章 17: Duel : Zac vs Damien
Zac, Clarisse, and Elise were dumbfounded by the electric atmosphere that crackled between them and Damien. Zac's death energy surged forth like a torrent, a dark maelstrom swirling around him. The aura of impending doom exuding from Damien was palpable, sending shivers down their spines.
Zac knew he was outmatched by this formidable adversary, but the fire of determination burned in his eyes. He could practically taste the malevolent intent radiating from Damien, and it only fueled his resolve. He might be the underdog, but he wasn't about to back down without a clash.
From the depths of Zac's being, Bella's voice resonated, offering a lifeline of insight. "Zac, something is off. That guy is undeniably powerful, yet for some baffling reason, he's holding back his energy to a mid-stage F rank."
As the siblings, Clarisse and Elise, watched the events unfold, they were inexplicably swept away to a nearby viewing platform by an unexplained and gentle force. The origin of this energy was clear—it was Damien himself.
Although it seems like this took time, this all happened in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, Damien closed the distance between him and Zac. His razor-sharp claws sliced through the air, aiming to rend Zac's flesh and bring an abrupt end to the clash.
But Zac was not one to be caught off guard. In a display of raw determination, he summoned his two favorite daggers, materializing them with deadly precision. The glint of the blades mirrored the unwavering resolve in his eyes. With an expert's grace, Zac channeled the death energy into his right leg, converting it into a source of tremendous power. With a burst of energy, he propelled himself to the side, narrowly escaping the deadly arc of Damien's claws.
The frantic dance continued as Damien relentlessly pursued Zac. Panic flashed across Zac's face, and his heart pounded in his chest. The chase was intense, a relentless pursuit where every heartbeat seemed to echo the inevitability of an impending showdown.
Amidst the chaos and the fury of their confrontation, Damien pondered the situation. His opponent's youthful facade contrasted with the raw potential and the undeniable genius that Zac displayed. Yet, Damien couldn't help but consider the boy's lack of life experience. He mused, "A kid is still a kid. No matter how much of a genius he is, without experiencing life and death, how can one become strong just with talent alone?"
With that thought in mind, Damien launched himself forward, unleashing his true power. He plunged his leg into the ground, harnessing the earth's energy to propel himself like a bullet. The transformation was astounding, and before Zac could even blink, Damien stood before him once again.
Clarisse and Elise, who had been helplessly witnessing the battle, were unable to bear the tension any longer. They shouted, their voices laden with fear and concern, as they tried to stop their uncle from going further. But it was as though an invisible force silenced their cries, isolating them from the turmoil that unfolded before their eyes. Their voices fell on deaf ears, lost in the chaos of the battlefield.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Damien aimed a final swipe of his claws at Zac, intent on bringing the clash to a decisive end. But then something extraordinary happened. Zac's expression shifted from panic to a mocking smirk, sending a jolt of surprise through Damien.
Intrigued and momentarily distracted, Damien's attention was diverted to a peculiar sight on the ground. A circular patch of dark energy seemed to materialize beneath his feet, and from it emerged the tip of a deadly spear. Realization dawned upon Damien, and he understood that he needed to react swiftly to avoid this unforeseen trap.
In an instant, he withdrew his hand, his claws shifting to block the oncoming spear. The clash of metal against metal reverberated through the battlefield. As the spear was deflected, a skeleton emerged from the dark patch along with the spear. Damien swiftly turned to confront it, his fists raised to strike at the skeleton that had materialized to engage him.
The skeleton served as a formidable barrier, using the shaft of its spear to block Damien's powerful punch. Despite the impact, it slid backward a few paces, a testament to the sheer strength Damien possessed.
For a brief moment, Damien's relentless pursuit came to a halt. His attacks ceased, and his intense focus shifted towards the skeleton army that had emerged from the shadows. Seizing this opportunity, the skeletons regrouped, forming a determined line with Zac safely behind them.
The tide of the battle had taken an unexpected turn, and as Damien locked eyes with the skeletons, his thoughts raced. Unspoken questions loomed in his mind, challenging everything he thought he knew.
With a mix of shock and intrigue, Damien kept his composure, even as his inner thoughts raced like a tempest. "Weren't they the mindless low-level skeletons of the Bone Race? A Necromancer..." he mused, secretly taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
Damien had faced his fair share of necromancers in the past, and within the Dark Tower's enigmatic ranks, they were always a rare and mysterious breed. However, the current situation defied his conventional understanding of their abilities. In his experience, necromancers typically exhibited their extraordinary powers only in the higher stages of their development. They started as relatively weaker practitioners, slowly ascending the ladder of mastery. Yet, what unfolded before him challenged this familiar narrative.
Necromancers, especially at the lower levels, were traditionally perceived as less formidable. Their control over the undead was often rudimentary and lacked the intricacy and intelligence seen in higher-tier necromancers. But the methodical maneuvers of Zac's skeletal warriors possessed a surprising and eerie level of intelligence that piqued Damien's curiosity.
As Damien's thoughts churned, his gaze remained fixed on the eerie assembly of skeletons. The dim, otherworldly energy coursing through their forms caught his attention. This was no ordinary display of necromantic control. There was a dark undercurrent to Zac's abilities that left Damien both fascinated and wary.
In the midst of this revelation, Clarisse and Elise couldn't conceal their amazement and disbelief. Their expressions reflected a blend of astonishment and curiosity as they witnessed the unfolding spectacle. The questions that raced through their minds were shared by Damien, albeit with a sense of wary respect. The world they thought they knew was being turned on its head, and they couldn't help but ponder the enigma that was Zac.
Breaking the charged silence, Damien acknowledged the unexpected prowess displayed before him. His grin held an air of excitement, a testament to his thirst for a worthy challenge. "Okay, brat, it looks like I have underestimated you. But from now on, I will be going all out," he declared with a glint in his eye.
Zac's response was a resolute silence. The time for holding back had passed, and he understood that facing Damien's full might was the only way to prove his mettle. With an unspoken understanding, he relinquished control to Bella, who oversaw the ten skeletal warriors at his command.
As the skeletons assembled into a formidable line, Damien's expression shifted slightly. It was not fear that gripped him but a newfound intrigue. He knew the rare power of high-level necromancers within the Dark Tower, but here stood an eight-year-old boy whose aura emanated a killing intent as potent as his own. The boy's life experiences and the source of his strength remained shrouded in mystery.
The battlefield was charged with an air of tension. The skeletons, directed by Zac's unyielding will, stood as a defiant barrier against Damien's advance. Each skeletal warrior was armed with a deadly weapon, ready to defend their master.
Amid this stand-off, Zac released a killing intent that matched Damien's. The sheer intensity of it mirrored a finely honed blade, poised to cut down anything that dared to challenge it. This time, there was no doubt. Zac's determination and willpower blazed with an intensity that belied his age.
Damien's face turned grim, and his expression grew sharper. He was no stranger to death, having walked the path of a ruthless predator. But now, an eight-year-old boy exuded a chilling aura of equal potency. His eyes, once filled with amusement, gleamed with a newfound respect for the mysterious young necromancer.
Damien unleashed his formidable blood manipulation powers, orchestrating a breathtaking transformation. A deep, crimson aura burst forth, shrouding him in an otherworldly cloak of power. With unwavering focus, he initiated a controlled surge of adrenaline, which raced through his veins like a swift, electrifying river, elevating his physical and mental capabilities to astounding heights.
The cascade of adrenaline surged through every fiber of his being, electrifying his body and sharpening his senses. His heart pounded with a rapid, rhythmic cadence, propelling the enhanced lifeblood throughout his body. Muscles tensed, senses sharpened, and reactions quickened, all due to the intensified flow of adrenaline—a mere glimpse of the countless applications of Damien's blood manipulation mastery.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished, reappearing behind Zac with a powerful punch. The speed of his assault left Zac astounded, with no time to dodge. Instead, he turned around, forming a protective cross with his arms to brace for the imminent strike.
The punch landed with overwhelming force, sending Zac soaring through the air, tumbling and crashing into the ground below. Bella had attempted to employ the skeletons as a shield, but Damien's lightning speed rendered them futile. He whizzed past the skeletal guards, closing in on Zac once more.
However, Zac was not ready to surrender. With death energy surging through his legs, he managed to dodge Damien's follow-up attacks, though he was acutely aware that his energy reserves were depleting rapidly.
"Dammit, Bella, release the Ghoul. He is too fast. I won't be able to hold on for much longer," Zac cried out in desperation.
A new death portal materialized behind Damien, and before he could even react, Zac seized the opportunity to launch another assault. They exchanged blow after blow, with each clash leaving Zac at a disadvantage.
Tentacles erupted from the portal and lashed toward Damien, ensnaring his limbs. Zac intensified his attacks, preventing Damien from dealing with the unexpected threat. The tentacles tightened their grip, and from the other end of this deathly embrace, the Ghoul emerged, its power seemingly amplified.
As the Ghoul entered the fray, Elise and Clarisse watched in shock. "Isn't that...?" Elise began, her voice filled with disbelief.
Clarisse nodded in grim realization. "Yes, it's one of the ghouls that attacked us, and it appears even more powerful now," she confirmed, her astonishment mirrored on her face.
Yet, Zac did not relent, and his relentless attacks continued, despite their limited effect on Damien, whose high-ranking status made him impervious to their combined efforts. The ruler of the Crimson Family may have been humbled but remained unbroken, never having faced such humiliation.
Clarisse and Elise were equally astounded by the unfolding spectacle. Damien possessed the means to turn the tide, but he hesitated to deploy them. It felt like using his Blood Manipulation once again against such a formidable difference in levels would be akin to bullying.
"Zac, the energy reserves are depleting rapidly, and I won't be able to control these skeletons much longer," Bella cried out in desperation.
Zac knew the situation was dire, but he remained resolute. Signs of exhaustion became evident as the skeletons slowed down their attacks, creating an opening that Damien seized without hesitation.
"Brat, you should be proud to have fought me up to this point," Damien declared, his voice brimming with anticipation.
"Now, it's my turn." The moment Damien's voice reached Zac's ears, all he saw was a powerful fist hurtling toward him.
"Bam." The last sensation that registered in Zac's fading consciousness was the impact of Damien's punch. His name echoed faintly as Bella's voice called out to him, growing progressively distant. In that fleeting moment, his only thought was, "I am still too weak."
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