The Author's POV

"You're Ren?"

Waylan's eyes appeared to be squinting.

He examined Ren very carefully from top to bottom, and he had doubts about what he was saying. Even though he did look like Ren, the energy he was putting off was completely different... not to mention the fact that he appeared to be significantly stronger than he was before.

There was definitely something off about him. He just couldn't quite place his finger on it.

"I find that hard to believe."

"That's not something that I care about."

In response to Waylan's display of skepticism, Ren did not show any interest in defending himself.

In fact, he had no real interest in anything.

…He just wanted to get this done with already.

"What an annoying response."

The anger that was building up on Waylan's face manifested itself in the form of a rigid expression, and he rushed over to Ren. To protect himself, Ren quickly drew his sword from its sheath. At the same time, he directed the laws toward the body of the sword, covering it with them.

Only that…

The moment Waylan's hand came into contact with the sword, the laws shattered.

'This?'

Waylan smiled at it.

"Did you think you'd be able to control the laws better than me? Someone who's wielded them for centuries?"

Ren's brows furrowed slightly. This was proving to be more troublesome than he had anticipated.

Bang―!

Ren's body flew several meters back. When his body stabilized, Waylan appeared right behind him and pushed his only hand toward Ren's back. The space where his hand traveled fractured into several pieces.

"Whatever change you've gone through, it's far from enough."

As soon as the palm made contact with Ren's back, his body shot off into the distance once more.

While Ren's body was flailing about like a rag doll, there was no discernible expression on his face; however, there was noticeable blood streaking down the side of his mouth.

'Predictable.'

While in mid-air, Ren suddenly twisted his body and slashed behind him.

Clank―!

Waylan's body appeared as he blocked the attack, and Ren finally stabilized himself.

Extending his finger forward, the space around Waylan cracked apart, and golden streaks of tangible sword energy pierced at him like a porcupine.

They came at him in all directions and at speeds that left one unable to react.

Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!

However, just as they were about to pierce his body, they came to an abrupt halt.

Waylan broke into a grin as he took a closer look at the sword energies that surrounded him.

"How int―"

face froze into a stone-like expression as his head shot up,

powerful ripple spread across the area they were in, shattering the space around them

deteriorated to such an extent that

Cr― Crack!

as soon as the large sword appeared above Ren's head, it was unable

'It's that move again.'

toward the hand that was no longer on his body. His internal laws surged

same time, Ren's cold gaze

been a while since I've fought someone of this level.

sword that was behind him continued to take shape and grow both more

Shhhh―!

as

Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

all of which became completely detached from one another as they rose up a few meters from each other. The blade that Ren held in his hand grew in size as a thin layer of white film connected

film covering his main sword, a sudden thought crossed

goes bad,

seconds, and he put them

'Sounds good.'

he died? Wasn't

layer of the sword was obscured by a dark film that emerged

It was demonic energy.

a destructive power that was on par with the enormous sword in the background began to

'I,impossible!'

place with a horrified expression on

took only a

to defend the attack and then launch a counterattack shortly after when he was exhausted; however, he

can't wait for

an obvious

in front of Ren, and the barrier that had been forming in front

he arched his back, he did not withhold anything. He clenched his fist tightly, gathered all the

"Don't push your luck."

Crack. Crack.

Everything shattered.

space around him began

to tremble, even if only very slightly, and the entire office

sword behind him had only formed

Waylan held his breath in anticipation,

I knew this

eyes, which had been fixated on the sword,

the vacant gray pupils in his eyes concentrated on the punch that was drawing near. His expression remained unchanged despite the fact that the fist was drawing closer to

"Move."

one word in

the area around the fist and clamped onto it like

as he was about to take control of the laws, he felt something touch his forehead, and when he looked up he

a sudden, everything

"A... ah... how?"

his finger placed right on Waylan's forehead, a ripple spread from the point of contact, which expanded all throughout

"You fell for it."

disappeared, and so did the two energies around

'H,how.'

moment, time seemed to have stopped. Locking his eyes

"Boom."

reemerged far off in the distance, slamming into one of the

BANG―

"Huak."

let out

the buildings in the distance, the surrounding area began to flicker, and the

"Fool."

front of Waylan, who was pinned up against the wall of the building. Both his hair and the Akashic Laws on