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

they

to such an extent that one could actually make out Waylan's office

Cr― Crack!

attempts to fix itself, but as soon as the large sword appeared above Ren's head, it was unable to do anything other than continue to

'It's that move again.'

move as his eyes moved toward the hand that was no longer on his body. His internal

the same time, Ren's cold gaze

a while since I've fought someone of this level. It seems like I'm still a bit

take shape and grow both more distinct and more substantial

Shhhh―!

sheath as the second

Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

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 the shards of the

at the white film covering his main sword, a sudden thought crossed

goes bad,

thoughts lasted seconds, and

'Sounds good.'

he died? Wasn't that his goal

layer of the sword was obscured by a dark

It was demonic energy.

minutes of making 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!'

watched everything that was taking place with a horrified expression

process of building up took only

the attack and then launch a counterattack shortly after

wait for him to

was an obvious

and the barrier that had been forming in front of

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

"Don't push your luck."

Crack. Crack.

Everything shattered.

space around him began to shatter, and the background of

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

behind him had only formed

of this, Waylan held his breath

I knew this would

had been fixated on the sword, moved away from it as he changed

to warp, and the vacant gray pupils in his eyes concentrated on the

"Move."

word

it, golden runes appeared from the area around the fist and clamped onto it like a

Waylan saw this, his eyes widened, and just as he was about to take control of the laws, he felt something

of a sudden, everything came to a sudden

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

right on Waylan's forehead, a ripple spread from the point of contact,

"You fell for it."

him disappeared, and so did the

'H,how.'

fast that Waylan wasn't even able to react. And in that brief moment, time seemed to have stopped. Locking his eyes against the emotionless looking Ren, Waylan watched as Ren's mouth parted open, and he

"Boom."

far off in the distance,

BANG―

"Huak."

let out a pained

he slammed into the buildings in the distance, the surrounding area began to flicker, and the

"Fool."

as he materialized 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