The Absolute: Humanity's Second Chance

And instead of outstretched claws, he had a powerful fist packed up behind him. One capable of ending life.

But the angel was quick on its Wits.

It immediately rolled back and avoided being pinned down. It knew that such an action signified immediate death.

Big brother missed his target, and his fist easily tore through the soft, air-like clouds.

Yet he was not bothered. And he was still faster. He immediately fixed his posture after he missed his target. And he fixed it by throwing yet another punch at the angel.

This was an important moment!!

I felt like time took a rest.

Everything flowed ever so slowly. I immediately ducked, and crouched down. It was an instinctive response from both my body and mind.

I don't know why I dodged though. My instincts and intuition were far before me, as I moved without processing every movement.

And the moment I crouched down, was the exact moment that big brother's fist was a few inches away from striking the angel.

Ah~ Now I see.

I understood my actions.

It was to avoid the Ability of the angel. For even if it switched positions with me, I would still be free from big brother's fist. It made sense now.

My intuition was actually in resonance with whatever movement big brother made.

Such a feat was beyond my imagination.

Bang!!

Yet what was even more beyond my imagination was the angel. It actually... it actually took the punch directly?

???

Not only was I surprised. But it seems like big brother Damien was also surprised. Maybe he also did not expect that it would actually risk its life to take that attack.

Head on. Directly.

"..."

"..."

Both of us stared as the angel was sent back flying tens of meters, grinding along the soft cloud. We stared in our stupor and shock.

I was even out of place with my crouching down as if taking cover from a bomb explosion.

But that did not matter. Embarrassment aside, I was actually impressed.

No, like really. I was actually impressed.

The angel had folded both arms, the broken and the perfect arm before its chest, and took the blunt damage from big brother's fist.

It used the damage arm to take most of the damage, hence the other arm was still perfectly fine. If not a bit strained and bruised, but fine nonetheless.

I just did not expect that. Nor understand why? Because what if he used his full strength? It would have died on the spot.

Unless, did... did it actually forsee me avoiding the attack, if we did switch positions? Did it take the attack knowing that he would not use his full strength in case it switched positions with me?

Did it actually understand that, big brother's exposure of its ability was also to warn me to be prepared to dodge at anytime?

Was... was this angel actually that intelligent? I slightly trembled as at this moment, we exchanged gazes!!

...!!!

I was horrified. This thing was TOO intelligent. This battle was no more about human against monster. It was far from that.

"..."

My senses tingled as I exchanged glares with it. My thoughts went on an overdrive as I tried to think of a way to deal with this situation.

But... "Hahaha." Suddenly, I was roused by the valiant, and unrestrained laughter of a certain daredevil I liked.

I looked up at him, my thoughts temporarily coming to a halt. And when I saw his face, no, his eyes, I knew.

I immediately knew that he was out for murder. And everytime his eyes were so hungry for blood, the battle immediately ended seconds later.

The demon.

The spirit.

And I was sure the angel was no exception. I subconsciously smiled as I prepared to welcome the finale of this battle.

So what if it was a bit smart? I smiled. I was not aware, but my smile was a bit like his. The smile of a daredevil. The smile of a do or die. The smile of a crazy woman.

So I ask again, what if it was smart? What did it have against pure might? Or against two equally intelligent opponents?

"Your life has reached its climax. Right now, it's either you dodged, or... you die?" He said, smiling even more devilishly. He was handsome.

He also said it out loud, kicking off the ground and charging towards the angel. It hurriedly flipped its wings and flew up.

But he was not bothered.

With his gathered momentum, he pushed himself off the ground like an eagle. He easily crossed tens of meters and caught up to its legs.

"..."

The angel looked down on him and attempted to kick at him. But big brother easily used his strength and weight to drag it, and throw it towards the surface.

The angel of course easily used its wings before it hit the ground and stabilized itself mid flight. But by that time, big brother had landed, and was about to jump up at it again.

...!!!

Now cautious, the angel hurriedly flew even higher than before. Making sure it was fifty meters above ground at most.

"..."

It floated there with its broken arm and stared down at us. I also stared back at it. But big brother Damien did not.

He only watched the environment and smiled to himself. I didn't know what he was thinking about, but I turned my eyes off the enemy and looked at him.

I was mesmerized by his smile once again. I froze on the spot and subconsciously stared at him. He stated back at me and kept his smile, slightly warning me, "Careful."

I smiled back and chuckled at his casual comment, "I guess it failed." Yes. I failed to trick the opponent. This angel really was smart.

It easily knew that I was not really mesmerized at all. And it was not my acting's fault. My acting was quite descent you know.

"Well, it can't stay there for long though." Big brother commented with a smile. And indeed, the angel was slowly descending every second.

"The Primordial Source would not allow such a thing to occur. Hiding was a given, and running away too. But blatantly avoiding a fight like this was a no go."

He explained to me and I nodded. The Primordial Source, so that was what the thing that put us here called? I thought to myself.

He then added casually, "It will lower its height until a level where I would be able to battle it. Or barely reach up to."

"I see." I looked up.

Hm?

I saw that the angel had plucked one feather from its wings. The feather was white and beautiful, but the lower part was pointy and quite sharp.

It could actually be used as a weapon.

The bottom was like a long needle.

"..."

The angel stared down at us once again. It first stared down at big brother Damien, then at me. The distance between us was quite long, at most over a hundred meters.

But the distance between me and it was just around a hundred meters. Yet it knew that big brother would still be able to arrive here faster if they both raced at it.

Hence, it did not charge.

Instead, it threw the needle-like feather towards me. And to be honest, it was fast. But I was able to easily avoid it by push myself backwards.

That way, I was able to avoid the attack, while also being able to better respond to any follow up attacks. Such as switching positions.

After all, I have yet to forget the Ability of this angel. Shifting.

The needle feather struck the cloud and sank deep into it. I gazed up at the angel and smiled defiantly at it. 'Didn't expect that now, did ya?' I thought with a smug expression.

Yet a moment later, I suddenly felt my intuition kick up. And for once, my brain did not match up with my intuition and respond to whatever danger I was feeling.

...!!!

Because... I suddenly felt airy. Like there was nothing holding me up anymore. No solid ground. No balance.

I found myself forty or so meters above ground. The angel was still that high after all. And it chose, to switch positions with not the needle feather.

But, me.

"..."

Realizing that, my brain froze.

My thoughts froze.

My entire being froze.

I could only watch the soft cloud getting closer and closer to my face. While I hugged the two broken spear pieces in my bossom. I could barely scream even.

And by the time I was about to hit the clouds, I hurriedly closed my eyes and braced for impact. There was nothing else I could have done.

But the expected pain did not arrive.

At first, I thought the clouds were not that painful. They were clouds, and also airy when you step upon them.

So maybe falling on them was likewise an airy feeling as well? I thought to myself.

But when I opened my eyes, I was graced with big brother Damien's smile. He smiled even brighter when he saw me open my eyes.