The Duel

I heard more rustling and noticed a shine. I waited for the perfect moment to use my ability. As soon as I heard the gun fire, I slowed down time then dodged the bullet and stopped time. I quickly ran toward Verin as fast as I could. Dearie quickly flew after me and began charging a Laser Blast.

Time resumed and Verin noticed we weren't anywhere to be found then groaned as Dearie blasted her away with her Laser Blast. Verin rolled backwards then made her sniper disappear and dashed toward me. I parried her first attack then kneed her stomach. She tried to go for the counter, but I slowed down time and evaded her attack. Time resumed then I landed direct kick on her, knocking her away.

Verin rolled backwards and vanished at near light speeds. "He's somehow way faster than me...is it my perception. No it can't be that, I have perfect vision. Hmm..."

"What is that power? It looks like one of the HDS Programs called Decelerate." Dearie said.

"It's the third Sacred Verse. Hands of Time. I can manipulate time." I said and looked at my arm.

"Wow...With an ability like this, I've got a few ideas up my sleeve." Dearie said and smiled at me.

'I knew it...' Verin thought to herself after using her All-Hearing ability. 'Time Manipulation...I need to understand how it works and from there I defeat him, but first...I need more attachments.'

Verin summoner her sniper and took the scope off her gun. She constructed a suppressor on the muzzle and cocked her sniper then was ready to shoot. "Let's see how you do against my full assassin build."

Verin awakened her Perfect Vision. She took aim at me and pulled the trigger, silently firing the bullet. She noticed the bullet hit me, but the Live Decoy disappeared. She looked around and noticed a Light Blast flying her way. She dove out of the way, but noticed it was homing toward her. She noticed a magic circle resembling a clock in front of the Light Blasts.

Verin grunted as she realized it was a Light Bomb. She hurried out of the radius of the explosion then noticed more Light Bombs floating around her. She noticed each bomb was set to 15 seconds. She felt time had stopped. Time resumed and Verin noticed I was in front of her then she groaned as I knocked her away into one of my Light Bombs. The bomb exploded once Verin touched it.

Verin noticed a large cloud of smoke around her and looked around for me, seeing multiple silhouettes of me walking around. Verin tried to find the real me and grunted. "What the hell is going on..?"

Verin listened closely with her Perfect Hearing then aimed her sniper then fired a bullet. She used her magic eye to control the bullet and have it home in on me.

I noticed the bullet then dodged the bullet and stopped time. I created some distance between us then hid behind a tree and time resumed. The Live Decoys disappeared and the smoke soon cleared. I conjured a sphere of light then closed my eyes. I concentrated so I could form the Light Blast into a bird and augment it with Nature Energy.

'We can't talk out loud. She can hear us. The Angel of Nature whispered it to me. She has Perfect Hearing. Here's the plan Dearie...I am going to create my own Nature. Instead of using Live Decoy on me, use it on the animals.'

[Affirmative.]

Verin listened closely and scouted around for me. She heard rustling in the bushes and took aim. She noticed a light and focused on it. She noticed a fawn made of light energy walking out of the bushes. She lowered her sniper then walked toward it.

"He...created Life..?" Verin asked.

The fawn cried out and shined brightly then a Light Explosion happened. Verin groaned as she was blown away then recovered and slid backwards. She grunted as she noticed the entire forest light up and heard the sounds of nature.

Dearie and I quietly celebrated that the plan worked. With the sounds of nature present, Verin couldn't hear us. All we had to do left was prevent her from using her Perfect Vision to spot me, but I had that covered.

"Now that's what I call adapting to your environment!" Aria cheered.

"Yeah that was an extremely clever play on Claudio's part. That young man there is the equivalent of a Joker, but with the abilities of an Ace. A Wild King Piece on the board." Leo chuckled and crossed his arms.

Addis watched closely and really watched my fighting style.

"Verin, Verin! You want to have a bit of a shoot out? My arsenal is way better than yours. At some point, you're gonna have to come to me." I said as I walked around.

I listened the sounds of nature then heard it become silent. Verin did also fired the bullet then noticed I dodged it. Her eyes widened and she lowered her sniper.

"Each bullet takes 7 second to travel from her distance." Dearie said.

'You think you have me cornered..? You think you've won? Not yet, you haven't won anything yet.' Verin thought to herself.

The sound of nature came back and I whistled to the birds and clapped. The birds sang their songs and swarmed Verin. Verin grunted as she noticed birds made of light began to rush toward her. She dodged the birds and made her sniper disappear. She summoned a katana then vanished.

"You want me close! I'm coming toward you then!" Verin bellowed.

I smirked and my eyes shined. Dearie summoned my Sacred Lotus then Verin and I clashed. Verin bellowed and her aura surged powerfully then manifested her wings and halo. She blew me away with a flap of her wings then flew after me.

I recovered and transformed into my Angel Mode. "Alright, let's go!"

I propelled myself down the forest. Verin propelled herself toward me and quickly flew after me. I looked back and noticed Verin catching up quickly. I noticed she vanished and appeared in front of me then slashed down at me. I blocked the attack and grunted. I pushed her away then we rapidly clashed with one another then pushed each other away.

I landed on the ground and watched Verin. Verin held her katana backwards then her Crest shined. She vanished then appeared in front of me and slashed upwards. I slowed time to dodge her slash then ducked under her second slash and performed a Flare to knock her off balance.

Verin flipped backwards of one hand then tapped the bottom of her katana with her pinkie twice. Two crescent waves of wind appeared then struck my body twice. I groaned and fell onto one knee. She tapped the bottom of her katana again then another crescent wave of wind struck my arm, cutting me and opening the wound. I groaned loudly in pain and grunted heavily looking at my arm.

"You had a better chance long range than you did close range. Underestimating me is your biggest downfall. You honestly believe nature sounds would stop me?" Verin said.

I smirked then the Live Decoy of me disappeared. "Obviously it works doesn't it?"

Verin grunted as I appeared in front of her but I slowed down time then my Wrath Symbol shined brightly. I bellowed as I struck her with the strongest power kick I could muster. Verin coughed blood then flew backwards, crashing through multiple trees.

'Thank you Lilith...' I thought to myself.

The voice of Lilith giggled in my ear.

"Is this how it is to hear the voices of Gods and Goddesses? It feels great.." I said softly.

Dearie grunted as she felt Verin's energy. I grunted as well and watched as she walked forward. Verin's halo shined golden and so did her wings. She stopped walking and got ready.

"I hope you're ready because now I'm serious.." Verin said.

I braced myself and stopped time right as she shifted. I flew toward her and went for a punch. My eyes widened as I hit an afterimage. Time resumed and I groaned as I was hit from behind. I recovered and noticed multiple afterimages around me. I slowed down time, but noticed the real Verin was nowhere to be found.

"She's moving at speeds of light, I can't track her!" Dearie said.

I bellowed and formed multiple Light Blasts around me and resumed time then fired them. An explosion happened and I looked behind me then Verin appeared in front of me and kicked me away then held her katana backwards. She rapidly tapped the bottom of her handle. I groaned as multiple blades of wind struck my body then coughed blood as Verin struck my body at light speeds.

I crashed through multiple trees then recovered, but Verin was already in front of me. A massive whirlwind formed around Verin and launched me in the air. Verin fired a beam of light energy upwards toward me.

"Not yet!" Dearie bellowed as she blocked the beam. Her eyes shined brighted and her Halo shined as well.

I bellowed as I awakened my Angel Form, manifesting my halo and unlocking my highest potential. I flew down and with a Holy Lance in hand, piercing my way through the beam. I landed on the ground then an explosion happened.

Verin slid backwards then looked at me. She smirked and watched as I propelled myself toward her and bellowed. We clashed and flew off. We rapidly clashed while evading the trees and were at a stalemate.

"We're only just starting! Dearie do it!" I bellowed.

Dearie summoned energy blades and fired them at Verin. Verin dodged the energy blades then dodged Dearie's attack. She blocked my attack then moved behind me at light speeds. I slowed down time and dodged Verin's attack then kneed her stomach. Verin groaned and coughed as she felt the power behind my strike. I launched Verin away then flew after her with two Holy Water Blasts in hands.

"You're finished!" I bellowed and combined the two spheres of holy water energy then launched a beam at Verin.

Verin blocked the beam and groaned then an explosion happen. I panted softly then slowly landed on the ground. I fell on one knee then reverted to normal. My body grew tired and I needed a rest.

Verin flew toward me and I grunted. I stood up and barely dodged her attack. I clapped my hands then a bear made of light rushed toward Verin, but she swiftly sliced the bear in half. She rushed toward me and slashed at me, but Dearie blocked it and groaned.

I barely dodged the second slash then tripped over a log and fell down. Verin went for the finishing blow, but I had one more trick up my sleeve.

"Dearie! Do it! Sunlight Bomb!" I commanded.

Verin noticed a massive circular shadow then looked up and noticed the massive orb of sunlight energy then grunted and heard the sounds of nature going quiet. She knew she didn't have enough time to move out of the way. She bellowed and caused a massive tornado to clash with my attack. The two moves collided and a struggle for power started.

'This guy...! He was ten steps ahead...when did he have time to create this..?! His smirk...the same one Leo wears when he has an Ace up his sleeve. This guy is something else..' Verin thought to herself.

"But I'm not letting you win!" Verin bellowed and made her tornado stronger.

Dearie flew above our Sunlight Bomb then launched a Laser Blast at the Sunlight Bomb to make it stronger. She used her Overdrive Mode and made her Laser Blast as strong as it could be.

Verin grunted as she watched the Sunlight Bomb grow closer to the ground.

"Time's up. That's Checkmate." I said then snapped my fingers.

The timer shattered on the Sunlight Bomb then my bomb exploded, able to be seen from Woodcrest.

Everyone watched the screen with anticipation. Leo, Astar, Addis, and Aria were the most surprised when watching. The entire battle was a nail biter to them.

[Mission Complete: Survived 20 minutes.]

[Time left for Special Mission: 3:01.02]

I groaned softly as I stood up. I looked at Verin and she stood up as well. She looked at me and coughed blood.

Verin pointed her katana at me. "It's not over yet..! I will not lose to a VIP 5!"

She propelled herself toward me. I propelled myself toward her and clashed with her. We pushed each other away then I parried her attacks then jumped backwards I made Light Decoy and he tried to grapple Verin but she dodged and watched the decoy explode. She began to rapidly tap the bottom of her handle.

I dodged each hidded slash then dashed toward her dragging my blade along the ground. "This is it, for you!"

"In your dreams!" Verin bellowed as she dashed toward me.

We slashed at the same time and I slid forward. It was completely silent, not even the wind blew. Verin stumbled forward then she heard a thud. She looked back and noticed me on the ground. She made her katana disappear and looked at me.

"Well there it is, he lost." Madris said.

"I don't count that as a loss." Cecilia said as she smiled at the screen. "Look at Verin's face."

They all looked at Verin's face and noticed her smile. She had a genuine smile on her face as if she was pleased with the duel.

"She's pleased and that means she's happy with Claudio's performance. He was quite amazing out there... nothing can tell me otherwise. He has my respect.." Cecilia said.

Leo smiled and nodded. "A ten out of ten performance."

"I have to say I'm quite impressed. Nothing could prepare me for what I have witnessed. The Savior using his current full power." Addis chuckled.

Astar and Aria were very impressed, especially Astar. She let out a soft chuckle and her eyes shined.

"Good job, My Angel...now rest well.." Mihr's spirit said softly.