The Author's POV

'I'm hurt?'

Staring at his hands, which were soaked in his own blood, Jezebeth was left in wonder. He hadn't expected his attack to be as devastating as it had been.

If not for his armor, he probably would've sustained heavier injuries.

It came from out of nowhere, and he was barely able to resist it. Raising his head to stare at Ren, who was huffing and puffing, Jezebeth felt something boiling inside of him.

'Right… It's not good if I don't reciprocate his intentions.'

Seeing that the attack had taken a toll on him, Jezebeth suppressed his injuries and forced himself forward. With a subtle blur of his vision, he saw Ren's back in front of him, and he reached out with his palm forward.

Golden runes enveloped his palm, and the space around his hand shattered.

A blade immediately blocked the hand just as it was about to reach Ren's back. He didn't know when, but Ren had suddenly turned around and slashed with his sword.

The two stared at each other silently as the space around them started to crumble.

There were no words exchanged with each other like before. Neither left any time to spare any words as they distanced themselves from each other and attacked one another.

BOOOM—! The attacks were devastating, shattering the space around them and creating large waves in the air that spread throughout the entire sky.

Everything beneath them tore apart, and the land disintegrated at their every exchange.

Neither of the two held any advantage. While Jezebeth was indeed injured from the previous strike, Ren had exhausted himself in the process, evening things out.

SHIIIIIIING—!

A bright glow of terrifying pressure suddenly headed Jezebeth's way. It was fast—extremely so. In a matter of seconds, it was upon him, and just as it was about to graze his nose, Jezebeth placed his palm against the side of the glow, and the glow shattered into a fine dust.

Swoosh!

Sensing something behind him, Jezebeth's body twisted as he kicked, and his foot hit something soft.

"Umpf!"

Overhearing something, Jezebeth knew that his hit had landed, and when he came to, he saw Ren's figure hurl away from him in the sky.

He didn't waste a single second of that moment.

Locking his eyes on Ren's figure, Jezebeth pressed his finger forward, and a gigantic crack formed a couple of meters ahead of Ren.

A large projection of his finger appeared from within the crack, and as if it had been timed just right, it moved down and directly pressed against Ren's moving figure.

BOOOM—!

The attack landed squarely on Ren's body, and he spat a mouthful of blood as his body continued to hurl away from Jezebeth.

Ren's body took the full force of the attack, and as his body continued to fly away from him, he spat out a mouthful of blood and coughed up more.

Jezebeth did not pass up such an opportunity and followed him from behind, eventually appearing right in front of him and pressing his hand against his face as he did so.

Swoosh—!

Attempting to contort his body and evade Jezebeth's hand, Ren acted swiftly but fell slightly short. His efforts proved futile as Jezebeth's hand firmly made contact with his face and grasped onto it tightly.

BANG—!

Exerting an immense force, Jezebeth's hand unleashed a surge of power, propelling Ren's body through the air with great momentum. Seizing the opportunity without hesitation, Jezebeth swiftly positioned himself directly beneath Ren, extending his knee in a forceful thrust.

"Aukh!"

Spit flew from Ren's mouth as he landed directly on Jezebeth's knee.

Though faint, Jezebeth could make out a faint cracking sound, and he knew that Ren had sustained some injuries.

Still… He didn't let go.

Jezebeth wasn't the type of person to show mercy to those against him.

Grabbing Ren by the hair, he raised his head toward him and punched at his face.

BANG—!

His fist landed squarely in his face.

BANG—!

He didn't stop at just one punch.

BANG—!

Jezebeth's fist was encased in a white and black glow as he continued to punch Ren's face with all of his strength while simultaneously driving his fist further forward.

BANG—!

It wasn't long before his fist was coated in Ren's blood as it dripped down from his fist.

The warm, viscous fluid trickled down, forming streams that traced intricate patterns along his fingers, carrying with it the evidence of the fierce impact.

A metallic scent filled the air, mingling with the intensity of the moment, as Jezebeth's resolute gaze remained fixed upon the sight.

The sight of Ren's blood became a stark reminder of all the struggle he had to go through just to get to this point, etching a lasting impression upon Jezebeth's conscience even as the battle raged on.

Extending his hand forward and staring at Ren's limping figure in front of him, Jezebeth tried to reach out with his hand to absorb the laws in his body, but just as he tried, as Jezebeth's hand inched closer, a sudden rift materialized in the surrounding space, originating from the vicinity of his arm.

Within the crevice, a spectral manifestation of a sword took shape, its gleaming presence amplifying the already charged atmosphere.

WIIIIIIIIING—!

Jezebeth was left with no other option, so he let go of Ren's body as it descended from the sky.

satisfied with what he did, Jezebeth pressed his hands together, and that was when

Ren's body which was falling down from

BOOOOM—!

gigantic explosion, Ren's figure came crashing down from the sky, landing against

have done

coming from those beneath.

looked down, and that was where he caught sight of Ren lying down

of his mouth,

eyes were wide open, and they were locked directly at

WIIIING—!

As expected.

able to avoid the incoming attack, but just as he did, a hand came grasping at his head, and he felt it smash

BAANG—!

at the back of his head, and his head

BAANG—!

taste. One that he didn't particularly like, but as he tried to move his body, his head

BAANG—!

bit as his vision blurred. Reaching out with his hand, he grasped at the forearm that was grasping at his hand, and he squeezed with

and whatever was grasping at his head let go, and Jezebeth was able to move

Jezebeth caught sight of Ren's arm, which was bent at a weird angle

again. As if he was going to let such an opportunity

was injured, Jezebeth aimed for

Swoosh!

breeze, he aimed a punch directly at the side of Ren's exposed abdomen. Complex golden runes manifested all over his hand,

BANG—!

blocking his vision, but with one swipe of his hand, the dust settled, and when he looked to see the aftermath of his attack, he was surprised to see his fist hitting against the side of Ren's knee, which was raised up in front

complex golden runes revolved

Swoosh!

fist came hurling at him from above, and Jezebeth retrieved his fist back and counterattacked with a kick, which

BANG—!

before they knew it, the crater that they were in had

coming from the sky above

continued to fight against each

BANG—!

him crashing against the ground. Ren took the moment to distance himself

Rumble! Rumble!

all of a sudden, a powerful force erupted from out of his body and

Cr— Crack!

area above him, and the

began

the sight of the sword, and the mana that was contained within his body began to drain at a rapid rate, he did not give up

"Ukh!"

pay off, and the sword quickly began to appear from behind the chasm, revealing its body in all of its

them came to a sudden standstill, and the world around them started to

Creack! Creak!

didn't care and fixed his eyes on Jezebeth, who was staring at the

"Go."

finger at Jezebeth, and the sword

Rumble! Rumble!

surroundings shook massively, and the earth around them collapsed. Wherever the

maintained an unwavering composure, fixating his gaze upon the approaching sword with

danger, he gradually closed his eyes, succumbing to a serene

looked to have given up, but Ren knew... he knew that this was not

the world, intertwining

finally unveiled their vision once more, Jezebeth found himself inexplicably positioned directly behind the sword, his hand

"..."

*Grip*

the unstoppable momentum of the sword

seemed suspended, allowing for the gravity of the situation to sink in, as the sixth movement, the most powerful movement in his arsenal, found itself tamed by the sheer force

astonishment didn't

"Argkhhhhh!"

air, the armor encasing Jezebeth's body shattered, revealing the raw, sinewy

bulging muscles pulsated with an imposing presence, exuding an aura of formidable

sword's

"I.. h… how?!"

tip of his own sword, Ren was left utterly shocked, and

dwell on the matter for too long, and as he clenched his teeth, power

and he puked up blood. He had no choice

"Pfttt."

couple of steps back as a result, and it was right then

pure instinct, he moved his hand away from his mouth and

BANG—!

and he was pushed several steps back. He felt his blood boil at the collision, but he

thrust a kick

BANG—!

with something, and the

BANG—!

quite a while until, eventually, Jezebeth opened his

"Seal."

The chains came from everywhere. Above him, the side of the crater, and beneath the ground, coiling

entire body. The chains that were surrounding him showed signs of cracking, but they didn't break

appeared right in front of Ren and punched

BANG—!

fist against his abdomen, Jezebeth watched as Ren's expression distorted with pain, and his body floated up. The chains that were binding his body shattered, and his figure hurled

when he looked down, he

his hand forward, he opened up his palm. Golden runes appeared all over his hand, and just as Ren's body was about to come crashing against

Swoosh!

so fast that

an overwhelming force that jolted against the side of his cheek, Jezebeth's vision distorted, spinning wildly as he found himself hurtling

was nothing short of astonishing; a faint vapor cloud appeared behind him as he

"!!"

of sword projections adorned

core, forcing him to employ every available resource in his arsenal to halt his descent before