hotmtlnovel Chapter 628 Demons
Chapter 628 Demons
Shye felt danger coming from behind him and it was too late for him to react.
Hence, he immediately opted to activate his trusty skill [Stoic Lv.5] instead. Tanking an (S-) or (S) ranked monster's attack with such a skill was dangerous.
However, it was the best protective skill available for human scouts like Reginald, whose strength attributes weren't particularly high.
It not only provided effective defense but also allowed for counterattacks.
Only, Shye hadn't expected that after feeling the satisfying dull thud, there was no wrist he could grab on to as what attacked was merely another phantom that could somehow emit a bloodthirsty aura.
Then, before he could make sense of what happened...
*BOOM!*
An explosion erupted behind him, sending a wave of scorching heat against his back. It didn't hurt much.
However, no matter how minor, damage sustained is damage sustained. Reginald successfully drew first blood against him.
"Hoh, not bad, Regi... What a cunning combat style," Shye said, a mix of annoyance and admiration in his voice.
A few meters in front of him stood his opponent, Reginald Bodan, who was examining his dagger leisurely.
"Hahaha! I'm flattered. Receiving a compliment from Shye Crowley of the Black Dawn—now I can die peacefully," Regi joked.
However, after taking a hit, Shye, who was clearly in no mood for humor, took it as a taunt.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was always something about Reginald that annoyed him slightly—probably the deep-seated arrogance in his demeanor and the occasional irksome sarcastic remarks he made.
'Phew...fine. Let's introduce ourselves properly, then, Reginald Bodan.' Shye thought inwardly as he took one deep breath to calm his heart down.
From their first clash, he could tell that Reginald didn't follow a mindless "speed reigns supreme" fighting style. Instead, he was extremely cunning and skilled at anticipating how his opponent would feel and think.
Shye realized he had to take the guy seriously and stay sharp during the fight. Otherwise, he would fall hook, line, and sinker into every trap Reginald set.
Furthermore, he still wasn't sure if the damage he took this time represented Reginald's true firepower.
He needed to stay vigilant and avoid underestimating the guy's ability to deal damage.
Such actions would naturally make one appear lazy in the eyes of others, which would not be appreciated by one's allies or comrades.
As the saying goes, it's not a strong enemy one should fear, but an incompetent ally.
This was the reason why Shye was forced to finally confront Reginald.
However, despite spending most of his time lounging around, the guy still proved to be remarkably competent.
Shye thought he had long left Regi in the dust, especially now that he bore a hero's crest.
How could he have thought that the guy would still be so difficult to defeat?
He was both amazed and confused.
For around a minute and a half, Reginald continued flawlessly defending himself from Shye's attacks, earning the young hero's approval with each passing second.
"Hoh, it's truly a wonder how you can fight so well despite lazing around all the time..." Shye said in a slightly taunting manner.
This time, it was Reginald who felt annoyed, as if Shye were looking down on him, despite their positions being reversed just a year ago.
In his imagination, at least.
"Hmph! Didn't I tell you I've been training non-stop? How else do you think someone like me could keep up with you, oh mighty hero?" Reginald taunted back.
The fight was on.
It was time to address their mutual misunderstandings, as both seemed to have their egos hindering any chance of a deeper connection.
Shye ceased his attacks, realizing that trying to take Reginald down with such basic methods was futile.
As a result, The two ended up standing a few meters apart, their eyes locked and blazing with fighting spirit.
Soon, black and red vapor began to emanate from Reginald's body as dark runes appeared on his left arm.
Meanwhile, Shye summoned a pair of blackish-transparent, decayed mana wings on his back, and a sinister black armor materialized on his chest.
It was as though two demonic beings were having a turf war in hell.