Saul's face showed absolute contempt for the person in front of him. He knew it wasn't really that person and that it was simply a feeling forced by Cassiel's magic, but honestly, that didn't matter, because this was the worst decision his opponent could have made.
'He must be reverting my feelings to the past until he finds something that makes me hesitate.'
He looked down, with the same feelings he had at that age; it was as if he had truly gone back to the past. Before Cassiel could try to use that magic again, Saul was already beneath him with a clenched fist, being covered by a large amount of fire, transforming into a crimson shell.
'Damn it.'
He stepped to the side, but his shoulder was still torn open by the force of Saul's punch. Raising his hand, he shattered fragments of memories around Saul, and several shards of glass made of memories pierced his thighs.
Pressing his thighs, he stopped the bleeding immediately and advanced at him again, managing to hit him by using the charged momentum to move behind Cassiel at the last moment. His fist, covered by the crimson shell, exploded him to the left, sending him through the corridors of the reformatory.
The corridors were long and poorly lit, and as he ran forward, his footsteps echoed, reinforcing the sense of constant surveillance that the reformatory had. Back then, however, he hid some things very well.
The faded colors, walls marked by time, and austere dormitories made it clear there was no space for comfort or individuality—only discipline. It was uncomfortable, especially because Cassiel had disappeared.
"Fire steps."
Increasing his speed, he moved through the corridors and used his crimson eyes to see possible traces, and he found one. Opening a door, he was faced with a knife impregnated with mana coming toward him. Dodging his head, he grabbed the knife with his hand and threw it back toward Cassiel.
"Reflect."
The knife was reflected by a barrier and came back trying to hit Saul at a higher speed. It managed to hit his shoulder, since he had already adjusted to charge toward his opponent with charged momentum. Not caring about the wound, he punched the barrier, completely shattering it, his crimson shell exploding the accumulated magic.
They were in a more open part of the reformatory where the free youths stayed. The crimson shell covered part of the right side of his face, his chest, and his right leg. His magic was completing itself, but that would only be possible at one hundred percent at the eighth circle.
'It's going to be hard to revert his feelings if I don't stop attacking him…'
Cassiel analyzed the situation with precision. He would need more time to impregnate that magic into Saul's body through the air, so he split into three hundred identical clones, filling that place and even outside it.
"Maximum CC Impact."
With a jump into the air, Saul left the reformatory and punched downward with his magic at the maximum he could manage. The explosion of the blow shattered the reformatory and the clones inside.
'If he did that, that damn magic he used on me must need time.'
Putting magic into his body, he descended at great speed, grabbing Cassiel by the face. He wouldn't let him revert his feelings any further—not because he would hesitate, but because this version of him, almost fifteen years old, was obsessed with one thing.
'I'm going to kill you.'
He began dragging Cassiel's head across the ground, completely tearing it up and leaving a messy trail behind. Reaching the end of the street, he placed his opponent in front of him and began smashing through all those houses. Going farther, they reached the part of the city with more buildings.
"Expulsion."
With one finger pressed to Saul's chest, Cassiel used his magic to push opponents with an imaginary mass of memories. The attack was strong and sent Saul straight into the top floor of a twenty-story building.
Since that space was his, he could use it to fly, so with a burst he moved behind Saul with a raised foot. It would be hard for him to dodge, but that wasn't what Enrico wanted. At the very moment the kick hit his face, he created wings of fire and retaliated with an identical kick, but to Cassiel's stomach. Both spat blood and were pushed back by the force used, crashing into different buildings.
'I'll have to use my magic to see a strong memory of his, and then I'll use my other magic to revert his memories as well.'
With his plan set in his mind, he only needed time to do it, but Saul wouldn't let that happen so easily. Appearing behind him, a kick to the back sent Cassiel flying upward.
'System, I want you to do something for me.'
[What would that be?]
Running toward where the guardian was, he jumped off the building and threw several fireballs at where he felt his opponent's mana. The building in front began to collapse, while things seemed to change in his vision. He saw a man strangling a woman on the ground.
'This is—'
That woman's death was certain, but a small Saul appeared behind the man with a stone in his hand. With force, he struck the man's head, knocking him to the ground and disorienting him. When the man tried to get up, Saul climbed on top of him with empty eyes and began striking his face repeatedly.
'Looks like it worked.'
Cassiel smiled as he covered his face with his hands. He was now disguised as the woman Saul had protected. Apparently, that woman was his weakness, because Saul stood still looking at her, not caring about his younger self killing the man who now had an expression of fear.
"Now it will be easy."
His memory regression magic worked well. Saul now had the same memories as when he was that age, perhaps having left the reformatory due to the desolation around him. He thought about regressing further, but Saul was already in front of him with his arms raised.
"Mom? Is that you?"
His eyes were covered by his hair. Realizing this was the best moment to kill him, Cassiel gave a small smile, raising one hand toward him.
"Son, thank you for saving me."
Behind his back, with his other hand, he created a blade through memories in the air. He had to admit he was surprised by how good his opponent was at fighting against memories, but now it had come to an end.
'This memory blade will erase all of his memories at once, and then I'll have something new in my collection.'
And this place would be the most incredible of all the memories he had collected so far. Carefully, he moved his hand behind him, waiting for Saul to get closer.
'Very well—'
"Do you know how long I looked for you, you coward?"
To Cassiel's surprise, his neck was grabbed with force, making him unable to breathe. He was slammed to the ground and almost fell onto his own memory blade if he hadn't made it disappear out of fear of having his own memories erased.
"Finally, I can get my answer."
Even while committing that cruel act against someone he called mother, Saul had a smile on his face. It wasn't the smile of someone insane or cruel; it was the smile of someone relieved to finally obtain what he wanted.