I Am What They Fear

Infernus appeared puzzled by my words, becoming slightly alarmed, but then his surprised expression transformed into a broad grin. "You know what that means, right?" he asked, pausing for emphasis.

Without any hesitation, he quickly charged towards me with incredible velocity, matching my own speed. "IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO DIE HERE AND NOW!" he shouted, extending his palm in an attempt to grab me.

I observed that in order for his powers to be effective, he had to physically make contact with the specific person or object using his palm when he had previously used his abilities.

Therefore.. I just need to dodge his palm at all costs.

I swiftly pushed his hand away and capitalized on his sudden lunge towards me by delivering a forceful punch to his nose, producing a loud "BAM!" sound.

Surprised by the sudden and unexpected assault, he stuttered backwards. A small stream of blood trickled from his nose as a result of the powerful punch. He quickly wiped it away and directed his gaze towards me, remarking, "I'll admit, that caught me off guard... But best believe I won't make the same mistake again!"

He aggressively came towards me once more, aiming to punch me. I swiftly evaded his attack, but before I could react, he was already preparing to grab me with his other hand.

Does he think I'm stupid?

I swiftly evaded his attempt to grab me by skillfully leaning back, but to my astonishment, Infernus promptly countered with a direct kick that was aimed at my face.

BANG.

I attempted to evade quickly, but the impact still landed on my jaw, causing me to momentarily stumble and stutter. However, I swiftly regained my composure.

Infernus wore a confident expression and proudly stated, "What did my feet taste? I have received professional training in martial arts and self-defense." He boasted.

He thinks he's better than me? I best lower down his ego.

I positioned myself in a fighting stance, with my right arm leading in a forward guard position, ready to intercept or initiate quick strikes. My rear hand is held slightly closer to my body, prepared to deliver powerful punches or defend against incoming attacks. My front foot is positioned forward, providing a solid base for striking, while my back foot supports my balance and allows for possible maneuvering through pivoting.

I position my body in a manner that maximizes my ability to reach and defend while also staying balanced and agile.

I have named my fighting technique "Jet Keen Do." After extensively studying various fighting styles, I have combined and developed my own unique approach to fighting. I have spent months refining and adapting this technique to suit my own fighting style, focusing on mobility, balance, motion, readiness, and adaptability.

And above all else... it dam unpredictable.

Infernus also assumed a defensive position for combat, but it was a simple karate stance, nothing particularly speical to me.

Out of nowhere, he lunged at me with a powerful punch, but I skillfully avoided it by swiftly moving my head. After that he proceeded to unleash a rapid series of punches towards me, but I managed to evade them or deflect them with my hand.

I ensured that his palm did not scrape even slightly against my skin.

He displays a high level of aggression during the fight, making it difficult for me to find an opportunity to counterattack.

But there is a flaw to this...

After the constant flow of attacks, Infernus paused slightly longer than usual to catch his breath before launching his next assault. This was the perfect opportunity for me to seize the advantage since he was wide open.

I tightly closed my hand and channeled my magical energy into my right fist. With a swift strike, I delivered a powerful blow to his stomach, which could have sent him flying. However, I promptly grabbed him by the hair and swiftly followed up with an uppercut.

BANG!

With a cry of agony, he shouted "Arggh" while being propelled through the air from the uppercut. I positioned myself to deliver a kick directly to his back, taking advantage of his elevated position.

Unknown to me, he had a tricky plan.

As he witnessed the incoming kick, his expression transformed from agony and pain to a focused and determined one. Utilizing his Ignite skill, he created a burst of flames from his palms, altering the his path mid air and successfully evading my kick.

He definitely has a creative way of using his palm-based ability though.

Just when I believed the situation couldn't have deteriorated any further, he surprised me by cleverly employing his skill once more. This time, he ignited his palms with enough fiery power to propel himself swiftly in my direction.

He had his hands spread wide, wearing a sinister smile on his face while his dark eyes gleamed red.

Tap..

I made a hasty attempt to push him away from me, but by then it was already too late.

BANGGGGGGG.

In an instant, a fiery wildfire of red flames engulfed everything around me, including myself, as soon as he firmly held my face.

I managed to push him away, although it was later than I intended. He ended up landing a significant distance away from me, and he confidently commented, "If only you had listened to me..."

"Now how does it feel to burn to death?"

As the fire burns, ashes were created.

The fires blazed and emitted an unparalleled amount of heat, but there was also something else that appeared

Emerging from the blazing inferno, its eyes were even redder than the flames, with two horns protruding from the fire.

The creature slowly made its way through the flames with apparent ease and indifference.

I was the one responsible. As my figure emerged from the chaotic flames, my face and body were completely charred, revealing glimpses of flesh and bones, with fragments of organs exposed. However, an unusual phenomenon was occurring - while the fire rapidly consumed my skin, my body was simultaneously regenerating it at an equally swift pace.

Were you expecting the character to die so quickly? We've only reached the seventh chapter.

I felt a sensation in my muscles and skin, as if they were intertwined with my cloak. It was as if my cloak was regenerating along with my own skin, as if they were one and the same.

In the Ego State, it feels like my mind and body are unified, with my cloak being akin to its skin.

It burned, it burned like hell. But...

After emerging from the intense fire, the flesh around my bloodshot eyes and my skin, which was visibly regenerating, appeared a deep crimson. I fixed a menacing gaze upon Infernus and, speaking firmly, asked, "Do you think flames can spare you from death?"

Infernus's eyes widened in a mixture of extreme shock and terror at the sight before him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, thinking to himself in a panicked state, "He cannot possibly be human! That creature is... the devil!"

I bravely stood in front of Infernus as his legs trembled with fear, causing him to collapse on the ground. With the moon casting its gleaming light upon us, I gazed down at him. In a state of anxiety, he cried out, "What are you!?!?"

The answer to that is simple.

But before that...

I seized Infernus by his collar, lifting him off the ground. He struggled, unable to move or speak. Suddenly, I struck him with a powerful punch to the face. Another punch followed, and then another, and another, and another...

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

I repeatedly delivered a relentless series of powerful punches while tightly grasping his collar, causing his face to become extremely swollen to the point where his eyes were no longer visible.

A tear rolled down his cheek while he struggled to speak through his muffled voice, "Please... I beg you to stop..." he pleaded.

As my entire body regenerated, I stared at him intensely and spoke with a sinister and powerful tone, conveying, "I am the one you should fear... I am the embodiment of your thoughts as the sun sets and the night descends..."

"I am NightFall."