Chapter 222 Showing off

Chapter 222 Showing off

Pluck...

As soon as I tensed my muscles and pulled out the imaginary fang stuck in my chest, the world around me began to shimmer and blur.

The massive dunes and dark sand began to twist and contort into my apartment's room, making my head spin with disorientation.

"Ughhh..."

Grabbing the sheets of my bed, I quickly rolled to the side and let out a groan as I tried to steady myself.

A wave of nausea washed over me, threatening to make me vomit.

I closed my eyes and took slow, deep breaths, hoping to alleviate the dizzying sensation.

"I don't want to clean my floor..."

With slow movements, I began to stumble toward the bathroom, using the walls and furniture for support.

After reaching the bathroom, I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, hoping to refresh myself and regain some semblance of equilibrium

"..."

Looking at my reflection, I smirked, noticing my pale skin.

My eyes traveled down my face to my chest, where the wound left from the fang was.

Or at least was supposed to be.

But to my surprise, there was no wound.

My skin was smooth and unblemished as if there had never been a fang in the first place.

"Weird..."

Buttoning up my shirt, I brushed my hair back from my face and tried to shake off the strange experience.

Whatever, now, my mind was supposed to be strengthened at least.

"Should I go greet that bastard..."

Putting on a jacket, I smirked to myself.

Quickly, I tied my shoelaces and made my way toward the door, locking it behind me.

...

It didn't take long for me to reach the entrance of another dorm building.

Knock... Knock...

Soon, I stood before the apartment door of Oscar.

"Who's this?"

Opening the door, a young man with messy brown hair emerged, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

He was probably sleeping.

"Yo!"

Raising my hand, I greeted Oscar and stepped into his room before he could react.

!!!

My speed and abrupt entrance startled Oscar, causing him to stumble back.

"Did you become stronger once again!?"

Looking at me while pinching his nose, he closed the apartment door and took a seat on the sofa before me.

"What are you doing these days..."

Sighing, he threw a bottle of water toward me.

"Nothing much, exploring and fighting some monsters."

I fished the water bottle out of the air and caught it with a grin.

"What have you done throughout the week?"

Putting the bottle to my lips, I took a long sip, while looking at Oscar, who feigned annoyance.

"I was forced to shuffle through tons of paperwork my father gave me..."

Oscar weaved his wrist, acting as if it was broken.

"I can barely feel my hand.."

I looked at him with a smirk and threw him a sarcastic sympathetic look.

"Wanna go for a spar, you know, to warm up?"

A smile on my face grew and a smirk emerged on Oscar's face as he nodded in agreement.

"I haven't punched someone in a while..."

Spinning his shoulder to loosen up, Oscar stood up and stretched his arms.

"Of course, I agree..."

A spear materialized in his hand and Mana began to churn through his body.

"Let's go."

...

Soon, we both reached the training grounds and entered one of the Arenas designated for sparring.

There were barely a few people within the grounds since it was still the break between classes.

"You ready?"

Spinning his silver spear with confidence, Oscar locked gazes.

I looked at him for a second and summoned my Shadowy blade and armor.

"Yes..."

For a second we observed each other's stance before dashing forward.

Clank...

The clash of our weapons echoed in the empty arena as Oscar and I circled each other.

His silver spear gleamed under the arena lights, and my Shadowy blade flickered with an otherworldly energy. The air crackled with anticipation.

As we closed the distance, Oscar lunged with his spear, aiming for my midsection. I sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as the weapon sliced through the space I just occupied.

Swiftly, I countered with a series of quick slashes, forcing him to parry and block with expert precision.

In the midst of our dance, I couldn't help but marvel at Oscar's improvement. His movements were more fluid, his reactions sharper. It seemed the paperwork hadn't dulled his combat skills; if anything, it enhanced them.

'This bastard was probably training at night...'

Smirking, I met his weapon head-on.

Clank...

The silver spear and Shadowy blade clashed in a symphony of metallic sounds. Oscar's eyes narrowed with focus, and a determined grin played on my lips. We were in sync, pushing each other to the limits.

Swish...

Feinting a low strike, I quickly shifted my attack to the high, aiming for Oscar's shoulder. He read the move, however, and deftly evaded, retaliating with a sweeping motion that forced me to backflip away. The audience of empty stands, though sparse, felt like a crowd cheering us on.

As we continued our sparring, our movements became a blur of speed and skill. Oscar's spear danced through the air with a grace that belied its deadly nature. My Shadowy blade weaved intricate patterns, leaving trails of shadow in its wake.

In a daring move, Oscar disarmed me temporarily, sending my Shadowy blade spinning across the arena floor. Seizing the opportunity, he closed in for a thrust. But I wasn't defenseless. Summoning my powers, I conjured a barrier of shadows, deflecting his attack with an eerie resilience.

Our clash intensified, the arena filling with the sound of blows and the occasional grunt. Each strike sent vibrations through our weapons, and our movements became a test of skill, strength, and strategy.

A particularly intense exchange left us both breathless, a brief pause settling over the arena.

"Wanna see something cool?"

Brushing the sweat from my brow, I grinned at Oscar, eager to showcase a new technique I had obtained.

"Abyss Shadow: Free Shadow!"

Suddenly, Mana churned through me, making my own Shadow split apart from my body and grow beside me.

"What the hell is that?"

Oscar pointed at the growing Shadow, however, I smirked, ordering my doppelganger Shadow to attack.

Oscar's eyes widened as my shadowy doppelganger lunged at him with uncanny speed. The Free Shadow mimicked my every move flawlessly, its movements synchronized with mine as if we shared a single consciousness.

Clank...

Distracted by the unexpected turn of events, Oscar barely had time to react. He managed to block the initial strikes with his silver spear, but the Free Shadow was relentless. Its movements were unpredictable, flowing seamlessly from one attack to another.

I circled Oscar, coordinating with my shadowy counterpart. The arena became a dance floor for our deadly ballet, the clash of weapons punctuating the air. The Free Shadow moved with an ethereal grace, its form flickering like a wraith.

As Oscar parried an overhead strike from me, the Free Shadow exploited the opening, sweeping in with a low, sweeping kick that caught him off guard. He stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Damn, that's a neat trick you got there..."

Oscar grunted, readjusting his stance.

I grinned, reveling in the novelty of my newfound ability. The Free Shadow and I continued our coordinated assault, testing Oscar's defenses from multiple angles. He blocked and dodged with impressive skill, but the sheer unpredictability of the dual onslaught kept him on the defensive.

In the midst of the exchange, I launched a feint with the Free Shadow, drawing Oscar's attention to its phantom form. Seizing the opportunity, I closed the distance with a burst of speed, my real Shadowy blade aimed for his side.

Oscar, realizing the danger too late, tried to evade, but the blade grazed his jacket, leaving a tear in its wake. The Free Shadow, having served its purpose, dissipated.

"Heh, gotcha!"

I exclaimed, feeling a surge of satisfaction.

Oscar chuckled, rubbing the tear in his jacket.

"You've ruined my jacket..."

I shrugged, twirling my Shadowy blade with a flourish.

"You can buy a new one anyway."

Our sparring continued, the ebb and flow of the battle showcasing the evolution of our skills. Oscar, undeterred by my trickery, launched a counteroffensive, his spear becoming a blur of silver in the arena lights.

Clank...

I met his strikes with calculated precision, the dance of our weapons intensifying. The clang of metal echoed, punctuated by the occasional burst of Mana as we unleashed our respective abilities.

In a daring move, Oscar unleashed a barrage of thrusts, forcing me to focus on defense. But I wasn't one to stay passive for long. With a swift sidestep, I dodged his attacks and countered with a series of rapid slashes.

The arena seemed to shrink as our movements became more confined, the intensity of our sparring reaching its peak. The air buzzed with the clash of our wills, each strike a testament to our determination.

Suddenly, Oscar leaped backward, creating distance between us.

"Not bad at all. You've definitely improved."

I grinned, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"Likewise. You're not as rusty as I thought."

As we caught our breath, a camaraderie settled between us.

But the friendly atmosphere didn't last long. Oscar's eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Round two?"

I smirked, raising my Shadowy blade.

"Bring it on."