Conquering the Mythos: Reincarnated with SSS Rank Skill Corruption

There was no room in battle for mistakes or holding back. From the start, the person who survives is the one who is ready for anything and keeps complete focus.

Narrowing his eyes, Kai ignored the resounding tremors created by Shuzen's clashes and his own sense of superiority and instead gave the man in front of him his full attention.

The second he did that, he saw the momentary openings in the man's guard. Not only from his twitches but also from his lack of experience. Kai surmised that he might have even been given that beast's soul by someone else. Like the A rank.

A plan formulated in his mind, Kai smiled at the hypocrite.

'This man never became a fighter of his own merit. He's never studied beasts like I have. He's never developed an aptitude for deceit like I have. So long as I take his beast seriously, I'll be fine.'

Kai thought as his eyes darted around the room, looking for any obstacles he could use to slow down his opponent's speed. If they were on equal footing there, then the battle would be over shortly.

The opponent knew this as well, though. He was already looking to strike fast and hot before Kai would have a chance to cause the environment to dictate the fight.

Raising his left wing, he dashed through the room as light reflected off his murderous talons. Zipping through the air with the speed of a bullet, Kai responded by rolling behind a table.

Even after expecting this strike, Kai still was almost too slow. Reaching to his face, he felt a bald spot where hair had once been. There was no blood.

Kai was keeping pace now.

Keeping the table between them, Kai kept watch for any openings. The moment the man let his guard down Kai would kill him. They both held firm, however. As they circled each other, neither took their eyes off the other.

Then the man made another strike.

This time he was much slower due to the table in between them. However, because he sent it flying towards Kai, that wasn't much more than an inconvenience.

Ducking just in time to avoid getting blasted by the table, Kai simultaneously made sure to raise his knife in defense. As expected, the instant the table flew over him, the man was there.

The knife and talon clashed with a violent burst of sparks. As he continued his assault, slash after slash, the man became visibly more irritated. His entire plan had been foiled. Even though he was faster, he could not create an advantage.

Kai had no time to feel such emotions, as he was running on pure instinct. The world had now crumbled into a cacophony of moments. Attack, dodge, win- or get hit yourself and die.

As he expected, the table hadn't been much help. It offered a moment of peace before it was completely turned against him. Kai would have to rely more on himself this fight, as the surroundings simply were too weak against beasts. 

Knowing the weaker mobility of a Mountain Eagle's wing, Kai reached with his free hand to grab it at the joint. If he could just get it pinned... 

Seeing this, the man reacted with his own free hand, frantically pushing away Kai's arm.

Even though he knew his idea had failed, Kai had found his key to victory. Rolling away from the man, Kai jumped to his feet before holding his body low like a wrestler. He made sure to keep the man's regular arm closest to him.

This was because the man could only apply the Mountain Eagle's trait to one arm. Otherwise, Kai's entire face would've been slashed off.

Additionally, Kai was right about his weak point.

Of course he was, he knew everything about beasts. That was his specialty, even before he got such a powerful skill.

His opponent probably didn't even know the defense mechanisms the Mountain eagle had learned through centuries of evolution. That's what happens when you inherit everything from someone else.

You have no other skills to fall back on. Even after gaining power, you remain weak.

Knowing they couldn't create any opening right now, they began circling each other. Even though this movement usually is done by predators, it was clear only 1 person here had the true advantage now.

However, Kai was curious about something. And now that he had the advantage, he had more time to think about it. Which led to more questions.

"A Mountain Eagle wouldn't live here. How did you get your beast?" Kai asked as he stared at the man's positioning, noting any differences.

"The hell is it to you? Dead man." The man spat, hoping to gain some advantage through intimidation.

Kai wasn't the least bit threatened.

"Well, their natural living habitat would be the Hesokan Mountains, in the southern regions of Vehshka. So I'm assuming that's where you got it." Kai responded, already knowing the answer.

The Hesokan Mountains were more than its natural habitat. It was its only. Any other place and either other beasts or the harsh environment would kill the Eagle.

"What's it to you? Like I'm going to tell you!" The man spat, clearly agitated due to nerves. His wild eyes repeatedly created openings, though Kai didn't want to take advantage of them just yet.

That's because he knew the man was hiding something. As if he was bound by an oath.

"Do you know of a man called Ghal Sarká?" Kai asked, finally speaking plain. This was because he knew the man would be dead very soon.

Kai was already thinking of ways to use the Mountain Eagle.

With this question, the man was no longer trying to maintain a false sense of composure. Instead, his mouth opened as he was taken aback. His expression almost looked as though Kai told him his mother had died.

His face itself had turned a stark pasty white, as if he'd seen a ghost.

His face contorting from a visible fear, he hissed "Who the fuck are you? Why- why do you know his name?"

So his father was still a tyrant then. That would make his death all the more enjoyable.

In a flash, Kai was onto the man. He pressed his free hand into his wing before it could be raised in defense and then stabbed the blade deep into his chest.

Then he said, "He's my father. Just as I killed you, I'll kill him."

As the man's body hit the floor, Kai felt a strange feeling. This was the first time he had killed a man with his own hands.

Even though he was directly responsible for the slavers' deaths, he could still lie to himself and say it was the liberated who killed them.

Here, however, he directly felt the blood dripping from his hand. He heard the soft rhythmic echo of this rich liquid hitting the floor.

He watched as the man's eyes grew dark.

And as he lit his finger with the purple fire, ready to corrupt the beast within, he felt nothing but exhilaration.

Anhita's voice chiming in only strengthened that feeling.

'Power.' Kai thought with a smile.

And more power was waiting for him outside. Leaving the corpse behind, Kai joined Shuzen's battle.