The sand exploded beneath my foot as I accelerated, striking out with a sharp feint that I paired with a furious swipe, a roundhouse, and a 540 spin-kick. She avoided it all and retaliated, her legs a blinding fury I barely kept ahead of.
Several tis, Inverse rattled from the force of her blows. Several tis, she slipped into my blind spot and targeted vulnerable points—joints, tendons, vital spots, nerve clusters. Anything to tear down.
I was so sure I was going to lose—until I stopped trying to keep up with her, simply bore the barrage, and then retaliated. Her sharpened fingers stabbed into my bloody midsection as I jabbed at her eye. She leaned just enough to dodge, but wasn't quick enough on the backstep, letting score a mark across her cheek.
And that was the beginning of the end.
Inverse shattered beneath her next blow, flipping over, but I toggled it back on before she could follow up with a flying kick. Vanishing my blades briefly, I snatched the assaulting leg, twisted, my leg snaking around hers as I spun. My dagger was already out and descending before we hit the floor. It blew through her calf muscle, and I ripped it out, eviscerating the leg.
Her second leg swept down, but I caught it with a waiting hand and Inverse, wrapping it up as I dismissed the dagger and stabbed into the knee of her other leg. That finally drew a scream out of her, and she exploded with an outpouring of curse energy that barely rattled Inverse.
I untangled from her, but not before slicing my knife along her femoral artery. Blood gushed out, and I spun, coming to a sudden stop, grinning.
The sorcerer lunged, accelerating at a fraction of her forr speed. My leg ramd into her midsection, reversing her montum. She folded into herself, coughing blood that stained her immaculate white shirt and clothes. I stalked toward her, each step a fresh hell.
Then, I let out a ragged breath that seed to drain of what little strength I had left.
I stumbled, my vision doubling.
It'd been easy to shove it aside with adrenaline and Venom pumping through , but the neo-steroid was waning fast, and I'd lost a shit-ton of blood.
I needed healing yesterday, but I couldn't risk getting closer without Inverse, and in the state I was in, I doubted I could survive another scuffle.
Taking several steps back from her, I reluctantly left her to bleed out while I tried to patch myself up, dropping Inverse and activating Reverse Cursed Technique.
It thankfully worked, with the Venom draining out of my system, but I had another problem. I had less Curse Energy than I anticipated.
HP: 90/1400
CE: 210/1880
I could just about close the stomach wound, but not much else.
I'd barely gotten RCT going when sothing shifted above. I snapped Inverse on, but it was too late.
A massive blur crashed into , opening up my stomach, neck, and shoulder before wheeling around and vanishing into the sky.
The force of the impact sent spinning and flipping, barely clinging to consciousness. Before everything went dark, I caught a glimpse of what'd hit just as it reappeared, enveloping the enemy sorcerer in its wings.
A massive bird.
I woke when a hand touched .
I twisted, striking out with a dagger I instinctively summoned. A red-gloved hand caught the tip.
"Woah, kid. Slow down. You're safe."
I blinked, eyes rapidly acclimating. I was still in the desert, bundled in layers of bandages. I checked my status. I'd healed a bit, but I wasn't quite there yet. RCT would get the rest of the way.
HP: 210/1500
CE: 700/2030
My status had also bulked up. A lot.
I was guessing it was partly from the damage of the fight and the Venom, but I had a feeling it was mostly the latter.
Class: Sorcerer – Level 16 (2nd Grade)
Titles: Touched by the Sparks of Black, Julius the Immortal
Techniques: Inverse Lv 5 → Lv 6
Health: 1290 /1500
Cursed Energy: 700 /2030
Stamina: 360 /1600
Stats:
STR: 124 13 AGI: 147 20 PER: 135 3 VIT: 140 10
END: 150 10 CP: 188 10
Skills:
Cursed Inventory Lv 7 → Lv 8
Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv 6 → Lv 7
Cursed Energy Manipulation Lv 6 → Lv 7
Cursed Energy Reinforcent Lv 5 → Lv 6
Stealth Lv 6
Curtain Lv 6 → Lv 7
Gun Mastery Lv 6
Acrobatics Lv 6
Swordsmanship Lv 6 → Lv 7
Binding Vow Lv 2 → Lv 4
Reversed Cursed Technique Lv 6 → Lv 7
Mace Mastery Lv 4
Hamr Mastery Lv 4
Staff Mastery Lv 4
Free Points: 8
I scanned the landscape. It was littered with blood spatter, broken weapons, and massive depressions in the sand. Flash was the only Leaguer on-site. He must've run ahead to help.
"I take it you heard my phone call," I said.
He winced. "You've had a hell of a night, haven't you?"
I checked my stomach, then activated RCT and finished up my internal injuries that my regeneration hadn't gotten to just yet.
"You didn't happen to see a dying woman fly off with a shadowy bird, did you?"
"Uh, no," Flash said.
I'd bet everything in my inventory that she sohow survived having her femoral artery slashed and being pumped full of poison. I should've pressed the attack.
I sighed.
"Sothing wrong?" he asked, striking a pose in his ridiculously bright outfit.
"I'll have to fight her again, and she'll be better prepared—probably bring friends. I'm not looking forward to that," I sighed, looking down at my ripped clothes. I needed to change, and I needed a bath. But more than both, I needed allies. "I need to see the Justice League."
I stood too quickly and stumbled, nearly tipping back into the sand. Flash caught .
"Woah, woah. What you need is a trip to the hospital. It's a miracle you're alive at all."
"It's not," I grunted. "It's ta-genetics and skill, is what it is. And we're running out of ti. They'll likely go after them—my family. They've already made the Cadmus connection."
"And Batman already thought of that," he said, surprising a bit. "He's sent a team. You'll get the word as soon as we know. So, now, will you agree to the hospital?"
"As long as it's not so bullshit play to hold prisoner."
Flash scoffed. "If we wanted to bring you in, we would've already. Tonight proved sothing Zatanna and even I didn't want to admit—the sorcerer threat is very real. And we might need you to stop it."
That caught off guard, though I didn't believe a word out of his mouth.
"If it's all the sa to you, I'd still like to et on neutral grounds—with my family."
Flash made a noise through his nose. "I'll tell Batman."
Flash carried to a local hospital in Austin and led out to the rooftop when I was done healing.
He and the nurse had been fussing over when I started pulling my bandages. Flash looked just as surprised as she did.
"Kid Flash told all about your healing powers. They're the real deal, huh?"
"If I had my way, no one would know what I could do, but since I don't, I try to benefit from it," I shrugged. "I can heal most injuries, given ti, as long as they're human. So next ti you trip up and break a leg or sothing…"
"I'll give you a call," he grinned.
"I'll give you a you-didn't-let--die-in-a-desert discount."
Flash chuckled.
Only a handful of Leaguers waited for at the rooftop.
Batman. His jet hovered behind him. Wonder Woman stood to his left. Zatanna to his right.
I raised a brow, then looked at Flash, who looked genuinely surprised.
"Can't say I'm shocked you've decided to box in instead of actually hearing out," I said.
"You're asking for much," Batman said. "We need guarantees there's no ulterior motive or side-deal you're working."
"As if you're not doing the sa," I scoffed, then looked at Flash. "I bet the Justice League doesn't even know about this little ambush. And holding my family as leverage? That's a bit low—even for you, Batman."
"Enough," Wonder Woman snapped before the argunts could spiral. She pulled a golden lasso from her skirt.
"The Lasso of Truth compels all who touch it to tell no lies. It is the only way the League will work with you, considering your record—and your magic."
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