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Chapter 31 - The Sadistic Devil!

"Look who we have here."

"!"

A voice properly known to me, came from the front, echoed through out the cave.

Step. Step.

With each step the figure came into view.

'What the—! I didn't sense her!!'

Click! Clang! Click! Clang!

As the moon light fell on her face, my focus was captured. Prompting my head towards her, I drew my katana.

Our eyes met.

I instantly sense an overwhelming power residing in her.

'Fuck! What is she doing here.'

I recognized her.

After all, I can't forgot her.

Shrouded in sleek, glossy black hair that even cascaded the moonlight, perfectly mirroring her elegance dark leather outfit, with her glistering eyes, twinkling like stars.

She was… breathtaking.

"Envy." Her name escaped my lips, without me even realizing it.

"Oh, You know me? Pardon my manners but… have we met before."

She answered with a teasing tone, as such, she doesn't even bother to care that I held a katana in my hand.

"…"

I kept my mouth shut.

'Fuck! I can't beat her!'

It's true.

Envy wasn't someone I could defeat, not here, not now, and certainly not in my Nightmare persona.

As Nightmare, I made myself bounded by some rules.

My real identity was at stake here.

We were at Frostvile Kingdome. A Kingdome where Ice Elemental held dominance over all other Elementals.

My Nightmare persona rely solely on Fire Elemental, but here, in front of her that wouldn't even be enough.

Envy wasn't just any Ice Elemental user. She was the best, she's someone whose has absolute mastery over Elemental Essence control.

No one—and literally no one in the five Kingdom will come close to her, in case of Elemental Control.

She would damp me before my flames reaches her.

If I wanted even a chance to defeat her, I'd have to use at least three of my elements—and that included my Ice Elemental.

But, that was impossible.

She was my mentor, the one who had trained me, who had taught me back when I was with the Hero Association.

She knew everything about me—my techniques, my skills, my Elemental mastery.

Hell! She was the one who taught me how to wield my katana in the first place.

If I used anything beyond Fire Elemental, if I so much as reveal even a hint of my other abilities, she'd recognize me instantly.

No matter how much I wanted to fight her, I couldn't afford to expose my identity.

And even though I knew Envy wouldn't kill me, if I told her the truth…

I wasn't just ready for that conversation yet.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" She asked, now glaring me in the eyes.

'Shit! Think Zane! Think!'

I raced my brain, working on a plan to find my way out.

My eyes resonated every direction.

'I need a plan. A distraction. Anything.'

But then, without warning, she just darted at my direction.

"!"

"Shit!"

She took out her katana, the very same weapon she taught me how to wield.

Her style is similar to mine.

With a desperate swipe, I raised my own blade to block her strike.

Clash!

The clash resonated through the cave, sparks erupted from the blade, the force she generated was so intense that it made my foot slide backward.

Crack!

But as I held my ground, I noticed a faint crack running along the edge of my katana.

'Oh, Hell no!'

A playfully smile carve at her face, as such enjoying every moment of this fight.

She didn't stop, she slashed again but this time form the upward.

I focus on her every move, calculating the rhythm of her strike, I adjusted mine. The precision of her footwork. Each motion she made wasn't just any simple attack—she was testing me, mocking me, daring me to flinch even slightly.

Hit! Clang!

Envy's katana came at me with a downward slash. I twisted my wrist, angling my blade just enough to deflect it, redirecting the force of her strike to the side.

Woosh!

She didn't pause.

Lifting on her heel, she swung her blade horizontally. I bent backward as the ceiling of the cave came into my view, the cold air of her blade brushing past the top of my head, as I witness the arc made by her blade passing right above my eye.

Envy suddenly lifted her foot, her knee rising high above as though preparing for a front kick.

I didn't move.

Her eyes flickered with surprise.

'A Bluff.'

The real attack came as I predicted, a sidelong slash aimed at my ribs.

I stepped back just in time, raising my katana to intercept hers. The force of her blade sends a vibration through mine, but I held firm, using the generated momentum to spin out of her range.

"Impressive!" Envy complemented.

"…"

"Let's see if you can do more!"

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Her strikes grew even faster. Her movements almost blurred as she picked up the speed, her blade felt like an extension of her body, her patterns now was almost unpredictable.

But I could still read her.

I had trained with her for more than a years now.

Just like she knew my attacks, I knew hers too.

I wasn't just reacting to her attacks, I was predicting them, almost like anticipating them.

Slash! Swing!

Each swing, each thrust, each spark, it was as though I could see them happen before they even happened.

Swoosh!

Her katana swept toward my shoulder.

 'From upward.'

I sidestepped, letting the blade pass a mere inches from my body, and responded with a swift counterstrike aimed at her exposed defense.

Clang!

She blocked it with ease, her eyes narrowing.

"As expected of someone, who took down Glory. But..."

She made her blade descended toward my legs in a diagonal slash. I leaped back, avoiding it, and instantly closed the gap again, aiming a strike at her torso.

Clang!

Our blades locked, the sound of steel clashing resonating, the sheer force of her strength pushing me again a step back.

"Who taught you this Swordplay?"

Envy asked, her eyes widened slightly, her expression now shifted from calm confidence to something far more serious.

"Let's stop here," she said.

"Wha—"

"Or, do you wish to continue?"

"…"

I shut my mouth.

'Is she serious?'

Silence.

For a moment we simply stared at each other.

Did I heard her correct?

Why would she be offering a draw?

"Are you also here to investigate the underground facility?" Envy asked, reading my expression.

'Also?'

I lowered my katana, and answered.

"If I say Yes. Will you stop me?"

"Why would I?"

'Eh?'

I simply blinked. Her answer caught me off guard.

This is so unlike her.

She is the type who enjoys fight.

For her, to simply withdraw, means…

"What do you want?" I asked pointing the tip of my katana to her direction.

"Jeezz, Relax will yaa? If you are here to investigate, then consider me on your side. I might need your help with a tiny thing."

'What is she upto?'

"...I'm listening."

"Great! Follow me."

'Well it's better than fighting her.'

I noticed, something about her changed.

Unlike before she now has an aura has softened. She felt… human?

'What happen to my Sadistic Devil?'

I miss her.

 

 

 

End of Chapter.