Taming A Wild Dog(Part 1)

--- Akira ---

There's one big reason I've been avoiding a fight with the Seven Shadows.

Their absurd levels of Magical Power give them a massive edge over me.

Sure, I've been finding ways to boost my Magical Power, and I'm getting stronger every day. But it's only been about a month since I started tapping into Mana itself.

I'm just not on their level yet.

Guess who's on my tail, trying to off me?

Yep, it's Delta from the Seven Shadows.

Given that she's following Alpha's orders, there's only one explanation.

She must've forgotten her mission and jumped to her own conclusions.

Seriously...

Since Shadow Garden and I are in an alliance, I can't just kill her.

So, my only move was to put her down, not out.

It was easier said than done, though.

---

A barrage of sword slashes came hurling towards me.

Quick on my feet, I dodged and weaved through them with all the speed I could muster.

While her technique wasn't anything special, she didn't need it to be.

The saying "Offense is the best Defense" couldn't be more accurate when observing her fighting style.

She wildly swung her sword, charging straight ahead with reckless abandon, as if she had lost all sense of reason.

While it might seem like an easy opportunity to exploit such recklessness, it's a different story when you possess Magical Power that elevates your already formidable body to absurd levels. Every movement left afterimages, making it nearly impossible to anticipate her next strike.

Keeping pace with her wasn't the issue; finding an opening to exploit was.

My skills and strength allowed me to somehow match her, but blindly swinging my sword would only expose vulnerabilities against an opponent of her caliber.

Despite her lack of intelligence, she possessed a keen battle instinct.

Trapped in this deadlock, I struggled to find an opportunity to gain the upper hand.

After a while spent biding my time, I finally seized my chance.

Unleashing the [Sky Sword Art] with all my might, my blade moved like a bolt of lightning, aiming for her vulnerable flank.

But to my dismay, her incredible Magical Power transformed her slime bodysuit into a hardened shell, akin to metal.

Tch.

It seems her frustration escalated when she realized I was a tougher opponent than she expected, pushing her to act more like a wild beast thirsty for blood.

But that works in my favor. The more erratic she becomes, the easier it'll be to anticipate her next move.

Just like I said back when I was dueling that sorry excuse for a swordsman a while ago, every sword technique follows a pattern.

Even though her style is more instinctual chaos than anything resembling technique, I refuse to believe I can't decipher it.

My strategy seemed foolproof, but I underestimated the sheer strength of her instincts.

In a sudden burst, she manifested a razor-sharp wolf claw, intent on tearing through my body with ruthless precision.

Caught off guard, my only recourse was to hastily retreat several meters, narrowly evading the deadly swipe.

With the distance between us, not a single moment passed before it was too late for me to react.

She charged her lungs with Magical Power, unleashing a deafening roar.

As I had spread my perception to the max and couldn't retract it in time...

The last sound I registered was a bone-chilling crunch.

My eardrums exploded.

Pain seared through my skull, blood trickling down in crimson streams.

The world morphed into a chaotic swirl of colors and shapes.

It felt as though my head was tearing apart, the pain pushing the boundaries of what I could endure.

I clenched my teeth, drawing upon every ounce of [Determination] I possessed.

In the midst of this torment, a bottomless rage ignited within me.

The surroundings, battered by the force of the roar, crumbled into chaos. Debris scattered through the air, and the very ground trembled under its impact, yet I couldn't care less.

I wanted to tolerate her nonsensical behavior, even though it grated on my nerves.

I wanted to reason with her, even though I knew that'd be futile.

I wanted to avoid resorting to draw my sword with the intent to kill a possible ally.

I wanted to believe I could also see her cute side and enjoy some nice, carefree conversation...

But fuck that. 

Fuck everything.

You are my enemy, and that's only one thing the enemy has to do.

That is, to die.

'[Sky Sword Art]'

'[Body Strenghtening]'

'[Sword Infusion]'

'[Overload]'

I called upon all the strongest skills and magic I could use, without sparing anything.

Empowered by [Overload], my perception of time slowed to a crawl, granting me a few precious milliseconds to glance at the pitiful excuse for a Knight of Rounds.

Initially, I refrained from delivering the fatal blow to avoid further enraging her, instead opting to imprison him.

Now, however, with no lingering reasons to spare him, I was ready to end his existence.

I reached his location in less than an instant.

Without a hint of mercy, I stomped down on his head, the force causing the crumbling building, already on the brink of collapse, to yield, the structure giving way under the pressure.

The force radiated outward, like a shockwave through the building's already weakened structure. Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls and ceiling, as if the very foundations were groaning in protest.

Dust and debris billowed into the air, caught in the maelstrom of destruction.

Despite the chaos unfolding around me, the swift and decisive action I took left me detached.

The speed of it all, coupled with the deafening silence that enveloped me, made it seem as though my actions had no consequence, as if I hadn't made a move at all, were it not for the impending shower of blood threatening to erupt.

Knowing his insane regeneration, I spared no effort, relentlessly swinging my sword and summoning a particular skill with each strike.

'[Sky Slash]'

'[Sky Slash]'

'[Sky Slash]'

'[Sky Slash]'

'[Sky Slash]'

.

.

.

That should suffice.

I decided so after a mere half-second had passed.

Now...

I fixed my gaze on Delta, devoid of any particular emotion.

All the rage boiling within me was suppressed.

If I allowed myself to be blinded by it, I'd be no different than a mindless beast, much like her...

Realistically, I cannot kill her, as that would fuck the entire Trial over.

But, that's the only condition.

She doesn't have to die, that's all.

---

Author's Note:

I didn't really explain it, but when Akira calls upon a skill, he usually does it by calling the skill's name in his mind.

Never once have I bothered to clear this detail up, since I thought it was just an useless little detail, but in this fight, I liked using it, so I guess it is what it is

Also, sorry for the huge delays guys, I'm having a busy life as of late