Fuck. Me. Side. Ways.

Series of explosions ensued as I retorted to the concurrent situation in my mind. The stories tall building came toppling down like dominoes. Worst part is, I'm in the middle of it all.

This is just bullshit.

When the explosion stopped, black-red fiery projectiles followed, like literally.

They came like homing missiles, bringing devastating explosions to everything it came into contact. Even if it missed, anything even remotely near it gets reduced into something unrecognizable.

To break it down the transpired situation,

The first wave consisted of fire pillar eruptions. After evading those for a few minutes, I was showered with fire balls. It burned down what's left of the flora in this remnant of a ruined city. I tried using [Mana Burn] but it didn't work. I absorbed some with [Famine Shield] but the sheer volume and intensity of that fire ball shower overwhelmed [Famine Shield]. A quarter of my body was incinerated down to bare bones.

This type of wound isn't much for me. I can heal it back but I sped up the regeneration with the help of potions. Even a millisecond is precious in a battle, especially a heated one.

And then, Aedrox launched an attack that leveled a portion of Rising Valley. I didn't try to dispel it with [Mana Burn] nor absorb it with [Famine Shield]. I scoot out of there when the beam of devastating dark purplish blaze was reflected in my eyes.

Next, I was pursued by beasts created from Void Flames, that's what I called those dark purplish flames. Each of them were formidable on their own but the problem wasn't their combat prowess but the fact that they are suicide bombers. Aedrox knew I would fight it out with a battle-capable enemy unit. Since the fire ball shower, I was all ready for any kinds of tricks. I dodged death when the beasts exploded.

After that were merciless attacks with [Havoc Wreckers]. While receiving these sound breaking whiplashes, I use [Psychokinesis] to throw some rocks at Aedrox. The rocks went through him.

Eh?

Oh right, he also has a phasing ability, didn't he? I forgot.

When that whiplash gimmick was over, it was the homing missile-like Void Flame projectiles.

The concentrated heavy bombardment have me sprinting through Rising Valley like a rat. Running on four legs is still something I'm still getting use to but I'm still faster this way rather than running on two legs. Despite the increase in size, I'm more mobile and agile in this form.

Turning sharp corners, leaping from building to buildings, hopping around in the empty air with [Spatial Magic], these are the only actions I could take in this fight.

In the center of this whole city that spans about three miles, Aedrox floats in the air as he rained endless attacks on me.

This sucks.

I can't get close to him. Or rather, I can but the Void Flames that he clad himself in is just a pain in the neck and butt. My right arm and my tail was burned off from my previous attempts. I wasted some Mana and potions to regenerate my limb and tail.

Range magic deals damage but he heals back everything I thrown at him. His immunity to flames thanks to the corrupted [Blaze of the Depths] is just the right icing on the cake. [Forge Fire] is useless against him thanks to that.

[Blaze of the Depths] don't exactly make you invincible against fire. It drains your Mana drastically in return for the complete immunity but that's just the issue here. Aedrox doesn't use Mana and the Void energy he's using to fuel his abilities look limitless.

I wonder if he's constantly drawing his powers from some kind of source. The Void, perhaps? Don't tell me that is really the case but that it the most likely case.

That's a very discouraging thought.

-- A sudden sound of a toll bell reverberated across the battlefield.

A clock tower in front of me received those missiles and it came crashing down. I destroy every debris falling at my way with [Fracture] and [Sever] or my tail. The buildings are become more of a disadvantage than an advantage for me to take cover.

And I'm running out of places to run. Every attack that I evaded or dodge are inflicted on the city. Soon, this whole place will turn into a literal fire pit.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

In the meantime, I retaliate with [Spatial Magic: Force Spears]. Basically, a [Spatial Magic] version of [Abyssal Javelin] but it shoots out like a bullet fired from a high-powered rifle. So far, it is the only magic capable to break through his layers of magic barrier. Those barriers seem to defend only against magic attacks. But I could be wrong with that assumption. I went for a close combat awhile ago, but my claws were blocked all the same but physical objects I thrown at him just went through the barrier and also him. It's no use to wonder about the criteria with his aberrant powers.

The latest [Force Spear] that I fired, tore through his right shoulder but as time seems to have been reversed, the wound healed back in an instance.

Oh, come on. That's not fair. That's too fast even for a high speed regeneration. It was more or less one second.

The difficulty of the last battle felt like a ten but this one cranks it up all the way to twenty. The vessel makes a difference. Despite being told of that many times by him, only now I truly relate to those words.

Even more unsettling fact was that he isn't spouting out threats or provocations. He is just wearing that smug face and continuously raining down his attacks on me.

This really sucks.

What to do....

What else do I have in my inventory?

Let's see.

I fumble for something and anything that could be of use in my [Vault] while running from the bombardments.

Hmm? Is this.... What about this "thing" then?

It is still in quite a raw state but now that I have a higher level [Transmutation] and the newly added [Magic Enchantment] Arcane Art from Engrande, I might be able to refine it into something doable at least.

While concocting a very implausible plan in my mind, Aedrox landed like a meteorite in front of me.

"Do you understand why you're the prey now, Harbinger?"

Ah, there's the provocation. Honestly, I felt a little relieved now that he has returned to his chatty self. "Yeah. I get it now. You stepped up your game by a lot."

"Now imagine what I could do with you as my vessel."

"I rather not imagine it. Your current strength and power level is already discouraging and unnerving as it is. So, no thanks."

"I see your witticism has gotten better."

"Yeah, not that it got me anywhere in this fight."

On the off note here, I realized in this fight that my mouth doesn't move when I speak like a human in my Awakened form. It does move when I growl or roar but speaking normal words is apparently done through magic. The sound of the words just came out from my mouth like a tube.

"You know, I think I'm starting to like you. I like that persistent of you." said Aedrox.

I shifted back into my human form and raised an eyebrow at his statement. "So, spare me?"

"Not a chance."

Ah, worth trying. "Fair enough."

Now that I have an improved Mana Vision with my evolution, I can see the flow of his internal energy a little bit clearer. I can faintly make out something like a pseudo-heart in his vessel. Well, I don't know if it's really the heart or brain but it sure does look like a central system. I guess I can go for that?

"Giving up?"

"Not a chance." I retorted and [Free Warp] behind him.

I easily broke through the layers of barrier with my new skill [Spatial Magic: Spatial Shard], the [Spatial Magic] version of [Abyssal Blade]. [Sever], [Distort], and [Fracture] are ineffective but not [Spatial Shard]. How does that even work?

Well, I did promised myself not to apply logic on his powers anymore but it's harder than I thought.

Withstanding the extreme heat and burn from the Void Flames he clad himself in, I went for that pseudo-heart.

He dodged with a short-range teleportation at the last second.

Eh? Isn't that my move?

He countered with a thrust of his bundled-up fingers. I caught that arm with my tail coated with [Void Skin]. His phasing ability doesn't work against Void powers or [Spatial Magic].

No, I didn't transform. I merely manifested my tail and Aedrox looks surprised. Apparently, he didn't think I could do that. I'm pretty sure I used [Partial Awakening] at least once in front of him or is my memory faulty?

Anyways, I crushed that arm which is coiled by my tail and continue to thrust the [Spatial Shard] at his pseudo-heart.

I have a bad feeling when our eyes matched.

He slipped away from my tail grip as he was intangible. He didn't phase through my grip, he turned his whole body into flames to become intangible.

My thrust attack which aimed for his pseudo-heart found the empty air and I received barrages of explosions.

The hail of explosions are not something to take light of. I felt it broke through all my defenses. Nothing was held back and a large crater was formed from those continuous explosions.

Of course, I had [Free Warp] from that spot after the first explosion. Even though I escaped on the first explosion, half of my body is ruptured to a mess.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Well, that didn't work." I said to myself as I took a breather. I am currently hiding in my sub-space made with [Proxy Realm]. My sub-space is just an empty space of darkness with a white area to indicate solid ground.

The normal tactic in this kind of battle would be to disarm the opponent's arsenal or let them exhaust themselves. This two tactic ain't applicable to Aedrox. I can wait for him to slip up but he's just getting better and stronger as time goes by.

What I defeat him here and only for him to find even stronger vessel the next time? I can't let that happen but how do I even defeat him now and let alone to prevent that from happening.

This really sucks.

Do I really need to go with "that"? I know I shouldn't be hesitating but going with "that" is surely something that I need to contemplate about it extremely carefully.

While I was concentrating on recuperating and coming up with a tactic, the space rippled in front of me. It felt a little warm coming from that rippling space.

Well..... that's.....

Fuck

I phase out of my sub-space as the whole space exploded with dark purplish flames.

The scale of that explosion is massive. It even broke out of the confined sub-space and all the flames spilled out, drowning everything in its flames.

I am currently in the air with a [Plane Displacement] as a foothold. The area instantly became another sea of flames.

"Huh.....?"

From the sea of flames below me, a giant made of those Void Flames rose up. A Void Flame Giant that is over thirty feet tall.

I destroy the giant immediately with concentrated bombardment of [Fracture] and [Ripple Impact].

The giant fell but another rose and took its place.

While the giant robbed me of my attention, Aedrox crept up behind me.

I realized too late and he took my head off of my neck.

.....

Neh. Just kidding.

I didn't get decapitated. That was only my vision of the future from [Clairvoyant].

Reality was different although not completely. I got my throat sliced instead. I put priority in healing that wound but I'm now receiving attacks from two sides.

This is bullshit!

While thinking that, I switch places with Aedrox and let him take the hammer fist of the giant he created.

[Spatial Magic: Switch Warp] was what I just used.

I still have a list of composite magic that I haven't used, so there's an upside. They are all synthesized during the time when Aedrox generously allow me to prepare. In all honesty, I would have died if it wasn't for that preparation.

The giant died out like a candle flame being blown out. Aedrox is of course unhurt but he doesn't look happy. I wouldn't be happy either if my own summon accidentally hurt me due to enemy unit's tactic.

I [Free Warp] faraway from Aedrox and took position.

The space below my feet ripple as it make an indent, I launch myself at Aedrox like a slingshot as the space snapped back into place. I raise a [Spatial Shard] as the head of my charge.

Aedrox responded with a massive vortex of dark purple flames. I use [All Repel] to counter the flames that swallowed me. Although Aedrox has extreme firepower, his attacks are fragile and easy to counter. There's some consolation at least.

I turn the [Spatial Shard] in hand to a [Force Spear].

Fast.

[Force Spear] is faster than I thought. I wish I have a camera to capture the absolute stunt look on Aedrox's face when he caught the same realization as I did. The javelin impaled Aedrox where his pseudo-heart is.

I did it.

.....

Nope. I did nothing.

Either that spot is a bogus or my attacks aren't strong enough to give it some effect. I did notice a faint wince on Aedrox's face however.

"I take it back."

"Hai?"

"You really piss me off. You are becoming more infuriating than a bug."

Ah, did he finally snapped? Well, I did incurred a friendly fire with his own summons.

Giant Snakes rose from the sea of flames this time. They move like whips cracking the air. With so many of them coming at me at the same time, I'm bound to loose a limb or two but I escaped that onslaught with only loosing half of my fingers.

Ugh~ Somehow, it's more disturbing than loosing the the whole limb. Well, it'll heal up in a few seconds. Let's not mind the gruesome details.

As I tried to create some distance, he kept zero in on me and engaged with close combat. His grimace tells me enough that he's really pissed.

When I looked below, I realized the whole place is completely drown in sea of flames. I can no longer find any place to land.

"You sure you want to look away?"

Hmm?

I parried a few jabs and hooks with my bare hands. I throw his balance off by making use of his own momentum when he threw a haymaker. He flipped and chained the spin with a roundhouse. Fancy movements but there were a lot of excessive movements.

I create some distance and attack with [Force Spears] but he was really adamant with close combat. Through his sheer strength and power, a punch sent me crashing through burning buildings. A single [Free Warp] cancelled out all the momentum and I stop flying backwards.

The Giant Flame Snakes caught up. There were five of them, I guess? Things were hectic and they kinda blend in with surrounding sea of flames so I couldn't really count properly.

"Yabai." I muttered in Japanese for some reasons.

I [Sever] the first one, [Distort] the head of the second, [Fracture] the third, burst the forth down with consecutive [Ripple Impacts], and swallow the fifth with [Soul Harvest].

Hmm. Swallowing the snakes made no changes to my stats but I did recover some HP and MP. Well, they don't really have a soul, so it kinda make sense that nothing significant changed. Well what do you know, logic works sometimes with him.

"Fool."

Heh?

While basking in a slight triumphant moment, an explosion swallowed me.

It looked like that but I never take my focus off of Aedrox, so I didn't actually get swallowed in it. I warped on top of an unstable building that was bound to collapse in just minutes.

"You're good at running."

"I was told running is good for your health. I kinda need all the help I can gather and beggars can't be choosers." I smiled at Aedrox.

His eyebrows twitched.

His annoyance manifested in the form of a vast fire ball that descended upon me.

I [Free Warp] away from there and watched from afar the building biting the dust. I looked around the ruined remnants of a ruined city that was among a sea of dark purplish flames. "You know, you should chill out."

He appeared in front of me with obvious pulsing veins on his forehead. He's the complete opposite of happy now.

He's getting kinda sensitive to my words. I wonder if it's the effect of the vessel's former memories.

While thinking so, I am swarmed by his barrages of attacks. His attacks felt heavier than before but....

Despite his relentless pursuit, none of his close combat attacks really have much effect. The only attacks that landed are the ones that completely overwhelmed me in terms of strength. His speed and technique is just plain terrible compare to mine. He's bad in close combat. Well, it might be because of my [Clairvoyant] but.... come to think of it, Aedrox even got beaten in close combat by Muo Li and Clammis, didn't he?

"What's with that look?" His face distorted even more.

Huh? I touched my own face. Ah, I'm making a really condescending smile, aren't I?

"You little!" He shouted as he swung down [Havoc Wrecker] at me. My skin is charred from the close evasion but I dismembered his arm in return. I didn't slice it off with [Sever] or [Spatial Shard] but I shot it off with a close-range [Force Spear].

Again, as if time was rewound, his severed arm reattached itself back.

Please don't tell me he has access to [Time Magic] cause that will seriously suck for me.

In a short fluster, I fire multiple close range [Force Spears] until Aedrox himself backed away by shifting into his flame form.

He bore multiple wounds from the [Force Spears] but after materializing from his flame form, the wounds are all gone.

God.... damn it. The root of all problems is that he has endless supply of energy to sustain his absurd regenerative powers. Without that, victory would long be assured by me.

I really don't want to use "that" but I don't I have the luxury to say no now.

After invoke multiple offensive spells at Aedrox, I dive into my newly created sub-space.

In the sub-space, I create another and I dive into that one. I continue this course for a few times before settling down on the thirtieth sub-space I created.

I take this chance to catch my breath and inject myself with Mana potions until the blue bar on my heads-up display is full.

The main reason I use multiple [Proxy Realm] wasn't to avoid Aedrox but as a containment area should I do something wrong with I'm about to do.

I take out that "thing" from [Vault] and begin refining it into a doable weapon.

While doing so, I can feel tremors. Aedrox is most likely breaking through realms after realms to me. I gave this my smallest attention while the majority is used on the refinement.

That was just how dangerous the "thing" is. I don't really know what is it capable of but my intuition is telling me that the consequences of messing up with that "thing" would be greater than Aedrox's exploits.

On the thirtieth tremor, Aedrox broke into the current sub-space I'm in. I quickly toss the weapon made from that "thing" into [Vault]. I made it just in time.

"Done running?"

"At least call it a tactical retreat. It makes me sound better that way."

"Even in this kind of situation, your witticism is as sharp as ever."

"Well, if you think my witticism is sharp, you need to go out more often."

Heh? Holy shit, he's breathing fire!

I exited the sub-space and back into the real world as my sub-space turn into a fire pit.

"That was too close."

The space in front of me cracked like a glass.

Ah. Shit.

I quickly [Free Warp] away from there as fire burst out from that cracked space. The next moment, Aedrox strode out.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Everything's still fine. Everything's still alright. All is still well. Still.

Aedrox saw me who was taking deep breaths like a chimpanzee. The sea of flames below me erupted into a pillar. Of course, I saw it coming and evaded it with [Free Warp]. I consider using [Switch Warp] but since Aedrox is aware of that ability now, it probably won't work. Well, it wold work if I use more Mana but the Mana to performance ratio would be inefficient.

I don't think I need to mention how I'm going naked here from all those extreme heat that burned away my clothes. I quickly redress myself with [Spirit Formation]. The cyan robes I'm wearing is standing out with my current situation.

Aedrox closed in on me who was worrying about fashion in the midst of a battle. A Void Flame Sword in hand, he unleashes a flurry of attacks at me. Even though the slashes missed, the heat burned my skin and clothes a little. At this rate, my clothes will once again be burned out.

I waited.

I waited for an opportunity.

I only waited because I know his swordplay isn't as great as his magic skills. I know he will slip out that's when I strike.

I received grazes from the fire sword but I waited.

Although he doesn't have a form, there is still a pattern to his swings.

At his most vulnerable point of his swordplay, I fire a [Force Spear]. He dodged it--

-- as expected. He dodged into the trajectory of another [Force Spear]. The spear blew away his whole head.

While he's distracted and stupefied by the sudden turn of events, I thrust my hand into his body. Well, his vessel's body. I pour about two thirds of my Mana into him.

Like time rewinding, his head mended itself.

I quickly retract my hand and take out a sword made of Mithril and a little bit of Onyx Steel. My sword clashed with his. Remembering what Vira did with her sword, I recite her form from sheer memory.

Her form is that of deflects and precision strikes. I modified it a little to suit my own style. The swordplay last not ten seconds before I dismember his arm which was not holding the sword. I destroy that severed arm with [Fracture] and multiple [Force Spears].

"What? H-how?" Aedrox gave a look of confusion.

After another round of swordplay, I dismember his left leg. I did the same to that leg as I did to the arm. Since he's floating in the air, loosing a leg didn't do much to his balance.

He can't shift into his flame form and he can't regenerate. It's all because I injected my Mana into him and disrupting his energy flow. I kinda realized this as I was fighting him. The more he adapts to this world, the more similar his internal energy flow becomes like ours.

At the cost of having access to more powers, he also became more vulnerable.

My Mana within him is keeping his form tangible and preventing his regeneration. It's kinda like I'm the one corrupting him. Well, this idea is inspired by his corruption ability.

As I planned to sever his other arm, something changed.

When our blade clashed, it felt heavier for me. His swinging patterns changed. His blows are harder to deflect. His strikes are faster than before. Even [Clairvoyant] could barely keep up.

His swordplay got better. I'm suddenly finding myself slowly being overpowered here.

Before long, the sword in my hands is shattered to a thousand pieces.

"Do you think you're the only who is able to learn? I am Aedrox, the speaker, the voice, the hand of my brethren."

His wounds heal up. My Mana is slowly being expelled out of his system.

Whoa..... That's not fair. He rid my Mana just like that.

"I will not be beaten."

"What a coincidence. I have the same resolution."

He clicked his tongue at my retort. "You know what, let's do this fairly."

Huh?

He clicked his fingers and the sea of flames is extinguished at a snap of his fingers, literally.

He descend to the ground and looked up at me, as if waiting for me to do the same.

What are you trying to do?

He read my mind as he said "No fancy magic tricks. No absurd healing powers. Just a sword and techniques, just these two, I show you I can overwhelm you." He pointed the Void Flame Sword at me.

"Funny." I said as I too descend to the ground. "You sound more and more like a human."

"I can still corrupt a person's mind and make them eat themselves to heal themselves and feel no remorse or whatsoever. Does that sound human to you?"

"Ha, fair point."

I injected myself with the last remaining HP and MP potions and I trigger my Awakened form.

I am towering Aedrox which is an odd feeling considering the reality is actually the opposite. I cast a concentrated [Magic Enhancement] on my claws and tail and coated those places with [Void Skin]. If his words is truly to be believed, from this point on, it will be purely close combat.

"I trust that you'll keep your word?" I asked.

"Of course. As a respect for the person who is worthy to be my vessel."

Oi, you called me a bug not few moments ago, is what I wanted to retort but I'm not going to destroy this golden opportunity of having a fair fight.

Though it may look like a fair fight but in the end, I will still loose even if I win this. His brethren's fate is at stake. He would not relent just because he lost in a swordplay.

I really don't want to use "that" but looks like that's my only option now.

"Well, let's do this."

"Whenever you're ready, Hyx."

Heh? This is the first time he called me by my name.

As I thought, he changed. His overall personality changes with his vessel.

But anyways, I think that "thing" should be taking effect any time now.

He does not know it yet but the outcome of this battle has already been decided.

It's just a matter of time.