by L. M. Kerr
Before Sophia could reply, she, and the other two, were forced to dodge out of the way as another marauding vine slammed down onto the ground where they were standing.
“Hold on!” Sophia breathed out as she flew into the air, using her Wind Sweeper Ability to land next to Asim. Vlad quickly rejoined them.
In the background, a series of explosions shook the air as the other teams began launching attacks towards Number 10’s cocoon. The attacking vines seemed to contract in and then swerve to focus on the attackers, granting Sophia a rare moment of peace, the first since the fight started.
“I have something that we can use, but we’ll only have one shot.” As Sophia finally managed to catch her breath, she tapped on her Spatial Ring, pulling out two fist-sized canisters. She ignored the sweat that dripped down her face as she pulled off the lid of one of the canisters, revealing a large clump of white powder.
“It’s a powder that should be able to weaken her vines, a type of weedkiller. All we need to do is get it on any vines in our way.” Micheal had explained the logic of how it worked, but Sophia couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous when facing Number 10’s illogically tough vines and the fact that Number 10’s power was greatly boosted.
According to him, her Abilities, among other things, allowed her to stimulate the life energy of various plant matter in unique ways. In her boosted state, she was boosting these vine’s life energy to such a degree that they were practically invincible.
Micheal had said this concoction should be effective no matter what, unless she had specifically trained to defend herself against it. Which, according to Micheal, was impossible.
Still…
“Vlad, you take the front and soften the vines for us using it. Once we break past her cocoon, I’ll stun her long enough that you can reach her, Asim. Once she gets within range of your Ability…” Sophia had personally experienced Asim’s Forsaken Aura. It was so incredibly jarring that it was nearly impossible to adapt to.
No matter how strong Number 10 was, she was bound to leave multiple openings if they could hit her with that.
The plan was one quickly thrown together, but well crafted regardless. Vlad’s ability when it came to melee combat was inarguable, and his slew of odd Abilities were even harder to match, while Asim’s powers went without saying. Even if Sophia’s Fairy Eyes couldn’t fully distract Number 10, Sophia was confident her presence alone would buy them enough time for Asim to get within range.
“Hmm.” Asim didn’t say anything but merely rubbed his chin in thought.
The battle continued to wage onward in the background. By this point, several bolts of energy and searing lightning were currently being lobbed against Number 10, to little effect.
“If it’s just a weedkiller, I doubt it will be enough to stop these damned things.” Vlad shared his opinion, looking at the white powder with an inquisitive eye.
“No, it will definitely work.” Sophia’s faith in Micheal was absolute. If he said it would work no matter what… it would definitely work. She rebuked her worries, cool confidence filling her as she gazed at the powder.
“This isn’t just any regular weedkiller. It’s one that’s been imbued with many things from the Shop.” Sophia’s explanation seemed to assuage the two warrior’s worries as they exchanged glances and then promptly nodded.
Sophia smiled slightly as she remembered how Shin had termed the substance.
“It’s more like a super-weedkiller.”
The smile faded from her eyes as she looked away from the powder, towards the explosive battle taking places just a few dozen meters away,
“Remember, we only have one shot at this.” She handed the first canister of the ‘super-weedkiller’ off to Vlad, watching as he swabbed his spear in it.
Asim swabbed his long saber as well, coating it in a fine white edge that stuck to his blade almost like glue. Sophia took the last remaining bit from the first canister, swabbing a pair of Blue-Iron Daggers she’d gotten from the Godfather Organization in the powerful herbicide.
The weapons were her favorites out of all of the throwing knives she’d tested out, perfect for a fight where a sword might not give her enough range.
She stored the last canister away, just in case, as she, Asim, and Vlad all zeroed in on Number 10’s vine-covered cocoon.
“Let’s make this count.”
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Just moments later…
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Up above, on the rooftop of the skyscraper, a small breeze brushed through the air. The screams of combat and sounds of battle down below were barely audible up here, amidst the corpses of the dead.
Barely audible, too, was the light tapping sound as a man landed atop this rooftop, giving off an Aura full of warm, golden light and powerful, energetic vigor.
Garen Olsteis frowned as he walked over to the edge of the skyscraper, looking down.
“6? Are you still down there cleaning up those traitors? I destroyed the other Permanent Nest Core, but the boost I got didn’t change.” He crossed his arms for a second.
“Whatever. I’ll figure it out when I get there.” With those words spoken, the heroic-looking leader of the Nightrunner Numbers shrugged, and then walked off the edge of the building, sending himself hurtling towards the ground far below.
.
Chapter 82
Power rippled through Micheal’s veins as he took a tentative step forward towards Prime. The Bracken Enhancement Fluid Pill he had taken was a fast-acting alternative that he’d managed to create after a bit of practice, one that rapidly boosted his stats as high as they could.
It took only a couple of seconds for the effects to fully spread and reach maximum capacity. Such a rush of power was extremely disorienting and required a huge amount of willpower to stabilize, something very few people could manage.
Micheal took it steadily in stride, never missing a beat as he kept his full attention focused on Prime.
“Incredible. You truly are incredible.” Prime didn’t make any moves and instead chose to speak as he watched Micheal slowly walk towards him. The Director’s voice was unhurried and calm, giving off a sense of supreme confidence.
If Micheal hadn’t been absolutely certain that Prime’s Soul had been badly injured, he likely would’ve been convinced that the attack had failed, just from the manner the man carried himself in. It was extremely difficult to get a read on him.
Micheal kept his face expressionless as he shrugged,
“I am who I am.” He had years of experience and foreknowledge helping him out, he couldn’t take credit for everything. Prime, on the other hand, had a three-year head start and Prime’s devious genius and obsessive nature. Fairness, in such a fight, wasn’t a concept that existed.
“I didn’t even know it was possible to launch an attack of this nature. I have never heard of something like this.” Prime’s voice held a hint of genuine wonder. He spoke with such carelessness that Micheal had to remind himself half a dozen times that the warrior was 100% stopping time and watching Micheal’s every movement.
“The Layers are vast and full of many wonders. Choosing to stay on the First merely limits your future.” Micheal shared his honest opinion, his gaze placid as he took several more steps forward.
By this point, he had walked off the stage and was halfway up one of the main aisles, slowly growing nearer to Prime.
Prime continued to stand still, unmoving. The man’s Annihlus Armor gave off a rather unsettling energy, glowing faintly, while his two Hai’ton Flame Swords alternating with twisting darkness and boiling heat.
It was at this moment that Micheal struck, as soon as he reached the halfway point, on the off chance that Prime’s lack of movements was him stalling to recover from injuries more serious than Micheal expected.
‘Impact Release: Bulldozer.’
Micheal released a huge impact right behind him into the ground. This huge blast of force sent his body hurtling forward at a breakn
eck speed, rocketing towards Prime out of nowhere.
At the same time that he activated that power, Micheal tucked his legs and ducked forward, moving his Ashari Blade out in a guard position. He opened his eyes as wide as possible, adjusting to the rapid acceleration as best he could.
In less than a fraction of a second, Micheal reached Prime.
His rapid acceleration had come out of nowhere with almost no warning. The only indication Micheal gave that he was about to attack was his slight preparations. And, even then, nothing could possibly indicate he was about to move forward as fast as he did.
If there was one thing Prime was vulnerable to, it was unexpected surprise attacks. Of course, pulling off such an attack in front of him was so exceedingly difficult that even calling this a ‘vulnerability’ was a bit ludicrous.
The air rushed past Micheal, whipping beside his face like a storming hurricane as he shot forward. His sword was still raised in its guard position, ready to strike at Prime instantly. The warm, red glow of Advanced Tier Sword Energy covered his sword, giving it a superior cutting edge.
And, as he rushed forward in that minute moment, Micheal’s enhanced senses, combined with his wide open eyes, just barely allowed him to pick up a hint of movement from Prime’s right wrist.
That small, blurry movement caused Micheal’s battle instincts to surge. As a result, he immediately shifted his strike down and to the left, twisting his entire body in mid-charge.
A minute instant later…
A loud clang rang out as Micheal’s Ashari Blade slammed into one of Prime’s Hai’ton Flame Swords. A small explosion of energy spread out at the epicenter of the collision as Micheal’s Advanced Tier Sword Energy interacted against Prime’s Advanced Tier Sword Energy.
Micheal’s higher mastery gave his energy an edge, but Prime’s stronger body and protective armor made up for that. Beyond that, Prime’s Hai’ton Flame Swords imbued his attack with two kinds of Elemental Energy, allowing him to shrug off the blow and blast Micheal backwards.
However, Micheal’s momentum from unleashing his Impact Release Ability wasn’t something that could be stopped so casually. While Prime was able to block Micheal’s first attack, the energy behind it caused Prime to be forced back a step.
The entire exchange lasted for only a fraction of a second. The fact that Prime was able to react in time to Micheal’s near-instantaneous ambush, something that would be flatly impossible for most people, was something Micheal had mostly expected and planned for.
That said… even though he expected and planned for that, there was a limit to the number of secret cards he held.
At this point, his hand was basically empty. There were no more tricks left to be played, no more hidden traps or future inventions Micheal could pull off. He had already pulled out every possible stop he had to prepare for this potential fight, wracking his brain for any and everything.
And now, at the cusp of the battle, he was left with only a single thing.
His swordsmanship.
Micheal’s eyes gleamed with energy as he stared at Prime. For a tense second, nothing happened. It was like a moment frozen in time as the two warriors faced off, ignoring the crackling sounds of energy in the background.
That moment passed.
Time no longer seemed to sit still.
And in the next…
Micheal and Prime began to duel.
Micheal brought his Ashari Blade up in a cutting strike, layering it with three separate lines of Advanced Tier Sword Energy. His entire body flexed and pulled as he struck, using every muscle available in complete synchrony.
From the way he held the sword, to the way he manipulated his Sword Energy, to the way he flexed his body, Micheal’s actions were not only ones that were well-practiced and experienced…
They were absolutely perfect, without a hint of a flaw.
His blade strike arrived before Prime in a fraction of a second.
And Prime responded in a manner that could only be called equally perfect.
Prime’s two Hai’ton Flame Swords cut across in a perfect ‘X’ motion, each side balanced with an exactly equal amount of Sword Energy. The Director took advantage of the fact that he had two swords, using them to each shift off some of the power of Micheal’s blow, intending on returning it back to him.
Micheal responded by shifting his body out to the side while kicking out with his right leg, and twisting his Ashari Blade to the left in one smooth motion. He coated his leg with Sword Energy, using his incredibly keen understanding of it to keep his body uninjured.
Prime evaluated this and abandoned his first counterattack, switching tracks as he slid both of his swords to the side and forcefully activated the Elemental Energy stored within them, using that power to deflect Micheal’s Ashari Blade, dodging the attack. At the same time, Prime stepped backwards, dodging Micheal’s powerful kicking attack.
In a regular fight, Prime could ignore most attacks if he chose to, relying on his Annihlus Armor to block everything. In this particular battle, however, Prime was aware that Micheal’s Sword Energy was at a high enough level that he could cut through the essence of the First Layer’s skyscrapers.
Prime might also have Advanced Tier Sword Energy, but his understanding and natural talent couldn’t hold a candle to Micheal’s Grandmaster-level understanding. The potency of his Sword Energy was roughly equal to Micheal’s Intermediate Tier Sword Energy, and left him unable to cut through the windows or walls of the First Layer skyscrapers.
That wasn’t to say that Prime was weak, but rather, to say that Micheal’s control of Sword Energy was absurdly strong for his level. He was able to fully utilize the energy to a degree that literally no other human on the First Layer could.
As a result, their duel evolved into a series of exchanges as Micheal attack, Prime blocked, Prime attacked, Micheal deflected, Micheal attacked, Prime dodged.
In the span of 10 seconds, they exchanged more than 40 blows.
Despite the grievous injury to Prime’s Soul and the detrimental effects of the Mire Wicker Poison still clouding Prime’s judgement, the elite S Ranker was able to effectively block Micheal’s attacks. The ability to perfectly account for every movement your opponent made was not something that could be belittled.
However…
Throughout their rapid exchanges, Micheal’s strikes left Prime with zero openings to take advantage of. No matter how fast Prime moved, no matter how intelligently he blocked or deflected an attack, Prime was completely unable to find any hole at all in Micheal’s defense.
Micheal, in the meantime, was facing a similar issue.
‘I really can’t break through easily, huh?’ After the rapid exchange of more than 40 attacks, both Micheal and Prime leapt backwards, leaving roughly 15 meters of space between each other as they took a brief moment of respite. Micheal had landed near the side of the theatre, while Prime was located in the middle of the theatre seats.
Prime used that time to gauge the seriousness of the injury to the Soul he had taken, while Micheal used it to review their fight.
Micheal treated this fight with absolute seriousness, concentrating at a level at least equal to when he fought against the Monster Class Morenkai. He treated Prime as if he was fighting another Swordmaster and, indeed, despite Prime’s lesser understanding of Sword Energy, the warrior reacted as if he was a trueblue Swordmaster, able to feel the tempo of a battle and perfectly predict an enemy’s movements.
A big part of that was attributable to Prime’s ability to stop time, but the means didn’t really matter in a fight, only the end result.
‘Well, it’s enough. He should be convinced.’ The thought flashed into Micheal’s mind as he saw Prime’s chest heave and shudder, the first time in the entire battle that the man had shown any kind of physical injury. The movement was an involuntary reaction to the damage his Soul had sustained.
At the same time, however, Micheal felt his own body try to shudder. Micheal forceful
ly suppressed the feeling, keeping his body perfectly calm and collected, while he analyzed it.
The Bracken Enhancement Fluid Pill he had taken was extremely fast-acting and more convenient to take than regular Bracken Enhancement Fluid. However, its power was not unlimited. He was already participating in a battle that was far beyond the limits of his normal body. He had vastly overdrawn what power he could put out, creating a feeling of impending crisis.
‘Not yet!’ He had to force himself to not grit his teeth, knowing that if he showed even the slightest sign of weakness, Prime would instantly see it. His body wanted to do nothing more than tremble and shake, his muscles ready to collapse in just seconds.
Micheal began to speak, a sigh full of exasperation and annoyance filling his tone,
“Prime, you are forcing my hand here. I didn’t wish to reveal the full scale of my power. I’ve already told you of the enemy we both face!” He glared at the Director, a frown appearing on his face as he brought up the Vile King. As he spoke, Micheal began to walk forward, moving away from the side of the theatre and towards the center.
By this point, all signs of weakness that Prime had shown had vanished as the man, somehow, managed to recover himself. Even in a fiercely injured state, the elite S Ranker was a monster to be reckoned with.
“Force your hand? From what I can tell, your condition can’t be too much better than mine, Heron.” Prime crossed his arms, holding his two flaming swords loosely.
‘Bastard. How could you possibly know that?’ Micheal didn’t show any hint of his true feelings as he merely shrugged,
“Think what you will. I’m not going to waste time arguing.” He didn’t exactly have much choice in that regard, though. Already he felt his body about to reach the breaking point.
He took a few more steps until he reached the center of the room. Prime stood calmly before him several meters away, between Micheal and the stage in the back where the Monster Class Nest floated, unmoving.
“I’ve given you every chance you needed to flee.” Micheal slowly sheathed his Ashari Blade in a long, black sheath he had on his waist. He then settled his right hand on the sword’s hilt and looked up at Prime serenely.
