353 Village –

Dopamine flooded Asai's brain as he could hardly believe what he saw.

[Xian Par'Talucca: Lvl 90]

Self proclaimed king of Par'Talucca, stoically stood among his royal guard who averaged around level 60-70. 

"The head of the enemy kingdom is here, kill the bastard and his armies lose their commander!"

As Asai inspected his get up. And as further observed the man, something didn't add up. The man was covered from head to toe in crimson red armour, even going as far as wearing a red Yokai mask that hid his face entirely.

"W-why can I see his name if his face is hidden!?"

Performing a quick double take, he shot his glance over the dhans.

[??: Lvl 58]  [??: Lvl 61]  [??: Lvl 60]  [??: Lvl 68]  [??: Lvl 65]  [??: Lvl 67]  [??: Lvl 58]  

[Xian Par'Talucca: Lvl 90]

"Is Craut interfering? Exposing his own chess piece? Fuck it, I don't care. Killing him takes priority, kill him and that's one enemy kingdom down!"

...

The duke sneaked past Xian's bodyguards, leaving both Miku and Mizumi behind as their levels weren't high enough to utilize stealth.

[Mizumi: Lvl 75]

[HP: 100 MP:120]

[Skills unlocked:]

[Hide]

Able to Vanish from players or monsters that are up to 10 levels higher.

[Miku: Lvl 78]

[HP: 100 MP:100]

[Skills unlocked:]

[Hide]

Able to Vanish from players or monsters that are up to 10 levels higher.

The two girls remained out of sight, hiding themselves amongst enemies.

Asai, sneaked into the encirclement alone, tread carefully as he drew [Yomi] out, wholly intent on giving the king of dhans a quick death.

Alas, Xian's gaze shot over to Asai's proximity. A certain memory resurfaced within his mind as he threw [Knife Throw] towards his face. "This fucker is just like Arthur, him and his bullshit intuition!"

[Summon Skeleton]

[Sealing Square] 

[Phantom Menace]

[Death Call] !

In a sequence of skills, highly defensive skeletons emerged out of the shadows of the dhans themselves. Quickly causing havoc amongst their ranks, as Miku, Mimi and Mizumi quickly began their own assault. Joining the chaotic and extremely messy melee as both sides utilized stealth.

As for the king himself, he was trapped within the duke's [Sealing Square] The red arena, isolating the two men from any outside intervention. As the red ring emerged, however, it was soon dominated and overwritten by the heavens above as it became black and strengthened greatly. Reminding Asai of his bridge fight against Arthur.

[Death Call] Asai felt the skill consume his mana, but there was no reaction from Xian at all. The man seemingly pleased.

"So you are the so called duke of war? Nice of you to deliver yourself to me." The blades upon his katars stretched out of their slots, appearing almost like claws of a beast. "Tell me, where is my princess?"

"Princess? You mean Kozumi and Mizumi?" Taking the moment to switch [Yomi & Yami] out for [Ruin] as the two small fangs were simply outmatched in both lethality and reach.

Xian nodded in confirmation as his weapons began to slather and drip in a viscous green poisonous liquid.

"[Invenom]?"

To answer the dhan, Asai gave the man his middle-finger in response. Upon it, was [Kozumi's Ring] 

The man, clearly aware of the implications of him, being able to wear the piece immediately launched himself forward. His two katars struck, sending forth a sharp X blade strike.

Rather than test his defensive ability, Asai dodged, throwing himself to the side before summoning his clones, who immediately threw themselves at their target. Both distracting him, and annoying him as he quickly severed their necks only to find them immediately replaced.

Displeasure was clear upon Xian's face, as he tasted his own medicine of pointlessly killing summons.

"You think this is enough to defeat me? Human, you're clear-"

[Psychic Phantom] !

To shut the man up, Asai slammed his sharpened divinity through one of his phantom's torso, who had blocked the man's visual. The golden radiance struck Xian directly upon the chest, causing the man to stagger back as he bit upon his own tongue from talking too much.

And as much as Asai wanted to vocally assault him, he chose to keep quiet, hoping the man would continue to carelessly talk over fighting.

"Controlling your stamina and breathing in a fight is a must. This amateur..."

Xian Par'Talucca, glanced down to inspect the scars upon his chest armour. Whilst the physical aspect of the attack didn't manage to penetrate the defensive gear, the magical did at least phase through, reducing his HP. With multiple passives amplifying the damage, even if it was barely a scratch, the pain greatly annoyed the dhan who entered [Hide]

"Fuck, I hate it when they use stealth against me."

Divinity flourished through his limbs and converged upon his blade, [Ruin] now within its sheath, raged and raged within.

Two Xian's emerged out of stealth performing tornado kicks. Funnelling his [Psychic Phantom] not through his katars but the steel tips upon his legs. Two dazzling lines of sharp mana cleaved the area before him.

[Decimate: Full Moon]!

Not leaving things to fate, and not knowing where the attack was going to come from. Asai had opted to spreading his energies rather than conserving. The weaker 360 bloom managed to clash and erupt against the foreign mana, but before the human could regain his posture, Both Xian emerged through the flash of mana and landed blows upon both his front and back.

The two katars filled with [Invenom] immediately sent pulses of electricity, attacking and disrupting his nerves as he threw himself to safety. The two Xians spoke in unison, assured of their victory as they both gazed down upon the man covered in dirt and blood.

"Honestly, at first I thought Kozumi had chosen you over me, but the more strikes we exchange, the more clear it is to me that you forced yourself upon her. For my future queen, and mother of my children. I will feed you to the dogs!"

Whilst the dhan decided to gloat and relish in his apparent victory. Asai flushed his system out with a quick pulse of divinity. With Loha, Craut and Silva's blessings flowing through his body, reinforcing his heart and the very blood cells that courses through him. The foreign element was immediately purged. However, Asai kept this fact hidden to himself, as he continued to pant, struggle and act effected.

"Fuck me! I'm half-dhan, half-human. I always thought it gave me advantages over everyone else, but fighting someone who's pure-dhan and literally the core of their race is fucking wild. Whatever Avenger skills I can use, he can use it too but better."

The duke of war erupted from the floor, flying towards the king with blade in hand. Quick to engage in a duel of swordsmanship. Xian, greatly delighted in seeing his enemy regain his fervour for battle, released his clone as well as dropped his katars as they disappeared, returning to his [Storage]

Within that split second of decision making, two beautifully sculpted katanas appeared within his hands. In which he easily parried the duke's strike before landing a cut of his own upon his thigh.

Rather than stagger back, or increasing their distance. Asai willed himself into a battle of skill. Utilizing the swordsmanship from the school of De Lumix, his divinity now flourished and bloomed at pin perfect timings. Launching powerful critical attacks that placed the two on equal footing.

[Deadly Blow]

200% of user's [Agility] damage bonus upon a successful critical attack.

Came into play with each and every critical. Even the weakest parry or block, when timed perfectly with divinity, sent Xian's sword away, threatening to leave his grip as the man now began to take the duke seriously.

The two men, both unwilling and unyielding in proving themselves better than the other. Continued to assault and slice up the other. Whilst Asai soon found his arms, chest and legs covered in cuts that covered his body in blood, Xian had taken the brunt of his attacks upon only his arms.

Excitement, pride, honour, glory, adrenaline and dopamine flooding their souls. The two finally backed away from one and another. Whilst pain and bloodless struck Xian's spirit and will. Asai managed to maintain his conscious only thanks to [Masochist] [Endurance] and [Mental Fortitude]

Seeing Xian's arms slump, as both katanas fell before fading back into his [Storage] Asai De Trichia believed himself the victor. That was, until he tried to take a single step forward only to find that he couldn't.

He willed his arms into motion, only to find them barely swing as they two, struggled to hold onto [Ruin]

Xian, who was equally observing his foe was quick on the intake. His previous smirk returned as he casually walked around Asai. Teasing the water, ensuring that this wasn't another act and that he was indeed crippled.

"Duke of the humans. Is that all that you amount to?" Xian skipped a little, jogged a little. Teasing his mobility as if he was about to perform another tornado kick. "This guy probably has enough energy to strike once more. If I can bait that out, it's my victory for sure!"

"What's wrong duke, kobold's got your tongue?" 

Asai gazed into his sinister eyes, that were filled with certain victory.

"My name is Asai De Trichia. The humans call me hero, the sword of humanity, the duke of war. The beasts call me [Monster] and I have every intention of personally showing you why. Believe me when I say this, self-proclaimed king of the dhans. Mark my fucking words, if I am to enter through the gates of hell upon this day. You can be damn sure I'll be taking you with me!"

As a last ditch hail-Mary. Asai's [Yokai Mask] appeared upon his face. Amplifying his bloodlust, killing intent and conviction to butcher the man before him. The man had been a thorn in his side for too long. Every assassination ambush, attack, night raid upon the people he cared for. All of it, originated from this scum of a being who usurped the throne from his own father.

Asai's divinity rampaged within his heart as he no longer tried to control the mask. Allowing it to devour his mind as he became the living embodiment of a psychopathic-murderer. Seeking blood and combat for joy, to reap lives as if it was but a blood-sport.

Black goat horns erupted through his skull, abyssally black bat wings materialized upon his back. A golden halo appeared above his head, before quickly shattering as it was filled with corruption. the duke's [Divinity] element fell into ruination, converting into [Chaos]

King Xian Par'Talluca wanted to attack, wanted to will his body into a [Psychic Phantom] but no matter how much he internally screamed, his legs refused to answer his call. He helplessly gazed on at the human who now appeared a demon. The chaotic energy that coursed through his limbs and horns. Black abyssal mists that sparked and lashed out as if it was lightning. The gloriously black wings that appeared beautifully solemn. A gentle slumber, as if death itself rested within the darkness of his wings.

The human roared as the skin upon his cheeks ripped. His muscles tore as he no longer moved as a human, but with only chaos. His black empty eyes gazed into his, as cold sweat flooded his back. Crimson red tears fell from under the mask, whilst his blood vessells erupted from within.

"XIANNNNNNNNNNN!" 

The human launched himself forward at a speed faster than light, his inhuman claws tore through both armour and ribcage, stealing the king's still beating heart before consuming it.

Xian Par'Talucca fell upon his knees as his brain no longer received oxygen. Surprise, confusion and regret struck his mind as his life's choices flashed through his mind. Within the dying moments of a monarch, a king-slayer and a kin-slayer. Xian could only muster the energy to utter a single word.

"Monster."

kophzi

Mentioned many chapters ago, and hardly picked up upon.

Dhan is the race, Avenger is the class similar to:

Human is the race, Templar is the class the paladins learn. Whilst Guardian is Rosemi's class.

Half-Elf race, Ranger/Scout are the classes Chloe/Robin learns. etc

Writing this here, because this information hardly ever comes up. Not with the information net.