32. Cat's out of the bag (2)

Seeing a pair of daggers on Ast Ray's eyes shone with greed. He knew in an instant that these were the artifact that Ast used to injure his left leg. Although his leg was injured but for an experienced fighter like Ray it wasn't a big deal.

Ray took out his own artifact, which was a blue hilt saber. He shot some wind blade towards Ast, which Ast countered using wind blades from his daggers.

Ast was channeling lightning and moving swiftly towards Ray using wind blades to counter and attack Ray. But in truth he was waiting for the right moment to use his shadow jump. He had already put neuro toxin on his daggers, he knew it wouldn't do much to an elementalist like Ray but it would provide him with an opportunity to break his defences.

Elementalist of higher tier uses their element to form a coating over their body. Although Ray was now weakened but he would still keep up his defences as a part of his habit.

Ast threw a smoke bomb towards Ray. Ray used his wind to change its trajectory and threw it back towards Ast. Ast let the smoke bomb strike him. As soon as the smoke spread Ast used his shadow jump and moved towards the back of Ray and appeared from his shadow.

Ray was focused on the smoke and didn't observed Ast coming out of his shadow. Ast used all his strength and struck his daggers deep into Ray's back. Ray howled when he realised what had happened and quickly moved away using his wind skill haste.

There was only one question in Ray's head 'How? How did he do that'. Just when Ray thought he was out of Ast range. Ast took out a huge hammer from his storage ring and threw towards Ray.

Ray moved to his left but when thought he had escaped the hammer's trajectory he saw Ast disappearing. Ast again jumped out of his shadow and this time he stabbed Ray's right leg with a sword. Ray was again caught off guard and he howled in pain and using his skill again moved away.

'He is definitely an elementalist, i can feel him manipulating element. And to top it off his element is very difficult to deal with. Somehow he came out of my shadow. I need to be careful about that' Ray was thinking hard and forming a plan to deal with Ast.

Ray had never thought Ast would be such a formidable opponent. Now he knew that Ast was an elementalist. But dealing with a level 1 elementalist was not a big deal for him as now Ray knew that Ast's element has something to do with shadow.

"Looks like we underestimated you a lot kid, but i wouldn't be doing the same anymore. Your element is tricky but I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well" as soon as Ray spoke, Ast noticed that the wind around him was behaving weirdly and he was unable to move.

'F**k, this is not a level 2 skill at all. I knew he might be able to access some power from higher level. I am unable to move at all' Ast was thinking hard on how to deal with the situation.

Ray on the other hand was in a miserable situation he was severely injured and was now using his trump card in his already weakened situation. Ray knew he had to finish this quickly otherwise he would faint just from his exhaustion from using his skill. Just when Ray was ready to throw a knife at Ast and finish him he felt a arrow trying to break his defence on his head.