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.

sudden attack, attempted to evade it but

way through his leg, causing

at his leg, Ren

couldn't even

been building up inside of his body suddenly erupted, covering his entire leg and

wound was covered, he flapped his wings once and appeared right before

single

"Better."

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

'Dangerous.'

at the sight of the

power that was hidden behind that 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

crossed his arms in front of his chest

Boom―!

As a result of the impact, Ren rolled away like a ball and flew

the initial target of the attack, Ren's crossed wrists were severely trembling as a result of the blow. He had done this to prevent the punch from

pain in his body,

that much weaker

off against a Protector before, and he didn't know very much about them at all. At this point, all he

since he knew so little about them, he deemed the current fight just as troublesome as the ones he had with Jezebeth in the

appear to be a typical fist to him, based on what he was able to observe. It was endowed with the laws, and his control and influence over them were

time since Ren had perceived a threat from

Crack! Crack!

to mend as a shadowy

body was a chaotic mess because of all of the powers that his body possessed, if one had proper control over the powers within it, they'd

to its

"Healed enough?"

During the kick, the wind seemed to

a faint clicking sound that emanated from

Click―!

felt his sword make contact with it, as if he could sense Ren's

Ren's surprise, he felt his sword make contact

'I missed?'

an unfamiliar feeling—only Jezebeth had ever done this

Ren even had a chance to respond, Waylan aimed a kick

on the opportunity to launch his own attack and counterattack. Reaching down with his hand, he tried to reach the

up,

That was his target.

Bang—!

hand was about to press the hilt of

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

a fist with his free hand and extended

A gigantic projection of a hand