Devil Ninja

Chapter 45

"CAO CAO!!!"

"BOOSTED GEAR: SONIC BOOST KNIGHT!"

The armor covering Issei's body disappeared, revealing a streamlined figure that seemed so weak a stiff breeze would blow it over. However, in exchange for having next to no protection, Issei's speed increased.

His body blurred as he practically disappeared from Cao Cao's sight. Despite this, Cao Cao didn't look too worried. He leapt back to avoid the swipe from Issei's clawed hand. After dodging, he tried to attack Issei with a swift thrust of his blade, but Issei had already disappeared again.

The world around Issei blurred as he appeared behind Cao Cao, hand already moving to stab him through the back, but things didn't work out as he planned. Cao Cao spun around as though he had predicted what Issei would do. The older man parried his claw attack with the blade of his Longinus, forcing Issei to back off.

Issei glanced at the steam rising from his clawed and grimaced. Pain seared into his hand from where he had touched the Longinus. His current armor didn't have the ability to protect him against something as powerful as the True Longinus spear, which was said to have been used to stab Jesus Christ when he had been crucified. Such a holy artifact was literally the bane of his existence.

"BOOSTED GEAR: WELSH DRACONIC ROOK!"

After using the speed of his Knight Mode to close the distance, Issei quickly shifted into his Rook Mode, which created layers of armor on top of his body. This did have the effect of slowing him down. However, now that his defenses were at their peak, he wouldn't be so easily injured by the True Longinus.

He raised his arm to block a swing from Cao Cao. The fierce clash resulted in a powerful backlash of cutting winds flying across the battlefield, gouging into the floor as though it were made of butter. Issei gritted his teeth and dug his heels into the ground. He refused to budge even one centimeter for this bastard.

Cao Cao's eyes were practically glowing.

"I see you've gotten even stronger now than you were before. What sort of training allows you to gain such incredible power in such a short amount of time?!"

"As if I would tell you!" Issei snapped as he used the strength of his Rook Mode to push Cao Cao back.

The power of his shove was enough to knock Cao Cao slightly off balance, which Issei tried to take advantage of by throwing his fist in a straight jab that contained all the power of his Balance Breaker. On a normal person, this attack probably would have caved in their skull. Cao Cao was not normal. He proved this by bending his body at an incredibly awkward angle, tapping his spear against the ground to keep him from falling, and then used the momentum from pushing against his spear to turn his dodge into a powerful slashing attack.

CLANG!

Issei winced only slightly as the True Longinus slammed into his raised arm. The attack was not strong enough to move him while in this form, but he could still feel the hit reverberating through his body. Despite this, he still threw a punch with his other hand. He hoped to deck Cao Cao right in his face.

Of course, it could never be that easy. Cao Cao realized the danger he was in and leapt backward. While the power of Issei's punch had sent a gust of wind at him, all it did was cause his hair to blow in a breeze. Cao Cao had already gained enough distance that Issei's attack couldn't reach him so easily.

"BOOSTED GEAR: SONIC BOOST KNIGHT!"

Issei once again transformed into his Knight Mode, but he took to the air instead of remaining on the ground this time. After ascending to the ceiling, he turned around, oriented himself toward Cao Cao, and shot forward at speeds that broke the sound barrier. His body turned into a brilliant streak of purple light as flames blasted from a set of exhaust ports on his back.