Chapter 23 Esma part 2

"So you feel like fighting now" Kari said,

Has unknown cold Stern expression shifted back to his original bland look on his face. Kari then swings his fist to strike, missing Unknown by seconds as he sprang back to give Kari some space.

"Oops, lost my cool for a sec didn't I" he said.

"Tch, fickle little rat aren't you" as Kari looks down on his sword noticing that there's a crack in the flats.

"Still your not to be taken likely huh" has his body slowly started to grow in size and more heat started to ripple off his sword and body.

Unknown made sure you had enough distance to observe the changes happening to Kari's body ,

(Well judging by the veins that are starting to literally catch a flames on him, it's safe to say that he drank one of her worse cocktails by far, Luctus dolor. The drug while increases physical abilities ten times over, by compressing all the mana in the body to the heart, and flowing it back through the bloodstream. Does have a nasty effect of causing the person to implode, from the strain of their heart containing all the Mana in the body all their mana will burst forth creating an elemental bomb once the heart reach critical intake. Seeing how this guy happens to be a general, his explosion is guaranteed to be at least 5 times bigger than a normal fire Golem, now I have to find a way to stop him without triggering the explosion. Why the hell do I have to be left to clean up, isn't this a job for one of my bodyguards) unknown thought to himself.

"Now that I think about it, this is giving me an idea" he said to himself then he shouted out loud,

"Hey curry, I'll make a deal with you… if it's a fair fight that you want. I'm not going to use any weapons and you're not going to use any spell",

Kari made a light chuckle with a smile on his face. "Fine by me I was planning on slicing you up either way" Kari replied

(Good… he talking big, but he doesn't know what this potion does. Even if I wanted to use magic, disruption in the flow of mana throughout my body now will cause will cause me to just explode. The only way to survive when using this drug, is by slowly regulate my body's mana from my heart overtime slowly. It's tricky but is doable she said, and with this much power I'll be sure to give him hell) Kari thought smiling wide.

Unknown then sigh and said "… Right" has he turned around to give himself some more distance between him and Kari,

While he was walking he started whispering to Esma "So… how long do you think" ask unknown.

"Ummmm, not sure maybe five to twenty minutes I guess" she replied.

He then took down Esma from his shoulder,

"Then I'll leave that part to you hope this works" he said to himself.

They both stand at least four meters away from each other, reading each other's movement to see which one will attack first you know the normal cliche thing when.

"Well" shouted unknown with his hands speard out to each side, his posture literally saying I'm open, while Kari still in calm berserk mode.

He had his right arm across his face, while holding out his left arm to his back, with the broadsword half the length of his footing off his left leg, his right leg poised in a Sprint and slash position.

(Good the potion is working, it's like she said all the power of a Berserker and all the calmness a Swordsman, and even if that's not enough the fail safe of turning into a bomb is a risk that'll make. It the difference in turning the tides of this battle. Oh my lady we are blessed to have you on our side) Kari thought to himself.

Unknown then stretched out his left arm and start waving his hand has to signal Kari like a pet,

"Come on, let go" in a condescending tone.

(Sfx Shah)

Kari disappeared in thin air, only to reappear in front of unknown with his sword swung high "Now you're dead" he shouted.

(Sfx Kling)

Sound was made on the moment of impact, Kari's blade repelled off of unknown right hand.

(Sfx Whossh)

A strong gust of air pressure burst pushing back Kari mid air, he lands on the ground looking forward surprised by the counter. He wanted to see what techniques unknown had use, it was then that he realized that unknown had not been moved from his position nor was he bracing for the impact of the attack he just had his right arm in the air,

"Hmmm judging by the force I would say gauntlets size should do" he said to him self as he was examining is right hand.

Kari was sparing no second trying to decipher what he meant,

(Sfx Shah)

Vanishing again, wasting no time making a rapid reappearance. This time in front of unknown with a downward swords strike from the left,

"Let's see you repel this!" Kari exclaimed,

(I don't know how durable that slime armor is judging by what it's made of. But seeing as how he's going for the light armor type he's just giving me more chances to strike in his mid sections. Seeing as how he's using gauntlets, he's more of a quick-striker than a heavy tank) Kari thought to himself.

And within just seconds away from the blade reaching Unknown's lower abdomen he Sighs and said,

"Kyōfū yoroi" and catches Kari broadsword Cobolt burning strike,

Mid attack merely inches away from slashing him in two with his left hand and swong it out of his way. Only to slap Kari in his face with his right hand, sending him flying in the other direction. While he was thrown a good distance, he managed to brace from the force of the attack by sending the broadsword first into the ground then standing on its broad side.

He then looks up at an unknown, who has not moved and ask "D… did you seriously just slap me?",

(And why did an attack with so little motion had that much force behind it, felt like I was being hit with a air cannon) he thought while unknown was just staring at the bewildered look on his face.

He Sigh "Stop questioning the situation and just keep going would you. You said you wanted a fair fight, but you do nothing but stare confusingly at me" said unknown while holding his head slightly down has he sighed.

But when he raised his head again he notice Kari had vanished again out of his sights,

"Well even with a power boost, it's the same old trick same old pattern" he says has he raises his right arm to block the blade striking his neck from behind.

And without missing a beat "Let's see if that truth holds up, original sword art slash husk.

Kari vanishes again, this time he kept reappearing in different location almost as if he split himself into seven clones surrounding unknown from different angles "So now you're using after images" unknown says has he starts blocking the strikes from all directions.

(Sfx clang, clang x5)

Slash after slash unknown blocked every single one effortlessly, all sword swings were parried before even touching anywhere on him. This remain constant for 10 minutes straight, with Kari not being able to land a single hits on him. Except for the gauntlets covered in the Wind Veil. Then unknown noticed the afterimage went from seven to five, the two from behind him disappeared as if Kari was planning something.

(What is he up, to be focusing more on a frontal approach than a surprise attack?, or maybe he's just getting tired) unknown thought.

But then he noticed the force from Kari's swings were getting stronger, where the air was circulating around the gauntlets started weakening has the air surrounding them started to heat up more and more. And within the second of realizing that, he blocks another attack this time with his hands out and not with the back. This was what he used before that push Kari back, it was in blocking the attack with his palms a burst of air came from the wind veil disbursing the remaining four clones in an instant. But it seems that was what Kari was waiting for, as he then appeared behind unknown and as soon as unknown had turned his head. He vanished again only reappear back in front, with his sword held high in his two hands the sword started to Glow the brightest orange with heat.

Kari then whispered "Original sword art: Demonslayer, Sword Rampage".

Before unknown could react he was bombarded with an endless stream of slashes, coming from all over in a single direction as if you was being hit by a stampede of slash. Shifting to turn around at Kari's feint lefted unknown in an awkward posture turning around midway, he had little time to react only able to block on onslaught with only one hand.

"Funny isn't it, what you said about pattern became true, whenever you use a wide range air attack it leaves you open".

(The first attack was a diversion to get you to release that wind armor around your gauntlets, then strike you when I get the chance with everything I got) Kari thought.

As he continued his strikes, faster and faster striking unknown, he's unable to hold his position slowly being pushed back. Unknown tries making a slight shift to the left to regain his position, but has he turned Kari took the opportunity to stop the Relentless striking from all directions and started to focusing all attack to unknown's upper body.

"Damn, not giving me a moment to breathe are you" unknown said while staggering stand up straight.

But then while carrying all of the force from Kari relentless attack, he was still calm… well as you can be while quickly stepping back without having a good footing. Kari then realized something was definitely wrong,

(Is he still toying with me. He looks like you could fall over any seconds but he's able to keep paring all my attacks, wait is he really paring my attacks?) He thought when he started to notice.

(Sfx Chack, Chack x5)

Coming from each strike,

(Wait is he deflecting them, no not only that) Kari thought has he sees his sword chipping and cracking away in the center.

(While blocking my attack he's striking the blade, I was so focus I didn't realize he was aiming on breaking my sword. This whole clumsy defender thing he's got going, was all an act ?…just how many times do you plan on belittling me).