Chapter 235: Preparation

Point-of-View: Fuo Wesroh

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"Okay, now that every is here, let's discuss how to go about training. It is important that we all get used to our powers and get stronger, strong enough to successfully repel the upcoming attack even if Kuro doesn't regain consciousness," Remarked Ekai objectively. 

We had gathered in one of the training facilities in the Rustlands, and had booked a large training room. Besides myself and Ekai, there was Rex, Azeria, Rion, Prato, Lusk, Siert, Persia, Rai, Key and Azyl. That was most of the S-Ranks, the strongest of us, along with a few A-Ranks. 

"Alright, I'm raring to go, let's all get ripped!" Declared Rion with a grin, pumping his fists together. 

"So, what kind of training will we be doing?" Inquired Key curiously. 

"Since we will likely have to do a lot of fighting when the enemy's attack arrives, I thought we should work on our combat skills. Therefore, using the safety barriers, we'll duel each other. And not just in pairs, we will also have match-ups like one against two and two against three, to prepare ourselves to fight while outnumbered," Explained Ekai, "Is that okay with everyone?" 

"Yeah, sounds good, let's do this thing!" Exclaimed Rai affirmatively. 

"I'm all for it too," Chimed in Rex, as the others voiced their agreement as well. 

With no objections voiced, we then began forming the match-ups, which didn't take too long. This training room was more than big enough for two safety barriers at the same time, and we could let loose as we pleased, since the walls of the room were protected by a defensive barrier, one that was strong enough to withstand a heavy amount of force. 

Anyway, it didn't take too long to begin, we'd be having two fights simultaneously in two separate safety barriers, and I was going to be involved in one of the first round duels. Specifically it was me versus Prato and Lusk. The two of them were probably the strongest of the new young Adventurers, but I should be able to take them on in my normal form. 

After I pulled off the reverse Demonic possession a couple of days ago, my strength and speed in my normal state was about double what it used to be. Though it was kinda annoying that I had this horn on the left side of my head at all times...it made sleeping really difficult. I usually sleep on my left side, but now I was forced to have to sleep on my right...it sucked. 

Also, my fingernails turning into sharp, tough black claws was inconvenient too, it made eating with a spoon or fork difficult, holding utensils was a bit tricky...I tried trimming them off, but they grew back within a day. And they're so tough that they damaged the nail clippers I used, so I can't exactly cut them everyday. I suppose I'll get used to it, but for now, it was very annoying. 

Anyway, I then entered the safety barrier along with my two opponents, extending my bow out as Ekai activated the barrier. Should I form some artificial moonlight? No, not yet, I'll test out just how strong I am without any boosts first, and then use my boosts if it becomes necessary... 

"Alright, you two, I'll let you make the first move," I remarked, as I drew back my bowstring and formed an ice arrow. 

"Very well," Replied Lusk, using his tentacles to draw out his eight daggers. 

"O-okay," Added Prato, taking his new weapon into his hands, a short spear. 

They then split up and shot towards me from either side, their weapons poised to strike. I swiftly formed and fired a couple of ice arrows up in the air at slight angles, before rapidly following them up with two more arrows, with flat ends. The second pair of arrows hit the first two and deflected them downwards at angled trajectories, straight towards each of them. 

Lusk deflected the arrow aimed at him, using two of his daggers to knock it away, shattering it as it hit the ground, before firing a couple of water bullets at me. I dodged his attack, right as Prato evaded the arrow aimed at him and countered with an intense heat beam. I quickly ducked backwards to narrowly avoid it, and then swiftly raised myself back up, my fists clenched as they started to close in on me. 

As they both got within five meters of me, I swiftly pointed my palms out at each of them...the instant after I fired those arrows, I began charging up solar energy into my hands, there was a small window in this room for ventilation, and sunlight was streaming in through it...time to fire, take this, Solar Beam! 

I fired from both hands simultaneously, towards each of them. Lusk quickly sent one of his tentacles off to the side, stuck it to the ground with the suction cups and then pulled himself out of the way of my attack, just barely evading it. Prato sprang back and fired out a heat beam to counter my attack, clashing against it...and cutting right through it. Woah, not good! 

I swiftly ceased my attack and dropped to the ground, narrowly ducking under his piercing beam of heat, which went on and scorched a hole through the barrier wall, which quickly repaired itself. Lusk then fired a barrage of water bullets at me, while Prato fired out short but sharp bursts of his compressed flames at me. 

A couple of Lusk's projectiles grazed my neck and hand, while one of Prato's beams brushed past my armor above my left shoulder...that was way too close. Maybe it's time to transform...as they shot towards me, I entered Demonic Vampire Mode, my third eye opening as the horn on the left side of my head grew longer and curved a bit more, and my wings and tail growing out. 

They had closed in on me as I transformed, Lusk swinging a couple of daggers at me from in front and Prato driving his spear towards me from behind. I need to time this perfectly, or I'll be in trouble...I evaded one of Lusk's daggers and then caught the other one while grabbing the blade of Prato's spear at the same time, and simultaneously activating my Alchemic Magic, visualizing the metal growing more brittle... 

They then shattered as I activated it, just in time. Yes, it worked! Time to end this. Before either of them could evade or get some distance, I used the Levitate Cross to grab a piece of broken metal from the ground and then rapidly zipped it towards Prato's head before he could react, the barrier teleporting him out before it could strike. 

I then swiftly spun around and met Lusk's gaze before he could get away, and activated my Nightmare Gaze Cross, making him freeze as he got ensnared in my illusion. I then fired an ice arrow at him, teleporting him out. I then quickly released the Cross, freeing him from its effects. Whew, that was closer than I thought it'd be, these two aren't half-bad. 

"Um, did you have to break my spear? I just bought it," Said Prato with a crestfallen look on his. 

"Oops...I'm sorry," I replied sheepishly. 

Hm, I got grazed by their attacks a few time, but overall, not bad, that went pretty well, I'd say...wonder how the other fight is going... 

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Point-of-View: Rion Xester

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"Alright, dude, let's do this!" I remarked with a grin, pounding my fists together. 

"Right...heh, don't hold me back, man," Responded Rex jokingly, whom I was paired up with, the two of us were in a two versus three match-up, with the three being Rai, Key and Persia. 

"Hey, just cuz you got yourself a fancy new form doesn't mean that you can underestimate me, yo!" I protested indignantly, "Well, anyway, I guess we should start, huh?" 

"You guys ready?" Called out Rai. 

"Yup, ready when you are!" Responded Rex, as he transformed, revealing his True Anima Mode. 

His face grew out as the skin all over his body turned leathery and tough, his limbs growing stronger and more limber. His arms and legs had already been very dinosaur-y, but now, he was basically a humanoid dinosaur with clothes and hair...his face straight up looked like a velociraptor. 

Also, he was fighting without guns for once...apparently, his rifles got destroyed. Damn, gotta say, he looks sick right now...too bad Adventurers in this world don't have codenames, his would totally be Jurassic Park! Ooh, I should suggest that-...no, never mind, I don't feel like it... 

"Alright, then, here we come!" Exclaimed Persia, starting the fight. 

She transformed and shot towards Rex, jetblack fur with red streaks sprouting all over her body as wings grew out of her back, while Rai and Key shot towards me. Persia reached Rex first, slashing at him with her claws a couple of times, which he evaded, before she swiftly sprang back and fired out a crimson wind-enhanced fireball from her mouth. 

Rex swiftly flew up to evade it and swooped down on her, extending his claws with ice and slashing at her, which she dodged, but it grazed her cheek. She fired out a blast of wind from her mouth, which he evaded with a quick downward flap of his wings, going up. She then swiftly backed away and got some distance. Looks like he has the advantage. 

I then sprang away as Rai leapt up in front of me and swung his scythe down at me, before firing out black flames from my hands at him. The blade of his scythe struck the ground, he balanced himself on the end of the handle and sprang up and forward in a flip, just in time to jump over my fireball. I noticed that Key was charging up flames into her sword at an alarming rate, orange fur sprouting on her hands and forearms. 

Uh-oh, I'm in trouble if she gets to unleash that on me...I should keep my distance from her and try to take down Rai as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Rex was battling Persia in the air now, and he definitely had the upper hand...she was putting up a good fight, but he was a bit faster and stronger than her. 

He then swung himself up and across, slamming a downward kick onto her, she quickly crossed her arms defensively, and as his heel connected, she got sent zipping straight down towards the ground rapidly, but managed to avoid crashing onto the ground by swiftly spreading out her wings and simultaneously firing Propulsion straight down below her, halting her descent. 

She then landed on her feet, showing no signs that she was going to fly up again. Rex extended the raptor claws on his feet using ice, before rapidly swooping down towards her, faster than she could evade...looks like that fight is over, and it's Rex's vict-. 

"Now, then...Accelerate!" Exclaimed Persia, before suddenly vanishing right as he reached her and swung one of his hooked claws at where her neck had been, missing entirely. 

"What the-!?" He began, before being interrupted as she reappeared and slammed her fist onto the side of his face, sending him flying away, skidding along the ground and crashing onto the wall of the barrier with a gasp of pain. 

"Uh...sorry! I thought that'd teleport you out!" She apologized sheepishly, before swiftly flying up, forming a rapidly spinning sphere of wind in her hand and swooping down towards Rex rapidly, too fast for me to follow. 

The next thing I knew, Rex was outside the barrier, and she was still in. Crap, now it's three against one, and if she attacks me with that speed, I won't even be able to react, let alone counter...I think I'll just try to teleport at least one of them out. 

Rai was the closest to me, I had continued to keep my distance from Key, and Persia was a bit far too. I then shot towards Rai, black flames swirling around my fists...Key won't be able to fire her attack if he's ahead of me, and I should be able to reach him before Persia can reach me, even with her full speed. 

"Sorry, bro, but I'm gonna take you out!" I exclaimed, as I closed in. 

He didn't move, instead grinning and holding up a Spell Card. What's that... 

"Sorry, but this is checkmate...heh, I've always wanted to say that!" He remarked gleefully. 

Suddenly, he vanished, and in his place...Key appeared, the air around her shimmering violently, as intense heat flowed out from her flaming sword. They switched places...I'm screwed... 

"Take this, Blazing Slash!" 

Crap...looks like I lose... 

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