12.5K words.
Enjoy!
.
.
.
—
The mist thickened as they stepped into position.
/Shua…/
The roar of the falls persisted, yet it no longer seemed to matter, fading into a distant, hollow backdrop as the echoes of their footsteps intensified.
"Phew…"
'I played it cool, but I acted without much thought again, huh…'
Silver exhaled slowly, the air cool and damp against his lungs, while across from him, the knight remained unmoving.
Silver gulped dry, to face a man who stood at the pinnacle of the world… once again.
'How is it that I always somehow get entangled with these people? Well… I can't really blame it on Leon, for I sought him out. But Ottar, on the other hand…'
It could've been a coincidence all along, but then again, believing it was not… only made things more interesting.
He looked at the precipice above him and the light drizzle fogging the world, 'The greatest lady of Orario has her sights on me. I wonder if she is watching us from her throne above…'
Silver did not linger on sentimentalism for long, for his gaze soon returned to where it should've been from the start.
'The feeling is completely different. Be it Ottar, or Leon, they each carry their own unique presence.'
'Perhaps it's the way they stand. Ottar's footing is never relaxed, for beneath his stoic expression, he is akin to a cannon waiting to burst without a moment's notice. A wall that cannot possibly be toppled.'
'A man that never stopped training, of dropping his guard. He is the reflection of someone who has sought the perfection of his strength without a single moment of hesitation.'
'Meanwhile, Leon is a sharp blade that shines under the sun. One that inspires others, very much like Finn, who wishes to reignite the flames of ambition of his people.'
He closed his eyes, 'Hogni, on the other hand, is known as someone who desires nothing but to be forgotten. Yet as I watch him now, that very idea seems nothing but an exaggerated rumor… but that cannot be false either.'
He soon arrived at the most congruent truth as he reopened his eyes.
'It's his magic, and the reason for his current Alias of the same name. Dainsleif, the Spell of the "Perfect Self".'
The greater of an adventurer they were, the greater their tales and feats resonated across the land.
And while the powers and abilities of each individual hero remained a tightly held secret of the Dungeon City, some aspects of it still bled through the gaps over time.
'A Spell that allows one to attain their perfect envisioned ideal of themselves.'
Silver's eyes narrowed. Before him wasn't just a Level 6 adventurer, but something even a man like him aspired to be — a true fearless warrior, a Hero whose name would be left in history as a fable whose tale few could match.
If only for a short while, right now, Hogni was the reflection of a mythical, yet ruthless champion.
"You are unusually silent, are you perhaps hesitating?"
He was brought from his little world, awakening in reality once more, "Hm?… No, not at all. It's just an unsightly habit of mine."
Silver smiled as he dropped his head, 'Leon said the same thing once, that I love to overcomplicate things.'
"I wish not to delay the inevitable." Hogni declared coldly as his blade carved a path in the sand, "Prove to me the tales I've heard are more than just that."
But to that, Silver only snickered, "I have nothing to prove to you."
"Ridicule and scorn me all you desire, I will achieve my dream, regardless of what stands in my path."
That was Silver's heartfelt emotions, a lifetime in the making. The resolve to act and become his most outstanding self, even if the world cannot cope with it.
Hogni's grip over his blade grew stronger as he raised his blade into a centered guard, the edge aligned with his gaze…
No more words were needed. He had already accepted Silver's resolve and come to respect it.
No matter how weak he was, or how insignificant he was to him… Hogni welcomed those who sought strength and sharpened their skills and their minds for their goals.
So one day he too could cross blades with them as well!
"I hope you don't mind if I get things started." Silver said as he raised his left hand
"…"
Hogni held his blade without adjusting his feet, something Silver felt was almost an insult.
But he saw through his facade right away, and against his expectation… he ran right into it.
/Dash!/
He ran forward, much to Hogni's scorn.
'Dissapointing.'
Even though he limited his abilities to those of a Level 1, his senses weren't something that could be merely suppressed. To him, Silver's every movement couldn't be any slower, as predictable and boring as a snail climbing a boulder.
'I see not what she sees in him… I'll shatter those delusions today.'
/SLASH!/
Fully intending to end it all in a single exchange, Hogni swung his blade down as Silver stepped into range.
A step forward to draw the distance when he was most vulnerable, a mastery over fencing that came with half a century of dedication to his craft and the desire to excel at it.
He cut down at the very space Silver moved to occupy, but as his blade crossed into his head, causing all observing to gasp in shock, Hogni's blade halted.
"Fool… ?!"
But then, the Silver before him smiled widely as he turned to fog, blending into the surroundings.
Hogni's vision was obscured by that same fog, but not the one Silver turned into, no…
'There's too much of it, where is all this fog coming from?'
Fog came from nowhere, forming right before his eyes, before taking the shape of a hand.
Silver stood beside Hogni, his palm over his helmet, "Don't get too shocked."
"HUPP!"
Hogni immediately reacted, but with the movements of a Level 1, there was nothing he could do as he witnessed the world around him ignite!
/FLASH!/
A flash of light directly into his cornea, Silver's first move dispelled the darkness within his armor!
That was the beginning of Hogni's acknowledgement of his existence.
…
/FLASH!/
From the shoreline, it was as if the world itself had blinked.
The mist was torn apart in a single instant, light bursting outward in a violent surge that swallowed both figures whole. For a brief, disorienting moment, nothing remained but white.
"…!"
Ais stepped forward without realizing, her blade half-raised, eyes narrowing as she tried to pierce through the fading glare.
Her hands jolting forward, ready to seek out the outline that had vanished in the light.
But a hand reached out for her shoulder, stopping her, "Put some faith on the boy. It's only begun."
"Ack… I can't see anything." Lefiya's voice trembled as she squinted her eyes
She tried to listen, but there was nothing to follow. No clash of steel, no exchange followed.
Only the mist, stirring, unsettled, revolving inward.
"Hm."
Despite his words, Gareth's grip tightened around his axe, as for a moment, he too almost ran forward.
But something within him told him not to, that the boy still had much to show him.
He didn't trust Hogni, no, he'd never put his faith halfheartedly like this. What he trusted was the First Class adventurer whose reputation echoed beyond the reaches of the city.
That he would stop his blade, that he would be reasonable…
Even Bete's ears twitched sharply, his expression twisting in irritation and something beyond as no sounds reached his ears… as if something had muffled the world itself.
Expectation… he too found himself expecting the irrational from the boy before him.
'Where…?'
For a fleeting second, both of them were simply… gone. Even with his sharp hearing, the strongest of them all, he realized to his utter confusion that even the distant splattering of water was gone.
And then—
/Slam!/
As the blinding light receded, they saw that very knight being flung back as Silver's hand glowed red, as if in flames.
The swirling mist had been a sign of what was to come.
Hogni was sent crashing down against the sands, sliding into the distance as a torrent of sounds reached their ears as the world regained its noise.
The mist dispersed under a wave of his hands, "Tsk." Silver clicked his tongue as he swung his right hand aside to cool it down.
'He closed his eyes… That's against the rules.'
/Step…/
Hogni stopped sliding, carving his sword into the sands, and using it to get to his feet.
He looked at Silver again. With far greater vigor than before.
He had previously planned to end it without so much as a single scratch, believing that even when on the same Level, his skills were more than enough to dominate a rookie like him.
But yet, he was thrown into the dirt, disgraced before the eyes of one of the few he recognized, and betraying his oath to the deity that had sent him down this journey.
/Swoosh…/
He took another stance, one far more aggressive than before, as he spread his feet and placed his sword beside his waist.
Never again, he thought as he took another step forward, taking the offensive instead.
The battle had truly just begun.
…
'What was it?'
Hogni pondered over what he had experienced before.
'I was certain he was before me, but then I doubted it. Something didn't quite match up.'
'Magic? But there was no chant. A Skill? That can't be it either…'
And before he knew, light bloomed. It was a slow ignition, but far faster than what he had steeled himself for.
/Crunch!/
His greaves stepped over the sand. Even if he has to rip the truth out of him…
/Dash!/
He dashed forward, leaving heavy footprints in the damp beach.
In response, Silver raised his left hand.
/PUSH!/
"!!"
A wave of air pushed down on the beach, as if a hurricane had been released!
/SHAA!/
Layers of sand were peeled off one by one as a hole opened in the middle of his palm. The wider it grew, the greater the wind pressure became.
Hogni had difficulty standing as the strong wind threatened to throw not only him into the sky, but the very ground he stood on.
/KICK!/
/BAM!/
He slammed his foot against the sand, compressing it just enough to give himself a solid footing as he blasted himself forward.
/SLASH!/
His blade fell diagonally against Silver's neck, but what he did in response shook everyone.
/CUT!/
""?!""
Silver welcomed the blade, moving his neck so it would cut through it!
"What?!"
Even Riveria's eyes trembled, but they had little time to react as he continued with his next strike.
"Hupp!"
Silver clenched his teeth as his body tensed up. He wound up his waist and twisted his feet, delivering a mighty, well-placed strike against Hogni's face!
As he saw the fist approach him at an unbelievable speed for his level, Hogni noticed Silver's skin darken like cast iron, and simultaneously, he observed it reconstitute itself as if it were made of water.
His calm eyes drew their own conclusions…
/CLANG!/
But there was no time to entertain his theories, "Ugh!"
Silver's right fist crashed against Hogni's helm, sending him recoiling back!
At the same time, his skin hardened even further as sharp scale-like plates grew on the back of his forearms, and appendages akin to metal knuckles formed over his fingers.
/Slam!/
Silver smashed his fists against one another as he walked after Hogni as the latter rolled on the sand and dashed after him again, closing in the distance!
/Dash!/
Hogni surged forward once more. The sand beneath his feet barely shifting as he closed the distance in a single breath, his blade already in motion.
/SLASH!/
A clean horizontal cut traced toward Silver's midsection, precise and efficient, leaving no wasted angle to exploit.
But to that, Silver merely raised his arm to meet it.
/CLANG!/
Steel scraped against hardened flesh, yet sparks bursting from the point of contact as the metallic plates along his forearm held firm.
The impact forced him half a step back, his boots digging into the damp sand as the force carried through his frame.
Hogni pressed forward without pause, uncaring about the bizarre appearance of his opponent.
His blade moved again, faster this time, its gleam flashing against the lake's surface. The follow-up cut angled to slip past the guard he had just tested and cut straight through the weaker, softer skin under his arms.
/CLANG!/
Silver answered in kind, predicting his actions. His other arm rose, the darkened sheen spreading further across his skin as he adjusted his stance, catching the strike just in time.
The sound of impact rang out again, sharper now, echoing between them as some of the metallic scales cracked before they were scrapped off, falling into the sands.
/Fwosh!/
Then another strike followed.
And another.
The rhythm began to form. The impacts came one after another, each strike bleeding into the next until the sound became continuous…
Hogni's sword flowed from one motion into the next, and Silver met him head-on without fear, shifting his weight, rotating his shoulders, letting each blow glance off his reinforced arms or collide directly against them.
With every clash, the metallic surface of his limbs adapted, thickening where needed, smoothing out so the blade would slide off, throwing Hogni's momentum off as he couldn't quite grasp how to combat him.
/Clang!/
The ringing of steel built upon itself, rising in cadence with their movements. Yet beneath that rhythm, something changed.
The constant shifting of its surface bothered Hogni, who quickly understood that a battle of attrition like this would lead nowhere, much to his dismay.
Against an incomprehensible opponent, his usual tactics needed to be revised.
Amidst their numerous clashes, Hogni had begun to realize the critical flaw in Silver's abilities. And in the faint delay where skin cracked and transformed…
Hogni stepped in. Not with his blade, but with his body.
"!"
The distance collapsed in an instant. His shoulder drove forward, slipping through Silver's guard and striking his chest with just enough force to break his footing.
Silver staggered only for a fraction of a…
/SLASH!/
But that was enough for the swordsman. The blade followed through immediately, carving across his side before the metallic sheen could fully spread.
/SPLATTER!/
All watched in suspense and shock, as metal slashed across his ribs without slowing down. Blood was drawn, flesh was torn, and his bones themselves were cut through, short only of his lungs, for Hogni had tilted his blade so they would not reach it.
Yet, something wasn't quite right… 'His body is much harder than I expected. His Vitality and Strength must be quite high… but so must be his other Stats.'
Hogni was quick to assess Silver's strength, putting his central Stats at an average of S at the very least, boosted likely by Skills beyond his understanding, for only that would explain the weight of his blows and the hardness of his flesh.
The more he experienced, the more he understood the attention his goddess provided him. There was something special about him… but who amongst her chosen weren't unique in their own right?
But as troublesome as they were, he had to admit to his potential.
'It seems we'll soon get another troublesome member.' He thought as his blade drew an arc in the air
This was a story that had repeated itself more than once before… Albeit, for as long as he remembered, this was the first time any of the Executives had been sent on a mission like this.
But he interpreted it in another way, 'As expected, I must truly be the most able out of them all. She called not for that arrogant prick, or foolish brothers, but me!'
'I am her greatest agent!' He believed as a thin line of red surfaced along Silver's ribs as they parted open
But that was when things took a turn for the worse.
For a fleeting instant, Silver's chest… opened. The skin split cleanly, layers beneath shifting one after the other as muscle peeled apart just enough to reveal the bone beneath as it seemed to liquefy, fusing back in place as the sharp cut vanished right before his eyes.
Nothing spilled, nothing faltered, it all moved with a bizarre sense of cohesion, as if his flesh itself was conscious of its own damage.
In the time it took him to draw a breath, it all reversed. Muscle tightened and fused, the layers sliding back into place as the skin sealed over it without so much as a scar.
All that was left to prove it had occurred were the sloshing echoes of the tendrils fusing back together as Silver's smile never once drew close.
"W-Wha…"
Hogni's gaze lingered for a fraction longer as the two stopped before one another.
"Heh." Silver laughed, "You got me there."
'But cuts are the easiest to heal.'
Silver's hands traced along his chest, still feeling the cut that almost sliced him in half, 'He's an incredible fighter. I tried approaching him the same way I did Leon, but their styles are utterly divergent from one another.'
'It only goes to prove that even with all my abilities, someone can still sneak past my skills with expertize alone… how thrilling!'
That thrill… it was hitting him again.
This would be where he'd stop and admit defeat… but he couldn't stop now. Not when he had barely begun.
He shifted his footing again, once again stepping after Hogni.
His hand snapped forward, catching the flat of the knight's blade between his fingers as the darkened plating spread further along his arm, growing denser and more defined.
The surface of his palms hardened past a simple sheen, forming small ridges along its surface that completely locked it in place and crumbled around its edge, preventing it from slicing into the red material underneath.
Even as Hogni tried to pull back, the blade's edge did nothing as it ground to a complete halt.
"You're keeping up better than I thought!" Silver said as he clenched his other fist
'Was this his true might as a Level 1? Or is this form of him stronger than his past self?…'
Such questions were unnecessary…
/PULL!/
Silver forced the blade aside as his fist welcomed Hogni's body once more.
"!"
Hogni's irises collapsed as his gaze sharpened.
Along the ridges of his arm, he saw Silver's skin split open and protrude into several tube-like formations.
/BANG!/
An explosion rang out, but not from their collision. Within the tubes, dark smoke exploded outward as the speed of his strike suddenly rose, like an arrow being released from a bow.
But Hogni would not let himself be struck for free. Still within the limits of a Level 1, he twisted his body, evading Silver's blow just so it would graze past his helmet, all the while letting go of his blade as he prepared a counterattack of his own!
"…!!"
Yet, Silver's body vanished right before him!
'Where…?!'
/SLAM!/
Still holding onto the sword's edge, Silver slammed its hilt against Hogni's helmet, which he barely blocked with his forearms as his armor dented under the extreme blow!
His face still stoic under his helm, Hogni continued with his observations as the ground beneath him caved in.
'This isn't the strength a Level 1 should posses!' He realized as his previous calculations proved to be misconceptions
/Swipe!/
The shifting sand turned into a wave as it swept Hogni's legs as he stood there awkwardly with his arms raised.
And as he fell, Silver's left hand twisted, now pointing down. Hogni tried to evade his blow, but as he did, the sands themselves moved away from him, contributing to his loss of balance.
/BAM!/
Immense pressure fell on Hogni's back as his chest was pressed onto the concave hole.
The immense pressure continued to press down, increasing its depth far below the lake's surface as an invisible barrier seemed to block the water from gushing in.
Hogni raised his head, ignoring the weight on his shoulders. But all he saw was Silver's sarcastic smile, "You're stronger than I thought." he added as he let go of the blade, its edge undamaged.
A clear and direct taunt. Silver knew that to escape that pressure, one had to have the strength above his Level… or to be as great of an irregular as he was.
As he stood at his feet, the crushing gravity around him still in full effect, Hogni had to accept reality as it was. In the face of the bizarre magic he possessed, his Level 1 self… was inferior to Silver!
He crouched to grab his blade when its own weight pushed it deeper than he could retrieve with his feet.
Full of humiliation, Hogni's hand dug into the sand as he held the blade tighter… "Very well." He muttered as he stood there in a half-bowing position.
/SLASH!/
/CUT!/
A powerful slash that ignored everything in its path, his hands digging through the sand as he delivered a slash directly from beneath Silver!
Silver's smile, however, aggravated.
This was the moment Hogni powered himself to Level 2.
…
/CLANG!/
The blade collided with Silver's leg, but instead of a swift cut, the cries of metal rang in the caverns as his skin took on a metallic, rough sheen.
/KICK!/
Silver followed through by pulling his leg and kicking Hogni's stomach, which he blocked swiftly by swinging his blade and protecting his ribs.
/SLAM!/
Hogni crashed against a distant boulder, pushing himself from the rock in a slow but continuous manner.
Seeing this, Silver exhaled faintly, 'I didn't expect much, but I barely did any damage, if at all… and I held nothing back.'
His leg relaxed, and with it, a sliver of blood gushed down his skin as his wound quickly closed soon after.
All the while, Hogni's gaze did not detach from Silver, observing every change with a deep gaze.
"I'm taking things another step further if you don't mind." Silver said as his left hand's skin cracked
'No more holding back. And that means giving them a little bit of a scare…'
'Tricks alone won't do against his current state. But my greatest ones… aren't something I'm willing to share with a member of the Freya Familia.'
'If they could hear my thoughts, they'd call me crazy for even thinking of holding back…'
/Fuaa…/
Cold fog and cooled air fell from within the cracks as cracked crystals of ice emerged from the wounds.
A horrific scene played out, a body horror that would make even the strongest minds recoil.
No blood poured out as Silver's wounds as his forearm became half translucent, allowing one to see the flowing blood and veins underneath his skin.
"Freeze."
"!"
/CRACK!/
Hogni jumped aside as several ice spikes pierced through the sands.
/PIERCE!/
He jumped back again, but whenever he ran, the spikes came piercing through, leaving a trail behind him.
He ran in circles around the beach, trying to get closer to Silver, but the spikes predicted his movements, growing in his path before his feet reached the ground.
'This won't do.' He thought as he danced along the spikes.
He smashed and crashed against the formed spikes to clear terrain, slashing with his blade both on the ground and in midair as he used them as footholds for his movements until the perfect time for a strike arrived!
Silver's ice was strong, but not enough to deter his Level 2 self!
/SMASH!/
His feet crashed against a pillar, and fired himself into Silver, who was already waiting for him with his fist drawn back!
/Thunder!/
Bolts of lightning jumped around the crystals, creating an alien scene for those who watched from the sides.
The bolts jumped from crystal to crystal, growing stronger as they drew closer to Silver, gathering within his body like a lightning rod as Hogni watched it all unfold as he flew towards him.
'I don't understand. What is the true nature of his magic? How can he control it without a chant?'
There was no time to think but to swing his blade, and when in doubt, swing it twice!
The blade struck downwards while the thunder-filled fist pierced forward.
/BAM!/
A burst of lightning blew the sand around them, sending debris and splashing water all around.
The shoreline caved beneath him, sand folding inward as the intense heat of the tongues of electricity melted them into glass.
A shallow crater spread from the point of impact, its edges collapsing into the damp ground as water rushed in to fill the void.
/Splash!/
The mist, torn apart by the force, hung suspended midair, shredded strands of white drifting without direction.
"… He hit him?"
Lefiya's voice came out smaller than she intended, as if speaking too loudly might shatter whatever fragile understanding she was clinging to.
Everything she was looking at made little sense. Her understanding of what meant to be Level 1, of what it meant to wield magic cracked before the fight she was witnessing.
Ais didn't respond to her confusion, despite knowing how she felt. Her eyes remained fixed on the impact point, unblinking, searching…
Gareth's brows furrowed, but his arms remained crossed throughout the entire confrontation, "I told ya, the boy's only getting started."
'But the kid's playing around with him. Testing him…'
The corner of his lips rose, 'Such a daring boy. Had it been any of the others… perhaps that is why he was sent here instead.' before they collapsed into a stoic glare.
'What are you planning? Goddess of beauty?…'
"…"
Even Bete clicked his tongue. Once before he understood his ability, but the second time… only seemed to pour salt into the wounds.
"T-This isn't normal, right?!" Rakta exclaimed as she witnessed Silver's abilities for the first time, holding onto her bag as her jaw hung loose
"…"
Riveria did not reply.
…
/Shua!/
And at the center of it all, Silver stood unmoved, the cold waves crashing against his legs.
The faint glow around his hand flickered, dying down into embers as he exhaled, his posture loose, almost casual… as if what had just occurred failed to meet his expectations.
His veins, previously purple, went back to normal as the crackling ice crystals all shattered in unison as they fulfilled their purpose, casting a rain of snow in this otherwise paradise of warm water.
"…"
Across from him, Hogni did not rise immediately as he stood against the sands.
Not because he couldn't, but because yet again, despite the difference in their statuses…
He had been made to stop.
'A Level 1 stopped my Level 2 self? Even if I kept it at the low end, I just can't believe it.'
Something not even he could do back when he was a Level 1 himself. Jumping levels wasn't something to joke about!
/Clap!/
Silver's smile finally subsided as he clapped his hands together, "Warmup's over."
/Rip!/
""?!""
Silver ripped his shirt off, taking off whatever little protection he had with his leather armor as he threw it to the waves, leaving only his pants behind.
Even his shoes were thrown aside, and if not for the audience, he would've cut his pants short.
He proudly remained, arms crossed, "This little thing will only get in the way."
As Hogni got back to his feet once more, he noticed a strange scene.
Underneath his skin, the outline of Silver's heart came to light as it pumped inside his chest, and so did his veins and arteries as his entire body warmed up, heating up the surrounding fog.
"…"
'If even this isn't enough… then I'll thoroughly see for myself where his limits lie!'
'This must be why I was sent here. I will see for myself what she sees in you, boy!'
Hogni instantly took a stance, this time with such speed it made his previous self look slow.
The air was cut as his blade swiftly locked in place, waiting to strike.
…
From afar, Lefiya closed her eyes, blocking them with her hands, "Why's he taking his shirt off?!"
Riveria's eyelids twitched…
Gareth scratched his chin, "Oho, I can see the kid is quite dedicated." He pointed out as he noticed Silver's muscles, "You should learn a thing or two from him, Bete. You've been slacking recently."
The wolf boy grit his teeth, "Shut the hell up!"
"I knew he was the show-off type…" Tione said with a helpless gaze as she put her hands on her waist
Tiona and Ais watched it unfold with slight embarrassment as well…
The battle continued.
…
"Hupp!"
Silver clenched his teeth as he bent his back.
/Clack!/
His muscles rearranged themselves, moving beneath his skin like worms before they locked in place with an audible echo.
They expanded slightly, raising his height by a few centimeters as two streams of light, like curtains drifting in the wind, cut through his skin, becoming akin to wings on his back.
Hogni's eyes shook again. There was no fear in his gaze as he witnessed it all, only something between awe, surprise, bewilderment, and disgust.
/Crouch/
Silver crouched down like a runner waiting to dash ahead, and as he waited for him to move…
/DASH!/
"!"
Silver exploded with power, flying over the sands like a bullet, just short of breeching sound!
/BANG!/
He wound up his arm, the water vapors around them gathering in a vortex around it, making it seem like a drill was about to pierce through him!
Hogni hesitated for not even a fraction of a second as he swung his blade against Silver's fist!
/Sha…/
"?!"
'This again!'
But against his expectations, Silver's fist turned to nothingness as, once again, he was tricked!
Silver's true outline soon punched at his chest, releasing far more power than he could've ever expected.
Noticing the light gathering around his hands, Hogni's eyes grew wide as a sense of familiarity reached him, 'This is… don't tell me he also knowns this technique!'
The cursed light held solely by his greatest rival and the one he would surpass!
Seeing it held by another… made his already worn-out mood collapse further.
Hogni bit his teeth and altered the trajectory of his blade. Holding it with both hands, he swung down at Silver's exposed back!
/BOOM!/
Silver held nothing back, even as the blade reached his body.
His fist crashed against Hogni's armor, the shockwave from using Afterglow completely shattering the armor plates as the Elven swordsman was sent flying back with a continuous cannon of wind… but not before his blade harvested its due debt.
The slash cut through Silver's skin, the force of his blow sending him against the ground as he gasped for air, "Gah!"
/SLAM!!/
As Hogni crashed in the distance, Silver pushed himself off the ground, this time, exposing to all as his flesh healed his wound in real time.
But rather than give them any attention, he hunched down as he condensed his mind, ready to use Afterglow a second time!
/Bzz…/
Enough mind to rival a Level 2 Spell, unseen energy traveled along his body as Silver's right arm flared like a bar of steel pulled from an oven.
His skin melted, muscles peeling away in such a brutal manner that Rakta lost consciousness on the side, unable to witness Silver's self-mutilation, as even Lefiya's eyes sank under the realization of the true nature of Silver's magic.
His charred black bones ignited as charcoal crumbled onto the wet sands… his skin splitting open along his arms, chest… everywhere as red light and embers escaped from deep within his body, the heat alone sizzling the water by his feet, boiling it.
"HAA!"
He screamed as he punched down, but why would he do so?
The answer came immediately after.
/Vanish!/
""!!""
Silver vanished, reappearing at Hogni's trajectory, fist already an inch away from impact!
/FIRE!/
A raging fire spewed forth! Like a small hurricane of fire!
The intense winds and heat were so great that they reached all the way to them, standing well over a hundred meters away in an elevated position.
Gareth's eyes narrowed as his beard wavered with his hair.
"U-Umbelivable." Lefiya muttered as she couldn't believe what she saw
Bete had his sight on something else, "What did he do?! I didn't even see him move!"
Riveria lightly hesitated, thinking if her words were proper.
But she soon realized her hesitation was unfounded… for nothing Silver did made any sense to begin with, "… It's simple, he didn't run or move at all." Riveria explained as her eyes remained locked on the fire before her as the mushroom cloud hovered above.
"He teleported."
""!!""
"Te… tele… pottery?" Tiona asked as she tilted her head at the foreign word
She didn't turn to face her, "Teleported. It means he transported himself through space itself, bypassing the need to move through its length via physical means."
But Tiona tilted her head even further, this time, joined by her sister who also didn't understand a thing, "Huh?"
"…"
Ais watched it like Riveria, never taking their eyes from the battle. She didn't understand what she meant either, but it's not like this was the first time.
"It truly is…"
But Lefiya's words were cut short.
/SCREECH!/
For things weren't going to remain as such for long…
Gareth turned his head to the waterfalls, "I knew this was going to happen eventually."
"… I'm counting on you." Riveria said as she looked at him momentarily
He sighed, already knowing what she wanted from him.
"You owe me all the drinks when we're back. Making me lose this show…" He grumbled as he walked away from them
He spun his axe casually and gazed above as a cloud of beasts descended from above.
/Grab…/
"Eh?"
Lefiya felt the ground beneath her grow light…
As she turned her head, she realized that Gareth had pulled her by the shirt!
She flayed her legs in protest, "Why meee?"
"I need someone to help me wipe them all out. It's just how things are."
"But I want to see it!"
"Well… if you don't help me, then we'll have nothing to see either way."
"Noooo…"
Lefiya was unwillingly drafted to work, and the twins thanked her quietly as they resumed observing the battle.
"Umumu… let's end it quickly then!"
Lefiya raised her staff as Gareth put her down.
She wasted no time as a blue magic circle took shape beneath her feet, "~Frozen skies, heavenly rain. White ice that colors the forest, shoot the shameful barbarians. Freeze, binding chains of winter~"
"-Hail Dust!-"
/FLASH!/
Hundreds of half-translucent icicle shards formed around her, and under her command, they all flew with immense speed, piercing into the air above them as they homed in on everything she set her eyes on.
Every monster the bullets struck froze over, exploding moments later in a rain of thin ice.
/BURST!/
A thousand bullets were fired into the skies, and soon after, a blanket of ice dust rained down on them.
"Okay I'm done. Now, excuse me… ?!"
"Where do you think you're going? We've only started, Riveria didn't teach you to leave things half done."
"Ugh… I'm losing it!" She exclaimed as she took a glimpse of the battle
"Then finish it faster, come on." He exclaimed as he swung his axe sideways, slicing a massive blue crab in half
Pouting like a little kid, she stomped the ground, "Umumu… fine!"
Their battle began as another continued.
…
/Meanwhile…/
/Burn!…/
Within the cloud of smoke, Silver clenched his arm in pain as his hand trembled.
"Arg!"
'Something's not right! My arm isn't shifting back!'
His flesh and bones remained exposed for far longer than he intended, almost as if…
But Silver refused to believe that to be the case. So he focused, forcing his flesh back into place one piece at a time… and it finally responded.
"Huff…"
'I think I pushed it… I thought I had it figured out, but I almost lost an arm trying to play around it.'
'There's more to this technique, and it doesn't work as intended with my Plasmids. I'll have to stop with for now until I figure out how it works exactly.'
/PIERCE!/
"!"
A sword crossed the smoke, cleaving it in half.
'Where did he…'
Silver's neck was cut before he could even finish blinking, drawing blood as he stepped back… clenching onto it.
/SLAM!/
But that was exactly what Hogni wanted. As Silver retreated, he pushed it, his blade puncturing his stomach as he locked him in place, eyes burning with intent.
"Your magic." He spoke through gritted teeth, "Even if I cannot understand it…"
"There is a delay to their activation. And you cannot use multiple forms at once."
"…"
Silver's eyes grew cold… but only for a moment as his excitement returned, his determination rising beyond anything he had shown before.
His bloodied teeth spread wide before him, "You… took a bit longer to figure out than he did."
/Bzz…/
But then, Hogni felt static in the air.
/Crackle…/
The crackling of fire and ice, the smell of ozone… Silver's flesh reconnected as the flowing blood under his jaw returned to his wound, leaving behind nothing but a white mark.
"Who said I can't use multiple at once?"
'Cuts truly are the easiest thing to undo.'
"!"
His skin brightened as numerous Plasmids flared! Hogni felt the air grow still as numerous invisible chains locked him in place, all the while the air grew heavy on his shoulders.
The ground shifted, becoming unstable, and the blade that was once stuck inside flesh hung loose as it drifted through Silver's body.
/BOOM!/
And then, a flash of light covered both of them.
…
/BOOM!/
""…""
The others watched from afar as another mushroom cloud ignited within the smoke, and feeling the pressure wave reach them, Tiona stepped forward:
"Hey… not wanting to butt in on someone's business, but isn't this enough?"
Ais awakened from her trance, and for a moment, she realized things had indeed gone too far.
Even Bete joined in with a cold remark, "It's too much, any other Level 1 would've been dead or half dead by now."
Despite Bete's extremely rare show of concern, none seemed to have noticed the irregularity, their attention fully drawn into the battle.
Ais turned to look at Riveria, but the latter only raised her hand faintly, urging the others to make silence, "Not yet… I'm with Gareth on this one."
Riveria looked back at the smoke, 'I can tell he hasn't yet shown what he can truly do.'
Mildly conflicted, the others watched the battle ensue.
…
/FWOOSH!/
Silver and Hogni reappeared from the flames in a streak of fire!
With Silver holding onto Hogni's battered armor, they flew from the epicenter and into a clearer section of the beach as Silver continually smashed his right fist against his cracked helmet!
"E… Enough!" Hogni exclaimed as his patience drew to an end
/KICK!/
He kicked Silver into the sky with such power he was almost sent halfway into the 26th Floor, hundreds of meters over the beach!
"GAH!"
Silver felt everything he ate in the morning flow out of his stomach as he spat it all out under his immense blow.
His ribs cracked, poking out of his skin as his trembling body readjusted, growing firm once again.
/Fwoosh!/
/SLAM!/
The kickback sent Hogni hurtling into the sands, where he rolled in the air, landing on his two feet with a loud /BANG!/
"!"
He immediately raised his head to face Silver, but as he did so, he felt his presence reappear beside him as Silver once again teleported beside him.
His eyes bolted to him, but his body couldn't react in time… not if he wished to keep whatever little pride he had left.
/Splat…/
Silver's fist turned into a pile driver as a bone stuck out from the middle of his knuckle.
With the sharp bone bolting outward, he delivered an on-point uppercut straight into his jaw!
/PIERCE!/
Hogni barely tilted his head enough to avoid the bone, yet it clung to the underside of his helmet, piercing through it as Silver held onto it, swinging down against the ground as Hogni was thrown down like a wet rag!
/SLAM!/
Hogni collapsed against the sands, forced to look up to Silver once again.
/Snap…/
If restraint could be measured physically, then, like a rope snapping, its fibers were quickly wearing out as Hogni was about to loose it…
/FWOOSH!/
His hands dug into the sand as he swiped the ground with his legs, sending a wave of sand and with it, Silver flying back.
/Shaa!/
As he landed, sliding over the beach, the echoes of Hogni's voice reached him:
"~By the power of the demon blade…~"
"!!"
Silver's assessment formed in a second, 'A chant?! And its super fast!'
Hogni's voice appeared as it was being fast-forwarded, as multiple words fused into few, difficult to discern otherwise.
But as Silver crossed his arms, ready to move away, Hogni pierced through the wave of sand, right hand directly over Silver's chest, "~Bring eternal destruction.~"
Their eyes met as Hogni's helmet shattered once and for all.
The Dark Elf's sharp, decisive eyes, and the Human's troubled, but clear eyes.
(Image)
"C-Cra…"
But Silver wasn't given the time to finish his words.
Before the Super Short Chant magic, all actions meant nothing, especially in the hands of a Magic Swordsman who trained all his life just to deliver it.
His right hand roared like a beast crying in rage, yet his tone carried no fire, "-Burn Drain-"
/BURN!/
/BOOM!/
A wave of heat, or rather, a pinpoint explosion, burst from his fingers, engulfing Silver in a torrent of fire before sending him, now a burning, scalding figure, into the distant lake.
/Splash…/
Silver fell into the lake's center, and no reaction came after.
…
/Shua…/
"…"
/Bubbles…/
'Everything hurts.'
He barely had time to shield his face as the flames ignited before him. To him, anything could go away, but if his head was too badly damaged, then making a full recovery afterward would extend into the months to years range.
The heat was short, but unbearable. The pain lingered on his skin, and the water helped little in mitigating it.
If anything, it only made the pain more pronounced.
Silver let the pain flare around his body, for without it, he might lose conciousness otherwise, 'Fire magic, extreme short chant… I don't remember reading about it… but I could've forgotten about it.'
He closed his eyes, his eyebrows already burned off with sections of his hair missing as red and dark patches covered his skin, 'Or maybe… it was just never recorded.'
He opened his eyes, inclined to end things cleanly.
'Not yet. I can still fight, I still have enough Mind to move about. But my body…'
He smiled helplessly… for he couldn't feel much of his body, nor move it even if he wanted it.
And the reason for that was quite simple… a motor wouldn't spin without a piston or a damaged cylinder…
'My flesh has burned severely. I'm covered in third-degree burns… but I'm grateful.'
'The magic of a Level 6 magic swordsman should've killed me. The fact that I'm just in this state only means he severely held back.'
He looked at the twinkling lights above him as he dove deeper into the lake's abyss…
'If I try to move like this, not only will I end up humiliating myself further… I'll only hurt myself unnecessarily.'
/Swirl…/
Silver opened his pocket space, taking out two vials.
A High Magic and Health potion, in the tens of thousands of Valis range each.
/Gulp!/
As he gulped them down, Silver felt a strange force spread from within his chest, and soon after, something warm pulled back and regrew his body in real time as the pain lessened.
After a few seconds of experiencing and moving along with the potion to heal his body, Silver's eyes sharpened, 'It won't be enough to heal my skin, but it doesn't matter.'
He looked up.
/Fwoosh!/
…
"… He's taking a little while, maybe…"
Riveria did not let Tiona finish, "He's still conscious, I can feel his magic power revolving under the water." She replied calmly, but underneath that facade, she was holding her staff tightly, ready to move at a moment's notice.
'There's no need to worry about monsters in the lake. Amphisbaena's presence is so strong it prevents any other monster from breeching into its territory.'
'There might be one or two, but if any appear, we can get to him before they get the chance to do anything.'
But she was growing impatient…
/SPLASH!/
""!!""
Something pierced through the lake's surface, rising into the skies as water rained down around him.
He stood in the sky above…
"KYAAAA!!!"
But a horrendous scream almost stopped his heart right then and there, and for a moment, he felt as if he were facing a mythical banshee.
"PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" Lefiya exclaimed from the other side of the beach as both she and Gareth fought another wave of monsters
Silver looked down as he heard her cries, and with a half-embarrassed chuckle, a cloud of fog covered his legs, and a pair of shorts appeared where once his bare skin stood.
'I might have to go with Gareth to buy some clothes when this is over. I go through too many of them…'
He turned to look at his audience, but thankfully, from this angle, all they likely saw was the same the poor young elf did… his bare back.
He smiled evilly, 'Should I tease her again when I return?… But then Riveria is going to beat me up again…'
/Step…/
After dismissing his thoughts, Silver landed in the air, walking down the sky as he returned to the beach's shores.
/CRUNK!/
Seeing this, Hogni reached out for his broken armor… and crushed it right then and there.
His armor was peeled off as if it were one long sheet of foil, followed by his greaves and gauntlets, leaving behind only his ordinary, stained clothes beneath.
As for Silver, with every step he took towards the beach, his previously mangled body regenerated, a sight worth remembering to all who saw it.
Scorched skin burned off, ripped lips reconnected, burned hair regrew as the white flames spread across his body.
/Crunch…/
As his feet landed on the sands, the last few wounds on his skin burned away in white flames, healed under a magical display of his abilities.
Hogni did not acknowledge his survival, condition, or denounce his previous actions. To him, his magic was merely another part of his abilities, something he had carried with him for numerous years.
It was Silver's mistake for being struck by it, for being weak, nothing else.
/Raise…/
He merely entered another stance, his blade pointed forward.
Silver smiled, raising his hands.
/Sha sha sha…/
The sands shifted, and from within, a blade rose from nothing.
"… Isn't that one of our spare swords?" Tione asked as she put her right hand over her eyebrows
Riveria's eyelids twitched again as Silver's abuse of their own items reached her eyes.
'I'll make sure to notify Finn so this is deducted from his final pay.'
…
Silver clasped his blade and entered a guard of his own.
'Let's see how skilled you are.'
For a brief moment, neither moved, merely sizing each other up.
But Silver wasn't one to wait like this… and neither was Hogni.
/Step…/
/Step…/
Without warning, both stepped forward at the same time.
/CLANG!/
Their distance vanished in an instant as steel met steel with a sharp, resounding cry, the impact ringing across the cavern as neither gave ground.
Hogni's blade pressed forward with precise intent, his stance unwavering as he tested the structure behind Silver's guard rather than the strength within it.
Silver answered in kind, adjusting his footing as the sand compressed beneath his heels, moving along with his body and giving him the foundation to perform to his maximum ability.
He tilted his blade, allowing Hogni's sword to slide over its edge, only for him to push him back forcefully and reset their stances.
/Slash!/
Silver was the first to strike forward, but Hogni saw straight through his moves.
He parried Silver's strike, and then the next three that came in succession as if he could see the future.
And even as the ground beneath them differed, with Silver hardening his foundation while Hogni remained in the wet, sloppy sand, he saw himself being smacked in the face by Hogni's pommel as he toyed with him.
/CLANG!/
Blood splashed down on his face, yet he remained unfazed, "You're better than the common rabble, have you received formal training?" Hogni asked as he swung his blade against Silver once more.
Silver barely evaded, jumping back as he redirected the blade upward before forcing it down and slamming his face against Hogni's.
/Smack!/
But despite the impact, Hogni showed no damage as Silver's scalp bled… "As early as I can remember. Even when I was three years old, I held a sword in hand as my grandmother taught me magic."
/CLANG!/
/SLASH!/
"I can see you have forms and sequences already honed. Consider me impressed."
Those were Hogni's honest feelings, something he'd never say to another within his Familia.
/SPLAT!/
In a moment of carelessness, Hogni pierced Silver's left foot, pinning it to the ground, "But you lack experience. I can visibly tell you don't know how to fight properly without that magic of yours."
Silver smiled, raising his left foot even as the blade sliced into his flesh, and pushing it forward so Hogni's grip would falter.
In the window of opportunity, he punched Hogni in the face, but he was ready, blocking the strike with a raised guard before delivering a hooked cross punch into his lower jaw.
/CLANG!/
Silver's face snapped to the side as blood splattered on the side. Yet… he chuckled.
He turned to face Hogni, his loose jaw black as it turned back to normal.
/Crack…/
He lodged it back in place, inhaling deeply before spitting blood on the ground, "I'd say it's not as much experience as it is what I'm doing."
"I think I fight quite well, just not well enough to face someone like you."
Hogni smiled for the first time. It was a faint, but discernible smile, "That is indeed something difficult to accomplish."
/CLANG!/
Another strike followed immediately, then another, each blow flowing into the next as the exchange tightened into a confined rhythm.
Hogni's swordsmanship was refined by countless near-death experiences both under the earth and in the proving gardens of the hall of champions.
Each strike aimed to overwhelm, butcher, and slice his target. They reflected his vision of what combat represented and what he aspired to become.
Silver, in contrast, shifted with every exchange, his posture adapting mid-motion, his grip adjusting as though he were rewriting his own form in real time to meet the pressure imposed upon him.
He did not confine himself to a single stance, shifting quickly between several he had learned throughout his life, and some Hogni recognized as not being meant for blades, but rather, for other weapons.
In these continuous stances, he realized that Silver's expertise lay not in the blade, but in the proficient use of multiple weapons, making him wonder if what he saw so far was truly his greatest state, or if there was more the young adventurer had left to show him.
/CLANG!/
Their shoulders nearly brushed as a strike slipped past the edge of their blades, carving a shallow line across Silver's side before sealing just as quickly, while a counter struck against Hogni's waist as it sliced through his clothes, yet left no damage on his dark skin.
Such exchanges had already occurred dozens of times, yet while Silver's wounds healed in real time, the cuts on Hogni's clothes continued to increase, only making his appearance look even more haggard.
But as the battle continued, Hogni realized something unique about Silver's healing factor.
Cuts and slices would heal quickly, but bruises and deeper damage, especially from impacts, took longer to return to normal, sometimes even stopping whenever his focus drifted between them and his blade.
He understood that to defeat him decisively, a mortal cut wasn't enough.
His will, his pride, his everything… he would shatter it in one blow!
/Step!/
Hogni stepped in, and Silver did not retreat. He welcomed his strike, raising his arms to block it just as he had done before to him.
But Hogni… merely smirked. His footing shifted instead, his body adjusting once more as his gaze flickered, and a punch turned into an uppercut as he dove under Silver's guard with incredible speed, striking his chin with such force Silver was sent once again into the skies!
"…"
The punch left Silver dazed. The glimmering lights of the caverns reflecting on the waterfalls only helped to confuse him further, and he was momentarily sent away from this battle.
/Shaaa…/
As the wind brushed past his ears, he knew something was wrong, but he couldn't quite tell what…
Hogni awaited his fall from the ground, winding up the decisive blow that would end this clash once and for all.
Once Silver returned, headfirst into the sand, he wound up his leg and delivered a mighty kick to his face!
But then, Silver woke up.
/TWIST!/
His eyes trembled as the air before them twisted, a purple vortex forming between them.
"!!"
Hogni's leg phased through space, reappearing beside him as he ended up striking nothing.
/Twist!/
And at the same time, the very same phenomenon occurred on the sands as the two of them were sucked inside, with Silver diving straight through!
…
/Shua!/
"Hm? What?!"
Hogni found himself free-falling high above the lake, the Great Falls right behind him!
They had been sent all the way to the 25th Floor's entrance, the very top of the Water City!
'How?!'
But amidst his confusion, something struck against his back, driving the air out of his lungs before he bit his lips.
He turned to face Silver as the latter kicked him away, 'This overreaching kid!'
/KICK!/
Silver kicked the air, using it as a foothold to propel himself through the air.
/SLAM!/
Hogni punched forward, but Silver kicked the air again and several times in quick succession, repositioning himself behind him as he crashed against an invisible barrier!
"Ack!"
/SMASH!/
But as he crashed against it, Silver smashed his fists, combined into one, as he struck straight down into his neck.
/SHATTER!/
The air itself seemed to shatter like broken glass as the invisible barrier he collided against broke, sending them once again into a freefall.
/SMASH!/
Hogni concentrated, feeling the air shift around him… and smashed it!
/BOOM!/
"!"
The invisible barrier shattered in an instant as the force of his own blow propelled him in Silver's direction, where he held onto Silver's neck before slamming him against the precipice!
/BOOM!/
"GAH!"
His other hand dug into the Dungeon's walls, using it as a nail so he could once again slam him down!
/BOOM!/
/BOOM!/
Twice more Hogni slammed Silver against the hard rocks of the Dungeon, pulling him from the bloodstained stone.
Yet even as he did so, Silver's gaze did not falter as he smiled, spitting blood onto his face, "What is it? Getting tired?"
"…"
Hogni did not show a single reaction to his words, so Silver did what he knew best… and bit onto his hand!
"Humph."
/SLAP!/
Hogni merely slapped him away, knocking out some of his teeth in the process, but Silver got what he wanted.
/SPLASH!/
"ARG!"
He twisted his head to show two holes in the stone, and as he did so, a gush of sand splattered Hogni's eyes as he momentarily let go of him.
/PUNCH!/
Silver followed with another gut punch, sending him crashing down onto another invisible platform as he kicked the wall, flying after him!
…
Tione clicked her tongue, "What's happening? I can't see well with all this mist and water!"
"… There!" Bete exclaimed as he saw Hogni pierced through the mist, crashing on an invisible platform.
…
/SLAM!/
Silver crashed against Hogni's stomach with his knees, crashing the platform once more as they continued their descent through the 25th Floor and into the 26th Floor.
He tried to rub the sand out of his eyes, but Silver continued striking him.
Punches, kicks, magic… all of it barely left as much as a taint on his skin.
And as he few hundreds of meters down into the Dungeon, his thin patience… finally reached its limits.
"Dammit!"
He cursed aloud with anger, his previous persona weakening as his eyes reddened, and his aura shifted…
If his emotions interlaced too much during casting, it was possible for Hogni to trap himself in a state between his two selves. But this wasn't that.
As Hogni saw himself being continuously beaten down by someone far beneath him, even with all the restraint he had exerted so far, part of him had begun to lose control of it.
What worsened it wasn't losing, but disappointing the one he held most dear, the very goal he wished to attend… and the reaction his greatest rival would have if he were to hear of what happened today.
The mere image of his words echoed inside his mind, and the moment he thought of it, what held him back… snapped.
'If you want a proper fight, then come have it!'
/SLAP!/
Hogni let go of all mental inhibitors and slapped the air in Silver's direction.
"!!!"
Silver did not see the motion nor heard what transpired, only the result.
He merely felt a chill down his spine as Hogni turned to face him. The moment their eyes met, Silver knew something was severely wrong.
So he trusted his instincts… and fled, putting distance between them in an instant.
This wasn't the first time he had felt such chills, but even with Leon, it did not compare to then…
/BOOOM!/
An impact wave burst through. Air was pushed aside with such force that the sound lagged.
A compressed shock-front burst from his palm, tearing through the space ahead before the sound itself could follow, pushing into the waterfalls before him.
The gargantuan curtain of water split apart, not cleanly, but violently displaced as a ripple forced its way through it, exposing the stone beneath for a fleeting instant… and a heartbeat later, the stone answered with a cry of its own, fractures racing across its surface before sections gave way under the pressure, blasting away as its fragments cried with the remains of any pitiful beings that called the place home.
And those were merely the ones that survived the aftermath, for all others were instantly squished and ripped apart.
"UGH!"
The shockwave caught Silver mid-flight, plunging him violently across the cavern as he flailed around uncontrollably, trying to steady himself.
'It's as if I've been thrown inside a tornado!'
/FWOOSH/
At the same time, the recoil alone drove Hogni downward, his body forced into the lake beneath—
…
/SPLASH!/
""!""
Meanwhile, from the ground, under the propulsion of his own strike, Hogni crashed against the lake, and tall waves slammed against the beach as everyone watched the scene unfold.
To them, the moment between the strike and Silver's disappearance was too short for them to discern from afar, as such, it looked as if he had been struck by it, vanishing within the Great Falls!
/SHAA!!/
The pressure finally reached them, forcing all, even Riveria, to block their eyes as some even stepped back to steady themselves.
/DASH!/
Ais was the first to move, for this time, she wouldn't wait, no matter how much Riveria told her not to.
"Ais!"
Tiona and Tione ran after her, while Bete remained behind with his teeth locked in place.
Riveria looked at him for a moment, and knew exactly what was transpiring beneath the werewolf's facade.
"Let's go." She said, waking him up from his thoughts
"!"
The two jumped down the boulder, rushing ahead.
…
/Sha!/
Ais glided in the air, dashing into the lake where she believed Silver to have fallen.
/Breeze…/
But the wind brushed past her ears, almost whispering to her that she was looking in the wrong place.
She tilted her head, seeing for herself as Silver dove from the skies, not into water, nor the beach… but directly onto Hogni!
She gasped, her face paling as yet another of her many buried emotions resurfaced. Even for her, who had far more difficulty reading social cues than the awkward Hogni did, understood that right now, diving straight into him was a terrible idea.
So she stopped midair, the wind revolving around her as she burst once more, diving towards them.
'Not enough, I won't get there in time!'
Silver landed against Hogni, and the latter… merely swung his blade backward.
/SLASH!/
"!!!"
Ais' stomach grew cold as Hogni's blade treated the falling Silver as a stationary object, slicing through his chest as if it were nothing.
Hogni remained with one hand over his face, and swung with his other one, not even glancing in his direction.
/BOOM!/
Silver's body collapsed against the sand as Ais found herself losing balance as her wind grew chaotic…
/SPLASH!/
But at the same time, Hogni's blade flew onto the lake, falling into it as he looked at his hands, confused.
'This is… oil?'
Then, the great one emerged from the sands.
"HA! You fell for it again!" Silver exclaimed as he pushed his hair aside
But as he was about to smile in pride for having disarmed a Level 6 adventurer, Hogni turned to him with a cold glare so deep Silver froze.
'He's not playing around anymore. He's out to kill me.' He thought, or rather, determined, as his next string of words clung to his throat
As he looked at him, he wondered just what had gone into him that made him act this way, and the truth soon came.
Leon, his multiple training sessions had twisted his understanding of high-level adventurers. The multiple "positive" encounters he had with others around the same stage contributed to his current misunderstanding.
The man before him wasn't a mentor, or any kind of person for what mattered… he was a deranged lunatic sent on a mission to beat up a man for the whimsical desires of a deity seeking something that might as well not exist.
A fanatic who desired nothing but her gaze and approval, who saw his skills as the means to touch her.
And right now, he had profaned that very thing multiple times.
So he froze. And indeed, he was afraid… afraid of death, of facing something truly incomprehensible and beyond all scopes and plans he had tucked away at the back of his mind.
/BITE!/
Silver bit his lips with such strength they bled. Fear… he felt it all the time.
He was not averse to it. He felt it when he was younger, when he perished and awakened once again, when he faced a monster for the first time, when he faced the realization of his new identity for the first time.
When he entered the Dungeon and gazed upon the darkness that had claimed countless others…
Fear was but one of the many emotions he had learned to embrace. And thus, that alone did not deter him.
/Step!/
Even in the face of extreme danger, Silver remained standing… before he took another trembling step forward.
…
/Shine…/
It shone, far brighter than ever before.
Beyond the material, the most precious essence of a being remained, devoid of form, marked by countless experiences called memories.
Throughout its lifetime, the once glistening essence was colored by these experiences, molding it into its final shape before it crossed the line back to where it came so it could once again race the eternal cycle.
That was existence, a mortal's fate, and a God's greatest entertainment.
'Why, why does it shine?'
A deity watched from her tower above the world beneath her feet, a translucent mirror, like the surface of wine, reflecting before her a scene like no other.
Some essences were unique, possessing brilliant colors.
From birth, those colors shone most magnificently, and through experiences, that sheen could be polished to its truest color, the height of its lifetime, or dulled to nothingness, buried under the weight of its own grievances and darkness.
She considered herself a seeker of such glorious colors. It was her life's calling to gather those exotic tones and polish them to perfection, to have them reach their ultimate potential…
So she could lay claim to their glory and admire them alone over the comfort of her throne, knowing they were all hers and none else's.
She enjoyed the process, but she couldn't call herself a patient person. Some colors polished themselves, but those were most rare. Most of the time, she had to give them a little push, or take those colors for herself, for she couldn't trust others not to ruin their sheen.
Yet… this one grew even more brilliant than it should've.
The challenger rose again and again against all odds before the wall that stood before him. The stone smashed itself against the glass, but each time the hammer fell down, the broken pieces returned clearer than before, like iron being hammered down on a forge.
It was a strange essence, containing multiple colors that did not match. Some might call it ugly, for it embodied nothing as it tried to be many at once…
But she disagreed. In its complexity, she found something she had never seen elsewhere. A unique prismatic color, carrying within numerous tones all at once.
A prism capable of containing all colors.
"Ahhh…"
Freya looked down at the reflection, relishing a sight she had never witnessed before.
Her platinum hair fell around the edges of her table, as her face grew rosy. The wine cup beside her collapsed to the ground, shattering under her sudden movements, but she paid it no heed, for the pleasure of alcohol… could not compare to what her eyes showed her.
'More… more…'
She reached out for the essence, but it remained a mirage after all. Beyond her reach, beyond her grasp…
The prismatic Soul grew.
'Grow ever brighter.' She ordered, but was it truly an order?
Or was it hope?
…
/Land!/
"Enough."
Riveria stepped before Silver, putting her staff in his path as Ais landed beside Silver.
As they did, Silver hesitated before sighing.
'So its over.'
Silver relaxed for the first time, feeling untold safety before the women before him… and found it mildly amusing.
'If gramps could hear my thoughts, he'd beat the crap out of me… saying, "Who hides behind women?"…'
'But, gramps… these women would beat you up too.'
As he closed his eyes, Hogni's eyes cleared. A battle with any of Loki's top executives wasn't a victory he could guarantee, even if he were to face them one by one. And she wasn't alone.
/Step…/
The other members of Loki's vanguard stepped forward.
The Level 5s weren't much of an issue, but when fighting together, coupled with the other two in the distance.
"Hehe… hehehehehe…"
Hogni fell into a fit a weak, continuous maniacal giggles as he blocked his face with her left hand before he pushed it aside, bending his back and laughing even harder, "HAHAHAHA!"
""…""
"Haha… haaa…"
But then, he suddenly went dead cold.
Reason returned to his mind, "… My mission… is concluded."
He bowed, "I apologize for my behaviour, princess… Now, excuse my sudden departure."
/Fwoop!/
Hogni became an afterimage, vanishing from the sands as if teleporting.
Most were unable to follow his movements, and even Bete could merely raise his head to catch a faint glimpse of his drifting shadow as his ears perked up.
His eyes narrowed. Even if for a brief moment, he witnessed the full might of the strength he looked up to.
One day he would reach it too, that promise was one he made many years ago and sought it ever since. Today was merely a reminder of his goal, something he had done multiple times before.
/Slam!/
"That fucker sure did as he wished, coming and going. I want to see if he has the balls to fight someone his size." Tione spat out as she caught her fist
Tiona nodded, upset at his behaviour as well.
"… Let's not add fuel to the fire. It's finished, that's what matters." Riveria said out loud as she slowly turned around
Ais turned to the side, "Are you alright?" She asked as she looked at Silver.
Silver's battered form from his last few bouts was quite evident.
His face was bruised, blood dripping from his forehead and into his eyebrows, nose, and cheeks.
His back was even worse, torn everywhere, the blood pooling on his legs, staining the sand beneath him red.
Everyone turned to face him as he brushed his wet hair back.
"… I'm fine, just a little sore."
"…"
Riveria looked at the boy as he clearly tensed his muscles trying to look bigger, and her twitching eyes finally gave in.
No matter how hurt he was…
/BONK!/
"AARRRG!"
She slammed her staff at his scalp, "I said one round!"
"Huff… It was technically one round with multiple stages..."
/BONK!/
"Don't lie!"
"AHH! Okay! Okay… just don't hit me again… I think I'm bleeding…"
"You are, actually." Tiona corrected as she scratched the back of her head
Riveria had the urge to hit him again, but as she saw Gareth return, she stopped.
"Stand still."
She tapped her staff against his forehead as a magic circle formed beneath her feet.
…
"-Fil Eldis.-"
/Shine!/
Silver's body was covered in a colorful curtain of light as he felt his wounds and stamina recover.
Before he even had the chance to thank her, she pulled her staff from him, "… Put on some clothes and let's continue, we can talk more once we go down."
'There's still a lot I want to ask him, but this isn't the place for it.'
'Above all… everyone needs a rest.'
Silver massaged his scalp, "Ugh… I think my brain…"
Riveria glared at him.
"… Is perfectly fine!"
""…""
"What about Rakta?" Tione asked as she saw the bunny girl in Bete's hands
"We can move on our own just fine." Riveria said as she walked away
"Riveria's angry." Ais blurted out
Tiona agreed, "… She's pissed."
So did her sister, "Most definitely."
"I'm not carrying her down a Floor." Bete mumbled as he stared at Rakta in his arms
""…""
"Don't fucking stare at me!"
He turned to Silver, but the latter just shook his head, "What do you want me to do? I'm all dirty."
The girls nodded, and Bete's forehead tensed, his veins popping up…
In the end, Silver carried Rakta through telekinesis like a sack of potatoes…
"I think I saw this scene before." Tiona said as she remembered the first time she met Silver in the Upper Floors
"… I'm late, aren't I?" Lefiya asked as she ran back with Gareth right in tow
But as she saw Silver's bloodied back, she almost slipped face-first into the sand, "What the hell happened to him?!"
Yet no one paid her commend any heed.
Tiona smiled, "It just ended. It was… awesome!"
She gestured with his hands, "There was this big explosion that went "Fwish!" and then they appeared from within, streaking across the skies as they kept exchanging blows and then…"
Tiona shared a very exaggerated recount of the battle, causing Lefiya's ears to fall down in severe disappointment for having missed the more exciting half of their clash.
Tione smiled helplessly but had to agree, while Ais raised her head, thinking about everything that had happened.
"Ugh… ah!"
When Lefiya was about to complain, she and Silver's eyes met, and she looked away in embarrassment, thinking about what she had seen before.
"P-Pervert!"
"… How am I the pervert? It's not my fault my clothes burned."
"Pervert! Die!"
He rolled his eyes, "No need to lie if you liked it."
"Huhhh??"
But then, an idea popped into Lefiya's head as she crossed her arms and looked away half-smugly, trying to keep her composure amidst her embarrassment, "I-It's not as if there was anything great to look at!"
"Ah…"
Silver smiled, "Touche, you win."
He then burst out laughing, not exactly the reaction she wanted to see.
Which only made her more upset!
"Alright guys, let's pack up and get a move on." Gareth said as he returned with Riveria from their brief talk on the side
"Next stop, the Under Garden, the 28th Floor!"
""Yay!""
Bete was the only one who didn't raise his hand as he kept his hands in his pockets, "Tche!"
And so, beneath the echoes of shattered stone and fading waves, Loki Familia's vanguard descended deeper into the Dungeon.
…
.
.
.
Notes
This was quite the long chapter, but I wanted to make it this long as it serves as one of Silver's conclusive feats for his Rank Up.
Anyhow, there's a lot I would like to say, but I'm actually running out of space to write given Webnovel's character limit, so I'll stop here.
Thank you for reading!
Peace.
PS: And a little late given I wanted to post it yesterday, but happy mother's day to all!