Demon-Slaying Fist (1)

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Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn!

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"The 4 classical western elements are Fire, Air, Water and Earth." Albert had a look of a teacher as he drew four symbols on the ground; a flame, 3 lines representing wind; a water-drop and a stone.

Due to his poor art skills, Sam kind of felt that, well... The flame, rain-drop and stone kinda looked the same... [1]

"While the classical eastern elements also have Wood and Metal..." Albert drew the outline of a block of wood and block of metal. Just as expected, Sam didn't know which was which...

Now, apart from those, there are a few more major laws that are well-researched and recognised as major affinities; such as Light, Darkness, Life, Death, Space and Time.

This time, he drew a a circle with lines shooting out of it and an hourglass.

She waited awhile. Then he looked up. "I don't know how to draw the rest..."

Sam smiled and giggled - just a little.

"Moving on." The slightly embarrassed man continued, "There are also countless other concepts and laws that people have used to form their soul-imprints to cross the boundary of level 18 to level 19, from the ranks of Masters to Grandmasters."

He thrust his hand like a spear - "Such as piercing..." then chopped with a knife-hand, "Sharpness..." and then gently and slowly pushed out his hands, "...Or softness."

"Normally one communicates with the laws via mana, qi or other cultivation methods energies, these serve as a medium to transmit the effects over large distances. This is best seen in mage's spells and knight's wave skills."

She nodded.

"But as an individual grows to the limit between myth to semi-divine, the amount of mana, qi or energy; or even physical power - matter less. That is, excluding certain special cases like titans, of course."

Sam nodded again, enthusiastically. Not that she understood; her face had a vapid look as she was thinking about eating again soon...

His face once more took on an educated, wise look as he continued. "Instead, what matters is our combat techniques, special skills, and most of all, our mastery of the concept and soul-imprint we have chosen."

"Only 1 soul-imprint...?" The girl pursed her lips, curious.

"Well..." He put a hand under his chin as he thought. "There *are* some successful cases of those with 2, or even 3 concepts combined together... But... Well, even among the legends and myths, they are rare..."

He raised his brows slightly as he thought about some examples; then gave his analysis; "In the end, whether you choose a focused path; or whether you fused a few together - there is no limit to strength and power... Neither is superior; only..." It was his turn to bite his lip, "It's probably 10 times harder for each soul-imprint you form and try to fuse..."

"Fuse...?" She crossed her eyes, frowning as she tried to follow his line of thought.

"Yes, to cross the gap from a grandmaster to level 23, the realm of legends... One would have to fuse his, or her, entire body with the concept of soul-imprint; to... Remake their bodies and souls and be reborn, cell by cell, particle by particle, based on that concept or law."

Sam's eyes began to spin as the conversation began to be far, far too deep for her to follow. Her temporary tutor smiled this time, slightly amused at his student's slow wits.

"Alright! To cut to the point - you have incredible affinity for Space and Life."

Sam blinked repeatedly, trying to process what he said. At the same time, she had by now already forgotten 99% of the earlier conversation - it was too abstract for her mind to grasp.

"I... But my affinity test was NONE...?" Her eyes still were not uncrossed; you could see sweat dripping down her forehead as she was forced to think for a whole 5 minutes now.

This time it was Albert who blinked, then blinked again.

"Erm... Let's ignore that? Why don't you just try to learn this move. But..." He stared into her eyes in a grave manner.

"These two skills - no, three skills if you count the combination - you can't use mana for these skills. You can only communicate, sense... Become one with the concepts you wish to tap on."

Finally hearing something she seemed to understand but also did not understand at all - except for the part on "can't use mana" which she liked - Sam asked a simple question.

"Why do you want to teach me...?" The brutish girl showed her innocent, naive and straightforward side as she gazed straight into his eyes; her clear eyes were so pure that he felt they could pierce through into his soul.

"..." His mouth was open, but he couldn't answer.

(What do you say when... You yourself don't know why...? That, maybe, you remind me of how she would look if... If she were still around...? If she had grown up... Apart from you being too flat-chested that is...)

Seeing Albert's eyes soften and grow moist, and his face grow flushed, Sam leaned forward and patted him on the head, startling him at first, then warming his heart.

(How, how -- why did she...?) Albert felt a kinship he had not felt for nearly 2, 3 decades!

"You're too old for me, okay...?" She smiled a sweet smile, innocent smile as she casually blurted out a "killing" phrase.

Instantly triggered, the middle-aged man's face twisted into a scowl; he jerked away from her hand and turned aside, speaking loudly. "I'm, I'm just paying you back for the food! Okay?!" He blushed furiously, his feelings topsy-turvy from the crazy girl's misunderstanding.

"Okay! Phew..." She sounded relieved that she had successfully "rejected" him...

"..." (So infuriating!!!)

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"Sigh. I have to explain one last thing alright?" Albert stood in a punching pose; facing the cliff-face.

"Normally, a person communicates with the laws, concepts or elements through mana as the medium. This is because mana is more malleable; and easier to sense; easier to manipulate."

"But as we form the soul-imprint; we begin to connect directly with the laws; this is more direct - but also much, much more violent - unrestrained. So at level 19, the norm is to connect with the laws 99% through mana, and 1% directly with our bodies and souls..."

"But you, Sam!" He looked at her with a smouldering and sharp gaze. "I believe; no, I'm sure! You are special! Now watch..."

He turned to face the hill-side once; a look of full concentration plastered on his face.

"The first move. What I'm going to show you is related to the concept of Space; specifically, Spatial Fractures. Originally I use a sword for it; so it's a slash... But since you use your fists and legs; let's see... Alright, I'll call it the Demon's Slaying Fist. Now watch carefully."

"Demon-Slaying Fist...?"

"Erm, y-yes, that's what I said. Demon-Slaying Fist. Now, watch carefully."

Despite the man's sealed strength only at level 3, Sam could feel the air and space around her *waver* as the man drew back his fist to his waist, facing the hill-side they stood by.

It was not fast; but she felt like she was being sucked into the charm and presence of his movements; his motion left after-images of his arm as he moved.

She stared intently; sensing something in the deepest parts of her cells and bones; like she *knew* and *understood* something epiphanous in the demonstration - something she could *connect* with for once!

"HAIKKK!!!!" [2] He shouted as he struck out at the cliff-face - again, his fist bore little force; merely enough to smash a tree's bark and leave a fist imprint - but to her amazement, an extensive section of the cliff face fractured, crumbled and fell - causing rocks and stones to rain down on the pair.

"!!!" In a split-second, she moved in an esoteric fashion; her footsteps no different from her outstanding-level Baguazhang footwork; and yet she found herself crossing the space to reach the man instantaneously; and before she knew it, she had brought him clear of the avalanche, 30m away - before a single pebble could even touch the ground.

She stood agape at the destructive power of his feeble strike - the fissure looked like it had lanced deep into the rock surface; likely further than 10m; an fractured an expanse of another 10m in radius from where his fist landed! All this from a relaxed blow!

He stood agape at the monstrous speed the girl demonstrated - he had underestimated her physical limit; she was far stronger than she let on during the fight earlier!

(Hmm...) As he dusted himself off and choked a little with his puny, weak body; he decided to walk further away. About 50m further. (Better to be safe than sorry...)

After the dust settled for a moment, he beckoned to her; "Ok, now you try."

Sam stared blankly; head slightly tilted downwards; eyes looking at nothing in particular.

"Hey...? You okay...?" Albert began to walk towards her; when Sam shook herself out of the dream-like state; and answered him.

"Huh? Ah? Ah! Yeah! I'm, I'm okay..."

"Alright then. You ready? Try and sense the flows of space around you, connect with the concept. Based on your level of affinity; it should come easy..."

Sam stood before another section of the cliff-side and closed her eyes; keeping an unworried expression on her face. Then she frowned a bit; as she sought to *feel* the concept of space around her; to catch that esoteric, nomological [3] sense that she had earlier.

"Catch the sense of motion, the sense of the distance between you and everything around you."

Sam breathed deeply; feeling *something*, just a little hint of something. "I feel it..." She raised her fist in front of her, then pulled it back slowly for a punch.

"Alright! Take it slow... Don't focus on fist strength, just connect with the laws--"

Albert gasped.

All around them; for hundreds, no almost a thousand metres around - the space was warping and shifting madly - and yet no objects around were affected!

And then an illusory ripple spread out from Sam as it's epicentre; Albert could feel it flow and pass through his entire body.

(It, it can't be...) He gaped in awe as every particle in a 100m pillar around Sam began to vibrate, ripple, tremble... *Change*.

(She's... Acknowledged by the laws... Before Divinity??!)

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Sam felt like she was floating.

She felt like she was on her back; floating in a comfortable, cooling stream of water.

As her heart beat; she felt the waters respond. Everytime her heart beat - bu-DUMP; the waters *squealed* with delight!

And when she felt like the flows of water were like obedient, little children; she wondered what would happen if she...

Touched the cliff-face?

Eyes closed, she reached out and tapped the cliff-face with her finger--

BOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!

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"...? What was that?"

Numerous people and orcs stood up to gain a higher vantage point. Finally, only Mr/ Ms Archer could catch sight of it from the top of the tallest trees.

The cliff was now 300m shorter.

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[1] All of them look like this but worse - https://www.freepik.com/free-icon/water-droplet-silhouette_737397.htm

[2] I misread it as "HAKI!" and was wondering why I'd introduced One Piece here :(

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