-ZRMMM
The sound of something being burnt faded from the air as the strong scent of overcooked meat wafted in the nose of everyone nearby.
'He dodged?'
Katlynn thought, seeing the desperate reflexes of the boy. She chose to not commit fully to the punch, seeing as how she was faced against an F-Rank…
'But is that the case?'
Inwardly wincing in pain, Isaac took a short glance at his shoulder which had been blackened.
'Flame magic? It's simple, yet insanely powerful.'
[Artifact (Forged): Plated Exosuit (C+ Rank)
Requirements: N/A
Description: A durable yet flexible suit of armour that allows you to have a full range of motion as though you are wearing nothing, yet protects you from dangerous attacks.]
'The suit is already broken just from a single attack even after I barely dodged it.'
Isaac inwardly thought.
He was barely able to activate his Ren, allowing him to twist his body at high speeds and dodge Kaltynn's flame fist.
Noticing the patch of clearing that had been made in the previously dark forest due to the shockwave of the attack, Isaac was simply glad he'd dodged.
The fire was starting to spread, illuminating the surroundings in an orange hue.
Looking back to Katlynn, he noticed her glaring at him, audibly grinding her teeth.
'Whatever ability she's using, I can tell from her expanded aura, that this area is under her control.'
Isaac deduced after leaping back for distance, noticing her Aura that had expanded around them.
However, this was only a guess. Isaac couldn't truly know just from a single attack.
Without saying anything, Isaac dashed further, attempting to escape the zone and disappear into the forest.
However…
"Calidos Brachium."
-ZRMMM
Isaac watched from the corner of his eye as spontaneous flames suddenly combusted, shooting toward him like a laser.
'Gate of Opening, Open!'
Isaac felt his muscles bulge as his body felt exhilarated.
Digging his feet into the ground, Isaac watched as the beam of fire brushed against his mask, crashing into the forest.
'That's not happening.'
Isaac was trapped.
Anywhere he tried to move would be met with a beam that threatened to disintegrate him.
Turning his head, with nowhere else to go, Isaac dashed toward Katlynn, his figure blurring at the immense speed of his Ren and First Gate combined.
'He's fast.'
For once, Katlynn's scowl faltered for a second as she witnessed Isaac's speed. To her knowledge, an F-Rank wasn't supposed to be moving like this.
Despite this, she wasn't afraid. After all, she was faster.
Leaping off the ground, Isaac drove his knee into Katlynn's face, to which it was blocked as a loud BANG rang out.
Dropping back to the ground, Isaac watched Katlynn swing her leg like a whip as he curved his body around it and leapt back while dodging a fiery hand that destroyed the ground where he once was.
'I can tell she isn't using a Combat Art. Just the Hand-to-Hand combat perk that may be a few levels higher than mine.'
But if he'd learnt anything from Wayne, it was that this fact didn't matter. Isaac simply had to resist…
'...Fighting like a pussy.'
Isaac once again dashed to Katlynn as she took note of his speed once again, bending her legs as he drew closer.
Isaac pulled back his arm, swinging with full force as Katlynn's blood-lusted eyes grew wider.
She seamlessly weaved the punch, moving closer to Isaac's bare torso.
"You're wide open."
As she said this, her hand combusted into flames as she shot a rocket of a punch toward Isaac's gut.
"Calidos Brachium."
-BANG
An ear-piercing BANG could be heard echoing through the forest as a shock wave caused the leaves to flutter and birds in the distance to fly away.
After a few seconds, Katlynn couldn't help but pause as she stared with her eyes widened as if she were looking at a moving corpse…a Zombie.
With a hand inches away from emerging from the other side of his body, Isaac vomited a river of blood as it seeped through the sides of his mask, coating the once sleek white mask with streams of crimson red.
He grinned widely as his hoarse breath broke the silence.
However, where one would assume he would be sent soaring through the forest, he stayed rooted in his position, both his arms wrapped around Katlynn's arms like snakes.
'He…fights like a maniac. He should be dead, yet he still holds onto me.'
"LI15"
Isaac shot his two forefingers into the tip of Katlynn's shoulder, where the shoulder met the collarbone.
Simultaneously, Katlynn felt the arm she'd hit Isaac with going limp as she took a step back.
As she did, she followed Isaac's movements, as though he was never injured or her attack had dealt him no damage.
But that was wrong.
She knew she caused him pain.
From the cracking of ribs she felt as she pummelled into his chest and the common sense that came with the sensation of her fist passing his armour and making contact and sinking past his skin, she knew he had suffered.
So what was going on?
Unfortunately, before she could get an answer, Isaac was upon her.
Moving low, he swung his right heel to her left temple. The same side where her arm was disabled.
'He's going for the side where I have the least protection.'
Katlynn deduced, bringing her left fiery hand to protect herself.
However…
"Gyo," Isaac whispered.
-BANG
In an instant, Isaac twisted his body around, most of his Aura gathering toward his opposite heel as it landed on the left side of Katlynn's face.
Katlynn's head swung to the side as saliva flew out from her mouth.
'H-He faked the first kick, making me block with my opposite hand which left me open.'
Katlynn thought.
Amongst all this, Isaac was feeling a sense of achievement as he nodded in satisfaction.
'Usually used for eyes my ass.'
Isaac thought upon using Gyo which allowed him to compact most of his Aura in one position in his body.
Though not as strong as the technique Isaac used against the Juggernaut where he was able to channel 100% of his Aura, it still came in handy.
However, as he lowered his leg, he was able to catch a glimpse of Katlynn's face.
Where she usually scowled…he witnessed her crack a genuine smile.
Though it disappeared just as fast as it came, Isaac knew this wasn't the time to focus on this.
'This is my chance.'
Isaac dashed toward the forest.
It was only when he entered the forest that he could activate Ghost's Passage, as the dense plant life gave him enough cover to conceal the blur and distortion in the air he'd create.
"Flame Magic:..."
Isaac ran at full speed, trying his best to reach the forest before she could finish her Incantation.
"Shu!"
He yelled, coating a dagger in his aura and shooting it toward her.
But it was useless.
Simply slapping the knife out of the air, Katlynn spoke her next words.
"...Calidos Brachium Barrage!"
Isaac noticed a flame appear not too far away from him as he prepared to dodge.
However, another appeared beside it.
While another appeared on the opposite side.
In a matter of a second, Isaac was trapped by dozens of Katlynn's attacks.
'Crap…'
Isaac looked around, trying to find any opening, even seeing if he could reach Katlynn to try and distract her with close combat, but it was too late.
Before he could finish a thought, every single one of the looming spells was unleashed.
-BOOM
-BOOM
-BOOM
-BOOM
-BOOM
The spells let out a barrage of unrelenting attacks, each one's heat and power tearing through the ground as it turned to lava, increasing the temperature of the entire area as all this power was focused on a single point.
"Die, Die, Die, Die, Die, DIE!"
Katlynn yelled crazily as her words were mixed with sudden laughter, her eyeballs seeming as though they'd pop out from her skull.
Raising both arms, she once again let out an ear-piercing screech.
"Calidos Brachium Purgatory!"
-BOOM
Upon saying this, the flames slowly started to change, soon morphing into blue as the area around Isaac was engulfed in a sea of flames, shooting into the sky as it pierced through the clouds.
Everything within the vicinity instantly disintegrated as a skeleton figure could be seen in the middle of the roaring blue flames.
***
"What's happening?"
A crowd of students could be seen outside their dorm building as they all watched in awe, jaws dropped and eyes widened as they witnessed the pillar of blue flames.
Despite the chaos, it seemed the higher-grade dormitories were the first to notice the commotion, seeing as how they were the closest.
And in the higher-grade dormitories were six familiar individuals.
"I don't know. I think there's a battle happening." Amara answered Cain as they had suddenly woken to the explosion of flames.
Every single one of the students could be seen constantly wiping the sweat off their faces as the heat of the pillar could be felt from where they stood.
"A battle? Has an intruder entered the Academy grounds?" Ava asked with a slight gasp.
"Maybe. If that's the case, they might have engaged in a battle with a professor." Cain deduced, turning his head to the rest of the Six.
"We need to go help." He declared, quickly getting nods of agreement from the rest.
Although, for very different reasons.
'Be a man! Help the professors and conquer your fears. Grandpa will be proud.'
Jett tried his best to psyche himself up despite his shaking legs and quivering lower lip.
'An intruder capable of pushing a professor to such lengths? I'll take them down!'
Daniel revelled in the opportunity to emerge as the hero who saved Aurelius.
'If I can catch the intruders while he's by himself, I won't have to worry about hiding my abilities. I've been itching for a fight.'
Ava inwardly grinned as she made sure her outer mask didn't falter due to her excitement.
"Quickly." Said Amara, seeming as though she was the only one who shared in Cain's heroic endeavour.
Meanwhile, Lucy said nothing as she followed the others.
Digging his feet into the ground, a white aura surrounded Cain as he leapt up, soaring through the air at high speeds, and slowly disappearing into the dark forest.
Speeds at which the others had trouble keeping up.
Well, maybe not all of them.
With a slight whisper, Lucy suddenly showed a massive increase in speed, soon reaching Cain and matching him as the two entered the forest.
'What the…'
Before Daniel could feel surprised, he noticed a sudden Flame erupt as Jett took flight, not too far away from the previous two.
Meanwhile, Ava seemed to be left in the dust, similar to how Daniel and Amara could reach the first three.
Although he had yet to activate his ability, he couldn't help but pause, grinding his teeth, Daniel cursed inwardly.
'Damnit!'
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Next chapter title: Katlynn Vs the Figure [2]
NNext chapter title: Whatever I want!
Is Isaac dead?
Will the Golden Six reach him?
Will he be exposed?
Find out, on the next episode of Drag...I mean, A Wanderer's Lies.
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