Chapter 17 - The Difference in Power

<p>When Reniel looked up at the scrawny kid after an impossible amount of damage had somehow been dealt to him, all he saw was a demon.<br/><br/> The grin on the boy's face had a certain insanity hiding within it, as if he was enjoying being thrown around and exchanging blows. His eyes bore holes into Reniel, the left one amber, the other glowing with so much Mana that he could barely see the crosshair shape of his iris as the Mana poured out, almost in a mist.<br/><br/> And yet, all the man could think about was how insolent and rude this demon was, sending him into a fury.<br/><br/> His knee wobbles slightly; he didn't mind it, but the boy clearly picked up on it, as the chipped weapon he held twitched in response.<br/><br/> 'I shall put this weakling in his place.'<br/><br/> Reniel didn't like to curse in his future patron's shrine, but…<br/><br/> "If you are so afraid of my Strength, I shall heed your worries and kill you with grace, you fucking shithead."<br/><br/>- - -<br/><br/> Reniel lifts his sword, causing my grin to grow. <br/><br/> "Bring it, you fucking loser."<br/><br/>[Reniel Estim activated Skill Slash+.]<br/>[Skill Slash was activated.]<br/><br/> Reniel darts forward, closing the distance, but—<br/><br/> "He got slower." Mostly likely due to his injured knee, I found it much easier to keep up with his movements.<br/><br/> Contrary to his words, as soon as our blades clashed, he pushes onwards, shattering the second Canine. No, wait. He had targeted the chip in the blade. "Ah, that's what he meant by grace, huh." He had about 20 Accuracy, so I had already assumed it would be somewhat strong.<br/><br/> "Will you shut up that incessant muttering!"<br/><br/> A flurry of slashes flies from his arm and I fall back, his blade cutting into my skin shallowly. I roll, popping up to my feet as two bonelike daggers materialize into my hands, crafted the same way as the Upper Canines.<br/><br/>[Skill Slash was activated.]<br/>[Skill Slash was activated.]<br/><br/> Ding!<br/><br/>[???: Progression increased.]<br/>[Total Progression: 2%.]<br/><br/> 'A new one?' I think to myself, flying forward to meet my opponent in a blade lock. Even with one blade reinforcing the other, and Slash in both, his overwhelming strength still pushes me back. <br/><br/> I push off, backing up a couple feet as Reniel sneers at me. "You are one completely outmatched peasant."<br/><br/> "Then why am I still alive?" I shoot back, a happy, almost singsong tone in my voice. This elicited a growl from Reniel, who places both hands upon his sword. He came at me again, swinging his blade around in a controlled whirl of clashes.<br/><br/> Using all the speed I could muster in my arms, I deflect as many blows as possible. Several were getting through to me anyway, but it was better than being outright killed. This battle of attrition was not at all in my favor; both his and my Stamina were decreasing at a steady rate, and he was whittling down my Health as well. If I hadn't damaged his arm, I would probably already be dead. In an attempt to consolidate my remaining Stamina, I tighten my movements, causing them to be less erratic, and shorten the swings of my daggers. Thinking I was growing tired, Reniel gives me a triumphant grin as he doubles down, swinging with more and more Strength and expending more Stamina. I watch both of our indicators out of the corner of my eye grimly, often just dodging the blows at this point, as he puts his full Strength into play.<br/><br/> "Guess he forgot about 'grace,'" I mutter as another blow cuts a new line down my cheek while I sidestep the rest of the attack.<br/><br/>[Reniel Stamina: 32/87]<br/>[Stamina: 20/45]<br/>[Health: 17/45]<br/><br/> At this rate, I would just drop from exhaustion. <br/><br/> As Reniel brought his weapon up to come crashing down upon me, I dash in. <br/><br/>[Skill Slash was activated.]<br/><br/> As Mana fills the blade in my left hand, I thrust it forwards.<br/><br/>[Skill Skewer was activated.]<br/><br/> The blade grows a few inches, and it hones in towards the arrogant man's stomach. <br/><br/> CRASH!<br/><br/> The second I dashed forward, Reniel switched from full-on strength to utilizing his Accuracy. He brings the blade down narrowly, smashing the dagger's edge and shattering it. As I watch the blade turn into two sharp stubs on the handle, a foot crashes into my stomach, pushing every ounce of air out of my lungs as I crumple down onto my back.<br/><br/> Gasping to refill my lungs, I flip sideways to retaliate, swiping up with my right arm and the remaining dagger. <br/><br/>[Reniel Estim activated Skill Fury.]<br/><br/> Reniel's cold glare was cut off abruptly by a splash of dark red crossing my vision. A few seconds later, a wet thud resonates through the shrine's walls as my right arm hit the floor. <br/><br/> "Oh."<br/><br/>[* Warning! Health: 3/45*]<br/><br/> As I look at the screen, I chuckle lightly to myself. Maybe I had gotten a little full of myself after a few meaningless battles. Somehow, throughout this whole fight, I hadn't once considered that I might lose.<br/><br/> For once in my two lives, I had actually been utterly confident in myself.<br/><br/> Was it arrogance? Probably. I might not be so far off from Mr. Raze there. But, I never once dreamed of feeling like this in the past. So, I couldn't complain this time around. <br/><br/> Even if it was an incredibly short time, I was happy with what I got to experience.<br/><br/> "You could have avoided all this. I didn't want to desecrate her shrine."<br/><br/> Although my vision was fading, I lift my remaining arm up and raise up my middle finger with a bloody smile. "Eat shit and die."<br/><br/> Reniel's face immediately turned red, and in one, swift, clean motion, his blade traces an almost gentle arc across my neck, severing it completely.<br/><br/>- - -<br/><br/> As the demon's head — no, it was just a boy — flies into the air, Reniel pulls his arm back and stabs his sword into the boy's right eye, dispersing the purple Mana residing inside. Blood fell steadily from below the sharp face of the skewered head, turning the healthy olive skin tone into a pale hue. <br/><br/> "For such a weakling, he sure put up a fight," Reniel muses, tossing the head away with disgust. The head falls unceremoniously to the floor with a plop, the once gleaming white hair now dyed in a dirty red.<br/><br/> Thinking of the boy reminded Reniel of himself when he was younger. Most of the people of Puria had a Magical Affinity of some sort, whether it was one of the Elements or more focused in Arcane. Yet, Reniel was born without any. This caused him to be bullied as a child, and left alone. He had hated his lack of talent, up until he learned of the Saints. He paid no heed at first, as almost all of them used some type of Magic. 'Some heroes they are,' he would think to himself. Yet, he soon learned of Alyphia.<br/><br/> Alyphia was like him. She was born with no Magic, and was unable to raise her Magic, and didn't even have Magical Power. Yet, her Sword Skills became so strong that she became the leader of the Saints.<br/><br/> It didn't take long for Reniel to convince himself that she had chosen him to become her next disciple. After all, it had been exactly one hundred years since she died, and aside from the current Mage Saint, who now currently had many potentials in this age, the Sword Saint had not had a single disciple to take her place. It was as if she was searching for something or someone specific.<br/><br/> And that someone was Reniel, clearly.<br/><br/> He had grown leaps and bounds after picking up a sword, solidifying his beliefs. It was like he had come from an unfulfilling past life to this one with a new purpose. Yet, if he had, he couldn't remember a thing from his precious life.<br/><br/> He had undergone many trials to get to the Sword Saint's First Shrine, and it seemed this boy was the last one. 'Maybe another potential,' Reniel thought as he spread his arms wide. <br/><br/> "Are you satisfied, my lady?" He called, looking up to the sky peeking through small windows in the wall and ceiling. "I've grown so much!"<br/><br/> Immediately, he felt his heart pound, once, heavily. He keels over, pausing before another one happens a few seconds later, then another, slowly increasing in tempo until Reniel thought the weight of the beating would force him to his knees. Still, he stands his ground, a wide grin on his face as he clutches his chest. "Yes… Yes!"<br/><br/> "I will become the World's Best Sword Saint!"</p>