As surprised as Ad Amira were, Linley was even more so. He knew Bebe's strength better than anyone.

  Though he was only a rank-fical beast, Bebe was more than capable of fighting off rank-seven magical beasts on his own, and his speed was by far one of its most impressive attributes, a, Ace had mao divert his attack at the st sed to block his beast panion's surprise attack.

  A sigh escaped Linley's mouth as his fe calmed. "My family was wrong to look down on you for rejeg to be my guard. If that's why you wish to kill me, on behalf of my family, I apologise."

  From ihe coiling drag, Linley's master smiled appreciatively. 'It takes a wise man to be able to ignore his pride and take a step back. Unfortunately, if I'm right, that won't be enough…"

  "Hahahaha, you apologise? Do you think that's enough? Because of your family's pathetic pride, my family were almost sughtered!" Ace ughed, the anger in his heart rising to all-new heights. "No matter where it is, you nobles always believe you're beyond reproach.

  I don't want your apology. I want your head!"

  As he said that Ace masterfully used [Soru] to charge in Linley's dire. Unfortunately, although Linley was injured, his beast panion wasn't.

  Even with Ace focused on the shadowy magical beast, it still appeared as a blur. If it wasn't for his ability to see through its iion, Ace might not even be able to react. Still, he ced in a position where all he could do was defend.

  Seeing that Bebe was able to steadily suppress his attacker, Linley decided to take that time to recover what little energy he could. He khat Ace had two more teammates, and even if he didn't kly how strong they were just from looking at them, he khey were uo just sit bad watch as Ace died. For both his and Bebe's sakes, he couldn't afford to uimate them.

  Ace had been on the defensive for over five minutes already, and unlike Linley, who began to lose his patieer finding no opening, this little shadowy rodent appeared to be a natural-boror.

  "Looks like I 't hold baymore," Ace sighed as he blocked another one of his new oppo's strikes.

  As he said that, he unstrapped the give that Wukong had gifted him from his bad calmly put it on the ground.

  "Bebe, be careful," Liransmitted mentally to his beast partner. "I don't know why but both he and his partner seem a lot more fident now that he's taken it off."

  "Don't worry, boss," Bebe sent back fidently. "He may have been holding back, but so was I."

  As Ace removed his give, a sigh of relief escaped Amira's thick boed lips. This was the main reason that Amira had been able to keep herself from interfering in Ace's fight so far.

  It had to be remembered that 'e' – Ace's new give – was made from Adamantine and Ichor Wood, two of the heaviest materials on the ti. Though he wasn't ready to start using it as yet, Ace had decided to keep it on his back as a passive way to train.

  Not only had it affected his movement speed, it had also restricted his movements slightly. Amira khat when he removed it, his speed would be inparable to what it was.

  Ace saw an almost human-like derisive sneer otle mouse's face as it tore through the air towards his neck. He k more than likely didn't believe Ace could do anything to ge his position, but it was in for a rude awakening.

  As it he neck of its prey, Bebe's jaw opened, revealing its razor-like teeth, preparing to tear a k out of Ace's neck, but instead, he phased straight through his oppo's body.

  'Afterimage?' Cowart realised in shock.

  After removing the deadweight from his back, Ace mao set a new personal best for [Soru], kig off against the ground 23 times in an instant.

  "BEBE, WATCH OUT!" Linley shouted as Ace appeared behind his beast panion.

  Ace's [Hak infused give was like a shooting star as he performed a perfect [Thrust] straight into the airborne rodent.

  Linley could only wat horror as Bebe, a magical beast he saw as more of a brother, was sent flying through the air.

  "I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, his voice a mix of fury and anguish.

  He ignored his wounds as he hurriedly stood to his feet and shot forward.

  "Not if I kill you first," Ace smirked as he seemingly teleported in front of his target, perf yet another meteoric [Thrust] aiming for Linley's heart.

  "[Superfield Gravity], [Supersonic], [Earthguard]!" Linley roared, impressively insta-casting not three spells, two of which were spells of his own rank.

  It was true; there was no faster way to improve than in life-ah battles. Linley's improvements during this fight were incredible. Unfortunately, Ace was too much of a monster in parison.

  He felt the gravity double suddenly, and although his attack slowed slightly, it was still too fast for Lio dodge or block.

  But at that moment, defence was the st thing on Linley's mind. To him, Ace had just murdered his brother. The only thing he wanted was Ace's death. He pletely ignored Ace's attack as he threw his dagger at Ace's head.

  Seeing that, Ace merely smirked. With incredible trol, he went from offeo defence, and back to offen one move.

  As the dagger was mere inches from his face, he spun the give in his fingers, knog it up with the butt of his polearm and using the momentum of his spinning give, he seamlessly transitioned into a [Chop].

  Amira could only sigh in admiration at Ace's skill. Holy, it was like watg an artist at work. When using magic to supplement her abilities as a warrior, teically, she should be the superior of the two, but Ace's skill and bat experie him in a league of his own.

  If it were anyone else, she would more than likely hate the feeling of being sed best, but for some reason, she didn't mind it with Ace.

  Time seemed to slow as Linley watched the air being split by Ace's give. He was under no delusions. He khat his [Earthguard] wouldn't be able to block this blow, especially with his [Superfield Gravity] spell increasing the power of Ace's attack, but at this point, he didn't care. He watched with a helpless smile as death approached.

  'Father, Mother, Wharton, I'm sorry, but this is as far as I go.' Lihought to himself. 'Bebe, I'll see you soo-'

  Just as Linley felt he was about to die, he heard an immature voi his mind. "I'm not dead yet, boss!"

  He'd been so overwhelmed by his partner's 'death' that Linley fot his bond with Bebe was still as strong as ever.

  Bebe's speed was definitely one of his most impressive attributes, but without a doubt, his most impressive attribute was his defenot even a seventh-rank magical beast had been able to do anything to him, let alone a fourth-rank warrior, even one as heaven-defying as Ace.

  Ace had long since realised his attack had doo no damage. As shog as it was, he was more focused on killing Linley. He would focus otle rat after Linley's death.

  Unfortunately for Ace, it seemed that he wasn't the only one who'd been holding back. Bebe shot forward like a bullet, his speed reag all new heights.

  The edge of his obsidian bde was timetres from Linley's face when Bebe crashed into its ft side, knog it just off target.

  As Ace's give crashed into the ground, a small crater formed by Linley's feet, but as soon as he knew Bebe was all right, he had already begun jumping back, trusting his partner would hahe ining attack.

  From there, the sed rouween Ad Bebe began, and although Ace wasn't suppressed as badly as at the beginning of the fight, he could do o no damage to Bebe, even with his [Armament Hak.

  He khe only way he could break the freakish defence of this monstrous rodent was if he switched to 'Wielding light as though it were heavy'. But, unfortunately, the drop in speed would mean that not only would he be uo nd a hit on his rocket-like oppo, he would undoubtedly suffer from its razor-sharp cws ah.

  Instead of giving in to his frustrations, Ace's focus reached all new heights. He focused on nothing but peing the rat's ridiculous armoured fur.

  It appeared the fight was at a stalemate as her could break the defence of the other, but her appeared willing to give up.

  After ensuring that Bebe was in no immediate danger, Linley sat down to recover as much as possible in preparation for what was to e.

  The fight tinued for almost two hours, with her party slowing down when a giant grin suddenly appeared on Ace's face. "Hahaha, I finally did it!"

  As his voice waned, a frown suddenly appeared on Linley's face. At first, the strike seemed no different than before. Its speed was impressive but not too much for Bebe to handle, but whewo made tact, Bebe was forced to retreat. That wasn't the shog part, though. What really made Linley worry was the drops of blood on Ace's give.

  Though it was only a couple of drops, meaning it hadn't done much damage, its implications were what made Linley worry. It meant Ace was noable of hurting Bebe, whi tur Ace's victory was only a matter of time.

  "Bebe…" Linley called out worriedly as he suddenly began ting quietly.

  Ace was too focused oo realise what Linley was doing. He immediately began to suppress the little rodent who was doing all it could to survive. Unfortunately, a new injury would appear on Bebe's body with each subsequent csh.

  Ace might not have realised what Linley to, but Amira, who had been patiently watg from the side, immediately uood what Linley nning to do when she heard him t the intation for the [Supersonic] Spell.

  Linley was easily capable of insta-casting a spell like that on himself, so when she heard the all too familiar intation, it became obvious that he intended on using it on Bebe.

  "[Supersonic]," Amira called out as she, too, used [Soru] to appear in front of Linley, her sword pressed against his neck.

  She knew Ace wao kill him personally, so instead of killing, she resorted to threatening to kill him to keep him from finishing the spell.

  Ace was just about to finish Bebe, who had accumuted too many injuries to avoid this attack when a scream entered his ears.

  "AMIRA?!" Ace shouted as he stopped his attack to turn to face the dire of the scream.

  Wheurned, he was shocked by what he saw. Amira was on her knees, clutg her head in pain, and floating above her was the illusory figure of a smiling old man. The shog part was that he couldn't see him with his eyes; it was only through the use of his pressed [Observation] that he could see him.

  "Who are you?!" Ace asked through his teeth, his killing i reag all new heights.

  P.S. Support me oreon listed below to read ahead - Release rate is at least 2x as many chapters every week! XD

  Currently 33 chapters ahead

  P.atreon./ACoilingDragon: Book 4 - Chapter 10