Chereads / Murim: The rise of Alexander / Chapter 25 - Riticus: The Might Full

Chapter 25 - Riticus: The Might Full

My unwanted guest all left, all but one. Just as I was about to shut the door, I noticed a figure crouching menacingly on a tree branch. "It's Riticus" I thought walking outside. After a few steps I had "shatter" already forming in my hand. But as I looked up towards were Riticus was, he was gone.

The figure of the large teenager was gone, without as much of a trace. As though through some sort of teleportation, just as quickly as he left, he appeared in front of me, his arm fully transformed. Razor like white feathers, menacing in both spirit and form.

Each individual feather seemed to be cloaked in a nearly transparent black aura. Every part of my body acted against what my mind was commanding them to do. My body began to twitch, the quickening of my heartbeat was undeniable, ponding in my ears, choked out the rest of the world.

"What do you want?"

It's odd given the situation, but I knew I had to appear as though I was calm, to still my mind and ready my body… for the coming fight. With shatter fully formed in my hand, I simply waited for what had to have been an uncomfortable period.

Riticus moved slowly, each step cut in half. As though he was waiting for a specified amount of distance to be had between us. He only stopped moving forward when there was an arm and a half distance between us.

"My name is Riticus the might full. Son of the MOOD DEMON with ten thousand kills."

After saying that he looked around, then glared at me with murderous intent, his golden eyes appeared similar to a master painters painting. Just for how unmoving and unalive yet alive they were.

"Not here. Follow me, there's a better place to do this."

He said that as he turned, leaping onto a nearby tree branch, then another… and another.

'He's acting different' but besides that I didn't know what to do, it's obvious he expects me to follow him…. But I honestly don't want to. Having nowhere else to look I glance down at shatter, the feeling of awe I previously had merely holding it could not be felt.

The feeling of stagnation gripped me. With a strength that turned its knuckles white, an image of my younger self being choked helplessly by an invisible force, was replayed in my mind constantly.

I fell as though I've ran with gallant strides into my first major challenge, the feeling of having met a wall that I needed to either scale or destroy laid before me.

'I have to follow him… don't I?' I thought to myself allowing shatter to dissipate. After taking three deep breaths, I readied myself once again. This isn't like before; I'll need to protect myself. So, with that I formed a large shield, from the age of the Vikings, completely round with six thick leather strips spreading out from the umbo. The weight of it still managed to surprise me. After that I took off after Riticus.

….

The fact that I could sense his ki helped, but it only aids me slightly. From my ki viewpoint, Riticus simply appeared as a large area of ki, I couldn't tell if he was in the air or on the ground. So, as I ran towards him, I took precaution to make sure he didn't attack from above, the only real point I couldn't guard against was my back, but with ki view I knew he wasn't behind me, so I completely focused on what lied ahead and above me.

I'm easily running about 50 mph. My steps weren't like those martial arts movies, no I was more like a giant, taking large powerful steps. Stomping my way through the forest, I doubt Riticus couldn't hear me. As I neared him, I started slowing down, coming to a full stop just before entering the area of his ki.

"Hey bird boy! What the fuck do you want!"

I said looking up towards the sky, believing he'd be in the air like last time. I know he's fast I must be ready for when he dives down towards me. Spreading me feet apart, shoulder length and putting my shield up…. 'I'm ready' I thought…. But then nothing happened.

I was caught off guard when he revealed that he was hiding behind a tree. Walking out form behind the tree, his arms laid gently at his sides, wearing a completely silk red cape, that looked just about a size too small, he coupled the red cape with white shorts, the only off thing was that he was bare footed.

He's different than how I remembered not as wild, he even seems calm, just as I thought that he let out a couple of head splitting laughs, sliding his hand through his hair and putting it up in a bun.

"HAHAH you actually came huh, so I was right. Your just like me! SOOO what're the rules… obviously no killing."

'Rules?... no killing? What the hell's going on' I thought. Seeing the look of confusion on my face, he gave me a similar look then it seems an idea came to his mind, like he realized something.

"Aw hahah oh shit this is too funny… you're completely a noob… look we're about to fight… it's that simple, I just want to know how far you want to take this."

"I never agreed to a duel. And aren't you here to kill me?"

He gave me another look of confusion.

"Never agreed? Then why are you here? Why would I tell you to follow me here just to kill you? Hahaha, I guess your just a little bit slow huh."

His voice was uncomfortable calm. Slow? this fuck, my face reflected my inner thoughts. Every thought of confusion and anger, where laid out for all to see, taking a few deep breaths. I started to make sense of this.

So, what he wants Is a fight, kind of like a sparring match. And he won't kill me? Every bit of me wants to just tell this fuck to fuck off, but this might be good… right? I have been wanting to learn how to fight and well nothing teaches you as well as experience… and he said no killing. I doubt someone so strong would need to lie to me. So the obvious next step forward would be to remove the possibility of receiving serious injuries like having my libs cut off… yeah' after settling my thoughts I calmed my racing heart and with as much courage I had I said.

"I'll agree but only on the condition that there be no cutting weapons allowed."

"Deal! Brace yourself lets see if you're really all that!"

I didn't even have enough time to be annoyed by he's sudden outburst, for like before he crouched down, face only a nose length from the ground. And just like that he's gone, 'he left an after image an actual after image…!' I thought, not even thinking to pay attention to the fight.

.....

God damn it everything failed me, my eyes, my ki sense, and now my body. For he seamlessly reappeared right Infront of me. For a split second I saw him, I did I saw him! but then two sounds busted through my consciousness overcoming the others a 'crackle' then a 'bang' delivering an uppercut to my stomach.

I folded over instantly, my eyes felt like they'd pop out, I couldn't breathe, all the air in my body was shot up from my lungs all the to my throat, lodged there cause oddly enough my mouth wouldn't open, my throat ballooned to an inhuman degree. All I could do was lay there curled up in a ball gasping for air that couldn't be found.

"Huh what's the point of having a shield if you don't use it… ahhhh geez you're a dumbass, aren't you? Like…."

I must have passed out because I didn't hear what he had to say after that.

I woke up feeling like shit, I couldn't get my eyes to focus… couldn't get anything to focus really. My arms felt like anchored ships, legs didn't feel like anything… just numbness below the waist.

After some time, I managed to look around, there was a blurry figure siting in front of me…

"Riticus… that you?"

I called out meekly, not even sure If I was still alive anymore… I must be. Otherwise, I couldn't think of a reason why I'd want this fuck in my afterlife fantasy's.

"HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH no way… one punch and you're out… I truly am the son of the MOON DEMON with 10,000 kills. Hahaha"

What the fuck was I thinking calling out to this prick… damnit even breathing is killing me right now.

"how'd *wheeze* you do that? You just disappeared…. Leaving an after image behind."

I asked trying to pull myself together, the fucking guy was still laughing with a wicked smile plastered on his face. Though finally after some time he stopped, I'm guessing even he's confused on what just happened…. Am I that weak?

"Hmmm must be your ki split? You're a fool. If you couldn't see my movement then the reason is obvious. You must not have allocated enough ki to your sensory abilities, in particular your vision."

"Allocated ki? Like… what *wheeze* is it percentage base, ten percent here twenty percent there etc. Totaling to one-hundred percent?"

"… yeah but… it's more like, categories and even then, it only really applies to people like me and… ugh you, me more so than you. Seeing as you're an idiot. You have about fifty percent or more of your ki going towards fortification/defense, if you want to stay alive in most cases that is. two to fifteen percent towards sensory abilities though this is rare at higher percentages due to the delicacy of these body parts and obviously the rest of your ki goes for fighting. Things like the weapons you make and my abilities, which is why some can't ever hope to fight against those with more ki than them."

"Then what just happened to me, was it that I didn't put enough ki into my eyes or something?"

"Yeah, to sum it up… well here's this. Seeing as your not as strong as I thought, I feel bad for wasting my time..."

Reaching into the pocket of his cloak he pulled out a sack, tossing it to me then walked off.

"what's this…?"

"Huh you're an odd one huh, its medicine. You probably have internal bleed or a broken… something. See ya hahah"

… this fuck, damnit I feel like shit… how could I lose this badly… I haven't even been able to feel anything below my waist… fuck what was I thinking before if even this guy could beat me then the rest… fuck!' I thought the rage taking me over…

"Tomorrow around the same time. Well do this again, same rules."

I shouted it out, soon after the pain in my stomach shot up in intensity. He didn't stop walking, didn't look back. But a reaper like aura seeped from his body,

"Fine whatever… I'm honestly just doing this cause some fuck said you were something special. But know this I the son of The Mood Demon with ten thousand kills will never be bested."