Chapter 45 - Sweet Misery

Rodriguez the full impact on his gut, the whole library trembled with the shockwave the impact Aaris landed, but Rodriguez didn't flinch.

"Quite powerful for physical strengthening but you still aren't aware of many things kid, but I have to say that hurt."

-- Rodriguez - POV --

Hmm, the mana he's radiating and I felt isn't normal but it looks like he is suffering more pain than he intended to deliver.

I should put him into ease then,

'Well then it's my turn'

[ CANCEL ]

This spell will help him to stop & nullify the mana circulation & strain, though it will be a little rough on him.

Hehe, 

"So boy you thought you could one-shot me? Don't get too cocky now, since all of your mana is drained you should-"

***

Aaris repeated the same technique for the left hand & hit me again in the same spot, the impact now was more than before pushed Rodriguez on his feet. But still, he stood tall. 

-- Aaris - POV --

The pain is gone! But I can't feel any mana body, did he just nullify my whole mana? but it can't be!

Was it a Negation Spell? But I can again feel my mana pulsing in my body, if it was my mana would've been gone for good for hours.

But I can fight again, so maybe it was something else?

"Woah,  you surprised me there, you still have some mana left inside you? care to share how? Well it doesn't matter much"

He grabbed my wrist again in a flash and this time with a strong palm on my gut he used the same spell again. 

"[ CANCEL ]"

"Now you won't be able to use mana, you should acknowledge the power-gap between us and respect it, Now take a good rest-"

'I am not done yet!'

The same spell again, it nullifies my mana but it's temporary, finally, the peculiar nature of mana is coming in handy!

Every time he uses the spell the pain vanishes and I could concentrate more mana every time. But his agility is far greater than mine though mine is increasing too. So maybe there is a chance I can defeat him!

"You've got to be kidding me!"

Again lacing my fist I charged at him again.

"Looks like I don't need to hold back against you but before we start again, something is troubling me."

He crossed his legs and scratched his chin, tilting his head, he unleashed his aura again.

'What?'

"Why did you lie to me about having no mana since birth? Let me tell you one thing kid I don't like liars"

'I never lied about anything, whatever I told you was the truth, what are you talking about? I never had any mana from the start but the time I opened my eyes again, I was able to feel it, though it is very different from what others call mana, at first whenever I tried to use it insufferable pain riddled my body and I passed out each time, I wasn't able to pull off any spell even of beginners level.'

"I don't believe you, very well come at me"

And I charged at him again, he isn't moving or dodging attacks as always this time I'll go for the jaw if it's him he could withstand it.

***

Aaris's fist was an inch close to his face, the second he thought he would finally be able to win, Rodriguez leaned a bit backward and dodged it.

Rodriguez kicked his front foot and grabbed the back of his neck and pounded him on the floor & grappled him.

[ CANCEL ]

[ MIRROR CIRCULATION ]

****

-- Rodriguez - POV --

This spell will let me harness a bit of his mana, with this I can get an idea about his oddity.

What the fuck? What is this? The circulation was cut off as soon as I tried to pull it. 

It isn't mana that's for sure but then? How did I become so strong? How did he keep restoring his energy so fast? No matter how many times I canceled out the mana circulation, he kept getting back on his feet. I figured out that much but he doesn't use mana as spells but whatever he is using as mana that flows inside him, it doesn't follow the rules of nature I guess.

'So kid tell me, when you have no mana in the first place how do your punches pack such strength?'

'I told you! It's been like that since I've woken up in the temple. A weird sensation fills me up every time I try to pulsate my mana. It's painful but at the same time, I can bear it now and somehow I gain some strength. However, I can't use any sort of spell with this.'

''I see, so you told me you used the spell taught by your mother which links your soul to your target right? And then you linked your soul with that monster, what kind of monster was that?"

"A lost soul demon." 

'A LOST SOUL?'

What? How? 

"Yes!"

'But how isn't this a forbidden spell? And what was that demon doing in Esnair?'

''I don't know but when I was using the spell, I saw his memories of the demon, His name was,

Verdos-''

'Say that again!'

"Verdos, his name was Verdos, he was the leader of the demon army, and it was his army that he ate to become a lost soul."

'Nonsense demons take pride in their kin belief, it was a leader at that time we would never kill any of them!'

"That's right!  he was not the one who killed his but it was the Emperor of Hadel Demon Kingdom,

Emperor Yajin."

'But- huh… I see... kid, fate is one nasty bitch ain't it, the more you avoid the closer it comes, well then playtime is over.' I unhanded him.

''What?''

'Sorry kid nothing personal but a fight should always come to an end'

[ SWEET MISERY ]

"What did you-? I can't move & it hurts!" Aaris screamed in pain.