Only the Clock will tell

Joker kept up his relentless ki attacks, switching from ranged attacks, to mid-ranged, to close-ranged. He really seemed like he was desperate to catch me off guard. Though, this whole time, I've been using Lightweight to dodge successfully. While dodging, I've been thinking about something in particular.

What is his goal?

I doubt he could just come into Riel, acting all high and mighty, and summon all of these guys by himself. He has to have some sort of backup. That's why my shut-in NEET senses are telling me, anyway.

Joker paused for a moment. Noticing that, I fired Ice Magic at him. He was able to counter every single shard. Shit, doesn't ki have a limit like mana does? Ai, how much mana do I have left?

«Mana capacity: 268,928/300,000»

I already used that much?! Well, there's still plenty to spare. I think now it's the time to use that skill. If I don't, then things will carry on, and it will be a battle of endurance. I really don't my stamina can last for another half an hour.

I stopped and faced Joker, with a solid pose.

'What's this? You have something up your sleeve, don't you?'

'Yeah, something that will decide this battle.'

Never used this skill before, but for some reason, I know that if I use it, I'll be able to stop Joker and knock him unconscious.

'Like I'd let you!'

He came charging toward me at unthinkable speeds. From that, I could tell that he was holding back against me. The speed slowed down and all my senses heightened themselves. It felt like... I controlled the world or something.

«Stage 1 activated; Auriel, Archangel of Hope»

Stage 1? Archangel of Hope? I thought it was Calamity Angel. Oh well, this should still be enough. At this point, Joker was three feet away from me. He threw his arm at me. I thought it would hit me, but it was still travelling slowly through the air. Something inside me told me that I could touch his ki now, however, I wouldn't want to risk it off a feeling.

I stepped back and set myself in a lunging pose. My left hand channelled threads, using the skill Battle Thread, and created a flat cylinder. I thrust it at Joker's forehead–it expanded into a sharp shard. It threw Joker back, also creating a cut on his forehead. Okay, maybe "threw" is an understatement. He got blasted back, crashing into the arena wall.

'Ghk!'

He coughed up blood. Ah, I probably shouldn't let up my attack, since he'll probably do something shady with his ki. I started running at full speed, within four seconds, I was already in the face of Joker. His bloody face scared the living shit out of me. On instinct, I smacked him with my fist. I wasn't doing anything bad, since he's my enemy. I guess it's fine. Except for the fact that my enemy scared the fucking lights out of me.

'W-wait! W-we can talk this out! Can't we?!'

Joker looked extremely cowardly. From my experience of watching anime and reading light novels, when the villains are acting cowardly, that's usually when they have a plot up their sleeve. Meaning that I shouldn't let him and I talk. I struck him once. A tooth came out, along with a row of blood.

'Why did you do this?'

I punch him, with my right, then after with my left. I uniformly continued this process. When I suddenly thought about the bodies I saw, trapped under the rubble and the civilians running away. A wave of unknown anger corrupted me. I didn't feel like myself. Was this because of Calamity Angel?

'I, oof, won't, guh, tell, ack, you!'

Stopping my small assault on Joker, I looked around him. Blood was everywhere. I then looked at his face. I couldn't even recognise that it was him anymore. Shit, I really fucked him up, huh. I should probably stop here. If I continue, he'd probably die, and I don't want a death on my conscious.

'...it...'

'Huh? Speak up, if you're going to say something.'

'They...deserved it.'

I didn't hold back. No, more like I couldn't hold back. Shadows shrouded my arm as it burst forward like an arrow soaring through the air.

'Black Culverin!'

My fist connected with something; the arena wall behind Joker collapsed, bringing the stands behind it down. Something wasn't right. I didn't miss Joker and hit the walls. It felt like I hit something else. Like a hand. I looked down, and I saw someone else's feet behind the smoke, as well as Joker, cowering behind the person. This guy... He's seriously no joke!

'Hey there, Archdemon. That strike right now... That really hurt. You called it, Black Culverin, didn't you?'

The smoke cleared up. A man stood in front of me. His fist is holding mine. He had long white hair, with a streak of grey in it. He was shirtless, though it looked like he was before my attack, and he wore tight black jeans. His eyes were slant and grey and his skin was black.

Amazon? No, he has a different feeling about him.

He turned his head to Joker.

'Are you well, newbie?'

Joker looks distraught.

'I-I don't need help, Ether!'

He shouted, attempting to get up, only to fall down on his knees. So, this guy's name is Ether. This guy. Seriously. He can't be human. I have a feeling that Appraisal won't work if I use it. I'd only be wasting minimal mana.

«Stage 2 activated; Anarchy Angel, Auriel»

I went up a stage, for some reason. My eyes drifted to his other arm. It was filled with iron-like scales, and his hand was a dragon claw.

'You're a Dragon, aren't you?'

Ether turned back to me.

'Close. I am a Wyvern. An Iron Wyvern, to be exact. And–'

He lifted his arm and threw me into the air. I was at least a hundred feet above the coliseum now. I don't know if it was my build or because of the Lightweight skill, but something told me that he would be able to do it no matter what my size.

The Iron Wyvern appeared in front of me, with grey flames in his palms.

'–I'd like to see your full power.'

For some reason, I smiled.

'Only the clock will tell.'

I said, getting ready to be blasted by his flames. Hopefully, I survive.