Clang!
A resonating clang echoed throughout the shrine as the sword and claw met, sounding as though metal had clashed against metal. Val had narrowly managed to dodge a direct hit, but the force behind Gruul’s attack was so immense that it flung him backward like a ragdoll in a tornado. 𝑜𝑣𝓛xt.𝗇𝓔t
Bam!
Val collided with the bone-littered floor of the shrine, rolling and tumbling through the scattered skeletal remains. As he tumbled through it, some sharp shards of bone scratched his skin while others punctured him like a host of tiny daggers.
-2 HP!
In a desperate attempt to stop his involuntary movement, Val plunged his sword into the ground, which helped in halting his momentum. He was left crouched on one knee as he came to a stop.
His gaze met Gruul’s, a defiant look in his eyes as blood began to seep from his wounds, blood that slid down his skin and stained the already grim and dark surroundings of the Shrine of Evil.
“Dissapointing,” Gruul voiced its thoughts, “If this is the best you can do, I guess the world won’t be seeing the birth of the Devil God today.”
Val retorted, “I was just caught off guard. I haven’t even started showing what I am capable of.”
“Excuses,” Gruul said.
Not granting Val even a moment’s respite, Gruul lunged again, its stone form cutting through the air with a speed that defied logic, effectively bridging the gap between them in the blink of an eye.
However, within that small fraction of time, Val activated Titan’s Reinforcement and Blood Rush. In a millionth of a second, a surge of strength coursed through his veins, his muscles hardened, his body became more agile and his senses heightened.
Gruul brought its claw down on Val after reaching up to him, but by that time, Val’s agility had already increased by a staggering 120%, and his strength and stamina by 20%.
Gruul’s attack was so swift that not even an intermediate-stage bloodline user would succeed in dodging it, but Val was swifter than its attack!
With his agility enhanced to 60 points and exceptional combat skills, Val deftly maneuvered around Gruul’s attack. The beast’s swipe missed its mark, and Val seized the opportunity. He darted behind Gruul’s back and retaliated with a powerful swing of his own.
Clang!
His sword crashed against Gruul’s body with a resonating clang. This resulted in a visible crack being left on its surface.
Gruul grunted but didn’t pause. It turned around, swinging its claws towards Val in a swift, retaliatory attack. But Val was already on the move. He slipped under Gruul’s legs, dodging the incoming claws, and swiftly stood up behind the living statue before launching his deadly and menacing counterattacks that were as swift as lightning and as terrifying aa thunder.
With a series of swift strikes, Val’s sword chipped away at Gruul’s stone body. Each strike further damaged Gruul, the sound of cracking stone echoing through the air. Despite Gruul’s formidable strength and size, Val’s agility and combat skills were proving to be a formidable match.
Gruul roared as its aura burst forth like a natural disaster. The darkness surrounding Gruul moved with a will of its own, smashing towards Val with an unexpected ferocity. Val had never anticipated that Gruul could use its aura as a weapon, and thus, he was caught off guard, unable to move out of its way, despite being faster than level 4 bloodline users.
However, he used all his strength and wizardry to parry the attack with his sword and soul power, but the force behind the attack was so overwhelming that the defenses he put up were torn apart in a second and he was once again sent flying.
As Gruul’s overwhelming attack sent him flying, Val called upon his Blood Manipulation skill. In an instant, a cushioning hover made of coalesced blood formed beneath him, arresting his fall. One of Val’s greatest strength was his ability to adapt quickly, and at this moment, it was on full diaplay.
A thud sounded as the hover crashed into the skeleton-littered ground, sending bone fragments scattering in all directions.
Despite the chaotic scene, Val’s landing was surprisingly soft, the blood hover absorbing the brunt of the impact.
Then, Val dissipated the hover and sprang back onto his feet.
Looking at Gruul, he said, “Do you still think I was making an excuse?”
Gruul paused, its red eyes fixed on Val. This young man had indeed surpassed its expectation. With its wealth of experience and extremely sturdy body, even though it had decreased its power level to match Val’s, it was still a surprise to see that Val had managed to hold out against it for so long.
After a moment of silence, it spoke, “I admit I had been hasty in my judgment and underestimated you. You are stronger than I gave you credit for. But don’t think this changes anything about the end result of our battle. You’re solely mistaken if you do. I’ll be taking you seriously from now on.”
Val watched as a shadow separated from Gruul and rose from the ground. It transformed into an exact replica of Gruul, doubling the threat Val faced.
Val’s eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the two Gruuls.
He had been using this fight as a means to train and temper himself, holding back his full strength. However, he dare not deny that it had been challenging enough to take on one Gruul. But now that there were two, he had no choice but to go all out. He was determined to show the guardian of the shrine his true power.
“I’ve been holding back,” Val declared, his voice echoing through the shrine. “But now, I won’t. Don’t hold me accountable for the pain you’re about to suffer, Gruul. You’ve brought this upon yourself.”
Gruul, unfazed by Val’s warning, simply shrugged. “We’ll see,” it rumbled, its voice filled with a confidence that matched Val’s.
With that, Gruul and its clone charged towards Val.
