Chapter 81: Faster Than Death

He barely had time to react. She moved like a blur, her red dress billowing around her as she closed the distance in an instant. One of her large fans slammed towards his head with incredible force. He narrowly dodged it, the wind from the swing ruffling his hair as it smashed into the wall behind him, leaving a deep indentation in the stone.

“…”

He jumped back, creating some distance between them. Her speed was insane, faster than anything he had fought so far. “Damn, your speed is no joke.”

“I am many times stronger than that puppet you fought. My strength is beyond your comprehension, yet, I feel so drawn to your power. It is… confusing.” She floated in the air, her movements graceful and fluid, like a dancer. She looked at him with a curious expression, her red eyes shining with an intense light.

“Oh, so you like me? Sorry, I am taken,” he said with a smirk, getting ready for the fight. ’Wait, the system popped up.’

She smiled. “Taken? How cute. A man who cannot be tamed. Now that is something I can work with.” She then spun around, throwing both of her fans at him like deadly boomerangs.

He dodged the attacks with barely any effort, using his Shadow Flicker skill to reappear directly behind her. He was about to strike, but she turned around with a speed that surprised him, her eyes glowing brighter. She kicked him in the face, sending him flying into the wall and forming a small crater.

“Not bad,” he said, standing up and wiping blood from his mouth. “But you will need to do better than that.” His body was hurting, and he could feel the bones in his face protesting. He focused his mana, healing himself as he activated his skill again, reappearing in front of her with his sword drawn.

Their weapons clashed, the sounds echoing through the grand throne room. He was fast, his movements precise, but she was faster, stronger. Her attacks were relentless, her fans slicing through the air with deadly precision. He parried her attacks, the impact sending vibrations up his arms. He tried to find an opening, but she was too good. She moved in and out, her attacks coming from all angles. The fans spun around her, acting as both weapons and shields, blocking any attempt he made to get close.

“You are strong, very strong, but you are also slow,” she said, her voice calm but with an underlying tone of mockery. She flew high into the air, her dress fluttering, looking down at him as if he were a bug.

“Slow, huh…” He smirked, then crouched low, his veins slowly expanding as he leaped at her with a burst of speed that caught her off guard. He tried to land a mana-infused kick, but she blocked it with her fans.

“Still think I am slow?” he asked, a cocky look in his eyes.

She flew to the other side of the room, putting some distance between them. “Hmph.” Her fan weapons started to spin faster, emitting a strange, intense red aura. She then moved her hands, sending the fans hurtling towards him, and he could feel the energy behind them growing stronger with each rotation.

He braced himself for the impact, and then it happened. The two fans slammed into him, not only sending him flying across the room but also causing a huge explosion. The entire room shook, and the lights flickered out for a brief second. He flew through multiple pillars, landing on the ground with a loud thud. He could feel his body screaming in pain, his mana slow to heal his wounds. He spat out blood, his vision blurring.

’Well, shit. She is toying with me.’ He got up, licking the blood from his lips.

[Why are you playing around, Master? If you do not fight seriously, you might actually die.]

’Well, I am trying to push my body to its limit. I cannot just keep relying on my power to easily win. My body needs to keep up. Power without skill and technique is not useful in my book.’

[That sounds flawed, but okay. But be careful. I can tell she has not even shown you what she is truly capable of.]

’Yeah, I could tell that just by her attacks.’

“You are still alive? Impressive,” she said, her voice echoing in the now-damaged throne room. She floated down, landing gracefully on the floor. Her red dress seemed untouched by the explosion, not a single speck of dust on it. “Most would be dead by now. You are a tough one.”

“Yeah, well, I am not most people,” he coughed, more blood coming out. He wiped it away with his hand, a grin spreading across his face. “And I am not done yet.” He stood up, his body still aching, but his resolve was stronger than ever. ’She is strong, no joke… I want to fight her more!’

“Such a waste of potential,” she sighed, shaking her head. “If only you had joined me, we could have been unstoppable. But your mind seems to be set on this pointless fight.” She raised her hands, and the two fan weapons returned to her, spinning around her like angry bees. “So be it.”

He did not reply. He just focused his mana, his veins pulsing with power. The air around him changed. He gripped his sword tighter, his eyes locked on her. ’Time to get serious.’ He took a deep breath and dashed towards her. He moved faster than before, his sword a barely visible blur. He attacked with a stronger mana infusion around his sword, each strike aimed at a vital spot.

She blocked his attacks with her fans, the metal clashing against his sword. Sparks flew with each impact, illuminating the room in a deadly dance of light and shadow. He pressed on, not giving her a chance to breathe.

“You are still too slow,” she said, her voice calm despite the intensity of the fight. She parried his attack and spun around, her fan hitting him in the side. He grunted in pain but did not stop. He retaliated with a kick, aiming for her head. She ducked, her red dress exposing some of her delicate features. She then jumped back, creating some distance between them.

“I am getting bored of this,” she said, her voice now laced with annoyance. The red aura around her intensified, and the throne room started to tremble. The symbols on the fans glowed brighter, and the corrupted mana in the air thickened. It felt like the room itself was coming alive, a part of her, ready to strike.

’Shit, she is serious now.’ He felt a chill run down his spine. She raised her hands, and the two fan weapons started to spin faster, their red glow turning into a blinding light. The air around them vibrated with power. He could feel the energy building up, ready to explode.

“Any last words?” she asked, a cruel smile on her face.

He did not reply. She then made her move, bringing her hands down, and the two fan weapons shot towards him, moving faster than anything he had ever seen. They were like two red comets, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Just before impact, his eye color changed. “Pfft.” The impact sent dust and debris throughout the room. Mother looked on, as if she could sense something through all the dust. She waved her hand to clear the area, and all she saw were her fans, shattered into pieces on the floor.

“Wher-”

He appeared right behind her, and his oppressive presence sent a chill down her spine.

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