Reigan Shen used the broad head of his axe to deflect, not even slowing. He used no Enforcer technique to close the gap, but his body was that of a Herald. He arrived before Lindon landed on the floor, swinging up with his axe as he released his own Striker technique again.
Sixteen blades flew out of the axe-head and struck at different angles while Shen swung up from the ground.
Lindon used the Hollow Domain once more and met the axe with Midnight. But the Striker techniques struck him all over the body.
Weakened by the Domain, they didn’t shred him to pieces, but they stabbed into him, leaving him bleeding. Midnight clashed against the axe, but Lindon’s strength wasn’t enough; his weapon was knocked wide.
Lindon tried his best to defend himself in the following exchanges, but even as Dross’ ability to read Reigan Shen’s patterns improved, Lindon couldn’t keep up.
His own physical strength was beyond anything a Sage should have, and Reigan Shen had his body eroded by months of the suppression field and exposure to hunger aura, but he was originally a lion. His strength was fundamentally different.
He was stronger. Faster. And he had more fighting experience than Lindon and every one of his ancestors put together.
By furious, desperate use of the Soul Cloak and Dross’ silent support, Lindon managed to keep the axe from cleaving him in two. But he was still backed against the wall.
He finally deflected one blow and hurled himself away, dragging the Hollow Domain with him as he fled into the open center of the room. He was out of breath and spending pure madra like a waterfall spent water, but he was still alive.
Lindon turned to face the attack he knew was coming, but Reigan Shen didn’t bother. He waved a hand, and a gold portal the size of his head tore open.
A red lion erupted from the portal. A spirit Forged of blood madra, launched from some kind of weapon. Lindon kept the Hollow Domain up as the technique plunged into it, and Lindon put all his power into a soulfire-infused Empty Palm.
A huge palm imprint smashed into the lion, which dissolved…but not before it landed a slash on Lindon’s chest.
Three claw-marks tore across Lindon’s ribs, and he choked back the burning pain as the Forger technique dissipated.
Reigan Shen stood against the wall with folded arms.
Two more portals had appeared in the air around him.
Lindon dropped the Hollow Domain to sweep black dragon’s breath at the Monarch, but a silver shield materialized in front of him. He didn’t even look.
Dross, what can you tell me? Lindon shouted in his mind.
[Dross, reporting for duty!]
Without manifesting in reality, Dross still popped up in Lindon’s vision. He was plumper, somehow cheerier and brighter, with a larger eye and an innocent smile that reminded Lindon of Mercy. [Whatever I can do for you, Lindon!]
Can you give me a combat report on Reigan Shen?
[Hmmm…not quite, but I can give you my best guess!]
Then keep trying!
[But…but I became the helpful version of me!] Dross sounded hurt. [What else could I try?]
How about the deadly version? Lindon suggested, but he couldn’t spare Dross any more attention.
From another portal came a series of spheres the size of a human head, each shining a different color and radiating aura. They were natural treasures, sealed in globes, and they flew to scatter all over the room.
Reigan Shen was preparing for a Ruler technique, but Lindon couldn’t deal with that yet, because another blood-lion had leaped out of the original portal. Lindon drove black dragon’s breath at it, but the technique was at least as powerful as he was; it crashed through his beam, opposing his will with its own.
He had to let the dragon’s breath drop and try something else. Without Dross’ active attention, it was harder, but he wove threads of pure madra and Blackflame madra together.
Then he reached into the lion, sensed its structure, and dismantled it from the inside.
His spirit burned as he tried it, and it took a little too long, but it worked. The Forger technique fell to chunks of quickly dissolving madra.
Lindon switched back to his pure core and released the Hollow Domain as chains of life madra shot out from the third portal. They looked like shining lime-green roots, but they were unable to break through the Domain.
Reigan Shen was pacing around the fight and back to his chair. “That is how Ozmanthus Arelius dismantled techniques. Not bad. He elaborated on that in his inheritance.”
The Monarch reached out, and though his madra had no aspects of destruction or cleansing, his technique was swifter and more practiced than Lindon’s.