Warmblood splashed across the ground, briefly staining the earth scarlet matching the rivulets of crimson that snaked down his body. Long, ragged gasps escaped his lips, his lung aflame in search of oxygen. His body ached and any attempt to dreg up the energy to fight back was an arduous ordeal.

His opponent was letting him catch his breath, to regain what little power he could muster again before crushing him back down. It was a demoralizing tactic, but one he had been subjected to countless times at this point. Descending slowly, he once again took note of the creature; bipedal insectoid clad in a simple changshan despite its violet exoskeleton, its head was split in two by a recess that encircled it, allowing countless glowing eyes to peer out in all three hundred and sixty degrees. Its mouth was obscured by beard-like tendrils that resembled fern leaves, although he knew that beneath it was mouth like a lamprey's and what appeared to be a pointed jaw was instead two large mandibles tucked into place. It appeared to have two sets of arms, although for the fight so far, it had only used its top two, while the lower two had been locked into a gesture of prayer.

"Ogatan-san," The creature said, its words a mixture of telepathy and hissing-like vocals that combined together to form a disjointed approximation of human speech, "Perhaps it would be wise to step out of the pond?"

"Nah, I'm good... I fucking love the feeling of blood in my pants..."

"It is fortunate I have come to understand your earthling "sarcasm," lest my opinion of you would have dropped."

"Good, now I can focus on the more complicated insults."

"I would prefer not, Ogatan-san, but I know you will anyway..."

"Finally! We've come to a mutual under..." Leaping from the bloody pond, he launched a knee towards the insectoid's head, only for his attacking limb to be seized by a hand of long, spindly fingers, "...standing... shit." He knew that the creature's arms, much like its mandibles, held a secret, one that he would witness in action... again. What were its arms, were actually each a pair of segmented limbs. Splitting into four, with one still holding firm to his leg, he prepared himself for the barrage of punches by the remaining three.

"That's enough you two." The insectoid instantly released him, threatening to have him plunge back into the pond were he not able to maneuver his descent back onto dry land. Hovering above the two was the angel, Islay, "I suspect King Yemma is close to having a brain aneurysm from all the stress we've been causing him."

It was true, now that he looked around. The wispy clouds that were the souls of the dead were either cowering or watching in display as their skirmish had done some damage... well, it was pretty much all him, "Couldn't you find a better place other than HFIL?"

"I've told you countless times, child, but HFIL is one of the few places where you can benefit from this training."

It sure didn't feel like he had progressed... then again his sense of time had grown distorted since he had fought the Beast God. After finding himself back at the Lookout, somehow, he had been spirited away by the angel to do this. According to the angel, his ability to consume energy had become a crutch, especially in the last few years he had spent as Rex, and here in the afterlife where he found it difficult to draw forth such replenishing energy, there was very little doubt that she was right. Combined with her choice of retainer and he had been on the backfoot when it came to sparring matches from the get-go with little to show for it.

"So, what now?" He asked, having grown a little frustrated upon reflection.

"Well..." The angel began, a smile crossing her lips, "I say we put that training to the test..."