[Spirit of Lust] Chapter 153: Sloth approaching. (Patreon)

The heat and dryness of the wasteland around them was likely the last in everyone’s worries at that moment, completely overshadowed by the heavy pressure.

William stared past Aoi and to Jack Evans. The young-looking old man stood there with slumped shoulders and hands in his pockets, looking back at him with disdain.

“An ambush?” Jack muttered. “Want to explain yourself, Aoi?”

“Not really,” Aoi said, unsheathing her sword and turning to her ‘master.’

In the blink of an eye, and with the loud sound of flapping wings, Aoi and the incubi were on Jack. Their blades glimmered in the scorching sunlight as they all thrust in surprising sync. Five spears and a sword point all reached Jack’s body, yet every single one was stopped before they could even pierce his clothes.

Jack was still there, hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped, and with a bored expression on his face even as two spear points pressed against his neck, two more on his shoulders, one of his chest and a sword on his stomach all pushed to skewer him.

Aoi clicked her tongue and quickly jumped away. The incubi, however, were all gasping and in shock.

Azazel was the second to react, moving away and screaming an order. “Pull back!” They all did, all save for one. One Will was familiar with.

Before he could flap his wings to pull away, Xal was caught. The slender incubus who had been one of two to lead Will across the wasteland to the oni’s cave, the one who had a wife, struggled as Jack reached his arm and held his head by the face with a deathgrip. Xal dropped his spear and grabbed Jack’s arm with both hands to try to free himself as he was raised from the ground and held up like he was weightless. It was useless.

Will broke into a dash with an explosive first step. His body burned with flowing aether and left a thick trail of purple aura and a cloud of dust behind him as he closed the distance in a couple of seconds.

When Jack turned to look at him, it was already too late. Will jumped, held Jack’s head by the sides and planted his knee in his face with enough force to cause the big man to stagger and release his grip on Xal.

The incubus stumbled his way to safety, and Will jumped back. Jack was now glaring at him with a line of blood running down his nose.

Will smirked.

“He hurt him,” Will heard Azazel speak behind him. “Our weapons did nothing, but Lord William hurt him!”

“It’s frustrating, but expected,” Aoi said.

When it came to the strength of their aether, only Jack and Will were on the same level. As expected, Jack’s strengthening magic was good, even if it relied entirely on raw output. He was able to protect himself with a thick, invisible barrier of aether from all attacks. Will’s knee would’ve been able to knock out and cause severe damage to anyone else, but all it did to Jack was give him a bloody nose.

‘I really don’t have to hold it back, then.’

This was the reason Aoi needed his help. Even as unskilled as he and Jack were compared to her, Higher Spirits were just on another level entirely.

“So you played me for a fool, Aoi,” Jack said. “How did you manage? Why do I still feel my influence on you, yet you stand against me?”

It was Aoi’s turn to smile. “Who knows? Maybe you’re too sloppy?”

Will almost snickered. She wasn’t going to give him any answers like it was a common TV show. Keep your secrets and avoid giving the enemy any advantage.

“And you. So you really are someone possessed by a Higher Spirit,” Jack told Will. “You played me for a fool as well.”

“I’m starting to see a pattern here,” Will taunted with a smirk.

Jack took a step towards Will. A slow, languid step as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Why are you even here? For my wife?” Another step. And another. It looked as if his body was heavy.

“Mainly,” Will said, scowling.

His body was tensing at Jack’s slow approach. His mind was screaming danger, and as if to prove him right, he saw a dark gray haze begin to ooze off of Jack.

“William! He’s building up energy!” Aoi screamed. “Stop him!”

Will’s feet felt nailed to the floor. It was such an oppressive aura. Intense and overwhelming, it felt… beyond him. Was Will able to reach that level? Was he a match? He didn’t think so. He felt a cold sweat on his back and an instinct to run away.

He reinforced his body in as thick a protective layer as he could and dashed towards Jack again, fist clenched. He saw Jack raise his own fist, slowly, high, pulling way back. If he were to take a swing that way, Will was sure he would hit Jack before getting hit himself. He pushed forward.

With a fist heavy with aether, Will punched Jack square in the face. He felt it better with his hand than with his knee. Even though he was touching the man’s skin, it really did feel like there was an invisible barrier getting in his way, much like how it felt when he punched Jeremy, only stronger.

Jack didn’t flinch. The bruise on his cheek didn’t seem to bother him and he brought his own to Will’s face. He was able to put his arms in front of his face, but they were blown aside.

All Will saw was black, and sharp, unbelievable pain on his jaw.