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―"

a stone-like expression as his

this precise instant, a powerful ripple spread across the area they were

deteriorated to such an extent that one could actually make

Cr― Crack!

quickly as it could, the space made several attempts to fix itself, but as soon as the large sword appeared above Ren's head, it was

'It's that move again.'

body. His internal laws surged to the

time, Ren's cold

while since I've fought someone of this level.

to take shape and grow both more distinct and

Shhhh―!

primary sword from its sheath as the second sword began

Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

a few meters from each other. The blade that Ren held in his hand grew in size as

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

risky… If all goes

and

'Sounds good.'

if he died? Wasn't that his goal to begin

the sword was obscured by a dark film that emerged from within Ren's body and

It was demonic energy.

minutes of making its appearance, the white film began to wiggle, and a destructive power that was on par with

'I,impossible!'

was taking place with a horrified expression on his

up took only

launch a counterattack shortly after when he

wait for him

was an obvious

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

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.

as he released his grip on his fist, the space around him began to shatter,

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

back. The sword behind him had only formed

note of this, Waylan held his

I knew this would

been fixated on the sword, moved away from it as

the area around him began to warp, and the vacant gray pupils in his eyes concentrated on the punch that was drawing near.

"Move."

one word in

one word, but as soon as he muttered it, golden runes appeared from the area around the fist and clamped onto it like a rope that pulled to the left, and the trajectory of the punch altered

eyes widened, and just as he was about to take control of the laws, he felt something touch his forehead, and when he looked up he saw two dull

of a sudden, everything came to a

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

a ripple spread from the point of contact, which expanded all throughout

"You fell for it."

sword behind him disappeared, and so did the two energies

'H,how.'

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

"Boom."

body vanished from view and then reemerged far off in the distance, slamming into one of the

BANG―

"Huak."

out

buildings in the distance, the surrounding area began to

"Fool."

pinned up against the wall of the building. Both his hair and the Akashic Laws on