Chapter 197: Third Eye

Chapter 197: Third Eye

He stared at me with a piercing gaze, his murder-hobo eyes filled with... well, murder. It was clear what his choice would be.

In an instant, he vanished from sight, leaping over the table. I leaned back in my chair so fast that the back of my head almost touched the ground. But before that, I managed to grab onto his arm as it appeared where my throat would have been.

With a forceful tug, I snapped his arm in half. Surprisingly, I couldn't completely detach it. Releasing my grip, I smoothly backflipped back to a standing position.

The Demonic Exorcist examined his broken arm, which promptly snapped back into place. "Huh, you are physically stronger than me now. That's surprising. Your speed is impressive too. You're only sixteen, how did you manage that?"

His curiosity was genuine, but I simply shrugged. "A hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and a ten-kilometer run. I trained so hard, I almost went bald."

It was difficult to gauge his reaction as he looked at me. Nonetheless, he shrugged and suggested, "C'mon, let's take a walk and talk."

"Sure," I nodded, and we casually exited the scene. As if he hadnt tried to rip my throat out, not even a minute ago.

I had invested significant effort into constructing this cabin, and I had no intention of seeing it destroyed. Also, Bets' grave was nearby, and I refused to desecrate his final resting place.

Since I was more familiar with the area, I led the way, approaching a spot where Carpy and I had set up a trap, utilizing our combined strengths.

"Are you content with your current situation in life?" The Demonic Exorcist abruptly asked.

"I'm content enough," I replied.

Contrary to popular belief, happiness wasn't a constant state. Even if someone had everything they desired, there would still be both good and bad days. Whether you lived in a mansion or a modest apartment, the experience was similar. Although the wealthy had the luxury of facing their bad days in a limousine.

"Why do I sense that you would find more satisfaction on a battlefield? There's no need for contemplations or complications there, and your only enemy is the one standing right in front of you," he smiled. "Dont mistake comfort for happiness. I can feel it in your eyes that youre bored."

Here I was, receiving advice from a murder hobo. It was to be expected that he would view things through a murder hobo lens. "Is that so? Then tell me, where do you think I would truly thrive? Please, share your insights."

I aimed to keep him engaged in conversation until we reached our destination, hoping he wouldn't notice anything amiss. While he likely knew I was leading him into a trap, he was underestimating its scale and being careless. Either that, or he simply didnt care.

"Deep down, you're a killer," his smile widened. "Yknow? A man of action, someone who takes no shit from anyone! A person like you doesn't belong living a peaceful life, basking in the sunlight without a care in the world. You're clearly made for the battlefield, killing and slaughtering those who oppose you, rather than sitting on a couch."

Summoning my remaining strength, I drew my other cursed sword and hurled it at his floating head. But before the attack could connect, a vertical third eye opened on his forehead. The eye darted around unnaturally fast, and he tilted his head, catching the sword's handle between his teeth, smirking triumphantly.

Although the cursed energy on the weapon flared up, it proved ineffective against someone as deranged as him. However, it provided enough of a distraction, and a split second was all I needed.

Water blades erupted from the ground, slicing the Demonic Exorcist's body into pieces. Despite his attempts to dodge, he left behind limbs and chunks of flesh. Another water blade struck the cursed sword he held in his mouth, knocking it loose, and a tendril of water returned the blade to my hands.

"A third eye? So you've turned yourself into a demon? I expected more from you," I mocked him.

In truth, it was a wise decision on his part. With his special ability, a demon body, and the power of Tamae No Mae, he had eliminated all his previous weaknesses and become a formidable opponent.

"Well, drastic times call for drastic measures," he said as streams of blood extended from the stumps of flesh, connecting his body back together. Although his head didn't attach securely, he used blood strings to knit it to his neck. "If I didn't possess a demonic body, that first beheading would have been the end for me. I may not have died immediately, but I wouldn't have been able to continue fighting you in that state."

The Demonic Exorcist was always honest, and I couldn't deny his resilience. However, he tried to downplay the power of his eye, even though I knew its ability and recognized it as Perfect Me's direct counter.

While I didn't recall all the details and some aspects remained unexplained, I understood that his third eye could analyze an opponent and their special abilities. Eventually, it would trigger clairvoyance, granting the Demonic Exorcist the ability to glimpse up to five seconds into that person's future.

The main weakness of the third eye was its limited ability to see only one person's future, making it less effective in group battles. But in the hands of someone like the Demonic Exorcist, it wasn't much of a weakness.

Little did he know, I had no intention of using Perfect Me.

I clapped my hands, and he mirrored the action without hesitation. Both of our Ord powers surged. He punched the ground, summoning a pig's head that disgorged hundreds of humans and demons, all charging toward me.

However, I stood my ground, confident in the superiority of my abilities over his numerical advantage.

The ground trembled as Carpy emerged from behind me. The earth ruptured, sending pillars of water shooting up and water blades slashing through the demons. But we weren't finished yet. Carpy extended his tail, touching my back.

Without relying on Perfect Me, we had reached the pinnacle of Master Affinity, where we could effortlessly use this technique without assistance. In the end, we would see who was going to die first, me or him.

{Metamorphosis}

He smiled at me as his deranged gaze sharpened. Yes! This is it! Lets die a little, my rival!