Efy quickly used 10 of his swords to shield the strike, simultaneously counter-attacking with the other 10. Mettal reacted to the attack quite well, jumping into the air to dodge.

However, he was surprised to see the swords following him like a homing missile. Nevertheless, he swung his sword to deter their trajectory, but these swords were not just thrown. Efy continually applied force to them, a technique he developed recently. It was as if there were ten people striking his opponent, rather than projectiles.

Still, Mettal had a countermeasure. He hardened his right foot and used one of the swords to flip away, landing onto the ground safely. He let out a psychotic laughter.

“Splendid! Splendid! What unusual offensive capabilities!”

His face then straightened within a moment. “But such things will not work again.”

Efy started to lose hope. Mettal was suspended into the air, naturally, he would be impaled. But his movements were simply too great. Efy had not given up yet however, and launched the swords that were his defence a moment ago. As those swords started accelerating, he sent 5 of the 10 that were floating above from the previous attack.

He sent them at a different time for a reason. The first 10 were aimed to Mettal's left side, who knew jumping was dangerous and blocking was difficult. Therefore, predicting the dodge to the right side, the 5 would strike thereafter. The remaining five he kept close for defensive purposes.

As expected, Mettal easily avoided the first wave of swords, swiftly jumping to the right. As a result, the other 5 swords immediately struck Mettal. However, Mettal had enhanced his body to withstand the attack. Although the swords did not stab deeply, they were able to penetrate the skin. This was because Mettal had to enhance multiple areas of his body. The level of enhancement and the amount of surface area covered would greatly affect the desired outcome.

As Mettal was stabbed, the previous swords he had dodged had circled behind him and were soaring towards his back.

“Good job! Really good job!” He said with the widest smile his face could make.

Suddenly, his sword burst into flames, becoming the sun in the vacuum of darkness. “I never thought I'd have to use my actual abilities on you, but oh well….”

His words were unbelievable. If only now he's going to use his full strength…then I'm in serious trouble. Efy's thoughts covered him like an umbrella.

Mettal turned around and with a single slash, melted the oncoming swords from behind him. Next, he took out the swords inside his body and did the same. Efy only had 5 swords remaining, but his conviction was shattered.

I cannot win. He's too powerful…

Was all of my efforts in vain? I'm not strong enough…

Is this the end?

Mettal held his sword in the same stance, two hands holding it in front of his chest. He closed his eyes and took an audible deep breath.

Crap he's going to do a special technique, just like what Audrin did two times previously. This is the end.

Efy's swords fell to the ground, his Xor ceasing from the terrifying thought of death. Mettal dashed towards Efy with blistering speed, almost breaking the sound barrier. Efy's sixth sense was not strong enough, and his reaction speed was the same. The slash of the ignited sword sliced across Efy's torso diagonally, creating a streak of blood from his waist to his shoulder. The sheer heat from the blade covered him in burns as well.

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Efy let out a continuous and agonising cry. He was thoroughly outmatched and completely overwhelmed.

I had grown so much stronger, I was much more powerful…but in the end…

I'm sorry, sensei..

I'm sorry, teacher.

If I could survive this, I promise, I'd work even harder to improve.

“Didn't even have to use my strongest technique, but still, I commend you. You were able to get this far. Few here hold the ability to figure out my invisible cuts, even fewer survive. You're probably going to die from blood loss, but what's one more slash to make sure you go out faster?”

Mettal turned towards Efy, eyeing him like a predator would its prey. At this moment, Efy had fallen to the floor, succumbing to his injuries. As Mettal brandished his sword, Efy could only hope he would survive.

Peng!

Mettal’s sword was blocked.

Someone’s saving me? But…who? Efy’s vision was slowly blacking out. I should probably start getting used to this, he thought with a smile on his face.

“Why are you here, Reinhart?”

“What do you mean? He is my roommate, we are a team.”

“He’s still a dark-rat, don’t tell me. Have you taken a liking to him?”

“We are teammates regardless of our differences, it is what it is.”

“I don’t want to fight you Reinhart.”

“Unfortunately, that is what must happen.”

Audrin dashed forward with immense speed, similarly, rivalling the near speed of sound once displayed by Mettal. However, Mettal could only achieve such speed with his special techniques, Audrin, did this as natural as he could blink.

Mettal could not keep up, his flaming sword had zero effect on Audrin, who’s defence was far greater than his offence. As soon as Audrin closed the distance, he started to swing his blade.

1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100.

100 slashes successfully diced the body of the glorious rank #10, who was now painted in a scarlet fluid. His eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the floor with a thud.

“Heal Efy.”

Suddenly, Xander came out of the shadows with a familiar flask in his hands, it was the healing potion, the same one from every reward zone. “Just to be clear, I am not doing this because I want to.” Xander responded, reluctant to heal the person he disliked. He carefully poured a few drops across the huge cut on Efy’s torso. Within one minute, the injury dissipated. The only proof Efy had been in battle were the shallow cuts on his arm and thigh, but they were not fatal enough to require administration.

The area was clear, the two henchmen that followed Mettal were nowhere to be seen and the paralysed man was missing. The only people there were Audrin, Xander and a sleeping Efy.

“Let’s get some rest. The border starts to close in at dawn, we need as much strength as possible.” Audrin advised Xander. Both halves of the moon were present, hanging serenely in the inky blackness of the night. The crickets sang their lullabies and the breeze were ghosts, adding its tune to the song and possessing the trees to dance.

“Yeah, with both of us here, well, you especially, we should be pretty safe.” Xander replied. Even a proud one like him needed to be humbled in the presence of the #1 student in Port Of Black Fountain Academy. Xander even tried to attack him when he would least expect it, but had failed embarrassingly.

They both laid in the same vicinity, underneath the stars as the leaf roof was charred and useless.

They all promptly dosed away, dreaming of goals, hope and strange things alike.