Matilda stared at the symbol on Kai's forehead.
It was a symbol composed of three smaller crystals to form the shape of a rock.
She did not recognize the symbol, but she could sense the change in Kai's body. It's not a boost to his mana, or even a change to his appearance. It was something that couldn't be seen in the eyes, only felt.
But her focus was fixed on what Kai said.
Kai said the same thing to the student in the second rite before killing him.
'Had I known he could grow this strong, I wouldn't have surrendered to Team Coeus easily.' Matilda stared at Kai's eyes and felt this was a waste. It was truly a waste. 'But it's far too late for that now. I have no choice but to dispatch him.'
"Stay back," She said to Abigail. "I don't think he'd attack you, but I can't be sure."
Abigail didn't answer.
She was too shocked at Kai's display of power and bloodlust.
Before Matilda could make her move, Kai suddenly turned and ran to the side, carving a path through the forest. She clicked her tongue in displeasure and immediately chased after him, knowing that she couldn't let him go again.
At the rate he was going, it might be too dangerous to leave him be.
It was a high-speed pursuit.
Even though Kai had gotten far stronger, his physicality is still not on par with Matilda's.
Speed and everything physical is her forte. She managed to close the distance, but as she was about to move in for the kill, Kai halted mid-strike and dashed the opposite direction, straight at her like he was the one coming for the kill.
It caught her off guard, but she raised her sword in time to block.
Clang—!
Sparks blew against the dim light.
Her strength exceeded Kai's easily, but his slashing technique placed them on equal ground.
No.
Matilda soon realized that he had slightly won that clash as her body was pushed back a bit, and the violent tremor that travelled throughout her sword locked her in place, giving enough stability for her to meet with Kai's cold, unblinking eyes.
He dashed to the side and disappeared into the shadows once again.
From another angle, he came out and struck before disappearing once again.
Kai did this sequence several times.
At the center, Matilda could only protect herself, fighting for every breath. The moonlight was on her side as it betrayed each incoming strike with a fleeting gleam, enough time to block, but never enough for her to strike back.
She feels like a prey in an open glade with the hunter prowling beyond the dark treeline.
It was completely different from when she fought Kai back then.
Swoosh—!
Kai charged at her from behind faster. His scimitar hummed with mana as he struck.
Once again, Matilda reacted fast enough to block, but a strong discharge of energy bursts from the scimitar, phasing through her sword and slamming into her chest like a physical blow. It knocked the wind out of her and even rattled her internal organs.
'Another imprint?!' Matilda exclaimed inside her head. 'How did he have another one?'
It was mostly an assumption.
Matilda saw Kai fighting in the cafeteria. Saw him sneak up on the monster and help her. She was one of the people who paid attention to him, and she assumed she knew it all. Light presence. Devouring. Those were his gift from his Patron God—one imprint and one skill.
She was certain that's all he has to offer.
But now, somehow, Kai has an attacking ability like this.
Another imprint.
Or perhaps, he was hiding it from the start.
Either way, the unpredictability made her heart pound inside her chest.
Bam—!
Matilda blocked a rising kick aimed at her face with her free hand.
'Something is wrong… Something is really wrong,' Her shocked eyes stared at her hand. She actually felt numb from blocking that kick, which meant Kai's strength was nearing her. Not to mention, she soon realized that she had been knocked off the ground.
Such a display of strength should be impossible.
'How is he this strong?' Matilda somersaulted backward and landed on one knee. 'Technique and combat experience aside, this significant increase in strength should only be possible if he achieved a breakthrough!'
Across from her, Kai stood straight like an arrow.
His ink-black eyes drew in the darkness.
It created an illusion that made him more of a silhouette the longer someone stared at him.
Inside, he was also surprised by what he could do.
Not exactly what I wanted, but I can use this.
[Perion Quest completed]
[Ending Fragment of Stone (Incomplete) is now accessible to you]
...
[Ending Fragment of Stone (Incomplete)]
You have comprehended and mimicked a stone's cycle of life. You now have the Inner Strength of Stone inside of you, allowing your body to be one with the soil. Complete this Ending Fragment to develop the Inner Strength of Stone.
...
Unlike Noxian, who has no demands, Perion has a demand for letting Kai learn his name and, by extension, comprehending a fragment of his very being. He wanted a sacrifice. Three Supernals to be exact, and Kai was thinking he could get that from the students transporting the crate.
Wolf screwed that over, but then Matilda came.
It was a blessing in disguise.
Being betrayed by Abigail turns out to be helping him in the end.
But that doesn't mean he's okay with it.
Regardless, ever since he got the Ending Fragment of Stone, he felt his body had become heavier.
Not heavier in weight, but heavier in his movements.
Each step Kai took seemed to sink into the earth, fusing with it. His center of gravity became immovable—a foundation that could not be shaken. He felt stronger, his body more solid. But still not strong enough. Not yet Matilda's equal.
But because of his unshakable stance and perfect slashing technique, he can surpass her.
Given the right moment, he could end this fight.
"I admit, you're stronger now, Kai." Matilda rose, offering a nod of acknowledgment—respect for how far he'd come. "If I'd known you could grow this fast, maybe we'd still be on the same team." She met his eyes. "I apologize in advance. But now, I can no longer take you lightly."
A golden shimmer coursed through her body, arm, and then settled in her hand.
Slowly, a golden shield manifested, and her aura immediately became sharper.
Kai instinctively raised his arms defensively.
Deep down, he knew that much like the first time, she was holding back.
And now, with the shield manifesting, his suspicion was correct.
Athena is well-known. She's a high rating Patron Goddess, and all her Supernals have incredible combat prowess. I believe Divine Armament is her Legacy Skill. Each weapon scales with the Supernals' raw and magical strength, and even gives minor boosts.
But with two weapons out, I doubt Matilda can retain them for long.
She's aiming to end this quickly. One minute max.
Kai and Matilda clashed again.
Steel clashed against mana. Flesh against flesh. Both acknowledged each other's strength and knew that this fight could go either way. Matilda is more technical, shifting from attacking to defending smoothly like flowing water.
It was different from Kai.
His movements are crude, but the output of his offense was incredibly dangerous.
No matter what angle he chose to strike, the scimitar always came with the force of a hammer.
Matilda tried knocking him off balance or even charging at the arc instead of running away from it, but the force still made her arms go numb. And what she hated the most were his eyes that remained open.
Kai's eyes weren't like that from the start.
He still blinked. He still flinched. Still afraid of the blade's reach.
But now, regardless of how close a blade came to his face, his eyes never blinked.
And somewhere along the way, Kai started calling her 'Demon'.
Not out of fear, but out of infectious anger. He must've seen someone else in Matilda's body.
Kai's scimitar clashed against her sword. A crack pierced their ears, but none knew whose weapon it came from. He avoided a horizontal slash and punched Matilda's liver, and another crack echoed.
It's not the sound of cracking steel, but the crack of bones.
At the same time, the energy source embedded in Matilda's combat suit doubled her mana as she bashed her shield into Kai's face. His nose and face were broken.
Rage overtook him. His face burned. His heart pounded like a war drum. His veins felt like there were a thousand fire ants walking in them. With another slash, he knocked away Matilda's sword, leaving her open.
He grabbed the shield's top, stopping her from turtling, and kneed her side.
She gasped and faltered. But she is a warrior. Her spirit made her grab the back of his neck— and struck him again with her forehead. She did it again before Kai could recover. Blood and snot touched Kai's lips.
From below, Kai swung up, and Matilda blocked it with her shield.
But the Dark Discharge was infused in that attack, and the energy shock drilled into her side.
Blood bursts from her mouth.
Matilda gritted her teeth and snapped the scimitar in two with a swing of her shield.
She charged again, but faltered as her eyes turned blurry.
Looking down, she saw Kai's hand was holding her wrist, and darkness was seeping into her skin. He was trying to devour her. And to her shock, Kai wound up with his other hand—and punched her shield.
It punched a hole through it and broke Matilda's humerus bone.
Sleepiness and exhaustion made it hard for her to anchor herself again as she staggered.
Once she stopped, her eyes widened as Kai was already upon her.
'I... lost...'
Matilda closed her eyes, waiting for Kai's fist to shatter her skull and kill her.
But the punch never came.
She felt a weight driving her down onto her back. The ground met her—colder than she last remembered. Her eyes opened and traced down. Everything was still blurry from the effect of Kai's touch, but she could still see it.
Kai's entire body was weighing down on her with his face pressed against her toned stomach.
From the angle, she could see his eyes, and they were open.
But they stared at nothing. Unseeing. Unresponsive.
Only then did she realize that he had passed out before delivering the finishing blow.
Matilda's hand brushed against the sword that was knocked from her hand. She grabbed it, fully intending to finish Kai off, but as soon as her fingers wrapped around the handle—the sword dissipated into fragments of mana.
Time's up. Her mana was completely exhausted.
She heard a very faint mumble.
It came from Kai.
"I'm going to be strong, sister… I won't waste your life. Strong… Strong…"
Matilda reclined her head against the ground and sighed.
Her hand naturally stroked Kai's black hair gently, almost like she was comforting him from his painful hallucination. "It must be a sign from you, mother," Matilda mumbled silently as she closed her eyes. "What am I going to do now?"
…
An unknown amount of time passed.
Birds chirped in the background as sunlight pierced through the eyelids.
Kai grumbled as he pushed himself from the ground.
He opened his eyes and looked around, only to find that he was alone.