Chapter 345 - Zeno Tressa

"I guess it's common courtesy to introduce myself if I already know who you are, isn't it? How exhausting. I'm Zeno Tressa, the Marquis of Death." 

...Marquis...of Death? Ren thought. 

"As for what I want from you…? Beats me; I don't really care about that stuff. I'm just following my orders. Make this easier for the both of us, would you? I'd hate for this to become too exhausting." 

As Zeno spoke those last words, his orange irises honed with a glimpse of bloodlust onto Ren. Before any answer could be given, the stationary beast standing before Ren was suddenly flung back by a sudden blow--catching both Ren and the new Marquis off-guard. 

"Jae-Seong?!"

"You handle that guy, I'll handle this monster! Go!" 

Jae-Seong didn't waste any time; rushing over while Wrath was still dazed by the unseen hit as he continued with a flurry of blows. 

Recognizing this moment, Ren rose back to his feet as he charged the exhausted Marquis with his blade out. 

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh? That's Purgatory for you! This is why I came here...this is what a true battle is; unfair, unrelenting--I have to continue, He thought. 

Reaching the Marquis half a head shorter than himself, he attempted to catch his flesh with his steel, but it was a task easier said than done as Zeno managed to maneuver his way out from the blade's edge. 

Despite his looks, he's agile! Ren thought. 

How exhausting. I brought Wrath with me so I wouldn't have to fight our target; I can't kill him-- I'll have to play things a bit differently than normal--how exhausting, Zeno thought. 

"Are you hard of hearing or something? I said we don't have to fight. You're exhausted too, aren't you?" 

Speaking calmly while swiftly evading each strike of viscous steel towards him, leaning back, bending forward, the Marquis of Death kept his orange, spiral eyes on the young man who desperately tried to cut him. 

Going in for a deep, overhead strike as he caught Zeno in a monetary pause, even that perfect slash was evaded by a sidestep that could be missed with a blink. 

"Hotheads like you are truly exhausting."

--Zeno's words came with a swift, small strike of his closed fist, aimed directly at Ren's elbow joint. 

Just from the minuscule strike, he gasped as his arm fell limp, stumbling forward as he lost all momentum. Falling to the ground in a less than inspiring set of steps, he dropped Belus to the ground. 

He's completely different from the other guy...his movements are refined; he doesn't make any unnecessary movements. Not only that...he's strong; it feels like my heart is throbbing inside my elbow...it's burning up, swelling already...this guy is trouble, Ren thought. 

Looking to the side, he gathered his rigid breaths as he witnessed the skirmish between Jae-Seong and Wrath; it was a game of cat-and-mouse for the most part--playing it safe, the much smaller figure landed a quick blow before the agile beast could retaliate. 

Still, it hardly looks like any of those blows are doing anything to it...this isn't looking good for us, Jae-Seong. I can't get a read on this guy, Ren thought. 

As Ren reached out to his blade, a boot planted itself down atop his hand--keeping him pinned down as he let out an anguished gasp. 

"I found an easy way to handle this without either of us having to do much work. I'll have Wrath torture your friend there until you agree to come with me." 

"No…!"

Trying to contest this threat from the Marquis, Ren's yell was replaced by a howl of pain as the black, leather sole of Zeno's boot pressed down harder on his hand. 

"Did you hear that Wrath? Play with your food." 

--Giving this order to the bloodthirsty beast, Zeno's words coaxed Wrath into a greater rampage as it swiftly dispatched a blow directly against Jae-Seong's face, slamming the man down into a newly formed crater amongst the vanilla pasture. 

"Jae-Seong!" 

Ren's yells could reach nothing as the Marquis of Death kneeled down, gripping the young man's snowy tufts--forcing his gaze to witness the sight. 

"This is happening because of your stubbornness; if you weren't so exhausting, your friend wouldn't have to go through this. Think about how your actions affect others, Ren Nakamura." 

--Zeno's words were second to Ren's senses as he watched harrowingly as Wrath stepped over the laid out man, who now sat in a puddle of his own blood. 

Flooding out from his shattered nose, crimson poured from Jae-Seong's nostrils as he coughed out the same essence. The singular, powerful strike from Wrath's fist split his chin open and crushed his nose. 

Get up, Jae-Seong…! Ren thought. 

"Ah...I feel like I'm being underestimated today." 

The words came so casually from Jae-Seong that they almost didn't register to the ears of Ren; by this point, the man should've been long unconscious, let alone speak with such a nonchalant tone. 

Standing himself up, Jae-Seong's curly, messy locks obscured his eyes as they had been stained with blood; grabbing his broken nose, he turned it to the side before exhaling blood. Still hanging around his neck, his silver chain necklace jingled by the brush of a passing wind. 

"Maybe I should introduce myself properly for once: I'm the Fifth Heavenly King of Lucrauv, Jae-Seong Choi. And right now, I'm pissed off." 

Looking at the man who was promptly covered in his own blood, scaled with bruises as his shirt was long since destroyed by Wrath's power, Ren was left perplexed by something. 

I can't figure it out...but something is different with him. This aura--I can hardly breathe; it's so damn thick and potent...it kind of reminds me of...Sirius, Ren thought. 

"What're you waiting for?! Kill him, Wrath!" 

--Zeno commanded the Beast of SIn with an unheard sense of urgency, recognizing the difference in aura hanging around the risen man. 

Roaring out as saliva trailed from its maw, Wrath threw its entire weight into its fist as it reared it back before propelling it towards Jae-Seong. 

In one moment, Ren witnessed the bloodlusted beast going in for a brutal punch. In the next moment, it was the beast that was laid out in the ground, slammed into a new, deeper crater formed in the ivory pasture as a shockwave caused the endless blades of grass to dance in fear. 

"Huh…?"

Ren was utterly baffled by the power displayed by his companion, looking upon Jae-Seong's bloodied, muscular back. 

Looking at his fist covered in both dry and fresh blood, Jae-Seong let out a heavy breath. 

It only comes out when I'm pushed this far; what a curse my ability is...once my comrades have fallen, what does it matter? "Destruction Rendezvous": I can convert my pain, injuries, and emotions into power. Not only that, the air magic I use to lace my fists with becomes volatile--resulting in explosive power, Jae-Seong thought. 

"And right now...I've never been this pissed off!"

Yelling out with a ferocity surprising to Ren, Jae-Seong slammed his foot down atop Wrath's back, shattering the surrounding field as it crumbled and caved in beneath his overwhelming strength. 

What am I doing…?! I'm not done yet either! Ren thought. 

Invoking the concept of "moving without stepping", and inhabiting darkness, he evoked a wordless Shadow Step--escaping from the Marquis' hold as he was now directly behind him. It was listening to the tide-turned battle between Jae-Seong and Wrath that filled him with such determination. 

"Forgot your sword." 

Zeno mocked the young man calmly as he pointed at the longsword that lay in the dirt; however, that was just what Ren had hoped for. 

I still have this! Ren thought. 

Retrieving his dagger from his belt, he slashed the Marquis' throat without any hesitation--leaving a surprised look present in the tired Marquis' eyes as the new cut parted, causing abundant, black blood to pour out from Zeno's neck. 

'...I did it."

Ren huffed, retrieving Belus as he carefully stepped around the Marquis who sat on his knees while blood poured down from his split neck. 

"How exhausting."

--Without missing a beat, Zeno casually grabbed his chin as well as the bottom of his neck, pressing them together as the gaping wound stretching across his neck sealed shut seamlessly. 

"What the-- how?!"

Ren jumped back, pointing Belus towards the mystifying Marquis who returned to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his wrinkle-free garments. Standing before the man who should belong in the afterlife, Ren fell still at the nauseating aura of dense death hanging around the Marquis. 

He's a monster. Something like this shouldn't exist, he thought. 

"Did you think death could ensnare me? I am the Marquis of Death, after all."

Speaking calmly, Zeno didn't hold any present hostility, staring at Ren while Wrath was flung to and from by Jae-Seong's awakened strength--being slammed into the dirt, pummeled over and over without any counter. 

Letting out an annoyed sigh, the Marquis finally spoke, "Stop, Wrath.. We're retreating."