Rise Of Steele

Arrival 3

The blackness was perfect, a sort of visual silence that could send chills through anyone's spine.

The two captains were squaring off in the void dark room.

Ace, being able to use seismic sense was freely maneuvering through the darkened room.

Rhea on the other hand was barely able to block some of Ace's attacks.

It was truly a one-sided battle.

The room was completely pitch-black and she was being forced to heighten all of her other senses in order to keep up with Ace.

Black zone was one of the techniques that Ace used proficiently as an assassin.

The fact that he was using a technique that he swore never to use again shows just how formidable Rhea was.

At the start of their confrontation, Ace had taken considerable damage from Rhea's scythe which drains power from the victim's soul directly.

It was a completely agonizing experience for Ace who was used to all sorts of pain.

He experienced the same type of pain that he usually feels whenever he trades his life force to his relic for more power.

'If I don't do something quick she'll turn me into a lifeless husk.' That was Ace's thoughts as he activated the black zone.

The only downside to black zone was that he can't use his other shadow techniques thus he has to fight without his relic's abilities.

He leaps forward in the blackness and throws a flying punch which hits Rhea in the head.

"Now!"

The very moment he touched her, she instinctively swung her scythe in his direction.

"Argh!"

Ace grabs his bleeding chest as the scythe once again drains a portion of his life force.

'I can't be too reckless with her.'

"Hahahaha! You're way over your head if you thought that a little darkness will help you win this fight."

She raises her scythe and holds the center section as she begins to spins the scythe at an incredibly fast pace.

The weapon of death started glowing a faint purple light as she imbues her aura into it and the light glows more.

"Reaper's fest!"

Suddenly a strong wind current began to enclose the room.

The purple-colored aura released from the scythe spread out like a visible shockwave and travels across the room slashing ace in several parts.

Ace was sent flying as the Black zone dissolves.

"Ahh... Morning already." Rhea mocks as she sticks the rear of her scythe to the ground.

"What other tricks do you have?" She added as she yawns.

"She broke black zone!"

Ace exclaims as he realizes that his opponent was not an ordinary opponent.

'I can't trade my life force anymore.'

There was a one-week cool-down period before Ace could use shadow apex again his strongest buff technique.

To add fuel to the fire, he was running low on ain having used a field-effect technique earlier.

He looked pale also from having his life force drained.

Rhea didn't ease up on her assault either. Her scythe glowed once again as the life energy she drained from Ace started to swirl around her.

This was the technique that was famous for singlehandedly taking out a small army.

"Soul spawns!"

Just then the swirling life force started to spread around the room and touch the floor.

What emerged from the spots were lookalikes of Ace in their astral forms.

This was the true devastating power of the grim reaper's scythe. The ability to take the very life force of its victim and create an army of clones!

Ace was awestruck and silent at the recent turn of events.

Rhea bursts into maniacal laughter only for her to pause with a nervous expression on her face.

Although the one thing that made her feel uncomfortable was that there was no agitation on Ace's face, it seemed like mere obstinance.

A small smile spread on Ace's face, which had remained unchanged despite the desperate situation.

He chuckles as he dodges more of Rhea's attack.

"Tsk. Have I finally driven you to the point of losing your mind? What's so funny."

Anyone would react the same way Rhea was just now. Her opponent had a wide grin on his face as his life force is being slowly drawn away. His skin was as pale as a vampire's right now.

What Rhea didn't expect was that her opponent was having fun.

"This is exactly what I signed up for!" He exclaims as his eyes shone brightly.

Rhea became anxious. She had to question her hearing for a moment.

She needed to check whether he heard wrong.

But she was sure. Her opponent who had his life force drained, who was facing a horde of clones forged from his soul, was having fun.

"Sorry, it's just that this is my first battle against another clan." Ace explains as Rhea tilts her head in confusion.

"You are enjoying all of this?"

"You've got that right!" He says with a grin.

"The thrills, the excitement of the unknown, heated battles like this. This is all part of my adventure. From the very moment I decided to leave my past life behind."

"Excitement? Adventure? I started the enders to take my revenge on the people that wronged us. The people that ruined our lives. The only thrill I'll ever experience in my life again is the thrill of seeing the heads of our enemies rolling on the ground!"

"Honestly, I don't care. Everyone in this world is selfish. Your selfishness lies in taking revenge whereas mine lies with my clan. I made a deal with Rohan so he could join aegis after we save his brother and I intend to keep my promise!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You say this now because you have never experienced a darkness so great you feel as if there's nothing worth living for. You become overwhelmed by the ever-growing despair that eats away your heart."

"Darkness? What do you know about darkness?"

His voice became cold as he continues.

"Despair? What do you know about despair?"

Ace's expression took a 180 as he channels his remaining ain into his fists using doping and casts his shadow to wrap itself around his fists.

"I grew up in the darkness. I was fed by the darkness. I learned from the darkness and I worked for the darkness."

He then channels his aura into the shadow after it took the form of a pair of spiked knuckles.

"I used the darkness and it used me. I learned to accept the fact that I and the darkness have become one. My victims looked upon me with despair as their very souls lingered away from their body."

He slams his knuckles together as they make a hard clank sound.

"But don't worry, if it's a lesson about the darkness you want, I'll be more than happy to offer up my knowledge for I am the noble darkness!"

He jumps high up into the air and crashes into the middle of the clones generating a powerful shockwave that sent tremors throughout the entire mansion.

"I-impossible! How could you have so much energy left?"

All the clones were destroyed with a single strike as the stolen life energy slowly returns to its host.

Rhea looks at Ace with a dreaded expression on her face. Her body was trembling at the sight in front of her.

Tall, thin, pale as the chalk cliffs of Dover in a full moon, still, vigilant, lurking in the shadows, staring, like a cobra seeking its prey, wide eyes dark blue as the starry night, dark shadows under sunken eyes.

With an evil glint in his eyes and slow movements, he moves as if he has no bones at all.

He steadily approaches the fazed reaper.

She still had a decent amount of ain left. She could just use reaper's fest again. She could charge at him with everything she's got. She knows she could wound him furthermore.

But she just couldn't control her body anymore. She was shaking excessively over the sinister figure that was approaching her like the personification of death itself.

Her body wouldn't listen to her and she seems to understand just why.

The man in front of her wasn't using aura burst to intimate her.

He was simply letting loose of his killer intent.

Chills ran through her spine as she sweats uncontrollably.

She could feel it.

'If I move he will kill me.'

"Revenge is for stupid people who lack positive direction." She watches silently as the lips of the fiend in front of her move slowly emitting a voice so cold it lacked any emotion.

He was standing right in front of her as she gazes into the void of his eyes.

It was the eyes of someone who had experienced pain far worse than she could have ever imagi Reginald and Conroy had finally bested their opponents and were now standing across their unconscious teammate and his opponent.

"Get off him, now!"

Reginald draws out his sword as Conroy takes aim, ready to fire.

"My my, there's no need to be so angsty."

The man got up and begins to approach the duo, leaving the flattened Vorus behind.

"I take it you two have beaten Chase and Lexi? Sisi won't be happy about that."

'Tsk, I still need about ten minutes before I can use snatch steal again.'

Reginald grits his teeth while Conroy was sweating bullets as they both watch Falkner as he approaches them slowly.

"Why don't you both surrender? You might have beaten those two but even I can't possibly come out of that fight unscathed."

The real reason Reginald and Conroy were sweating nervously right now was due to the fact that they were both exhausted and way past their limits.

They have suffered a lot of injuries and taken a considerable amount of damage from their respective opponents.

Conroy barely gathered enough energy to fire a sun purge only for it to be slashed in two.

Yes, Falkner's relic had transformed into a sword this time.

The Vajra was said to be a weapon that can take the form of a sword, mace, or spear.

When he fought Vorus, it took the form of a mace to match up with the blunt attack force of Mjolnir.

The vajra transforms once again, but this time into a spear as Falkner grabs it in the air and takes a step back planting his foot ready to launch the spear forward.

"Judgement spear!"

Electricity crackles over the spear as it flies at the speed of light and pierces Conroy's shoulder.

"Conroy!"

Reginald looks over at his teammate who was now unconscious having finished crying out in agony when the lightning spear struck him.

Falkner summons the vajra to his side and wipes off the blood that was on the tip.

Reginald clicked his tongue as he tries to stop the excessive bleeding.

His expression darkens while he was hopelessly trying to patch up the archer's wound.

He had come to a terrible realization.

"We can't beat him."

Before their arrival, the man in front of them had beaten Vorus in a contest of strength. Vorus was the second strongest member of their squad and also a former district commander.

If he couldn't defeat him what possible hope could they have?

He stares at the flattened Conroy. If help is not administered quickly, he'd bleed out and die.

"This cannot be happening. After all that we've been through!"

He clenched his trembling fists and closes his eyes, having finally accepted his fate, he looked up to Falkner.

"Tsk, just get it over with."

"Don't hate me for this, we're currently at war. If anything, I enjoyed my clash with the large man earlier." He said with a smile as he readies another judgment spear.

"Judgement spear."

A bright white light filled the room as only the sound of electricity crackling echoes through the room.

"Grand thunder toss!"

"Huh?"

As the light dimmed down Reginald opens his eyes. He was completely unscathed from the previous attack. More accurately, the attack didn't hit him at all.

He smiles seeing a large figure behind the thin man.

He looked like a wild beast as his aura filled the entire room.

"Hey... What do you think you're doing to my companions."

"S-sir Vorus." Conroy who had barely regain consciousness said with a weak smile on his face as he passed out again.

"You're okay!"

"Tsk, I thought I finished you with that last attack earlier."

As Falkner threw the lightning spear at Reginald, Vorus who had regained consciousness flings Mjolnir with all his might as it reaches the fast-moving spear and cancels each other's attacks.

"I commend you for trying to help your friends but it's futile. All it'll take from me is a single attack and you'll be out of action, permanently."

The vajra transforms into a mace again as he charges towards the bulky man.

Vorus was completely battered and was barely even able to stand. One could say that it was only due to his sheer willpower that he even regained consciousness.

Just like Conroy, Vorus also had a hole in his left upper arm.

During their heated battle, Vorus and Falkner were evenly matched. That was until Falkner transformed his weapon into a spear and caught the large man off guard.

That was how Vorus lost earlier, but this time around, it was different.

'I know all your tricks now.'

Falkner swings the mace aiming at the warrior's head. Vorus didn't budge as he took the attack head-on.

"Vorus!" Reginald shouts in worry after seeing the large man take a direct hit from the mace.

Vorus grinned as he grabbed hold of the Vajra.

"I've got you now!"

"Argh! Let go you giant behemoth!"

Just then Falkner channels a ton of electric charge through the mace in order to force Vorus to let go.

Vorus didn't budge as he channels a massive amount of his aura into the vajra to nullify the charge.

'Tsk, he still has this much power left in him?'

For the first time, the trinity weapon user had a worried expression across his face.

"With this, you can't transform your weapon again."

Whenever a relic is exposed to a strong enough aura, it temporarily loses its abilities and becomes useless.

This was a small-scale version of the aura burst technique. It was similar to how Rada khan single-handedly weakened the firepower of the guards of Kondo and the three subordinates of Vorus.

"H-how are you able to channel so much power after taking a life-threatening blow?"

Vorus bursts into laughter.

"Life-threatening? Have you met my captain? That was the last time I felt my life was in danger. What you can do compared to that man is merely child's play!"

Vorus recalls his battle with Ace when they first met and how sinister Ace looked when he dealt the finishing blow.

It was evident that Falkner has dealt more damage to Vorus here but that was because he was going all out from the start.

During the few months they've spent together, Vorus came to a realization.

'For some reason, the captain was not executing his true skills as an assassin in all the fights that he was in.'

That was the case. Ace had abandoned the way of the assassin when he left his home.

The arsenal of an assassin consists of moves that could take out an opponent with a single strike. But Ace had decided not to use most of his talents and thus sticks to non-fatal attacks even when he was in a pinch.

Although at times Ace would trade his life force for more power whereas he could have won if he had just used his true skills as an assassin.

But it was the matter of his honor. He took an oath never to kill again and thus seals off some of his most lethal techniques.

Bam!

Bam!

Crack!

Falkner having tried all that he could to free himself had resorted to striking the face of the large warrior with quick and hard jabs.

Vorus seemed unfazed as he channels the electricity of his relic and raises the hammer.

"The captain could beat you in less than a second! Rejoice that you are not in your captain's shoes."

"Thunder brutality!"

Vorus swings his hammer and strikes Falkner in the head. He didn't stop the assault there as he repeated the same action over and over again.

Crack!

Thud!

Crack!

The roaring sound of thunder filled the room whenever Vorus slams the hammer against his opponent. True to its name, the assault was brutal.

The thin man lost consciousness while standing as Vorus did not let go of his mace till he struck him hundred times in less than ten seconds.

"Woah..." Reginald watched in awe as the mace-wielding man was finally freed from the clutches of the larger man as he plops to the ground.

Soon afterward, Vorus followed suit.

Being the last man standing, Reginald took a moment to gaze at the battered bodies that were around him as he picks up Conroy and goes towards Vorus.

Conroy was out of danger as Reginald had carefully dressed his wound and was doing the same for Vorus.

"Let's get you two back to the ship."

He stood up and dusted his body.

"Snatch steal!"

Meanwhile...

Clank!

In the security room, Ace was duking it out with the captain of the enders.

He barely dodges a slash from the scythe user aiming at his head although he ended with a mild cut wound.

He presses both hands on the floor and uses a new technique.

"Shadow arts: Black zone!"

His shadow began to expand as it slowly envelopes the entire room.

The two captains stared face to face in a pitch dark room as Rhea smirks and licks the blood off her scythe.

"What are you trying to do by blinding both of us?"

She could barely see as the room was darkened completely by Ace's shadow.

"You claim to wield the power of darkness but are able to heighten your senses in the dark?."

"Tsk, are you mocking me!?"

She swings her scythe around hopelessly trying to slash Ace with her attack.

"You can't see. But I can!"

She sees a pair of glowing blue eyes in the midst of the darkness.

He charges at his opponent with his fist.

The battle between the two captains has taken a paradigm shift with Ace having the advantage. But for how long?ned.

The look Ace was giving her felt as if her skin would peel off and then her flesh would catch on fire.

She barely mustered enough courage to move her lips.

"I-i-i. I surrender."