Chapter 8: A Fight Between Marked

Hunter focused his eyes on the boy standing before him. He couldn't help but think back to what had sparked this. As soon as Tang Ruolan had given them free rein to train using their Divine Abilities Hunter had been met with 3 youths.

The smallest boy had introduced himself as Lin Qing. He told Hunter he didn't like the way he had spoken about himself on the bus or the way he had cracked a joke about Tang Ruolan. He told Hunter he should be more respectful of those Marked with a True Divinity.

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Hunter had asked Lin Qing.

"I'm glad you asked, apologize to the Marked with a True Divinity who had to listen to your stupidity, you can start with my friends here," Lin Qing said gesturing to the two boys smirking at Hunter.

"I'm sorry you chose to be friends with this loser," Hunter said now trying to walk by the youths.

"You're Part-Marked but you think you can be so arrogant in front of True Marked?" Lin Qing said angrily as he stepped to Hunter.

"Yeah, I can, 'cause I don't think you guys are all you crack yourselves up to be. I've beaten True Marked before and if you want I'll do it again."

And that was how Lin Qing had requested for Tang Ruolan to call an officiator of a Sanctioned Duel to come. Hunter didn't feel afraid he had ended up in a fight to the death, he had been through this before. He knew the Divine Tool, which came from the Smoking Mirror's Kingdom, worked perfectly, and even if his head was cut off in the circle he'd appear just fine outside of it.

All he really cared about was showing Lin Qing and any others watching, that even with a Partial Divinity he was a force to be reckoned with. Using his foot to touch what was now an invisible wall between him and outside the circle, Hunter decided to make the first move.

'Can't let him get any smart ideas,' Hunter thought as he activated one of his Divine Abilities launching himself off the wall towards Lin Qing who was 10 meters away.

Lin Qing put his arms up to defend himself from Hunter's bull charge but found himself pushed back to the wall. While he had struggled to stop Hunter's momentum he had been able to stay on his feet and kept some of his back off the wall.

"Not finished," Hunter said with a smile. After a moment's breath as his foot landed on the floor he instantly hurled himself back at Lin Qing with the same momentum.

"Fuck off," Lin Qing roared, the clear sound of wind rapidly rushing past him. Hunter's mad dash began to lose speed and he felt Lin Qing's grip on him growing stronger.

'Should I stay close and try to kick him or jump out of this before it gets worse?'

The increasing intensity and coldness of the wind gave the answer. Hunter chose to back off and try a different strategy. He had hoped rushing Lin Qing like that would catch him off guard, but it hadn't worked out.

Hunter took a few steps back before a single leap took him back to his starting position. Outside the range of the gale that surrounded Lin Qing Hunter could now feel a stinging pain.

Looking at his right shoulder he saw an icy handprint had formed from where Lin Qing had held him off. What was worrying was the thin layer of frost was actually slowly spreading.

Hunter infused his left hand with Divinity and brushed the frost off. Seeing as how that worked Hunter felt relieved, at least the frost could be dealt with. Looking ahead he saw Lin Qing was now approaching him.

'He must be a Divine Mortal like me. Any higher and he wouldn't have had been threatened by my dash at close range. This time I'll hit him with something that actually hurts.'

Hunter ran towards Lin Qing, but his speed was nothing abnormal. And neither was the height of the jump he made as he dropkicked Lin Qing.

'Does he think I'm an idiot?' Lin Qing thought as he readied his second Divine Ability. As a Divine Mortal, he had been lucky enough to receive two Divine Actives at this point.

The first he had used against Hunter was called [A Breeze From the North] (Grade D) which allowed him to channel fierce winds surrounding him that chilled his opponents. If he focused Divinity into the ability he could increase not only the speed of the winds but the effect of the chill.

That Divine Ability wasn't suited for stopping Hunter. He could tell Hunter's Divine Ability focused on his legs. [A Breeze From the North] would favor him in a battle of attrition, but it wouldn't stop the incoming strike, as harmless as Hunter had tried to pass it off as.

It was now time to use the other Divine Ability he had received from his True Divinity.

"[Wings of Boreas] (Grade C)," Lin Qing announced. This was a requirement, any Divine Active Grade C or higher required a prayer to be offered. That prayer consisted of simply reciting the name of the Divine Ability aloud.

Wings sprouted from Lin Qing's back and he flew above Hunter, dodging a dropkick he guessed could hurt.

To his surprise, Hunter never reached the ground. He kicked off something that wasn't there and righted himself mid-air. He then ran towards Lin Qing. Caught off guard by this odd movement Lin Qing watched as Hunter ran as if he were climbing up a staircase past him.

Channeling his Divinity into the [Wings of Boreas] Lin Qing flapped his wings sending icy wind hurtling towards Hunter. It was too late, as Hunter had already done a flip, again off absolutely nothing but the air itself, and hurtled towards Lin Qing from above.

As Hunter drew closer a panicking Lin Qing tried to dodge, but the distance between them was too short. As Hunter's legs made contact with Lin Qing's chest an immense force assaulted him. This was the same force that had propelled Hunter forward towards Lin Qing earlier, only now it was concentrated on Lin Qing.

Watching Lin Qing get hurtled towards the ground and smash into the steel floor Hunter relaxed a bit. He ran towards him through the air preparing to deliver a final blow.

Hunter's ability to walk in the air was thanks to his Divine Passive [The Hooves of Sleipnir] (Grade D+) which allowed him to walk on anything, even surfaces that weren't there. In fact, as long as Hunter's foot was planted in a direction he could find footing.

As for his incredible leg strength that was thanks to his Divine Active. Something that gave Hunter the confidence he had to defeat a True Marked like Lin Qing. However, Hunter was still not able to use this Divine Active in rapid succession. The associated cost was too great.

His Contract told the story of why.

Divine Active: [The Legs of Sleipnir] (Grade D)

"The mighty steed Sleipnir accompanied Odin to his many battles. Sleipnir was famed for his great strength and every stride he took spoke for itself."

Effect: Your legs will gain the ability to add the additional force of 8 equal legs equal in might to your own to any of their actions. To use this Divine Active within 8 seconds of its previous usage will cost 8 times the Divinity used to activate it previously.

Hunter was glad he didn't need to use [The Legs of Sleipnir] twice in a row. While powerful, as a Divine Mortal he didn't have much Divinity. He could only bear to do that once, and at this point in the fight, he could not do it at all.

Just as he reached Lin Qing Hunter saw a flash of red on the youth's left shoulder.