The old man calmly stepped forward, moving towards Jin with the intent to end his life. His steps were unhurried but firm. As he reached a dozen meter away from him, he noticed a smirk on Jin's face. Then, thinking that he might have indeed stepped into a trap, as unlikely as it was, jumped backwards.
Nothing happened.
As he thought, it would have been foolish of his opponent to try to create a trap by sacrificing so much. Still, he did not move forward. He made up his mind to end him from a distance, just to remain careful until the very end. Just how many tales were there about beings losing at the very end due to arrogance and conceit? He took his stance with his sword straight towards the ceiling once more and began to accumulate his own energy to end it.
However, just as he did, he felt a wave of malevolent energy rush out of the kid's body. It was something beyond anything he ever felt. It was even frightening him. He couldn't believe himself...To think he would be frightened from mere energy... He frowned and grasped his sword tightly as he continued to channel the energy within his sword.
However, at that moment, Jin's body got up. It moved strangely as if a puppet and no longer a human being. Jin's body had changed. The old man could see many veins appearing all over his skin, colored red and black, pulsing. Even his face wasn't spared though it had been ugly from the start due to the weird corrupted eye. As if living worms, the veins pulsed colorfully transforming his entire self into an absurd monstrosity half-human half-corruption.
Jin began to laugh. Many jaws began to open all over his body and they laughed along with him. Then, they all spoke of the same voice: "Even though she said I mastered it, it still feels rather weird..."
Jin's eyes then focused on the old man. He was smirking savagely. The old man couldn't help but take a step back. It was the result of an instinctive fear created by the corruption. It was something that shouldn't be and as such, it had the properties to trigger survival instincts in its opponents.
While Jin was still in control, some of the corruptive effects remained whenever he infused it within himself. This was the true way to use 'corruption' that he was taught and mastered. Yet, he didn't believe to have mastered it. That was because he couldn't control his emotions entirely in such a state. While it provided incredible benefits to his power, it also took away some of his control. In this state, he was being constantly pumped with adrenaline and forced into an excited state.
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He gazed around and saw his spear. He moved his hand towards it and his entire arm extended to reach it without him having to move. Then, it retracted and his spear was back in his hands. He was still laughing uncontrollably in many tones as he took a stance.
The old man calmed himself down but the instinctive fear remained. He couldn't stop himself from sweating. He wasn't scared himself but his 'existence' was. It was quite a complex feeling but it certainly wasn't a good one. He hated himself for wasting so much time beforehand. He had been greedy and this was the price he would have to pay for that greed. He clenched his teeth and readied himself.
He expected his enemy to rush at him but instead, it was a spear that flew at him. It was launched with incredible might with the only goal to impale him like a kebab. He didn't even consider blocking it as dodging was a much better solution. However, as he moved, he noticed two things.
The first one was that his opponent was rushing after the spear faster than ever before.
The second one was that there was a strand of corruption linking the spear and the hand that threw it...
It was only an instant but it had been enough for him to react. He managed to block the spear that was redirected forcefully to collide into him even though he was pushed a little to the side. But this was far from enough as the corrupted arm of his opponent transformed into four spears sent his way. They were all linked to his arm. He dodged two and block the other two.
However, they weren't blocked as he expected them to. Instead, they bent and changed shape, trying to englobe his sword and his arm. He hurriedly gave up his sword and retreated. A new sword materialiazing instantly within his hand through his will. But the attack didn't stop here as the weird erratic attacks continued to flow at him.
He was no longer facing just spears as hammers, swords, axes and even arrows flew at him in all kinds of ways and from all over the place. Be it from the sides, the back, the front or even under his feet, it seemed like there was no end to the flow of attacks.
Unless he completely slashes the 'mass' of corruption, it wouldn't end. And he knew it. What he was truly curious and surprised by was the power behind it. His opponent had been weaker than him previously! Even when using that element! So, how?!
The reality wasn't that Jin's power grew. No, it was not. It was simpler than that. It was due to the higher speed and unpredictable movements. The old man couldn't follow the movements of Jin as he wasn't used to such a thing. It was impossible to be as there was no pattern.
Jin was making use of his incredible wealth of martial arts knowledge to keep a constant stream of attacks. His movements were thought of and put into practice on the spot! Even he did not know what his next move was going to be! He was in a constant state of adaptation and forcing the old man in a defensive state.