The Ancient Genes

"Clang!"

Max's spear collided with the guy's saber. The metallic noise rang and Max felt a recoil travelling back to his body as he was forced to take a few steps back.

Max looked at the guy who had only taken a step back and frowned.

"You are strong. But not enough I guess…" Eida spoke as he moved his arms in a circle, trying to do some stretches.

He then looked at Max with a smile before making a move. His feet tapped the floor and he closed in with the saber in his hands. He had seen enough of Max. He was confident that Max was not a match for him.

Max looked at the guy closing in and the mana around him began to surge, while the spirit energy began to move as well. Max had activated his fairy arts to its maximum limit and he could feel the things in the surrounding becoming clearer.

The tattoos on Max's chest began to gleam but it wasn't visible due to his clothing.

"Die!"

The guy swung his saber and the black colored aura accompanied his saber like a tide moving towards Max planning to devour him.

Max moved his head and dodged the attack by a hair's breadth. The spear in his hands was replaced by a black dagger that was already slashing towards the guy.

Eida was surprised but he reacted in the nick of time. His other free hand moved to form a giant black claw and he managed to grab hold of the dagger.

Max was still not done, his other hand moved and he punched with all his might.

Eida smiled as he used his aura for defence. There was no way a mere punch would break past his defense.

"Bang!"

But it did. A high intensity gale had formed around Max's fist and it drilled its way through Eida's defense. Max's fist which had been toughened using the earth element landed right onto Eida's stomach. 

Max felt a clear hit and blood flew out of the guy's mouth as his body flew back and crashed into the cabin behind.

Max entered the cabin following behind. It was totally empty, people were most likely shifted into another cabin after seeing what had happened to the cabin nearby.

Max looked around and found a couple of seats broken apart and when he followed the trail, he found the guy lying upside down on one of the seats.

The guy slowly turned around and looked at Max with a surprise on his face. He didn't seem to pay attention to the fact that blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"I was already surprised when you used two elements. After all, dual element users are rarely seen. But, this….four elements? What are you? Do you have any more?" Eida asked. There wasn't any trace of fear or pain but only excitement on his face.

Max couldn't help but frown as his grip on his dagger became stronger. He had a bad feeling about this.

"No…..don't tell me. It will spoil the fun. I will find it myself. You will use everything if you are on the verge of death right…."

The guy smiled like a maniac and Max felt the demonic aura surging and the next instant, it exploded like a volcano.

Max immediately took a step back and retreated. His eyes turned vigilant as the sense of danger increased.

The guy in front of him was entirely consumed in the black colored aura. The lack tornado continued to spiral around him.

Max looked at the thing and he could feel the cells in his body vibrating. It was as if his entire body was screaming. The Ancient Manual began to revolve as well. 

Something was coming…

Max could feel it. The true adversary. 

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, the demonic aura which was raging like a tide disappeared as if it was never there to begin with.

"Huff! It's been a while...since I used my true form. Don't disappoint me."

Max looked at the guy. He had totally transformed. There wasn't a trace of demonic aura leaking from his body. 

A deep black tattoo had extended all the way to his head through his neck. His eyes had turned yellow and the shape of his pupils had changed as well. He looked more like a beast now than that to a human. Scales had appeared on his body and a tail extended from his back. 

Max looked at the guy, he noticed that the water from the use of his element earlier had flown into the cabin. He could use this opportunity. If he could freeze the guy then may be...

"Where are you looking?"

Suddenly a voice entered Max's ears and the hairs on his body stood up.

Max instinctively tilted his body and a fist with razor-sharp claws passed by with less than an inch from his face.

"Good! I would be too disappointed if you couldn't even do that…" Eida said with a grin as he balled his other hand into a fist.

Max's eyes turned grim. There wasn't enough time to dodge from the position that he was in.

"Bang!"

The fist landed and Max flew out crashing into the other cabin on the opposite side.

Eida slowly walked out and saw Max crashed into the metal frame beside the door of the cabin.

"You have wings?" Eida gave Max a curious look, "This is getting interesting."

Max had managed to avoid a full on attack as he unfurled his wings and pushed himself back. He had used the momentum to reduce the damage.

Max wiped his mouth and saw the deep red blood on his hands. 

Even though he had managed to avoid a full powered attack, Max could still feel that two of his ribs had cracked.

"B*stard…." Max muttered as he got back onto his feet and took out his spear.

This wasn't the first time he was at disadvantage. He just needed to overcome it like he did in the past. It would be no different this time.

….

Lear stood there with a frown on his face. He knew that there was no way of getting out alive now. He was dead for sure.

He thought of saying goodbye to Max but didn't say it in the end. He didn't want to distract him. After all, if he was in battle, it would spell a disaster to be distracted.

"What are you doing?" the old man said as he looked at Linda who wasn't moving. 

"Do you want me to take revenge for you? You can't even do it for yourself. A single loss has gotten that much to you?" The old man spoke with a calm tone.

"No! I will do it." Linda said as she slowly raised her head. One of her eyes had turned black.

The rage in her eyes was clear as day. If a gaze could kill people, Lear would have died a thousand times by now.

"Umn….Is the offer of becoming your subordinate still valid…." Lear raised his hands and asked while trying his best to maintain a fake smile on his face.