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And if they grew sufficiently confident in their newfound abilities, then Cisco had no doubt that their attitudes toward Dunstan and him would also change--and not for the better.

In that sense, perhaps it was good that the Rofals had gotten to see what the two of them were really capable of. The enhanced strength, regenerating limbs, hand-to-hand martial abilities, and element transfiguration--they got to see it all.

Because Damian hadn't allowed them to hold back when he tested them.

The old man was a monster. Even when holding back, not using his ability, Damian could fight them both at once with only his bare hands. Cisco knew that age was deceptive when it came to servants, but even so, it was surprising all the same. When the vigor was running through him, the man could move like Cisco had never seen. Even working together and having enhanced strength of their own, Dunstan and Cisco could barely lay a finger on the old bastard.

That wasn't just the undead vigor accomplishing that. And sure, the difference in passive soul defense played a part, too, but that couldn't account for the gap being so massive.

No. He might've been crazier than a drugged-out chimpanzee, but Damian Rofal was a truly experienced warrior.

And odd as it was, Cisco had been learning a lot from him. Footwork, weight distribution, body stabilization, distance control, and especially grappling were all frequent subjects of instruction.

He'd learned a few unarmed killing techniques from his father when he was younger, but with this training, it felt like anything could be turned into a killing technique in combination with his fluorine transfiguration ability. One solid grapple, and the enemy would be completely at his mercy or dead.

In theory, anyway. Nothing he had learned so far had actually worked on Damian unless the man allowed it to for the purpose of demonstration.

And, of course, when Damian started using his ability, their training went straight to hell.