How Dare You Push Me This Far?!

"Yielya! How fast can you mend wounds?"

"I'd say you'd have a harder time outpacing my healing."

"Good!"

Umin dashed forward, several thin neon lines following his path. They diverged and connected to each of his fists and feet. The Chimera threw its hands forward causing tendrils to shoot like spears. Sliding under these Umin got closer without an issue. Slipping between the gaps of the tendrils he threw a punch towards the chin of the humanoid Chimera. The neon line following his fist expanded outwards into a circle. Except this time the Chimera did not go flying. Rather its head was knocked upwards slightly.

His torn arm quickly being fixed by Yielya, Umin delivered a blow with his other hand. This time landing the blow on its chest. It stepped back but merely stared at Umin with its head, for it was still faceless. Then with a snapping sound its tendrils retracted at a far greater speed than before and scratched towards him.

A bronze kite shield manifested and stopped the blow. Although the protection was appreciated Umin still frowned, "Its strength grows."

"Rather, I think it's getting used to it.", Tilia commented.

The Chimera quivered and tendrils shot from its body towards Umin. Several more kite shields appeared and blocked them with ease. Umin, now getting the message, took several large steps back and landed by Tilia's side, "It's already an effort for my blows to muster this strength."

His eyebrow twitched, "This damned creature actually dares to push me this far! I was actually about to take this seriously!"

"Were you not?"

"Something as surface level as this doesn't deserve my focus. It's pissing me off."

"Well unless you have a plan-"

"I'll create an opening, hold it for two seconds. Do not let it escape, for we won't get another chance."

"Mm."

Umin shifted his stance, causing dust to arise around him. Yielya, who was keeping a special eye on him in case he hurt more than just a limb, realize something odd. The dust that was supposed to settle seemed to hover for much longer than it should've. It even seemed to be gathering. . .

"I cannot believe I was pushed this far by some mindless mutt. I! Umin of the Misten Cloud! The number one genius!"

Extreok's nose twitched, "Oh? That's interesting."

A thunderclap sounded, and dark storm clouds began to form above the forest. Still Umin's fury raged on, storm unheeded, "I who stood at the peak of cultivation!"

Thunder caused the forest to light up a bit. Yielya frowned, "Extreok. . . are you?"

"No. Oddly enough I cannot make this lightning move away."

"What? But there's nothing that surpasses your authority over the elements. Not even Dragons right?"

"This might not be lightning."

The thunder even made the Chimera look up, despite having no eyes.

A blast of. . . something extruded from Umin. The tatters of his clothes hovering. His eyes snapped onto the Chimera, "How dare you push me this far?! You shouldn't have even approached someone of my caliber!"

Umin's brow twitched as several system notifications appeared, "And this! This thing that continuously suppresses my soul! Do you know who I am?!"

A spectral arm sprang forth, however it was only seen by two things! It grew from Umin's shoulder and gripped the notification. The two quivered before it shattered into small pieces, "You are to free this restriction, I have no more patience!"

<. . .>

"Ha! When was the last time—I, Umin—last regretted something? The only thing that should be regretted was your decision to even try messing with me!"

The sounds of chains shattering could be heard by those around. Cracking his neck Umin smiled, "Ugh finally. I hated the feeling of this body and its constant restrictions. Superficial rules in the name of balance, it feels good to have everything returned. Now then, time for a lesson."

Umin flickered and appeared in front of the Chimera. What was odd was that not a single thing Umin did actually increased any of his stats. Rather all that occurred was the removal of restrictions that clouded his body. Now he could operate at a much finer level of control. So incredibly fine to where his execution of techniques was far greater than before.

The Chimera, looked down and stared directly at Umin. In response to this Umin didn't even smile, "You must not know what's about to happen."

Crrck-!

The back of the Chimera split open and thick tendrils shot out of it towards Umin. Just as they turned towards him however, Umin kicked upwards. This time a much thinner neon line followed. It almost looked like a spiderweb, near invisible in the dark. As thunder cracked above light reflected off it for just a moment, revealing the technique was performed at a much greater degree.

Twii~

A fraction of a second and everything seemed still. Then the Chimera shot skyward. Umin looked up, a bit of relief on his face, "Tilia, next move I need you to act."

"Alright."

Umin flashed a smile then vanished. Reappearing above the spiraling Chimera he moved both his fists to his side. Just as the Chimera was about to slam into him he threw his fists forward.

{Twin Rending Heaven Fist}!

Just as his fists were about to connect the Chimera turned into the fog. His fist passed through harmlessly and the Chimera reformed unharmed. Umin didn't pay it any mind, "A predictable move."

The space warped by {Rending Heaven Fist} snapped back into place and launched the Chimera towards the ground. Tilia moved quickly, using the pointed edge of her kite shields to act like a bunch of spikes she watched as the Chimera slammed into them. Several more appeared above and slammed down into the Chimera. The several quick attacks it received caused major damage. Especially with Tilia's bronze shields piercing through its body.

Umin fell towards the Chimera, "It's already regenerating. A shame it's much too late!"

A thin neon line followed his fist, once again far thinner than the ones he produced earlier. This time it split into five. Each of the lines met at the same place, but were spread out in a square shape. Each in a corner with the extra directly in the middle. These rotated to make a spinning square, but this was hard to view unless you were directly above Umin. To the others, it looked like a spiraling series of thin webs.

"Now begone from my sight!"

His fist passed by Tilia's shields and pierced through the body of the Chimera. In his hand a small bottle shattered and its contents spread out. The Chimera immediately let out a high pitched scream and quivered violently. The black fog its body was made of began to disappear at a rapid rate.

Tilia retracted her War Sight, "Simple, seems I didn't need to do anything. Although using the whole bottle was a bit of a waste."

Umin flicked his hand free of the glass shards, "Nonsense, such a strong creature needed an equal amount of whatever this substance is to stop it. I felt the rest of the bottle should have been enough. A gamble which obviously paid off."

Extreok interrupted, "Glad that's finished, stronger Chimeras are making their way here and my barrier won't be able to hold them back. Let us retreat."

Umin nodded, "Igneel is also returning, do not inform him of my presence."

Yielya frowned, "Why not? I'm certain he's been told of you before."

"He believes it to be something else. He will find me in his own time, do not rush it needlessly."

"Fine, let's go."

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