A Wanderer's Lies

Chapter 37: Is he crazy?! [2]

Isaac stood before Silver, glaring at him.

"You think you can beat me? I remember you crying and begging for your life a few months ago. Don't underestimate me just because those students got a lucky hit, I was holding back."

Silver slyly put the plate device back into the sack, stuffing it in his pockets.

Meanwhile, Isaac stood in his stance, silent as he watched.

"I'm feeling generous today, so I'll let you leave with all your limbs…"

"You talk a lot."

"What…" Silver's eyebrow twitched as a vein bulged.

Instead of replying, Isaac summoned his Nen reserves, ignoring the tightening and gluttonous feeling in his abdomen and mumbling the next second.

"Ren." 

Filled with energy and adrenaline, Isaac wasted no time as he stomped off the ground, shooting toward Silver like a bullet.

'What the hell…'

Silver flinched, unable to react in time as he witnessed the sudden attack.

-BANG

Appearing before him, Isaac swung his fist, striking Silver clean in the side of the face.

Silver's head swung back, blood trickling from the corner of his lips.

Isaac, with a stoic and straight face, pulled back his arm.

Despite his demeanour seeming confident, his heart pumped rapidly as his legs slightly shook from all the adrenaline.

'Holy crap, I actually hit him!'

This was the first time Isaac was fighting a human, let alone an Inheritor. 

Although he had brief interactions with people in the free-for-all, he didn't count those.

He wasn't scared, after all, he faced far more terrifying opponents, however, he knew what Silver was capable of. He wouldn't let his guard down.

Slowly turning his head, Silver revealed his black eyes and red pupils as he audibly ground his teeth.

"You impotent little brat…"

Before he could finish, a knee was launched into the middle of his face, his head swinging back as a loud CRACK was heard, blood flying from his nose.

Isaac didn't stop there, as he dropped back onto the ground, striking Silver's knee with his heel, prompting the ghoul to drop to his other knee.

Swinging his hips, Isaac let out a roundhouse kick, cracking Silver over the head and sending him skidding on the ground, crashing into a tree.

"Haaaaa"

Silver let out a heavy breath as appendages appeared from his back, wrapping around his head and arm.

"Isaac!"

Silver launched like a rocket, swinging his giant arm through the air, down toward where Isaac was standing.

-CRASH

Weaving out of the way, Isaac leapt back, creating distance.

'He's stronger and more durable, but I'm faster.'

Isaac was able to deduce, watching Silver burst toward him, letting out growls and grunts as if he were a rabid animal.

Once again, Silver swung vertically as a loud WHOOSH rang, the air being split by the attack.

As Isaac dodged the attack, the arm merely swung back, once again being dodged.

This continued for a few seconds, as Isaac dodged and Silver relentlessly attacked.

Isaac leapt into the air, dropping an axe kick, only for it to be blocked by the red appendages.

'Hard.' He thought, his heel feeling numb.

To the surprise of Silver, like a snake, Isaac curved his body, rotating it backwards around the arm and dropping to the ground.

As he did, he swept the Ghoul's foot, prompting Silver to stagger backwards and drop to the ground.

Isaac wasted no time as he leapt up, unleashing a flurry of punches at Silver.

Blocking with his mutated arm, Isaac didn't back down, continuing to attack the arm. 

Like bullets from a machine gun, the speed and power of Isaac's punches were nothing to scoff at.

"Enough!"

Silver swung his arm outward. Due to the short-range between the two, Isaac was unable to dodge, forming his arms in an X shape and blocking the attack.

Wincing in pain, Isaac was sent soaring through the air.

"Die!"

Isaac witnessed Silver's arm grow, extending as soon as swinging at him, reaching him easily.

'Crap!'

Being in midair, Isaac had no way to dodge.

-SLAM

The appendages slammed into Isaac's side as the boy was sent rocketing toward the ground, crashing into the ground.

Groaning in pain, Isaac made his way to his feet.

Multiple bones of his were broken, including his arm, a few ribs and knuckles.

The constant attacks on the appendages had caused his knuckles just as much damage.

As Isaac could visibly see his body healing, he was given no time to rest, as Silver appeared from the dust, swinging his arm horizontally.

However, this time, Isaac dodged once more, moving toward Silver, passing the giant arm, much to the Ghoul's surprise.

With a few quick jabs to the red appendages around the arm, finishing with one powerful blow, Isaac ignored the pain he was feeling. 

With his arm barely healed and his wrists and knuckles extremely swollen, he continued.

Despite his injuries, he lowered his body, turning it for momentum and landing an elbow right in Silver's Solar Plexus.

-BANG

As the air was knocked out of Silver's lungs, one could see him coughing a few specks of blood.

But unbeknownst to Isaac Silver grinned widely.

"You lose! Become my meal!"

Grabbing Isaac by the collar with his normal hand, Silver attempted to raise his mutated arm to finally finish the job.

Only when he tried…nothing happened.

It was as if his arm wasn't listening to his brain.

Glancing toward his arm, he noticed a small stump, the rest of his arm laying on the ground as the last muscle fibres between the stump and the arm tore, finally separating the two.

"What…"

Despite Silver asking this, only now did he understand what happened.

'He attacked the same joint in my arm until it severed.'

"Y-You…"

Before Silver could complete his sentence, Isaac extended his fingers like a knife, stabbing Silver in the throat.

Despite not making it far into his skin, it was enough for Silver to drop Isaac as he writhed in pain.

Looking back, Silver failed to locate Isaac.

It wasn't until he looked up, that he noticed the boy hyper-extended his arms and back, clamping both hands together as he drew closer to Silver.

"ISAAC!"

-BANG

Isaac smashed his jointed fists onto Silver's head, as the Ghoul's skull ricocheted like a ping-pong ball, smashing into the ground, his lower body slowly following and his knees gave out.

As the dust cleared, one would be able to see Silver's head buried into the ground as his bottom faced the sky.

Meanwhile, Isaac stood above the man.

Breathing rhythmically, sweat poured down his face.

'I…did it.'

Isaac could feel a sense of euphoria wash over him.

Remembering the day he almost died at the hands of this man, only for the same Ghoul to now be at his feet.

This feeling…strength…fulfilment…vengeance…he liked it.

'This was what it feels like to be powerful. This was what it feels like to truly do whatever the hell I want.' 

It was because he did whatever he wanted, that a pleasant 'Ding' was heard as satisfying words hung before Isaac.

[Congratulations!]

But that would have to wait.

Bending over, Isaac quickly located the man's heart, extended his fingers once again, and got ready to pierce it.

A few seconds passed as Isaac stayed in the same position.

It wasn't until a minute, that he jumped to his feet, scratching his head.

"'Born to be an Assassin' my ass! This crap is hard!" 

Isaac had never killed anybody, and it wasn't that he was showing mercy or sympathy, but there was an unexplainable feeling that made his arm freeze.

Like staring over a cliff, convincing yourself to jump into the water, there was hesitation.

"Kill, kill, kill, KILL! I'LL KILL YOU! I WILL NOT FAIL MY MISSION BECAUSE OF A CHILD! I WILL NOT DISAPPOINT HIM!"

Turning back around, Isaac noticed the brown sack in Silver's hands, his head dripping with blood. With a tug, he pulled out three blood-red pills.

Isaac was barely able to see it before the Ghoul shoved it in his mouth.

'Damnit! I took too long! What did he eat?'

Jumping back, Isaac watched as Silver's muscles bulged. The little bit of clothing he had left tore from the expansion of his muscles, only leaving the pants from the knees intact.

However, what was most surprising, was the mutated arm that had been severed was now regrowing. 

Not only that, but the appendages also seemed to brighten in colour, expanding and wrapping around Silver's chest and spare left arm, doubling his destructive capabilities.

'What the hell…'

Before Isaac could finish a thought, Silver disappeared from his position, reappearing before Isaac.

"Crap!"

Isaac muttered, but it was too late.

-BOOM

Isaac felt as if he were being hit by a truck as he endured the force that struck from a diagonal angle.

Crashing through the ground as the ground below tore apart, Isaac could feel multiple bones broken.

However, he was given no time for respite as Silver appeared above him.

Raising a mutated arm, Silver struck down.

Barely rolling out of the way, Isaac leapt to his feet, raising his leg and landing a kick on the only part of Silver's face devoid of any appendages, his chin.

-CRACK

Isaac resisted the urge to scream in pain as his leg became swollen, so much so his leg was now barely fitting in his pants.

Raising his arm, Silver once again, struck down.

This time, Isaac was unable to dodge.

A loud BOOM was heard as Isaac was buried under Silver's arm.

Dust was kicked into the air as Silver once again raised an arm, smashing down.

This continued for a few seconds, as Silver relentlessly smashed with both arms. 

Finally, his appendages grew as he grabbed onto something, hurling it toward the forest.

The large trees were instantly destroyed upon touch, and this continued till a few dozen trees lay on the ground, a young boy with amber eyes on his buttocks leaning against a tree that was barely able to stop him.

With loud and struggling breaths, Isaac's eyes were hazy. Blood dripped from every corner of his body as multiple limbs of his were turned at an unnatural angle.

Although, if one looked closely, they'd be able to see his body seemingly healing itself.

With the fog in his mind clearing up, Isaac struggled to make it to his feet.

"I guess I'll be using this sooner than I thought." 

Silver stood before him, drooling and heaving loudly like an animal.

Isaac, looking up, stared at the notification he'd gotten.

[Congratulations!]

[You've unlocked the Perk "Vital Strikes". You now have the knowledge and skill to precisely target and shut down your opponent's pressure point.]

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Next chapter title: Developing Nen [1]

"G-gimme...

GIMME THE POWERSTONESSSSSS" Yelled Silver, his tone dripping with bloodlust.