Chapter 35 Nothing To Lose

I stood motionless, unable to move a muscle. The fact that I was able to manipulate blood was something that I had just learned now. It was a technique that I was supposed to pick up in the academy, after the mana-gathering class.

As I extended my fingers towards the strange flying blood in front of me, I felt a tingle run through my body. But instead of recoiling it, I pressed my fingers into the blood, feeling it yield to my touch. I was amazed to discover that I could manipulate it like I would control an object.

All I needed to do was concentrate and put my hands on the blood. After that, I had complete control over the blood, and I could move it however I wanted to, including shaping it into different shapes and forms.

I stood there, looking at my defeated enemy lying helpless on the ground, I was unable to refrain from feeling a strange sensation coursing through my body. It was a perception of power, but also of unease, as if I was tapping into something I didn't fully understand.

I reached out with my hands and focused my attention on the small amount of blood in my right hand. With a flick of my wrist, I lifted the blood into the air and brought it to my outstretched palms. The sensation was strange, like a dull ache in the back of my head, but I ignored it as I concentrated on the task at hand.

"This is interesting…" I mumbled to myself.

As I held it in my hands, I felt a surge of energy coursing through my body, a power that I had never experienced before. With a sudden burst of concentration, I molded the blood into a sharp blade, using only my fingers to shape it.

The feeling was intense, like a jolt of electricity running through my veins. But as I looked down at the blade in my hands, I was compelled to feel a sense of wonder and amazement. I had never imagined that I could wield such power, and it was both exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

With a sudden realization, I dropped my sword to the ground, realizing that I no longer needed it. I had the power to control this elements, to shape them to my will. And as I stood there, holding my newly-formed blade of blood, I knew that I would never be the same again.

[Rowen, what are you doing?] Zuri spoke within the sword.

I couldn't take my eyes off my enemy lying on the ground, helpless and defeated. Every fiber of my being was filled with hatred and anger towards him, and I wanted nothing more than to see him suffer.

I heard Zuri's voice calling out to me, telling me to stop, but I didn't listen. All I could see was the look of fear and defeat in my enemy's eyes, and it only fueled my desire to see him suffer.

With slow, deliberate steps, I began to walk towards him, my eyes fixed on his eyes. I could feel a mischievous grin spreading across my face, and I knew that I must have looked like a monster to him.

As I raised my hand to deliver the final blow, I could hear Zuri shouting my name. But I ignored her again, so consumed was I with my desire for revenge.

But then, something in Zuri's voice made me pause. There was a note of urgency and fear that I had never heard before. It was as if she knew something that I didn't.

I slowly lowered my hand, my eyes still fixed on my Ewen's face. The hatred and boiling pressure in my head were still there, but there was something else too. A sense of confusion and uncertainty.

As I turned to look at Zuri, I could see the fear in her eyes as she came out of the sword. And in that moment, I realized that I had been consumed by my own anger and that I had almost done something that I would have regretted for a long time.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. It was hard, but I knew that I needed to listen to Zuri, to trust her instincts. And with that, I turned and walked away from my enemy, my heart heavy with the weight of guilt and self-reflection, "you're so stupid!" I gritted my teeth as the blood that was formed into a blade slowly turned to falling water and dropped on the ground as if it was nothing more than a small raindrop in the cold Autumn morning.

I stood there, reeling from the emotions that had consumed me only moments before, I suddenly heard a loud shout from behind me, "you fucking weakling!"

I turned just in time to see Ewen, rising from the ground and charging towards me with a look of pure hatred on his face.

I stumbled backwards, caught off guard by his sudden attack. I could feel the fear rising inside me, but I knew that I couldn't let it control me. I had to fight back, [Pick up your sword!] Zuri yelled at me and I listened.

I drew my sword and took a defensive stance, ready to face Ewen head-on. But he was too quick for me.

"Tsk!" My jaw muscles tightened as I pressed my lips together.

He darted around me, slashing at me with his own sword, and I barely managed to block his blows, "God damn it!" I compressed my mouth even more, forcing my teeth to grind to each other.

"Aaah!"

His shouting was deafening, drowning out all other sounds. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I fought to keep him at bay.

But Ewwn was relentless. He was fueled by his own ignorance and pride, and he seemed determined to destroy me at any cost.

I knew that I had to do something, and quickly. With all the strength I could muster, I lunged forward, hoping to catch him off guard.

pαndα`noνɐ1--сoМ It worked. Ewen stumbled backwards, and I seized the opportunity to strike. [Now!] I swung my sword with all my might, and it connected with Ewen's own sword, sending it flying out of his hand.

"How on earth was he even able to move it?" I mumbled, as I let out a long sigh.

Ewen stumbled backwards, stunned, and I took advantage of the moment to disarm him completely. I held my sword to his throat, ready to deliver the final blow.

But as I looked into Ewen's eyes, I saw something there that gave me pause. It was fear, yes, but there was something else too. Regret, maybe. Or even a hint of sadness.

At that moment, I knew that I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I lowered my sword, and Ewen collapsed to the ground," You're so weak!" Even with being completely defeated, he still kept his arrogance.

"What kind of villain am I…?"

His words cut through me like a knife, and I could feel the anger building inside me with each passing moment. Every insult, every taunt, only served to fuel the flames of my fury, until I felt as if I was about to explode with emotion. The intensity of my emotions was overwhelming, "you know what? Fuck it!" I had nothing else to lose here, why should I bother about pride and reputation right now. I turned around and with a deep breath of air, launched myself towards him; slamming my fist into his stomach just below his ribs. It was a perfectly executed punch, and again the pain was an electric shock up my arm. My hand tingled for several seconds after this, but that wasn't what made me stop.

"Ow!" I heard Ewen grunt out from under me.

"You really wanna end this, huh? You do???" I felt my voice rising in volume with each word, almost as if I were trying to convince myself more than anyone else that this was the right thing to do.

Ewen growled at me, "don't you dare hit me, look behind you!"

[Rowen, watch out!]