Chapter 99: Special Lesson 9
While Ed was watching from above with a troubled look on his face, Samuel took a deep breath.
"WHAT DID YOU MOTHERFUCKING ASSHOLE DO TO ME?" Moon had already lost it completely; the crawling feeling was worsening with every passing second.
Scratching did nothing to help; he only grew more agitated, wasting his breath trying to reach an itch that wasn’t even touchable by his fingers.
The invasive itch feeling gradually crept into his bones and joints... However, it didn’t stop there.
His tongue, teeth and the inner lining of his mouth alike... Even his teeth.
However, that was a stage, and the next was worse.
When it started creeping deep into his ears, eyelids, and gradually... Into the eyes themselves.
His senses began to gradually fail him.
He was completely overwhelmed both mentally and physically by the invasive feeling, an invasion of his senses that didn’t stop at mere pain anymore.
"Edmond wanted you to have these seals so badly." Samuel shook his head; he understood very well what Moon was going through.
"These seals, they can seal many things within the Tower if used right, but in your current state..." He paused before tapping his own arm.
Tap~
"Shockwaves," Samuel spoke firmly. He didn’t look concerned in the slightest about Moon’s maddened screams.
"In our exchange, where you blocked, those impacts produced shockwaves that are currently taking root inside your body."
He went in circles around Moon. "Stronger body, damage reduction, even a free and renewable form of power that’s free from the Tower’s restrictions." He opened his hand, releasing another wind blast around the arena.
Samuel looked into Moon’s furious eyes. "You didn’t suffer from blowing up your shoulder because the seals’ placement was imbalanced; you didn’t suffer internal damage because one seal was displaced from another."
Samuel shook his head; his face was heavy. "I truly am disappointed. After taking everything on a silver platter, all you do is scream and cry."
"SHUT UP NOW! ARE YOU FUCKING LOOKING DOWN ON ME?" Moon let go of his scalp and lunged like a rabid dog at Samuel.
Samuel leaned to the side, causing Moon to miss completely.
"It’s fine if you want to give up," Samuel taunted. "I’ll just put you to sleep again and take them away... Guess Edmond was wrong all along."
Ding!
[Entering Berserk state]
His blue Tower status window gave a notification that was as important as it was useless at the same time.
Torn between agony, confusion, and the taunts of Samuel, Moon was in no state for a notification, important or not; he was completely unaware.
Right then and there, at this very moment... both Samuel and Edmond felt it at the same time. Even Mishu stood from his leisure seat and took a few steps forward to take a closer look.
Bloodlust, so strong it was almost hard to believe it existed.
Up above, Ed looked down with a bewildered face. "What’s with that kid?" he exclaimed. "What’s this bloodlust?"
He took a few steps forward involuntarily. "Just how many years did he fight for? How many did he kill?"
Ed couldn’t believe what he was seeing; a child at the age of sixteen or seventeen at the very most was giving off a feeling utterly impossible for him to have.
"Are you telling me that bald brat killed more than I did in my few hundred years of life?" He shook his head in disbelief. "What the hell is going on on the first floor?"
Below, Moon twisted his body abruptly in the direction Samuel had evaded.
Samuel threw a punch at his face.
Yet,
he didn’t evade.
Ding!
Fate Alert
30% -> 30%
Thud~
The moment his face was hit, his hands shot out; one grabbed at the wrist that had just attacked, while the other was aimed at Samuel’s neck.
Samuel used Moon’s grip to pull him over, between the arm holding him and the one aiming for his neck. His own elbow came upward.
It found its mark directly on Moon’s chin.
Unfazed by the impact and the bleeding cut on his chin, Moon, who had come too close to Samuel now, whipped his head forward at Samuel’s for a headbutt.
Samuel leaned forward; his head came down and met it head-on.
Ding!
Fate Alert
30% -> 30%
Thud~
Forced back from one another, the rapid waves of light kept passing into Moon’s body with every exchange.
"Have you lost your mind completely?" Samuel spoke slowly; he wanted to bring Moon back.
He wanted to incite his fighting spirit so he might bear it and complete his training for the day, but it went in the other direction completely.
But Moon wasn’t capable of hearing him entirely.
In his current state, Moon didn’t wait or linger... He didn’t admire his opponent, nor himself.
All he did was attack again.
Using the basic instincts of an enraged animal, Moon jumped as high as he could. He threw himself at Samuel, who took a couple of elegant side steps in return.
Moon landed on all fours; he redirected himself to where Samuel was.
His hand aimed for Samuel’s shin this time.
Samuel took a step, a large and forceful one. He landed his foot on Moon’s creeping arm, forcing him into the dust of the arena.
Moon instantly held onto the leg with his other hand.
Samuel raised it, using his other leg as an unshakable anchor, to force Moon into letting go.
Yet,
what he was met with were teeth aimed at his foot.
Samuel, unfazed, stomped on Moon’s face.
"What do you think you’re doing?" he asked Moon with the same flat, unchanging tone. "Are you doing this to become weaker?"
Ding!
Fate Alert
30% -> 30.7%
Thud~
He stomped again, yet Moon didn’t yield. He didn’t let go of the leg, nor did he give up trying to bite off a chunk of it.
Moon was completely detached from the alerts screaming around his ears. He couldn’t see it, but with every stomp landing on his face, the 30% was increasing by fractions, decimals.
It slowly kept rising beyond the 30%.
Sprawled on the floor, his grip was unshakable for Samuel, who stayed true to his sealed state.
"SAMUEL, ENOUGH!" Ed called from the audience seats, retracting the Echo he had placed at the spot.
Samuel exchanged a long look with Ed before stomping Moon’s arm down off his leg. He then delivered a kick to his abdomen, throwing him a few meters away.
He might have underestimated Moon’s current state and the dedication it held.
He got back on his feet instantly, unfazed by his bloody mess of a face, or the dust mixed with his blood.
His long hair was all over his face, dusted into a pale yellowish with dust, looking like a revenant or a vengeful spirit.
He only had Samuel in his eyes now; the world was reduced to this very person his mind had locked on as his enemy at the last spark of his sanity.
Moon, standing on his feet, went for another round.
Though this time, it was different.
Moon lunged again at Samuel; this time, his hands were clawing at his face.
Samuel stood a few paces away. "Losing your mind, losing control of your actions." He locked his eyes with the maddened ones of Moon. "Is that what Edmond saw in you?"
Once again...
When the attack came, Samuel countered. This time he swiftly moved his arm, locking it with Moon’s, forcing it down.
He lowered his posture, aiming another elbow thrust at Moon’s diaphragm.
Though, this time...
It didn’t hit the mark.