached in any way... The metal was undented... But why then did it feel like he'd taken the full brunt of the hit?

"What is this? What did you do?" he angrily asks, suddenly feeling like the winner of this fight was undecided.

Afton shrugs with a grin on his face, beginning to hop on the balls of his feet while throwing out a few jabs, "I'm the second coming of Bruce Lee, bitch." he states as he drops into a flagrant-looking stance.

"I don't know who this 'Bruce Lee' is, but after I beat you I'll take the technology he holds!" he growls out as he approaches Afton again, this time more cautiously.

Tamia looks at Veronica with some confusion, "Who's Bruce Lee?"

Veronica just shrugs and continues watching the fight, "I don't know... I think Afton said the name once when we were training, but I never asked."

Hardin steps forth and tries to kick at Afton's hip in an attempt to deal some damage, but Afton just raises his foot and blocks the strike with his heel. "You're too slow old man, you sure you're fit to be Elder? Well, I guess Elder would be the correct name for someone of your age." he taunts.

Hardin responds to this as you'd expect... But giving a roar and attempting to throw a haymaker at Afton. Honestly, if it were any other man Hardin would have crushed their skull and splattered their brains across the room.

But, since this was Afton, he simply dashes in close and uses Hardin's momentum to throw him on his back. The Elder lands with a large *Crash!*, but he quickly gets up, his armour leaving him unharmed from the throw.

"This the best you got? My Ghoul friend fight better than you do!" Afton taunts again, easily dodging the flurry of back-breaking punches Hardin begins throwing. Both of their fists even meet at one point, but it's Hardin who comes loses that clash, even despite his armoured.

Afton's knuckles are slightly bloody, but they quickly heal up... Hardin on the other hand broke two fingers in that encounter, and it took all his focus not to scream out as it occurred. His pride wouldn't allow him to show weakness in front of HIS new Chapter.

"Alright Hardin, I'm done playing around, I'll give you this chance to surrender or you aren't gonna like what comes next." Afton offers with a smug look.

"Just shut up and fight!" Hardin roars, but it's Afton that attacks this time.

He dashes forwards at speeds impossible to reach for most of the Chapter, leaping in the air and delivering a kick to Hardin's head. The attack almost knocks the man out cold, but he manages to throw himself backwards to alleviate the force somewhat... Still, he was rocked and had difficulties standing.

Afton wasn't finished however, he dashes forwards gain as Hardin tries to defend with his arms, but Afton just drops low and strikes Hardin in the liver a couple times, bringing the man to his knee's and allowing Afton to knee his helmeted face.

*Bang!*

*Crash!*

Hardin crashes to the floor on his back, wheezing and trying not to vomit from the world spinning before his eyes. He hears a muffled voice from somewhere but can't make it out... It's only after a couple times hearing it that he translates what it's saying... "Do you surrender?"

"N-NO!" he quickly shouts, forcing himself back to his feet, even while his legs wobble beneath him... Even with the Power armour assisting him, he wasn't in any condition to keep moving.

Afton just shakes his head "Alright then, I guess..." he says as he jumps in the air and brings his heel down on Hardin's knee, not holding anything back... The results of course, are obvious...

*CRAACK!*

"AAARRRGGHHHH!" Hardin screams out in pain as his leg bends inwards from the strike, his knee shattering entirely as the metal from his Power armour bends and breaks into shards that imbed itself into his leg. He'd honestly had been better off not wearing the Power armour in this instance, as all it was doing now was rending the flesh from his leg.

Afton looks down at his opponent with a blank face, even as medics pick the man up and carry him away to the med bay... The room was completely silent, no one daring to make a sound after the beatdown they just witnessed...