Death... and me

The bending ability of Rean's Black Star was something he added in the Realm of Gods. He got the study material in the Blacksmith Hall back in the Lukimira Sect and soon found about this method. Yes, Roan's White Star also had the same ability. It's just that Roan hadn't used it yet.

Knowing that Rean's sword could bend and defend against were two different things, though. Luval was forced to position his spear further away from his body every time he used it to block a hit from Rean to make sure he wouldn't get hurt. But even then, there were times where he miscalculated and got a few cuts in various spots, thanks to it.

However, the fact still stands that he was a Middle Stage Saint Realm cultivator, an entire realm above Ream. With that being said, Rean's advantages could only bring him so far. Rean also received a few injuries on his body as a result of Luval changing his fighting style. Since Luval couldn't defend completely against Rean's Black Star, he used those changes where Rean cut him to also hit Rean whenever possible.

Both Rean and Luval were going all out. Rean used feints, but Luval didn't fall for them easily. Not to mention that Luval knew how to use feints as well. Because of that, Rean and Luval's fight turned into a battle of attrition. Who would be able to hold on the longest? Everyone watching the battle wished to know.

There was a reason for that. Luval finally gave up trying to play defensively to avoid injuries. He wasn't Rean, which meant he couldn't completely heal himself in just a few moments. Because of that, he had done his best to not get injured until he reached the final battle. Unfortunately, it was obviously impossible with Rean as his opponent. Since that's the case, Luval decided to not care about it.

Rean and Luval, however, didn't want to keep things like this. They didn't like the idea of leaving the decision up to fate. 'I have to finish this,' they thought almost at the same time.

Rean, who had always tried to attack from the blind spots, gave up on strategy and charged head-on!

Luval, on the other hand, decided to not parry Rean's attack anymore, focusing fully on the offensive!

*Swish, swish, swish...*

*Clang, clang, clang...*

Injuries accumulated as Luval and Rean fought for that one opening! The chance to end the battle. It was then that Luval's spear moved in a direction Rean failed to notice, piercing his right leg.

*Puchi!*

*Argh!*

Rean jumped back, ignoring the pain and the blood. However, how could Luval let that chance slip up? He immediately charged forward, increasing his assault even more.

'True Spear Rain!'

Even without Divine Energy, that attack used a lot of Luval's stamina as it was hard to control. The spear tips seemed to multiply due to the speed they moved, making Rean's life even worse.

'Death Style, First Defensive Form, Reversive Arcs!'

Rean then did what he could, using the rotation of the technique to fend off the spears he could catch in time.

*Puchi, puchi, puchi...*

Unfortunately, with his leg bleeding, Rean couldn't properly move the sword, allowing for more damage to be received by his body. Even his face had small pierce wounds on it. 

Rean didn't give up, though. 'Almost there, almost there!'

The barrage of attacks continued until suddenly...

*Argh!*

Luval grunted in pain! It wasn't that he received some damage but that his body reached the limit of how long he could continue using his True Spear Rain.

'Now!' Not letting that chance pass up, Rean immediately shot forward, passing just a millimeter away from Luval's spear tip. The blood of the deep, piercing wound in his leg spurted out like a fountain, but Rean simply ignored it. Once again, Rean's knowledge about the human body played its part. Rean could tell through the battle and the wound that Luval had accrued that his assault had a time limit. That's why Luval hadn't used it until now. 

In any case, the strain on Luval's body, combined with the wounds, made it impossible for him to move his spear anymore. He was paralyzed, even if just for a moment. Of course, Rean used that moment to the fullest!

'Death Style, First Form, Stellar Piercer!'

Luval was taken aback by Rean's sudden charge. It wasn't the fact that Rean could counterattack but that he knew exactly the moment he would be vulnerable. Not wanting to back down, he gritted his teeth and tried to pull his spear back as well as jump back at the same time. 

The same way Luval took his chance, so did Rean. Luval tried to rotate his body at the last moment, seeing that he would be stabbed if he continued to retreat in the direction he initially chose. However, Rean's Black Star seemed to bend once more through the sheer force of the movement. No, it wasn't that. Rean knew that Luval would definitely have the energy to try one last dodge, and he aimed for that moment!

*Swish!*

Rean's Black Star then pierced through Luval's right abdomen. Because Luval tried to dodge at the last moment, his body's inertia ended up making things worse. The Black Star had already pierced through his abdomen before cutting through the rest of the right side. Luval vomited blood and used his spear to stabilize himself. As for Rean, he passed by Luval due to his own inertia as well. 

Rean then used his still good leg to stop his movement while the blood continued to gush out of the other. Rean and Luval were hurt all over, with each having a serious injury. Rean's injury might have been on his leg, but he had been bleeding for longer than Luval. As for Luval, his serious injury was newer but much more serious. Of course, the rest of the injuries only made things more frantic for both parties.

The two of them looked at each other, seeing who would be the first to try to use Divine Energy to heal themselves.. The one who did that first would be the loser of this fight as neither Rean nor Luval had the force to continue battling anymore.