Bro, I'm not an Undead!

He had barely been able to track the events which had just happened, from everyone being blown back from their initial advance, to Gertreld being bashed into a crusty oblivion to Tulnas… getting his chest blown away.

It was all…WAY TOO SOON!

Natalika and Ginie shot gazes to Tulnas but instead of losing their emotions, they bit their lips and sank deeper into focus.

It was an integral rule of the Guild concerning Tulnas, to not lend him a hand unless he asked for one.

The woman who had just conjured the bolt of lightning had a cold expression, her brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders pulsing with the power she possessed.

She faced Tulnas while the man at her side walked the other way, having chosen an opponent for himself whom he considered interesting.

“I expected more…” the woman said with an odd tone.

The Guild leader fell to his knees as his eyes turned blurry, his teeth gnashing against each other as he tried to stomach the aching pain that screeched at his nerves!

The man with the robe gazed at Natalika who lowered her stance and held the hilt to her sword tight, an encirclement of mana covering her figure.

The tension rose as the man, the Summoner, locked his gaze with the blind woman’s figure.

“Hahahaha!” Tulnas suddenly burst into a fit of laughter even as his eyes turned bloodshot, his face deathly pale.

His eyes focused on the Mage before him and he wore a grin.

“You started off pretty strong. I’ll admit, you’ll probably be a handful,” he said. “But believe me… you have a LOT to look forward to.”_.

FLSHHHH!

A burst of golden light wrapped around Tulnas’ grievous wound, flesh regrowing at an alarming fast rate – organs, limb and all!

Within two seconds he had recovered everything from his right chest to his arm, no longer having any form of protection as the black and green armour had done nothing to guard against the earlier attack.

‘I hope you have a ton of stamina left. We might be needing THAT if things get too serious,’ Tulnas thought as he rose, facing the female Mage who seemed to actually be relieved to see him rise up.

“Good,” she said as she raised her hand.

The moment she did, Bradd dashed towards her while raising up a mini sandstorm that blocked Tulnas from the woman’s view.

This exchange was about to begin as Tulnas shook his hand, trying to retain the optimal feeling in this new hand as he wielded his two shortswords while blitzing the distance under the cover of the Bradd’s sand!

On the other side, Tomin had turned to the short exchanges happening around him after dealing the final rough blow to Gertreld.

His eyes were on Tulnas from whom he sensed a wild air.

The type of atmosphere only someone with various pathways to achieve victory had.

‘Should I deal with him too?’ he thought.

He then looked to Guissepo who had withdrawn back to the formation where only 10 of the robed figures remained, powering it.

Guissepo wore a slight smile as he watched the goings on.

‘You must feel very proud,’ Tomin thought as he shook his head, taking a few steps away from the depression behind him when…

“Hmm?”

A gauntleted hand popped up, handling the rough edge of the pit she had made, followed by a short figure that leapt out with a dented, crackled and slightly torn battle dress.

Blood stained her burgundy hair and her face, with scrapes and broken skin notable all over her exposed parts.

Despite this, Gertreld craned her neck and gave Tomin a dangerous look with her true sapphire eyes.

“I thought you’d be dead or dying. Looks like I need to put a bit more effort into the hurt,” Tomin said as he turned.

“Pffft! Hihihihihi!” Gertreld giggled. “Don’t flatter yourself. You definitely ‘hurt’ me way more than when Tulnas took me from behind in that dreaded forest in Maqi but… nothing enough to kill me.”

Tomin emitted a carefree scoff as he took another set of slow steps towards Gertreld.

Gertreld took a stance, her hands under the gauntlets balled into fists before her as she immediately channelled the bulk of her strength over to her entire body.

‘Judging by the strength of his punches, he’s either a peak Advancement Stage warrior or a beginner Master Stage. The latter is particularly hopeless to try and fight against, but its highly unlikely. Might as well whip everything out while I have the chance though,’ Gertreld thought as her body exploded with power, a radiant Full Body Aura blooming to surround her body in a thick coating of a light red hue.

Strength bubbled furiously from her as the Full Body Aura enhanced Gertreld’s abilities by an enormous degree – 290%!

The woman took deep breaths as she focused on her enemy who locked eyes with her.

BOOM!

The ground shuddered as out of nowhere, Tomin appeared with his knee once again digging deep into Gertreld’s chest before she knew it, the dirt under their feet shattering from the force!

The short lady vomited blood, but this time, she quickly lifted her head and grinned at Tomin who raised an eye brow in light surprise and brought down his fist towards her face, its force like that of thick pillar in a mad descent!

The short lady suddenly weaved, her head turning to the side as the punch passed by the side of her face, her hand then going to lock Tomin’s arm under her armpit!

“…?”

Gertreld pulled hard on Tomin whose body leaned forward and the moment he did, Gertreld let go of his arm and launched a right hook that brimmed with the full force of her Full Body Aura!

BOOM!

The punch hit the side of Tomin’s chin, shockingly making him turn his head from its strength, which he hadn’t expected!

‘That punch was harder than I thought…’ he thought.

The dark haired man quickly turned and smashed Gertreld with an uppercut in her chin, his two arched fingers leading in the deadly attack!

Gertreld flew upwards but as she rose, her head suddenly shook as she focused her gaze on Tomin again and launched a very fast straight punch at his face which he blocked!

BAM! BAM! BAM!

A flurry of punches rained towards Tomin who blocked or directed them all away before he sped forward, pressed his hand against Gertreld and released a terrifying force of raw mana that crackled like thunder when it met the woman’s belly, flinging her towards the wall at an immense speed!

BOOM!

Gertreld got lodged into the expansive hardened dirt where she quickly looked up and saw Tomin’s face right before hers as he then proceeded to smash her face deeper into the wall with his palm and then form his fingers into a blade gesture!

“You weren’t too bad,” he said as thrusted mercilessly with a catastrophic force that blew the entire wall as his erect hand bore through Gertreld easily!

The woman gritted her teeth as she held back the pools of blood that tried to flood from her mouth, staining her once pristine masticators!

Tomin looked at her with an apathetic expression, which turned solemn in the next moment.

GRIP!

“Hmm?”

His hand which had gone right through Gertreld was squeezed tight, her abdominal muscles tightening around the man’s limb with an incredible grip.

“What’s this supposed to—”

BAM!

The short lady flung a ruthless punch backed with all her might into Tomin’s chest!

Rings of hazy force shredded from Tomin’s back, his short robe fluttering intensely as he slid a few inches from the force!

Gertreld who gripped onto his harm with her insides followed along with the movement.

She heaved in deep breaths as she then grinned up at Tomin who turned to the side and spat a bit of blood.

“Some punch that was, short stuff…” he said with a condescending gaze.

The moment the word ‘short’ was uttered in reference to her diminutive size, Gertreld’s grin faded.

Tomin scoffed.

BAAM!

Another shocking punch rocked the side of his face, the strength channelled perfectly through the hook punch being extraordinary!

Tomin once again spat blood with no real noticeable damage incurred to his body.

“You’ll regret that,” Gertreld said with sharp eyes.

Tomin was about to scoff again and pound Gertreld where it hurt when suddenly…

He stumbled a bit, feeling a little dizzy.

His body experienced a slight change that he noticed immediately still.

His stature…

Something had happened after this latest punch.

‘Did I just grow…shorter?’ he asked himself.

He forcefully pulled out his hand from Gertreld’s belly, trickles of blood following this action as Gertreld had tightened her shredded muscles.

She winced as she staggered back, but then she took a deep breath and then…

Visibly, the flesh around behind her torn armour started to push against each other, mending itself seamlessly until only dried blood remained on perfect skin.

All the broken skin on Gertreld, as well as all external and internal injuries were healed as after the process, taking out the blood that was still present over her, she actually looked… more beautiful and taller?

Tomin noticed all these details.

“That’s not just some technique. That’s the effect of a blessing, isn’t it?” he asked as unlike before, his eyes showed a deep set vivacity.

“So what if it is?” Gertreld said, her Full Body Aura which still radiated around her with a light red glow, changing to become sprinkled with pink swirls that constantly formed different shapes.

Tomin smiled as unlike before, he brought his hands before him in claw gestures, his legs spreading out for additional stability as he took a stance for the first time in this fight.

“Then I believe I mistakenly chose the best opponent to kill,” he said.