The Novel's Professor

"What are you smirking for...?" Dallas asked as he raised his eyebrows in wonder.

"...Nothing." Rio shook his head before wiping off the smirk on his face. He just instinctually wanted to laugh at the fact he was reminded once more, that he had no fear of the concept of death. Even more so, thought of it as a simple event.

'Since you wouldn't be able to do anything anyway,' Faust spoke while lazily floating in the air, unnoticed by the others, 'Here's the plan..'

Rio leaned in to hear the man's instructions. Mid-way through discussing the plans, he glanced at the black haired agent helplessly laying on the ground. The agent was ragged, messed up and tired. Somewhere in his mind, he doubted if this would work.

'That's it!' Faust spoke as he patted Rio's shoulder, 'Now, side step to the left.'

Rio, without doubting the man, immediately stepped to the left neatly.

Swoosh—!

Suddenly, as soon as he had moved, a large heavy sword was brought down at where he was previously. In the instant the sword came down, the ground beneath crumbled and shook from the force.

Rumble—! Bam—!

'Now, take a step back,' Faust instructed while lazily picking his ear, 'And step to the right,'

As soon as the words dropped, Rio had immediately acted. He took a step back and afterwards tip toed to the right in an instant.

Swoosh—!

A large and heavy sword soon came swinging to where he was at previously. The sword hit nothing but air. Dallas gripped the sword more tightly as his eyes was slowly being filled with anger.

Swoosh—!

He hastily swung the sword once more, however his target suddenly side stepped to the right, the sword barely even grazing the man, missed completely as it hit nothing but air once more.

"How do you...!" Dallas shouted in anger mixed with disbelief. How? The man didn't have any magical energy left! The man wasn't even a Martial Artists either! But still, the blonde haired sorcerer flawlessly predicted his attacks and dodged accordingly.

'Yeah, how?' Rio asked heedlessly, while his eyes were still directed at the dark skinned man that was slowly losing his mind in rage.

'Simple. It's experience and instinct,' Faust answered.

'I understand experience, but how does instinct factor in all of this?' Rio asked, confused. While he could, similarly know a person's movement instantaneously with «Auto Sense», it was different from what Faust was doing.

If his «Auto Sense» only gave feedback to his mind after the person moved, Faust, on the other hand, had predicted the man's attack before the man had any intents of attacking.

'You don't even know that?' Faust scoffed, 'Instinct is an integral part of a combatant. It's a combatant's ability to possess an automatic response and intuition for combat.'

Rio nodded wordlessly. He did indeed feel an instinctuive sign of danger in his body whenever he was close to the throes of death. It had saved him a couple of times.

Suddenly, his eyebrows raised in confusion. The dark skinned man opposite to him stood still silently without doing anything.

"...You like to dodge that much huh!?" Dallas venomously shouted as his bloodshotted eyes stared at Rio before gnashing his teeth in anger, "Then blame yourself for bringing this upon you!"

Rumble—!

In that instant, the air around Dallas amplified and tense in pressure. The ground beneath him suddenly cracked and crumbled from his weight. The dark skinned man gruefully grinned as he laughed with a tinge of madness, "Not yet!"

Crack—! Rumble—!

As if responding to his command, the pressure around him once more amplified. His previously buff muscles, turned into a giant mush of flesh. His body grew several centimeters tall as both his arms and feet transformed into a pile of bulging muscles.

"This is a personal skill I found," Dallas grinned villainously as he flexed his large arms. He didn't use this skill earlier because he only used it against people worthy of it. "«Muscle Augmentation»."

'Ooh, boy,' Faust whisteled as he nonchantly stared at the mna's bulging flesh.

Rio gulped, audibly. The man was like the embodiment of strength. Even from his position, he could feel the man's immense pressure hovering around him. He squinted his eyes as he stared at Faust.

'...What now?' Rio asked, worried of the sudden powerup.

'A bit difficult, especially with your scrawny ass body and slow movements...' Faust replied as he pensively thought, 'You can't win this one alone...'

'What? Then, I'm dead!' Rio shouted, his eyes wide open.

'I told you that you can't win this alone,' Faust responded as he shook his head.

'What are you implying...?' Rio asked in confusion, 'Are you talking about C—'

Suddenly, before he could finish his words, he felt a sudden pat from his back. He hurriedly turned his head around. He raised his eyebrows in suprise as he saw a black haired man,

"I didn't think the man still had an ace on his sleeve..." Ciel muttered as he scratched his head, "I suppose you can't win this alone?"

Rio stared at the black haired agent silently.

"W-what?" Ciel stuttered.

"...Nevermind," Rio spoke as he shook his head, "How much have you recovered for now?"

"About 30-40% of my reserves," Ciel answered, "Wh—"

'Kid! Move away!!' Faust suddenly shouted.

Rio felt his skin crawl as a shiver went down his spine. Without even confirming why, he immediately pushed the black haired agent forward as he leaned in to move away from the danger.

Swoosh—! Bam—!

A large heavy sword was suddenly brought down in breakneck speed at where they were previously. Rio gasped, unable to believe the fast sword. It was heavy and large, yet it moved like a blur to his eyes.

"Tsk," Dallas clicked his tounge in annoyance as he casually held the handle of the sword with his one hand only. He stared at two of the ground as he grinned venemously, "I won't miss the next one."

His skill, «Muscle Augmentation», granted him the ability to amplify his muscles to several levels, making his body more stronger and faster. The only downside to this skill was that, after the skill had lost effect, he would feel immense aching pain all around his body.

However, compared to the benefits and ability it brought, it was close to neglible. With this skill, he could easily destroy houses and buildings with his full power strike. Granted, it was nothing as mystical nor as complex as Ciel's skill, it was still a top tier skill on it's own.

Rio bit his lip as he stood up warily. He looked at the Ciel beside him and asked, "How long are you able to fight him with your magical reserves?"

"Hm, about 2-3 minutes atmost.." Ciel answered. If his magical reserves were full, this would be an easy battle for him, alas his reserves was exhausted over him constantly using a skill.

"That's enough." Rio sighed, relieved at the answer. He continued as he asked, "I'm counting in you to distract him,"

"Pardon?" Ciel asked as he blankly stared at the blonde haired sorcerer casually running to a distance. What just happened? "H-hey! Why are you running?!"

Rio waved his hands casually as he gave a thumbs up while running.

Ciel's face paled as he turned his head around, only to meet the eye of the pile of muscular flesh they were facing.

"Ohoh!" Dallas chuckled as he stood over the black haired agent. He towered over him like a giant facing a small human. He continued, "It seems your friend left you alone!"

Ciel gulped, audibly. He didn't know what the blonde haired sorcerer was up to, but he was going to trust the man. Otherwise, why would the man save him if he was just going to leave him alone?

"Ha..." He sighed, that was a flawed thought process, but what could he do in this situation anyway? He could likewise, run away, but it wouldn't be long until his magical reserves would get exhausted.

"Finally decided to give up?" Dallas asked with a smirk as he raised his eyebrows.

"Don't be stupid," Ciel nonchantly mocked as he accessed magic in his body, "As if I would surrender facing a third rate criminal boss."

Rumble—!

"...What did you say?" Dallas muttered, his eyes wide open as veins bulged in his head. His muscles tightned as his arms grasped the long heavy sword tightly.

"Are you deaf?" Ciel mocked as he stared straight at Dallas eyes, unflinchingly. His previously ragged body was now slowly being filled with translucent darkness. "I expected much more, from a third rate criminal with a fourth rate group."

"...That's it..!!" Dallas shouted as his eyes were once again filled with maddened anger. This time however, there was nothing that could keep him calm. He grasped the sword tightly, "You really are asking for it, you fucker...!!"

"Heh." Ciel scoffed in ridicule.

Swoosh—!

Suddenly, a blur passed through his position in that instant. However, before it could hit him, he abruptly vanished into darkness. As soon as the blur fell, it's appearance was shown, it was a large and heavy sword.

Crumble—! Crack—!

The ground beneath trembled and shook from the weight of the sword. Dallas bit his lip in anger. He immediately raised the sword once more as his eyes wandered around the place.

Where was h—

Suddenly, he felt a venomous pain from his back. It was a neatly cut small wound. In the wound, there was an enveloping darkness over it. It burned his flesh and insides as if it was a fire made from darkness itself.

Swoosh—!

From his blindspot, a dark figure abruptly appeared, on it's hands were two stillted daggers that were covered with mystical dark flames.

The reaper has come back.