Path of the Slayer B1 C17. Fighting My Ex

When Seraphina reached Rank 1, and I was still stuck at Rank 0 three months after hitting 99% Epiphany, the problems cropped up more fiercely. The ones who’d rubbed elbows with me as much as possible started to test me with small remarks.

I used to brush them all off when I should’ve recognized them as signs of the torment to come.

It was one thing to be a talented prospect at the adventurer guild while gaining small privileges that someone from my humble origins wouldn’t normally get. It was another thing when signs appeared that my aura of invincibility wasn’t that invincible.

Yet, I still carried on as if things were normal, as if I would be more than worthy to be among the best.

And the epitome of that attitude was my relationship with a noble imperial from a well-respected family.

Class divide was a thing. But adventurers had a long history of getting past that if you could show your worth to the guild and society overall. Many adventurers of poor background rose to noble status because of their grand adventurer work. Most were still purebred imperials or what we considered our humanoid cousins, other Ranker folks such as elves, dwarves, half-giants.

Nomads … rarely got as far for many reasons.

There were a few exceptions.

I’d wanted to be one of those exceptions.

But one year into being locked at Rank 0, Seraphina and I broke up. She became one of those highly valued prospects while my fade into obscurity deepened.

The ones who’d once rubbed elbows with me circled me like vultures ready to pick at a carcass. The ones who I’d considered my closest friends turned into strangers or jackals that feasted on my struggles.

And Seraphina pretended I didn’t exist, all our promises and dreams vanishing like smoke.

Even then, I didn’t have it in me to hate Seraphina for moving onward. Her indifference hurt, but she hadn’t ever attacked me cruelly.

There were plenty of others more deserving of my hate – like that one girl who’d nearly made me quit two years ago after I became severely crippled. I’d gotten around a little before things became stable with Seraphina, and a few of those old flings persisted in the guild.

They thought of my presence as a mark against them just because we’d slept together, which nobody would’ve really known if they had kept their mouths shut.

They’d found petty ways to get at me. Being called bronze loser and cripple became more of a norm after I lost my right hand and most of the forearm.

They’d also attacked my identity as a nomad, which wasn’t new. But it got to where even the guild leader had to stamp that down, which made me look even more pitiful.

Seraphina had never engaged in that. She’d never defended me, sure, but she’d never been cruel.

She’d kept her distance most times, yeah. Sometimes when we catch each other’s attention, her expression would shift into something dark, maybe even scary. But she’d never attacked me, mocked me, or bullied me.

I was probably going to bully her as her targeted Rank 3 Suppression struck, freezing my muscles, forcing me to stand still. A scary scenario for most to face, since unlike a monster’s Suppression, a targeted Suppression from a stronger Ranker folk was like a huge punch to your entire existence. But I had a sharp idea of how much Path Energy it would take to stop it early.

I waited a beat as Seraphina raised her silvery and ornate-looking longsword up with the point aimed at my visor. Then she slid across the floor with one of her powers that I knew best, Rime Dash.

A trail of crystalline ice formed behind her as she deftly skated forward. At the same time, more chiming rang through the wreckage shop as other adventurers came out of the Supreme Sovereign Empire Portal.

They were barely prepared for what was to come as I paid the price to free myself even though I didn’t have to. I could already see she was going to pull back from a killing blow and just hold the point as a threat.

That was kind of her.

But there was no need to start off so softly.

Path Energy: 100% to 85%.

The targeted Suppression broke. My body became my own again, with Path Energy crackled angrily around me, as if offended by the injustice of being Suppressed.

My energy was eager to get channeled into my next maneuvers, which I only entertained as long as I remained smart and conservative.

Everything I’d learned from hundreds of spars with Senior Codex came into play. I used only what I needed and tried to stop the excess from spilling out of my body.

My greatsword met the side of Seraphina’s thrust, parrying her attack as I stepped and pivoted sharply to my left.

Her Rime Dash came to a sudden stop instead of letting her skate past me. Ice shards burst up from her feet, but I wasn’t close enough for that to affect me.

Instead, she snapped away from the trail, her steps sounding like splintering glass. She redirected herself quickly for a testing slash with no real power.

I let her longsword touch my greatsword with a sharp and icy clang. Then I replied with a testing thrust in return, and she smartly parried it away without overextending herself.

We exchanged a few more strikes just like this, and I had a sense of deja vu from all the times we had sparred with each other.

“Seraphina, you need our help?!” shouted Jacob, one of the adventurers who’d made a game of tormenting me a while back.

There was also Richard, who was once a friend to me before becoming a complete asshole. Last, Margaret, who I’d unfortunately slept with in the early days – she was the one who pushed the unworthy nomad angle the most.

When I took a glance beyond the silver adventurers, I was shocked by the others who came with them. It was to where Seraphina forced me backward with a series of strikes that were stronger than the last.

None of her attacks broke through my guard, though, so I remained unharmed.

I’d expected gold adventurers to follow in after the silver adventurers. Instead, four bronze adventurers I’d once taught – Kel, Christi, Nick, and Dan – were tagging along as if going to a Rank 2 Hell Realm was a field trip.

I regained my composure and held Seraphina at bay even as she used stronger and more advanced techniques. Nothing she did got past my unyielding guard, which was amazing for me to see – I was really holding my own against a Rank 3 silver adventurer.

When I really pushed my strength into my greatsword maneuvers, her longsword couldn’t compete against the heft and weight of the Fallen Slayer weapon. I forced her back a few steps, but no more. I didn’t want the others to join in just yet as I waited to see if anyone else was coming.

Nobody came.

It was only the eight of them.

One Rank 3.

Three Rank 2s.

And four Rank 1s.

All silver and bronze.

Strangely, I was a little disappointed by that. I would’ve liked one more Rank 3, especially an experienced gold adventurer.

“Hey, uh, is the Portal supposed to be behind us still?” blurted out Dan.

“Can we take it back to get out of here?” Kel asked shakily.

“Screw the Portal! Who or what the heck is that thing holding its own against Lady Frostmere!?” shouted Christi as she unloaded one of her waterskins.

“No way! Lady Frostmere has to win! She’s Rank 3!” Nick shouted.

“He’s toying with me,” Seraphina said accurately in between blade clashes. “I don’t feel any Suppression, but I noticed my Suppression was able to affect him for a moment. He’s likely another Rank 3, but I don’t know from where.”

Not a bad guess. Rankers of the same Rank could affect each other with Suppression, but it wouldn’t last long. If the other Ranker was a higher Rank, then a targeted Suppression would’ve outright failed.

Though she left out the fact that she was holding back, too.

She was waiting for me to reveal something so she could respond with one of her many powers. I was pretty sure she had four special ones, and they were of higher quality than the common stuff, which was beyond the norm for a Rank 3. Even her Aether was greater than the norm, further proof of her noble lineage.

I wanted to see more of what she could do after so much time had passed since our last spar. My heart rate was picking up with excitement. And the eagerness for battle entered my strikes, which struck with a force that had Seraphina retreating gradually.

Still, she was not one without battle prowess. She exercised grace and technique in the face of my strength and pressure. Our blades filled the wreckage shop with rapid clangs that rang out loudly, like large metallic drum beats, mixed with the sound of splintering ice coming off her silvery longsword.

It didn’t escape me that Jacob and the others were creeping around to get behind me – especially Jacob, that bastard. I pretended to stay focused on Seraphina before changing directions rapidly with a strong lunge at Jacob, Richard, and Margaret.

Jacob responded by covering his sword with light and attacking with his Shining Slash. Richard covered them in a bronze power called Heavyweight Field that would weigh down and slow enemies. Margaret had already charged some Aether Bolts in both hands and shot them in my direction rapidly.

I turned the greatsword so the broadside of the blade faced them. I tucked my helmeted head down and pointed my pauldron forward.

Path Energy solidified over me as I shoulder-tackled the Aether Bolts that landed rapidly on me. I hit the Heavyweight Field and kept going, speeding up instead of slowing down. Then I met Jacob’s Shining Slash with the broadside of my greatsword, sparks shooting out from the collision.

And, of course, I activated my Great Skills: Pain Eater Gluttony and Multi-Striker Potency.

I broke through everything they could throw at me, though at a considerable cost to myself. My Path Energy dropped from 85% to 70%. But the price was well worth paying, especially for the effects of Pain Eater Gluttony.

I became even stronger and more durable while able to hit back with more power, synergizing perfectly with Multi-Striker Potency.

Jacob’s sword rebounded back into his chest as my sword kept going, crashing into him. I still kept going as I forced Jacob off his feet and backward into Richard. Then both Jacob and Richard flew backward into Margaret.

With as much strength and efficiency as I could muster, I swung all the way through. The broadside of my greatsword – with Jacob, Richard, and Margaret stacked and folded – sent them flying backward together as I came to the end of my swing.

All three crashed into the opposing wall and broke through the common material with their Rank 2 Vitality-enriched bodies. But even then, they were humans. The Vitality of humans didn’t match up to the Vitality of physical monsters.

There were no notifications, so they weren’t dead, but I was certain they would be down for the count.

Behind the deep shadow hiding my face, I was grinning like a fool. Revenge was awesome. Too bad I couldn’t soak it in for long.

I turned and barely blocked a Rime Dash and Rime Slash combo from Seraphina, who was a split second too late to carve my backside open.

Still, I was forced into a backward stumble while my greatsword and the front of my armored body were covered in the splash of ice magic. Seraphina tried to take advantage by using more Rime Slashes, but even while I was off balance, I still blocked each one.

Ice coated the ground, and I would’ve slipped if I didn’t let Path Energy help me further. I went down from 70% to 67% in Path Energy while getting my feet under me. I forced Seraphina off me with a stronger parry that reverberated down both of our blades, which affected her way more than me.

Seraphina took two steps back and stood before me like a warrior angel of the tundra. A chilling power I didn’t know about surrounded her like an aura, covering her in silvery frost energy and circling flakes.

White-blue ice coated her blade, hiding every trace of its usual silvery and ornate nature. Her eyes glowed icy blue with circulating Aether of a high Rank 3 quality.

“Who are you?” Seraphina demanded, her voice noble and steely.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I braced myself with my greatsword raised and ready for action while I used Path Energy to warm me up.

It wasn’t that effective at providing warmth, but every bit helped.

Seraphina looked at me with that glare of hers I sharply remembered – one that she couldn’t control very well. Whenever she was curious about something she didn’t understand or was scared, she would glare at the problem.

“You aren’t from our guild or from any guild, or you wouldn’t have done what you’ve done,” Seraphina said. “You killed silver adventurers!”

I shook my head at her. By enhancing my hearing with Path Energy, I heard breathing in the next room beyond the wall they’d smashed through. There were no notifications of their deaths, either.

The others were alive … even if barely. Based on her expression, she didn’t believe me, and she was preparing herself to re-continue the fight.

The bronzes tried to help with their little Rank 1 powers.

Flashes of light burst in front of my helmeted head. Pulses of force collided with my side. Lashes of water struck like whips on my legs. And one of them threw a piece of hardened wreckage with all of their strength, which bounced off of me.

I ignored it all.

I went down a few percentages, dropping me to 64%, but Path Energy had me covered and so did the Fallen Slayer Set on my body. I remained non-blinded and upright, ready to fight the only one who had my real attention, my Rank 3 ex.

Seraphina ignored the bronze adventurers and waited for a proper opening.

I presented her one by motioning my greatsword to the side, and to my delight, she didn’t bite. She used to have a bad habit of striking at openings that were really traps, which was how I’d beaten her in most sparring matches back in the day.

Apparently, she’d fixed that over the years.

I didn’t know why I felt proud of something so small.

I should hate her. Maybe I should even try to hurt her. But that wasn’t what I felt like doing.

I wanted to spar with her, even if it would be for the last time.

***

Lady Seraphina Forstmere knew she wasn’t perfect, and that was clear with one of her biggest mistakes, keeping away from Arden.

I should’ve been there for you, Seraphina thought bitterly, letting the distraction come to mind even though it could spell death for her. Maybe if the God Emperor is willing, we’ll be side by side as warriors in his Heaven.

Lady Seraphina Frostmere had grown up being told she was special and would do great things. Her family was well-respected, well-connected, and well-funded.

She could’ve married into an even bigger family and elevated hers. Instead, she pursued adventurism, which was the first time she’d broken her mother’s heart.

Her father had been more supportive, since the Frostmere Family had a legacy of being adventurers before settling more on being merchants of ice-related resources.

When word got around that she’d become more familiar with a nomad named Arden by courting him, she broke her mother’s heart a second time. Her father had been less supportive of that, severely so. 

Seraphina hadn’t cared. She’d seen potential in Arden despite his severely humble origins. She’d dreamed of going against the odds with him.

For a time, it seemed like that would happen, since Arden was like nobody else. He’d been truly talented in the early years.

Then Seraphina became a Rank 1 while Arden was still a Rank 0, and reality became a cruel teacher when dealing with the power and nature of elite nobles.

Simply put, if she hadn’t separated herself from Arden, someone would’ve killed him – distant members of her own family, nobles of their network, or someone who was severely jealous and hateful. It didn’t matter who – Arden’s inability to Rank Up stripped him of any protection he would’ve had if everything went as they’d hoped.

She’d nearly gotten away with stealing an Epiphany Elixir for Arden, but was caught by her family and punished for it. It was after that Seraphina knew she had to break things off. She never dated again since then, and she’d always hoped Arden would move on and be safe.

Why didn’t you quit? Why did you keep going? Why didn’t you Rank Up and be the hero I thought you would be?

Why was she facing a hulking dark man in heavy black armor who scared every fiber of her being?

She couldn’t sense any Suppression from him. She hadn’t seen him use any actual power except for whatever strange energy crackled around him when it became more agitated.

The way he’d taken down Jacob and the others so fast was shocking! Even though they were Rank 2s, they should’ve been able to hold out longer.

Granted, she’d sensed the strange energy about him more acutely when that happened. The strange energy wasn’t Aether. It didn’t glow or activate like Aether would. Yet, it was too notable to be Vitality. And there was still no Suppression.

Maybe part of his powers hid the true depths of what he could do. If so, that made Seraphina even more worried while she tried to keep up a front that was unfazed on the outside.

In truth, she wanted to shove the bronze adventurers back through the portal and escape from this hell. But Jacob, Richard, and Margaret were down and vulnerable, if they weren’t dead already.

He shook his head, she realized, as if to say they were alive.

Now she was trapped.

She had to fight. For their lives and her own. Even if she wasn’t deserving of her own life.

Arden never quits. He’s stubborn like that. Even to the end.

Seraphina refastened her grip on her sword. She looked into the darkened visor of the monstrous man, hoping to glean anything from him, but his face remained hidden and he wouldn’t talk.

He had the dark deposition of a nomad, but a large and muscular one, so he couldn’t be Arden. He also had one hand that was unarmored while the other hand was metallic, with gunmetal gray and crimson accents and cruelly sharped fingertips.

The metal hand bothered her deeply. She could sense something horribly wrong ebbing from it. She didn’t want that terrifying thing to touch her.

“Who are you?” she demanded again.

The mysterious and dark warrior responded with a scarily fast slash at her side. Seraphina maneuvered her sword to block it and was forced off balance once again after absorbing and redirecting the attack.

She retreated a few steps, reorientated herself, and defended against another powerful strike that sent heavy vibrations down her arms. She clenched her teeth and kept defending herself even at the cost of her own Vitality going down from the sheer force of the blade-on-blade collision.

The Rank 1s kept trying to help. But their efforts were pathetic. Each of their powers broke like waves against an indomitable mountain.

The mysterious warrior kept swinging and walking Seraphina down. He battered her around like she was a mere child up against an adult.

There was no choice.

She would have to go all out.

She prepared to pour more of her Rare Aether into her Uncommon powers – Rime Dash, Rime Slash, and Chilling Field. Then she prepared her Rare power, Winter’s Rebuke, hoping to catch her unyielding foe off-guard when the time was right.

She waited for a real opening to present itself, then she blitzed him with all she had plus more.