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81.45% The Heroes’ Reincarnation / Chapter 448: Merin, The Sword Saint

Chương 448: Merin, The Sword Saint

Merin smiled, "What a brilliant showcase. To think two of our Aces would have been defeated by a single hand. Perhaps you should've switched them out for some of our Seniors?"

Humive laughed, "Of course not! You know they don't participate in this. You're the only one willing to even join here."

"Well there's a reason for that."

"I know I know. Are you ready? It's your time to shine."

"Yeah I'm ready. I wonder what kind of show they're going to put up."

"I think it should be interesting."

'I doubt it will be what you're looking for.'

Merin placed a palm on the pommel of her sword, "Let's not have such thoughts. We might be surprised."

'If my sibling's wielder could only amount to that much I doubt the South has anyone worth the time.'

"Akiol hadn't used all his cards, I'm aware of that now."

Merin was then teleported into the Arena. She heard the cheering of the audience, all excited at her arrival. Yet she paid it no attention. Turning her focus to Kan'na she asked, "So, are you still going?"

Kan'na laughed, "No chance! Are you kidding me? I could last about two seconds, and that's being generous! I give up."

"A shame, perhaps you could've done something."

Kan'na lifted a hand towards her neck and thought for a moment, "No, I doubt all my cards would work. Besides that wasn't part of the plan."

"Plan?"

"I want out!"

Horrow's voice broadcasted, "With the request of Kan'na we will now withdraw this match, giving the North this match's victory."

This came as no surprise, Kan'na was far from good shape to continue. No one complained as the fighters were switched. As the next person entered the Arena Merin said, "You know I was a bit surprised when they said you were the second in line."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, but I'm certainly not going to complain. This time let's not give up so easily. . . okay?"

Akiol drew Stars from his sheath, "You're gonna have to actually finish me this time."

"Haha! That's the spirit."

Akiol took up a stance and sharpened his senses. After all for his plan it was crucial he faced against the Sword Saint first! He was positive, that in this match his loss was assured. Yet still. . .

Aura swirled about, ready to burst.

Humive watched with an interested gaze, "Merin commented on this Akiol person. Additionally since the young Dragon and Mira is following him he is without a doubt extraordinary. It's such a shame the path he followed was short term. Regardless I'm sure he has a plan."

Broadcasting his voice he said, "Let the next match. . . begin!"

'Are you sure about this?' -Stars

"Have faith. . . Stars."

'. . .'

Merin lifted her sword, "Do you understand the essence of the sword?"

Her knee bent slightly and she suddenly vanished. Akiol lifted Stars and defended himself against a powerful blow-!

Cr-twang~!

He slid back, his arms quivering from the blow. He felt astonished, ever since he linked with Mira his strength wasn't an issue when it came to Second Stages. Yet through this one attack he could tell he was at a disadvantage?!

No that wasn't right! This was sheer technique! Similar to how the {Cataclysm Technique} amplifies his strength! Merin had refined her sword to the near absolute limit! Each and every swing held the strength of a Titan!

The Sword Saint nodded in approval, "I can see it, you already grasped at the essence of the sword. That is good."

Aura spiked around Akiol, he couldn't win in this competition of technique. He would need to bridge the gap with whatever he could! Shifting his grip on Stars he charged forward, afterimages following his path.

{Expeditious Steps}!

Adjusting her position Merin watched with a casual stance. Akiol flickered into view and swung his sword, Aura spiraling across it.

{Cataclysm Technique: Eruption}!

Twang~!

Merin blocked the blow, their two blades clashing. Akiol found despite his technique that she didn't even move an inch, as if he swung normally. The gap between their technique. . . was it really insurmountable? Could he even approach that level?

{Origami Style: Sixteen Folds}!

Swinging her sword horizontally Merin created a blast of wind. Through her own movements it was enough to knock away Akiol's additional blows. The power of the {Origami Style} was about stacking several swings into one. Like folding a paper into a smaller shape. Once the initial blow landed this would then 'unfold' the attacks onto the victim. This was why the majority of those who faced the swing were unable to completely block most of the attacks. Yet Merin managed to counter it with ease.

"Whenever I see you fight, it's like seeing several people at once. How many have you learned from? Why did you expand your focus so far?", Merin closed the distance and sliced towards Akiol's neck.

He leaned back, only able to dodge it thanks to the power his Aura granted him. Merin approved, "Your senses are among the top, refined to such a sharp edge. Can you dodge this next?"

Akiol tensed, a terrifying amount of pressure suddenly fell onto his shoulders. He subconsciously slipped into the stance of {Absolute Territory}, his sense being enhanced to a new degree. He moved his body with the more precision then he ever had before. Merin's sword swung again and again, but he blocked and dodged just about all of it.

"You even reached this far, a level very few warriors have. So why did you have to expand your vision so far?"

Merin lifted her sword and her presence was enough to send chills across the audience. Akiol's instinct was shocked quiet, it almost felt like there was no danger at all. . .

'Dodge!' -Stars

BOOM-!

Akiol leapt to the side as Merin swung her sword downwards, the simple move caused a shockwave to travel across the Arena. Akiol let out a shaky breath and turned, Merin's simple swing had caused a clean cut to travel all the way across the Arena. As if it was split into two!

Lowering her sword she shook her head, "You could have had potential. It's so disappointing."

'What is she talking about?', Akiol couldn't help but think.

Merin examined Akiol's expression, "So you're not aware. Those who taught you never warned you? If I simply tell you. . . alright I guess I have no other choice then. Study this next move carefully, it might give you an insight to what is wrong with this road you travel."

Dashing to the front of Akiol Merin slashed horizontally, "If you don't then this fight is over anyway."

[Horizontal Slash]. . .

It was so simplistic. The most basic of the moves being executed. Yet as Akiol watched it approach. . . it felt nothing like that.

The tip of Merin's sword created a clean cut through the space. A level of technique those at even Fifth Stage struggle to reach. If there was a ranking of spacial reactions to technique it would be as such:

Warping Space, enough to bend it out of place and cause it to snap back. This was the weakest form of what could happen through technique. Tearing Space would be next, forcefully ripping it out of place. Cutting Space would be the peak, a point of technique that was honed enough to cut through existence itself. Anyone who faced the other end of such a technique may find that even their soul would be cut.

There are a few exceptions to this, for instance Cracking Space didn't cause much harm. Rather it was a consequence for messing with the World Law and not through sheer technique. Additionally Givale's ability to manipulate space also fell under this exception category.

As Merin's sword approached Akiol felt despair. To think there was someone who reached this level. He would have never thought. . .

He felt his shoulders drop, when faced with such a technique what could he hope to do? Blocking it was far from possible right? What about dodging? Could he even move that fast?

'Akiol!' -Stars, Givale, Mira

His mind swirled with the mentors he followed, the techniques he learned. Time slowed as he began to think at a rapid pace. Techniques he hadn't yet used, was there anything he had to handle what he was currently facing? 

Going through the list the answer was rapidly becoming apparent. There was nothing, and in his haste to find something he pushed his mind to the brink and fell unconscious. A sort of anti-climatic end. . .


Chương 449: Don't Tinker With Souls

"Ah it's you!"

Akiol frowned, "What?"

"I finally get to meet you!"

"You know me?"

"How could I not?!"

Akiol looked around, "I. . . where even am I?"

"I'm not sure? I've been here for a while."

He felt this place was oddly familiar. Like he had visited it before. Standing up he looked around, "Then who are you?"

"You don't know me? Ah that hurts."

"Well I can't even see you."

". . . Oh."

A figure fizzled into existence. As they entered Akiol's vision he found himself stunned, "You're. . ."

"You do know me! Ah that's wonderful. I would've been very hurt if you didn't you know!"

"James. . . ?"

"The only! Although aren't you also James now? You did take my body and all that."

"I thought you were dead?"

James coughed, "We uh, we don't concern ourselves with that. I'd rather not revisit such an embarrassing memory."

"That still doesn't-"

"Answer your question yes I know, your thoughts travel about in my head occasionally. After my. . . unfortunate end I found myself drifting away. It's an interesting experience to actually die you know? Anyway just as I thought I was going to face whatever there is for an afterlife I find myself being forced back into my body. I flinched pretty hard and when I opened my eyes I found myself here!"

James fell back and took up a comfortable position, he then hovered in the air, "Just as I thought this was such a terrible afterlife I found a memory enter my head. Lo and behold you had instead taken my body over! Throughout this time I found that the memories of your adventures would appear in my head, it was the only thing keeping me sane."

"So why am I here?"

"Well according to the more recent info you pretty much passed out! Upon facing the very powerful strike from the Sword Saint you despaired to the point where you fell unconscious."

"Ah. . ."

"But I'm glad you're here! Time was running out anyway there's a few things I have to say."

"Well I'm not doing anything so I can listen."

"You have no choice in this matter anyway."

"What?"

James grinned foolishly, "It's a joke! I would be heartbroken if you ignored my request anyway. Could you imagine that? Some guy takes over your body and then refuses to listen to you!"

"I think I understand where my sense of humor suddenly sprouted from."

"Be glad!", James face suddenly fell, "Now onto more serious topics. First the more important one, I'm finally begin to fade away. I felt it for a while, but my presence is slowly diminishing. I guess cheating death remains a fantasy eh?"

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I was dead anyway, no big deal. But that does mean this is our first and last meet, which brings me to my next topic."

James turned around and pointed in a direction, "Go that way, I'll meet with you in a second."

Akiol looked in the direction but saw nothing, "Uh, alright."

As he took a few steps he found that the distance he traveled varied with each step. One would cover the distance of half an hour of walking, while the next moved him barely an inch. There was no pattern or rhythm to it all. Although it took him only fifteen seconds of walking to see James again.

"Oh that was much quicker than I thought. How long did you walk for?"

"Just a few seconds."

"Nice! It took me a week to get here the first time. Either way take a look at this."

Akiol turned his focus to see. . . nothing?

James tilted his head, "Ah wait you can't see it. Uhh let me try this."

Waving his hand about James caused the space to ripple. Like disturbing a still pool of water. Soon Akiol gained sight to a series of golden lights. Frowning he asked, "What am I looking at?"

"The efforts of the past year or so. You see while being bored out of my mind in this place I decided to wander about. Perhaps by sheer chance I came across this, although I'm not entirely certain of what it is. I do have an idea however."

"Wanna share?"

"This seems to be something that's locked. Like a little padlock on some features. I tried breaking one free but then I quickly realized why it was a bad idea."

"What happened?"

"I'll share that later. What's important is that whatever brought you here also locked some stuff away."

Akiol's expression turned serious, "And I don't have an idea of what they could be."

"Mhm, this might be a problem."

What had the Gods done to him? Despite him following their will why do they keep all this from him? This wasn't the first time they locked away something of his either. Since they also did this to his negative emotions.

James stopped hovering and landed on his feet, "Alright so. . . I'm only going to say this once. Thank you. You made my mostly boring life into something from a movie. I couldn't believe half of what you went through! I can't believe it was me who was there, although not exactly."

Looking upwards James sighed, "Also thank you for what you did with my family. That's uh. . . that's a load off my shoulders. I do hope you tell them the truth though. . . Especially since my sister seems to be suspicious."

"I know it wasn't something I could keep hidden forever."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

James focused on the strange golden lights, "I wanted a way to repay you. You pretty much made me something that would be remembered throughout time. If I was still in charge I probably wouldn't be anyone as great. Eventually forgotten. . ."

"You've done plenty, the only reason why I'm here is because of your body."

"Yeah but you've long repaid that debt."

"I don't-"

"Listen, I'm gonna repay it right now. I'm eventually going to fade away anyways, but I want it to be on my own terms. The reason why touching these are such a bad idea was because it accelerates whatever is making me fade. I probably lost a month of time just by experimenting."

Akiol suddenly was gaining an idea, "Wait, you're not planning on-"

"I am, this is my final thank you. With this I'll disappear into whatever the afterlife is. For real this time. Though it was entertaining watching you fight."

"You don't have to."

"My decision has long since been made. Since you're here finally I figured it was about time."

". . . You're sure about this?"

"Positive. Just prepare yourself okay? I have no idea what's going to happen after."

"Alright. . ."

James reached out, "Oh and also. . . maybe you should stop sacrificing yourself for others okay? Be kind, just not to the point of self sacrifice. It's not wrong to be selfish every now and then."

"I try to be."

"I meant on a more grand scale."

Sucking in a breath James mumbled, "This is gonna hurt. . . !"

Gripping one of the golden lights James began to pull with all his might. A bright light flashed and nearly blinded Akiol. He reached out to help but James shouted, "Don't! I have no idea what this will do someone living!"

Hesitantly pulling his hand back Akiol could only stand there. James began to groan with pain, "It's. . . almost. . . !"

BRIII-TWOOOM!

Akiol fell to his knees, he held his chest and began breathing heavily. Thoughts rushed to his head and provided a migraine on a level he never experienced before. James fell to the ground and grit his teeth, "Aghh, I'm never doing that again."

Standing up he noticed his arm was missing, which made him laugh for some reason, "An armless soul hahaha!"

Turning his focus to Akiol a somber expression returned, "Truly, thank you. I hope whatever it is. . . I hope it helps you. I enjoyed the time I spent here, my only wish was that I could chat more."

Raising a hand he found it fading away. Narrowing his eyes he mumbled, "Damn Gods, don't tinker with souls. I'll personally. . . complain to your manager or something."

He sighed in defeat, "In the end all I have are my quips. I shall leave you with my humor as a gift, it's far more enjoyable that way."

The rest of James faded away, a wry grin on his face. Akiol was unable to see this and couldn't say any goodbyes. For the memories flooding into his head had rendered him temporarily immobile.


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