Inverted Deck

Inverted Deck (Chapter 38)

Chapter 38

I quickly analyze Rosaleen, specifically her hands and torso.

She's not holding any type of weapon.

There are no holsters for any weapons around her long black blouse.

She's unarmed currently.

Does she think so low of me and anyone else that she feels like she doesn't need weapons or is it something else?

No more thinking. I've got her roght where I want her, but if I make the wrong move it could be the end of me.

I can't just be fast, I've got to be the fastest I've ever been in the quickest way possible.

It's the perfect time for that.

There's a one short coming when it came to my past battles, my speed.

When I fought Black Jack, I pushed Aether through my legs as if they were jet engines, yet I still wasn't fast enough. When fighting Voncent I learned how to Ripple Step naturally somehow, but he one upped me by actually having a technique, Ripple Step: Ring of Light. So for the past month with my training with Mother, my combat and Aether Control hasn't been the only thing I've been working on, I've created a technique of my own.

It's not about the amount of Aether I have, it's about the function and pace at which I use it.

I take what little Aether I have in my feet and elevate and deelevate it repeatedly, quicker and quicker each time, slamming against the soles of my shoes like drums, causing the Aether around and underneath to sputter and ripple like crazy, at a faster rate that it ever has. I figured out the faster the Ripples, the faster the Ripple Step will be.

If I was fighting another Nexus user I'd be screwed, since they would see the Ripple of Aether forming around my feet and anticipate my next move, but since Red Riding over here has a diffrent type of Observer's Eye, to her I'm just standing here.

"So are you going to try and capture me or are we just going to stand here?" Rosaleen asks me.

Only thing is I have to declare it... silently.

"Ripple Step:..." I whisper to myself.

"What was that?" Rosaleen asks as the sky becomes cloudy.

"...Shadow Percussionist."

"Wh-!"

I launch the Ripple Step and seemingly glide across the ground, or rather the Aether covering the ground, closing the distance between us in an instant.

I take Coalescent Fang and swipe horizontally at Rosaleen, but somehow she managed to dodge in the  nick of time, causing me to just hit the edges of her Red cloak.

But I notice something strange right after the cloak is cut, instead of reacting like how you would think cloth would cut, it turns into red Liquid, which then get absorbed by Coalescent Fang instantly.

"Wh-What the-!?"

Upon realizing this reaction as well, Rosaleen screams.

"Give... IT BACK!!" She yells as she pulls out a large curved sword out of nowhere, swinging for my head instantly, but I'm used to this type of combat thanks to Calum.

I take Coalescent Fang and block the Curved Sword with its blade, pushing me back.

"You want this back huh!?" I yell out as I grind my shoes in the dirt and grass to halt my movement.
"Fine! Here!!"

I take Coalescent Fang and tap into the red liquid it absorbed, I assume is Aether, in the same way I did with Calum's wind. I bring my arm up before pushing all of the Aether within the blade out while simultaneously slashing downwards, shooting out a small red and black, crescent shaped slash, spewing that strange red liquid over the grass and trees.