Bete stood in the courtyard, continuously stretching his legs and waking up the body that had rested through the night.
He knew Ryoji was strong.
After all, back when he had just become Level 4, he had already defeated Tiona. News of that had long since spread throughout the Familia.
Even if it hadn't been a life-or-death battle and Tiona hadn't been able to fight at full strength, it still proved that he already possessed power comparable to a Level 5 back then.
And now that he had truly become a Level 5, it was hard to say just how strong he had become.
But Bete was still extremely confident in himself.
Unlike Tiona, who couldn't unleash her full power unless pushed to the brink of death, he was the type who could fight at full strength under normal conditions, setting aside "Beastification," that Beastman racial skill with activation restrictions.
"Ready?"
After finishing his warm-up, Bete rose from the ground. He spread his legs wide front and back, taking a stance like a lunging Vanargand, vicious light flashing in his eyes.
"Don't start whining after you lose!"
"Come."
Ryoji nodded calmly.
Perfect timing.
He had just leveled up yesterday, and he also wanted to test exactly how much stronger he had become.
"Hmph!"
Seeing not the slightest trace of panic on Ryoji's face, Bete snorted coldly.
Then his figure abruptly vanished from where he stood.
A violent gust of wind rushed forward.
In the blink of an eye, Bete crossed twenty meters, his long legs unleashing a relentless barrage of kicks at Ryoji!
So fast!
And the assault was fierce!
Bete's speed far exceeded even Ryoji's expectations.
He had assumed that since they were both Level 5, no matter how fast Bete was, he couldn't be that much faster than Tiona.
But that assumption had been absurdly shallow.
It wasn't just "a bit faster", Tiona's speed couldn't even compare to his at all!
Moreover, his kicks were incredibly ferocious. Before one kick had even finished, the next was already flying in. His whole body floated in midair as his legs spun like flaming wheels.
A single kick like that could shatter steel. Reinforced concrete wouldn't even be worth mentioning.
Clang!
But suddenly, Ryoji raised his wrist.
The cross-shaped dual swords, as if drawn by magnets, precisely intercepted Bete's first kick with their blades.
Immediately afterward, when the second kick came flying in, Ryoji used the second sword to block it once again.
Clang clang clang clang clang…!
For a moment, deafening collision sounds rang out nonstop.
Bete's legs and the twin swords collided violently without pause. Sparks scattered like they cost nothing, while fierce winds howled around them.
"He actually blocked them?"
After unleashing an overwhelming flurry of kicks, Bete landed several meters away from Ryoji, a trace of surprise appearing in his eyes.
He had thrown dozens of kicks in one breath just now, yet not a single one had managed to hit Ryoji's body. Every attack had been completely blocked by the flat of his blades, his defense airtight.
He lowered his head and glanced at the silver boots on his feet.
They were weapons forged by the captain of the Hephaestus Familia, the blacksmith acknowledged as the strongest in Orario.
And now, they were covered in marks, lined everywhere with screw-like scratches.
Even though he had been the one launching the relentless assault, it was his own weapon that had been damaged instead.
Bete raised his head and cast a dark look toward Ryoji.
Yet the dual swords in Ryoji's hands remained smooth and pristine, without the slightest mark upon them, gleaming with beautiful rippling light.
Not only that, more importantly… Ryoji hadn't taken even a single step back.
Bete stared fixedly at his feet.
They were in exactly the same position as when the battle had begun. Forget stepping back, Ryoji hadn't even shifted an inch!
Only a few stone tiles beneath him had shattered, while he himself remained perfectly calm and composed.
"This guy… he really is monstrously strong!"
Bete silently raised his guard.
He himself had already nearly reached the limits of Level 5, while Ryoji had only just advanced to Level 5. His ability values should all still be at zero.
If it were an ordinary adventurer who had just reached Level 5, Bete's strength would have given him overwhelming advantage in the very first charge, not like now, where he hadn't gained even the slightest edge.
He'd have to get serious!
Bete took a deep breath, then abruptly held it.
Whoosh!
In an instant, he swung his legs and transformed into a gale of wind, sprinting around the courtyard.
He wasn't merely running normally, while running, he was also building up power.
If another high-class adventurer had been present, they would have been shocked to discover that as he continued running, his figure rapidly became blurry, until eventually even his shadow disappeared!
The entire courtyard was quickly engulfed in flying sand and debris, dust and dirt kicked high into the air.
This was Bete running at full power!
His Agility was Level 5 Rank S, enough to make him one of the fastest among his level.
Not only that, he also possessed the two speed-enhancing Skills, Fenris Wolf and Solmani!
With the amplification of those twin Skills, his speed could instantly surpass the limits of Level 5, enough to exceed even most Level 6 adventurers!
Within the Loki Familia, he was publicly acknowledged as the fastest of them all!
As the raging winds howled violently, a black shadow burst free from the tornado-like storm, launching a flying kick straight at Ryoji from the front.
With the enhancement of that ultimate speed, the power behind Bete's kick was tremendous!
That single strike carried an unstoppable momentum. An ordinary Level 5, even a berserker like Tiona, would have had no choice but to avoid it head-on.
Yet Ryoji still showed no intention of moving his feet.
He crossed his dual swords before him and blocked Bete's strongest attack head-on, the strike that carried all the momentum Bete had built up.
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion-like sound echoed throughout the entire Twilight Manor.
An overwhelmingly heavy impact surged through the blades, as though trying to crush him beneath the weight of a mountain.
But Ryoji sank slightly at the knees. His legs tightened like drawn bowstrings, while his body became fluid and yielding like water. Using his legs as a conduit, he redirected the entire force of the strike into the ground, causing the stone tiles to crack apart like a spiderweb.
"What?!"
Bete's eyes widened in shock.
He had actually blocked even his full-power kick?!
"What happened?"
"Where did that explosion come from?"
Voices of alarm rang out from the surrounding towers.
The tremendous noise had already awakened the Familia members from their sleep.
"Still want to continue?"
Ryoji still hadn't taken a single step back. He calmly looked at the werewolf youth standing right in front of him.
"Isn't that obvious?!"
Bete pulled back his leg and retreated, then resumed circling around the courtyard at high speed.
"A battle isn't decided until one side falls! Your defense is impressive, but if you can't keep up with my speed, you'll never defeat me!"
That was right.
Speed was the thing Bete trusted in most. As long as he possessed overwhelming speed, he would never fall behind!
"So that's what you think."
Ryoji nodded in understanding.
"In that case, I'll just surpass your speed."
Huh?
What the hell was this guy talking about?
For a moment, Bete couldn't even process it, finding the thought ridiculous.
As a werewolf, he already specialized in speed. On top of reaching the limit of Agility values and receiving the enhancement of two Skills, he possessed this godlike swiftness. Across all of Orario, he stood at the very top tier, how could anyone possibly surpass him so easily?
But in the very next moment…
Ryoji's figure suddenly vanished from before his eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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