Born in Blood



'My opponent is… the Winged Swallow?' 

What kind of name was that?

Liam looked at the clan in question. 

They were the Wings of Glory…

And they could all fly.

Liam looked at the two Wings of Glory members in the distance. 

They wore white-and-black, but their most discerning features were the azure, water-made wings sprouting from their back.

Even the disciple beside the Clan's patriarch – Winged Swallow – flew, flapping his water-made wings and looking at Liam with a strange smirk.

'Well… this'll be a bit difficult.'

Despite the Unmoving Mountain's dictation of changing the nature of the battle, it had its own restrictions.

It couldn't conflict with the rules.

Clearly, those wings were the special Clan Arts, and those were allowed.

Myriad Brush gestured for both pairs to approach in the center of the field.

Before that, the Myriad gave Liam a probing look. He was assessing his aura, belongings and age, when his eyes flickered with shock, before he hid it.

The Shadow Demon was of the darkness element!

Was this that Echorian fugitive?!

It had to be.

The Royals had personally informed the Seven of what Liam's capabilities were.

'No… I can't rush to conclusions.' 

This could be the Unforgiven's son, for all the Myriad knew. They looked strikingly similar, as well.

'An issue for another time.'

Meanwhile, Winged Swallow cupped his hand respectfully. He had azure eyes and obsidian black hair.

"I wish for a fair battle!" he said enthusiastically. 

Liam mirrored his gesture, then spoke with a deeper but monotone voice. "Same."

Glorious Wing, patriarch of the Wings of Glory, gave Usan a nod. 

Usan responded with a terse nod of his own, before Myriad Brush cut in.

"As agreed, no one will witness this battle except the fighters. The Unforgiven will make the Barrier himself. My Characters will know when the battle is over. Shadow Demon and Winged Swallow, approach the center of the field and dictate your own terms."

Liam didn't know what 'Characters' were, but he assumed it was something about the Myriad's inscription method.

Everyone exchanged a nod.

Liam was lowered to the center of the field, while the Winged Swallow flew a few kilometers away from him. 

"Would you like to dictate your rule first?" the Swallow asked with a smile.

"No. You go first," Liam responded.

Liam could read the boy's mind.

Well, not exactly.

The winged young man was a Rank 3 Magus with a Rank 3 core. 

Since these disciples lived in the Main Lands and near the Sacrosanct Tree – presumably since birth – their cores were ridiculously powerful. 

But his mind certainly wasn't as powerful as Liam's, who had been training with the Rank 4 Rune for more than a year now.

Because of that, he could tell that the Winged disciple wanted Liam to go first.

Whoever dictated their rule first was at a slightly lesser advantage.

Plus, these rules had their own limits. 

If it was too extreme, Myriad Brush would interject.

Winged Swallow scowled a bit, but then got pensive.

"You cannot use any throwing weapon, even spells and inscribed items."

Liam scowled. "What? Is that allowed?" Liam asked the Myriad Brush flying above.

The shrewd old man nodded instantly. "Weapons are still allowed. Just not the throwing variety."

Liam sighed.

With throwing weapons out of the way – Liam's Blood, Parasite Worm and needles obviously classified as one – he couldn't disable Winged Swallow's flight.

Nevertheless, Liam began to think of a rule…

"You have to touch the ground every two minutes," Liam said.

"Too extreme," Myriad Brush interjected, shaking his head. "You cannot alter his fighting style so significantly."

Liam almost sent the man a glare, but didn't.

"You must touch the ground every five minutes," Liam said afterward.

"Still too much," Myriad Brush interjected again. 

Liam frowned.

"Six minutes."

"Too much."

"Seven."

"Too much."

"...Eight."

Silence.

"Too much," Myriad Brush said with a shrug.

This stupid old coot!

"Nine," Liam said with a low grumble. 

Anymore than this, and he'd change his rule.

"Good enough," Myriad Brush relented.

Everyone watching had to laugh at that scene.

Liam suppressed his anger.

Nine minutes of aerial time…

That didn't sound like much, but in those nine minutes, Winged Swallow could bombard Liam with all kinds of spells.

[Remember,] Glorious Wing transmitted to his disciple. [End it before that time. Stay as far away as you can from that guy. He's dangerous at close range.]

"One more thing," Myriad Brush said. "Is this a death battle, or a normal one?"

Winged Swallow opened his mouth to speak, but Liam interrupted him.

"How about it?" Liam said with a mocking grin. "Wanna try your luck? A rat that can fly is still a rat, after all. Ah, forget about it. I doubt a runt like you has the guts to agree," Liam shook his head with pity.

Blood rushed to Winged Swallow's head, forcing his face to twist into an angry grimace. 

Glorious Wing sent him a mental transmission to calm down, but it was too late.

"A death battle! I agree!"

A malicious smile almost reached Liam and Usan's lips, but they both suppressed it in time.

Winged Glory gave Usan and Liam a nasty glare, but the Myriad had already accepted the duel.

"Since both fighters have agreed, this battle could result in death."

Death battles didn't always end in death, unlike what their names suggested.

If the duelist saw certain death ahead, they could admit defeat in time.

But if they didn't and were caught off guard, then their opponent could kill them off without any repercussions. 

Before either of them could exchange any words, Usan activated a shadowy Isolation Barrier around the massive center of the field.

Now, there was just Liam and the Winged Swallow.

"One," a heavy voice began with a countdown from above. "Two."

"Three."

"Begin!"

Neither of them wasted a second.

Winged Swallow flew straight upwards with swift speed before Liam could do anything.

…But Liam didn't chase.

…Instead, he crouched, used Transfiguration to quadruple the strength of his legs and knees, combined it with Vanishing Steps and a semi-transformation, then launched towards the disciple.

Winged Swallow was still flying upwards when a palm suddenly seized his face, then exploded with vicious flames of corrosive darkness.