Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Morality¿

At a wide alleyway, a brown haired young man stood up from the floor. His coat was dirtied as he shook off the dust and soil out of it.

‘Quite a horrible scenario.’

Rio sighed as he eyed the bulky servant, he made a mistake. He shouldn't have let his guard down. Now he was forced to a frontal confrontation, something disadvantageous for him. He was a Sorcerer, for name's sake.

Good thing he had a protection charm just instead. Though he was certainly upset that it was used earlier than intended. He planned to use it in the Demon Dimension, in case of any sudden danger.

The atmosphere was tense and unnerving as both men eyed each other. Rio looked at the muscular arm of the servant covered with metal.

A Martial Artists, most likely, and as if it couldn't get any worse, a Brawler one at that. Rio thought as he observed the servant from the distance.

“So you have no intention in surrendering, then?” The bulky servant asked in response to the silence, he continued and acclaimed a stance, ”My name is, Mo Zhu.“

Most Martial Artists were like this, introducing their name as if such an honorable battle was going to commence. It was a traditional thing.

He had to think of a way quick, Rio thought as he breathed deeply, reassuring his nerves. However, in a real fight, barely was a person given any time for a plan.

The bulky servant immediately rushed forward without a word. It's metal arms visible gathering wind and power.

Fast, Rio thought as he suddenly leapt backwards. The man was fast, the fastest he had ever seen in his short time in this fantasy world. He had to react much faster then. 

Bam!

Mo Zhu quickly arrived at where Rio was earlier and unleashed a terrifying force. It's fist, shattering air itself, as it blew away wind in the sheer impact. The servant clicked his tounge in annoyance, ”Tsk.”

A glance of that scene was enough to convince Rio to never let himself get hit by that animalistic force. It would break several of his bones. He certainly don't want to get bedridden.

It seems he had to reveal some cards earlier, Rio thought as he shook his head. This was not the time to be sensitive about sudden changes of plans. In fact, he would go far as to say this was the best time to use them. His opponent was a good experimental bag.

‘A direct hit will definetely...destroy my body. The best I can do is avoid it...’

Rio thought as he sensed the servant move again. He suddenly crouched as if expecting a punch. There, he had a chance to counter.

Bam!

The Mo Zhu ran as he arrived where Rio was at, he punched once more. However this time the force was much stronger, the impact was several times greater. He had thought he finally had gotten the man, it proved to be folly.

 ”Once is a fluke, twice is a pattern.“ Mo Zhu said as he looked at Rio crouching below his fist, he continued, ”You know where I was going eh? It was as if you predicted my movements before hand.“

“You must be joking.” Rio denied as he casted a skill and made an ice dagger in thin air. He grabbed the ice dagger quickly as it appeared and slashed it vertically, grazing the body of the servant. «Ice Splinter» a useful skill.

Mo Zhu looked at the ice dagger that was left mid air. Before it fell down, it suddenly exploded. Splinters of ice piercing through his face and slightly grazing his eyes as he growled in pain, ”Argh! Damn you!“

Rio casted another skill as he touched  both of the metal covers on the arm of Mo Zhu. The metal burned, not by fire, but by corrosion. It was acid. Rio used a skill called, «Corrosive Touch».

Rio suddenly leapt backwards as he retreated from a distance. He couldve done more damage, however if he did that he would've potentially got destroyed into crumbles.

Bam!

Mo Zhu slammed both of his arms covered by metal in the ground, intending to crush Rio below. Unfortunately, the only thing he felt was the stone cold ground. The sneaky pest already retreated, worst was his metal artifact corrosed by the odd skills the professor used, ”You damn cockroach..! Get back here!”

“I'm not an idiot.” Rio answered in response. The mind skills he synchronized were truly useful. He had just discovered that the «Auto Sense» can even predict an opponents movement.

It was less of a prediction, but more of Rio's mind sensing the opponents intentions to attack. That was how he easily avoided the attacks of Mo Zhu. His skill sensed before hand that the man was going to attack.

The metallic artifact slammed to the floor, crumbling the ground. Mo Zhu gritted his teeth as he wiped the glacier spikes on his face. He looked at Rio on the distance and smirked cruelly, ”My Liege never said I had to bring you back alive.”

This man, Rio thought as gripped his hand tightly, was intending to kill him. Oddly enough, the prospect of life and death didn't bother him as much. 

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He even imagined himself killing Mo Zhu and easily shattering the servant's heart with cold indifference. Rio shook his head as he concentrated in the fight. He didn't know why, but he felt...comfortable in killing people.

And, that was a dangerous thought process. 

Something was wrong with him, Rio thought as his mind churned. However, he didn't have the time to think as his opponent acted once more.

Mo Zhu rushed, this time several more faster, evidently much more serious and unrestrained. He brought his right hand and thrusted it, the force blowing up air itself. Ah, he finally felt it. The feeling of human skin, he grazed Rio, as he looked at him with a smile, ”Haó.”

Rio's mind emptied for a moment. The man was too fast. He had barely dodged it. His senses predicted it but the man was simply too fast. He brought his hand to his face, touching the small wound.

Blood dripped from the graze, the colorful scarlet color dropping to the ground.

He looked upwards, seeing the cruel and murderous eyes of Mo Zhu. Ah, this man, was truly...here to kill him. However, he didn't panic. He didn't even flinch. It was as if, he welcomed it completely.

What he felt, rather, was some semblance of joy. His lips quirked as it formed a smirk, 

”Haha...”

—

At a realm of thoughts, ideas and astral souls. The Phantasmal Realm. It was a place where matter didn't exist, only concepts, mind and philosophy.

A soft voice, coquettish, like a female spoke in the quiet silence as she chuckled, ”You said you fixed him, but It feels like you broke him instead.”

“Nonsense.” A deep voice responded in dismissal, he knew what he was doing. He lived and saw everything, it was no longer a bias but a fact that he was right in his perspective.

“Whaaaaat? I thought humans operated in the power of friendship, joy and love?!” Another voice resounded, childish compared the other voices, complained loudly to the deep voice.

“I never denied that.” The deep voice answered with a chuckle.

“Then how come you ‘fixed him?’, uh Rio was it?” The childish voice asked in curiousity.

“Friendship, bonds and love, are far too unreliable and innefficient.” The deep voice said in response as he continued, ”Self-reliance and rationality is far more efficient.”

“Spoken like a true madman that made a living killing machine.” The childish voice quipped in response.

“Some things are needed to be done, Penelope.” The deep voice advised softly. 

“Yeah right, crazy human.” Penelope gravely sighed as she shook her formless head in resignation. She had known this madman quite long, she would even go as far to say she was his first friend.

“Now, now. We all know he had gone mad about two hundred years ago or so.” The soft coquettish voice commented as she giggle, she continued, ”However, I'm quite interested in your definition of fixing.”

“Hey, don't just badmouth me while I'm here.” The deep voice complained with a sigh, he continued in indifference, ”I just fixed him that's it; removed hesitation and principles.”

“You do have a point, hesitation kills a being.” The soft voice agreed in kind. He was not wrong, at here where she watches over her own race, she saw far too many deaths because of hesitation.

“Are you two seriously agreeing with each other?!” Penelope screamed in confusion. 

“It's no big deal, Penelope.” The deep voice chuckled, his empty laugh resounding at the realm, he continued “I merely removed his morality, hesitation, and added some bits of things..”

Penelope fell into silence. The realm having it's eternal silence once more, never ending serenity. Only thoughts, concepts and ideas flowed. An astral place, distant from matter and space, situated outside temporal spacetime.

—