43 Chapter 43: The Swordsman Part 1

Still standing...sitting? The slime seems to have no intention of capitulating to my abrupt request. I try and paint the calmest smile I can on my face. For a few breaths there is nothing but the slow steady heartbeat in my chest.

To the left of the slime, of its guards, suddenly reaches down at his waist grasping at his sword. Quick as he reaches down I summon forth my vines binding his legs together. His face glowers in displeasure, but even then he takes out his sword completely and attempts to lunge through the thorns. Much to my surprise he's able to break out of them with relative ease.

My eyebrows raise in surprise, now it's just the swordsman staring at me. His boss remains impassive.

'Guess I gotta take him out first.'

Given his very normal build, I don't consider using my bears strength, "Second Form: PANTHERS GRACE!"

I call out into the air, instantly my already light body feels unfettered once more. Where I was once able to move with the grace of a leaf floating down a stream of wind, I can now move as if I was the wind incarnate.

I can't help but smile with my new dexterity. It feels like no matter how I move, I always know exactly where my body should be going next. 'Is this what a professional fighter feels like all the time?'

It seems the swordsman is at least kind, or wary, enough to allow me to get my own weapon ready, but I can't quite decide what to use to fight. Even with the training in the forest, that was always against beasts. Man is quite again a different creature. Their ability to plot and plan can never be ignored.

I stare at the swordsman eyes and I feel a chill surround my body. The eerie specter of death itself seems to be sitting on that mans sword. I gulp down my saliva and fear and try to steady my hands.

'I think this is gonna be hard...'

While my class still seems to prohibit me from using that disgusting corrupted lance, with my malleable vines any weapon I desire can be quickly manufactured. I finally settle for what I think will work best in my hands. Instead of growing my weapon, I grow my vines out of my own skin, the wrap around my hands and up my fore arms making an impenetrable wall of fine and thorn. I focus the longest and sharpest of my thorns specifically on my finger tips.

Now with my claws formed and my arms covered in thorns I feel a small dip in my remaining power. I want to activate my bears strength as well, but I'm not sure if my body can support that many passive spells at once. The vines already take quite a bit of power to keep alive, combined with the usage on my second form grace...'

The swordsman looks at me and finally speaks, "Are your preparations complete noble druid?"

Shocked I raise an eye, "Why do you care? Why not simply attack now?" I have to ask. If it was me, I would have struck whenever I could. This swordsman however seems to want an actual challenge.

"You're the only one. I won't kill you until you are prepared." He says with finality in his tone.

'Confident are we? Well fine then, I didn't want to do this in the middle of town, but fuck it'

I quickly cast away my clothing and invoke my bears strength. With my body more able to fully absorb the light of the sun and feel the earth on my feet my strength will recoup much faster.

With a roar the heavens I make my stand finally closing the distance between us. I walk forward until I am mere steps away. "I am Masamune, King of the Druids. Give me your name before I take your life."

'If you wanna play at bein' cocky then let's fucking play!'

He smiles cocksure and looks me in the eyes, "I'm Aaron, just a mercenary." He looks at me and gently knocks his sword against my claws. "Hello, and goodbye Masamune."

My expression dies, and I soon dive towards his side. I come up rolling just at his side, but his sword is already flying at me. I take the hit in my right hand, I can feel the sword slice through my vines and deep into my arm. Soon red and green meld into a viscous pool on the ground.

I wince at the pain and jump backwards to gain some distance, but Aaron harries me. For every step I take backward there is a sword waiting to plunge into me. I pant and jump over and dive back down onto him, my claws crashing into his upraised sword. The sword stops me dead, but my thorns are able to hold against the cold steel.

Even with the strength of a bear he shrugs off the power of my strike and throws me ten feet away. I manage to sink my claws into the earth slowing me.

I dig in my claws for firmly, and use them as the focal point to launch myself at Aaron. He smirks as if he expected the attack. I fly towards him, and just my claws are about to sink into his left arm, cold steel enters my rib cage.

The stab is shallow, but bleeds profusely. I try to get up, but my body keeps getting wracked with pain every time I put force on my left side.

I shakily manage to get up, but my body is feeling weak already. My breath is coming in unsteady spurts as my life giving blood stains the dirty alley that we are fighting in.

With my heart pounding I know that I can't keep fighting like this. Aaron isn't even breathing hard yet!

Aaron only stares at me, not deciding to press his advantage.

'I'll get you yet you bastard!'

'Well, if I'm going to be getting hit anyway.... Then let's make it cost him dearly!'

I focus on my vines again and I force them to cover me head to toe, as living plate metal. I'm sure that look like a procupine right now. Every bit of skin that can be reached by sword know also is host to dozens of foot long thorns.

While this seems to take nearly all of my mana it feels worth it. The tyrannical strength, and speed from my buffs seem to be augmented by my living suite of armor.

I fly towards Aaron my face grim as I attempt to slam any part of my thorned body into him.