HP: The Arcane Thief

Chapter 222: Return of the Arcane Thief

As soon as Aslot raised the Trident, a huge amount of water suddenly appeared in the air, as if it had always been there. In the face of that power, even the small amount of water that Axel had under his control started shaking, as if wanting to escape his control. 

"You have been an exceptional adversary. I would have continued this, but my mission is to kill all the Relic Wielders. Unfortunately, I've only managed to kill two," said Aslot as he pointed the Trident at Axel. "So, the time of jesting is now gone."

!!!

The water took the shape of a 60 meter long Hydra with nine heads, each of which began gathering magic in their throat, preparing to attack. 

'Hell.'

Axel was surprised at the sheer difference in skill. 

'Should I run?' 

He had given it an honest shot, but the difference in skill was simply too big. The difference in water affinity… was too big. 

Running away would save his life, but there'd be downsides. 

Aslot has already killed too many Relic Wielders. If Axel teleported now, with the unstable space, there is no guarantee where he might end up. Then he'd have to recover and gather Relic Wielders. In that time, Aslot would have tracked and killed more Relic Wielders, including Ender, the lightning relic wielder, who still has the traces of Aslot's water magic on him. That would make handling the rest of the Organisation difficult. 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Launching Boom + Air step + Arcane Footwork + Fluid

* Dynamics]

[Arcane Barrier]

Axel was moving back at maximum speed before the water could even reach him, mobilizing his best defense. 

At the last moment, he changed his direction. But, it was of no use, as the water jets followed him like guided missiles. 

Axel was hit. 

'The heck?!' 

The destructive power was too much. The water was compressed beyond his comprehension and there was also an extremely strong water elemental energy mixed in, which was making sure anything in its path was destroyed. 

The jet cleanly broke through his defense like tofu.

BOOOM

"Gah!" 

The water was compressed to the point of being more solid than metal and it had a turbulent flow of magic that seemed hell bent on destroying him. Caught up in the flow, and being dragged for kilometers, Axel wondered yet again how the difference could be this big. 

At this moment, teleporting away was a great temptation. But, there was another, bigger temptation. He felt the water that was currently trying to destroy his body. It was heavier, denser, more destructive, more… alive. It was so mysterious, so different, that it almost didn't feel like water anymore. Axel was unable to make the water under his control show these properties. 

So, the desire he felt right now was...

"This water magic…I want it." 

!

It was a primal want, similar to the one he had when he had first decided to steal food due to the burning hunger he had felt. And then he thought. 

'Why not?'

....

The water beam had blasted Axel a long distance away. Aslot appeared above him a few seconds later in order to check the damage. He saw Axel's battered body floating in a ditch in the ground. "Huh."

The old man let out a breath. "As I thought, you were able to survive even that."

Even after winning the fight, instead of any form of triumph, all Aslot had was a feeling of anxiousness. 'What a terrifying existence.' 

Aslot was sure the boy was a one hit kill opponent when he encountered him a few hours back. But while he was trying to subdue him without killing him, he had grown to the point of barely holding up even against the best of his melee attacks. 

Somehow, even though he was not able to turn into water, the boy was able to emulate the properties of water into his already wide range of movements in order to absorb anything he attacked him with. That's why, Aslot used excessive force this time, knowing he would do the same again. 

"It's good that I encountered you now." He muttered, slowly descending. The potential of this guy is extremely scary. If he had been allowed to grow for a few more years, Aslot wasn't sure what if he could have still won. 

"Now, let's see what you're hidi—" 

The words got stuck in Aslot's throat. Because Axel, who should have been half dead by now, had actually started moving. 

"So… it's like this…" Axel whispered to himself, his body slowly starting to rise.

"Preposterous!" Still in bafflement, Aslot checked the boy's condition. It seems that he had managed to reduce the impact to a huge extent using his tricks. But still, he had taken a lot of damage. 

Blood was freely flowing from his hands, which had somehow managed to protect his vitals. The skin of the rest of his body was peeled off due to the violent jet, revealing the red muscles.

And yet, the guy was still standing.

Rising backing into the air, Axel grinned. The left side of his face skin was gone, showing his teeth, which made him look all the more creepy. Axel's blue eyes, which were still full of fighting spirit, made contact with Aslot's. "Give me More." 

!!!

Aslot never knew that he'd feel scared of a 13 year-old brat. But right now, he did. It's the same feeling as the one you get when thoroughly crushing a bug, only to see it attack your face right after. 

Aslot raised the royal trident again. And this time, a whirlpool of water created around Axel, taking the flow. It had a violent energy that could crush him into the ground. 

"That should put you down."

But, as if he was a rolly polly, Axel got back up again, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. "Show me more." 

"Just go down already!" Aslot attacked again

"Mo…re." 

Again...

"Mm…ore." 

And again…. Again. It felt as if just a little more would be enough to take him down. But each time, Axel would get back up like an undying creature, hungry for more. Aslot even had a nagging suspicion that he was taking less damage each time. 

The attacks had dragged Axel so far that they had now reached a different area. In this place, the space itself was extremely dense, making it difficult for even Aslot to move, let alone Axel. 

"What… are you?" Aslot was really creeped out now. Though he had managed to not lose any limbs, Axel's body had already accumulated too much damage. He was only standing up through mana strings and water using puppeteering. 

Having been a survivor himself Aslot knew first hand that it is not easy to not give up when your body is in that condition. And he couldn't get his head around the fact that there was a thirteen year old who'd rather go through all this than die or surrender. 

Furthermore, there was another fact that chilled him to his liquified bones. 'No pain, no fear, no hesitation.'

From the beginning of the fight till now, Axel has not shown so much as a grimace despite all the injuries he had accumulated. 

Aslot was now tired. He couldn't afford to waste any more time and energy. Also, he was starting to get a bit scared too. 

"Just... what's happening?!" Aslot attacked again, but this time, he payed deeper attention to Axel's response. 

And this time, Aslot felt it. Just before the water hit Axel, it curved. 

That's right. This time, just when it felt like Axel was going to die, he had instead managed to avoid the majority of damage from Aslot's water spell. 

"What?!" 

Unable to believe, Aslot attacked again. 

But once again, Axel had managed to influence the water, and the damage this time was even lower. 

"Impossible!" 

Even though he wasn't using his full strength, his control over water was indomitable. With his existing control, there's no way the boy would have been able to influence it. Unless…

Aslot's body materialized back from its water out of shock. 

"The water concept…" He whispered. "By the glory of ancestors... this cannot be!"

The water concept. It's the Royal family magic codex, written by the best of the Aetherians. It's linked to the bloodline of the Royal Family. Increasing one's understanding in it will increase one's proficiency in water control. Aslot's water magic is based on the water concept. And to influence it, one must have a similar proficiency in the water concept. 

Just a few hours ago, Axel was nowhere near his level. But now, he can feel it. The water around Axel has started to imitate the same form as him. 

Axel's body rose back up again. 

[Water Monarch

Proficiency: 25.24%]

Within a short period of time, Axel had managed to increase his proficiency by almost 10%. 

'There are magic particles in water. A huge amount of them.' 

New knowledge was continuously entering his mind as his skill proficiency increased at a rapid rate. Through repeated bashing, he was starting to understand just how Aslot turns the water in multiple ways. 

'If you control the water, you also control the magic particle within.' 

Until earlier, he had only been using it instinctively. But now, it was different. 

*Sssss Ssssss*

His injuries began to heal at a visible rate. And the water under his control began to change its composition, becoming stronger and more destructive. 

Slowly rising back into the air, Axel gave Aslot a bloody smile. "Thanks." 

If not for Aslot, it would have taken him months to reach this level.

"...How…? 

For a moment, instead of an experienced warrior, Aslot had turned into a confused old man. "How in the Aetherian Paradise is that possible…?" 

"How, you ask? It's simple." Axel shrugged. "I just… remembered who I am. A thief." 

That's right. In all the fancy relics, affinities, and magics, Axel had forgotten who he truly was. What his class was. If Aslot's water magic is too good, then he'll just steal it. 

[Arcane Thief 

Class Progress: 50.3%]

[Skill Stealing Unlocked] 

The sudden epiphany had increased his class progress, which had been slowed down after he had stopped stealing things.

"Now, shall we begin the real fight?" 

....

"How long will it take?" Asked Antilla. They were currently in the Aqua shuttle, a Sub-relic that was designed for the Royal family. 

The General checked the coordinates. "We should be there in five hours, Princess." 

Antilla was extremely impatient. "Go faster!" 

"Don't be anxious, Princess. He's under the Division head Tenebrous. She should be capable enough to last long enough even if they did end up encountering him."

All relic wielders venturing deep into the Trench always have an advanced tracking spell placed on them, which can be traced in by those who have high enough clearance. They're currently Tracking Kyrin, who should be with Axel. 

Antilla sighed. "I know. Kyrin is capable. But..." she put a hand over her heart. "I just have an ominous feeling about it." 

...

A.N.: like it so far? Then give POWERSTONES!

Next: Return of Arcane Thief

NextNext: Through Sheer Fucking will

Next... Next: New Bloodline

Next... Next: Axel Hunt... Dead?

Next... Next: That Brat... Is Actually the Crown Prince

Next... Next: The Unsurvivable Explosion

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