Overconfidence is not good II

<Third-Person POV>

Jin stood after receiving the impact of his own power. "Well, that kick did sting," he thought, casually brushing the dust off his clothes with an exaggeratedly relaxed motion. A small, sardonic smile played on his lips, as if he had just woken up from a comfortable nap rather than a fierce battle.

Ren, hovering low, glared sharply in Jin's direction. Her usually cold and controlled demeanor now showed signs of irritation. Her sharp eyes observed every move Jin made, searching for signs of weakness or hidden intent.

"So, is this what they call the 'peak of humanity'? Not very impressive, if you ask me," Jin exclaimed sarcastically, grinning. He reached out his hand as if to check for any injuries on his face, although he knew full well there weren't any.

Ren stared at him with a gaze that could freeze the ocean. "You're truly bold, Jin. Bold and foolish," she replied with a cold tone, but there was a hidden tremor of anger within it.

Jin chuckled softly, as if Ren had just told the funniest joke in the world. "Oh, of course. I've always wondered what it feels like to be called foolish by someone who can fly. So, how long did it take you to practice that, or did it come naturally with your arrogant attitude?"

Ren clenched her jaw. "Don't think just because you have a little power, you can speak as you please. You haven't seen my full abilities."

Jin nodded mockingly. "Oh, I see. So, is this just a warm-up? I thought I've seen the best of you already. But hey, if this is the best, I'm slightly worried. Who knows? Maybe you're just tired or sleep-deprived. Try taking a break for a moment. You might do better."

Ren balled her fists, her mandala light beginning to spin around her pupils. She couldn't contain her anger any longer. "You're really getting on my nerves, Jin. Do you want to see my full power now?"

Jin shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, let's see what you can do, Ren. Who knows, maybe you'll impress me. Or maybe not."

With that, their fight continued. Ren launched attacks with full force, while Jin casually avoided and responded to each attack with mockery and sarcastic comments. Although Ren was the strongest, Jin's annoying attitude and intelligence made it difficult for her to stay calm.

...

<Jin's POV>

All this time, I've been wearing a mask of normalcy, but this time I decided to take it off. I showed my true self—full of sarcasm and annoying behavior. Maybe that's why I never got a girlfriend in my entire life.

As a man who has lived as a monster for a full century, I've struggled to survive in a land filled with monsters. With the abilities of Application and Adaptation, it was easy for me to counterbalance Ren's Vairocana power.

Ren flew low, launching a flurry of attacks. She used Vairocana: Shockwave Kick, delivering kicks with shockwaves that could shatter boulders. I just smirked sarcastically, effortlessly dodging her attacks. "Come on, Ren. Is this what you call your full power? I'm a little disappointed."

Ren clenched her fists, increasing her energy. Vairocana: Nullify Blessing activated, trying to nullify my power. However, with Adaptation creating a Halo-shaped wheel above my head, I quickly adapted to her power, canceling its effect. "Oh, this is quite interesting. You're trying to take away my power? Too bad, I'm already used to tricks like that."

Ren began to look irritated. She flew higher, activating Vairocana: Teleportation, transporting herself around the battlefield at incredible speed. But with the Application of Speed, I could match her, easily avoiding her attacks and dodging with ease. "Come on, Ren. You can be faster than that, can't you?"

I used Application of Observation, enhancing my senses to the maximum. I could feel every move Ren made, seeing the flow of her energy clearly. When she attempted her final attack, I activated Application of Silent and Application of Invisible, disappearing from her sight momentarily.

Ren looked confused, losing track of me. She flew low, trying to locate me. "Where are you, Jin? Show yourself!" she shouted with anger.

I reappeared behind her, gently touching her shoulder. "Here I am, Ren. You look tired. Maybe we should stop this fight."

Ren turned quickly, but I was already prepared. I used Application of Strength, hitting her with enough force to knock her down without seriously injuring her. Ren was thrown to the ground, silent for a moment.

She rose slowly, looking at me with a mix of admiration and frustration. "You... Who are you?" Ren muttered, her voice almost inaudible.

I sighed, shrugging casually. "Hmm? How do I put this, well, I'm a poor man who suddenly became a monster for a whole century, and here I am," I replied half-jokingly. "You can call me whatever you want."

Despite Ren being the strongest human, with extraordinary abilities, it was all futile if I could adapt to her attacks.

I reached out to help her up. She looked at my hand for a moment before grabbing it, and I pulled her up easily. "Besides, what I want is not to cause chaos on Earth. Believe me, I just want to enjoy what I couldn't enjoy for the past century. So, please keep this secret, okay?"

Ren dusted off her clothes, her eyes still full of suspicion. "Do you think I'll trust you just like that? After seeing what you can do?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my efforts to ease the tension.

I chuckled, feeling frustrated but also amused by her disbelief. "Ren, I understand your suspicion. Who wouldn't be suspicious of someone who can do what I can do? But seriously, I have no malicious intent. If I wanted to cause chaos, I would have done it from the start."

She approached, her eyes sharp. "You have to give me a better reason than that. Why should I trust you? You could be a big threat to humanity."

I took a deep breath, thinking hard. She had reason to be suspicious, and I couldn't blame her. "Alright, how about we make a deal? I know it sounds cliché, but we can watch each other. You can keep an eye on me, make sure I don't do anything dangerous. In return, you don't expose my secret to the government. Deal?"

Ren considered my offer, her eyes full of consideration. "Why should I bother watching you? What makes you so special that I should give you extra attention?"

I shrugged again, trying not to look too desperate. "Because, even though I could be a threat, I could also be a strong ally. Imagine what we could achieve together. And honestly, I just want to live my life peacefully. Nothing more."

Ren fell silent, clearly weighing my offer. Her face was serious, but there was a glint of humor in her eyes that indicated she was enjoying this situation in some way. She looked at me intensely, as if trying to read my mind. Finally, she sighed and nodded.

"Fine, Jin. I accept your deal but…" She made a dramatic pause before suddenly pulling something out of her pocket.

Click!

"Hah!?" I jumped in surprise as she fastened a dog tag around my neck.

"Not as a colleague, but as my pet…" she muttered, barely holding back a laugh.

I looked at the dog tag with a mixture of confusion and astonishment. "Your pet? What do you mean by that?"