Chapter 21: Fight
Chapter 21: Fight
The wolf's left head snarled softly, its body shifting into a predatory stance. Ren's eyes narrowed. It was making the first move.
The moment he had been waiting for arrived.
The beast lunged forward, its two heads snapping toward him with terrifying speed.
The aura around it flared, its strength multiplying as it propelled itself forward, faster than Ren anticipated.
Without a second thought, Ren drew his greatsword from his back in one fluid motion, feeling the weight of the blade as it left the scabbard.
He wasn't sure if he could defeat this beast head-on just yet, but he wasn't going to back down.
With his sword raised, Ren took a step forward, feeling the flow of his aura pulse through his body like the beating of his heart.
The battle had begun.
Ren's senses sharpened as he observed the beast's formidable strength. Its skin was thick, probably around the Uncommon rank, and each strike he landed seemed to barely faze it.
Despite his confident movements, the creature's tough hide meant that only a well-executed strike would truly make a difference.
So, Ren pressed on, moving fluidly with Tidal Fusion as he continued his engagement with the two-headed wolf.
Every strike was measured, every movement calculated. He was in his element now, his sword cutting through the air in sweeping arcs, his feet moving like water, dancing around the beast's attacks. Confidence began to build in him as he realized that, with the right technique, he could defeat it.
However, just as the momentum seemed to shift in his favor, a tingling sensation at the back of his mind snapped his attention to something else. His instincts flared.
Without hesitation, Ren dropped low, ducking under a wide swipe from the wolf's claws.
But before he could fully regain his stance, something massive shot toward him from the corner of his vision—a string of sharp, jagged earth.
Ren's heart raced. He turned just in time to see a figure emerging from the shadows: a One-Eyed Specter.
Its lone, glowing eye bore into him with cold intensity. Floating effortlessly, its two arms outstretched, it harnessed the earth element, using it to launch projectiles at Ren.
"Great," Ren muttered to himself, as the weight of the situation fully sank in. "A two-on-one."
Now, not only did he have to deal with the fierce two-headed wolf, but this new adversary, a Mana Beast, brought with it an entirely different challenge.
The specter's ability to manipulate the earth made it a formidable threat in its own right. It wasn't just a fight anymore—it was a test of endurance, adaptability, and survival.
As the One-Eyed Specter unleashed barrage after barrage of earth shots, and the two-headed Dire Wolf lunged at him with ferocity, Ren's mind was focused and clear.
He couldn't help but feel a deep gratitude for the swift footwork he had perfected over the past few days. His every movement flowed with precision, dancing between the dangerous strikes from the wolf and dodging the deadly earth projectiles with ease.
But he knew that this wasn't just about footwork anymore.
He was facing the combined threat of a long-range and short-range opponent, each one capable of exploiting his weaknesses.
Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, Ren didn't feel fear. The thought of retreat never even crossed his mind.
Deep inside, he was certain.
He was going to win.
Ren's eyes narrowed as the Dire Wolf began coating its claws and fangs in aura, preparing for its next vicious attack.
The moment its aura surged, Ren's smile curled slightly. He had been waiting for this.
With a swift, almost instinctual movement, he raised his long sword, feeling his own aura pulse through him.
He could feel the air shift. The time had come.
"Aura Zone."
The words rang out clearly, and in an instant, a one-meter radius around Ren became an impenetrable domain of pure, unyielding aura.
Within this space, every trace of the beast's aura was nullified. No external force could affect him, and no outside influence could touch his energy.
The balance shifted, and in that moment, Ren's control over the battle was absolute.
With a single, swift motion, Ren charged his sword with all the energy he could muster, channeling the power of his aura into the blade.
His muscles burned with the intensity, but his focus was unshakable.
As the wolf lunged at him, its dual heads poised to strike, Ren swung his sword with all his might, the blade cutting through the air with the precision of a master.
The impact was devastating.
One of the Dire Wolf's heads was cleaved clean off in a single, fluid motion.
The beast recoiled, stunned and disoriented, its body crumpling to the ground in a heap. Ren stood over it, chest heaving, his sword still glowing with the faint pulse of aura.
For a brief moment, the world around him was still.
Then, he shifted his focus.
The One-Eyed Specter was still a threat. But the battle had already shifted in his favor.
Seeing the Dire Wolf collapse and realizing he only had one opponent left, Ren wasted no time in assessing the situation.
The One-Eyed Specter had not stopped firing earthen spikes, its focus fixed on its next attack, leaving Ren with little opportunity to move without being struck.
Leaning against a thick tree, Ren could feel the weight of the battle pressing on him. His body was exhausted, and his movements were slowing.
Spikes of earth shot toward him from every angle, forcing him to stay low and avoid the barrage.
In a moment of clarity, Ren quickly devised a plan. Without hesitation, he removed his shirt and tossed it toward the right.
The fabric sailed through the air, only to be instantly impaled by a sharp earthen spike, pinning it to the ground. The Specter, fooled by the movement, shifted its focus slightly toward the decoy.
In that instant, Ren dashed left, using the tree trunks and the uneven terrain to his advantage.
His body moved with the grace and precision of someone who had spent days learning the art of swift movement, leaping from stump to stump, twisting and turning in the air to avoid further spikes. He had only one goal in mind—the Specter itself.
The Specter was still firing, oblivious to Ren's approach.
It continued to shoot, its focus narrowing as it locked onto the direction where it believed Ren would be.
But Ren was already closer, moving with a determined pace, his feet barely touching the ground as he moved through the dense underbrush.
Finally, he was within reach.
The Specter, its single eye still swiveling around in search of Ren, was caught off guard when Ren suddenly appeared before it, in a swift blur of motion. Ren's eyes locked onto the Specter's most vulnerable point—the eye.
Without hesitation, he raised his greatsword high and, with every ounce of strength left in him, drove the blade directly into the Specter's eye, piercing it through the center.
The beast let out a hollow, guttural scream as the sword shattered the eye, causing a sickening, wet crack as the orb shattered under the force of the blow.
The One-Eyed Specter shuddered violently, its body jerking and spasming before it crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Ren stood over the fallen beast, panting heavily as the adrenaline finally started to wear off.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, his sword still embedded deep in the Specter's skull. The battle was over.
"Well done. Decently executed," Kai remarked, making his presence known as he emerged from above.
The entire time, Kai had been lounging at the top of a nearby tree, his eyes closed and his posture relaxed as he gazed lazily at the sky, as if entirely indifferent to the battle raging below.
Ren's legs buckled under him as soon as he heard Kai's voice, and he collapsed onto the ground, panting, exhaustion washing over him from the continuous strain of techniques and movement.
Without sparing him a glance or offering the slightest hint of sympathy, Kai continued, "Both of those were Uncommon-rank beasts. Not bad for a first fight."
Kai's tone was calm but critical as he went on.
"However, it's clear where your weaknesses lie. Your body can't keep up with your instincts; you'll need to build your stamina if you want to hold your own for longer in real combat."
Ren listened intently, still catching his breath, as Kai delivered the next piece of feedback with the same straightforward ease.
"Your aura control is decent, but it's obvious there's room for improvement. For now, it's… passable."
After a full day spent in the dense, rugged terrain of the training area, Ren felt the weariness settle deep into his muscles.
His first battle had been intense, and although he knew he had plenty to work on, he couldn't help but feel a small rush of satisfaction at his progress.
But tonight, he longed for a different kind of training—a place where he could connect with the energy within him on a deeper level. He decided, after weeks away, to return to the Nexus.