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Chapter 72: Dodge and Counter
Chapter 72: Dodge and Counter
Warlock Ch 72. Dodge and Counter
The familiar rush of energy from [Spectral Surge] faded, leaving Damian feeling exposed and alarmingly mortal. His movements and speed returned to normal, every dodge and sidestep suddenly becoming twice as difficult without the boost. He flicked his gaze toward Cassius, a silent plea for him to ease up, to give him a second to catch his breath. But Cassius's expression held steady, that infuriatingly calm, unyielding look that seemed to say, 'You're on your own.'
"Shit," Damian muttered under his breath. Without [Spectral Surge], this was a whole different fight.
Spears continued to rain down, each one faster than the last. Damian scrambled to dodge, his body moving on sheer instinct as he twisted, ducked, and threw himself out of the path of each oncoming strike. But without the added speed, every movement felt like it was just a second too slow. Twice, he barely managed to avoid getting skewered, the spears whistling past him close enough to feel the cold burn of dark energy against his skin.
His breaths came fast and shallow, his muscles protesting with every leap and sidestep. And then he saw them—three spears hurtling toward him in unison, forming a wall of dark energy that he knew he couldn't escape. His gut twisted as he realized he had no way out.
Without thinking, he summoned his [Hellfire Spear], the weapon materializing in his hand in a burst of dark flame. He could feel its power surging through him, its heat prickling his skin, but he knew even as he held it that he'd only be able to block one of the incoming spears. The others would break through, and he'd be done.
Just as that realization hit, a voice echoed in his mind, light and casual, almost like someone sharing a friendly tip. It was his own voice, but it was different somehow, relaxed, as if talking to a close friend.
"Well, in case you need a weapon for close combat or to fight a combat mage, just grab it! And voila! You've got a nice weapon in a snap! It's temporary, but it works. Easy, right, Cas?"
The words stirred something deep within him. His heart pounded as he gripped the [Hellfire Spear] tighter, feeling the energy pulsing within it, waiting to be shaped. Then, almost on instinct, he pulled it close, flipping the spear in his grip to wield it as a close-combat weapon.
It felt natural, like it belonged in his hand. Without hesitation, Damian swung the spear in a wide arc, flames trailing behind it like a comet's tail. The dark energy collided with Cassius's incoming spears, each one dissolving into nothing against the hellfire's intense heat. One by one, the projectiles vanished, the inferno eating through them like paper in a blaze.
He'd done it. His heart thundered as he realized the Hellfire Spear could be wielded as a weapon, not just a projectile. He hadn't just dodged—he'd countered!
Breathless, Damian planted the spear into the ground, using it to steady himself as his legs threatened to buckle. His chest heaved, his vision blurring at the edges as he dropped to one knee, desperately trying to catch his breath. The training had pushed him to his absolute limits, and he wasn't sure how much more he had left to give.
But he couldn't help it—a small, triumphant smile crept onto his face. He'd managed to keep up, to fight on, even without his skills at full power. Maybe he wasn't just surviving; maybe he was actually learning.
Slowly, Damian looked up, expecting to see Cassius preparing another wave, ready to push him even harder. But what he saw was far from the cold, stern gaze he'd come to expect from his mentor.
Cassius's eyes were wide, his expression uncharacteristically shocked. There was something there, something that Damian had never seen in him before—was it a surprise? A flicker of disbelief? And, just barely, a hint of sadness that seemed to cloud his gaze.
Damian's smirk faded as he took in Cassius's expression. For a brief moment, they just stared at each other. It was as if Cassius had seen something in Damian that he hadn't anticipated, something that stirred a reaction he couldn't entirely suppress.
But then, as quickly as it had appeared, the look was gone. Cassius's face smoothed back into its usual mask of calm, his posture straightening as if nothing had happened.
Damian swallowed, his mind racing. What had he seen? Why had Cassius looked at him like that? The questions bubbled up inside him, but he held his tongue, knowing that pressing for answers now would only lead to more of Cassius's frustrating evasions.
After a moment, Cassius took a deep breath, his gaze steady but softer than before. "Well done," he said quietly, almost as if the words were difficult for him to say. "You've… made more progress than I expected."
It was the closest thing to praise Damian had ever received from Cassius, and a swell of pride bubbled up in his chest, tempered only by the mentor's strange reaction. Something about this training, about him, had caught Cassius off guard, and Damian could feel he was standing on the edge of something big, something that was just starting to make sense.
Panting heavily, Damian tried to push through his exhaustion, to finally voice the questions clawing at him. "Your… hah—reaction," he managed between breaths, feeling the words come out uneven and strained. "Voice… inside my head…"
But before he could get the words out properly, Cassius dismissed the remaining spears with a casual flick of his wrist. Without looking back, he started to walk away. "We'll take a break," he announced, his tone as flat as ever, but the word 'break' echoed in Damian's mind like a gift from the heavens.
In that instant, every question, every frustration faded. The word 'break' was all he needed to hear. Damian's body slumped with relief, and he straightened himself, loosening his grip on the [Hellfire Spear] as he prepared to follow Cassius. The moment he released it, the spear disappeared in a puff of dark smoke. But when he tried to move, his legs—exhausted beyond their limit—betrayed him. They felt like jelly, completely drained from the intense training.