Chapter 162 : The Knight & Dragon (Part 2)
As Rei succumbed into the darkness, he slowly regained consciousness and stood into an empty dark space with nothing but him.
"Where...is this?"
He asked himself and looked around, to see his surroundings as he stands there alone with nothing but just a black space.
He began to walk, he could hear a splashing sound on his feet, feeling his feet sinking into a water.
But when he lifted his foot, it wasn't wet at all.
"Where am I?" Rei asked himself once again.
"So you are here too."
Until Rei heard the familiar voice approaching from his behind.
When he looked back, he saw Ray Houston, wearing simple armor made from iron.
"Kiritsuka." He greeted him with smile.
"Houston, you are here!" Rei replied and was somewhat glad that he wasn't alone.
"Yeah, it seems we are being taken into the same trial together." Ray spoke as he also looked around at this place.
"I see, but we us together, I think we could win this." Rei replied confidently.
It made Ray relived of somewhat and finally noticed something after he observed him up close and smiled when he could see the visible changes from what Rei used to be
"Hoho, it seems you have truly changed."
"Am I?" Rei asked as he looked at himself, not knowing he was just wearing only shorts.
Rei blinked for a moment and looked at him, "You should have told me that I was naked this whole time." He replied as he somewhat embarrassed talking like that without his clothes on.
Ray laughed, "Hahaha! Just relax, you can manifest of what you want to wear."
"Hmmm?? How is that possible?" Rei asked.
"Try to imagine what you want to wear, and it will materialize on itself." Ray spoke.
"You can do that?" Rei asked.
"Remember, this is the same as your Mind Realm, where we trained, if not, I would bare naked just like you." Ray explained.
Rei then somewhat believed of his words and began to sigh, "Well, here we goes nothing." Before slowly lifting both of his hands.
*SWOOSH*
And just like he said, a black armor materialized from thin air that immediately attached to him and covered his entire body.
"Ohh, it's done!" Rei spoke while looking at his own set of armor that he wore.
While doing so, Ray observed him again and this time it is his armor.
"Ohhhh, what a peculiar design."
"It is much better than what we wore last time." Ray muttered
Rei smiled proudly, "Heheh, of course! While you were asleep, I forged this new armor, using pieces of the Frost Death Emperor and Adamantite." He replied with such a proud looks.
"Although, the main material have been used on other things, but this what I can achieved for a moment." Rei explained.
Ray blinked for a moment and laughed seeing that kind of new reaction of his, "Hahaha! I see, it seems you aren't slacking off with smithing."
"But it is still amazing, that you managed to achieved this kind of level." Ray spoke.
"Well this armor is a few what I achieved, since I don't have spare time to forge a good one and this one is like temporary armor I made to fight against the last boss."
"Although it did break apart due to his strong attacks, I managed to pull it off because of this armor." Rei explained.
"Ohhhh, just like that [Orthrus]??" Ray asked.
"Yeah, [The Hell-Frost Keeper Orb, Orthrus], an orb that increased your magic power and also circles of your mana heart." Rei replied.
"Circles of mana heart?? You mean the circles that on [Mage]???" Ray was surprised to hear it.
"Yeah, I can use magic now." Rei replied.
"That is amazing!" Ray replied as he was astonished to hear it.
"Well, it isn't amazing, since I only managed to reach 4th circles now, without [Orthrus], we might cannot be here." Rei spoke.
Ray looked at him confused, 'It's not amazing? Most of the people of your age here could only reach around 2nd or 3rd circles, but to think you achieved that in 7 years when I wasn't looking.'
Ray soon noticed, as he remember of seeing the scars on his body and that made him gave sympathetic look towards Rei.
Then he closed his eyes, "I see....you went through a lot."
"It's okay, I am just doing what the best I could do." Rei spoke while grinning at him.
"Although, I still have many more to show you, though due to the training, I couldn't show them but I will do it later on." Rei added.
"You will be more surprised to see [Behemoth] and [Gorgon]." Rei giving the names of the equipment that he haven't shown it to him.
Ray who seeing him getting so excited, smiled, "I am looking forward to it."
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When they were having conversations.
*"It seems you are having fun talking to yourselves."*
Suddenly, a deep resounding voice appeared out of nowhere from behind them.
"...?!"
"...?!"
*SWOOSH*
And that alerted them which made them to jump back to create a distance between this creature that appeared before them.
"What...?" The two of them start to observed of this creature, but that also made them feel nervous at its presence.
No...rather than that...its presence is enough to make them feel suffocated.
But they released their aura, to cover themselves and protecting their mind from this overwhelming presence.
'Despite it have a big presence...'
'How come...we couldn't sense them at all.'
The two thought the same, as a silhouette of a monstrous being appeared before them.
"...?!"
The wind pressure start coming at them, and that came from this monstrous being.
And Rei soon noticed, of this familiar presences since he had faced it before.
"No way...you are..." he gulped as he couldn't believed since he have to face this thing again.
"Why the hell are you here..." Rei spoke.
*"This is my mind realm, of course I will be here, child of the otherworld."* The creature replied to his question.
*"It seems you have known me? But how odd, because I never met you."* The creature commented to his reaction.
"Yeah, we never met...but I do know you very well." Rei replied to his comment.
The silhouette of this creature began to revealed its true form.
*"How brave, it seems it wasn't mistake that my last successor died by your hand."*
*"Now I am curious of what kind of person who could kill him."*
A giant dragon, with dark scales, majestic black horns and sharp eyes with red pupils showed them how menacing its form was.
Its size was almost like a mountain itself, no...
'Is it bigger than Muramasa and Ignia?' Rei observed when he saw this giant dragon resting in front of him.
*"Do not compare me with them, child, while Ignia may be smaller compared to me but she's still the strongest dragon in history."*
*"But that man cannot be compared to her and me, he was still 100 years too early for having successfully imitated my true form."*
The dragon spoke as if he knew what Rei was thinking just now.
"To think you have mind reading skill like her..." Rei fearlessly spoke in front of such being, even Ray couldn't help but be stunned and admired his bravery.
*"Of course, us Ancient Dragons have the skill to peek into someone's thoughts."*
*"Or rather...their heart."* The dragon explained.
Rei laughed nervously, "Hahaha...it does make sense, but seeing you from that 100 years ago, it felt just like yesterday."
"Am I right...[The Ancient Evil Dragon, Fafnir]." Rei called his name.
The dragon who was called by that name, grinned with his sharp wide tooth and began to laugh.
*"KUHAHAHAHAHA!!! A MERE HUMAN DARED TO SPEAK MY NAME!! IT'S BEEN HUNDREDS OF YEARS SINCE SOMEONE CALLED ME THAT."*
His voice resounded and caused the whole space to shake.
His mere presence was enough to cause some people to faint from how terrifying his aura that he released.
But these two stood their ground and stared at the dragon.
*"I guess I have to acknowledge you, child from otherworld, you are the second person who would talk back to me like this!"* Fafnir complimented him.
"Well it is my honor to be complimented by such ancient being like you..." Rei replied as he somewhat felt weird being complimented by his own enemy without fightinh them.
*"But..."* Then Fafnir eyes shifted somewhere else.
*"The one who stands beside you, I don't think I ever allowed uninvited guest to be here."* Fafnir spoke towards Ray there.
Rei looked at him, "No, I'm the one who invited him, since he wanted to become stronger together with me."
Fafnir raised his sharp claw and pointed out at Ray who stood still without a words.
*"Him? A coward who only know how to run away from reality?"* Fafnir spoke as if he had peers into his heart and know about what kind of person Ray is.
Ray looked at him as if to glared at him, "What do you mean by that?"
Fafnir slowly smirked, *"Hooo, are you angry? Being called as a coward?"*
Ray began to hold his anger, but he couldn't utter any words because...
[What he is saying is the truth].
Fafnir laughed, *"Hahaha! Did I hit the nail? But that is the truth!"*
*"While your otherworldly friend here had done his best, where did you go?"* Fafnir still pointing his large claw at him.
Ray could only clench his hands while receiving such harsh truth from this ancient being like him.
Then Fafnir pulled his claw away from, *"I cannot acknowledge you human, knowing that you weren't there in that fight."* Fafnir spoke about what Rei had done in reality.
*"Yes, I know the trial that he had been through."*
*"Even though I had died long ago, but my soul is still attached with my heart."*
*"Because of that, I could hear and see what this young man was capable of."* Fafnir spoke towards Rei.
Then he went back to Ray, *"Despite your soul is connected with this child, which that made you being pulled here by force."*
*"I still cannot acknowledge someone like you."* Fafnir stated.
Rei looked at Ray, seeing him looking a bit frustrated by his words and couldn't denied every single words.
Sadly it was the truth, while Rei had been training for the past 7 years, and able to finish all the trials that were given by Ignia.
But him? He was still asleep after he lost against the [King of Destruction].
Causing him to fall into slumber which they didn't know when he's gonna wake up. That was until...
Rei fought against the final boss of the [Three Great Evil].
Ray looked straight at Fafnir's eyes that stood tall in front of him.
*"Hooo? It seems you have something in mind to tell me..."* Fafnir spoke while staring back into his eyes.
"I know, I ran away from my past, and I am an irresponsible adult for leaving him."
"But...I had enough of running away..."
"I want to prove to myself that I can be strong, strong as him, my partner who has done his best for me." Ray stated with full confidence.
"That is why...give me chances, oh, ancient dragon of the past." Ray spoke while his eyes glaring towards his.
Fafnir could tell he was determined, which made him smile, *"How amusing, I like the way your eyes look at me, unwavering in front of danger."*
*"At first, my plan was just to give my power to this child, because he had passed all the requirements to received my power."* Fafnir spoke towards Rei.
Rei then had a bad feelings about where this is going, 'Don't tell me...'
*"Then let me propose both of you with something I had in mind."*
Rei gulped, "And that is...."
*"Let's have a fight, between you two and me."* Fafnir spoke.
Rei had it thought of it, 'Seriously, why all the people here is such battle maniac!' And screamed internally.
Ray then interrupted, "Wait a minute! I thought it was just me who you gonna give a chance!"
*"That's right, but that would be boring if I just gave him my power and you a chance to prove it."*
*"Which is why I am not only giving you a chance but also his chance to show his power that could kill my successor..."* Fafnir spoke as he keep smiling and showing his true intention.
The two is now having the same thought, 'That's ridiculous.'
*SWOOSH*
Suddenly Fafnir's body was clad by a purple fire, and the size of his silhouette from the fire slowly shrunk down.
"The rule is simple." The familiar voice came out when the fire disappeared and a tall male appeared out of nowhere in front of them.
The male had black long hair, wearing a black male yukata which revealed his muscular arms and chest.
He looked like a man in his 30's and sharp golden eyes.
"The winner takes all, and the loser loses all."
"Simple isn't it?~" Fafnir spoke in his human form.
Despite that, his domineering aura still remained and as if it had been condensed into a small vessel.
Which was much denser than before.
'What with this presence...' Ray looked nervous and gulped his dry saliva, because of all enemies he ever fought….
This isn't even close to what he faced before.
'Kiritsuka...have you been fighting against these monsters all by yourself, while I was gone?'
Yet, he couldn't help to smile, 'You have become strong...Kiritsuka.'
Fafnir widened his eyes seeing him smile, which excited him, "Yes, that's the face of a true warrior."
"How about we make a little bet and a small change of the rule." Fafnir offered.
"What is it?" Ray asked.
"I have decided, if you both manage to defeat me, I will give you all my power and I shall teach you both my skills as well." Fafnir answered.
"Of course, your partner here will also receive my power, but since he's Ignia's student, I cannot take him from her. As for you…"
"I shall teach you personally, and I shall become your teacher as well, so be honored!" Fafnir gave out the reward for winning.
"Then...if we lose?" Ray asked.
Fafnir raised his arm as it was suddenly covered in dark scales and turned into sharp claws, "Of course, I will take your soul including that young man."
Ray giving off an awkward smile, "Well, that is a straight answer."
"I told you, the winner takes all, the loser losses all." Fafnir spoke.
Ray slowly lifted his hand to make a steel sword appear from his hand, "Simple indeed...."
"That's good, I like the spirit of yours." Fafnir spoke.
"Don't forget about me here." Rei spoke and stood beside Ray, as his helmet appeared from his head.
Fafnir began to laugh, "Hahaha! That's more like it~" Fafnir grinned.
"Kiritsuka, I guess this is the first time we have fought together like this." Ray muttered.
"Yeah, since we mostly fight together in one body, this felt a bit weird...yet..." Rei spoke without even looking at him, then when he raised his hand…
"It makes me excited."
*CLINK*
His [Black Steel Axe] appeared on his hand and he lifted it up.
"I mean, this is also an opportunity for me to fight the real Fafnir." Rei spoke while his body slowly clad in a red aura.
Ray looked at his back, that seemed to have changed over these past years, "I see...it seems I'm the one who needs to change the most."
Rei who always relied on him, now had the power to fight for his own and not relying on anyone but himself.
Ray then stood beside him and released his golden aura while lifting his sword, "Then I shouldn't lose to my disciple."
Fafnir smiled widely, "Ohhh, I almost forgot."
"It is about the rule that I want to add."
"To make this fair, I will not use my true form nor my dragon skills, I will fight as a human Fafnir." Fafnir added the rules.
"The moment I use my dragon skills, it will be my loss as well, how about that?~" Fafnir spoke in a mocking manner.
"You will regret it for underestimating us like this." Rei spoke.
"No, I'm not underestimating you at all, it's just I wanna fight you both fair and square, as a human." Fafnir spoke.
"Well, that's new." Rei replied.
Fafnir grinned widely, "I have to do that since a regressor and an otherworlder were ganging up on me."
*CRACK*
He suddenly stretched his arms and even each of his fingers.
"I just cannot stop this kind of excitement!" Fafnir revealed his dense dark aura around him.
Which made the two of them tense up for a moment.
"Now then..."
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*SWOOSH*
Without hesitation…
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Rei and Ray immediately ran at full speed towards Fafnir who was about to finish his words.
The two of them went in a different direction. Rei on his left, lifting his axe up and swinging it downwards.
Then Ray on his right, swinging his sword from below to upwards.
"....Let's the fight began~"
*TING*
Fafnir blocked their strikes by lifting his left arm to block Rei's axe with his arm scales and lowering his right hand to stop Ray's sword with his palm.
"Such a crude way to start a fight, but I suppose it was understandable since your lives are at stake."
"I shall allow it."
*TING*
Fafnir swiftly moves his arms in a circle, and then...
*SWOOSH*
"...?!"
All of sudden, the two of them were thrown away with their weapons passing through Fafnir's body.
They couldn't understand what just happened.
The two Rei/Rays stood at the opposite direction between Fafnir and not noticing that they were put in distances away from him due to that weird movement.
'What was that...' Rei thought.
'I couldn't even see it...' Ray thought the same as well.
The two of them couldn't move at all, seeing that just now.
But Fafnir didn't want to take their chance, "Ohhh? You guys aren't moving? If you don't start your next move..."
*SWOOSH*
Then he suddenly appeared in front of Rei.
"...?!"
"...I will start it."
Rei was surprised by the sudden appearance of him.
"Wha—?!"
But before he could react to it, Fafnir swung his right hand and flicked his head.
*BAM*
Which created a strong impact and made him flung away.
"Kugh—?!"
When Rei was about to land on his feet, Fafnir appeared from above him and raised his right fist.
*SWOOSH*
Then swung it down towards him.
Rei didn't back off from it, he swung his axe towards his fist from the left side.
*THUNG*
And clashed against it head on, but it forced Rei to take a few steps away from his spot.
"Hooo~ you managed to fight back~"
But that didn't stop him. Rei used the force of his fist, and instead of forcing his way, he slowly loosened his grip.
*THUNG*
"....?"
It confused Fafnir when his axe got pushed back so easily like that.
But that's what he was aiming for, as his axe got pushed back, his body began to spin along with his axe from backwards.
His axe swung around in a circle, and at the same time.
*SWOOSH*
He flipped back the axe for the blade side to strike on Fafnir in another direction and managed to counter him.
'Amazing.'
Fafnir could see his axe moved towards his face.
*TING*
Yet he lifted his left arm and blocked his axe before it could hit his face.
"How heavy." Fafnir commented.
But that was far from over, Rei pulled his axe to take a spin and swung it around in a circle to strike him again.
*THUNG*
Then Fafnir launched his left fist again to counter his attack, after that.
The two of them moved together while exchanging blows after blows with one another.
Rei spun his axe so many times, from right to left, even from above to below while moving backwards.
*THUNG*
While Fafnir only swung his fists and met all his attacks head.
Until...
*THUNG*
"...?!"
Rei let his guard down when Fafnir swung an uppercut, disarming his axe and it flew up
Leaving him defenseless.
Then Fafnir spun his body, kicking at his defenseless body.
*THUNG*
But surprisingly, Rei managed to react to it by pulling out a black shield [Gorgon] which had eyes like a snake carved on it.
And his kick was blocked by it.
The gem on the eyes of his black shield glinted.
[Notice!]
[Skill "Gorgon's Eyes" have been activated]
Causing Fafnir to feel his strength was suddenly weakened due to something.
"Hooo what a strange shield~" Fafnir commented again, then leering his eyes towards something that approached him from behind.
That is where Ray appeared out of nowhere from his back and took this one chance. His sword was clad in red flame and swung it towards him.
"[Magic Sword]?~"
*SWOOSH*
At the same time, Rei's body was set ablaze with black flame and his shield suddenly split into two then shaped like gauntlets, before throwing a punch at him.
A simultaneous attack from both sides and this time on his blind spot.
With Rei at close range.
'[Reflection] + [Hell Flame].'
and Ray at his back.
'[Kagutsuchi no Ken] + [Vertical Slash].'
In that situation, Fafnir grinned widely.
"Not bad~"
Fafnir approached Rei first, by swiftly moving his body aside to let his left fist pass through as he now facing Rei in closer range.
"...?!"
*THUD*
After that, he grabbed his left arm and his head.
*THUNG*
And pulled his head down, then knee strike directly towards his face. With his helmet protecting his head, he managed to get less damage.
But his attack left him feeling dizzy and after that....
Fafnir grabbed his armor chest and pulled his left arm to perform a throw around his body.
'This technique—?!'
Rei was familiar with this technique, while Fafnir directed his throw towards Ray who approached him from behind.
"Wha—?!"
*BAM*
The two of them canceled their skill before they could hit each other, but unfortunately their bodies collided.
"Kiritsuka—?!" Ray was confused from the sudden action.
Fafnir spun his body and performed a kick towards Rei's abdomen that also passed through, hitting Ray as well.
"Ack—?!"
Then the two were thrown away together and crashed on the ground, causing a big splash of the black water.
Rei coughed from the impact of that kick while Ray tried to get back on his feet
"You...." Rei muttered while trying to get up as well.
"Where did you learn it..." Rei asked as he was somewhat familiar with the techniques he used.
From that throw and that swift movement which threw them away in the first place.
"What do you mean...Kiritsuka." Ray asked.
"Those techniques that he used...were techniques from my world." Rei replied.
"What?" Ray widened his eyes in surprise.
Fafnir smiled, "I see, it seems you are familiar with this technique."
"It's [Aikido] and [Judo] isn't it..." Rei spoke.
"Correct, although I gave it a bit of a twist of my own techniques, I used mana to give more strength so it was more compatible with me." Fafnir explained but still didn't answered to his question of where he learned this.
Rei soon just realized something, "He did not have a weapon on him."
"Now you mentioned it...I didn't see him using a weapon during the fight." Ray muttered.
"Another correct answer, I do not need a weapon to use against you both, because my whole body is already a weapon." Fafnir replied.
"To think...there's a Dragon who would use [Martial Arts]." Rei commented.
"Is it that rare?" Fafnir spoke.
"Well it causes my PTSD to flare up." Rei joked.
"Ahhh I see, then my apologies!" Fafnir suddenly ran towards them at full speed.
The two of them prepared for the impact that was going to happen.
But...
*BAM*
They couldn't see the approaching attack.
Fafnir had already launched his right fist towards Ray's abdomen.
"Ack—?!"
*SWOOSH*
Which flung him away.
"Houston!—" Rei called out, but he realized needed to focus on what was in front of him.
That was when Fafnir jumped at him after he punched Ray, then he swung his left leg to kick him from above.
Rei raised his two shields that combined into one and guarded himself from his attack.
But that kick wasn't meant to strike him.
*THUNG*
It was meant to push his shield aside.
"Shi—?!" and reach out his left hand to grab on Rei's face.
Then slammed his head down to the ground.
*BAM*
"Agh—?!"
While retaining his grip onto his head and dragged his head down on the ground for a few miles.
"Ugh—?!"
Fafnir didn't stop and continued to drag his head, but Rei didn't let him be and started to fight back.
'[Agni]!' He set his body ablaze with his black flame.
'....?!'
Fafnir was surprised by the sudden action which forced him to let him go and Rei was flung back, bouncing on the ground for a few times before he could stand again.
*TSSSSS*
Despite letting him go, he managed to graze him using his Hell Flame which caused his scales to get burnt by it.
"I saw that flame from his eyes, but to think it could really damage a dragon scale to this extent, what a strange flame." Fafnir commented.
Rei panted for a moment as he was already exhausted just from a few exchanges with this monster.
Although it was within his expectations considering his experience beforehand.
He need to go all out.
'[Orthrus].'
Then he released the black caged red orb from his [Inventory].
*CLINK*
After that the black chain came out from the orb and moved to strike his chest.
*BA-THUMP*
Connecting it with his heart.
His aura changed all of sudden.
'[Gorgon].' Then he split his shield back into two.
After that he released his [Black Steel Sword] from his inventory, including [Sky Ruler Bow] and [Basilisk Spear].
Rei equipped them all in one go as he released this strange aura, [Haki] which was a higher form of aura mixed with magic.
'[Telekinesis] + [Fly].'
Rei's body suddenly lifted from the ground as his weapons that came out immediately flew around him.
"I see, going all out like this eh?!" Fafnir grew excited after seeing the sight of Rei doing what he did in his previous fight against Muramasa.
Rei took a deep breath as his armor was set ablaze with the black flame, causing it to look like a mantle made from that flame.
After that, he grabbed his sword and spear in his hand.
"Like I said, you will regret it for not using your dragon skill." Rei spoke while lifting his spear to aim it at Fafnir.
Fafnir laughed, "Hahaha! Such arrogant words! But like I said too, I shall not use any of my dragon skills!"
"For you, this is enough!" Then released his dark purple aura around his body.
Emitting the same strange aura like Rei.
[Haki].
The two mighty beings, a human who had fought against ancient beings and a divine being who can be called as the strongest ancient dragon ever.
Lies upon Ray's eyes who watched on the side and did not dare to interfere.
"This is..." Ray was amazed by the sight of them face to face, but at the same time...
He was frustrated by the sight of his partner that felt like he had taken a step that was far away from him.
"Now then, shall we begin the second round!" Fafnir spoke as this time the second phase is more like for Rei instead of him.
*SWOOSH*
His words seemed to signal the start of the second round, and Rei flew straight at him.
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[Do you desire a power?]
To be continued...