Chapter 68 - Attack (14)

Nathan's boots skidded against the dirt, his katana humming with a metallic whir as he steadied his stance.

The hooded man stood across from him, his dark cloak billowing from the force of their initial clash.

A low chuckle rumbled from beneath the shadow of the hood.

"You fight quite well for a spoiled little brat."

Nathan scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "And you fight exactly how I expected from a lesser—all brute force, no brains."

The hooded man's fingers twitched before he raised his left hand.

A sudden surge of mana flared around him, warping the air with its pressure.

With a flick of his wrist, the ground split open, and a massive chunk of earth and stone—easily the size of a carriage—shot towards Nathan.

Nathan's wings snapped open. With a single beat, he propelled himself high into the air, twisting mid-flight to narrowly dodge the makeshift projectile.

As he flipped, he caught sight of the hooded man leaping after him, his fist cocked back, mana crackling around his knuckles like jagged lightning.

Nathan crossed his arms just as the punch connected. His nano-tech suit absorbed the worst of the impact, but the force still sent him rocketing backward.

He flared his wings to slow his descent, his feet carving deep trenches into the dirt as he landed.

The hooded man touched down gracefully, shaking his hand as if flexing out the residual impact. "What's wrong, brat? That suit of yours not enough?"

Nathan spat to the side. His katana by his side. "If you're done flexing, let's end this."

The hooded man smirked. "Gladly."

With a smooth motion, he reached into a spatial ring on his finger, and a gleaming longsword materialized in his grasp.

The blade pulsed with mana, a faint hum vibrating through the air.

Nathan didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his katana slicing through the space between them.

The hooded man reacted instantly, parrying the strike with his sword. Sparks flew as metal screeched against metal, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the ground.

Nathan twisted, using his momentum to drive a knee toward the man's ribs.

The hooded man caught it with his forearm, but the sheer force sent him skidding back.

Before he could recover, Nathan spun, using his wings to propel himself forward. His katana came down in a brutal arc.

The hooded man barely had time to block, his feet digging into the earth from the impact.

He let out a low growl, his lips pulling back slightly—just enough for Nathan to catch the glint of sharp, wolf-like fangs.

With a snarl, the man pushed back, forcing Nathan away.

His hood, torn from the clash, fluttered to the ground, revealing his face fully.

A half-beastman—wolf-like fangs, elf-like ears, and piercing golden eyes filled with mana-fueled rage.

Nathan cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? That explains the barking."

The beastman's face darkened. "You little brat."

Mana flared violently around him as he dashed forward. His speed was insane—far faster than before.

Nathan barely had time to bring up his katana before the beastman's sword slammed into it. The impact sent him staggering.

Nathan cursed under his breath. The bastard was augmenting his body with mana—enhancing his strength, speed, and reflexes beyond natural limits. And being both beastman and elf he was freaking good at it.

The beastman pressed the attack, his sword a blur of silver as he unleashed a relentless assault.

Nathan dodged, ducked, and parried, his katana adjusting with each strike to counter the beastman's overwhelming force.

The beastman then grabbed a nearby tree, his fingers digging into the bark like it was mere paper. With a grunt, he ripped it from the ground and hurled it at Nathan.

Nathan's wings snapped open, and he shot upwards. "You fucking stupid lesser—what kind of dumbass throws a whole tree?"

The beastman snarled, leaping after him with mana-fueled speed. "The kind that kills spoiled brats like you!"

Nathan barely managed to twist mid-air, evading the beastman's sword by inches. But the bastard was relentless—he lashed out again, forcing Nathan to block.

The sheer impact sent him spiraling downward, crashing into the dirt hard enough to form a small crater.

Dust filled the air as Nathan groaned. His muscles ached badly.

He forced himself up just in time to see the beastman dropping toward him, sword aimed straight for his chest.

Nathan rolled at the last second. The beastman's sword slammed into the ground, carving a deep fissure into the earth.

Nathan then seized the opening, pivoting sharply and bringing his katana in a sweeping arc.

The beastman twisted, barely avoiding a fatal strike, but not unscathed—Nathan's blade sliced across his side, drawing blood.

The beastman hissed, staggering back. His free hand clutched his wound, crimson staining his fingers. His golden eyes locked onto Nathan with pure fury.

Nathan exhaled, gripping his katana tightly. "Had enough, lesser?"

The beastman roared, mana surging around him like a violent storm. His body twitched unnaturally, his muscles swelling as he poured everything into one final attack.

Nathan's eyes narrowed.

This was it.

The beastman lunged, his sword carving through the air with devastating force.

Nathan moved.

His wings flared. His katana whirred. His body twisted, slipping past the beastman's strike by a hair's breadth. And then—

SHING!

A clean cut.

The beastman's charge faltered. His golden eyes widened. His grip on his sword loosened.

His head slipped from his shoulders.

Nathan exhaled as the beastman's body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling around the severed head.

He barely had the energy to stay standing. His katana hissed as it deactivated, and he then sheathed it with a slow, deliberate motion.

The fight was over.

And he was exhausted.