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

went all the way through his leg, causing a massive amount

leg, Ren showed no

couldn't even feel

of his body suddenly erupted, covering his entire leg and erupting from his body in

the wound was covered, he flapped his wings once and appeared

made a single thrust

"Better."

countered with a blow from his own fist, which caused the air around it to twist and

'Dangerous.'

at the sight of the approaching

point. He was able to

in

Boom―!

as though an explosion had occurred. As a result of the impact, Ren rolled away like a ball

the attack, Ren's crossed wrists were severely trembling as a result of the blow. He had done this to prevent the punch from reaching his main body, and while he did indeed succeed,

the pain in his body, his eyes turned somewhat

that much weaker

he didn't know very much about them at all. At this point, all he was doing was testing the waters with

them, he deemed the current fight just as troublesome as the ones he

on what he was able to observe. It was endowed with the laws, and his control and influence over them were astounding, to

had been a very long time since Ren had perceived a threat from a person or entity

Crack! Crack!

wrist began to mend as a shadowy glow began

body

to its normal state, but by the time

"Healed enough?"

neck. During the kick, the wind seemed to be

was a faint

Click―!

twisted just before Ren felt his sword make contact with it,

felt his sword

'I missed?'

an unfamiliar feeling—only Jezebeth had ever done

to respond, Waylan

avoid it by a narrow margin as his body similarly twisted and an opening appeared. He tried to capitalize on the opportunity to launch his own

the same time, looking up, Ren's gaze fixed

That was his target.

Bang—!

kicked down. It was right at the moment when Ren's hand was about to press the hilt of the sword, and after the kick hit his hand in just the right spot, Ren's hand

shortly after that and reappeared a couple of meters

a fist with his free hand and extended it

A gigantic projection of a hand materialized right beneath where he was standing, and