Shadow Slave: Endless Souls

The dojo was silent, in the arena single mighty figure stood there as if nothing could budge her. Nephis under the astonished gaze of the rest of the Sleepers stood in the ring undefeated. Many turned their gazes at Edward and Caster the only two people that haven't challenged her standing in front of the ring considering who will challenge her first between the two of them.

"Edward, do you wanna go first?"

With a soft smile on his face, he invited Edward to challenge Nephis probably trying to see my skill level, the cold calculating look behind his smile didn't escape from Edward's observation. Luckily for Caster Edward didn't care about that since whatever info he gained would change once they entered the Dream Realm.

Edward slowly walked into the ring this time even though Nephis gave him a somewhat serious look, he only silently nodded his head a little bit signaling the start of the fight. He wasn't as fast as Caster which means he couldn't create the illusion of ceasing to exist using sheer speed instead he turned into a blur heading towards Nephis.

He threw a swift kick aimed to hit her right loin, Nephis slightly turning her body deflected the attack to the ground aimed to make him lose balance. Edward leaned forward quickly finding his lost standing attempting to catch Nephis in surprise. His right arm bent intended to hook around Nephis's neck and pull her into a neck hold.

Well, that was his intent at the beginning now he was looking down at the silver-haired girl, not because he won because right now he is suspended in the air while the girl was twisting his arm aiming to slam him on the ground. Edward twisted his body with a cracking sound he dislocated the shoulder of his trapped arm giving him a chance to hold the girl's shoulder before hitting her with a devastating knee strike.

Nephis lets him go as she slides backward from the force behind the strike, Edward lands on his knees relocating his dislocated shoulder. Nephis felt warm liquid slowly coming out from her nose, blood, she was bleeding first time since coming here.

Rock also let out a surprised whistle as he saw the situation, was Edward's actions most efficient? He would say no, his attacks were lacking in refinement, and flameboyant was more showy than efficient but even so, those strikes were devastating for a simple reason. Edward's body was above human limits allowing him to use techniques that aren't possible to use by normal people.

Edward touched his shoulder, it felt weak and ached like hell when he moved it, then looked at the girl with a serious look on his face. She wiped the blood from her face and decided to take the offense first time in a while. A straight kick to the upper abdomen was probably meant to send him flying or break his stance, he sidestepped dodging the kick which changed its direction sweeping downward towards his groin area.

Edward's face grimaced as he caught her leg, his head tilted a little making his vision blur as he felt sudden force to his jaw. What followed next was his head being twisted and something wrapped around his neck, Nephis holding him in a chokehold bent her trapped leg hitting him in the chest with her knee.

Her attacks weren't aimed towards harmless knockouts anymore but lethal killing blows which made Instructor Rock quickly want to stop the fight. At first, he was a little hesitant before he pushed to having no other choice. Edward who had fallen on his knee didn't give up, Nephis's leg already freed itself from his hand now standing firmly, and held Edward's head in her hands ready to knock him out for once and for all. He decided to not hold back, he stopped breathing and his heartbeat slowed down next second Nephis felt she was having difficulty to breath.

Edward's hand wrapped around her neck strangling her while not moving since currently he is staying still [Still As Stone] has taken effect making him temporarily free from the need of breathing. In the end, two students strangled each other in hold forcing Rock to stop the fight.

***

Back in his room, Sunny was shocked by the fight.

He was shocked by Nephis's combat skills and martial prowess and Edward's relentless fighting style. It was a short yet frightening display of their prowess, he touched his neck and wondered if could he have survived being choked like Edward. Was he as relentless as him instead of giving up but trying to strangle his opponent back? Could he be cold as Nephis and directly use the killer move?

He wondered if Edward was as special as him. His Aspect was Divine ranking as his own. For a moment that possibility lingered in his mind, he just couldn't help but wonder if Edward too just liked his True Name and decided to not reveal it.

Suddenly Sunny felt like he wasn't as special as he thought himself was. While Sunny was drowning in his thoughts the instructor Rock decided to put an end to today's combat class and assigned each student to a group to train with each other in the next session before dismissing them. He specially separated Edward and Nephis and prevented them from being assigned to the same group.

Sore from the beating they received, Sleepers headed for the showers. Sunny waited for a bit and then directed his shadow to sneak into the boy's locker room.

He wasn't very interested in watching a bunch of teenagers changing clothes, but there was a slight possibility that Caster would either comment on his duel with Nephis or answer some questions about his incredible Aspect Ability.

Just as he had expected, the young man was surrounded by a group of newly converted fans. They were congratulating him on his victory, full of adoration and excitement. Edward's expression was blank as ever but surprisingly Caster wasn't in a good mood as if that fight was disappointing to him.

"Edward, why didn't you go all out against Lady Nephis?"

"Hmm?"

"It's just I noticed from your fighting style. How should I put it, it was formless without any foundation should I say but still kept it is fierceness. Your fighting style more brawl than martial arts yet more refined it's hard to describe. The best I can say is it is as if imitation of something."

"Yeah, it is."

He answered without much though after all his fighting style was indeed an imitation of basically every move in webtoons and mangas he read before. Simply using his superhuman physique as a bridge that will close the gap between pure fiction and reality.

"Huh? Is it? That's why it felt incomplete."

Caster nodded his head and didn't say much as Edward left the changing room after finished changing.

***

'He is one of them, he is definitely sent by them.' Nephis the subject of Caster and Edward's discussion touched her still red neck as it glowed with holy light and healed. She growled a little as coldness flashed in her eyes.

She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but see the reflection of a certain young man she fought against today. His dark deep eyes without any emotion as if an empty void stared at her in the eyes deeply. 'Which domain is he from?... no, it doesn't matter which one... he will meet the same ending as the rest soon enough... just a little longer.'

***

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