F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 56: What Is Blackfield?

Chapter 56: What Is Blackfield?
"WHITEY!"
Sausage Neck screamed, a fervent look in his eyes.
Doom. Doom. Doom.
His heavy boots
stomped
against the whale’s body, each step shaking the ground beneath Soren’s feet.
Even before the brute reached him, the tremor carried through his bones.
How was he going to deal with Sausage Neck and the Eldritch on his tail?
Soren glanced around. Everyone else was already struggling with their own battles. He wasn’t inconsiderate enough to ask for help now.
The three Antibodies had mounted the whale as well, slithering and crawling toward him.
Sausage Neck was fast, appearing before him nearly immediately—hands raised, coming down with that unbelievable punch.
If Soren leapt back to dodge, the antibodies would get him.
But it wasn’t as if he hadn’t defended against this man’s attack before.
He lowered his center of gravity, taking the stance for the Clap hand-to-hand combat technique.
But Soren quickly realized that he had overestimated himself because of his escape in the previous battle.
Sausage Neck’s attack landed. That punch was like a meteor—fist glowing like the sun.
Clap.
Boom!
[You died]
....
~Buzz
"Wake up, you lowlifes." A guard barked from outside. "There is no break today. You maggots have work to do in the glass."
–Metallic clicking.
The doors opened.
The day had begun again.
Soren knew he had no time. Instead, he just let Cynthia carry him as he used the opportunity to think hard.
Sausage Neck clearly wanted him dead because of what transpired between them.
Also, from the look of things, one’s safety could only be guaranteed within the prison and not outside it.
...Once more, within the glass.
Soren first pulled Ratler back by his tail before he stepped into the pond.
Another unlucky prisoner stepped into it and was swallowed.
Soren hadn’t seen that coming. "How did you know that pond was dangerous?" Handler asked.
"Instinct." Soren replied, walking ahead.
There was no need to or time to explain. He had other problems.
—This time around, when they got to the first whale, Soren did not touch any ore stones.
All he did was follow along.
His logic was simple. If he was not pursued by any antibodies, then when Sausage Neck landed that attack, he could easily just leap back to dodge it.
Then counter it since the clap hand-to-hand technique could not stop the attack.
That was exactly what happened.
Sausage Neck’s eyes widened in surprise—but then he smirked, tilting his head.
Acid spit flew from behind Sausage Neck, splashing directly onto Soren’s face.
[You died]
....
~Buzz
"Wake up, you lowlifes..."
Okay.
He hadn’t expected that.
That acid spit was from the antibodies chasing Sausage Neck.
Meaning that while fighting, he also had to look out for that.
And so,
....He did.
He dodged the first punch, and then the acid spit coming for his face.
However, a brutal uppercut from Sausage Neck.
[You died]
....
Note to self: Just because you dodge the acid spit does not mean that Sausage Neck cannot counter attack.
Watch out for it.
Again...
Soren dodged the first attack, and then the acid spit.
Then he parried Sausage Neck’s attack, using the Clap technique.
But suddenly, Sausage Neck smirked again, going low, and diving out of the way.
Behind him, all the antibodies had released acid spits.
Soren had good reflexes, somersaulting backwards to dodge them.
He only succeeded in dodging some.
Then again, hundreds of them had fired at once.
They riddled his body.
[You died]
....
It was clear now. Sausage Neck did not mind using the antibodies to kill Soren.
Soren reckoned that from the very beginning, the punches were a distraction.
He just wanted Soren dead, and was willing to use even his environment to achieve that goal.
Honestly— that was respectable.
Nevertheless, Soren did not like the idea of dying.
That’s why this time around, he did not engage in the battle, and only dodged again and again.
However Sausage neck was fast.
Stupidly fast.
No doubt, he had that speed as a result of his Shade.
That speed was what truly made his punches so deadly.
[You died]
.....
Okay new strategy....
[You died]
.....
[You died]
.....
[You died]
.....
Soren paused to think. Really think. He did not even engage in the group’s conversations anymore.
He just sat on a rock—thinking.
And then he saw it. Vinegar catching the gloves and grappling rig without looking back.
He suddenly remembered the conversation during first loop.
He hurried to her, "Vinegar... that thing you just did. I need you to teach me."
She raised a brow at him.
"I mean the... uhh" Soren scratched his head, trying to remember, "... what’s it called... Blackface?"
"You mean Blackfield!?" She corrected.
"Yes. Yes. That." He nodded quickly. "I need you to teach me,
Blackfield
." He smiled.
"Wait, you can’t use Blackfield!?" She stared surprised, turning to Handler.
"He is going to become potato pudding." Slacker commented, smacking his tongue.
"How did you manage to kill a Soulbound Knight without Blackfield?" Handler raised a skeptical brow.
Soren shook his head. It was not the first time he was hearing all that from them.
Instead, he concentrated on Vinegar.
"Can you teach me.... please. It’s a matter of life and death."
"You betcha it is!" Slacker added.
Vinegar was speechless. She was not expecting this.
Especially not now. Then again, they were entering the Glass. It might actually be the best time to teach him.
She took his hand to her upper chest, as she touched his.
Soren blushed, but that look in on her face showed that she was serious.
"I need you to activate your Soul energy as you close your eyes." As she instructed, she did the same.
Soren nodded, doing as he was told.
And then she explained.
When one bonds with a Shade, it goes beyond a simple enhancement of strength and stamina.
In fact, it was an enhancement of
everything
.
While bones see a massive increment in density and durability that boosts prowess, the true improvement is within the five senses...