The group observed Copy closely, taking in his distinctive appearance. He was wearing a black trench coat layered over a sleek black suit, paired with a white shirt. His hands were clothed in short brown knuckle-less gloves, and he wore sturdy brown steel-toed shoes. Copy wore two brown belts to secure his black trousers, atop of his head sat a black fedora hat, completing his mysterious outfit. His eyes appeared to be shut, a smile on his lips, hinting at his void nature.
"Now, if you'd be so kind and hand over the girl, I'd really appreciate it," Copy said, his tone unnervingly calm as he removed his hat revealing his vibrant green hair that contrasted against the darkness of his attire. With a subtle tilt of his head, he allowed his eyes to open ever so slightly, his pupils serpent-like slits, their green hue shining with an otherworldly intensity as they fixed on the group before him.
"I see, you don't want to reveal your attribute. Well, at least some of you Forbidden aren't so stupid," Eve taunted.
Copy retorted with a sarcastic tone, "How rude, little missy. Someone ought to teach you some manners."
"However, let me correct you first," Copy said with a smirk, "I straight up don't have an attribute, much less a core. You could say I'm something completely different."
"I figured as much," Eve remarked. "This feeling is completely different from the other Forbidden we've seen so far. It's unsettling, to say the least."
"Then, why risk getting hurt?" Copy's smile widened, his tone almost mocking. "Hand over the girl, and you can be on your way without a scratch. Seems like a fair deal, doesn't it?"
"Consider this a friendly warning," Simon interjected, stepping forward, his eyes locking onto Copy's. "We've faced our fair share of dangers, but this... this feels personal. I won't stand by and let you hurt my friend."
"Ah, you're the one the boss was talking about, how troublesome," Copy remarked. "I was hoping to avoid fighting, you see, I consider myself a pacifist." He mockingly smiled.
"I can't let you leave either. If it isn't Mary, then who else are you going to hurt?" Simon said as flames began to seep through his closed fist. "You're going down here and now," he declared firmly.
"Ooh, how scary," Copy remarked, mockery in his tone. "But hey, I could always call the police, right? However, when it's a matter of self defense, even a so-called pacifist like me has to stand their ground. It's survival instincts, after all."
"You guys, get out of here," Simon said. "I'll handle this guy myself. Don't worry about me, just focus on getting Mary out of here."
"You're not serious, right?" Bard said as he glanced at Simon. "You don't even know what Copy is capable of. It's too risky for you to face him alone."
"Don't worry, I'll win," Simon reassured. "The rest of you have to get to Legis, right?" He turned his gaze back to Copy.
"How noble of you, Simon," Eve interjected, stepping beside him. "However, let me assist you in this fight. I have some questions for this one," she added.
"I'm not one to sit on the sidelines either, so count me in," Vulcan declared as he drew his sword, ready to join alongside Simon and Eve.
"Bard, please protect Mary," Simon requested.
"Alright, just be safe..." Bard's voice trailed off as he glanced back at the group one last time. With a sigh, he got into the driver's seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he started the engine and drove the car away from the unfolding scene.
Copy slid both of his hands into the pockets of his trenchcoat, his sinister smile lingering on his lips, undeterred by the odds stacked against him as if he held all the cards in this game. Copy withdrew his hands from his pockets, revealing the subtle glint of two butterfly knives gripped firmly in each hand. Each knife seemed to pulsate with void energy.
With an exaggerated motion, he grabbed his trenchcoat and dramatically tossed it aside. However, as the coat was in the air, Copy's expression shifted to one of regret. "Ah, I shouldn't have done that. I'll have to wear that once this is over with. I was just trying to look cool," he sighed.
Copy's smirk widened as he observed the outnumbered group before him, "A little uneven match, wouldn't you say? But hey, who am I to judge? After all, I'm the one holding all the cards here." He chuckled, twirling one of the butterfly knives between his fingers with ease.
"Now, who's feeling brave enough to make the first move?" Copy taunted, his gaze shifting between each member of the group as if sizing them up for his next move.
"Simon, hold off on any projectile attacks, especially considering we're close to a gas station. We don't want any accidental explosions on our hands," Eve cautioned.
"Got it, I'll stick to hand-to-hand combat," Simon said, clenching his fists as he prepared for the battle.
"Hey now, no planning, it's already unfair it's three against one!" Copy said as he swiftly ascended into the air. With a sudden strike, he unleashed his attack, "Horned Adder!" A menacing aura surrounded his leg as it descended towards Eve, the void energy transforming into sharp horns on the back of his heel.
Reacting quickly, Eve activated her Ornament, using the power of the wind to move herself out of harm's way, narrowly dodging Copy's deadly attack.
As Copy landed and his feet made contact with the ground, Simon, sensing an opportunity, wasted no time and quickly closed the distance between them. With flames swirling around his clenched fist, and unleashed a scorching punch aimed squarely at Copy's abdomen.
Despite Simon's attack, Copy's expression remained unchanged, no hint of surprise, as he effortlessly intercepted Simon's fist with the palm of his hand.
Copy sighed, his expression, one of disappointment. "All of you are so predictable." He yanked Simon closer, before forcefully shoving Simon behind him. Without so much as a glance, Copy delivered a powerful kick, sending Simon through the air and straight towards Vulcan, who had attempted a sneak attack from behind.
Vulcan quickly moved to intercept, preventing Simon from skidding across the rough asphalt. However, as Vulcan's attention shifted forward, his eyes widened in surprise. There, standing directly in front of him, was Copy.
"Sand Adder!" With a sudden motion, Copy kicked the ground, sending ripples of void energy emitting outward like grains of sand. As the energy reached Vulcan, it made contact with his eyes, rendering him temporarily blinded.
As Simon was released, he fell to the ground but quickly retaliated with a fiery sidekick aimed at Copy's ribs, flames engulfing his foot as he struck.
Copy's smile widened as he acknowledged Simon's unexpected move. "Ah, good one, I'll admit I wasn't expecting that. However..." He grabbed Simon's foot and effortlessly hurled him into the air, showing his surprising strength despite his casual demeanor.
As Copy prepared to leap towards Simon, he was suddenly struck by two lightning bolts from behind, staggering him and interrupting the continuation of his attack.
Eve created a powerful whirlwind, its force carrying her closer to Copy with remarkable speed, lifting her into the air as she readied herself for the next move.
"Hyperion cutter!" Using the momentum of the whirlwind, Eve propelled herself towards Copy with lightning speed, wind forming the shape of a razor sharp axe on the back of her foot as she aimed to strike.
"Ohh, I better dodge that," Copy thought quickly, preparing himself to dodge at the last possible moment, making sure he had the chance to launch a counterattack once Eve missed her attack.
"Spirit technique, spirit slash, level two!" With a fierce and determined motion, Vulcan swung his sword, channeling his willpower into an arc of spirit energy that surged from the blade as it hurtled toward Copy.
"Ehh, how troublesome, really," Copy sighed. "I better counterattac-" Just as he was preparing to redirect the arc of spirit energy towards Eve, Copy found himself abruptly grabbed by the face by Simon, who unleashed his hellfire flames in a burst as he gripped Copy firmly.
Simon, in a split-second decision, noticed Copy was about to stab him with his butterfly knives, Simon reacted quickly by launching a powerful kick that sent Copy towards Eve, who was rapidly descending from above.
Eve's dropkick landed solidly, causing Copy to fall down onto one knee as the wind formed axe head pierced his shoulder.
"Lightning kicks!" Eve continued her attackz delivering electrified kicks to Copy, each strike empowered by lightning and fueled by the gusts of wind she conjured to enhance her momentum and force.
She ended her attack with a forceful kick, sending Copy directly into the path of the arc of spirit energy. The impact created a small explosion, followed by smoke that surrounded the area. As the smoke cleared, Eve, Simon, and Vulcan quickly regrouped, assessing the aftermath of their attack on Copy.
Despite the intense attacks, Copy appeared unfazed, nonchalantly dusting himself off to rid his clothing of any dirt or debris. "You're going to owe me money for laundry after this," he said sarcastically.
"He's far more durable than I thought. If we want to inflict any significant damage, we'll need to concentrate our attacks on specific areas," Eve remarked, assessing the situation.
"Or you could surrender and hand over the girl," Copy suggested with a smirk.
"Oi, mate! Why don't you let me take control? I can give you a hand with this bloke!" Forbidden Blood suggested in Simon's mind.
"Thanks, Blood, but I'll try to deal with him myself..." Simon replied.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about you, Forbidden Blood. It's been a long time, honestly, I thought I'd never see you again," Copy said as he addressed the entity within Simon.
"Alright, we're going to focus on his chest," Eve was explaining their strategy when Copy hurled one of his butterfly knives toward her. She effortlessly dodged the projectile. Yet, the diversion proved effective as Copy rapidly close the distance between them.
"Alright, this is just good old-fashioned payback for attacking me earlier," Copy smirked. Simon moved to retaliate, launching a fiery punch towards him. However, Copy's reflexes proved to be superior as caught Simon's fist. Copy countered with his own fist, the force of Copy's punch sent Simon staggering backward. As Simon struggled to regain his balance, Copy extended his palm, "Boomslang!" unleashing a projectile of void energy that took on the form of a menacing snake.
The sinister projectile wrapped tightly around Simon, constricting him with its grip. "Sand Adder!" Copy said as he kicked the ground, a cloud of swirling void energy resembling sand, which blinded Eve and left her vulnerable to further attacks.
"Now, it's just you and me," Copy remarked, directing his attention towards Vulcan. "But it seems you lack an Ornament, don't you?"
"Iren's sword is letting you use spirit techniques, but don't delude yourself into thinking it will be of much use," Copy remarked, a smirk on his lips as he rushed towards Vulcan.
"Spirit technique, level one, soul enhancement!" With a focused intensity, Vulcan channeled his willpower, a soft, radiant neon cyan aura that surrounded him like a cloak, enhancing his spiritual strength.
"You're no White Crusader..." Copy taunted as he slashed his butterfly knife, initiating a clash with Vulcan's sword. Despite its size, the tiny blade proved to be unexpectedly strong and resilient, matching Vulcan's sword in strength and durability as the two weapons collided.
"Spirit Technique, Gale Slash, level two!" Vulcan exclaimed as he drew back his sword, the blade shining with ethereal energy before he executed the slash of his sword. His strike was significantly faster and more precise than before, catching Copy off guard and forcing him to barely evade the attack.
In retaliation, Copy countered with his own technique, "Yarara!" Void energy surged around his butterfly knife, taking form of snake with razor-sharp fangs. With a swift and precise motion, he thrust the blade towards Vulcan, aiming to strike him with the deadly precision of a viper.
"Spirit technique, spirit shield, level three!" Vulcan shouted, as he reacted to Copy's attack. An ethereal blue shield materialized around the blade, Copy's attack shattered through Vulcan's shield effortlessly, but the force of the attack brought Copy closer to Vulcan, exactly as Vulcan had anticipated. He used the shield to absorb the impact, bracing himself for the inevitable close-quarters combat.
"Spirit technique, level two, light slash!" Vulcan's next three attacks would move at the maximum speed his body could muster. First, he slashed Copy across his chest, leaving a trail of energy. Then, he did another swift slash, intersecting the previous one to form an X-shaped wound on Copy's chest.
"Cross Viper!" Copy slashed his butterfly knife. From the blade emerged a sharp projectile made of void energy, aimed directly at Vulcan.
As the sharp projectile of void energy surged forward from Copy's butterfly knife, Vulcan dodged, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. However, the energy still grazed his shoulder.
Vulcan aimed his sword with precision at the X-shaped wound on Copy's chest, releasing his last enhanced attack from light slash.
As Vulcan closed in with determination, Copy's smirk widened. "Pit viper!" A medium-sized viper, made from void energy, emerged from the ground, its fangs directed at Vulcan.
Vulcan swiftly sliced off the viper's head, causing it to dissipate into the air. But before he could switch his attention, Copy struck, "Stiletto!" as his butterfly knife pierced Vulcan, Copy kicked him away. Though the wound wasn't deep, it stung fiercely as his butterfly knife was infused with void energy.
Vulcan's vision blurred, and he struggled to catch his breath. "H-huh, what's going on? I can barely breathe..."
"That isn't just regular void energy," Copy remarked, "it's more like void energy turned into poison." His smirk widened as he enjoyed Vulcan's growing distress.
As the poison coursing through his veins intensified, Vulcan's strength grew weaker, his grip on his sword loosening until it slipped from his grasp. He felt his spirit technique technique disappear, its power fading, leaving him vulnerable and defenseless. Unable to withstand the crippling effects of Copy's attack any longer, Vulcan fell to his knees.
"Wind drill!" A swirling vortex of wind emerged from the ground, surging forward to strike Copy directly in the x-shaped wound on his chest. Despite the forceful impact that pushed him considerably far, Copy stood his ground.
Eve ran towards Vulcan, her concern evident in her voice as she reached his side. "Vulcan! Are you okay?!" she exclaimed, her heart pounding with worry as she took in the sight of him still on his hands and knees.
"Ah, so you do care about me," Vulcan remarked with a slight grin, despite his attempt to find comfort in her presence, the poison's effects weighed heavily upon him.
"Oi, lass! Cut this damn snake off of me, I can help him!" Forbidden Blood exclaimed, Simon let him take control of his body.
"Ah, how troublesome, I wasn't expecting that attack," Copy remarked as he reached out to grab the wind drill. He infused the swirling drill with void energy, gradually sapping its strength until it dissipated into the air.
"There, you're free now. Please, help Vulcan!" Eve said urgently as she quickly severed the snake that bound Forbidden Blood, freeing him from its constricting grasp.
"Right, but you have to keep that wanker busy, looks like he's about to attack again," Forbidden Blood said, nodding towards Copy's actions as he destroyed the wind drill. "I'll sort the rest. Just make sure he doesn't get a chance to land another blow," he added.
"Right, just please make sure Vulcan is safe!" Eve exclaimed as she prepared to confront Copy head on. With a final glance back at Vulcan, concern noticeable on her face, she knew that his safety relied on her ability to hold off Copy long enough.
"Such a shame what the boss did to your mother, huh? Must be rough without parents," Copy taunted with a cruel smirk.
As Eve's power surged within her, the wind around them intensified. "Forget the questions," she said with a chilling calmness, "I think I'll just rip out your core." Each step forward seemed to only intensify the wind further, her movements synchronized with the howling wind.
"Shoot first, questions later, huh? I like it," Copy remarked with a smirk, as he began to walk forward; his gaze locked onto her.
"Let's end this..."