V3 Chapter 57

It really is a blessing that this power belongs to him.

Hm, perhaps, it’s because he is him that he deserves to have this kind of power?

Just that imagining someone held the same power, the power balance in the world would surely tilt, and a new world war would break out—this time, there would surely be an extinction of either side. Just thinking about it made one's hair stand on end.

Drova looks at Rain. A faint smile of gratification and admiration on her lips. She had seen him grow, become strong. Still, he had never changed. He is still the Rain that she and the others love, and the one they treasured most. And she was certain that no matter what kind of heights he will reach in the future, he would never change.

He would still remain the same Rain they love.

“What?”

As if noticing Drova’s affectionate gaze, Rain stopped and look at her.

“… …”

However, Drova said nothing and just smiled in satisfaction. Then, without warning, she came on in a flurry of cuts and stabs that put Rain immediately on the defensive.

“Hey, that’s cheating!”

“There’s no room for conversation in a fight, Rain, best to remember it,” she answered amused.

“So be it,”

Rain took it in stride, his senses reaching their peak as he parried and countered every attack of the Lamian.

Against the wild attacks of the golden-haired Lamian, even a Lv3 warrior would die within an instant, much less him, just a little Lv1.

Rain’s entire body had already been soaked with cold sweat, still, he didn’t try to stop her and surrender. Instead, as the Lamian attacks him relentlessly, the growing excitement he felt, the more he tried to follow Drova’s every attack.

Still, time and time, he could only retreat under such an intense barrage of attacks. He was barely finding any chance to retaliate. He also needed to dodge the incoming rubble the size of her fists or her long tail that lashed towards him from every direction. If they hit him, it would cause quite an amount of damage.

Truthfully, wanting to fight a Lamian in close combat was a suicidal note. Not only do they possess a superior physique and strength than humans, but their physical structure is also vastly superior to that of a human being. That is why, no one would dare try fighting a Lamian in physical close combat, unless they are confident, or they are foolish.

Still, though Rain knows that, he is in no position nor in power to keep his distance from his opponent, and can only swallow the bullet and keep advancing on. Though he is confident of his speed and agility, the opponent still surpassed him in all aspects. And Drova, despite seriously holding back against him, is still not lowering her guard and letting him escape from her.

In the end, Rain can only try to empower Drova in physical battle. Or at least, try to gain a footing against her using tactics, reaction speed, and agility. And this kind of battle is greatly helping him in surpassing his limits.

Closing the distance of about seven meters in an instant, Rain twisted his body towards the right.

"Ha!"

Following that short cry, his right hand shot forward like an arrow.

Those thrusts filled with torque and inertia shot out a few times slightly to the left of the center of the golden-haired Lamian’s body, and another thrust ingeniously shot out to her right after a short while.

It was a regular technique for a rapier user like him, rather than a slightly famous sword skill: [Rapid Thrust]. Although it wasn't as fast as lightning yet, its aim was more precise.

If Drova dodged to the right to avoid the first feint thrusts, she couldn't evade the following full-powered thrust that came charging like a storm. It’s Rain’s only-speed technique that seemed simple, but deadly.

His speed and dexterity were some of the few things that he can boast with a proud chest against the Lamians. In fact, Drova had to admit, among the elite warriors of the Amani Lamians, perhaps, less than five, can compare to his speed.

Rain’s quick speed and incredible cunning battle instinct and techniques made him very much of an opponent even for her. To prove that, despite him not knowing it, during their sparrings, Drova would subconsciously or not, raise her power limit to cope with him, if not, she feared she would lose. Though it was just a little adjustment in power, this already proved that Rain is advancing and growing rapidly in every battle they have.

Drova even wondered if Rain can actually fight her without her holding anything back, sooner than she thought.

Wooosh.

Accompanied by the sound of something cutting through the air, his slender sword created afterimages as it attacks Drova.

The sword seemed to have multiplied as Rain bombarded her with incredibly fast, but deadly strikes. As he thought, Drova’s body moved slightly to the right to avoid the first four strikes. As her movement stopped, she entered the striking zone of the fifth hit --

Gotcha!

His eyes gleamed brightly as he put more strength on his right foot, twist his waist, and stabbed his sword. However, as the tip of the rapier was about to hit her chest armor, Drova suddenly showed that familiar grin, and her right hand moved indistinctly.

At the same time, sparks appeared to the right side of Rain’s rapier, and the trajectory of the thrust shifted slightly.

The golden-haired Lamian accurately parried his sword which was thrust at an ultra-high speed. And the tip of his blade grazed Drova’s armor and hit the air.

“Shit!”

Expecting a counterattack, the skin on his neck numbed.

However, if he retracted his sword right now, his posture would be rigid. Following the fast inertia of his thrust, he hardened his heart and spun to her left. At the same time, an azure light aiming for his neck leaped into his eyesight.

"----!!"

Tremors filled Rain’s body as he faced this terrifying, lightning-fast speed. He gritted his teeth and twisted his body to its limit, the strength exerted by his right foot almost scraping off the surface of the ground.

Reflected in his eyes was the grin of victory plastered in Drova’s face. There was no dodging on this one.

Checkmate…!

As if!

This is not the end yet!!

A wild roar akin to that of a beast howled in his mind, and his pupils almost reddish in color. And suddenly everything slowed down.

His speed and perception increased as his skills [Agility Ex], [Alertness], [Surging Combat Instinct], [Thought Acceleration], [Parallel Thinking], and many more, activated simultaneously.

“Wha--?!”

Drova’s eyes widened in shock.

When she saw her sword was already inches away from Rain, and was about to stop, leading to her victory, suddenly, the boy in front of her blurred, and before she knew it, her sword pierce the air. And then following that, a shadow appeared behind her.

Claang!

“Well, that was beyond what I expected,”

Drova said while staring at Rain with a delighted excitement.

“...so do I. I almost forgot you can also do this,”

Rain smiled wryly as he placed more strength on his arms to push back the tail that had intercepted his attack.

He truly thought he had her this time, but it seems like that is still a pipe dream. There is no blindspot for a Lamian- this claim seemed to be true. Though, he almost felt as if this was cheating.

Rain invoked his [Strength EX] skill, along with [Body Enhancement] skill and others to boost his strength.

But as expected of Drova, despite all his activated skills, his power could still barely reach hers. Just how high is her level…!?

"This is really cheating."

“But be happy Rain. You have indeed become stronger!”

Drova laugh loudly in excitement and the pushing power on her tail increased.

Rain could only jump backward.

“[Flicker Snap]”

Snapping his finger at the right moment, his speed, along with his perception went into hyper-drive, enabling him to move at the speed of sound produced by the snap he made.

Though, it only last for a single second. However, it was already enough to replicate a teleportation-like skill.

When Drova’s sweeping tail followed his retreat, suddenly the Lamian heard a snapping sound- noise that seemed to be amplified significantly, for it sounds louder than a normal snap- and the tail that should have hit its vulnerable target- clearly unavoidable due to its incredible speed and angle, unexpectedly hits only air, and Rain had disappeared.

“Fast!”

Drova’s eyes widened in shock. But then, an ominous sensation once again crept behind her.

"Damn! So you can do this now?!"

Seemly guided by instinct, Drova swung her sword- Claaang! A blade came out from behind her and clashed against her own. But because she was caught off-guard, she was unable to put all her strength into that block, and she was pushed back.

She stared at Rain with an incredulous expression-

"Is that skill?”

“Yeah,” Rain responded with a faint smile.

“A fine skill,”

Rain grinned: “I still have a lot more,” though he said that, most of them are fatal skills. If he used those skills on this battle, it would be difficult to avoid hurting her.

Of course, he also didn’t think arrogantly that he can defeat Drova even after using all those skills.

Though his chances of possibly defeating her would, of course, increased higher, that, he is confident. However, it still not enough to reach fifty percent.

For all he knows, the golden-haired Lamian must still be greatly holding back in this battle, and was only using at least 20% of her entire power. If she really displays her full strength he would still be defeated.

Well, in the first place, hurting Drova is out of the question.

Even if it wouldn’t turn into a serious injury, Rain didn’t want to hurt her at all.

This is not a real battle… this is just a friendly spar.

It was just a battle to show what he got. And to display what he had learned as well. There is nothing serious. It's just like a competition of showing your skills and abilities.

[Lashing Tail Kick]!

Rain leaped from the ground slightly, and his leg sweep horizontally.

A translucent image of a Dragon’s tail appeared around his leg as he executed the attack.

Seeing this, Drova’s expression turned serious. She held her sword with one hand and raised the other in front of her face- a loud, muffled sound echoed in the training ground as Rain’s leg hit her hand.

Drova skidded a two to three meters away due to the impact of the technique.

To! Rain didn’t stop, and as he landed on the ground, with his toe barely touching the surface, his figure shot towards Drova in pursuit.

Strength and toughness-wise, Drova beats him a mile away.

However, if it’s speed, technique, and skills, he’s not that left behind.

“Good, Good, that’s my Rain… hahaha,”

Suddenly, as Rain was charging at her, Drova raised her head and her eyes gleamed.

Despite not emitting a bloodlust, or killing aura, Rain’s [Hunter Instinct] reacted to Drova, giving him a horrifying warning of defeat if he continued to charge in.

Relying on his instincts, Rain’s body halted and hurriedly used [Blink] to disappear from his position.

And that choice was proven correct, as a second after his disappearance, Drova appeared right in front of him, almost magically, and lashed out on her tail, creating an explosion.

... it seems like I was wrong. Drova's burst speed is still miles ahead. Rain thought with a wry, almost helpless smile.

It seems like Drova unshackled apart of her power, and her speed doubled instantly.

What a cheaty fella.

He sigh, as appeared a few meters away from his former position, and hurriedly jumped back. Drova came out from the clouds of dust and dirt and hurriedly chased after him.

“I know you’re going to dodge it! Hahaha, Now, Rain, let’s fight to our heart’s content!!”

Drova’s speed doubled from before.

Rain extended his hand in front of him, a golden streak of lightning crackled around his arm. He gathered his magic power with a lightning attribute in his hand, forming a ball of lightning.

“Lightning Bolt!”

Rain shot the ball of plasma towards the charging Drova.

[Lightning Bolt]!

The level of this skill had already reached the 3rd level that the power it holds was doubled or even perhaps, tripled than that of the original, to the point that even the high concentration of electricity produces a sound reminiscent of many birds chirping, echoing in the entire training field.

Even if Drova somehow avoided injury, the lightning bolt should be enough to break her momentum. That is what he thought. However, Ca! In the instant that the lightning bolt struck, Drova’s body flickered and she only left behind a vague blur, not even giving Rain the slightest opportunity to strike.

"...?!"