"You dare come after me again?" Randall rose, eyeing Clifford, and finally recognized him. "I swear I took your life back then. How are you still alive?" Randall approached Clifford before continuing, "Never mind that; I will destroy your soul this time."
"I WILL FUCKING BITE YOUR HEAD OFF!" Overtaken by anger, Clifford screamed, entering a predatory state right away. Leaving a sand pit behind, Clifford burst forward, aiming for Randall's demise with incredible speed.
"I'm very impressed with how far you've come," Randall muttered, witnessing Clifford's actions, "but you are not the only one." Bending slightly forward, thick dark particles seeped out from his skin, slowly forming a black blade in front of him. The blade was empowered by purple wave symbols, and its appearance was completely different from what Clifford had seen before.
"You think you can kill me?" Grabbing the sword, Randall raised it high as the purple symbols glowed brightly, followed by a roar that echoed through the distance. "This ends here." Swinging down, Randall's blade hit the sandy floor as the purple beam went forward, wiping everything in its path.
A massive impact occurred the moment the beam reached Clifford's body. However, he continued on his path, unbothered by Randall's attack. Watching a gigantic silhouette breaking through his attack, Randall's body shook as he witnessed the massive serpent slithering toward him.
"You are no human," Randall shouted, taking a defensive stance as fast as he could before screaming, "No wonder all of them died to you!"
Anticipating Randall's reaction, Clifford morphed back into human form, gripping Randall by his neck. "You don't look so high anymore," Clifford said, remembering how he was overwhelmed in their previous fight. "Unfortunately, I hold grudges, especially when someone tries to kill me and fails." Finishing his words, Clifford kicked Randall's blade, sending it flying a couple of meters away.
"Get down here." Pulling Randall down to his knees, Clifford continued, "I don't plan to keep looking up all the time."
"Get off me!" Using his massive hand, Randall shoved it into Clifford's face, trying to push him away.
"That's not how you do it." Shifting his free hand, Clifford grabbed Randall's shoulder with his massive claw. "Let me teach you." As he spoke, Clifford proceeded to crush Randall's shoulder, causing him to drown in pain as his bones slowly crumbled.
"Remember the offer you took back at the academy?" Hearing Randall's screams, Clifford asked intently before continuing, "I was the one you were hired to take care of. I need some answers; so which way do you prefer, the easy way or the hard way?"
"How about you fuck off?" Unwilling to cooperate, Randall retrieved a life-saving token and crushed it without Clifford noticing.
"Hard way then. Let's see how long you can last." Splitting his jaws, Clifford bit into one of Randall's shoulders, tearing it from his body and swallowing it in front of him. "You don't taste bad at all. In fact, you're quite delicious!"
"Fucking cannibal!" Feeling the pain, Randall cursed, wishing his savior would arrive faster.
"Why do you have to say something stupid?" Biting off the second shoulder, Clifford asked, "Do you still think I'm human?"
"I'd love to torture you more, but I'm in a hurry." Finishing his words, Clifford split his jaws open, ready to bite off Randall's head. However, before he could, a light beam followed by a figure landed in front of him, kicking him and sending him flying toward the storm.
"Hold on a little," Looking at Randall, the old man spoke before continuing, "I will take care of your enemy, then we can leave." Finishing his words, the man walked leisurely toward Clifford, who could now see him. His appearance was slightly older compared to Credo, with blue hair cascading down his back. His left eye socket was empty, marked by a vertical scar.
"Why are you getting in my way? Are you involved as well?" Clifford demanded.
"Involved with what? His Majesty, the Dark Monarch, ordered me to save this guy, and I just followed the order. Now, let's do this as fast as possible, Oblivion." Muttering, the old man summoned his world, trapping Clifford inside as vast darkness quickly enveloped both of them. "No hard feelings, this is—"
"Your world, we know." Hearing the voice, the old man felt a shiver down his spine as a part of his world shattered, announcing the intrusion of another individual. Watching Reymond riding on Shadow, the blue-haired man asked right away, "Who are you?"
"Why did you interrupt him?" Releasing his pressure, Reymond asked, "Do you want to lose your right eye as well?" Watching the man's missing eye, Clifford threatened.
"You dare make fun of me?"
"Why are you angry?" Looking at the blue-haired man with disdain, Reymond remarked with a sneer, "Weren't you the one who chose to bully a lower-stage cultivator?"
"You will regret interfering in this. His Majesty won't leave you alive," the man responded proudly.
"How about this? Fuck your majesty!" Raising his voice, Reymond released his Mortal's Grave, causing Oblivion to collapse. The blue-haired man knelt to the ground as his world crumbled.
"Treading on reality!" Spitting a mouthful of blood, the man shouted in shock, realizing Reymond's cultivation stage was two realms above his own. "I beg you, let us go. His Majesty won't like it if anything happens to that guy."
"No." Responding firmly, Reymond continued, "It seems like you are deaf as well. Haven't you heard what I just said, or did you forget it right away?" Mocking the man, Reymond beckoned Shadow to charge at him, intending to trample him. "Crush him."
"Nooooo!" Watching the massive horse charging at him, the man screamed in terror before turning around and trying to run toward the trees behind him.
"Neighhhh!" Shadow's horns pierced the man's back, sending him flying high, followed by Shadow's victory call. Suddenly, a massive dark hand pierced Reymond's world, pulling the man out and saving his life just in time.