Undertaker

As I was about to call out for the person before us was, I heard a clicking sound coming from him.

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!"

I abruptly stopped walking and raised my arms to stop Lumine from walking forward.

I began to have a flashback about what Cossette reminded me before we left.

'At the faintest hint of a clicking sound, a shiver runs down your spine. You know what's coming – or rather, who is coming.'

'What do you mean?' I stammered, my voice laced with a mixture of unease and curiosity.

'You'll understand it soon...'

Before me stood a youth, appearing no older than sixteen, his countenance an enigmatic blend of mystery and danger. A black katana was securely sheathed at his waist, its presence radiating an aura of foreboding. But it wasn't the weapon that drew your attention; it was his appearance that sent a chill down your spine.

With only one arm, his other sleeve dangling empty, and no eyes adorning his face, the sight was as jarring as it was unsettling. An eerie emptiness resided within those sockets, devoid of light or life, a void that seemed to pierce through your very soul. Gazing into those hollow spaces, you were met not with the eyes of a person, but with an abyss that seemed to reflect every dark corner of your own conscience.

'He is infamously known in that area as the «Undertaker».'

"Athan... What have they done to you?" The words escaped my lips, laced with a mixture of concern and disbelief as I stared at the man before me.

The figure beside Athan emitted a chilling chuckle, his arm casually draping over Athan's head. He proceeded to deliver a series of sharp smacks to Athan's head, his grin growing broader as he directed his gaze towards me, his eyes glinting with malevolent amusement.

"You mean this little fellow? Well, his glare started to grate on my nerves, so I decided to have some fun and gouged his eyes out..." His twisted smile seemed to stretch impossibly wider, revealing a set of teeth that matched the sinister aura he exuded. "And let me tell you, he bled profusely, his screams echoing as his vocal cords were shredded to pieces... Quite the satisfying symphony~"

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I struggled to process the sadistic words that tumbled from his lips. The image he painted in my mind was a macabre masterpiece of cruelty and malice, a haunting portrait of the torment he had inflicted upon Athan.

"But that's not all," he continued, a sickening glee dancing in his eyes. "After subjecting him to a barrage of healing potions, repeatedly severing his right arm and plucking out his eyes each time he regenerated, a peculiar thing occurred – his body developed an immunity to the potions. A tragic twist, really, as he can no longer regrow his lost limbs or experience the rejuvenating effects of potions. It's a shame, truly, since my little experiment was cut short."

The man's laughter echoed through the air, the sound grating against my senses and eliciting a mix of anger and disgust from those who stood witness.

My grip on my sword tightened, knuckles white from the force. Anger surged within me, a fiery torrent threatening to consume all reason. I readied my stance, muscles coiled with tension, and with a primal roar that ripped from the depths of my being, I lunged forward.

In that heart-pounding moment, the world seemed to blur, my vision narrowing to focus solely on the sinister figure before me. Amidst the storm of emotions, one singular thought rang out like a battle cry within my mind. I couldn't help but word it out.

"I will end you!"

In that charged moment, the world seemed to narrow, the focus solely on the sinister figure before me. But as I lunged forward to unleash my fury, Athan stepped in front of his tormentor, a shield of flesh and blood.

My attack halted abruptly, my sword mere inches from Athan's form. Confusion and frustration welled up within me, a tempestuous storm of emotions raging beneath the surface.

"Athan... Why?"

Suddenly, the man behind him laughed. Because of this, I finally had a gist of the situation.

My fury ignited like a blazing inferno, my sword clashing with Athan's blindfolded form. Each strike was fueled by a potent mix of anger, determination, and a desperate need to break through to the man who had been twisted and manipulated.

Athan's empty socket gazed directly into mine, an eerie calmness residing within them despite the chaos of battle that surrounded us. His movements were calculated, precise, as if he anticipated every swing of my blade.

The clash of steel on steel rang through the air, a symphony of violence that seemed to echo the turmoil within me. My strikes were relentless, a torrential onslaught that aimed to shatter his defenses. Yet, despite my fervor, Athan parried each blow with an almost unnatural grace.

His left arm, the only one he had left, moved with a fluidity that defied his impaired sight. Each movement was deliberate, a testament to his mastery of combat even without his magical abilities. It was a dance of death, a deadly waltz between two adversaries locked in a battle of wills.

As we continued to clash, a storm raged above us, rain pelting down like tears from the heavens. The battlefield mirrored the turmoil within me, a reflection of the pain, anger, and confusion that churned within my heart.

'...He has two katana in his waist, doesn't he?'

I thought, my mind racing to make sense of the peculiar sight before me as we fought.

The question that had taken root in my mind was answered in a swift and unexpected manner as Athan took a step back, his actions revealing a previously concealed truth.

Abruptly, a sinuous black tentacle emerged from his other arm, its dark form wrapping around the hilt of the second katana that rested at his waist. The sight sent a shiver down my spine, a mixture of fascination and unease settling within me.

"But... He shouldn't have been able to use magic..." Arthur's voice trailed off, his confusion mirroring my own.

Athan's appearance was no longer one of composed control; beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, a testament to the strain he was under. As the tentacle gripped the katana tightly, it became evident that this action had demanded a considerable portion of his strength.

"It probably took a lot of his energy just to summon it out..."

A sense of urgency swept through me. The odds stacked against us were clear, but Athan's determination to wield his katana, even at a cost, served as a reminder that I couldn't afford to falter.

With each revelation, the mystery surrounding Athan deepened, and as we braced ourselves for the impending clash, one thing became resoundingly clear – we were facing an adversary whose powers defied convention, and overcoming him would require every ounce of our strength and resolve.

Clang-!

Shiing!

Clang-!

...

..

.

It has been six minutes since we started clashing. And I was now starting to get tired, so I decided to take a hop backwards near my friends.

"He's only getting stronger each clash..." William, who had just appeared with Sophia, mumbled from his sheer observation.

I look at him and nod my head in agreement.

Athan's movements were as fluid and unpredictable as water itself. His attacks lacked a discernible pattern, making it challenging to anticipate his next move. Each strike he launched seemed to flow seamlessly into the next, leaving me little room to react.

As my sword clashed with Athan's, I could feel the relentless force behind his blows. Every time I managed to block one attack, he swiftly exploited any opening I inadvertently left and unleashed another strike, even more rapid and forceful than the previous. His relentless assault pushed me to the brink, testing my skill and resolve.

Whenever I attempted to launch a counterattack, Athan's evasive maneuvers were nothing short of astonishing. His movements were graceful and effortless, allowing him to gracefully sidestep my strikes and position himself for a swift counter. It was a maddening dance, a deadly game of cat and mouse where I found myself perpetually on the defensive.

I knew that the key to victory lay in disrupting Athan's flow, catching him off guard to create an opening. But achieving that feat was easier said than done. Athan's mastery of his own unpredictable style made it incredibly difficult to find a foothold.

And then, it struck me. The analogy of water came to mind once more, and with it, a potential solution. Just as water can be affected by heat, perhaps Athan's fluid movements could be disrupted by a sudden burst of intensity.

With renewed determination, I altered my strategy.

"Arthur, you're not planning on attacking him again, aren't you?" Lumine grabbed my sleeves, abruptly stopping me from taking a step forward.

"I'll be going now..." I shook her hands off and went forward again to attack.

"Arthur!"

I ignored her and focused my attention towards Athan as we fought each othera

"Haaaa!"

Instead of attempting to predict Athan's moves, I focused on increasing the speed and intensity of my attacks. I channeled all my strength and energy into each strike, creating a surge of pressure that seemed to momentarily throw Athan off balance.

In that split second of vulnerability, I seized the opportunity. My blade found its mark, striking Athan's side and sending him staggering backward.

I pressed my advantage, launching a rapid series of strikes that left Athan little room to counter. His attempts to evade were met with relentless pursuit, as I hounded him with a barrage of blows. The battle had shifted in my favor, the tide turning as I continued to press my advantage.

As sweat dripped down my brow, I could feel the strain in my muscles, the burning sensation of exertion. But I knew that this was my chance, my opportunity to overcome the enigmatic force that Athan had become.

With a final, powerful strike, I sent Athan crashing to the ground, his once-fluid movements reduced to a series of desperate attempts to defend himself. The battle had reached its climax, and the outcome was clear.

Or so, I thought it would be.

"Tch!"

Hearing the ominous clicking sound once again from behind, I instinctively propelled my body into a rapid spin, desperately attempting to evade the impending assault aimed at my vulnerable back.

Slash-!

Unfortunately, in spite of my efforts, his sword found its mark with chilling accuracy, its blade grazing against my nose as a sharp, stinging sensation radiated through the delicate skin. The brush with danger left a lingering reminder of the perilous encounter, a crimson trickle marking the point of contact.

As for his other katana, backing my right foot, I barely dodged his attack. When he was right in front of me, I threw an uppercut while he continue, not being able to stop because of the momentum.

"Urk-!"

I managed hit him directly on his chin, but I was immediately blasted away after a dark fog appeared in his hand.

"How is he even able to use magic without his crest!?" My voice held a mix of astonishment and disbelief as I tried to make sense of the baffling situation unfolding before us.

However, my attention quickly shifted as Athan's actions took a surprising and disturbing turn. Stepping back, he retrieved an object from his pocket and placed it in his mouth, the unmistakable sound of crunching filling the air. My eyes widened as realization dawned upon me.

"He's... He's eating magic stones!?" My incredulous words hung in the air, aghast at the sight before me. The sheer audacity of such a painful and dangerous method left me momentarily speechless.

My gaze shifted to the man standing beside Athan, the orchestrator of this ordeal. A surge of anger welled up within me, directed not at Athan, but at the figure who held control over him.

A sense of helplessness washed over me as I watched Athan silently consumed the magic stones without his expression changing. The anger that simmered within me transformed into a determined resolve. I couldn't allow this to continue unchecked, and I was determined to put an end to it.

As my grip tightened on my sword, my eyes shifted back to the man behind Athan. He grins when he noticed my gaze and took out something inside his pocket.

Shoo-!

Out of the sudden, a portal appeared in front of him as he stepped in.... This guy is planning to escape!

I was about to take a step forward when I noticed him mouthing something to Athan.

"Kill them."