The Author's POV

Ren's body… it was a complete mess. There were far too many distinct powers, and the demonic laws and Akashic laws were exhibiting signs of repulsion toward one another.

Ren was unfamiliar, yet familiar, with the Akashic Laws.

They… they were the laws that had been binding at this body for the past few centuries. He never wielded them before, but the moment he used them, it felt as though it was second nature to him.

Not to mention the golden runes and words that were circling around his body...

With just one look, it seemed as though he could decipher their meaning with just a look, and as he stared at his hands, which were coated in a white substance, he turned his attention back toward Waylan and pressed his palm forward.

Boom―!

"Futile."

Waylan dislodged the palm with a swift whack, causing it to splinter and fly off into the horizon. Following that, he launched a counterattack by pressing his own palm down.

A gigantic hand suddenly materialized above Ren's head and made an attempt to squish him from on high. Ren took a measured look at the situation before removing his sword from its sheath.

He merely pressed the tip of his sword up, and the palm came to rest directly above him.

WOOOONG―! From the intersection of the two forces, where they met in the middle, a tremendous wind erupted. It was powerful enough to push the two back a few meters in response.

Waylan's eyes shone.

'He's different from before.'

Waylan thought, regaining his footing.

The degree of control over the power that he displayed wasn't the same as the one he showed before. There was something completely different about him for some unexplained reason, and the manner in which he carried himself was even more unsettling.

"Are you really the same, Ren?"

The surprised Waylan asked.

The more he examined him, the more convinced he became that there was something peculiar about him. It appeared as though he was going up against a completely different entity than before.

But how was that possible?

"You give off a different feeling from before…"

Waylan squinted his eyes.

"I'm not sure what it is, but it now explains to me why you were so confident a little earlier. Was this power of yours what gave you the confidence to challenge me?"

Swoosh―!

A splintering occurred in the space around Ren, and an invisible shot toward his leg.

by the sudden attack, attempted to evade it but was

The blow went all the way through his leg, causing a massive

Ren showed no

couldn't even feel

building up inside of his body suddenly erupted, covering

his wings once and

single thrust

"Better."

from his own fist,

'Dangerous.'

at the sight of the

punch was not something that he could take lightly at any point. He was able to sense that Waylan had packed a lot of power into that

arms in front of his

Boom―!

the area as though an explosion had occurred. As a result of the impact, Ren rolled away like a ball and flew for several hundred meters in

result of the blow. He had done this to prevent

pain in his body,

much weaker

off against a Protector before, and he didn't know very much about them at

about them, he deemed the current fight just

was able to observe. It was endowed with the laws,

a very long time since Ren had perceived a threat from a person or entity that was not the

Crack! Crack!

wrist began to mend as a shadowy

body possessed, if one had proper control over the powers within it, they'd be an unstoppable

seconds to return to its normal state, but by the time it did, Waylan

"Healed enough?"

the kick, the wind seemed to be tearing itself apart, and it

a faint clicking

Click―!

sword make contact with

to Ren's surprise, he felt his sword make contact with

'I missed?'

feeling—only Jezebeth had

had a chance to respond, Waylan

and an opening appeared. He tried to capitalize on the opportunity to launch his own attack and counterattack. Reaching down with his hand, he tried

same time, looking up, Ren's gaze fixed

That was his target.

Bang—!

at the moment when Ren's hand was about to press the hilt of

disappeared from Ren's view shortly after that and reappeared a couple of

fist with his free hand and extended it in

A gigantic projection of a hand materialized right