Rivers of the Night - Chapter 351

Chapter 351: Overwhelm
Theron felt a shudder run through his body, his Water Mana almost threatening to flow in reverse. This wasn’t because of Elder Black’s abilities, but instead because he had rammed up against a solid wall—his mind and that of the Elder’s clashing.

Maybe if Theron’s mental fatigue wasn’t so heavy right now, his Third Eye would have improved to the point that this wouldn’t matter. But unfortunately, only his body was back in tip-top condition.

He was forced a step back, his inner organs churning and a heavy pressure falling on him. The power of a high-tier Gold Mancer—no, the power of a high-tier Gold Mancer with a Runebound Mana Resonance at her beck and call—was completely on a different level.

Not long ago, Theron had toyed with General Pennel, who was likewise a high-tier Gold Mancer. But he only had an Imbued Mana Resonance and was nothing in front of Theron.

This Elder Kelyne Black could crush General Pennel with a single glance if she so chose.

BANG!

Theron couldn’t react as a shield slammed into his gut. His flow of Mana, already disrupted, seemed disrupted further. A pulse of might ran through his Core, and it seemed as though the Elder was trying her best to shatter it—or at least injure it.

However, while Theron’s Mana was indeed disrupted, his Core was far too concentrated and far too sturdy to crack under this pressure alone.

He was sent flying through the air, blood flying out of his mouth as his inner organs rattled inside of him.

Elder Black slammed a foot onto the ground, accelerating forward fast and sharp. She wasn’t used to battling like this and much preferred distance and control. But much the same way Theron had, she reached the conclusion that she couldn’t allow him space at all.

She had to make him feel the heft of a Gold Mancer.

A Runebound Gold Mancer.

Theron’s gaze hardly changed. He flipped through the air, the blow not disorienting him in the slightest. His Mana refused to listen to him for a moment, the reverberating impact to his Core acting as a wake-up call… but it carried something else with it as well.

Theron landed on his feet just as Elder Black appeared. There was a flash in his irises, his body becoming as light as a feather. His stance became less aggressive, the movement of his sword becoming more fluid.

The Water Mana in the air reacted. One Law, a second, then a third forming into a new dance.

Theron had had trouble increasing his sword mastery properly. He was an Elemental Mancer, not a Flux Mancer. But now, things had long since changed.

Elder Black was trying to blitz him, taking advantage of her bodily strength being leagues beyond his own. In the past, that would have worked.

Not this time, though.

Three quick sword strikes rebounded against Elder Black’s small shield, causing her to pause for a moment.

There was a shock flickering in her eyes, not understanding how Theron could attack thrice before she could finish one attack when her speed was so much greater.

Unfortunately for her, another strike had come already. It felt like she was watching a cascade of streaming waters, one blow after another coming fast, but light—hurried, and yet focused.

Lines cut across her arm and at her neck, diverting to her torso when she moved to block, and then back up when she thought she had the pattern down.

Chi. Chi. Chi.

Theron lightly tapped a foot on the ground, his father’s short sword continuously making contact with Elder Black’s body as though she had no comprehension of how to defend herself at all—and yet being completely unable to penetrate her Mana Skin.

The defensive capabilities of the Black Clan were truly in a league of their own, and even if the Elder just stood there and let Theron attack her freely, making it through seemed like little more than a child’s dream.

And yet, Theron was unmoved, his speed only increasing, his skill becoming more measured and controlled.

He parried a swing of the small shield with three quick taps once again, sending the Elder’s guard flying open.

There was a flicker in his sword as he seemed to aim for her throat again, but Elder Black was too late to realize it was a feint.

BANG!

In the peppering of light blows, a heavy kick came right for Elder Black’s leg once again.

It buckled, and pain flared up within her, her off-balance body swaying to the side.

There was a sudden sharpness that bloomed in Theron’s eyes, but just as it seemed as though he was about to go in, he retreated instead.

BANG!

The earth before him exploded as a vine of water missed him, impaling the air right through where his throat would have just been.

Predictable.

Theron exhaled a breath and his body suddenly phased, shaking in an odd resonance until he broke into three clones.

Elder Black caught herself before she fell completely to the ground, her injured knee making her more and more lame with every exchange, but she didn’t have the luxury of relaxing as Theron closed the distance again—he and his three clones surrounding her.

She slammed out a strong palm, a heavy hand of water shooting out in a jet that shattered one of the [Water Clones] to pieces.

BANG!

The palm slammed against a tree, leaving a heavy, controlled imprint. It was truly impressive, but Theron didn’t so much as glance at it, the reactions of him and his clone being as absolutely placid as always—as though nothing in the world could possibly faze them.

They closed the distance, their bodies pincering in on Elder Black and unleashing more light, peppering blows.

Elder Black blocked and parried, trying to use her overwhelming strength to regain control. But she found that if there was too much distance between her and Theron, she would actually lose control of the Water Mana in his vicinity.

Her frustration was beginning to boil, and a wild pulse of spinning, sharp Water Mana shot out from her waist, cutting into both Theron and his clone.