Man-man's sword changes shape and float around his body. It is to block any uncovered area of his body. Even if Skin's blessing is at work. He doesn't want to risk getting hurt against a Chosen.
A Chosen can have any kind of blessing that could be dangerous. He also doesn't want any of his bones to break. It may heal but he doesn't want to feel that pain of broken bones again.
The Chosen, Reaper, with his strange weapon is moving around him. His speed is like lightening and his attack are straight killing blows.
Each attack of Reaper is a one hit kill move. Man-man's survival is only possible until now is because of his own blessing. He is re-shaping his sword much more than usual. That is because he is using a bigger blade with much more mass right now.
This weapon was acquired by Killed a sinned soul. It was killed by Skin and Man-man. He took the scythe like feet of that sinned soul.
Because of it, he has much more material to work with. He can make ribbons to cover is body from Reaper's attacks. The blessing is also much more faster than his own body.
He can react in time with blessing to block rapier's constant attacks. Each attack is strong and almost breaks the material. But he can just re-shape it back into a working shape.
The Reaper looks quite amused by Man-man attempts and his attacks are not stopping.
Reaper points his rapier towards Man-man. But before reaching him, he changes the direction and move to right. He keeps on doing it and move around Man-man.
Man-man can't observe every direction with his eyes. He can't do any offensive attack so he goes to full on defense. It is important to focus on one thing first. He needs to protect himself first before attacking.
Thinking that is opposite of Skin.
Man-man never tried to do the first attack. He always put himself first and always tried to protect his body. Sometimes he does have to go opposite of his own style but that is cause of circumstances.
His currently circumstances are telling him to go full on defense. So, his sword completely becomes floating ribbons of metal. Whenever Reaper comes to attack. All of metal, floats to one point to block that move.
He can't go offensive with his blessing because there is no offensive capability in it. He need force to attack. It is hard to give force to a constantly re-shaping material. Not to mention, he needs to make a sharper and think about rigidity, then needs to focus his attention on where to position that attacking setup.
That is difficult and is a big headache. That is why, he never uses his blessing for offense. Mostly as a utility and in some rare occasions as defensive tool.
Reaper seemed to have notices Man-man's weakness. His inability to attack.
The frequency of attack increases rapidly. Man-man mold his defense even quicker but not quick enough. The attacks are starting to pierce through and graze him. His opponent is taking advantage of the limitations and adapting as the battle is progressing.
Man-man is also trying to determine the blessing of his opponent. But because he is busy blocking the attacks he hasn't made any progress. He needs to break this standstill.
So, he runs in one direction and the lightening fast Chosen follows him.
This whole cat and mouse game doesn't last forever though. It has to end soon or later. No one is perfect. Whether it is an ordinary human or a Chosen. Everyone is bound to make a mistake and so, Man-man missing blocking an attack of Reaper and gets stab near his heart.
Reaper's attack doesn't really puncher the heart. But it does break few bones of his ribcage. He is starting to suspect that he is cursed to have broken bones. Such a terrible life.
Reaper, on the other hand, look quite satisfied with himself. His fight against Man-man was tough but not impossible.
His opponent lacked adaptability. Compared to Reaper, Man-man couldn't adapt quickly to Reaper's attack and find a way out. He couldn't even understand what kind of blessing is he even using.
Usually, Man-man can make guesses with few clues and make a logically guess to what is possible or what is the meaning of things. But in fast pace scenarios, he does lack the ability to adapt quickly and make logically decisions.
He kept himself at a defensive position and when nothing worked. He just ran away in hopes of doing something.
That isn't how Man-man think though. Why would he do something so illogically? Well, it wasn't illogically.
"Guess you made a mistake."
Reaper is fully amused from his opponent. His opponent entertained him and tried his utmost to survive his frozen blessing's unending blows. But he has finally got him.
A weak opponent but quite a trick one. Reaper understood each trick and now the one who won is him. Even though his own blessing didn't really work against this Chosen. It still didn't do much to limit his power.
However, when Reaper comes face to face with Man-man.
He hears it.
'Got you.'
Reaper jumps back in an instant and when he was standing a spear or a polearm is thrown at him. The attack was so strong that he is sure that if he didn't move back. He would've died.
He uses his Rapier to gain some distance from the attacker. He needs to be at a safe point to see what is happening.
And what he saw is a Chosen.
The Chosen he saw looked extremely hurt and wounded. Chosen is fully covered in blood and half of its skin even looks burnt.
Man-man intentionally run in a specific direction. He knew that Skin might be nearby or following him. So, he took the gamble and decided to make a move on that. Skin is strong and fast enough to deal with him.
However, Reaper doesn't found her as a threat.
Reaper isn't sure but he found her weak. Why would a strong Chosen be so badly hurt? This could just be a companion of the other Chosen. These days wild Chosen sure are starting to make team. First, it was that Re-purr woman and now this one.
It doesn't matter how many companions does he have. Weak attract the weak so this Chosen has to be weak too. If that is the case, Reaper has no problem killing it too.
So, he points his rapier towards the Chosen and moves lightening fast towards the bloody Chosen. In no time, he pierces the Chosen through her heart and that's it. No resistance or no defense.
The Chosen let him stab her without care and that was Reaper's biggest mistake.
He hears the loud voice of Skin's Rage.
'DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE….'
The voice he heard is opposite of the other Chosen. If his thoughts were barely audible then her thoughts are as loud as they can be. It is a total mess in her mind. She is a mess and he can here it.
This is such an overwhelming situation that he forgot to do anything for a full second. He has realized that his opponent is strong.
Reaper has made a mistake of underestimating someone. He has taken a fight with someone who is must stronger than him. Survival means one thing 'Don't mess with someone who you can't kill'. And he just now broke his own survival rule.
'I need to…'
Before he can do anything, his hand that hold the rapier is torn off.
Skin used her Dicky to torn his arm off. She gave him no time to take the weapon that has pierced her heart. His fate is sealed the moment he let is thoughts wonder away.
The rapier is still stunk in her heart and she does nothing to remove it. Or show any kind of pain. She only shows an expression of anger and hatred to Reaper. She wants him dead.
Reaper ditches his frozen blessing and makes a run the opposite direction.
Skin follows behind. Reaper runs and his opponent attack him from behind. She slashes at her back and cut deeper down to his bones. But he can still run and he doesn't need to outrun her.
That is because he is running towards the edge of the cliff and he is going to jump off it. In hopes of escaping her.
And so, he jumps off. Reaper plummet towards the ground but he manages to slow his fall by getting hit with the sharp walls during his fall. It is fair to say that his journey towards the ground wasn't the best. Nor was his landing. If not for slowing his speed during his fall. He would have splatter on the ground like a bug.
On the top of the cliff, Skin watches as he falls to the ground. She would have love to jump too. But she wants a kiss form Man-man. She is so thirsty right now for some kiss.
It just annoyed her to see her love fighting someone all by himself. She also hated how close that Chosen has gotten to Man-man. Not to mention, he hurt him too. She couldn't help but be so angry.
"Just die."
These words leave her burnt and torn lips. Then she throws the rapier that is stuck in her body into the cliff too. She isn't bleeding much and she also isn't hurt. She also isn't healing. There is some secondary function to her blessing that is prevent her from succumbing to her injuries.
Or something related to that. It will be revealed in the future.
For now, back on the ground. Reaper's bones are broken, he is missing one arm (Just like Midori) and he is bleeding excessively. But Chosen doesn't usually die from blood loss that often.
"Guess, I'll be the first."
Reaper really did mess up this time. Strong are the one who rules the one and get to kill without consequences. Only if he was strong then he could've killed his opponent.
He knew someday he die but not like this. This is too pathetic of a death for him. But he can't do anything.
His weapon is gone and with his current condition he can't protect himself against Chosen or sinned souls.
Reaper sighs.
"Guess bad guys do always di-"
Then he hears something following from above. It is [Rock's clash], his rapier. With that a bright grin shape itself on his face.
"Not today, I guess."
_ _ _
2500 sinned souls have been killed.
The structure of the Mountainous soul is collapsing and its strength has weakened. The unknown structure that was hidden in the mountainous soul will be revealed now.
Skin and Man-man came across one of these openings. Skin had no interest in going in because she has so much violence she can get from the outside. But Man-man wanted to go and this time Skin didn't want to leave him all alone.
Both of them will enter such structure and find unknown unknowledge about the blood valley. Or maybe even a frozen blessing that will alter the course of this story.