Heian Ciemnosc's Name

Wheesh, cuh cuh- CLANK. Whoooshhh.

Heian Ciemnosc took the time Elena drew her short halberd back to push her away from him. However, her lock remained, and her feet were still behind his thighs, the little feet’s tips attached to him like hooks as her right hand was open, forming an ever so thin string of translucent white Power Energy. Heian Ciemnosc ended with his body arching backwards and his back facing the floor while Elena was as if she was standing with her legs spread above him.

The direction of her right hand and the short halberd were positioned so the trajectory would end up hurting Heian Ciemnosc badly. But he didn’t need to be shown mercy in a duel, nor was he just going to dodge or try to save himself from such an injury. Instead, as Heian Ciemnosc looked at the incoming halberd with his face up, he sent his claws in a generally upwards swipe with his Claws Out.

When claws and halberd head clashed. The former became shaky as they endured the Mortal short halberd’s brunt force. While the latter was blocked and directly blasted away by the collision, escaping Elena’s manipulation over the latter and losing her chance to inflict severe damage upon Heian Ciemnosc. But none of them were done just yet.

While the short halberd was truck and sent flying, Elea floated after it with her superior floating speed and agility. Heian Ciemnosc directly glid down, not willing to compete with her in terms of floating gait. His feet on the ground, he began chasing after Elena and her Mortal short halberd faster than Elena was chasing her weapon, smoothly catching them in just a few seconds and winning Elena to the Mortal short-halberd.

Clink, clank. Swish, pshift- grab- clank clink clink clink clink…

Heian Ciemnosc arrived first, used both his claw-like hands Claws Out as he placed his palms together and struck the short halberd whose body was spinning crazy time and struck the side of the halberd head with the intention to send it flying the fuck away. His 10 claws together worked perfectly, and the halberd shot faster than when he hit it with both hands’ Claws Out before.

However, Elena’s Power Energy was faster than his and her still. She reached the short halberd before it could be sent flying farther than a couple meters from Heian Ciemnosc’s position. Without stopping her motions towards Heian Ciemnosc, she came downwards at him from the air, 4 meters above the floor, with a posture that clearly showed her determination and stubbornness to slash him with it!

Heian Ciemnosc’s attempt was for nothing, and the short halberd quickly came back into Elena’s hands after it shook in the air like a person being electrocuted, then flew right towards Elena even as she came floating down with a changing trajectory. Heian Ciemnosc now knew very well that warm-up was over, and he immediately slashed at her with his Claws Out in a downward motion but with his arms extending out and upwards as much as possible before the slashing.

Heian Ciemnosc’s attack was terrifyingly powerful and carried extraordinary strength behind it. Elena couldn’t think of receiving it with anything else. She motioned with her right hand to swipe something at Heian Ciemnosc’s incoming attack. Without surprise, Elena’s short halberd came in time. But only its shaft could be used to protect herself as she was halted in the middle of the air and could even float anywhere.

Looking down, she could notice Heian Ciemnosc’s feet rooted to the floor, his feet’s Claws Out embedded into it, and neutralizing Elena’s floating capacity as his claws struck her but also managed to hook her short halberd. Elena felt she was in a precarious position so much that she had to go all out. But then she saw her short halberd’s blade and became surprised endlessly. Right after, she made a sound with her tongue clicking as Heian Ciemnosc felt her power limit itself to hold her ground. “Tsk.”

Elena’s back suddenly changed as several strands of Power Energy came out and lunged at Heian Ciemnosc by detouring from his sides and immediately coming back towards him to hit his back. Heian Ciemnosc also noticed the crack on the halberd blade. It was a crack the size of his fist and located towards the lower section of the halberd blade closer to its shaft.

Pshiift- boom.

When he saw the strands of Power Energy without any technique or skill like before, possibly because repeating it and doing so many would naturally be incredibly taxing from Elena’s Power Energy storage and too much for her body. He was about to act and dance about a little to avoid these not-so-threatening but painful strands of Power Energy. They were like little kitchen knives attached with a chain or string, which would, in change, move like a water snake through the river and lunge with its maws already opened at him.

However, right at that moment. Another burst of Power Energy condensed from Elena’s collarbone. Heian Ciemnosc only had a small amount of time to look at her pale skin and incredibly undersized chest before a burst of red colored energy with tiny but so many dots of orange condensed directly towards his face. From Elena’s position right then, with Heian Ciemnosc holding her short halberd, Elena’s unknown attack was the real threat as Heian Ciemnosc was blown away a moment later!

Heian Ciemnosc might not have been sure before, just when it happened and even a moment later from the small distance they had between each other. But after feeling the blast from that ball of red and orange colored energy and feeling that familiar warm, cozy sensation accompanied by a terribly substantial bout… was of the Fire element!

However, it was incredibly feeble, almost negligible, but it was still there. Yet, Heian Ciemnosc knew she wasn’t one with an affinity to the Fire element. He could even detect that from ghosts. So how could she do that?! But he was too focused on the current task and had to let his intrigue go for the moment.

The Fire element didn’t proportion any damage to himself. Though his clothes immediately became charred, some parts revealed his pale skin, as beautiful and charming as Elena’s, just not feminine. Yet, behind the Fire elemental properties was the cultivation base Power Energy of a Spirit Birth realm 4th stage cultivator hurt him really well. Blood was already coming out from his nose and the corners of his lips while the strands of Power Energy from before managed to drill halfway into his body before being eaten away by his dark Power Energy.

Thus, even the Fire element did nothing to him. That the skill was from a Spirit Birth realm cultivator; was what hurt him the most. And even more so from an opponent like this, who was just above his own by a couple years and yet had a much broader knowledge and experience in cultivator’s battles through the world. While he was in the Sinvonnia Kingdom for a long time, he had trained under extraordinary, strong people for months.

Thud. After landing on the floor with a comical sound at a low volume, Heian Ciemnosc stood up as quickly as he could. But his body was hurting and freeing itself from the remnants of Elena’s Power Energy. Meanwhile, Elena rushed towards him, on foot this time, no longer willing to be taken over by Heian Ciemnosc as she floated, and he just ran around.

Swipe~, whoosh.

Her short halberd was left to dangle with her right hand as she ran towards him, her body looking brave and determined as she wore a focused countenance. Heian Ciemnosc stood up at last, his cheeks and chin having some dusted blood and his nose clean of blood but with some red here and there. It was impossible to miss with his pale skin as a canvas.

Step, step, step tap tap-...

Heian Ciemnosc stood on the floor, recuperating his body and gnawing at the tiny bits of Power Energy still within him. The pain of such disorderly attacking his insides, swiftly disappeared. And just as Elena was a few strides before reaching him, Heian Ciemnosc began taking slow steps, his hips moving as if trying to step towards the same spot with his left foot, followed by the right, and so on.

Until… he dashed forwards!

STOMP- … … … … whiiiistleee~~. CLANN~~GG! Whoosh, whiplash.

Heian Ciemnosc’s body shot forward, to Elena’s surprise. She couldn’t see within his body, as could nobody. Thus, she didn’t see her Power Energy being gnawed away after such decisive blows in this duel. Elena thought she was about to secure a good seed for her club. Victory was within her grasp, and she would very well receive just what she needed to continue cultivating without needing to rely on her master to do that.

Stolen novel; please report.

But then watching as Heian Ciemnosc dashed towards her took her aback. She didn’t have time and could only thrust her short halberd forwards with a swift motion. However, a tenebrous sound emerged within her mind and all around her whole self. She felt like a zone of silence was created around her, locking her away from all sounds, and about to become crazy. But only an instant later, the notion disappeared, yet what remained was the shocking sight of a long whip sent towards her from the left!

She didn’t have time for much. The sound of it whistling through the air alarmed her. It was a speed she couldn’t deal with! The blurry outlining of the whip made her feel it was too thick, despite being only 4 inches thick, as it came slapping towards her and intending to destroy her stomach with one single hit. Even if it wasn’t powerful, which it was, the sole speed of that thing would leave her bedridden for many weeks at the very least.

Her shot halberd met the whip head on, but as soon as they met, the whip coiled fearlessly around the Mortal weapon, even its blade. Yet nothing happened to the whip even as it made the entire area surrounding both: the whip and halberd whoosh with some air gusting about.

Elena was stopped, forced to halt as her short halberd practically became useless. Her strength wasn’t enough to free it from the whip. Only then did she have a close look at the thing. It was of a black substance opaquing anything around it, consuming light and anything else. It gave her a fright, concomitantly, she turned her head to look at Heian Ciemnosc, who wasn’t rushing over. Instead, he simply lifted his right arm, from whose palm the whip was projecting.

Heian Ciemnosc scourged the floor. It made a crispy noise that was heard even thousands of kilometers away, though it was much toned down by there. The crowd and teachers heard it all as if it wasn’t enough to see a whip come out of Heian Ciemnosc’s body like it was nothing and even be up to par with a Mortal weapon! Or maybe… above it?!

It wasn’t known, as not even Heian Ciemnosc was aware if there was a grade above the Mortal grade and if his Claws Out, whip, or body could deal with it passively. All Heian Ciemnosc was focused on right now was in bringing Elena towards him. And he guaranteed that happened.

After the scourge, Elena’s right hand didn’t let go of her Mortal weapon. She wasn’t crazy enough to continue fighting Heian Ciemnosc with her body alone, nor was she going to be able to face his excruciatingly sharp and tough claws on his fingertips and toes. Just thinking about the many dangers he possessed and knowing she couldn’t deal with him unless she gave it her all sent scary thoughts into her head. She braved herself and kept holding her short halberd.

Whooosh… With the sound of her body being heavily pulled towards Heian Ciemnosc, she had to close her eyes as she had never floated by herself in this way before. When Elena reopened them once more, feeling the wind against her ears and neck comfortable and at ease as if everything was safe.

“!!” - “...” - “... … … …” Yet, when she opened them, she found herself in the embrace of the pale teenager with a few thin streaks of blood coming out his mouth. From the right corner, 2 streaks in a lateral ‘V’ shape fell down his cheek, jaw, chin, and neck. And from the left corner, only one directly fell from his lips to his chin and neck.

Elena was surprised and shocked due to the nature of their embrace. Or rather, the nature of his embrace of her. Heian Ciemnosc’s ultimately cold eyes gazed down at her as her arms were against her body, incapable of any more moving. Even with her short halberd, she couldn’t move her right wrist to hit him with its shaft and expect him to jump away in pain as if it was a crappy movie.

Looking up at Heian Ciemnosc, her brown eyes were assuaged and turned slightly watery without her knowledge. Around her chin, with Heian Ciemnosc’s tall body, his hands held their Claws Out all below her jaw, directly poking her neck. Though they didn’t claim any bit of blood from her neck’s skin, they were about half a centimeter into her body, as if his Claws Out couldn’t harm Mortal weapon or even simple paper.

“I guess I lost,” Elena said, pouting afterwards and kept looking into Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes. Perhaps, she couldn’t even if she wanted to. Only then did she notice the crowd had grown silent. And it was naturally because of their performance. Especially his at the end. That simple yet utmost powerful stance and action simply left her helpless. But she couldn’t utilize or activate an Art as he could. There was that disadvantage, and everyone here could tell.

“You know, if you join my club first after joining the Wrath Nihility Academy, you will meet many more like me? You will have lots of fun there, and we get the most outside missions, too.” Elena, the Persuader, said. Trying to win him over even now, even after being defeated and still in his potent, slim, and comfortably fresh and cold arms.

“Oh.” With a simple exclamation, Heian Ciemnosc began swinging the young girl in his arms a little, her feet cutely dangling. He said, and his words left her speechless, having worked her bootlick so much for nothing. “Well, I have already decided to join your ‘club’. I do want to meet more people with this kind of fighting strength. And I like you.”

“Mm! I like you too, you have some moves! A spar or two later?” In any case, hearing his words also brought her excitement. She even asked him for another round or two. Elena felt the claws against her skin retract, but still within his embrace. Heian Ciemnosc said nothing and looked at her eyes while his Spirit Sense moved to see her injuries. She spoke afterwards with a tilt of her head to the right, “Can you let me go now? I don’t wanna make a scene in front of the Teachers, they will tell Master, and he will think I’m getting a boyfriend at last.”

“Oh, alright.” Heian Ciemnosc grinned at her, then let her down slowly. Though she said such stuff, they didn’t seem to be attracted to each other one bit and only liked the other’s ‘personality’ and strength. Their embrace, or Heian Ciemnosc embracing Elena, made them look close physically and kinda cute, nothing more.

“Well then, the show must continue, and you’ve won with graces everything you had to win. Congratulation, and welcome to the Wrath Nihility Academy, little Heian Ciemnosc! Har har.” Elena turned around and picked up her short halberd with a dark face upon seeing its cracked blade again. Heian Ciemnosc limited himself to nod at her in a temporary farewell since they were to go together back to the Academy.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAWEEE!!” - “Holy shit! HOLY SHIT. HOOOLYYY SHIIIIYAAATT!!” - “I gotta post this on the net. Some fucking Obsidiafying realm cultivator beat a Spirit Birth realm cultivator!” - “He can’t be Human! Even those with bloodlines don’t have an Art until the Spirit Formation realm! This is so crazy!” - “A new Change! The beginning of the Archeon starts hot!”

“He’s the new Sage, Great Sage! No! A much better Sage! And he doesn’t have the pettiness from that old fucker. He’s much better!” - “Excuse me, I’m actually a Great Sage’s fan, and your comments insult me, shut the fuck up…” - “... … …” - “He cute though…” - “Bro, can’t you see he’s more straight than the halberd he almost broke?” - “Holy shit, true! That was a Mortal weapon. Just from where in the fack did this law-breaking talent sprout? He’s more than a Gifted even!” - “Shhh, the Academy doesn’t like Favored Titles’ talk…”

Heian Ciemnosc heard numerous words from the crowd of participants and Sub Students, the latter of which Elena was walking to. From the teachers, nothing was happening as they kept a straight face, some with crossed arms. No one gave Heian Ciemnosc any kind of glare or special treatment, not even a nod or a tiny smile. Only the Teacher looked amicably at the pale teenager and held his palms together. He seemed satisfied and relieved. As if Heian Ciemnosc’s performance was ‘enough’.

Putong. Somehow, that gave Heian Ciemnosc a feeling… one that, even if he had killed those 2 from before, he would’ve been fine after dueling Elena and even winning that duel. Heian Ciemnosc had a slightly flabbergasted countenance as he looked at that sentiment on the Teacher’s face. And then, feeling the young girl had walked away enough, he dropped to his knees, almost falling on the ground.

Blood came from his back, from 7 orifices, drilled into his body after he was blasted by that ball of fire. His shirt was still there, but blood seeped from the holes. He hung his head a little, focusing his body on healing as much as possible from the inside first. There was no more Power Energy in him. Unlike any other cultivator, who would have to take measurements to purge that foreign Power Energy after any battle as intense as this one, Heian Ciemnosc simply remained on the spot, trying not to fall on the floor in fear he would lose all consciousness there.

“Oh, right. Let’s watch the show together, then we can go to the Academy together!”

Heian Ciemnosc became stiff as he heard the young girl speak. Lifting his head, he saw Elena with her head turned around already and sticking her tongue out as her eyes narrowed to almost a close. He thought she wouldn’t know his probable injuries, the pale teenager thought wrong.

Heian Ciemnosc: “...”

“Little girl, you should be better with your big brothers. You know?” Heian Ciemnosc commented, exerting utmost physical effort to stand up. He did so swiftly as if he was barely injured. The crowd kept talking amongst themselves, not giving Heian Ciemnosc’s situation a glare as if to honor him for his strength, and Heian Ciemnosc could feel that very well.

By the time Heian Ciemnosc was about to stumble for the 3rd time after standing up, a fragile and thin shoulder caught him. While its arm kept his torso straight, not bending any further and keeping him from falling again. Looking down at Elena, Heian Ciemnosc felt his body move again as she positioned her body to carry ⅔ s of his body over her left shoulder and part of her back.

“Let’s go, I gotta watch some fights. In case someone challenges me, or a Spirit Birth realm doofus tries to talk to me, thinking they can defeat me like you did. You’ve made my day slightly more difficult, you know? Thank you.” Walking Heian Ciemnosc towards the participants’ crowd, Elena spoke a little, then sat him somewhere before offering him a pill, which Heian Ciemnosc closed her giving hand into a fist and shook his head softly.

“May the rest of the tests… begin!” At this very moment, the Teacher brought attention to himself, raising his arms to the sides and elevating his voice to the outer testing grounds. From the excitement and disbelief of Heian Ciemnosc’s might, the participants became fiery beats, incensed, and encouraged after Heian Ciemnosc’s performances. Their hearts were thumping hard, and their blood flowed just a little bit faster than ever.

…