856 The Last Battle – What is an end is also a beginning [3] - The Author's POV

'I'm hurt?'

Staring at his hands, which were soaked in his own blood, Jezebeth was left in wonder. He hadn't expected his attack to be as devastating as it had been.

If not for his armor, he probably would've sustained heavier injuries.

It came from out of nowhere, and he was barely able to resist it. Raising his head to stare at Ren, who was huffing and puffing, Jezebeth felt something boiling inside of him.

'Right… It's not good if I don't reciprocate his intentions.'

Seeing that the attack had taken a toll on him, Jezebeth suppressed his injuries and forced himself forward. With a subtle blur of his vision, he saw Ren's back in front of him, and he reached out with his palm forward.

Golden runes enveloped his palm, and the space around his hand shattered.

A blade immediately blocked the hand just as it was about to reach Ren's back. He didn't know when, but Ren had suddenly turned around and slashed with his sword.

The two stared at each other silently as the space around them started to crumble.

There were no words exchanged with each other like before. Neither left any time to spare any words as they distanced themselves from each other and attacked one another.

BOOOM—! The attacks were devastating, shattering the space around them and creating large waves in the air that spread throughout the entire sky.

Everything beneath them tore apart, and the land disintegrated at their every exchange.

Neither of the two held any advantage. While Jezebeth was indeed injured from the previous strike, Ren had exhausted himself in the process, evening things out.

SHIIIIIIING—!

A bright glow of terrifying pressure suddenly headed Jezebeth's way. It was fast—extremely so. In a matter of seconds, it was upon him, and just as it was about to graze his nose, Jezebeth placed his palm against the side of the glow, and the glow shattered into a fine dust.

Swoosh!

Sensing something behind him, Jezebeth's body twisted as he kicked, and his foot hit something soft.

"Umpf!"

Overhearing something, Jezebeth knew that his hit had landed, and when he came to, he saw Ren's figure hurl away from him in the sky.

He didn't waste a single second of that moment.

Locking his eyes on Ren's figure, Jezebeth pressed his finger forward, and a gigantic crack formed a couple of meters ahead of Ren.

A large projection of his finger appeared from within the crack, and as if it had been timed just right, it moved down and directly pressed against Ren's moving figure.

BOOOM—!

The attack landed squarely on Ren's body, and he spat a mouthful of blood as his body continued to hurl away from Jezebeth.

Ren's body took the full force of the attack, and as his body continued to fly away from him, he spat out a mouthful of blood and coughed up more.

Jezebeth did not pass up such an opportunity and followed him from behind, eventually appearing right in front of him and pressing his hand against his face as he did so.

Swoosh—!

Attempting to contort his body and evade Jezebeth's hand, Ren acted swiftly but fell slightly short. His efforts proved futile as Jezebeth's hand firmly made contact with his face and grasped onto it tightly.

BANG—!

Exerting an immense force, Jezebeth's hand unleashed a surge of power, propelling Ren's body through the air with great momentum. Seizing the opportunity without hesitation, Jezebeth swiftly positioned himself directly beneath Ren, extending his knee in a forceful thrust.

"Aukh!"

Spit flew from Ren's mouth as he landed directly on Jezebeth's knee.

Though faint, Jezebeth could make out a faint cracking sound, and he knew that Ren had sustained some injuries.

Still… He didn't let go.

Jezebeth wasn't the type of person to show mercy to those against him.

Grabbing Ren by the hair, he raised his head toward him and punched at his face.

BANG—!

His fist landed squarely in his face.

BANG—!

He didn't stop at just one punch.

BANG—!

Jezebeth's fist was encased in a white and black glow as he continued to punch Ren's face with all of his strength while simultaneously driving his fist further forward.

BANG—!

It wasn't long before his fist was coated in Ren's blood as it dripped down from his fist.

The warm, viscous fluid trickled down, forming streams that traced intricate patterns along his fingers, carrying with it the evidence of the fierce impact.

A metallic scent filled the air, mingling with the intensity of the moment, as Jezebeth's resolute gaze remained fixed upon the sight.

The sight of Ren's blood became a stark reminder of all the struggle he had to go through just to get to this point, etching a lasting impression upon Jezebeth's conscience even as the battle raged on.

Extending his hand forward and staring at Ren's limping figure in front of him, Jezebeth tried to reach out with his hand to absorb the laws in his body, but just as he tried, as Jezebeth's hand inched closer, a sudden rift materialized in the surrounding space, originating from the vicinity of his arm.

Within the crevice, a spectral manifestation of a sword took shape, its gleaming presence amplifying the already charged atmosphere.

WIIIIIIIIING—!

Jezebeth was left with no other option, so he let go of Ren's body as it descended from the sky.

Not satisfied with what he did, Jezebeth pressed his hands together, and that was when two large projections manifested around the area Ren was in.

They moved closer together and pressed directly onto Ren's body which was falling down from the sky.

BOOOOM—!

With one gigantic explosion, Ren's figure came crashing down from the sky, landing against the ground beneath and creating a massive crater in the land.

'That should have done something.'

Standing where he was, Jezebeth could hear the sudden gasp of anxiety coming from those beneath. He didn't pay much attention to them and took a single step forward.

Feeling his feet touch the ground, he looked down, and that was where he caught sight of Ren lying down in the middle of the crater. His clothes were a mess, and so was his hair.

Blood leaked down from the side of his mouth, and his eyes seemed hazy.

Despite that, his eyes were wide open, and they were locked directly at him.

WIIIING—!

As expected.

The moment Jezebeth arrived, the ground beneath him trembled, and something flashed right behind him. Twisting his body, Jexezbeth was just barely able to avoid the incoming attack, but just as he did, a hand came grasping at his head, and he felt it smash against the hard ground beneath.

BAANG—!

Feeling the taste of dirt in his mouth, Jezebeth felt something tug at the back of his head, and his head was brought up once more before he saw the ground coming closer to him once more.

BAANG—!

A familiar taste. One that he didn't particularly like, but as he tried to move his body, his head was pulled at again, and once again, his head came smacking against the hard ground beneath.

BAANG—!

It hurt quite a bit as his vision blurred. Reaching out with his hand, he grasped at the forearm that was grasping at his hand, and he squeezed with everything that he could.

Cra— Crack! The sound was similar to the sound of bones breaking, and whatever was grasping at his head let go, and Jezebeth was able to move away.

Recovering his bearing, Jezebeth caught sight of Ren's arm, which was bent at a weird angle and limping.

He smiled at the sight and decided to go on the offensive again. As if he was going to let such an opportunity go to waste.

Seeing that his right arm was injured, Jezebeth aimed for Ren's right side.

Swoosh!

Appearing with a sudden breeze, he aimed a punch directly at the side of Ren's exposed abdomen. Complex golden runes manifested all over his hand, and wherever his hand passed, the space around it shattered.

BANG—!

Coming into contact with something, the space crumbled, and a large explosion reverberated. Dust flew into the air, blocking his vision, but with one swipe of his hand, the dust settled, and when he looked to see the aftermath of his attack, he was surprised to see his fist hitting against the side of Ren's knee, which was raised up in front of him.

Just like his fist, complex golden runes revolved around Ren's thigh.

Swoosh!

A fist came hurling at him from above, and Jezebeth retrieved his fist back and counterattacked with a kick, which Ren avoided by bending his body back.

BANG—!

The aftereffects of their attack destroyed everything that was around them, and before they knew it, the crater that they were in had become even deeper.

They had traveled to such a great depth that the light that was coming from the sky above them began to dim, and all that they were able to see was a tiny gap above them.

Still, neither cared as they continued to fight against each other.

BANG—!

Ren's fist managed to land directly on Jezebeth's face, sending him crashing against the ground. Ren took the moment to distance himself from him and retrieve his sword.

Rumble! Rumble!

The air that was close to him began to twist, and all of a sudden, a powerful force erupted from out of his body and engulfed everything that was in its path.

Cr— Crack!

A crack formed in the area above him, and the tip of a sword appeared from behind the gap.

Almost immediately after the tip appeared, the ground began to crack, and the air started to shatter.

Despite the fact that Ren's complexion began to gradually pale at the sight of the sword, and the mana that was contained within his body began to drain at a rapid rate, he did not give up and continued to call forth the sword.

"Ukh!"

He gritted his teeth, and his expression started to distort. Even so, his efforts began to pay off, and the sword quickly began to appear from behind the chasm, revealing its body in all of its glory.

The moment the sword appeared, the area surrounding them came to a sudden standstill, and the world around them started to lose color.

Creack! Creak!

Ren could hear his bones creaking under the immense pressure that the sword was producing, but he didn't care and fixed his eyes on Jezebeth, who was staring at the sword in front of him with deep apprehension.

"Go."

Opening his palm, he pointed his finger at Jezebeth, and the sword moved toward him.

Rumble! Rumble!

The surroundings shook massively, and the earth around them collapsed. Wherever the sword passed, it would leave nothing but destruction behind.

Yet, amidst the cacophony and devastation, Jezebeth maintained an unwavering composure, fixating his gaze upon the approaching sword with an eerie calmness.

In a gesture that defied the imminent danger, he gradually closed his eyes, succumbing to a serene stillness that permeated both his external surroundings and the recesses of his own mind.

At first glance, he looked to have given up, but Ren knew... he knew that this was not the case.

A pregnant silence descended upon the world, intertwining with the tranquility of Jezebeth's demeanor.

When his eyes finally unveiled their vision once more, Jezebeth found himself inexplicably positioned directly behind the sword, his hand instinctively reaching out to make contact with its hilt.

"..."

*Grip*

The ensuing sequence of events left Ren utterly dumbfounded as the unstoppable momentum of the sword abruptly halted under Jezebeth's unwavering grip.

Time seemed suspended, allowing for the gravity of the situation to sink in, as the sixth movement, the most powerful movement in his arsenal, found itself tamed by the sheer force of Jezebeth's will.

However, the astonishment didn't end there.

"Argkhhhhh!"

With an abrupt cry that pierced the air, the armor encasing Jezebeth's body shattered, revealing the raw, sinewy contours of his musculature beneath.

His bulging muscles pulsated with an imposing presence, exuding an aura of formidable power.

Fixing his penetrating gaze silently upon Ren, Jezebeth's hand began to move with a deliberate purpose, manipulating the sword's trajectory until it aligned menacingly with Ren, its tip pointing directly at him like a harbinger of impending doom.

"I.. h… how?!"

Staring at the tip of his own sword, Ren was left utterly shocked, and his face turned white.

Unfortunately for Ren, he did not have the luxury of continuing to dwell on the matter for too long, and as he clenched his teeth, power began to erupt from his body as veins began to protrude along the sides of his neck.

The sword shattered into hundreds of pieces, and he puked up blood. He had no choice but to cancel his own move.

"Pfttt."

He stumbled a couple of steps back as a result, and it was right then that he felt something head his way.

Out of pure instinct, he moved his hand away from his mouth and punched forward.

BANG—!

His fist landed squarely against another, and he was pushed several steps back. He felt his blood boil at the collision, but he bore through the pain and pushed himself forward.

He thrust a kick forward.

BANG—!

His kick once again connected with something, and the surroundings crumbled apart.

BANG—!

This went on for quite a while until, eventually, Jezebeth opened his mouth, and muttered.

"Seal."

Chains burst from beneath the ground and coiled around Ren's body like snakes. The chains came from everywhere. Above him, the side of the crater, and beneath the ground, coiling around every part of his body and trapping him like a cocoon.

A faint white glow manifested around his body as complex golden runes covered his entire body. The chains that were surrounding him showed signs of cracking, but they didn't break immediately, and that was what Jezebeth was looking for.

Taking advantage of that moment, he appeared right in front of Ren and punched directly toward his abdomen.

BANG—!

A clean hit. Landing his fist against his abdomen, Jezebeth watched as Ren's expression distorted with pain, and his body floated up. The chains that were binding his body shattered, and his figure hurled up into the sky, coming out from the hole they were in.

Stepping forward, Jezebeth's vision shifted, and when he looked down, he saw Ren's body coming at him from below.

Extending his hand forward, he opened up his palm. Golden runes appeared all over his hand, and just as Ren's body was about to come crashing against his palm, his figure suddenly disappeared.

Swoosh!

It all happened so fast that Jezebeth was barely able to react.

Struck by an overwhelming force that jolted against the side of his cheek, Jezebeth's vision distorted, spinning wildly as he found himself hurtling uncontrollably toward the ground below.

The speed of his descent was nothing short of astonishing; a faint vapor cloud appeared behind him as he fell.

"!!"

As he cast his gaze downward, his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight that awaited him—a vast multitude of sword projections adorned with intricate golden runes erupted from the very ground, their razor-sharp tips ominously aimed at him.

The sheer magnitude of the spectacle sent shockwaves through Jezebeth's core, forcing him to employ every available resource in his arsenal to halt his descent before meeting the deadly convergence of the sword projections.

"Ukh!"

In a desperate display of acrobatics, he managed to halt himself mere inches away from the lethal array, a narrow escape that left his core pounding with anxiety.

However, before he could fully savor his fleeting victory, an unforeseen assault struck him from behind, ravaging his body with searing pain that reverberated through every fiber of his being.

BANG—!

A resounding impact echoed through the air, accompanied by an involuntary cry of pain that escaped Jezebeth's lips.

"Akhhh!"

Every inch of his body felt the intrusion as sharp objects pierced his flesh, puncturing his arms and legs and staining the ground with his own blood.

Overwhelmed by the excruciating agony that consumed him, he gritted his teeth, suppressing his pained groans by a thread.

The intensity of the pain threatened to overwhelm him entirely, yet through sheer resilience, he managed to maintain a semblance of control, and he shut his mouth.

Screaming was a waste of energy.

"Ukh."

With his forearm forward, Jezebeth moved his body up and felt the sharp ends of the projections through his arms, legs, and chest. He was pierced almost everywhere, but thankfully, none of the spikes had managed to hit him in his core, which was still intact.

Clenching his fist, the sword projections around him shattered completely, and Jezebeth immediately felt better. Despite that, he didn't let his guard down, and noticing a certain shadow right above his head; he hastily moved his head to the side.

BANG—!

He was glad he did, as immediately after he moved his head, a foot came crashing against where he previously was, stomping at the ground beneath.

"Arkh."

Right as the foot landed, Jezebeth pulled his hand forward and grabbed at the foot, clenching with all his might.

Crack!

Immediately, bones cracked, and Ren started to fall down next to him. Suppressing his pain and bringing his leg up, Jezebeth helped himself up and elbowed Ren cleanly in the face.

BANG—! The hit was clean, and immediately after his elbow came crashing against the side of his face, Ren became disoriented. Jezebeth didn't waste the opportunity, and despite the pain that was tormenting his body, he raised his hand and punched his face.

BANG—! His fist missed, but at the same time that he punched with his fist, he brought his head down, and their heads smacked against one another.

BANG—!

His head throbbed massively at his action, and Jezebeth felt disoriented, but the same could be said for Ren, who seemed to have lost consciousness for a split second.

BANG—!

Clenching his fist, Jezebeth landed a hit directly in his face, smacking his head to the side. The fist sent Ren's head moving to the other side, and Ren's eyes turned white at that moment.

The sight made Jezebeth's body tremble as excitement started to course down every fiber of his being, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

'I'm close… I'm almost there…'

He could feel Ren's breath weakening with his fist and smacking his head once again; Jezebeth felt Ren's breath almost drop to a pitiful low.

Bang—!

'Yes… I can feel it…'

Ren's lips were busted, and blood leaked from his head and lips. Extending his hand forward, Jezebeth brought his hand to Ren's face, and chains burst from beneath the ground, binding Ren at his arms and legs.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Sealing his every movement, Jezebeth clenched Ren's face with his hand. Taking a small breath, he tried to feel for the laws within his body, and when he did feel them, his body trembled once more.

'Come to me.'

A white glow burst from Ren's body all of a sudden, and the surroundings started to quake.

Rumble—! Rumble—!

Power started to enter Jezebeth's body, and his surroundings flashed between earth and what seemed to be an enormous library. The entire library was covered in an ethereal glow, and right toward the very distance, he could see a small patio made out of wood and surrounded by glass.

There… he saw a book lying down on top of a small altar, and Jezebeths' breath stopped.

'The Records…'

Never before had he been able to see them so clearly, and for a moment, he didn't know what to do as his mind blanked.

When he came to, he found that his surroundings were back to normal and that his hand was still grasping at Ren, whose entire body was extremely husky. Almost as if everything had been sucked out of him.

All the power that Ren previously had was gone, and silence predominated their surroundings.

Weakly, Ren opened his eyes to expose his two blue eyes, and their eyes locked. For the first time in a while, Jezebeth opened his mouth and spoke to him.

"…if it had been the other you, perhaps things might've ended differentl—"

WIIIIIIIIIIING—! But just as Jezebeth was about to suck the very last bit of the laws that were contained within Ren's body, he felt something powerful coming from behind him, and when he turned his head, he was shocked to see a white streak covered in golden runes head his way.

"What?!"

Shocked, Jezebeth tried to move, but two hands grasped at his forearms. When he looked down, his gaze met Rens.

"You… let go!"

Jezebeth tried to free himself from the grasp, but he was baffled to see that his grip was extremely tight, preventing him from moving.

"Let go! H… how is this possible? How do you still have power left?!"

Panic started to spread across Jezebeth's face as he tried to free himself from his grip, but Ren just refused to let go, and soon his mouth parted open.

"Indeed… i..f it had been the other me, the result would've been completely different."

His voice was weak and frail. As if it was about to break at any moment, but his eyes seemed clearer than ever.

"Let… let go!"

"…Unlike him, I don't work alone."

WAAAAAAAAAANG—! The world turned white.