Chapter 46: Two shadows

Solan was surprised, he hadn't expected anyone to know his name nor his nickname. Being known throughout out the sea was no simple task, to have your name spoken in a third of the continent required you to achieve something significant or make a huge name for yourself through efforts like Lumine who was the grandmaster or admiral Benedict who was a well known bounty hunter. 

 "You know me? I'm flattered" Solan said with a calm tone, yet his nervous smile beneath the mask didn't hide anything.

"I've only heard about yo through rumors and stories..."

"A child that killed a elder beast at the age of 8. I'm honored to meet such a legendary person".

Solan wasn't sure if the mysterious figure was being ironic or not. The man was visibly an enemy but there were something else about them which he couldn't wrap his fingers with.

"How do you know my name?"

"Names circulate in the underworld all the time, yours's specifically".

"Really?" there was an amusement in Solan's tone yet he couldn't feel prideful having his name known in the criminal world.

"What makes my name so special?" 

"You possess a unknown vessel. Usually when a person has such world changing powers their skills and abilities are spoken through the word of mouth because who wouldn't want to witness such capabilities".

"Though, your vessel is completely classified... You've been hunting an absurd amount of leviathans the last 8 years, hated by the anax, terrified by the people... and yet nobody knows what your vessel truly us. But of course there are theories for what possess". The man explained clearly with a hint of knowledge as he seemed clearly aware about Solan's past history and even had theories. 

One thing sure, Solan loved theories and conspiracies alike.

"Enlighten me".

"Well, some say you can twist the mind of Leviathans leaving them in a state of insanity, others say you possess a greater force that bends rules of reality itself".

"Bends the reality of rules itself" Solan muttered lightly under his breath giggling to himself quietly.

He wasn't wrong, technically his resurgence to resurrect the undead was something that was unheard of. But... technically all of the vessel users were like that... their powers themselves bends the rules of reality. Materializing weapons from thin air? how could that be possible? are they being summoned by some greater force that humans are not capable to understand? Or how about admiral Sarah who can summon thunder with just the clap of her hand? Is it the weather bending to her control or is it her who somehow can summon particles to use her powers.

There's always room for exploration and much to be explained, just thinking about how deep the origins of vessel's went and how they truly worked fascinated Solan — He couldn't but feel his skin tingle when the topic was mentioned, he knew how it worked to some vague extent, that it had to do something with your mental state.

"You know I possess a vessel and yet you have nerves to show yourself to me?"

The mysterious figure lowered his arm onto the edge of the roof he was standing by — unsure if he was leaving or going to continue the encounter.

"...Well, I did come here to talk about your unknown power because I'm interested... and the information I can gain can be valuable for some".

"And how will you do th-".

Before Solan could finish his last word the mysterious figure had appeared Infront of him, closing the gap of 40 meters in a mere instant with a dagger charged at him. It was a unbelievable speed that caught Solan off guard. He hadn't witnessed such force since his last spar with his master 2 weeks ago. The fact he was so fast told Solan everything he needed to know — This person is assassin.

"Amazing...". Solan said as he backstepped just barely moving out the way.

With a swift thought he called off his spear — sparkling through the air in a disarraying fade. Countering the pierce attack the enemy had left openings for a slight second for him to interfere, with a quick summon two flintlocks appeared in hand — without hesitation Solan pulled the triggers instantly after completion. 

--bang! bang!--

Just as he thought he got in two hits Solan was fast to realize something shocking — his eyes widened in confusion seeing his a huge hole in the enemies chest and stomach, the parts that had disappeared was radiating in a shadowy flames that seemed to go straight through him. 

With a quick follow-up his recalled his spear piercing through as the next attack only for it to go straight through the enemy — There were no hit of any organs nor flesh... it was like piercing through flames. He came to realize what was backing the figures unique confident... They were a vessel user too.

"A vessel user? working for criminals and in the middle of komod?"

Solan had heard of unknown vessel users before. Usually to obtain a vessel you had to go through the marines or the anax guild to have permission to wield powers. There were strict measurements as you couldn't just obtain powers without restrictions and observation by higher ups in each respective organization. The current known number of users were estimated to be 20-30 people on the entire sea of Ygdan — everyone were either famous hunters or warriors who had achieved these powers through their willpower and resilient hunts.

Some obtained vessel without inspection or permission which was processed through underworld or illegal means. Like selling illegal leviathans on auctions or other means. This person wielded powers that had gone unnoticed by the anax or the marines.

"Your a vessel user?" Solan asked, back stepping to create a great gap between the two.

"Yeah, you must've been surprised?" The person answered simply.

"I've never heard of the ability to be invulnerable to any physical attacks". Solan asked questioning the enemy.

"Your face tells me that you think I must've obtained this power through cowardly ways? Don't worry I hunted the leviathans heroically by myself".

Solan's face grunted in suspicion.

"...You were a hunter?"

"...Something like that yes".

"No, My cousin was... This power belonged to an unofficial Leviathan that inhabited the greater mountains in south... A shadowless beast that was a master at camouflage and dexterity, shadowless elder beast Devas"

"Devas? I've been hunting for 8 years, I've never heard of it".

"Of course, this beast was hunted 20 years ago without the guidance of the anax or any license... Nor was there any report written on it because my cousin killed it at the moment of its first sighting".

Solan was contemplating to himself, with the new information about an illegal vessel appearing it opened room for many discussion. How could they transfuse the elder's blood without machinery of the Soldat or the anax? Was there a traditional way? And what the reasoning to possess such chaotic force.

If Solan couldn't counter his enemy with physical attacks it meant he could only use the raw power of his own abilities. With a deep breath he cloaked the spear in his hand in a surge of energy that turned into raw energy, a see through blade made from pure energy that Solan had gathered within the warmth of his body.

"And don't worry, its not used the offensive type... the beast that originally had this power was a nocturnal one that only hunted at night, away from the sights of any humans and more threatening leviathans... Its good for defense but can work offensive if you know how to utilize it to its limit".

Throwing serval shadow cloaked daggers Solan blocked them by spinning his spear in a fast rotation to deflect them.

Charging fast and hard he twisted his body to get the max intensity into the next thrust but was dodged when he super jumped over him several meters above. Twisting his wrist slightly the spear was raised up in the air in a instant.

"...He's way too fast" Was Solan's first thought.

If there was something that annoyed Solan was fast people that showed no restriction to inhumane speed, almost like they were some kind of flies flying around but you'd never catch.

The person swiftly pointed his hand at Solan before a orb of shadow was formed beneath his palm — The sudden release of smaller black beams was headed directly to Solan's position and throwing the spear up it clashed with the two minor forces. 

Twisting his hand the spear was surrounded by the telekinetic force Solan possessed moving it at will in the air. 

"Hit his body no matter the situation!"

As the spear acted on command the spear turned 90 degrees in a instant going into patterns leaving light trails of energy behind. The spear acted like it was its own person and zoomed through the figure's body so fast it barely left the figure to react.

--Swosh!--

To no surprise it left little effect going straight through his body that was made out of flames.

"Try harder then that soldier-".

Before finishing his arrogant way of speaking the figure felt his heart beating loud for a moment leaving him frozen for a second.

"W-What?"

"If physical attacks wont work I'll have to add my own sauce to it right?"

By imbuing his spear with the resurgence vessel it could leave trails of insanity behind serving as poison or internal bleeding — If one thing was sure Solan was the one who had the wider range of vessels thanks to his damned abilities and past successors.