Chapter 73: A Worthy Warrior's Honourable Duel

Some time later, the cultivators agreed to give up on the spoils and let Ares deal with the unfamiliar threat. It's not like there was any guarantee there would be any worthwhile treasures in the room anyway, so this was the safest bet. If they went in as a group, they might accidentally commit friendly fire when the lights went out. if they went individually, they weren't confident they could win. Throwing their lives away this early into the tomb was just being unnecessarily stubborn. There were a few who disagreed with this approach, but the numbers were completely skewed against them so they had to give up.

Ares, after receiving all the confirmation he needed, began strolling through the opening to the grassy area. He had qualms about fighting cute bunnies, but they weren't going to be convinced to stand down if he just tried talking it out. There was a limit to how gentle he was willing to be and right now he wanted to get past this place and explore further. If the kickas learnt their lesson quickly, he would spare however many were remaining after. Of course, convincing them was going to take a bit of work, so he decided on making an example of the first few that would come hopping at him. As if on cue, the second he thought that, the same bunny as before came leaping at Ares with phenomenal speed. The kicka hopped in a zig zag fashion before committing to a drill kick that was faster than any of the cultivators in the cave could follow. Thanks to Ares' omniscience, he could see everything clearly, including the kicka's unique appearance. kickas typically have brown fur with white, warpaint-like markings on their face, giving them a rather intimidating presence. 

The kicka in question wore a confident expression as it neared the head of its prey. The previous kick had been a warning not to disturb their territory. Now that they had come back, it was go time and the kicka planned on teaching the intruders a lesson they wouldn't forget any time soon. The 'human' within its sight was sluggish compared to itself, so this was predictably going to be an effortless kill. As the kicka neared the point of contact, however, that notion was quelled as the human's head swivelled to face the kicka with golden fire rolling off his predatory eyes. The kicka desperately scrambled to alter course as its natural instincts screamed at it to run away, but it was to no avail as it felt the human grab its leg, stopping it mid-air and all but dooming his fate. The human grinned down at the kicka who's heart almost gave in out of shock. The kicka was dragged over the human's head and slammed face first into the ground, giving him a massive concussion. He dazedly tried to drag himself away by using his ears to pull himself to safety as his world spun, but the human had never actually let go of him so he made no progress. The kicka thought that maybe its brethren would be able to save him as they all came leaping out of the bushes, but the kicka quickly realised that action had just made the situation worse as the human resorted to using his entire body as a weapon. The wind blew past its fur as it went swinging upward to intercept another kicka, smacking headfirst into his brethren who was flung away into a wall. Next the kicka was dragged overhead again to knock down another kicka mid dive, slamming it into the floor and breaking its back. The kicka firmly held by Ares dangled to and fro as he was held upside down, serving as a warning for the other kickas who were now hesitant to launch any attacks. Unexpectedly for the kickas, the grim reaper masquerading as a human spoke to them and offered them a deal.

"Let us through and I'll put your friend here down. If you don't, things are only going to get worse from here on out. You can't beat me, so step down."

Squeak (Who does this human think he is?)

"I think I'm the guy using your friend as a club to beat you all senseless."

Squeak? (You understand us?) The kickas had never met someone who could speak their language so they were understandably taken aback.

"Yes. Now the real question is, do you understand me when I tell you I have no problems killing every single one of you?"

Squeak? Squeak! (You think you're hot shit? Hit the lights!) One of the kickas rap up a wall and jumped backward, simultaneously destroying a nearby lightbulb with a sweep while using it as a platform to move onward to the next light. With a single, swift jump, it platformed across the sky while destroying all of the bulbs, darkening the entire room.

Squeakkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!! (Chargeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) With a single command, the lead kicka had effectively handed down all of his men a death sentence. The first kicka to understand this was the one who, after destroying all the lightbulbs, pushed off the ceiling and dived at the back of the human's head. 

Ares, well aware of the sneak attack, shifted his head an inch to the side, allowing the kicka to go barrelling past him. He wasn't letting the kicka go unpunished though as he kicked out, catching the kicka in the stomach. The kick was so brutal the kicka hovered in mid air even after Ares removed his foot as the blow had contained an Echo that was pummelling the kicka's stomach. The pain it was suffering was extinguished, along with its life, as the kicka Ares was wielding crashed down into the back of its head, splitting it open. This gave the other kickas pause as the human who was supposed to be helpless in the dark reacted perfectly.

SQUEAK! (Attack simultaneously, he can't take us all at once!) Despite the obvious implication here that some of the kickas were going to have to sacrifice themselves to take down the foe, there was zero hesitation as they leapt foot first into the jaws of death, unafraid for their lives. The kickas launched several attack from every conceivable direction, trapping Ares within the middle of an ambush that looked nigh inescapable. As the diving kickas came closing in, Ares ran annihilation magic through his weapon... The half dead kicka, and took a deep sigh that resounded throughout the cave. It was as if time came to a crawl seconds before the kicks landed. A calm voice reverberated off the walls and echoed in the ears of every living creature.

"Asura Rondo."

From outside the open area, back in the caves were Aejaz and the other cultivators were, nothing could be seen within the grassy arena. All the lights had been taken out and the area ahead was pitch black. Occasionally, a flash of golden light would illuminate Ares wildly swinging his weapon and manoeuvring through the kicka horde. Flash after flash revealed Ares' form as he struck down kicka after kicka, all the while his ominous laughter rang out, signalling his superiority over the group of battered creatures. With every flash of light, the number of kickas decreased and their enthusiasm faltered until the dull thuds coming from the grassy arena were silenced. A deathly quiet rolled throughout the cave.

…

Click

A series of floor lights switched on, bringing light back to the grassy arena. Standing tall, surrounded by small mounds of bloody, dead creatures, was an Ares who gave off the impression he was unassailable by even the fiercest of tides. He'd stood his ground, swatting away all his opposition and, now, his unyielding form silently declared victory. The dead kicka hanging upside down in his grip was simultaneously both an accessory to his spree of violence and a trophy celebrating his triumph.

Squeak (Stand down.)

With the dignified composure of a winner, Ares slowly craned his head to face the new threat. The other kickas that were still breathing retreated behind a daunting figure, the chief kicka. Kickas could evolve when their cultivation reached a specific point, the peak of mental accumulation. When they arrived at this goal, they would double in size and grow a pair of wings, very much like the kicka standing before Ares. Having understood that the newcomer posed a significant threat, Ares fully turned his body to face the chief who formed a wall between himself and his kicka brethren.

Squeak (If I die here, under my authority as chief, I order you all to yield.)

With a fierce resolution, the chief kicka declared his conditions for his brethren's' absolute surrender.

Squeak (As for me...) Sliding his left foot forward along the floor and bending his right knee, the chief took up a low stance as he spread his wings proudly. 

Squeak (… After today, I will either be remembered as a martyr, or an avenger.)

The chief, having said all he needed to and nothing more, propelled himself at Ares chest.

Ares gripped the dead kicka tightly, pouring all of his strength into the next swing as he took a resolute step forward.

The chief's foot twisted like a drill and the dead kicka was enveloped in a golden hue.

As the two connected...

"GRAND ANNIHILATION!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

 BOOOOOOOOOOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM

BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Chain explosions rattled the cave, bringing part of the ceiling down as the walls trembled under the pressure. The explosions kept triggering for what felt like an eternity, rocking the air and swaying the grass until the golden catastrophe's power started to dwindle. Everyone looked on with baited breath as the golden swirls dissipated, leaving behind a single figure, with a hole in the corner of his heart, stood on the grass. The other lay dead on the floor with a mangled body. 

Squeakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Cries of mourning rang out as the chief's unmoving corpse decorated the kicka's habitat. 

Ares glanced down at the damage he'd been dealt before looking at the chief's dead body and muttering to himself with sincerity, "I will remember you as both." His clothes covering his left shoulder were torn and there was a small hole drilled straight through his body, even nicking his heart. His left arm was slightly wounded and his chest had caved in slightly at the location the kick had landed. In his hand, the dead kicka he'd been swinging around had been obliterated from the foot up. It's dead body had housed and unleashed a Grand Annihilation, so there was essentially nothing left other than the blood that had splattered over Ares' hand and wrist.

Stepping past the corpse and the bushes of depressed kickas, Ares made his way to the back of the grassy area and found a shrine of sorts. Ares had seen it when he walked in earlier and assumed something of value lay within and now he got to reap the rewards. His hand reached out and grabbed the handle of the wooden mini-doors concealing the treasure...

Sigh

"Really? Can't you tell that's not a good idea?" Ares addressed the cultivator behind him trying to creep around.

"Oops, haha. Seems I've been caught. I don't suppose you'll believe me if I tell you I'm not after the treasure?" A thin and graceful man with a sleek face, dressed in white silk peeked out from behind a tree and playfully intoned his innocence.

"Let's say I do believe you. What do you actually want? I'm the only other thing of note here, so make it snappy before I snap your neck." Ares decided to be cautious around this person as his presence was odd. It's like he only existed in form but not in actuality, like he was a projection without flesh. Ares remembered this was the cultivator who'd been skating on his Tricky Rink earlier and that was enough reason to keep him at arms length until Ares knew what he was after.

"Sounds painful. I'd rather not have that happen to my delicate self, so I guess I'll just have to come clean, eh? Fleeting Glimpse sends their regards." The man gave a polite bow while turning his dark eyes up to Ares.

"Why? Scouting in advance of the tournament, maybe?"

"Precisely! Oh you are a clever one, aren't you? We didn't send anyone to Red Sun this year because our expectations were low but, wow, you certainly blew them out of the water, didn't you!? You're a real bundle of fun, you know that? All these colourful arts, that massive explosion... Aejaz."

"I'm surprised you even know about him." Aejaz' family was originally from another continent. The main branch had come over to visit the Central land branch and abandoned Aejaz while they were here.

"I was but a tiny little boy when the main branch visited but, I must say, I was truly enamoured with them all. Especially a pretty boy like Aejaz, he stood out like a sore thumb. You can imagine my dismay when I learnt he'd been cast out... I would have loved to get to know him better, maybe even..." The man took a deep breath through his nose as his head turned to the sky. "... Stab him a few times. Still, a disgrace is a disgrace and I'm not here for him. Not that I won't mention it to the clan when I return, I just don't think anyone will care. I once thought he shone bright, but now I see an even brighter star before me. A waxen star. One that burns brightly... But for how long? It would be wise of you not to make enemies you can't handle, Ares. You're attracting a lot of attention, and I'm not even talking about mine. I may not have what it takes to bring you to heel, no matter how badly I want to riddle you with holes, but there are people within the clan who can. You are wanted, Ares. Still, if we can't have you... You know the rest, don't you?"

"You're in over your head. You and your clan truly don't understand the scope of the person you're messing with." Ares pointed a finger at himself in case it wasn't obvious. "You will understand in due time, everyone will. For now, just know that I am well and truly beyond everything you are and ever will be. Your clan means nothing to me and I will gladly reduce it to rubble if it tries to stand in my way. I'm quite good at that, you see. Make no mistake though, I am not the one that will deal with you shadowy pests in the tournament. You're humiliation at the international will not come by my hand, it doesn't need to. I have nothing else to say to you, and there's nothing left for you here other than a Grand Annihilation if you push your luck. I would strongly recommend you leave."

"Ooh, scary! I'll let the clan know about your thoughts on the matter." A white mist slowly coated the cultivator. "We'll be in touch, Ares... Mmmm, that hole in your chest is truly, truly beautiful." The cultivator licked his lips before disappearing completely. As he faded away, he heard Ares snort derisively and spit.

"Good luck, creep."

The cultivator was gone for good. He reappeared in a field outside the tomb and far away from Red Sun. The Fleeting Glimpse clan had access to some pretty expensive treasures capable of long range Teleportation that were good for escaping the scene of the crime. The cultivator chuckled to himself remembering the conversation he had and stretched his arms in the air. As he looked at the sky, wishing he could poke wounds into the clouds above, he noticed a golden shimmer to the side of his head. He looked over and was left speechless by the Shock Bead hovering next to him. His thoughts raced as he went over everything in his head, coming to the conclusion that Ares had flicked the Bead into his pocket when he raised his finger to point at himself. This wasn't actually correct, but it didn't matter right now as he couldn't care less about the truth. An overwhelming rage drowned the cultivator as he glared in anger at the Shock Bead on the verge of exploding in his face. With a deep hatred, he roared, "YOU BASTARD!" as his hand darted for his other pocket to pull out a treasure...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM

A golden dome covered his figure. Whether he got the treasure out in time or not... That was anyone's guess.

Back in bunny land, Ares was playfully punching his brother's arm. "See? You're more slick than any of your clan members by a long shot. You were here the whole time and he didn't even know. Hell, he didn't even notice you Relocating the bead into his pocket with your magic."

Aejaz smiled wryly. "That's just some weirdo from the branch family here in Central. The main family would never have let that happen to them..."

"Sure, but you're not going to be relying on petty trickery like that in the future, so who cares? I was serious earlier. It's not going to be me that does them in at the international. I'm going to make sure you do it. I swear I'll make you capable of that by the time you need to do it, so don't go chickening out on me."

Scratching his head, Aejaz could do nothing other than let out a sigh and nod his head. "Enough about that... I wanna see the treasure!"

"Ha, fine." Ares put his hand on the handle and actually followed through his time, opening up the shrine. "Oh? Interesting... Sorry, but this one's mine." Ares eyed the rolled scroll with the word 'TECHNICAL' written on it.

"Ah, no worries. You can take whatever you want. Besides, you earned it, not me. What is it, anyway?"

"It's a little complicated... To put it simply, it allows you to learn someone else's unique art instantly. Learning a unique art can take an extremely long time and most people aren't willing to hand them down anyway. The secrecy regarding unique arts is fairly commonplace and most people typically take the art with them to the grave. Some clans and organisations even have a death penalty for those who leak clan-specific unique arts, it's that serious. Still, there are some who don't care as much. Some people are proud in their creations and want their art to outlive them. There are even a few unique arts that were spread wide and far, becoming regular arts thanks to the amount of people who used them. The creators of these once-unique arts are often revered for their selflessness. Still, that approach is incredibly rare and cultivators will really only pass the unique art down to one or two people at most, if anyone. As for these scrolls, they can take an absurdly long time to produce as they require an intricate understanding of the art; one so profound the knowledge can instantly be transferred to anyone who so much as glances at the scroll's contents. Sometimes the cultivator may even have to sacrifice some cultivation to get the scroll completed, so these things are valuable. The scrolls are one-time uses though, which is why the pillar they're for is written on the outside. Imagine spending the better half of your life producing one of these things for, say, a fire pillar unique art only for someone who has a negative affinity with the fire pillar to stumble across it... That would be atrocious. At least this way they can be sold if they aren't useful to the person who finds them. This is a technical though and literally anyone can learn it. It's an incredible find."

"Urge to steal... Rising..."

Thwack

"I learnt that technique from Enyo!" Ares declared proudly after slapping the back of his brother's head. "Enough messing around, let's open this bad boy up!" Doing precisely what he said he would, Ares unfurled the scroll and gazed at the words written on it. The words fell off the page and were funnelled into Ares' forehead while the scroll burnt to a crisp. Ares closed his eyes for a few seconds as he digested all of the new information. Ares couldn't help but smile even before his eyes reopened as this art was going to be a good one for him, really good. It was simple... Extremely so. Many people would probably be disappointed with an art like this after having worked so hard to get it, but Ares was not upset in the slightest.

Aejaz was practically bounding around his brother in a manner that was reminiscent of the kickas from earlier. "Don't keep me in suspense! What was it?"

"Double Jump."

"... Wow that sucks. Ha, you got conned!"

Ares shook his head and decided showing his silly brother the true power of this art would be simpler than explaining it to him. He clicked his finger at Aejaz to get his attention. "Hey, watch."

Aejaz stared at his brother... Gone? Aejaz' head tilted in confusion as his brother disappeared on the spot. As Aejaz was familiar with Shift, he knew that wasn't what had happened... He looked around and couldn't find Ares until he eventually looked up and finally found his brother sitting on a tree branch with a smirk. Ares leaned off the branch and disappeared again. Aejaz didn't get a chance to play where's wally again as he felt Ares poke him in the back, so the answer was obvious. "The hell? How are you doing that?"

Ares chuckled and walked in front of Ares. "I'm Double Jumping, obviously."

Obvious my ass, Aejaz thought. "No seriously... What?"

"The Double Jump works by creating a blast of air under your feet. Sound familiar?"

"... Echoes?"

"Correct. Now what do you think will happen if I use both Double Jump and Echoes at the same time? I go flying! The speed at which I'm launched is pretty ridiculous. The first time I used it, I just stood still and activated both. I was pushed up into the air before you could even realise I was gone. I landed in the tree and waited for you to notice. When you did, I kicked off the tree trunk while activating both arts again. The speedy launch brought me down to the floor behind you pretty much instantly. Don't get me wrong, the original use for Double Jump is handy, but combining it with Echoes to dash around at Mach ten is way better. I can also get some serious height with it instead of having to blow myself up every time I want to go up into the air. I feel like there's more I can do with this, but I'll just have to test in my own time to discover other possibilities. Ah, but there is one more I can show you."

Aejaz watched as Ares raised his foot toward him and placed it on his chest... "Wait a minut... BLEUGH." Aejaz was blasted across the room and into a couple of bushes.

Ares used his new art to dash over, appearing out of thin air next to his brother. "And that was me holding back. If you're curious, I used double jump on you directly. If I combined that attack with an Echo... You'd be in a world of hurt right about now!"

"I ALREADY AM!"

Ares laughed as he pulled his brother, covered in leaves, to his feet. "You don't seem that bad to me. Come on, let's go."

Ares disappeared and Aejaz kissed his teeth. Now that his brother had a new art, he was going to play around with it nonstop until he got bored of it. Unlike the other arts Ares had created recently, this one looked spam-able as the mana cost probably wasn't that high, unlike Perish Wheel, and there were no requirements that had to be met, unlike Grim Cessation. Whatever... As long as he doesn't use it on me again... 

As Ares returned to collect his cultivator cannon fodder, he made sure to do a couple laps around the open area, jumping off walls and racing along the perimeter freely first. As someone who placed a great deal of importance on mobility, this art was perfect for Ares. This art made him fast enough to keep up with even Gladius' Essedarius, on foot, and then some. His speed, while using this art, had borderline tripled; and its not like he was slow to begin with. The only question he had left in his head was whether or not this art was created by the owner of the tomb, or by the chief. Ares strongly leant towards the latter. There were plenty of chief kickas out there, but this one seemed special. His power was incomparable to any other kickas Ares had read about and he seemed a degree or two more intelligent as well. Plus the art had just been sitting there, meaning unless he was under strict orders, the chief could have obtained it whenever he wanted. It was looking more and more likely the chief was the inventor the more Ares thought about it so Ares said his thanks to the chief in his head and promised to do right by his art. He would get a lot of mileage out of it, the least he could do was take it out into the wider world and show it off for the deceased chief. It's probably what the kicka would have wanted.