The Sword Of Salvation
Ch. 2 — Sterminatore & Training (3)

Mariel answered the order. His body was charging forward at the highest speed that his body was capable of. Only seriousness colored his expression. He darted in a straight line, his fist also swinging straight. Lukhiel anticipated. But then Mariel lowered her body and slid past the left side of the demon's body.

He did not know if he had managed to outwit the master or not. Mariel didn't let that bother her. He immediately stood up, turned around, and immediately attacked Lukhiel from behind. This way of working on large predators, Mariel hopes to give a little surprise to the master. He used his small posture to take advantage.

But hope is only a blank word that is meaningless if not supported by adequate strength. And Mariel doesn't have that power. Lukhiel only shifted a step then spun, and Mariel's punch managed him to avoid perfectly.

Mariel was not surprised. It is easy to imagine the devil being able to escape. Therefore, he immediately took action quickly. Utilizing the momentum that made his body push forward, he flopped down to both palms on the ground. Then released a kick to the side violently, targeting the demon who was about to attack.

Lukhiel blocked both legs with ease.

However, before the master took advantage of the situation and kicked her hands together, Mariel turned her body and tipped back away from Lukhiel. He did not try to buy time to relieve his breath; mariel attacked again, and this time straight from the front. At the very least, he needed to try to build momentum with a frontal attack.

Lukhiel blocked the blow after the blow that Mariel had laid. The kick was blocked as well. Lukhiel did not move from his place, and he also only used his hands. Mariel was unable to land the attack even once. He was constantly attacking in a row and aggressive manner, but Lukhiel continued to block efficiently.

At this moment Mariel had no choice but to play dirty. They fought in open areas. There's nothing to be used. Lukhiel was kind of crazy asking him to fight like he was playing chess. In chess, pawns can kill queen pawns, in the real world? More than that, he had no pieces to play. Mariel was forced to rely on dirty tricks to show progress.

Mariel bent down avoiding the master's kick. When bending he took advantage of the opportunity to dredge the surface of the ground. The ground he squeezed was hidden in a fist. Then Mariel rolled to the left, avoiding the footrest that Lukhiel had laid. The master seemed to be getting tired of holding on. His movements showed he wanted to attack.

The situation would deteriorate for Mariel if he let the master attack. He still had not forgotten the pain he had received at the beginning. That's why Mariel didn't take time. After standing up he immediately shot back to attack the master. Mariel again released a barrage of fists as it had been. This time he had another objective.

After some time unleashing a barrage of attacks (all of which were blocked easily), Mariel finally found a chance. Along with Lukhiel who brushed off his twisting kick, the gap opened and Mariel did not waste it. He immediately threw the sandy soil in his hand onto the master's face.

However, Lukhiel suddenly disappeared from before Mariel.

The sandy soil that Mariel threw just hit the empty air, she looked at him with cold sweat filling the pelupis. He could feel someone behind him. Lukhiel instead disappeared; he moved too quickly for Mariel's eyes to follow. More than that, he felt a real bad feeling.

“By doing that, it means you've prepared yourself for the worst, right?”

“Ma-Master, ma-let's talk about this all right.”

“We can do that later. For now, try to survive by exerting everything you have.”

…Maybe he shouldn't have thrown the sandy soil?

Three hours later, Mariel had been sprawled helplessly ‒ she was too tired to move and her breathing also seemed to have run out.

“Good work.” Lukhiel stops four steps to Mariel's left. “Your stamina has improved a lot. And as for the size of an ordinary human, you're already quite fast. You are strong enough to face a group of ordinary humans.”

“I don't even feel happy with that compliment, Master.”

There was no way Mariel was pleased with the praise, not after she was rendered helpless as before. Mariel is too weak. He could not imagine what would happen if humans could not use prana. Perhaps the world is already in the hands of the demons and the humans will be caged like cattle. That was really terrible.

But if all demons are like masters….

“But since it's a compliment from the Primordial Devil like Master, I guess I should feel flattered.”

“Once again I explain, I've not been as strong as three hundred years ago. Maybe right now I am the weakest Primordial Devil. Don't make me a benchmark of strength. But let's put that aside. As I said, after resting I will teach you to use prana.”

“I'll remember that. And, I'm resting. Did you come to tell me my break time is up, Master?”

“Oh! I'd love to say it, but I'm not. I'll just tell you about the prana, you can hear it while still lying like that.”

“Good. I was just thinking of kicking your ass when Master fell asleep.”

“Ha-ha-ha. Do that, and you'll wake up hanging over a bunch of crocodiles. Now listen carefully.” Lukhiel paused and sat down. “All soulless beings have prana,” start the devil. “Prana is a combination of physical energy and spiritual energy. If you run out of prana, your body will be weak and in the worst situation you can die.”

“Although all soulless beings have prana,” Lukhiel continued, “not everyone can use it. There is a thing called ‘gerbang kensi’ that locks prana so as not to get out of the body. It is said, the gate appeared because of the existence of spirit. Therefore, prana is needed to be able to synergize with spirit. And to be able to use prana, one must open the gate.”

“How about the devil?” mariel asked, remembering the book about the spirit he had read. “Devil has no spirit within them. What does it mean that Master can use prana from the beginning?”

“Good question,” compliment Lukhiel. “And as you thought, the devil can use prana from the beginning. The devil has no spirit, that fact is actually a little wrong. You already know that demons are born from human souls entering the underworld. And what you must understand, the spirit that gives the soul melts into that soul and is born a demon. At least, that's my opinion. My strength represents the spirit I used to have when I became a human.”

“...Therefore the devil becomes strong without the need to practice.”

“Absolutely. But let's get back to the topic of conversation.”

Mariel nodded.

Mariel spontaneously sat down after hearing that. He faced Lukhiel quickly. The look on her face did not try to hide the overflowing enthusiasm from within Mariel. She was like a toddler in front of her favorite toy. But that's not surprising. Being strong was the first thing Mariel had to work on.

“There are many uses of prana,” Lukhiel continued. “But for now, we focus on the unrelated spirit.”

Mariel nodded, no objection at all. He understood the method of the master. Lukhiel trained him in three stages: physical, pranic, spirit. He has been focused on the physical for almost three years. Now Lukhiel wants to focus on prana. Maybe in two to four years he will be diverted to use the spirit power that is within him.

“Prana can be used to walk on water and various other liquid objects. The ninjas of the Eastern Continent used prana to walk on the ceiling of the room. They also have a name called Ninjutsu. In the Southern Continent, prana was used as magic energy. In the Northern Continent, prana was used differently again. However, of all, I can say, no one can apply the use of prana better than the ninjas.”

“In this continent,” Lukhiel continued, “fighters focus on converting prana into specific elements. One could create and control fire, water, earth, lightning, and even wind with prana. However, one could generally only create one element. When one can already create water, creating other elements will be as difficult as uniting water and oil. Both ninjas and witches, this predicament also haunted them. The demons are too.”

“Master says ‘generally’, means there is an exception?”

“Did you ever find the name ‘Merlin’ in the books you've read?”

“Merlin..who helped King Arthur establish Camelot?”

Lukhiel nodded. “Merlin is the only person who can do everything with prana. He can create various elements. He can create ice, lava, and even control the weather. He was older than even the oldest demons. Maybe he can answer your question about gods. However, after King Arthur is killed at the hands of Modred, Merlin disappears. Until now, there is no trace of him.”

“Ah,” continue Lukhiel. “On one of the islands that I myself do not know where, there is such a thing as the Biblical Tower. Some witches believe that Merlin was there. But no one can ever prove it. Therefore, people assumed that Merlin was dead. But I wouldn't be surprised if he was alive. If it's related to Merlin, there's nothing we can say absolutely impossible.”

“Now we return to the initial topic,” continued Lukhiel before Mariel had time to give a response related to the explanation. “The fighter on this continent focuses on converting prana into five basic elements. Lightning is the rarest element, and fire is the most common element. Elementa wind. You also have to consider choosing what element.”

Lightning is the most destructive element. It can destroy anything it accepts. Weak lightning can be neutralized by the ground, but strong lightning destroys anything. If she wanted to focus on destructive power, Mariel would have to choose lightning as her element.

Fire is.api. Mariel did not need to think much about this element. He understood the danger of what fire was like. Clearly, he would not have chosen this element. Using fire elements is a great risk of damaging the environment. Even it would bother him if he was required to be in a situation that required him to attack stealthily.

Soil is very useful in many ways, but this element is less flexible. Mariel wanted to be a fighter that relied on speed; the ground element did not match her.

The same thing happens with the water element.

Lightning or wind.

Mariel could not choose other than one of the two. That was the conclusion Mariel came up with about the element she should choose.

“But before going there, first of all we will open your ‘gates power’. Are you ready, or do you still need time to rest?”

Ah, right too. Thinking of using what elements to use is useless if he cannot use prana. First of all he must make sure his “gerbang power” is open.

“I'm ready, Master.” Mariel decides.

“Good. Then I'll give you two options: want an easy or hard way?” lukhiel asked unceremoniously, an unhealthful smile blossoming on the face of the devil.

Mariel gulps. Lukhiel is a demon, he will never forget that fact. Easy for him can be difficult, and difficult for him can be easy. However, there is also the possibility that it is really easy and difficult really difficult.

“You won't explain it until I choose?”

“Of course. There's no thrill if I tell you.”

Mariel wiped the sweat off the temple, taking a deep breath. “Which is easy,” answered, decided to choose a normal option to choose.

“Then stand up. I will beat you so hard that your heart stops, and then I will fill your heart with my man. And in an instant you will be able to use prana.”

“Ka-If difficult choice?”

“You only need to meditate until you can feel the presence of ‘gate power’ in you. What is difficult in this process is a long time. There's a chance you've only felt it after half a year.”

Mariel can't say he made the right choice, but he can't say he made the wrong choice either.

“Now stand up and prepare yourself for unstoppable pain.”

…Er, maybe he should have chosen the hard option?

...—End of Chapter 2—...