"You must have a lot of guts to face me yourself, human. I wonder, will you be able to keep that same determined look when I pierce your spine?"
"I'm not facing you myself, demon. The other two will be back soon." John replied while smiling, completely unaffected by Baldurai's words.
"Heh. We'll see about that. Devil Ashra is the most potent type of energy, rivaling that of Divinity. It'll only be a little while before my mana seeps inside the human's body and corrupts him from the inside out."
There was no more time for words. John knew that the two of them could handle it, as long as they put their minds together.
With but one small yet tensed breath, John expelled any thoughts outside of the battle and silently casted Mana Maxima.
It was a technique he had cultivated himself after training under the way of the blade for more than three decades. If one could not pour their entire heart and soul into protecting what was right, then one would be swept away by the world's evils.
And yet decades of experience would never be able to completely fill the gap between power levels. Only when John had the ability to tap into his past knowledge would he be able to relive his former glory.
But speaking of John, he wasn't one to stay stagnant forever. The few days of spare time he wasn't using for the Academy or for assisting Curie were all poured towards training himself and increasing his rank.
His goal for now was to return to the rank he had achieved in his last run, the famously acclaimed SS rank, an entire rank above the strongest people who existed on Midania today.
It had been debated multiple times by races as to whether it truly was possible, but John was a living reminder that it was. At least, a reminder to himself.
He had already begun on his journey towards breaking that threshold, and with assistance from Curie, who could provide him with as much supplements and materials he needed, it was no surprise that John, as Fate would have it, was already close to breaching C+ rank.
And it was indeed no surprise when Baldurai's innate sense of danger began to warn him about the increasingly elevating threat in front of him.
"Fusing three skills together! I thank you, oh Saintess, for bestowing to me your knowledge."
"Firstly… Mana Maxima."
As John said this, his entire body began to get wrapped in a thin cloak of silver-white Time mana, and began to emanate an intense signature normally impossible for C+ ranks to do.
"Secondly, Chronos Interval."
The second skill he had activated alongside the first bared its fangs. Unlike Mana Maxima, which was a skill that enhanced his bodily properties and physical traits, Chronos Interval was something else entirely. From there, Baldurai witnessed a small, almost hourglass-shaped image form on John's pupils.
"Finally… as a tribute to my mentor… Soserei Style: First Breath."
The third one was simply confusing for the eyes. Instead of charging the demon, John entered into a weird pose, in which his left foot remained above the ground, and his less dominant hand, that being the left as well, gripped his thigh.
It was completely impractical for a battle, but John knew of its uses. And what good would he be as a regressor if he didn't even respect the people who taught him everything he learned in his past lives?
"An attempt to make yourself seem strong. I know your type, human. You think you can defeat me on your own, but that thought will be what brings you to your grave. Come then!" The stone demon raised his fists and took up a boxer stance, planning to entertain John.
Little did Baldurai know, John had taken down hundreds of demons before, all stronger than him. A little pebble wouldn't be enough to inconvenience him.
No more words were spoken. John eagerly lunged into the fray, keeping sight of his weak spots. As soon as he entered Baldurai's melee zone, he slashed at him with his Excalibur-like sword.
The demon received this attack with his left arm and with a bored look on his face. Using his free limb, Baldurai sent out a fist towards John's unprotected front.
Swoosh! The first flew by John's face at the speed of a bullet. The swordsman had narrowly dodged the hit and turned to retaliate. This time however, Baldurai was ready to attack first.
The moment John once again closed in, he preemptively released both his fists in the human's direction.
However, what his fists met was something he did not expect. Instead of making contact with skin, or even mana, Baldurai's hands continued, like he was punching at the air.
That was when he felt a slight distortion in behind him did he realize that John had blinked out of his sight. Acting quick, John slammed the pointed edge of his sword into Baldurai's hard skin.
"That's what that was. A movement skill… yes."
This was Chronos Interval, a Time Affinity Spell that sent John moving in whatever direction was optimal whenever he was faced with danger. Just like now, when Baldurai's fist was about to hit him, the skill acted, blinking John behind the demon and allowing him to retaliate.
In a sense, it was an automatic threat-detector skill that essentially guaranteed John free reign to focus on the offensive as long as it was up.
"Interesting. I know of your tricks now, human." Baldurai remarked. "As long as that skill is up, even someone like me can't inflict any harm on you. In that case, I shall challenge your power."
Instead of blindly assaulting John with the firm belief that his superior stats would win, Baldurai remained calm and stayed on the defensive.
"Did you know, human? Hellscape is made up of many different demonic clans, each one birthing demons that match the affinity granted to them by His Majesty."
"It's not too far fetched to say that every clan represents their elements. They are the kings at it, which prevents the balance of power from ever being broken if others were to betray them. After all, a drop of water cannot simply hope to withstand the blazing heat if it were to be thrown into a fire, the same way a metallic rod cannot avoid being struck by lightning if it is in an elevated place."
"What's your point, demon?" John asked as he trade blows with Baldurai. Their entire exchange was accompanied with attacks from each side, although the swordsman began to notice the demon slowly turning to the defensive…
"You humans always want to get to the point. Never want to enjoy the process. Fine, then. My point is… you, a wielder of that… stick you call a sword, cannot simply hope to fell me, a boulder."
At that same time, Baldurai's skin instantly hardened to a degree that made it completely unfair. He felt no fear nor care to John and simply allowed the swordsman to continue slashing at him.
"And unfortunately for you… the Stone Demons… we are known for being the toughest of all our kin."