The hunters spark(2)

Shit! Shit!"

Belial cursed under his breath as black blood trickled from his throat, staining his lips and pooling in his mouth.

With a quick motion, he enveloped himself in a protective dome of darkness, concealing his injuries from prying eyes. He hastily wiped away the blood with his jacket, the dark fabric blending seamlessly with the shadows around him.

Outside the arena, the air grew tense as the sound of armored footsteps echoed through the hallway, signaling the arrival of an unknown presence. Just before the newcomers entered the scene, Belial received an incoming call from Cole Blackburn,

"Kid, are you okay?" Cole's voice crackled through the connection, laced with concern.

"Did anyone see??" Belial responded, his voice strained with urgency.

"No, I think you covered yourself up quick enough," Cole reassured him, his tone steady despite the gravity of the situation.

As the call ended, Belial breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for Cole's guidance and support. But his moment of respite was short-lived as Micah, ever curious, inquired about the unexpected call.

"You're on a call? Who's that??" Micah pressed eagerly, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Cole brushed off the question with a dismissive wave, his focus returning to the task at hand.

"None of your beeswax, Micah," he replied curtly, gently nudging Micah aside as he turned his attention back to the unfolding events before them.

As Cole and Micah engaged in their banter, the metallic echo of approaching footsteps drew their attention to the entrance of the arena. Before them stood a blond knight, his demeanor solemn and his gaze piercing as he approached.

Dressed in a long white coat adorned with crosses, Captain Adrian Carter exuded an air of authority as he knelt before Micah, showing deference to the archangel.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr..?" He couldn't tell who it was but he could tell he had authority of some kind to be in the black box.

"First commander himmel murrer, I came in place of the fuhrer " Micah responded

himml twitched abit from the sudden call of his name but still remained rigid

"Ah! a fellow soldier, I am Captain Adrian Carter, here on behalf of the Holy Order for an investigation. Please don't mind me," he stated respectfully.

Micah acknowledged the captain's presence with a nod of acceptance. "It's fine," he replied, his voice carrying a sense of calm authority.

As Captain Carter paid his respects to Grandmaster Jin Lei, Cole couldn't help but notice the disdainful glare directed his way. Despite being of higher rank, Carter's attitude towards Cole remained dismissive, a fact that didn't escape Cole's notice.

"He doesn't even respect me, even though I'm a crown. Still insolent as always," Cole mused silently, his frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Aware of the potential tension brewing between them, Micah exchanged a knowing glance with Cole, silently cautioning him to tread carefully in the presence of the formidable knight.

As Captain Carter positioned himself across from Micah, the atmosphere crackled with unspoken tension. Cole's mind raced with thoughts of the dangers posed by the enigmatic knight, his instincts warning him to remain vigilant in the face of potential threats.

"The kid has to be careful from now on. This bastard of a knight is a real nutcase," Cole thought to himself,

*

As Gael approached the dark dome where Belial had sought refuge, he couldn't help but feel a surge of impatience. "How long are you going to stay in there? I'm getting real impatient you know," he called out, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Can't you just give me a few more minutes to pamper myself?" he retorted, his tone playful despite the seriousness of their situation.

Slowly, the darkness of the dome began to fade away, revealing Belial standing unscathed before Gael. To Gael's surprise, there was no sign of blood in sight, despite the intensity of their previous exchange.

"By the way, I already knocked you down once. Two more to go," Belial declared, holding up two fingers as a silent reminder of their ongoing challenge.

This kid isn't strong. His ether is below average at best, but he's keeping up with me. I haven't had this much fun since Craver!" Gael mused to himself, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

With a sense of anticipation, Gael addressed Belial, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Ready for round two?" he asked, eager to continue their intense duel.

In response, Belial's gaze hardened, his determination shining through. "I just want that damn ring," he replied, his words carrying a quiet intensity.

'With this guys strength I can't repeat the same move again I gotta try something new'

A loud sonic blast was heard from a distance, for a second it caught Belial's attention as he would know that sound from anywhere,

'I guess if xin is going all out I might as well'

With a swift flourish of his sword, Belial launched himself forward, his movements fluid and precise as he closed the distance between himself and Gael.

His blade shimmered in the dappled light of the forest, poised to strike with deadly accuracy.

Gael met Belial's advance head-on, his own movements a blur of speed and agility as he deftly parried each of Belial's blows. Despite the intensity of their exchange, neither combatant could gain the upper hand, their skills and determination perfectly matched.

The clash of steel echoed through the trees as they danced around each other, each seeking an opening in the other's defenses. Belial's swordsmanship was masterful, his strikes calculated and precise, while Gael's movements were swift and unpredictable, keeping Belial on his toes.

For every strike Belial delivered, Gael countered with equal force, Each blow was met with a fierce determination, neither willing to yield an inch of ground to the other.

'We're even, no he's holding back to match me in strength.'

"Alright, now that you've proven yourself, how about we ramp up to level 2?" Gael's voice cut through the tension, his eyes alight with determination as he addressed Belial.

Belial's brow furrowed in confusion at Gael's cryptic words. "Level 2?" he thought to himself,

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, Gael darted forward with lightning speed, leaving Belial barely enough time to react. With a graceful leap, Belial managed to evade Gael's initial strike, but the momentum of the attack sent him hurtling through the air.

[Alert: Individual Gael has increased his speed by 25%]

Belial's eyes widened in surprise as the system notification flashed before him.

"Huh?" he muttered, struggling to keep pace with Gael's sudden increase in speed.

In the blink of an eye, Gael appeared above Belial, his fist hurtling towards him with unstoppable force.

"Shi-"

Belial's attempt to deploy a barrier was cut short as Gael's punch connected with devastating accuracy, sending him crashing to the ground below.

As the dust settled and the echoes of their clash faded, Belial rose unsteadily to his feet, his blade chipped from the force of Gael's blow. Though he remained standing, the strain of the battle weighed heavily upon him, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to maintain his composure.

[Warning: Large amounts of killing intent detected from the individual Serah]

Across the audience , Serah's eyes narrowed dangerously, her aura pulsating with an unsettling intensity. A cold sweat ran down Cassidy and Jia's spines as they felt the overwhelming pressure emanating from Serah's presence.

"She's so scary..." Belial whispered, his voice barely audible over the anger-filled atmosphere

Gael wasted no time in pressing his advantage, launching a relentless assault against Belial with unmatched ferocity. His strikes came fast and furious, each blow aimed with deadly precision as he sought to break through Belial's defenses once and for all.

Belial, his senses sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins, fought back with all the skill and determination he could muster. Yet, despite his best efforts, he found himself struggling to keep up with Gael's relentless barrage.

Come on, boy, I thought you wanted the ring!" Gael's taunt rang out through the arena, but Belial paid it little heed. He knew that now was not the time for distractions.

'Maybe if i…'

With a quick retort, Belial snapped back at Gael, his words laced with frustration. "If you stop spewing your hot-ass breath, maybe I can get time to think!" he shot back,

But Gael remained unfazed, his focus unbroken as he continued to press his advantage in the fight. Belial's attempt at banter fell on deaf ears, confirming his suspicion that Gael was not one to be swayed by mere words alone.

'Thought so, my regular yapping won't work on this guy' confirmed Belial to himself ,

With no time to waste, Belial formulated a plan. Drawing upon his mastery over darkness, he summoned two additional swords identical to the one he held in his hand. With a deft motion, he set the newly created blades into motion, directing them to attack Gael simultaneously alongside his own strikes.

As the three swords circled through the air in a coordinated assault, Belial felt a surge of satisfaction. Finally, he had found a way to even the playing field against his formidable opponent.

As Belial unleashed his coordinated assault with three swords, Gael found himself momentarily taken aback by the sudden increase in ferocity from his opponent. However, he quickly regained his composure, his instincts kicking into overdrive as he prepared to meet the onslaught head-on.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Gael deftly dodged and parried the flurry of strikes coming at him from all directions. Despite the increased pressure, he managed to hold his ground, his movements fluid and precise as he sought out openings in Belial's defenses.

Belial, sensing a slight advantage with his new strategy, pressed his attack with renewed vigor. With each strike, he pushed Gael further and further back, his blades dancing through the air with deadly accuracy.

As Belial continued his assault, he observed with growing fascination that some of his attacks were managing to slip past Gael's defenses. Sensing an opportunity, he seized the moment to consult the Oracle, seeking clarity on this unexpected phenomenon.

"Hey, Oracle?" Belial called out mentally, his thoughts reaching out to the talent for guidance.

[How may I be of assistance?] came the blue prompt response, the Oracle ready to provide aid.

Belial wasted no time in posing his question. "Why is it that some of my attacks go through the defenses, even when he's using ether to protect himself?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued by this newfound advantage.

[Ether attacks are best suited when focused on one area. For example, when attacking, ether is mostly used at the point of attack, concentrated on fists. However, this leaves other parts of the body with weaker defense.]

"So if I just..." Belial trailed off, his mind racing with possibilities as he formulated a plan of attack.

As Gael struggled to defend against the onslaught, Belial's eyes began to glow with a brilliant purple hue,

With a swift and decisive motion, a small sword materialized in Belial's hand, aimed directly at Gael's knee. The blade sliced through the air with deadly accuracy, finding its mark and forcing Gael to kneel in pain.

"That's two, chump," Belial declared with a small grin,

To his surprise, Gael responded with a grin, his expression one of approval rather than defeat.

"Good, good," he acknowledged,

[Alert: Individual Gael-]

Before Belial could finish processing Oracle's message, he felt a sudden impact, the air forcibly expelled from his lungs as Gael's lightning-charged fist connected with devastating force.

{Dragon Lightning Fist}

The Dragon Lightning Fist, a martial art known to few, struck Belial with unparalleled power. Originating from the teachings of Grandmaster Jin Lei, it was a technique passed down through the Lei family and now taught in Jin's martial arts school.

Knocked unconscious once again, Belial found himself suspended high in the air, his body limp and vulnerable.

[Initiating: Emergency Wake-Up Sequence] Belials iris turned green his pupils a bright gold,

[Permission to Temporarily Take Over the User's Body: Confirmed]

[Switching Tenacity Mode: Internal]

[Activating Hax: Shadow Trigger]

In an instant, Belial jolted awake, his senses assaulted by a pain he shouldn't be feeling. With a surge of panic, he realized he was plummeting towards the ground, his descent unchecked and perilous.

[Deactivating Hax]

[Releasing Control to User]

Struggling to maintain his composure, Belial attempted to summon his wings to slow his fall, but the eyes of the audience bore down upon him, their gazes unwavering as they watched the spectacle unfold.

With no other options available, Belial encased himself in a sphere of darkness, desperately trying to halt his descent by flying inside the dome. But to his horror,he found himself plastered on the roof of the sphere.

"Shit! Why isn't this working!?" Belial cursed, his voice tinged with desperation as he grappled with the grim reality of his situation.

[Alert: Due to the velocity at which the sphere is falling, your velocity is also the same. You will die at this rate of velocity.]