Villain's Requiem

Cling, Cling, Cling—!!

The room resonated with the resounding clash of cold, hard steel as our weapons collided.

Two hours had passed since we started going at each other with everything we've got.

I used every ounce of my strength and unleashed an unrelenting barrage of thrusts upon Reinhardt, determined to land at least one clean hit on him.

Yet, with effortless and masterful movements, Reinhardt redirected, parried, or blocked each of my sword strikes with his blade.

It was frustrating to channel every bit of strength I had in me into my attacks, only for them not to end up connecting.

I was slowly running out of patience. I needed something to settle this.

I just needed an opening to use magic.

I swung at his right but he simply evaded and kicked me so strongly I flew back several paces and crashed into the wall of the barrier.

BOOM

Ow. This bastard. Still doesn't hold back does he.

"Oi. Hurry up and use 'that'." I heard him say. By 'that', he must mean my elemental mode.

Grudgingly, I stood up. Huuu. I was about to close my eyes and activate it when.

Fwoosh

Reinhardt had disappeared from his position and reappeared right in front of me.

Oh shi-

I quickly raised my sword to my right to block his attack when suddenly my view was upside down.

Huh?

Boom

I felt a powerful kick to my chest and I flew into the wall of the training room we were currently in.

Boom.

Aarrgh. Fuck.

This guy. I raised my head to see him walking towards me slowly while twirling his sword around.

"Oh come on. You didn't expect, that I would just let you use that now, did you? I mean if this were a real battle, your opponent wouldn't wait." He said whilst still walking towards me.

Ohh, I see the point of today's lesson. Entering elemental mode whilst fighting.

Huuu. Okay, take two.

Fwoosh.

He disappeared and reappeared in front of me again. And swung at my left.

CLANG

But I blocked and without hesitating, I coated my fist with fire, and launched it at him.

"Hoh?" Reinhardt remarked and vanished mid air.

Fuck wher-

I suddenly sensed someone behind me. Without hesitation, I channeled mana into my legs and leaped into the air.

"As always, your battle instincts don't cease to amaze me." Reinhardt said with something resembling pride in his tone.

"But, now you're open in the air". He added as he conjured a fire lance and threw it at me.

Whooom

The lance rushed at me, but right before it could connect, I swiftly twisted my body in mid-air and narrowly evaded the incoming blow as his lance brushed past me.

"Hoh?" Reinhardt's eyes widened in surprise before I used the momentum of my spin to deliver a powerful downward vertical slash, putting all my weight behind it.

BOOM

But he blocked it before easily pushing me away.

"I see. The reason, you leaped into the air was to buy time to go into your elemental mode huh". He said, commenting on my changed appearance.

Crackle!

Lightning sparked around my body. My hair spiked due to the electric current running through my body.

My limbs were oozing with power and agility.

I looked at Reinhardt with a smirk. "Let's start over".

Saying so I rushed at him.

Fwoosh!

In an instant I covered the distance between us and swung at him which he parried. But I wasn't done yet.

Cling Cling Cling

Reinhardt and I clashed swords countless times forming a dance of sort. With both of us going on both the offensive and defensive.

As we clashed, I felt his hand grab me and a powerful punch sent me flying once more into the room's walls.

Tap tap tap

Reinhardt walked towards me in slow motion. Fuck, I still haven't landed a clean hit.

Okay. I have to use burst. It's all or nothing now huh.

I slowly stood up whilst saying "I think it's time we ended this, don't you?"

Reinhardt stopped momentarily and smiled "I couldn't agree more."

Without delay, I once again launched myself at Reinhardt with an explosive burst of speed.

Fwoosh!

Rather than charging straight at him, I rushed at him in a zigzag pattern, swiftly maneuvering towards him.

Once I entered striking range, I swiftly bent my knees, getting into a low crouched position.

Reinhardt thought I was going to jump, so he readied himself for it.

However, instead of jumping, I twisted my body to the left, executing a low horizontal slash with my sword aimed at his legs.

Thak!

"Nice!" Reinhardt acknowledged, swiftly blocking my low strike with his sword.

"Tsk!" I clicked my tongue in frustration.

Raising my sword overhead, I executed a rapid and forceful downward slash towards him without giving him a chance to breathe.

Thak!

But yet again, Reinhardt deftly parried my attack, using his sword to push mine aside. "Good combo!"

And then he grabbed my arm. "But you got in too close". But just before he could land his blow, I let go of the sword in my other hand.

Reinhardt's eyes widened, realizing that I had baited him into grabbing me tried to let go, but it was too late.

I had already gotten a hold of him. With a large grin on my face I casually said "Burst".

BBOOMM

And an explosion covered the room.