Chapter 346

Creed was unsure what Vorbuk was going to attempt but he felt uneasy for the first time since he met the beast. His horse whinnied below him as he pulled on the reigns of the undead steed. Turning the creature's direction he moved ahead. Galloping in the direction of a circle as he slowly moved in on where Vorbuk stood releasing a powerful aura.

"Do you think that your attacks can leave a scratch on me?" Creed's voice questioned him as he tried to comprehend the beast's intention.

Vorbuk felt his entire body going cold as black fog seeped out from his body. It did not take any specific form. Instead it covered the terrain like a heavy black blanket, Making it difficult for anyone to see however Vorbuk's vision was not disrupted by this change.

The fog was like an extension to Vorbuk's senses. Since it was created from his own mana he could sense objects that disrupted the fog. He hoped it would interfere with the headless horseman's vision. Failing to consider the fact that the headless horseman did not view objects normally due to him lacking a head.

It was not the only reason for him to create the fog. It was simply a benefit he wished for. Creating a blanket of fog from his own mana enabled Vorbuk to sense Creed's movements. If he could not keep up visually with the headless horseman there were other methods. Using his own mana spread out like a heavy fog he was able to heighten his natural instincts in other areas.

The only problem is doing something like this drains too much mana... Vorbuk thought about how much trouble having limited mana caused him.

The fog caused the shadows in the surroundings to become more dense. It felt like the area was becoming more like Vorbuk's playground. Sensing the thick shadows caused him to smile slyly as he felt them.

The headless horseman could not see the shadows like Vorbuk could. Instead he could only feel the heavy fog against his skin as his horse galloped through the black fog. He turned his steed's reigns once more. Stopping in his steps from circling around Vorbuk. With only a momentary pause the horse's hooves clicked off against the rocky ground.

Vorbuk could hear the sound of the horse's hooves coming towards him. He could even sense the vibrations in the thick fog with every inch it moved. With his senses heightened from the fog he felt more at ease. It might have been exhausting in the long run but he needed to quickly end the fight. The longer he lingered in the fight the more he was at a disadvantage against the headless horseman.

Ffshhh...

Vorbuk's body sank into shadows beneath his feet as he gripped his duel sword firmly in his hand.

The cold air in Drethia was nothing to Vorbuk because he was adapted to the cold feeling he gained when he became someone who used the shadow element. Someone like himself felt like he belonged to the cold, dark, world. He was not dragged down by the cold air like average mortals. Perhaps that was a benefit for being something like a beast.

Even if others saw him no differently, Vorbuk knew he would never be an average mortal like the rest. Being someone who used an element on the colder side then most meant he was able to endure colder temperatures. It was the warmer climates that made him feel sluggish. While he was in the eastern kingdom of Drethia's domain his energy was more relaxed. That was a change that only Vorbuk himself could notice within himself.

If I fought him in the western side of the continent I would have lost early... I must think of something. Vorbuk was determined to find a way out of this situation. If he lost he would be forced to help Creed. That meant he would not gain any respect from him. The headless horseman could even kill him once he lost interest in him.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Vorbuk used the shadows to freely glide in and out of them with his weapon. Striking at the headless horseman from different angles. Once a strike from him was blocked by Creed he would sink back into the shadows. Diving out of the shadows again and again to strike at him.

It was more difficult for Creed to sense the direction Vorbuk came from when he came out of the shadows. He could not hear his movements until he'd emerged from the shadows to strike. Every block was perfectly made with swift reflex.

Creed's sword hesitated finally giving Vorbuk an opening. His dual blade cutting through the air. Slicing open a fresh wound on the headless horseman's side. There was no reaction to his body getting cut open. It looked as if he could not feel any pain from his injury.

Is he unable to feel pain? Vorbuk felt like Creed was similar to Aoki. It isn't as simple as a high tolerance for pain. Creed actually felt no pain at all.

Unable to feel pain, Creed could not even feel something like physical pain. The only method of death for the headless horseman required his head. His life was unable to be taken easily. Without death he was not given something as simple as pain from injuries. The siren by his side was the only one over the years who had been able to help maintain what was left of his mental state. At times he even pondered if he could even be considered as living himself.

Vorbuk was thinking hard over another method of attack. His mana was starting to drop dangerously low. The fight had to end soon or he would risk collapsing during the duel with the headless horseman. As his feet sunk back into the depths of the shadows once again his body began to shift. Morphing himself into his true, shadow wolf, form while hidden safely inside the shadows.

Moving himself through the shadows in the form of a shadow wolf. Vorbuk positioned himself just beneath the headless horseman's steed. A deep growl echoed from the surroundings. It was difficult for Creed to pinpoint the wolf's location while inside the shadows. The sound of his growling could not even be pinned to a single location.

"Do you intend to hide?" Creed's voice called out for the beast as he twisted the reigns of his undead horse. Trying to locate the direction of the beast. He could hear the change in the echo of the growl around him. Something about the beast had changed however he took a moment to consider the possibility that Vorbuk had changed forms.

I must get him off that damned mount. Vorbuk wanted to separate Creed from the horse. He found the undead horse difficult to deal with in his human form.

If I can not get him down while in human form... I have no choice. Vorbuk thought his wolf form was the best option for him. The human form was draining too much of his mana so he would resort to accepting the beast he really was for the time being.