Enkidu saluted Matthew as he stepped forward by lifting his spear.

Matthew saluted Enkidu back lifting his sword.

"Ffyr. Stay inside my necklace. I'll need to use Healing Totem often." Matthew asked and Ffyr obeyed without protesting. She understood how difficult that battle was going to be.

Matthew took another step forward already strengthening himself with both Demonic Mana and Unholy Mana. He aimed at Enkidu with his gun using his other hand as support. He concentrated on the bullets. Using Boost Gunpowder, Imbue Mana, Sharpen, Spirit Magic, Unholy Mana and Lingering Mana on each bullet.

Matthew shot true. The bullet flew straight to Enkidu's head leaving behind a line of blue flames. But the ancient warrior was fast enough to defend himself with a quick move of his spear hitting the bullet in mid air and making it fall harmlessly away from him.

Matthew laughed to himself. It was the first time he saw someone faster than a bullet. He then tried a series of shots in a roll. Enkidu deflected the first and moved about making it hard for Matthew to aim. The ones Matthew didn't miss, Enkidu managed to redirect with his spear.

When Matthew's clip was empty, he made a movement to change it. It was the opportunity Enkidu was waiting. He charged Matthew with a powerful stab. Matthew managed to parry the thrust,, but was forced to take a step back because of the strength behind it.

He felt how much stronger and faster Enkidu was than he. Not magnitudes greater, but still stronger. Enkidu didn't relent, as soon as Matthew steadied his feet on the floor, he had to duck another strike aimed at his head.

Matthew let go of his gun and drew his other sword. At the same time, Matthew used his Reckless Agility in conjunction with Vitality Boost to increase his own speed to match his adversary. With that, at least in speed, he could match Enkidu. However, the weight behind the warrior's strikes was still fiercer than what Matthew could handle.

Matthew's shorter reach also didn't help him. All he could do was to use his swords to parry and deflect the relentless attacks Enkidu aimed at him. One of those strikes, Matthew manage to deflect to the ground. When the spear hit the floor it made a big hole on the stone.

Matthew jumped back from a follow up upward slash from the spear and laughed at himself. Looking at the hole on the ground, he could tell that any of his enemy's attacks would be fatal to him. Using a suicide attempt to let himself being hurt to score a hit taking advantage of the Anesthesia skill was out of the question.

He looked at Matil who was watching the fight with shinning eyes and a huge smile. She was having a lot of fun rooting for him and shouting encouraging words. She could not see how Matthew was being pushed back with no way to counter attack effectively.

Enkidu smiled at Matthew as he circled him. He was clearly having fun. Matthew understood then that he had no chance against that man. He wasn't even using his full strength against him. Perhaps out of a sense of fairness. Perhaps out of an enjoyment for playing. It didn't matter. It was clear that Enkidu could do much better than that.

Matthew stowed one of his swords and drew his other gun, while the warrior was giving him space. If it was a matter of reach, the gun would solve that problem. However, it was a matter of skill and power as well.

Matthew parried a thrust with his sword, stepped to the side dodging a strike with the blunt end of the spear and then parried a downward slash from the tip of the spear. Once he had the opportunity, he shot at Enkidu aiming at his body.

But the ancient warrior was faster than the bullet, he side stepped making the blue flame coated projectile hit a wall behind him.

Matthew was not over his attack, he stepped forward bringing his sword to a deep thrust. Enkidu was quick to hit him with the blunt end of his spear on the clavicle, a strike Matthew endured with Anesthesia and continued with his attack.

Matthew's blade stopped just short of grazing the warrior's naked belly. If he had hit Enkidu's Vital Shield or missed his target completely, he could not tell.

On the next moment, Matthew tried to shoot at pointblank Enkidu's flank, but he held Matthew's wrist pushing the gun away making the bullet miss completely its target.

Then a kick on Matthew's chin sent him flying backwards and landing close to Matil.

Matthew used Healing Totem while Matil looked down on him with worried eyes.

Enkidu took a few steps back and waited for Matthew to get up and away from the little Nixie.

"I don't think I can beat him." Matthew said sitting on the floor canceling his Anesthesia skill to feel when to stop using his Healing Totem skill.

"You can't?" Matil asked worriedly.

"I'm not strong enough." Matthew said taking the change to breathe a little bit since Enkidu was just standing there waiting for him.

"You need more power?" Matil asked kneeling beside him.

"A lot more. He's too powerful for me." Matthew explained.

"Hey, mister." Matil waved to Enkidu. "Is it okay if I help him?"

Enkidu smiled and nodded approving.

"Help me?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah." Matil said smiling and placing her hands over him. "I'll give you a bit of power. I won't last long, but it will help you… I hope." She added.

A flash of light surged from Matil's hand. Matthew knew that feeling. It was the same as when Paula used her Visomancer skills to make him stronger. However, Matil's spell was several magnitudes greater than Paula's.

Matthew got up on his feet feeling incredibly powerful. A smiled crept on his face. His mind started to imagine doing horrible things to Enkidu. An influence of the demonic mana he allowed to take over.

Matil then coughed when his miasma became too much for her to handle bringing him back to the moment.

"Sorry about that." He said to her using Purification on her to ease the symptoms of unholy mana poisoning. "And thank you." He added. "I think now it is going to be a fair fight."

This time it was Matthew who charged forward making Enkidu use his spear on the horizontal to hold a strike of his.

The next moment, Matthew's gun was aiming at Enkidu's face, but, as soon as Matthew pulled the trigger, the warrior turned his head to the side like an experienced boxer dodging the bullet.

Enkidu then brought the spear down on Matthew cutting lightly his cheek as the also dodged that attack.

With Matil's boost, Matthew was now able to fight Enkidu as an equal.

They traded blows and dodged each other's attacks with an incredible speed that was hard for Matil to follow with her eyes. Bullets flew from Matthew's gun always missing the target and lodging themselves on the stones that surrounded them.

Even though in equal footing, Matthew could not land a hit on Enkidu, but the ancient warrior more than once took some blood from Matthew that he quickly healed with his Healing Totem skill. A testament of the superiority of Enkidu's weapon of choice and weapon skill over Matthew's.

After some time, both of them gave each other some space to breathe a little. Matthew visually more tired than Enkidu.

"You fight well." Enkidu said with his spear pointed at Matthew.

"Not well enough." Matthew said smiling back at the warrior.

"I must end this now. It was fun, boy." Enkidu said also smiling.

Then Matthew saw a surge of mana take over Enkidu's body. His muscles shifted under his skin and grew. His face became more serious as the smile vanished from his face. He growled at Matthew now.

When Enkidu charged, he was much faster and stronger than before. He aimed at Matthew's gun and with a precise thrust that Matthew used the gun itself to deflect, made the gun shatter in his hand into hundreds of pieces.

Matthew's blood stained the floor, but the wound was quick to close for his Healing Totem skill.

Matthew had time to draw his other sword again, but as soon as it was out, Enkidu was over him pummeling him with strikes of his spear. Matthew had a hard time defending against the onslaught.

Losing focus for a moment was all it too for the spear to dig a big hole on his leg bringing Matthew to his knee. At the same movement, Enkidu struck Matthew's face with his knee bringing Matthew to the floor.

While Healing Totem slowly healed Matthew's new injuries. Enkidu stood over Matthew with his spear pointing to his head.

"MATTHEW!" Matil screamed seeing him laying on the floor defeated.

"You thought well, boy." Enkidu said. "But this ends here." He added bringing his spear down.

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