Bro, I'm not an Undead!

'Let's see how my swordsmanship stacks up against the Finite Sword god first,' Skullius thought.r

His mana gushed onto his sword and imbued into it the full force of weight that he could now attach to a singular target.r

155,000 tonnes.r

With the growth in his constitution, his mana application skills as well as the general quantity of it, Skullius found that its weight property rose exponentially as well over the past six weeks!r

It was unexpected by extremely welcome!r

As Demion's Dance got the pale white hue over it, radiating the mana from its master, its durability was increased several fold. r

As mentioned before, Skullius could apply weight either by having his mana run within or around an object or himself. The former was effective against mana nullifying measures like Genuine Incarnations but made the target unbearably heavy even for itself own movement while the latter could be countered as the mana was exposed, but in exchange, for instance in this case, Skullius could use Demion's Dance without feeling how much it actually weighed!r

The curved sword was also tinged with a layer of [Evil Darkness] in order to support it against the innate power of a Pseudo-Mythical grade weapon like the Bashful Abomination which could destroy it easily.r

Therefore Demion's Dance as it was held tight in Skullius' hand had not a green blade but a black one.r

'Now!' Skullius gave himself the go ahead for an attack.r

Streams of thin Mortal Ruin sprang into existence in an instant, creating a flurry of blurs that created a tight knit network all around the space that Hobbu Bobbu and Skullius had designated as the battlefield!r

This network of incredibly sharp Mortal Ruin surged and zipped its way towards the Finite Sword god as well, intent on slicing him to pieces!r

Skullius' senses grew keener.r

This was definitely not enough but it was worth a try.r

Hobbu Bobbu, with his dark grey chipped zhanmadao – horse chopping saber – in hand, remained stationary as the Mortal Ruin reached him and went berserk like a rabid crayon over a blank piece of paper!r

For a brief moment, it seemed like the goblin had indeed been caught in the attack but the Hybrid Luman didn't believe it. He kept his focus on the large goblin's unmoving mass.r

Then...r

....!!!!r

[Primal Caution] warned!r

"Wha..."r

Skullius thought he had made a mistake in what he sensed come to pass next!r

Was this real?!r

In the time it took him to take a quarter of a breath, the vast network of Mortal Ruin he had created was bypassed easily by Hobbu Bobbu whose body stretched like a trail of dark green paint on the air, his body having shrunk to Skullius' size as well as his sword!r

The elegant taps of the monster's feet on the surface of the water rang clearly in Skullius' senses, almost in unison and by the time he finished speaking the word 'What', Hobbu Bobbu's calamitous presence was already flying two meters from him, his sword pulled back at an angle!r

'Shit!' Skullius cursed.r

There was no way he could properly sense this kind of movement, let alone react to it!r

...!!!r

[Primal Caution] warned him again in this moment and Skullius got sick of it! r

What was it now?!r

To his surprise, the sword that he could somewhat make out, the Bashful Abomination, vanished from Hobbu Bobbu's hand then reappeared and disappeared again while the Finite Sword god seemed to be suspended in time!r

What... what was this?!r

A fierce breeze then brushed against Skullius at this same time which he ignored as he maintained focus on Hobbu Bobbu's figure which glitched and then stood on the water.r

Huh?!r

The earlier attack stance was gone.r

The weird motion with the sword was gone.r

The now human sized goblin now stood a short distance from Skullius with a deprecating smile as if everything that it had done until now made a modicum of sense!r

Skullius took in several breaths to calm his mind but then...r

He felt something missing from his body.r

His left arm and right leg were gone.r

There were precise edged stumps on his shoulder and pelvis, as if he had amputated of his limbs a long time ago!r

...!r

Hobbu Bobbu was amused by Skullius' confusion.r

In the next moment though, a wholesome golden-green light descended and stitched together a new arm and leg for Skullius whose face had hardened!r

He drew back as soon as he regained his limbs, the VergeRider armour he wore recovering itself as well. r

But...r

A moment later, Skullius felt the Bashful Abomination alternate in and out of existence in the hand of Hobbu Bobbu who stood still and then...r

His lower body was gone.r

The light above stitched up a full half of his body in a blink, restoring it before his torso could fall into the water below but in the next moment, all of Skullius' limbs vanished without the trace again!r

This...!r

Skullius' face hardened even more.r

He realised something with this.r

So this was what had happened to the goblins that had been caught by Hobbu Bobbu's attack earlier?r

So this was the nature of that strike?r

As soon as his body parts were restored, Skullius backed away rapidly under the white eyes of Hobbu Bobbu who didn't attack him again this time, clearly giving him time to 'process things.'r

'Now that I have felt it myself I understand. Those goblins didn't vanish into thin air,' Skullius thought.r

This green bastard was slashing with his sword so fast and so many times in one instance that his target would be cut into infinitesimally small particles that not even Skullius could feel after they were diced up to a certain point!r

Flesh, bone and... even mana!r

All of it was cut down in less than the blink of an eye.r

This was the power of a goblin with the Hidden Class, Finite Sword god!r

'That's how it is, huh?' Skullius laughed at himself while grabbing gripping Demion's Dance tighter.r

It was absurd to contend with something like this but the Hybrid Luman didn't back down. He couldn't.r

Not after being mocked by that ugly smirk on Hobbu Bobbu's face.r

In fact...r

[You are HYPED!]r

[You are HYPED!]r

The Hybrid Luman was hyped from this!r

"Let me show you my own swordsmanship," he said as he extended Demion's Dance before him and breathed out.r

Hobbu Bobbu prepared as well, seeing as Skullius' air shifted dramatically. He knew there was more to this opponent, which was why he was entertaining him like this.r

BOOOM!r

The lake rumbled as an immense heat rammed against the waters, splashing them away!r

By the time these effects showed, Skullius' figure had already descended on Hobbu Bobbu, clashing swords with him!r

The goblin wore a relaxed smile as its Bashful Abomination and Demion's Dance released sparks with their meet!r

A flurry of generic attacks then came from Skullius which the Finite Sword god also blocked easily, sparks like flares raging around them while the surface of the water rippled!r

"Hmmm," Hobbu Bobbu mumbled disappointedly.r

Was this it?r

Was this the limit of this opponent who seemed special from that move earlier?r

Hobbu Bobbu's face grew a little sullen as he parried and blocked ordinary sword slashes from his enemy.r

How boring.r

Perhaps he had gotten his hopes too hig—r

...!!r

A wild warning smacked the once large goblin's face, causing his white eyes to bulge out!r

He stopped defending against the attacks coming from in front of him and swished back with the Bashful Abomination to block a sudden slit of blackish red that cut across his figure!r

SHIIIIIIIIING!r

CLANG!r

The dark blade of the Hybrid Luman met the grey blade of the goblin again but this time, both opponents wore serious visages!r

Hobbu Bobbu frowned a little.r

This was the second time this was happening.r

How did this ungreen heathen suddenly appear right behind him so quickly?r

And this attack of his... It was different from the ordinary slashes he had been using before.r

Had he been baiting him?r

Hobbu Bobbu's eyes narrowed as he felt the air shift again!r

This time, he felt and saw four images of his enemy appearing in four different locations around him, all these images with different kinds of attacks from the same black covered blade!r

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIING!r

What was this?!r

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!r

The Finite Sword god blocked them all within the same moment before he held his Abomination against one figure that remained in front of him.r

His eyes keenly focused on his opponent who was radiating a sickening halo of death, his face so serious that it looked like he was donning a mask compared to the casual expression he had before!r

Skullius held Demion's Dance blade tenderly while standing in a strange stance.r

Hobbu Bobbu chose not to miss any of these movements. He had to know how the tables were turning so suddenly.r

Skullius took steps to the left then to the right and for the briefest of moments, Hobbu Bobbu saw a set of silver footprints that layered themselves over the water, his opponent stepping on them immediately after!r

When he did, he vanished!r

CLANG! r

The goblin's instincts warned him of a deadly sword attack that came from the left then another which came immediately from the right an instant later, then another and another!r

From four came seven more!r

From seven came eleven more!r

The figure of a Hybrid Luman with a darkness covered sword was multiplied over the waters and even in the air while striking with different hideously dangerous attacks that all looked like thin slits of blackish red heading for Hobbu Bobbu!r

The air was filled with Skulliuses that faded after sending elegant sword strikes at the enemy!r

Sword strikes that intended on cutting the enemy moments before they even touched their opponent!r

They were magnificent!r

Hobbu Bobbu didn't know it, but he was facing against an elegant dance of death.r

The Swindling Death's Dance!r

Even if it was still incomplete, it was mesmerising, yet deadly!r

A seemingly endless cacophony of steel rings rushed through the air along with sparks that were more like tongues of fire falling onto the water!r

Hobbu Bobbu matched against all of Skullius' strikes with serious ones of his own!r

His apprehension turned into excitement, his beady white eyes shining with joy!r

An opponent like this...!r

Suddenly, Hobbu Bobbu's figure moved so fast that it stretched against the tens of images attacking him relentlessly!r

Since he had reduced his size, he could meet Skullius in an exciting intimate clash!r

Hopefully.r

The Finite Sword god's figure warped, following the pitter-patter of steps he heard from the water to find which Skullius to follow!r

They were all real but there was the one to deliver the latest blow. That was the one that he had to find!r

Hobbu Bobbu's body blurred, creating several figures that clashes against different Skulliuses, matching and exceeding them in speed and power easily!r

....!r

Skullius shook his head as he touched the waters and turned to find Hobbu Bobbu streaking towards with a trail of after images behind him!r

Since [Beyond the Hype] was active, he experienced everything at 15 times the norm which helped him feel his goblin opponent's figure much better!r

'Even with this, this bastard is still ridiculous!' he thought as he moved to the left and right, a trail of red painting the air after him. Hobbu Bobbu's figure grinned and unleased a mind-numbing flurry of attacks that numbered close to a hundred, mimicking Skullius' moves!r

...!!!r

Skullius scoffed even under the pressure, a mass of Mortal Ruin exploding from his body as the same sharp network of thin lines but this did not deter Hobbu Bobbu or even affect him!r

The attacks that came passed through Skullius like a ghostly breezes but he didn't pay them any mind.r

His body had been dismantled into millions of pieces that should have been too small to see just now but [Saint Lumis' Benign Arc] wouldn't allow him to die while it was active!r

He definitely could have.r

It stitched him up with a golden-green light that pulled together all of his pieces before he separated, in the process giving Skullius the image of a being made of light!r

The Hybrid Luman sucked in a deep breath and cut laterally against the figure of Hobbu Bobbu with all his might, a dark red slit that dimmed the light shed on these two from above appeared with an astounding bloodlust!r

Skullius saw his opponent in the face of the attack... then he did not.r

His hand slicing through the air with the sword had vanished, Demion's Dance flying away from being lost to his grip!r

'Tsk.'r

Sets of footprints appeared in front of Skullius and he followed them. Before his sword could fall into the water, he had caught it in his newly created hand and was breathing out a exasperated sigh.r

His enemy didn't give him time to rest though as for the first time, Skullius saw a genuine vertical strike come from Hobbu Bobbu, his hand gripping the Bashful Abomination slashing down with unmatched intensity that stilled everything in the Cluster!r

The water beneath him and Skullius parted to create a clear path to the depth of the crater.r

Then...r

The air parted, the clear space between Skullius and Hobbu Bobbu splitting open to reveal bundled trees, grass and healthy soils that swarmed the open!r

...!!!r

Skullius was absolutely appalled.r

He saw the trees peak through the space as well as dirt, all falling into the waters steadily as the air allowed!r

This wasn't an attack.r

It was a flex!r

The Finite Sword god had split open the space within the Cluster to pull out trees, grass and land from the outside world in one genuine sword slash!r