SOULTALE | By ShadowNTS

(Chapter 124) Old Rivals.

Stiven stares furiously at his opponent. Ashley runs behind him. Noire clenches her axe tight.

NOR: And here I was thinking I could actually slip past you, old friend.
STV: Don't you dare call me that. You are not the Bette I once knew. You're a monster.
NOR: Oh, really? That's not what your pouty face told me when you confessed you had a crush on your best friend, me.
STV: You were once so pure but since then you've become everything I aim to destroy.
NOR: Let's see if your heroism can help you now!

Noire spins her axe and dashes towards Stiven with killer intent. Stiven swings his blade forwards and blocks Noires' swing.

STV: It's not safe here! Get back, Ashley!

Ashley runs upstairs and hides. Noire turns her arm into a spike and thrusts it while Stiven is not concentrated. He dodges and gets behind Noire, pulling her collar and throwing her against the wall. Stiven dashes towards her and thrusts his blade. Akumu appears in time to block the strike and fires small spikes at Stiven. He dodges and moves back.

NOR: *cough* You've gotten stronger, I'll give you that, but it's still not enough to beat me.
STV: Just watch as I demonstrate the difference in our power.

Stiven switches the way he's holding his blade and is now holding it backwards.

NOR: What the hell is going on inside that little brain of yours, dumbass?

Stiven takes a deep breath and dashes towards Noire. She smirks and swings her axe into the ground, trying to stop Stiven.

STV: Keijō 𝐈, 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞.

Multiple afterimages of Stiven form around Noire. She doesn't know which to attack first. They all rush in towards her.

NOR: To hell with your techniques!
Earth-shattering strike!

Noire shatters the floor with her axe, causing a huge shockwave to erupt and disperse all the afterimages. She can't find the real Stiven however. Suddenly, he appears above her in the air and thrusts his blade. Noire manages to dodge but she still gets a cut on her arm. Akumu is quick to cover the wound.

NOR: Thanks, Akumu.
AKU: Noire, you have to be careful! He's not an opponent you should take lightly.
NOR: Alright, let's get serious, Akumu.

Akumu turns into a second axe which Noire can use. She dashes towards Stiven and charges in with her axe. Stiven swiftly dodges and Noire crashes through the wall. She turns back and throws an axe towards Stiven. He ducks under and it flies by.

NOR: Got ya.

The axe spins around and almost hits Stiven if he didn't realize it in time. He turns around and stops the axe with his blade. Noire takes this chance and lunges towards him with his back faced.

STV: Keijō 𝐈𝐈, 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰.

Time seems to slow down. Stiven swiftly turns around and releases Noires' axe right back at her. Time continues at normal speed. Noire can't react in time to avoid the sudden trajectory of her axe. It is smashed into her head, dropping her to the ground.

End of Chapter 124
"Old Rivals"

[ Stiven has managed to defeat Noire, or has he?! ]