Bab 34: Chapter Twelve, Part One
"A faulty step, correct your stance!" Etrigan's fist thudded into Dan's stomach. "A dog would see that blow, far in advance!"
"Well, this IS my first time in a fist fight," Dan winced as he followed the demon's instructions. His body shifted into balance, light on his toes. "But I can see what you're doing pretty well."
He twisted his body into a probative jab, weight set behind the punch. The demon was fast, even under his kryptonian eyes. Etrigan leaned back, nonchalant as he pushed Dan's fist aside.
"A better try, but all the same. Attacks like that hold no claim to fame!"
The Demon's leg twitched out, a straight kick that caught Dan in the ribs. He sailed through the air until a tree embraced his spine. Venom twisted within him.
"LET US FIGHT HIM," The symbiote snarled in his ear. "Together we could devour him with ease!"
"That's not the point of this," Dan shook his head, eyes on the void coloured demon. "Also, I think you underestimate him."
"Listen to your Master, his eyes are better," Etrigan smirked as a layer of grey flame flickered over him. "This fight won't change if he puts on a sweater."
"A SWEATER!" Venom emerged from Dan's shoulder, teeth bared. "Let us KILL HIM!"
"Venom, get back…"
"Kill me? Surely you jest?" Etrigan laughed as his form vanished from sight. His voice filtered into Dan's ears from the side. "You'd stand no chance, even standing ten abreast!"
A heavy fist met his temple and drove him to his knees. Stars danced in his vision, ignored as he snapped his leg back. Foot angled, his heel stomped into the demon's palm and stopped a second blow. A grin spread on Dan's face. This body seemed to be built for this, a fish in water as his mind processed data faster than ever before.
"Ooohh? You have some skill," Etrigan squinted, interest in his eyes. "But that arrogance is a poison pill!"
A blow met the back of Dan's head, but his hand caught another on his palm. Etrigan laughed, a satisfied snort.
"Your instincts serve you well, but they can only let you counter block," The Demon faded into the shadows, his voice in the wind. "What happens to your plan, when the first blow strikes right to bedrock?"
A vision entered Dan's mind, a trickle that filtered in from Venom. A keen foreknowledge, so strong his body moved on its own. He tilted into a tumble, the wind of Etrigan's fist above his hair. Another tingle pushed his elbow to his left, in line with the demon's foot. Dan slid back a dozen feet, arm numbed from the kick.
"The symbiote plays a dirty game, but it's impressive all the same," Etrigan rubbed his fist, eyes dark. "That body of yours grows by the day, but it will take a bit more for me to give way!"
The demon stepped forward and Dan's newfound sense exploded. Visions of fists filled his mind, a blow from every angle. Hands, claws, feet, and even teeth closed in a blur. A large palm wrapped around his neck and lifted him from the ground, eye to eye with his devilish trainer.
"A final lesson before Merlyn's turn to teach," Etrigan pulled his other arm back, fist pointed at Dan's face. "Never rely on instinct alone, or you step beyond your reach!"
Etrigan's knuckles expanded and Dan's vision went black.
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"Your demon is a menace," Dan complained, an icepack held over one side of his face. "Look at this shiner… it will take a day or more to heal thanks to his magic." He exposed a single raccoon eye to the world.
"Every beating brings you closer to perfection," Merlyn shrugged as he flipped through a pile of books. "You did well, for your first brawl, Etrigan is far stronger than you think."
"He seems plenty strong," Dan recovered his eye. "What is his upper limit, exactly?"
Merlyn frowned and left his books. He scrunched his face as he considered his answer, pipe raised to his lips. A puff of smoke chafed at Dan's lungs as the Wizard exhaled.
"I have seen him destroy entire cities, down to every woman and child," Merlyn took another puff. "But I have never seen his limit. My spells hold him due to his own carelessness, though sometimes I wonder if he didn't wish to be caught."
'System, can I see Etrigan's statistics?'
[The Demonic Emperor Etrigan is considered to be a part of the summon: Merlyn (The Once and Future King) and cannot be viewed directly. He is the Wizard Merlyn's greatest offensive force, as such, Merlyn's combat power is identical to that of Etrigan in the system.]
Dan called up Merlyn's page and scanned to the section labelled combat tier. The system classified both Merlyn and Ultron as gold level summons, but he hadn't been sure what that ment. His eyes widened as he read a section of the overdetailed text.
"Continental level attack potency…" Dan muttered. "What about Ultron?"
A quick glance to the recommended section showed the A.I. to have a far weaker damaged output, small mountain if his vibranium body was filled with energy to reflect.
'Why is Ultron weaker, if he's supposed to be my guardian?'
[The A.I. is considered to be a stronger overall summon.] The system droned. [His ability to problem solve and innovate places his potential above Merlyn. Without the demon, the Wizard is only a silver level summon.]
"Wake up and pay attention!" Merlyn's pipe rapped Dan's forehead. "You've managed to enter a basic meditation during our last class, now we move on to the creation of your inner landscape!"
"Alright-alright," Dan blinked away the system menus and focused on the Wizard. "What do I have to do?"
"First you must enter a meditative state," Merlyn returned to his books, a scowl on his face. "Once there, visualise descending to the centre of yourself. That is the first step, I'll explain more once you've gotten that far."
Dan heaved a sigh as he settled onto a mat on the ground. This area was more his wifes talent, than his, but it was too important to ignore. Magic was his only real 'weakness.' It didn't do more damage to him like with Superman, but even the strongest kryptonian genes merged together still made it his lowest resistance.
'I just hope this doesn't take too long…'
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
VendakSoth
VendakSoth Thanks again, and a huge thank you to my Patrons! I can’t make this content without support, and I’m super grateful for our first three supporters! This fanfiction is also available on my Patreon, I’ll always keep it free, so please visit! Any support there makes this work possible, and if enough patrons want this novel to be a priority, it will be! Updates for this series will be at five a week, a chapter part monday-friday, with bonus chapters whenever I can get them written and edited.
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Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone