Chapter 82: Divergent Part 3

"I wanted to learn more by fighting you, but it's time to finish this because you're friend is annoying me," Reign said coldly.

He was ready to test his new skills in real combat without needing a practice round.

"Stop bluffing, You can't beat us two," Jones narrowed his eyes and curled his lips in contempt, showing he didn't believe Reign.

"Die, you demon!" He shifted his weight, planted his left foot, and tensed his muscles. Then, he swung his arm with force.

Seeing Jones's punch coming, Reign quickly raised his arms to block, crossing them in front of his body. But the impact of Jones's blow still sent him backward.

However, despite the strength behind Jones's punch, he felt like his attack did not do any big damaged .

"What did you do?" Jones demanded, staring at his knuckles in confusion, wondering why he barely felt anything from the punch.

"I'm just testing some things," Reign chuckled, pleased with his first attempt.

Reign had actually jumped seconds before even getting hit, minimizing the impact.

It wasn't something he had intentionally learned beforehand; instead, it was his instinct guiding him based on his experience in this fight.

Reign noticed how Ben countered his attacks by subtly shifting the weight of his dagger and his body instead of directly blocking them.

The advantage of this technique lies in its efficiency and versatility.

By fluidly adjusting the weight distribution, Ben could redirect the force of Reign's strikes, guiding them off course while maintaining his own balance and readiness to counterattack.

This method conserves energy compared to traditional blocking techniques and allows for quicker follow-up maneuvers, giving Ben a tactical edge in combat.

This observation sparked instant inspiration in Reign.

However, practicing the technique after seeing it only a few times was easily said and done.

Even Ben took years to reach his current level of expertise. But, Reign was able to imitate the basic version of the technique just by observing.

What was truly scary about Reign wasn't just his abilities or skills; it was his capacity to adapt and learn through firsthand experience.

"Stop talking nonsense," Ben snapped, dashing forward. This time, he wasted no time in launching his attack, his daggers slicing through the air as he clashed with Reign again.

CLANG!

The sound of metal meeting metal echoed through the air as claws clashed against blades.

However, this time, Ben sensed that something was amiss. A subtle shift in Reign's attack pattern made him pause, a sense of unease creeping over him as he realized that things were not as they seemed.

A sinister black and red aura began to emanate from him, filling the air with negative energy.

"This..." Ben and Jones were stunned as they felt the overwhelming surge of power suppressing them,

It was as if their bodies were being submerged in a suffocating tide, making it hard to breathe. Deep within them, a instinct screamed for them to flee, warning of the imminent danger.

'This is not good,' Ben thought to himself as he watched Reign's walking closer in a leisure pace.

Though Reign's physical form remained the same, the intensity of his aura grew.. It was clear to Ben and Jones that Reign had been holding back his true power all along.

SWOOOSH.

Seizing the momentary shock of the two, Reign dashed forward with the intent to kill, his eyes locked on Ben's vulnerable neck.

Jones, recognizing the imminent danger to Ben, reacted fast.

With unwavering confidences, he positioned himself between Reign and Ben, using his armored body as a shield to intercept the deadly claw.

Having successfully blocked this claws before, Jones remained sure in his defense.

The material comprising his armor, Shadow Steel, was a rare and hard metal found only in Tier 3 cities, renowned for its durability and resilience against slicing and penetrating attack.

When Reign witnessed Jone's reaction, instead of becoming bothered by it, a creepy smile slowly spread across his face.

"Too predictable," Reign chuckled aloud.

Drawing closer, he raised his right arm, breaking for a moment before quickly swinging it down. His body shifted into an angle reminiscent of a baseball pitcher winding up for a throw.

BURST!

Reign's claw sliced through Jones' arms with horrifying precision, a sickening sound of tearing flesh and bones accompanying the gruesome sight.

"H--How?" Jones gasped, his voice trembling with disbelief.

How could Reign have breached his defenses so effortlessly, shattering his confidence in the impenetrability of his Shadow Steel armor?

But before he could even get his answer, Jones realized that the attack showed no signs of stopping.

With horrifying clarity, he watched as Reign's claw continued, cleaving his body in half.

BURST!

Blood erupted from the wound in a torrent, gushing forth as if Jones' flesh were made of tofu, staining the ground red.