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―"

froze into a stone-like expression as his head shot up, and he looked at

across the area they were in, shattering the space around them into a

that one could actually make out

Cr― Crack!

the large sword appeared above Ren's head, it was unable to do anything other than continue to

'It's that move again.'

moved toward the hand that was no longer on his body. His internal laws surged to the surface in the form of golden runes, and a massive shield materialized

same time, Ren's

someone of this level. It seems like I'm still a

take shape and grow both more distinct and more

Shhhh―!

as the second sword began to materialize

Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

from each other. The blade that Ren held in his hand grew in size as a thin layer of white film connected the

film covering his main sword, a sudden thought crossed

goes

lasted seconds, and he put them into

'Sounds good.'

he died? Wasn't that his

white layer of the sword was obscured by a dark film

It was demonic energy.

its appearance, the white film began to wiggle, and a destructive power that was on par with the enormous sword in the background

'I,impossible!'

everything that was taking place

up took only a few seconds in

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

can't wait for him to

an obvious

front of Ren, and the barrier that had been forming in front of him vanished. His eyes gave off

arched his back, he did not withhold anything. He clenched his fist tightly, gathered all the strength he could muster, and then punched

"Don't push your luck."

Crack. Crack.

Everything shattered.

grip on his fist, the space around him began to

hung on the wall began to tremble, even if only very slightly, and the entire office began

was aimed directly at Ren's face, and held nothing back. The sword behind him had only formed halfway, and he seemed to still be struggling to control his main sword, which was

this, Waylan held his

knew this

fixated on the sword, moved away from it

vacant gray pupils in his eyes concentrated on the punch

"Move."

word

word, but as soon as he muttered it, golden runes appeared from the area around the fist and clamped onto

he felt something touch his forehead, and when

everything came

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

ripple spread from the point of contact, which expanded

"You fell for it."

him disappeared, and so did the

'H,how.'

moment, time seemed to have stopped. Locking his eyes against the emotionless looking Ren, Waylan

"Boom."

view and then reemerged far off in the distance,

BANG―

"Huak."

out

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

"Fool."

directly in front of Waylan, who was pinned up against the wall of the building. Both his hair and the Akashic Laws on his body were a mess, and his face was