CHAPTER 83: FEAR OF ASURA: PART 6

"Because I am not Johan Von Matilda even though I have his memories... I am still just James!" James said dreamily, pushing himself up from the ground, cleaning the crimson blood off his lips.

Johan’s lips curled upwards, the most evil grin a man could possibly give manifested on his face. "So you are ME after all... just my weakness."

James leaped tens of meters high into the air, twisting his body sideways while extending and aiming his left leg towards Johan’s head—closed the distance in just a second.

But... Johan just moved his neck sideways, the kick missing his face entirely, making Jameand he s crash into the black sand.

’He doesn’t even know any of my spells...’ Johan’s grin widened, then he raised a single finger.

"[Flame Storm]," Johan said simply, and in a single moment, ten massive tornadoes made entirely of dark red flames flickered into existence, rushing toward James, who was still trying to get up.

The tornadoes instantly closed in, making James run at the full speed of a stage-zero sorcerer. But Johan just had to move his finger again, and the tornadoes immediately caught up to James.

James’ T-shirt caught fire at the back, making him throw it away in panic, avoiding the firestorm by just an inch. His skinny back was revealed, evoking a kind of nostalgia in Johan—but it only made him increase the tornadoes’ speed.

James tried to kick one of them with all his strength, and instantly, it disappeared. The speed of the kick dispersed the flames, breaking the gathered energy.

With that discovery, he moved swiftly, dispersing every last storm chasing him using pure strength and speed—a grin appearing on his face. Maybe he still had hope.

But just as James was sighing, satisfied with his work, his entire body twisted at a 180-degree angle, launching him like a cannonball across the infinite sand.

He fanatically looked for the source and... found it. Johan had kicked him directly in the stomach, and his body bent to its will like cloth.

James desperately tried to stop himself, but the kick’s force was too much. He braced himself for the landing.

Giant, twelve-foot wings pushed out of Johan’s wide back, and with a single flap, he closed the distance between himself and the launched James. He appeared beside him, catching him mid-air without even touching him—just placing his hand above James’ twisted body, making it float without effort by manipulating gravity.

James, without wasting a second, kicked at Johan’s face with all his strength, laughing maniacally as his leg closed in—just a few inches from Johan’s head.

He had won! He had caught Johan off guard! It would definitely make his head separate from his body.

But... it just froze.

"[Reflect]"

And in the next second, James’ leg twisted upwards, tearing away from the knee, flying at a terrifying speed—soon becoming completely invisible.

"AHhh!! It hurts!! Make the pain stop!! Heal me!" James screamed, still floating in midair, his body entirely suspended by Johan increasing the gravitational force on his palm. Johan stood straight, staring at James like he was an insect.

Suddenly, Johan’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw James’ broken leg desperately trying to stitch itself back. If left alone, Johan was certain it would fully regenerate.

’He even has God Tree’s DNA? But shouldn’t that be impossible for a trial in a dungeon to achieve? Even for the legendary Fear of Asura, this is a bit of a stretch.’ Johan scratched his chin, not fully comprehending what was happening.

He obviously believed this James was just one of his worst fears—combined with solitude—made by the trial to break him.

"Ahhh! It hurts! It feels weird! Something is happening to my leg!!" James cried harder, tears and snot covering his face entirely.

Of course, God Tree’s regeneration hurt like hell, and Johan was sure that if he weren’t "Johan," he would’ve cried exactly the same way. In his past life, he was even scared of injections.

Johan stared coldly at James’ miserable face, then turned the gravity holding him from positive to negative. Instantly, James smashed into the sand, breaking each of his ribs with a single move.

’No... it’s slower. It’s just an imitation of mine. I could’ve regrown the leg by now... and my bones shouldn’t have broken with just this much force.’

Johan stared thoughtfully at the barely breathing James, not even considering him for a single second.

It wasn’t enough. For what James had put him through, this was nowhere close to enough.

Johan moved his leg over James’ chest, pressing his foot harshly on the broken ribs, staring emotionlessly into the brown pupils filled with tears and pleading.

"Well, well, well, look how the tables have turned. Just a century ago, I was the one begging you to stop." Johan crouched, leaning closer to James’ face... both his feet planted firmly on James’ broken ribs.

Johan pulled out a beautiful dagger with flowery patterns from his coat’s inner pocket—the same one given at the beginning of the trial.

The silver blade shone brightly under the dark purple sky. The same dagger James had held for so many years now felt like the scariest thing in the world in Johan’s hands.

Johan stood up—still on James’ body—then walked off in the direction of James’ head, also stepping on his face, rubbing his foot harshly in the process. His expression looked like he was just taking a casual stroll.

After Johan stepped off James’ body, James tried to stand but failed, falling back again. Only his neck was able to move due to the heavy internal injuries.

Suddenly, some sand entered his eyes from the right side, and he instantly turned—only to see... the same frightening silver blade of the dagger.

"Kill yourself... James," Johan said softly, staring at the purple sky with eyes that revealed no emotion.

James’ pupils dilated to the limit, clearly understanding what Johan was trying to do.

"N-No, please, no! I will do anything for you, but not this, please, I beg you..." His face lost all color, his body trembling with horror at Johan—who didn’t even seem to be listening.

"AHhh!!"

Suddenly, James felt a sharp pain in his left arm. His body writhed in agony. He frantically turned to check—only to find... nothing.

His eyes widened, his breathing ragged as he slowly raised his neck to see Johan’s face.

Johan’s eyes bulged to the limit, brows pulled high as if yanked by strings, and his mouth twisted into a disgusted downward grimace, full of disappointment.

It looked terrifying—but what was even more terrifying was what Johan held in his left hand: an arm, raised right next to his face.

While maintaining eye contact with the trembling James, Johan turned to look at the severed arm, then back at James. He repeated this motion three more times.

"Kill yourself, or I will make you eat your arm. And not only this, but your fingers, hands, feet, legs, organs... then wait for you to regenerate them... and do it all over again."

"After all... we have all the time in the world." Even with that terrifying face, Johan spoke in a warm voice, as if greeting someone on their birthday.