FVN Chapter 293: Reaching the end....
Chapter 293: Reaching the end....
Chapter 293: Reaching the end....
-BOOOM!!!
-SWISSSH!!
-WHOOOSHHH!!!
The battlefield was a storm of chaos.
Sparks and explosions filled the air, a symphony of destruction as two blurring figures clashed with relentless fury.
They moved like streaks of light, disappearing and reappearing with each deafening sonic boom.
Each collision sent shockwaves reverberating through the golden sanctuary.
Craters scarred the once-pristine ground, only to be repaired moments later as the
sanctuary's golden light worked tirelessly to restore itself.
But no matter how fast the restoration, it was barely keeping up with the devastation wrought by the two combatants-a blur of gold and grey, locked in an unending, violent dance.
"You've grown stronger..."
The words came from the other Riley, his tone neutral, almost bored, as he sidestepped a golden streak of energy that gouged a deep scar in the ground.
"I really don't want to hear that from someone who isn't even trying!"
Riley grit his teeth, his frustration boiling over.
His opponent's calm demeanor was maddening, a sharp contrast to the strain he felt coursing through his own body.
A glimmer of grey surged toward him.
Riley instinctively raised his sword, intercepting the attack at the last second.
The impact sent a jolt of pain shooting up his arm, but he ignored it, twisting his body as his muscles flexed under the strain.
"НАААН!!!"
With a roar, Riley channeled an overwhelming surge of aura into his blade.
Golden energy crackled and flared around him, the sheer power of it illuminating the sanctuary like a second sun.
BOOOOMMMM!!!
A massive golden crescent of energy erupted from Riley's sword, carving through the air with unstoppable force.
The other Riley skidded back, his feet digging into the ground as the energy wave crashed toward him, the pressure alone enough to distort the air around them.
The sanctuary trembled, its walls resonating with the sound of their clash.
Dust and debris hung in the air, swirling in the golden light as both figures stood amidst the aftermath.
For a brief moment, silence reigned, broken only by the faint hum of the sanctuary's restoration magic as it worked to undo the devastation.
Then, with a smirk, the other Riley stepped forward, his grey aura swirling around him like a tempest.
"Not bad... You've managed to recreate a version of Seo's slash," the other Riley said, his voice calm yet taunting, as if amused by the effort.
-Tsk!
Riley clicked his tongue in frustration.
The condescending tone stung, but he didn't let his irritation spiral into distraction.
He knew better-losing focus in this fight could lead to even more disastrous outcomes.
Taking a moment to steady himself, Riley forced his breath to slow.
He suppressed the fiery annoyance threatening to cloud his thoughts and instead let his mind accelerate, analyzing the situation with razor-sharp clarity.
The battle had dragged on far too long
. He wasn't sure how much time had passed-minutes? Hours? Days?-but his instincts told him it had been an eternity.
His body screamed with exhaustion, yet his opponent showed no such signs.
The other Riley stood unshaken, his movements fluid and precise, like a seasoned adult indulging a child in a mock duel.
No sweat, no heavy breathing, no strain. It was maddening.
Despite going all out, Riley hadn't landed a single meaningful hit.
Every strike, no matter how fast or powerful, was either dodged or effortlessly blocked.
His golden lightning crackled across the battlefield, devastating the sanctuary with its sheer intensity, but even that seemed futile.
The other Riley moved through it all with eerie foresight, sidestepping or countering every attack as though he could see the future.
It was as if he were an open book, every move laid bare before the other Riley's unreadable eyes. Every skill, every technique-nullified.
'Is this what Lucas felt when we fought back in the Grand Festival?'
Riley begrudgingly thought, the bitter irony of their current situation sinking in. The parallels were uncanny.
Back then, he had been the one taking advantage in knowing Lucs to his core but now, the tables were turned, and he was the one grasping at straws against an opponent who seemed untouchable.
This wasn't just a battle; it was a lesson.
A brutal, unforgiving lesson.
"You..." Riley panted, his body aching from the unrelenting punishment.
He adjusted his stance, mimicking the unfamiliar martial form the other Riley had been
guiding him toward.
The movements were awkward, foreign, but he could feel the potential in them.
"Are you really trying to kill me?"
The other Riley stopped, his footsteps deliberate as he approached.
For a moment, the air between them was heavy with tension.
Then, he spoke, his voice calm and unyielding.
"Yes."
The single word hung in the air, cold and absolute, as his body blurred.
CLANNNG!!!
The clash of their blades echoed through the air, their bodies blurring into motion once more
as the fight reignited.
Sparks flew, and the sanctuary trembled, struggling to keep up with the sheer intensity of
their battle.
Riley's thoughts swirled in chaos, trying to piece together everything the other Riley had been
doing.
The calculated movements, the deliberate positioning-it was overwhelming to process, but now wasn't the time to overthink it.
If this other version of him was trying to teach him something, then fine.
Riley would learn. If that was the price of staying alive and claiming victory, he'd pay it
without hesitation.
Still, as their blades clashed again and again, a nagging thought persisted in the back of his
mind.
The movements were too familiar.
The footwork, the precise angles of the strikes-it was strikingly different yet hauntingly
similar.
'He fights like Seo...'
The realization sent a shiver down his spine, but before he could delve deeper into it, a voice
snapped him back to reality.
"Looks like you're having unnecessary thoughts."
"What the "
Riley barely had time to react before a searing pain tore through his shoulder.
A white flash blinded him for a split second, and the next thing he knew, a blade was piercing
through his flesh.
"Ugh!"
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Riley glared at the other Riley, who watched him with an unnervingly calm demeanor.
Without a word, the other Riley twisted the blade, sending a fresh wave of agony coursing
through Riley's body.
"You ought to focus on your own fight," the other Riley said coldly. "Unless you want to taste
death and defeat as we all have."
"You crazy bastard!" Riley spat, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he struggled
against the excruciating sensation.
But the moment of pain wasn't wasted.
That white flash-the speed, the trajectory-it was all Riley needed to confirm what he had
suspected.
The technique was unmistakable.
He really was using Seo's moves.