I looked at him as he smiled widely. Lumin radiated from his body and his blade. Then he opened his mouth wide and shoved his hand deep inside his throat.
A cold chill ran down my spine. Don't magicians do that?
Disgusting.
My body felt like insects were crawling under my skin. What the fu—
He pulled out another blade from his mouth. Saliva dripped from the curved steel.
"Are you ready, Zain?"
I dropped into a low squat, my left leg slightly back, blade raised in the standard stance. The same stance Draka had forced me to hold for hours.
Ren dashed forward, both blades raised. He jumped, feeling the ship sway beneath us.
Our blades collided.
His Lumin against mine. Berserker against berserker. Warrior against warrior.
I was ready.
He bounced off, forcing me to step back. Then he dashed forward again, unleashing a barrage of slashes.
I raised my blade, parrying each strike. Sparks flew. Lumin smoked from the collisions like embers from a fire.
I jumped back and pointed my blade at him.
"Screaming Boar!"
I lunged forward. The Lumin boar followed.
Ren sidestepped, dodging the attack, then raised his blade. He was going for a slash—aiming for my extended arm. My body tensed. I raised my sword just in time to parry.
His other blade went for my neck.
I felt the cold steel. Leaned back just in time. The blade cut a piece of my hair.
And I was trying to grow dreadlocks.
I focused my Lumin into my arm. Energy coursed through my body like something crawling under my skin.
My fist slammed into his jaw, sending him flying back.
I got up and raised my blade. I wasn't letting that bastard recover.
"Air Slash!"
The wind crescent shot forward at incredible speed. A strong breeze followed in its wake.
Ren somehow got up and dodged the slash.
How does someone achieve reflexes like that?
He dashed toward me, and we continued our battle. Blades clashing. Sparks flying. Each of us searching for an opening. Just one.
He lunged forward.
My blade was in the perfect position—directly underneath his. I raised it, parrying upward. His arm lifted. Open.
I slashed across his stomach. He staggered back.
His armor absorbed some of the damage. He looked down at the wound, then at me.
"That's it, kid. But I'm missing that berserker." He tilted his head. "You're fighting as Zain. Not Zain the Berserker."
He dashed forward and went for my head. I ducked just in time, pulled a small blade from my belt, and stabbed his stomach. The throwing knife couldn't fully pierce his thick leather armor.
He grabbed my face and slammed me against the floor.
I rolled just before his sword could slash my face.
I jumped up and dashed toward him, raising my blade.
"Vrikni Barrage!"
He countered with his own barrage. His Lumin against mine—two domes of slashes colliding, neither giving ground.
I leaped back and threw two Air Slashes. He dodged both easily, then dove toward me.
That's suicidal.
I raised my arms to block—
He bit my arm.
His jaws clamped down hard. Blood trickled down my forearm. I pulled out my second knife and went for a stab—
His tail wrapped around my other arm.
I kneed his stomach. Again. Again. His body shifted with each impact.
It wasn't working.
Blood poured from my arm like a waterfall.
I took a step back and used my strength to lift his body with one arm, then hurled him away from me.
He landed on all fours, crouched like a predator ready to pounce. His claws were more pronounced. His teeth had lengthened. When he exhaled, I could see steam in the air. His eyes were sharper. His hair stood up like spines.
This isn't a berserker.
This is a predator.
He pounced.
I jumped back and kicked him, sending him off balance—but he landed on his feet again. I dashed to grab his abandoned sword and settled into a better stance.
He jumped again. I blocked with both blades. He grabbed my arms, vaulted up, and drop-kicked me into the crowd.
The crowd caught me. Then they pushed me back into the fray.
Bastards.
They didn't care. One of us dying was just less competition. Rela was right. These people were cowards. They didn't even fight for themselves. They still thought I was the psychopath. They still hated me. They'd probably cheer if I died.
Then I'll be different.
I'll beat him. I'll prove a point.
Ren dashed toward me. I sidestepped and grabbed his torso with both arms. My arms felt weak. Wobbly. Like they were about to collapse.
I will not lose to this psychopath.
My vision shifted to a familiar black void. The jaguar's realm. My body shook uncontrollably. Lumin pulsed through me like a seizure—wild, chaotic, and this time... permanent.
Like my body had finally agreed to something.
This... this will be victory.
This will be my declaration of strength. On this ship. In this world.
Ren's tail whipped around my neck and tightened. I held him higher. My breathing became uneven.
Higher. Higher. Until I held him above my head.
Then I slammed him against the floor.
The wooden planks shattered, cratering beneath him.
His tail unwrapped from my neck. I stood over him as he slowly pushed himself up.
I looked to my right. Three blades lay on the ground.
I walked toward them—but something felt wrong. My gait was different. I felt lightheaded, but not like when I entered the berserker state. This was different.
My leg gave out.
I dropped to one knee. My body shook. Sweat poured.
No wonder. I could usually fight longer... but this... this is different.
A faint, tired laugh came from behind me.
I looked back. Ren was getting up slowly, walking toward me. His steps were confident—but this time, I could barely hear them.
"I know you're wondering why you feel like this, kid." He stopped and knelt in front of me, looking me straight in the eye.
"What did you do?" I could barely hear my own voice. Just the vibration of my vocal cords.
"I'm poisonous, dumbass." He grinned. "I'm a lizardman."
Fuck.
I didn't know that.
My vision blurred further.
I'm cooked.