Chapter 1544: Duke Horacio [2]

Usually, Damien was the one who took that role, but he found himself beaten to the punch this time.

Their eyes had only connected for a second, but Duke Horacio's arms were already in the air.

VOOOOOOOOOM!

The winds whipped, controlled by his hand. Massive boulders detached themselves from the mountain below and hurled towards Damien.

This kind of move was effectively useless against a Divinity. Mere rocks or boulders couldn't damage them unless their speed was actually in the realm of impossibility.

That was why, when someone who had a power that relied heavily on the environment like Duke Horacio, they would train in a certain technique that others often overlooked.

"Infusion."

Infusing energy into weapons and items wasn't a rare practice. Almost everyone learned how to do it at the very start of their journey, as it was a good way to get familiar with maneuvering energy.

However, that was the end of it. For most people, energy control and output rapidly trumped infusion, because their base abilities became stronger than anything a weapon could match up to.

People like Duke Horacio had to tread a different path because of the uniqueness of their abilities. Rather than a mere training technique, infusion became one of their most important assets, a concept they had to raise to perfection.

Because once they'd reached a high level of infusion, the entire meaning behind their power changed.

This moment was proof of that.

Damien could clearly see the presence of strong malakh within those boulders. In the moment it took for them to be torn from the mountain and flung, they'd been infused with the height of Duke Horacio's power.

It was a proper opening move, a show of respect and ability.

Damien grinned as he watched them approach.

'If he's going to act all proper, then I should respond in kind.'

Damien wasn't averse to showing respect to the enemy. When it came to Duke Horacio, they were enemies by association not by grudge.

He put his hand out in front of him, welcoming the incoming projectiles.

His mana went forth, colorless and formless, almost imperceptible.

It was the mana of Existence.

Damien no longer needed to hide. His enemies already knew he could use Existence. Even if they didn't know what it was, their awareness of its presence meant he could finally stop playing the pig to eat the tiger.

Damien now had the freedom to mess around with his power as much as he wanted.

Which meant he could do things like-

The boulders approached until they were only an inch away from Damien's outstretched arm.

And they stopped.

All of their built-up momentum disappeared as if it never existed in the first place. Even the malakh within the boulders stopped responding.

While Duke Horacio watched, the boulders crunched and morphed, miraculously changing into massive ten-foot-long icicles that turned around and pointed themselves at him.

They were completely freed from the Duke's control, but strangely enough, the energy they used was still his malakh.

"Impressive," he said with a smile.

He had no idea what just happened, but now wasn't really the time to act flustered.

"If you think that's cool, you aren't even close to ready for what's to come."

Damien grinned, flicking his hand.

The icicles immediately mobilized. They shot out jets of frost as if they were missiles and sped past sound and light barriers in an instant.

Duke Horacio immediately mobilized a defense.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Khh...!"

Horacio was pushed back by the force of the explosions, but he was uninjured. Compared to his peers, the properties of his malakh were extremely unique.

Duke Horacio had reached a state where he was always in tune with the environment. Regardless of what that environment was, he could make himself a part of it.

This was partly because of his infusion talent and partly because of his telekinesis which had evolved to a level of spatial control.

The Duke's malakh could mimic the properties of the natural environment around it. Whether that meant making it as smooth and fast as wind...

...or as flowing and flexible as water.

Damien felt it when the ice missiles struck. The majority of their force was deflected by the water-like shield of malakh Duke Horacio made.

The missiles tried to pierce, but they simply couldn't fight the downward force of the stream that pushed them into the ground below.

Damien raised his brows in surprise.

'I get it now. This location choice wasn't just for show.'

He smiled as he watched the Duke regain his position.

'He's cunning.'

This location allowed Damien to use his power as he pleased, sure, but it also allowed Duke Horacio to use his abilities to their full potential.

'It really is perfect.'

The first exchange of blows didn't mean much. It was, at most, a greeting.

'He's powerful and resourceful. He'll give me a good fight.'

Damien's thoughts were obvious. He admired the Duke's thinking and was excited to fight him.

As for Duke Horacio...

'He's different.'

Damien only showed a glimpse of it, but that power was obviously what made him an anomaly.

'He is someone that made the Lord wary.'

It was sacrilegious to say something like that in front of the other nobles, but Duke Horacio wasn't afraid to think it.

The fact that anomalies made the Dark God wary was precisely the reason behind conquests like these.

Damien had to be acknowledged as someone of that caliber. Otherwise, they would never be able to defeat him.

'I have to find out more about it.'

Whether he was winning or losing, he would have to drag this fight out as much as possible.

The two of them had very different views on their current battle, but regardless, both very much wanted to fight.

Damien gripped his fists.

The possibilities ran through his head.

What could he use Existence for?

He had to think of things he'd never done before. No, rather, he had to discover things that weren't possible to do with just laws alone.

It was exciting, but it was just as confusing.

'I hope this guy can hold on for a long time.'

Damien didn't underestimate Duke Horacio, but he just couldn't help but be assured of victory.

Their thoughts were different, but they shared a common goal.

A good, long fight.

And for that purpose...

'Let's pick up the pace.'

Damien was going with his favorite, most reliable method of fighting.

He stepped on the air, using it as if it was tangible.

He bent his knee, activating the muscles in his legs.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

The force his body created as it ripped through the air created huge shockwaves that thundered into the sky and ground.

It was less than a single second of flight, as Damien had already arrived before the Duke in that time.

His fist raised perfectly, shooting forward with a huge infusion of mana pulsating around it.

Since that was the Duke's speciality, that was where Damien would challenge him.

The Duke's eyes narrowed.

Damien's fist approached closer.

And as he made the decision to face it head-on...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

...the environment around them experienced its first great catastrophe.