71~ Equals of Light

"Come on... You won't be able to break through my Sovereign Aura in that form."

Elyes spoke seriously, while Isaac smiled and his Bloody Eyes began to glow.

"I want to test your strength first... Come on, attack me!"

"Gladly..."

In the next instant, Elyes crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and slashed Isaac's chest with a blade of light. He followed up with an upward kick that sent Isaac hurtling toward the ground.

But as soon as the dust settled, Elyes found that his opponent was no longer where he had landed. He looked up and spotted Isaac standing some distance away, the gash left by the blade still clearly visible across his chest.

Isaac smiled mockingly.

"Why did you stop? Keep going!"

Elyes furrowed his brows. Isaac's Bloody Eyes were still glowing, as though the injury had been nothing more than part of his plan.

He's baiting me into attacking him... So his ability depends on receiving my attacks.

Suddenly, Isaac appeared behind him and threw a punch. However, he couldn't penetrate the Sovereign Aura surrounding Elyes in his current transformation, so he immediately retreated.

Elyes turned toward him with a smile.

"Fine. I'll play your game, then."

His reversed transformation faded, leaving only his Elemental form. He charged at Isaac again, who welcomed him with a smile and allowed Elyes to unleash a barrage of punches, taking the blows with little resistance until Elyes finally fired an explosive sphere of energy at him.

Two...

Isaac continued receiving his attacks, while Elyes grew increasingly puzzled. Finally, Elyes formed a blade of light and sent it hurtling toward his opponent's heart at tremendous speed.

But Isaac tilted his body at the last moment, causing the blade to pierce his shoulder instead of his heart.

Three.

Isaac smiled and began to chuckle.

Elyes asked irritably,

"What's so funny?"

"Haha... Your stupidity and recklessness."

Isaac raised his head, his Bloody Eyes glowing more intensely.

In the next instant, Elyes was stunned as Isaac's aura gradually changed, turning yellow before he charged forward in a flash of light.

"My turn!"

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Isaac appeared in front of him and attacked with a blade of light that slashed across his chest. He followed up with an upward kick that sent Elyes hurtling toward the ground.

Wait... That was the exact same attack I used earlier!

Isaac landed after his kick, then delivered another kick to Elyes's face, sending him flying away. Nevertheless, Elyes managed to regain his balance, and his wound began to heal gradually.

He raised his head toward Isaac and asked in disbelief,

"What the hell did you just do?!"

Isaac answered with a confident smile.

"It's my eye ability. When I receive three attacks from my opponent's energy, my energy transforms into the same type, allowing me to use it just as they do. You could call it copying."

Isaac's eyes widened slightly when he saw Elyes's reaction. Despite the hatred and resentment he felt toward him, Elyes smiled with excitement.

"So I'm going to fight myself!"

The two lunged at each other once more.

Elyes attacked first, creating several blades of light and launching them toward Isaac. But Isaac formed blades of his own and deflected them before they could reach him. In the next instant, both vanished from their positions and exchanged attacks at the speed of light, their movements becoming a succession of flashes across the battlefield.

Elyes fired a rapid series of light beams, and Isaac responded in kind. Then both unleashed explosive beams that collided halfway between them, filling the area with a massive explosion.

Elyes charged through the cloud of dust, throwing an energy-enhanced punch, but Isaac met it with an identical blow. Their fists collided, and the force of the impact drove them both backward.

Eventually, they both retreated, gasping for breath after their prolonged exchange.

Suddenly, the light aura surrounding Isaac began to fade. But instead of dissipating into the air, it transformed into dark red energy that flowed back toward him. As soon as it was absorbed into his body, the exhaustion vanished from his face.

Elyes watched in confusion before speaking sarcastically.

"What happened? Can't you defeat me using my own power?"

Isaac laughed.

"Haha! My ability simply wore off. Now it's time to fight you with my real power."

"Why didn't you do that from the beginning?"

Isaac smiled confidently.

"Using the energy I copy doesn't consume any of my original reserves. In other words, I haven't lost any of my own energy during our fight, unlike you."

Elyes's eyes widened as he realized what that meant. He had expended some of his energy fighting an opponent who hadn't even been using his own. Nevertheless, he quickly regained his composure.

On the other side, Isaac's energy began to surge with increasing intensity until it completely enveloped his body, then erupted outward.

When the energy subsided, Isaac stood with dark red hair.

"Elemental Transformation?" Elyes asked.

Isaac smiled and replied,

"Did you think you were the only one who had mastered it?"

Elyes answered sarcastically,

"Honestly, this form has become pretty common."

The two exchanged glances before charging at each other and beginning another clash.

---

Elsewhere, Evelyn was fighting the mindless ones and several other fighters who had attacked her. She continued fending them off until one of them caught her off guard with a kick from behind, forcing her to stagger backward several steps as she gasped for breath.

A strained smile appeared on her face.

I can't believe I didn't leave when I had the chance...

But the image of Heda returned to her mind, followed by the memory of Wail's cold expression as he killed her.

Her smile gradually disappeared, replaced by grim determination.

What am I thinking? Wail won't be able to defeat Vale. If his end is inevitable, I'll take advantage of that and deliver the final blow myself... Yes!

She returned to the fight.

---

Elsewhere, several fighters wearing black robes charged toward Wail, who continued advancing slowly and steadily.

The moment they came close, he vanished.

In the blink of an eye, he covered a great distance, leaving an electrical current behind him that erupted around the fighters he had passed, knocking them all down.

He continued forward until he reached the castle wall. He smashed through it, emerged inside the castle, then made his way outside and raised his gaze.

Kyle was standing above, waiting for him. He had been there for a long time, a look of excitement on his face.

Wail studied him for a few moments before recalling the two men who had fought Aetherion. One of them had possessed the same eyes he now saw on Kyle's face.

Wail clenched his fist and asked,

"This isn't the first time we've met, is it?"

Kyle smiled and answered,

"No, it isn't. You're the one who failed to kill Aetherion, aren't you?"

Kyle's face began glowing blue, as though energy had appeared before him, but his smile remained unchanged.

Wail had already moved directly in front of him.

The two stood face-to-face, watching each other's movements without either making the first move.

---

Back on the battlefield between Elyes and Isaac, Isaac suddenly raised his arm.

In the next instant, the blood inside Elyes's chest wound began to harden before sharp spikes burst from it, piercing his body.

Elyes was injured, but he didn't retreat. He charged toward Isaac and launched a kick at him. However, a wall of blood formed in front of Isaac, blocking the attack before it could reach him.

The wall then transformed into a blood spear. Isaac seized it and aimed it at Elyes's heart.

Elyes raised both hands and stopped the spear before it could pierce his heart. However, the force behind it propelled him high into the sky. As he moved farther away from Isaac, the spear lost its shape, and the blood scattered through the air.

Elyes spent a few moments trying to process what had happened before focusing on Isaac.

I can't see an elemental sphere on him... It seems he inherited his element. He uses blood.

He assumed a fighting stance, watching his opponent carefully.

And it seems controlling it requires him to remain within close range...

Elyes extended his arm, and light began to glow from it. In the next instant, an enormous blade extended outward and pierced Isaac's abdomen.

Blood spilled from Isaac's mouth, but his smile remained. He placed his hands over the wound, and the blood around the opening quickly hardened, sealing it shut.

Then he raised his head and smiled confidently.

One...