Erik managed to catch the private investigator off guard with his dart. As the old man was still confused by the sudden aggression, before the private investigator could even react, Erik's Flyssa was already drawn and aimed at Hais's throat.
The old man barely managed to unsheathe his sword in time to parry Erik's lethal strike, sparks flying as the steel clashed.
"So, is this how you handle things? You have a problem with someone, and you kill them?" Hais remarked.
"You know nothing," Erik said while swinging his sword horizontally at his opponent, who deflected the move with his sword.
"You really think that killing is the solution to everything? That once you get rid of your opponents, everything will improve?" Hais asked.
"It proved to be the right solution until now…" Erik replied, swinging his sword again. He had an advantage, as usually, he didn't go in a fight without being sure to win.
However, Hais was clearly a monster on his own. He had many years of experience in the military, and his abnormally high intelligence made it so that he could essentially predict Erik's moves. However, the awakener noticed how his opponent's already abnormally low strength had already started to wane due to the poison.
"You are sick in the head…" Hais said, feeling his strength leaving him, and the weight behind Erik's attacks became bigger and heavier.
"Sick?" The two clashed again, creating sparks that flew in the air once again. "Was I really the sick one? The three pricks made my life hell for years, and Nathaniel wanted to kill me just because he couldn't accept I had become stronger than him. AM I REALLY SICK?" Erik said, shouting.
His rage was palpable as he unleashed a flurry of vicious attacks, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. Hais, struggling to defend himself, pushed back with all his skill and experience.
"You won't get away with this!" Hais spat, his voice filled with venom as he tried to defend himself. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he fought to stay upright. He knew he was not that strong already, as his brain crystal power severely limited his physical prowess, but now, he was forced to face a 16-year-old kid who had more strength than him, but his life depended on this encounter, and he couldn't mess up.
His sword met Erik's strikes with calculated defense, parrying each blow with skillful precision. Still, as time passed, he could feel how fighting was becoming increasingly harder due to whatever Erik did to him.
The room quickly turned into a battlefield, with furniture getting knocked over and papers flying in the chaos of the fight.
Erik's ambush had caught Hais off guard, but he was determined to turn the tide. The awakener's intense desire to kill this man, who threatened his already precarious peace—the peace he had long desired and finally attained after years of suffering—fueled his attacks.
His sword sliced through the air with a lethal edge. The clash of their swords was intense, and their movements were fast and fluid.
Sweat trickled down Hais's brow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His muscles strained with the effort of parrying Erik's relentless assault. The tension between them was almost tangible.
Their swords clashed and danced, the steel ringing with each strike. The fight was a battle of wills, with Erik's determination to kill Hais matched by Hais's resolve to survive and defend himself. They circled each other, their eyes and bodies locked in a fierce duel.
"So, what did you exactly do before? I saw you threw something at me, and now this fucking mana is weakening me…" Hais asked. He was too curious to know.
"That? It was Logan's parting gift for me…" Erik replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing in particular. You should focus on the fight now." Erik then dashed against the old man, increasing the intensity of his attacks. However, Hais was in deep thought. What did Erik mean by parting gift?
Hais's mind raced as he parried Erik's fierce attacks, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion. The Red Palace student's words echoed in his mind, and the investigator couldn't stop thinking about them despite being in a dangerous situation.
Then, the memories flooded back, images from his research piecing together like a puzzle.
He remembered reading from a document what Logan's brain crystal power was; the young man had a rare ability that allowed him to create poisonous mana darts.
As Hais recalled the details of that document, he made the connection. Erik had stolen Logan's power, and now he wielded it with deadly intent. It all made sense.
"YOU!" Hais said.
"You figured it out, uh? This is another reason to get rid of you, then," Erik said.
"How can you do this? It should be impossible!" Hais said.
"But it is not…"
Hais's heart clenched with a mixture of anger and determination. He couldn't let Erik get away with this. If what he thought was really true, Erik had a very dangerous ability; the ability to steal other people's power. Hais knew he had to stop him, now more than ever.
With renewed resolve, Hais fought back, but he started channeling mana now, and immediately his brain crystal power started going in over gear. It was at that moment that Hais activated his parallel wills brain crystal power. And the fight started taking another turn.
Erik's blade whistled through the air, aimed for Hais's shoulder, but the seasoned investigator deftly dodged the attack with a swift sidestep, his sword slicing toward Erik's midsection. That was the result of Hais's power; it allowed him to give his parallel will the task of predicting Erik's attack, which he wasn't having trouble foreseeing, thanks to his intelligence. The awakener countered with a spun parry, narrowly avoiding being lethally stricken.
Their swords clashed repeatedly, the metallic clangs echoing through the room as they circled each other, each seeking an opening. Hais's mind was sharp, his focus unwavering, as he sought to outmaneuver Erik and land a decisive blow.
"You can't delay the inevitable forever, Hais," Erik spat, his voice laced with determination. "You are going to die…" Erik smirked, his eyes having a weird light inside. That, Hais thought, was the look of a predator before killing its prey.
"Take this!" He shouted, his sword flashing in a deadly arc toward Hais's chest.
The investigator blocked the attack with a swift parry, pushing Erik back. "DON'T BE ARROGANT, AS I WILL TAKE YOU DOWN!" Hais growled, his muscles tensed as he prepared for the following exchange, but his strength kept waning.
Erik's laughter filled the air as he lunged forward, his blade aiming for Hais's throat. "We'll see about that," he taunted, his movements fluid and calculated.
Hais again met Erik's attack head-on, their swords clashing with a shower of sparks. The intensity of the fight was palpable, the air crackling with tension as they attacked each other with deadly strikes.
The exchange of sword blows continued, each man showcasing their skill and determination. It was a deadly dance, a battle of wills as they fought for their respective goals. Sweat dripped down their brows, their breathing heavy, but neither showed any sign of relenting.
The fight raged on, the room filled with the clang of steel against steel. Hais's mind raced, analyzing Erik's moves, searching for an opening and the best way to block's Erik's attacks. He knew he had to end this, to stop Erik before he could kill someone else.
With a fierce roar, Hais launched a swift and calculated attack, his sword slicing through the air toward Erik's side. The young man countered with equal ferocity, but Hais's strike was the real deal, and the blade cut through Erik's defenses, leaving a gash on his arm.
The awakener hissed in pain, his grip on his sword faltering for a split second. It was all Hais needed. With a final powerful swing, the investigator's sword connected with Erik's, sending his blade flying across the room, leaving him disarmed and vulnerable.
"See? What did I tell you?" Hais asked.
"Oh? You think you have won?" Erik remarked. His bloodlust was soaring, and the need to kill the investigator quickly became a primal need.
"Stop playing the villain!"
"I'm not playing…"
At that moment, Erik dashed toward Hais. "Fool," the old man said. However, Erik was far from being done. At that moment, he channeled mana again, sharpening his arms, making them deadly weapons. The fighting style shifted from sword combat to hand-to-hand.
At the same time, Hais, still wielding his sword, advanced towards Erik with purpose, his eyes fixed on his opponent. He swung his blade in a swift arc, aiming for Erik's chest. The awakener evaded the strike with a nimble backstep, narrowly avoiding the deadly edge.
With a surge of power, Erik lunged forward, aiming to pierce his opponent's chest with his bare hand, but Hais predicted the move and blocked Erik's attempts with precision, keeping him at bay with calculated strikes. However, fatigue started to set in more than ever.
Erik's movements were now more fluid and primordial as they engaged in combat. Hais's experience as a soldier gave him a slight advantage in close-quarters combat, and he used his skills to block Erik's attempts to land a mortal blow, but the young man was a Red Palace student; he was everything but weak.
Erik fought with reckless abandon, throwing punches and slashing at Hais, trying to find an opening. But Hais's power and years of training and experience kept him one step ahead as he countered Erik's every move.
However, after many tries, the awakener landed a hit on the old man, and blood started pouring down the wound. It was now clear that the time had come, the poison had made its effect, and Hais had its strength severely reduced. Now not even his brain crystal power could help him anymore.
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