CHAPTER: 59
The battle was chaotic as kaobayashi Ren had fought with all his might against hundreds of beats charging up towards the general clash with him non stop till they fought to the nearest sea
He stood on the cracked asphalt of the shipping yard, his guild's storm-gray cloak fluttering in the sudden unnatural wind.
Ren cursed under his breath
Gasp Gasp Gasp
"…Shit I'm almost at my limit
The general laughed with joy and amusement
"you are something aren't you, no one has been able to keep me this entertained for this long before, but play time is over
Whoosh!!
He moved with precision and ren barely saw him move.
One second, the general was floating in the air
The next, he was right in front of Ren, his glaive slamming down with such force that it cracked the entire dock and sent shipping containers flying.
Ren crossed his spear just in time, sparks exploding as the two weapons clashed.
General laughed " oohh you blocked it? Interesting."
He swung again faster this time forcing Ren back with each strike.
Shit!!!
He's getting faster than me?!
Another blow landed, and Ren was sent skidding back several meters, boots digging trenches in the ground
THe general was relentless, pressing Ren with brutal, elegant strikes that left no room to breathe.
He laughed sarcastically
"Is this the strength of This world so-called elites?
Your people die like cattle."
"Let me show you what real war feels like."
He raised his hand and the world itself seemed to answer.
Dark portals opened across the shipping yard, vomiting forth more cavalry, more shock troops, more death.
Ren eyes wode open as he cursed under his breath
"shit another monster army fuck I'm running out of magical energy "
I don't have a choice now
He roard loudly so loud that the heavens heard his cry
"THUNDERCLAW — RISING STORM!"
His spear became a bolt of pure lightning, his entire body blurring as he moved faster than the eye could follow.
He struck through through soldiers in one sweep, his power crackling outwards in a storm that lit up the entire sky .
For a moment, the army hesitated.
For a moment, it looked like Ren might actually turn the tide
And then the general laughed.
"Good. Good. You might actually make me try."
He slammed his hands together
BOOM
A golden shockwave radiated outward, annihilating everything in a 50-meter radius friend and foe alike and forcing Ren to his knees as his lightning was snuffed out like a candle.
Ren (gasping, bleeding):
He killed his own men without hesitation… just to break me.
The general smiled coldly
"Now… you're right where I want you.. for a human you fight with such valor, and for that you have touched me
He stretched forth his hands "come with me and my king will give you power beyound your wildest dreams"
Ren stood, blood running down his face, gripping his spear with both hands.
"You want me, you going to have to kill me !
The general sighs
Sigh!! Very well have it your way ..
The two charged at each other glaive against spear every strike shaking the entire sea
Each clash sent arcs of lightning and golden sparks into the air, the dock turning into a battlefield of craters and burning containers.
As Ren was about to land a direct hit, the general caught his spear with one clawed hand.
"Not bad. But still too slow."
He swung his glaive, and Ren was thrown through three stacked containers, landing in the water with a splash.
The general stood on the dock, looking down at the waves.
"Drown or crawl back up. Either way, I'll be waiting."
Ren's body trembled as he pulled himself from the water, soaked and bleeding, his spear sparking weakly in his hand.
Every muscle screamed at him to stay down.
But he didn't.
"…No .. Not yet. I'm still here."
He rose to his feet just as the general turned, glaive resting casually on one armored shoulder, golden eyes burning like miniature suns.
The general smiled "persistent little insect. I almost respect that."
He pointed his glaive at Ren.
"Come then. Entertain me a little longer before I end you."
Ren's lightning flared brighter than ever before, a storm coiling around his body as he charged.
Ren (roaring):
"THUNDERCLAW STORMBREAKER!"
The entire sea cracked under the force of his dash, the spear becoming a streak of pure blue light as he aimed for the general's chest.
The general sidestepped with infuriating ease, letting Ren pass by then brought his glaive down in a sweeping strike that sent a shockwave tearing across the dock.
Ren spun, blocking at the last second, but the force sent him sliding backward, boots screeching against metal.
The general smirked " that's better. But you're still slow, as humans you have limits, you get weak you get tired but my king will give you power beyound your wildest imagination and you will be able to fight for a hundreds years without stopping
Well then if you come with me then I'm going to have to kill you
BOOM
What followed was not a fight.
It was humiliation.
The general didn't strike to kill not yet.
He struck to break Ren's stance, to trip him, to batter him with the flat of the glaive until his body was bruised and his breathing ragged.
But Ren was exhausted
Every time Ren lunged, the general batted the spear aside like it was a child's toy.
Every time Ren tried to counter, the general was already gone, striking from another angle.
"You've spilled much blood tonight, haven't you, human? Tell me did you think it would matter? Did you think you could stop the tide?"
Ren spat blood onto the ground, lightning crackling across his body as he forced himself upright again.
"As long as I can still stand, I'm not letting you have your way
The general's grin widened, sharp teeth glinting.
"Good. Then I'll crush you standing."
The glaive spun in the general's hands, gathering mana so dense it warped the air around it.
A golden circle flared beneath Ren's feet, pinning him in place as if the very world was holding him down.
The general smirked coldly
"Die with dignity."
He raised the glaive for the final strike.
Ren's eyes widened. His body wouldn't move.
So this is it…? Damn it I didn't switch off my game console he said with a chuckled smile ..
Then something came down with force
And something hit the general so hard that the entire dock exploded in a spray of debris.
BOOM
The general was sent flying across the shipping yard, smashing through three stacked containers before coming to a stop in a plume of dust.
Ren blinked, stunned, as a figure stepped through the haze.
He was tall over six feet broad-shouldered, wearing a dark military-style coat over combat gear, his hands wrapped in crimson gauntlets that still glowed from the strike.
His presence was suffocating .. a storm of power barely held in check.
He tilted his head, looking toward where the general had landed.
??? (casually, with a grin):
"That's one hell of a welcome party. You the host? 'Cause I didn't bring a gift .. just these fists."
He cracked his knuckles, the sound like gunshots.
CRACK
CRACK
The dust cleared further, and Ren's eyes widened as recognition hit him.
Ren (in disbelief): You
"…Marcus Steel"
The name carried weight.
Marcus Steele the Strongest Hunter in the United States, one of the Eight Pillars, the man whose power was said to rival natural disasters.
And he was standing here, grinning like he'd just walked into a bar fight.
From the rubble, the general stood - blood trickling from his mouth for the first time.
He starred down at his mouth
"Blood!! How is it that I'm bleeding. Another insect. A slightly bigger one."
Marcus rolled his shoulders, taunting him hard
"Big talk for someone I just sent flying like a baseball. C'mon, big guy round two. Let's see if you hit harder than you fall."
Ren staggered to his feet, still holding his spear.
Ren
"Why are you here? The Bureau didn't"...
Marcus didn't look back.
Marcus (smirking):
"Japan is on fire, kid. You think the U.S. is just gonna sit back and watch? Nah. Someone's gotta keep you lot alive."
He glanced over his shoulder at Ren.
Marcus:
"You can still fight?"
Ren :(nodding, breathing hard):
"…I can stand sir."
But that isn't just any magic beast it's to strong to be a dungeon boos
Marcus steel smiled briefly
"Good. Then stay out of my way for a second this one is mine "
The general let out a roar, leaping across the battlefield with terrifying speed, glaive spinning.
Marcus met him halfway, his fist glowing crimson as he punched upward fist against glaive, the impact releasing a blast wave that shattered nearby containers.
Marcus grinning
"Now that's more like it!"
Lightning crackled around Ren as he steadied himself.
For the first time since the gate had opened, he felt something he hadn't felt all night.
Hope..