501 Chapter 501: Demigods (2/2)

Black versus gold. Black and white against black. Even as we continued to trade ferocious blows, our duel leaving more scars in the earth and reshaping the already devastated terrain further. My arms were growing numb, even when imbued with demigod strength, but I grimly soldiered on, enduring the onslaught and giving as much as I received.

For now, we were locked in a stalemate, neither of us able to gain the upper hand in our clash. I wasn't sure if this would be a good idea, considering that I would run out of mana soon. Hercules was a very energy-consuming technique and I had no idea just how deep the Black Swordsman's reserves ran.

I had no choice but to take a gamble, to break the current stalemate.

Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward, slicing at him. The Black Swordsman – being the superlative warrior that he was – couldn't fail to see the tiny gap in my defenses. He twirled his sword around and locked my arms, managing to pry Bai Ri from the grip of my left hand. The white sword spun wildly in the air, and I desperately tried to strike with Hei Yue before he could pull his sword back. However, he managed to deflect my black blade before reversing his grip on his sword and thrusting it at me.

Instead of avoiding it, I went straight and allowed him to stab me with his sword. At first, the obsidian blade met rsistance, its sharp, lethal tip slamming into my golden armor and stopping for just a moment.

However, it would not be denied. My Herculean armor buckled and the blade pierced through the divine metal to puncture my shoulder. I felt a surge of burning pain, and blood trickling down my chest and arm, but continued onward. After all, I had already anticipated for this. That was why I shifted just subtly to ensure that his blade wouldn't go through a vital organ or something.

”!!”

The Black Swordsman realized that something was amiss, but it was too late. Before he could pull his sword out from my shoulder, I swung my left arm about and clobbered his face with the heavy gauntlet that wreathed my fist. I felt metal crack and give way beneath my armored fist before the Black Swordsman was hurled back with immense force. Even his sword somehow slipped from my shoulder, and I staggered back amidst a spray of blood.

Damn it, that hurt! But my gamble had paid off. I had suffered a severe injury in order to deliver one to my opponent. Yeah, my shoulder was stinging, but I had finally broken the deadlock and hopefully shifted the balance a little.

The Black Swordsman slowly rose to his feet, clutching at his face. My punch had shattered his visor and dented his helm, which fell apart to reveal his features. Short dark hair that was closely-cropped to his scalp complemented the black stubble that covered an angular jaw. Furious red eyes stared out from a handsome face, his tanned features marked by a trickle of blood where the shattered helm had broken skin. Oh, he was also bleeding from his nose as well. I had socked him real good.

”Heh.” I grinned, even as I stemmed the bleeding in my shoulder by freezing the wound. Reaching up, I grabbed Bai Ri as it finally descended from the air, and tested her with a swing of my left hand. Turning back to my opponent, I smirked. ”So I finally get to see your face.”

Wiping the blood from his nose, the Black Swordsman spat vengefully as he raised his sword and pointed it at me.

”It'll be the last thing you'll ever see,” he promised.

I narrowed my eyes. Despite taking quite the severe injury, I wasn't able to leave any lasting damage in return. The worst wound that my opponent appeared to be his bruised ego.

With a snarl, he charged forward, and I barely parried his obsidian sword with my crossed Hei Yue and Bai Ri. The wound in my right shoulder turned out to be debilitating and I felt my defense slipping. Spinning around, the Black Swordsman kicked me under my guard before I could respond in time, and this time I was the one sent hurtling several meters backward.

I hit the ground and bounced off, but I flipped myself about to land in a crouching position. Straightening up, I saw the Black Swordsman preparing another big attack. Black mana pulsed from his word and he launched it at me.

”!!!”

Summoning Scutum Sobiescianum, I muttered a quick incantation under my breath.

”I am the soul of my sword.”

A few seconds later, my Constellation shield disintegrated, and the overwhelming wave of black mana swept toward me. Opening my eyes, I finished my intonation and brought my greatest defense to being.

”Snow Aegis!”

The devastating tsunami crashed against my snowflake-shaped shield, and for a moment its rampage was halted. The black mana devoured the surrounding soil, deforming the already hideous crater further, and turning rock into molten magma.

But it wasn't enough. The shockwaves blasted me off my feet and I was sent tumbling a few feet away from my gradually crumbling shield. Even as the Black Swordsman's attack slowly dispersed, my Snow Aegis disappeared completely.

And then the Black Swordsman dashed through the still fading shield and swung his obsidian sword to finish me off. I barely brought Hei Yue and Bai Ri up to fend off his strike, and the ground once again ruptured from the impact.

”Guh!”

I could see cracks appearing over my Herculean armor, and with a last spurt of strength, I swatted him away. My opponent spun about to kick me again, but I was ready this time, able to block his foot with an armored forearm.

Once again, the armor cracked and the strength behind his kick was so great that I was sent skidding a couple of meters away. Huffing, I lashed out with my swords, but the Black Swordsman managed to deflect them before hammering the pommel of his sword against my chest and causing me to cough out blood. Staggering backward, I somehow blocked his next attack, but another black burst of destructive energy erupted, throwing me several meters away.

”You've been a formidable opponent, but it's over.”

The Black Swordsman looked almost gleeful as he jumped over to finish me off. Before his sword could reach me, however, a crimson lance streaked through the air. Twisting in midair, the Black Swordsman parried the blow, but found himself thrown back. Landing on his feet, he continued to skid backward from the momentum of the attack he had just blocked.

”Who?!” he snarled. The answer landed beside me, twirling that familiar demonic red spear of his. My eyes widened when I recognized his figure.

”Craig? What are you doing here?”

Craig Carlson grinned at me as he lowered his spear in an attacking stance and got ready for the fight ahead.

”I'm here as reinforcements, of course.”

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