Soul of Blades - Chapter 18: Overpowered (Patreon)

In a flash, the wolf commander launched himself at Alex with explosive speed, his movements a blur of fur and fangs as a plume of white dust sprayed across the empty expanse.

A streak of grey and white instantly descended upon him, faster than his eyes could follow. Alex barely even saw him move before a blade was racing towards his neck.

Alex was less than a breath away from being decapitated, frozen in time, only just realising what had happened, his eyes only just noticing the blade.

His body couldn't move in time, and his mind barely kept up. Even with his enhanced stats, it was too fast.

He was going to die.

But then he remembered his new skill,

Boundless Dodge.

With the activation of his skill, his torso shifted at impossible speeds of its own volition, twisting and arching back. In one second, he was about to have his neck sliced in two, and in the next, he found himself arched back unnaturally, staring at the old wolf commander who had landed some distance behind him.

Shocked, Alex warily turned to face his opponent, watching for any sudden movement, his latest skill on the tip of his tongue.

The wolf stood before Alex, towering. Gray streaks of age adorned his fur, like a lion's mane, and the long cane in its hand had transformed to become a thick spear, humming with energy.

With a roar, the old wolf lunged again, an explosion of white dust the only indication of its movement. Alex froze as in the blink of an eye, the wolf crossed the distance, a mess of fur and metal inches from impaling his stomach.

Alex's instincts screamed to dodge, and his body obliged, moving slowly, too slowly to dodge in time, as if moving through molasses, as if submerged underwater. The old wolf was just impossibly fast. Alex couldn't hope to keep up.

Boundless Dodge, he thought.

A force of mana seized him and shifted his body, instantly positioning his feet and sliding him unnaturally to the side. The wolf's spear tip missed him by mere centimetres as he felt the gust of wind from the missed attack. He attempted to retaliate from his awkward angle, his sword blurring towards the wolf commander.

Phoenix Leap. He thought as he triggered his other skill.

Alex was propelled towards the commander in a blast of motion, his sword mid-swing. The commander shifted lightning-fast, his movements still a blur. Alex panicked at the speed and preemptively activated Boundless Dodge, feeling a force launch him over the wolf insanely fast. His body temporarily moved just as fast as the old wolf. A Phoenix Leap sent him crashing back down towards his opponent from the air, his sword held ready, raised high above his head to deal a devastating blow.

From above, he fell upon the monstrously large wolfman, his gaze unwavering, focused on the precise target.

He tapped into his Dao, the unending state of impermanence and change, and channelled it into his sword, activating his skills once again.

Mana Blade. Phoenix Leap. Boundless Dodge.

And as he fell, engulfed in mana, he utilised a kendo technique, one his grandfather had ingrained into him many times.

Menuchi... Mask Strike.

Alex brought his sword down in a powerful arc, moving at a speed he could barely control. His sword aimed for the wolfman's head. The blade, guided by his focused intent, sliced through the air with precision.

Descending downwards like a thunderbolt, the blade came crashing down on the wolf commander. The impact resonated through the air, a resounding clash of metal, magic, and impermanence.

In that single moment of impact, a large crack tore through the ground, as if the dungeon itself shuddered beneath the weight of his clash. The once-clear white surface split open, revealing a hidden layer of weathered stone beneath. The area surrounding the point of impact now appeared withered and aged, as if the stone had been a part of this land for centuries, rather than a mere week.

But Alex felt no other impact through his blade, no torn flesh, bone, or fur. No wolfman.

He had struck nothing but air.

The commander was already out of range, watching Alex some distance away while leaning on his staff. The old wolf, 'Warbane', studied the crack in the ground and cocked his head towards Alex. "You fight like an imperial. A crippled, impossibly weak one. Amusing."

Alex's brow furrowed, his fingers tightening around his hilt at the new information. "An... Imperial?"

The wolf chuckled. "Innocence. How charming. Yet, ignorance and charm won't save your race. They are masters of the system, masters of the realms. As are we. And your realm; your planet, is next."

This wasn't technically his planet, but Alex felt no need to correct him.

The wolfman gestured towards the sky, his tone growing darker. "Once they arrive, resistance will only lead to suffering. Surrender is the wise path. Minimise casualties, submit, and accept your place in the new order."

He wanted to keep the old wolf talking and gain some insight into why all of this was happening, as it seemed to have a penchant for gloating. Why do people even gloat, anyway? its pretty dumb telling your enemies all of your plans, Alex thought between breaths. He wanted to view the old wolfman as a dumb beast, something he could outwit and beat by playing it smart, and gaining information. But he had to admit, its overconfidence was getting to him. Alex couldn't resist revealing his feelings on the matter. "We'll see," he said.

"You think you can stand against the might of the Canids? Of the imperials?" the wolf commander snarled, his eyes narrowing and filled with an air of superiority. "Foolish."

To Alex, It was a taunt, a dare.

Alex's response was swift and filled with conviction. "I've faced stronger foes.” As he spoke, he settled once more into his stance. “I'll be the one standing when this battle ends."

The commander bristled at this. With a roar, the wolf lunged at him, staff swinging, a spear tip having somehow appearing at its end. Alex raised his blade in defense, the metallic ring of their weapons clashing echoing through the air. The force of the impact sent him stumbling back, his boots sliding across the rocky ground as he regained his footing. His stats should have been boosted close to the hundreds by now. Just how strong was this old wolf?

Skills it is then. Phoenix Leap. Boundless Dodge. Phoenix Leap. he thought.

Alex shot forward and struck at the wolf, instantly shifted out of the way of its counter attack, and launched towards it again with his blade. He was getting used to this new skill.

The old wolf cocked his brow as he leapt out of harm's way.

"Impressive," the wolf growled, his eyes gleaming with savage delight. "But you're still only human. It seems you can only evade as fast as me, but not much else."

Alex didn't respond, his eyes focused on the wolf before him. He swung his blade, their weapons clashing once again. Every strike, every parry, pushed him further, forcing him to reach deeper into his reservoir of strength. His bones shook with every impact, and he stumbled with every clash. The wolf was faster than him, much faster. And stronger than him too. He would have to rely on his technique, skills, and Dao to win this.

The battle raged on, the old wolf's strength never wavering. But with each strike, Alex grew more determined, his resolve solidifying like steel in a forge. He wouldn't give up. He couldn't.

The old wolf's laughter echoed around him, but Alex didn't let it distract him. He was a warrior, and he would fight to the end, to victory. Phoenix Leap. His blade flashed, cutting through the air with a whistle.

The wolf parried his attack, but Alex was ready. Boundless Dodge. He shifted his stance, throwing his weight into a counter-attack. His blade met the wolf's spear, the impact sending a shockwave rippling through the clearing.

Alex had realised during the fight how the 'Boundless Dodge' skill truly worked. Once the skill was activated, there was a period of around 2 seconds where any single attack sent at him would be forcefully dodged, his mana seizing his body and shifting it in ways he would never be able to otherwise, even with his stats. He soon realised that if he thought of a general direction or way he wanted to dodge, the skill would instinctively oblige.

He could hardly see the wolf move, so instead, he anticipated the wolf commander's every action, presenting it with fake openings, traps, faints, and misdirection. Aided by his Dao, Alex seamlessly transitioned between offence and defence continuously, his life at the blades edge. Boundless Dodge he thought. With a swift sidestep, he evaded a devastating blow that would have shattered bone. Phoenix Leap. In a fluid motion, he countered with a lightning-fast thrust, his speed boosted by the explosive leap at close range, aiming straight for the wolf commander's chest.

The wolf commander twisted his body at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike. His eyes widened with a mix of surprise and admiration. "Once again, impressive," he growled, his voice filled with grudging respect. "But you're not the only one with tricks up their sleeve."

As if on cue, the other wolfmen rose from their circle, their eyes blazing with a multicoloured glow. In unison, they chanted incantations, their voices rising and falling in an strange melody. The ground beneath them trembled, and tendrils of dark energy snaked their way towards the wolf commander, encasing him in a swirling vortex of power.

The wolf commander’s form distorted and grew, his body expanding into a towering beast. Muscles sprouted from every inch of his skin, his hands morphing into massive claws, each finger sporting a long bladed claw half the size of Alex’s sword. He had transformed into another form—a more formidable and imposing werewolf, his power multiplied, and his size scaled even further. On all fours, he was big as a large car, or a van. He discarded his spear as lightning began to spark across his claws and arms, and he spoke once more, his voice now deeper and booming.

He sighed.

"Human. In the new order, and in the new worlds, you should fear the very old and the very young. For neither can survive long without great power."

The wolf then raised its hackles and prepared to lunge.

"I'm afraid this is where our game ends, little one."