Chapter 82: Divergent Part 3
"I wanted to learn more by fighting you, but it's time to finish this because you're friend is annoying me," Reign said coldly.
He was ready to test his new skills in real combat without needing a practice round.
"Stop bluffing, You can't beat us two," Jones narrowed his eyes and curled his lips in contempt, showing he didn't believe Reign.
"Die, you demon!" He shifted his weight, planted his left foot, and tensed his muscles. Then, he swung his arm with force.
Seeing Jones's punch coming, Reign quickly raised his arms to block, crossing them in front of his body. But the impact of Jones's blow still sent him backward.
However, despite the strength behind Jones's punch, he felt like his attack did not do any big damaged .
"What did you do?" Jones demanded, staring at his knuckles in confusion, wondering why he barely felt anything from the punch.
"I'm just testing some things," Reign chuckled, pleased with his first attempt.
Reign had actually jumped seconds before even getting hit, minimizing the impact.
It wasn't something he had intentionally learned beforehand; instead, it was his instinct guiding him based on his experience in this fight.
Reign noticed how Ben countered his attacks by subtly shifting the weight of his dagger and his body instead of directly blocking them.
The advantage of this technique lies in its efficiency and versatility.
By fluidly adjusting the weight distribution, Ben could redirect the force of Reign's strikes, guiding them off course while maintaining his own balance and readiness to counterattack.
This method conserves energy compared to traditional blocking techniques and allows for quicker follow-up maneuvers, giving Ben a tactical edge in combat.
This observation sparked instant inspiration in Reign.
However, practicing the technique after seeing it only a few times was easily said and done.
Even Ben took years to reach his current level of expertise. But, Reign was able to imitate the basic version of the technique just by observing.
What was truly scary about Reign wasn't just his abilities or skills; it was his capacity to adapt and learn through firsthand experience.
"Stop talking nonsense," Ben snapped, dashing forward. This time, he wasted no time in launching his attack, his daggers slicing through the air as he clashed with Reign again.
CLANG!
The sound of metal meeting metal echoed through the air as claws clashed against blades.
However, this time, Ben sensed that something was amiss. A subtle shift in Reign's attack pattern made him pause, a sense of unease creeping over him as he realized that things were not as they seemed.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Ben pressed on with his attack, his mind racing as he tried to pinpoint the source of his unease. With each clash of blades, the odd sensation grew stronger, gnawing at the edges of his consciousness like a persistent whisper.
Then it hit him.
Ben's eyes narrowed as he observed Reign's movement. He recognized the familiar essence of his own style within it.
'That technique,' he murmured, his mind racing. 'Stream Guide.'
It was an advanced maneuver, a closely guarded secret passed down from his father, a former Hunter.
Such techniques were not normally shared with the public, but Ben had been privileged to learn them, thanks to his father's expertise.
"Where did you learn it?" Ben's voice held a tone of suspicion as he regarded Reign with scrutinizing eyes.
Demons typically disregarded human techniques as weak and trivial, considering them unnecessary because of their strong bodies.
And they were right. No matter how good a human was at Stream Guide, when confronted with an overwhelming and powerful demon, mere weight shifting and body movements would be useless.
It would be like trying to redirect the force of a freight train—a human body could only do so much to withstand such power.
"Learn it from?" Reign asked with genuine confusion. "What do you mean? I just picked it up from watching you," he added with an innocent tone.
"Bullshit!" Ben's voice erupted in anger. There was no way he would believe such a blatant lie.
How could a technique he spent years mastering be replicated just by observing it?
If it could be so easily copied, then it wouldn't deserve to be called an advanced technique.
Reign stood there, stunned by Ben's outburst. In his mind, he replayed the moments before executing the technique.
Before the attack, Reign's focus intensified, his senses sharpening as he anticipated Ben's move. He shifted his weight subtly, his muscles tensing in preparation.
Then, as Ben's strike came hurtling towards him, Reign instinctively moved his arms, almost as if he were letting the force go with the flow. It was too easy that he did not thought much about it .
How could Ben have known that Reign was someone blessed with a brilliant mind and an IQ far beyond that of even the most revered geniuses of their world?
His learning speed was something beyond comprehension, a gift bestowed upon him indirectly by having the genes of the most powerful man of his previous world.
"I don't really have to explain anything. Alright, time for you two to die…Death Aura." The moment he uttered those words, Reign's entire demeanor shifted.
A sinister black and red aura began to emanate from him, filling the air with negative energy.
"This..." Ben and Jones were stunned as they felt the overwhelming surge of power suppressing them,
It was as if their bodies were being submerged in a suffocating tide, making it hard to breathe. Deep within them, a instinct screamed for them to flee, warning of the imminent danger.
'This is not good,' Ben thought to himself as he watched Reign's walking closer in a leisure pace.
Though Reign's physical form remained the same, the intensity of his aura grew.. It was clear to Ben and Jones that Reign had been holding back his true power all along.
SWOOOSH.
Seizing the momentary shock of the two, Reign dashed forward with the intent to kill, his eyes locked on Ben's vulnerable neck.
Jones, recognizing the imminent danger to Ben, reacted fast.
With unwavering confidences, he positioned himself between Reign and Ben, using his armored body as a shield to intercept the deadly claw.
Having successfully blocked this claws before, Jones remained sure in his defense.
The material comprising his armor, Shadow Steel, was a rare and hard metal found only in Tier 3 cities, renowned for its durability and resilience against slicing and penetrating attack.
When Reign witnessed Jone's reaction, instead of becoming bothered by it, a creepy smile slowly spread across his face.
"Too predictable," Reign chuckled aloud.
Drawing closer, he raised his right arm, breaking for a moment before quickly swinging it down. His body shifted into an angle reminiscent of a baseball pitcher winding up for a throw.
BURST!
Reign's claw sliced through Jones' arms with horrifying precision, a sickening sound of tearing flesh and bones accompanying the gruesome sight.
"H--How?" Jones gasped, his voice trembling with disbelief.
How could Reign have breached his defenses so effortlessly, shattering his confidence in the impenetrability of his Shadow Steel armor?
But before he could even get his answer, Jones realized that the attack showed no signs of stopping.
With horrifying clarity, he watched as Reign's claw continued, cleaving his body in half.
BURST!
Blood erupted from the wound in a torrent, gushing forth as if Jones' flesh were made of tofu, staining the ground red.