54_ The Spirit of Perception

Aetherion pulled back the arm holding Excalibur.

And in the next instant...

He disappeared.

The ground where he had been standing shattered, as if his body had not merely left it, but had left behind a force the earth itself could not withstand.

He had moved at an incredible speed, so fast that the impact of his movement reached the ground only after he was already far away from it.

He appeared in front of Wail in an instant and swung Excalibur toward his neck.

But something strange was happening within Wail.

His expression was unnaturally calm.

Just before the blade reached him...

His body shifted slightly to the side.

Excalibur passed inches from his face.

The blade struck the ground.

Energy exploded from the sword, tearing through the earth beneath Aetherion as a massive crack extended into the distance, swallowing rocks and terrain along its path.

At the same moment, Wail threw a punch toward Aetherion's face.

The knight barely managed to evade it, then countered with a punch engulfed in electricity.

Wail moved only his neck.

The fist passed beside his face.

He then twisted his body and kicked Aetherion in the chest.

The knight was sent backward, sliding several meters across the ground.

But he did not fall.

His body transformed into a flash of electricity.

And he disappeared.

He appeared directly behind Wail.

He swung Excalibur.

Wail evaded.

A punch.

Wail ducked.

A second punch.

He twisted his body.

A sword strike.

He moved aside.

Aetherion attacked from different angles, moving from one place to another at a speed the eye could barely follow.

But Wail avoided every attack moments before it reached him.

Suddenly, Wail grabbed Aetherion's arm.

Then he twisted his body and threw the knight away.

Aetherion shot through the air, flying a great distance before regaining his balance.

He thought:

"His speed has increased dramatically..."

His expression changed.

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"No... It's not just that."

Wail rushed toward him.

Aetherion raised Excalibur, releasing a massive wave of yellow electricity from the sword.

It was enormous, covering a vast portion of the sky and ground.

But the moment it reached Wail...

His body shifted to the side.

The wave passed beside him.

In the next instant, Wail raised his hand.

A bolt of lightning shot toward Aetherion.

He tried to evade it, but it exploded near him, engulfing his entire body.

A thick cloud of smoke rose from the area.

Aetherion emerged from it, gripping Excalibur tightly.

"It's as if he's reading my attacks..."

Then he shouted:

"Enough running! Come and attack me, Wail!"

The moment he finished speaking...

Wail appeared in front of him, staring at him with an unnaturally calm expression.

He then threw a direct punch toward Aetherion's face.

A massive shockwave erupted through the sky upon impact.

But Wail narrowed his eyes.

Something was wrong.

Aetherion had deliberately taken the punch.

He grabbed Wail's hand.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Got you."

He extended his other hand.

A massive beam of electricity shot directly toward Wail.

Aetherion pulled himself backward, then extended his hand toward Excalibur, which was still suspended in the air.

The sword flew toward him in a flash.

The moment he caught it...

His expression froze.

"Impossible!!"

Wail stood in the aftermath of the attack...

Completely unharmed.

There was not even a scratch on his body.

Even more strangely...

Wail himself seemed surprised.

He looked at his hands.

Then at his body.

As if he had no idea how he had emerged from that attack without a single injury.

Suddenly, two bolts of lightning descended from the sky.

They struck both sides of Aetherion and his sword.

Dark yellow electricity spread around his body, and the aura surrounding him grew stronger.

Then he lunged toward Wail.

He moved at the speed of light.

His attacks and movements could no longer be seen.

Only fragmented flashes of electricity and steel remained.

A strike from the right.

Wail disappeared from its path.

A strike from above.

His body moved instinctively.

Aetherion attacked without stopping.

But Wail...

Avoided everything.

Aetherion watched Wail's expression throughout the relentless barrage.

Then he noticed something.

His eyes stopped following Wail's movements for a moment.

"He's..."

He pulled back slightly.

"He's not reading my attacks?"

In the next instant, Wail's fist stopped his entire assault.

His fist buried itself into Aetherion's stomach.

The knight's body bent from the impact.

Then Wail's leg rose.

A powerful upward kick struck Aetherion directly in the neck.

The knight was driven violently into the ground, crashing into it beneath a thick cloud of dust.

Wail descended slowly.

As Aetherion regained his footing, he said:

"You..."

He raised his eyes toward him.

"You don't look like you're seeing my attacks."

Wail did not answer.

Aetherion pointed toward his head.

"The electrical signals sent by your brain... I can read them."

He fixed his gaze on him.

"I can determine what your body is going to do before it even moves."

He paused.

"But it seems your brain and your body are completely disconnected."

The calmness disappeared from Wail's expression.

It was the first time surprise had appeared on his face since the silver energy had surrounded his body.

Aetherion thought:

"The Spirit of Perception..."

"It seems to possess the ability to perceive attacks and evade them instinctively."

Then he looked at Wail.

"And he doesn't even know it."

Aetherion slowly exhaled and gripped Excalibur.

"Wail...You don't understand the nature of the power inside you."

He held his gaze.

"I can already tell that you are a noble warrior... and that you have no intention of harming this world."

Then he raised Excalibur slightly.

"But your body is hosting the legendary Spirit of Perception."

Wail's expression changed.

"One of the Five Legendary Spirits."

Wail stared at himself, as if trying to understand what he was hearing.

Then, for the first time, he spoke.

"One of the Legendary Spirits? How do you know that?"

Aetherion answered:

"We did not come to your planet without reason... nor did we come here intending to harm you."

Then he said seriously:

"Our mission is to find the vessel of the Spirit of Perception and seal it."

He paused.

"But it seems the sealing process has failed."

He looked at the silver aura surrounding Wail.

"It has already merged with your soul."

Tension began to appear on Wail's face.

His silver aura fluctuated violently.

"And what makes you think I'll believe you?!"

Aetherion immediately interrupted him.

"Calm down."

He held his gaze.

"Your transformation will disappear if you lose control of your emotions."

Silence fell.

Then the sky began to change.

Clouds gathered above them.

Aetherion raised Excalibur.

"I haven't had a battle like this in a long time."

He looked at Wail.

"And my first priority is to fight someone as strong and brave as you."

His grip tightened around the sword.

"And second... to protect those who cannot protect themselves."

"Everything else... comes after that."

The energy of Excalibur rose.

"So whether you are a threat or not..."

"Excalibur has chosen you as a worthy opponent to witness its power, Wail!!!"

An enormous surge of energy erupted from the sword.

At the same moment, small cracks appeared across Aetherion's armor, specifically around the arm holding the sword.

He glanced at them for a moment.

Then said:

"Ah... I forgot to finish what I was saying."

He looked back at Wail.

"Do you really think, Wail, that I am someone who wants to deceive you?"

Wail narrowed his eyes.

Aetherion continued:

"I want you to fight me with all the strength you understand how to use."

"I want you to show me everything you have... out of respect for me...And for Excalibur."

The lightning suddenly stopped.

Then several bolts descended from the sky and struck the blade.

Aetherion raised Excalibur toward Wail.

"Now..."

He shouted:

"Show me what you've got!!!"

A massive yellow beam covered in black electricity erupted from the sword.

It was so enormous that Wail could not move far enough away from it.

His eyes widened.

And at the last moment...

The silver aura appeared around his body.

It completely covered him.

Then the beam swallowed him.

The entire area shook.

The explosion expanded in every direction, sweeping across the ground and leaving behind a vast wasteland of destruction.

The light remained for several moments...

Then gradually began to fade.

Aetherion lowered his sword.

He was breathing heavily.

He looked at his arm.

The cracks in his armor had grown significantly.

Yellow energy began glowing from within them.

He remained standing for several moments.

Then slowly turned around.

He was about to return Excalibur to its sheath.

"It's over..."

He stopped.

His head rose.

"Could it be?!"

He turned around quickly.

From within the dust...

Wail appeared.

The last remnants of the silver aura covering his body were gradually fading.

He stood there.

Without a single scratch.

Aetherion's eyes widened.

Then his shock transformed into a wide grin.

"Hahahahaha!"

He burst into laughter.

"I can't believe all of this..."

He raised Excalibur.

"It didn't even scratch you, Waaaaail!!!!"