You see it too, right? That guy has the power of Arcane inside his heart, the true strong stepping on his own path to cosmos. Within the last chant, the grade five ritual was made due to the plenty of time the Pontiff gave Aetheria.
As I said, Andrazyvalis gives the users two options, whether they'll split or assemble everything in the output. And this time, Aetheria chose the incredible power in piercing. By concentrating everything into the one and only beam, the Arcane Power released from himself can reach the threat of a full power destruction of a mature dragon.
And don't forget that Arcane Power also has the guaranteed shield bypassing trait in any way, so basically, this strike can't be blocked in any case.
"Repent!" - His eyes gaze straight at the Pontiff, the hatred has risen obviously.
*Hah* - "I knew that someday the brats like you all would do this."
He also unleashes something, something dyed by stained and cursed disgusts.
*Boom* - Of course, the end of each beam clash is always an explosion. As expected, the Pontiff really took no damage at all, on the opposite side, Aetheria also didn't.
"I've been waiting for the day that I can witness this magic again, Aeth."
"No idea about your nonsense." - Aetheria surely has no mind to care about the out of order things.
*Heh* - A smirk, but more like a grin in my opinion, he slowly mentions a name, "Azaystral."
*Boom* - A swift beam was released on Aetheria's side to the Pontiff, yet, it took him nothing but a movement to deflect the strike aside.
"She has the prophecy from the aligned stars. So do I!"
They both leapt into each other with the prepared hands and threw strikes then strikes to the opponent without any hesitation. Aetheria knows that this Pontiff is a mage and also a ritualist like him. That's why it's a balanced fight when one side has more experience, the other side has the better physique and combat experience.
*Fsh* - Even the winds are cut by each time their fists move toward for attacks.
*Smack - Smack* - Balance is dancing and they're trading each strike to each strike non-stop. Both of them are aware of the situation, even losing this combat trade in a strike, the advantage will be gone forever.
*Thud* - Unfortunately, the first one to get a strike is Aetheria. By baiting him on the right side, the Pontiff could easily perform a counter strike straight to his solar plexus before Aeth could realize the threat.
"Considering me as a disadvantage in close combat experience just because of my major fighting style is such a dumb work."
"Now, regret!" - He swings his fist even harder to the aiming spot.
*Vroom* - In the moment before the second impact could hit Aetheria. The space around the fist was bent and led to his rear. Which means the Pontiff just missed his strike.
*Crack* - And also a chance for Aetheria to smash his jaw real quick.
"I don't think the guy regretting it is me."
*Smack* - After a grab, Aeth continuously swings his right fist again and again into that face ruthlessly. The blood starts coming out each time the strike lands on that face, yet, the smile isn't gone yet.
"Why don't we just move this fight to another level before we start the true hunt?" - The Pontiff finally covers himself with the blue flame of Hell.
*Whirr* - On the contrary, Aeth also does the same thing with his violet Aura, "If you want to die faster."
*Hah* - "You'd better watch your manners."
He swiftly grabs Aeth's collar, "You insolent brat."
*Thud* - A heavy strike instantly bypassed his defense due to its immense speed, landing on his face as a meteor pierced through the ozone layer of Earth.
*Bang* - Even though the flows of Aura controlled by the masters like Aeth and The Pontiff are truly silent. Yet, when that fist landed, within just a small leaked pressure, the shockwave and the heat enough to wipe out the entire building were released.
Of course, with that shockwave, Aeth can't stand still but tries to pin his legs into the ground just to balance himself. Non-stop, the Pontiff instantly bursts himself with Ignite and lands another critical strike straight at Aeth's face before he can do anything but tolerate.
*Whoosh* - The wind screams.
*Smack* - His nose is bloody right now. Obviously, the third strike has landed in the same place.
"You're weak as hell." - By hiding himself under Veil, the fourth strike has already been at Aeth's left hip.
*Smack* - Not the signal of the strike has been landed, yet, it just got deflected by a sharp and fast movement of that Knight.
*Smack* - Taking that advantage, Aetheria continues his moves by two fast jabs and a heavy uppercut into that chin. The sound of crack was heard from west to east.
Oh, Zone huh? Auto Counter System based on the connection of Zone, moving objects and his nerves. Genius.
The Pontiff silently observes the situation before he should enter the zone of 1.5 meter radius around Aetheria again. His brain is working for the strategy, at least he must figure out a potential way to dodge the counterstrikes first.
Yet, in that moment of hesitation, that fist was just already at his face.
*Smack* - A heavy strike instantly broke a part of The Pontiff's Guard. On strikes, he moves forward twice with plenty of attacks shooting toward the enemy as a gatling gun continuously destroying everything ahead.
Swiftly, the Pontiff gets back his focus and parries the two up-coming strikes easily as pie. He instantly deflects the right fist of Aeth for an open space. Indeed, for a straight strike into his solar plexus.
*Smack* - Even though he has baited Aetheria to move out of the set zone one meter already, he still somehow gets a counterstrike into his face without a chance to react.
"Seems like I'm so old already."
"Which is obvious under sunlight." - Aeth comes up with another jab to bait his enemy, then smashes his left fist straight into that right hip.
"That's hurt." - His arm is locked by two hands, like the jaws of a shark, it's tearing the prey apart. Yet, it also means that The Pontiff just left his block down. So brutally crushing his face is the option chosen by Aeth. Nevertheless, it's an intentional bait that his enemy set just for him.
After a combat trade, The Pontiff knows that each time Aeth needs to attack, the connection between himself and the zone must change for a bit. In a short way to explain, the Auto Counter System can only be activated when Aeth grants himself totally to the Zone and reflex. Whenever he tries to control himself on his own, that absolute connection is temporarily disabled.
And that's why he just got a counterstrike straight to his solar plexus. It's fast as a thunder strike, yet blazing as a flame of destruction, also heavy as if a mountain is crushing him down itself.
Should he run? Nah, that's how a loser thinks.
*Clash* - Different from the sound of meat, this time his fist meets its natural (human-made) enemy, the heavy armor.
Heavy armor? But where and how…
C'mon man, don't you forget the guy standing right in front of you? Besides the appellation of The Strongest of The Table of Diamond Knights, he's also known as The Unlimited Budget of the whole branch under his authority. So basically, he can pull out a full set of legendary items if he wants.
And this time, he directly takes out a bunch of high quality legendary items as stones aside roads. Nevertheless, on his hands, the longsword and the shield appear. Yes, it just looks like the moment that he faced Har, but this time they are no longer the epic items.
Let's take a look at his power of money right now. The full heavy armor set made by Etherium and the mixture of Allium and Definum, forging into the EAD alloy. It can reduce all the physical damage by dispersing them all via plenty of small veins carved on each part of the armor.
His shield is named "Aphenim" - it's one of a hundred names used by them at the start of The Heroic Age. It's a bright shield shining with the angelic light wrapping it around as a veil of divinity. Instead of being made by a whole ingot forged to, this shield is the combination of a total six wings of Arol - the mixed descendants of Phoenixes and Holy Spirits. Unfortunately, there's no longer a creature like that in this era, they're all extinct.
Side information, Arol also carried the honor of a mount. They accompanied Holy Spirits through mountains and rivers, under the skies and above the earth. They stood for peace and happiness even before the appearance of doves. The white leathers, the six great wings and the third eye of enlightenment, they are the messengers of The Heavenly Land on Earth.
Even though the shield on his left hand was just reforged by the damaged corpse of an immature Arol, it's still enough to reach the level of a mythical item. On the other side, his right hand is holding the blade of moonlight.
It's made purely of Lunarite. This kind of ore was first discovered in a Semi-Calamity Grade Rift - The Theater Under Moonlight.
Lunarite - which gives the sword made of it the ability to deflect any kind of mana or Aura. And that sword has its own name, Sugon - The Lunarblade.
"Oh, so you broke the deal huh?"
"Not a deal even made between us." - Aeth rushes forward with the blade ready, he first blocks the strikes by the shield on the left. Then a slash was swung toward The Pontiff, yet got missed.
"Agon." - He calls its name and the holy spear instantly lays on his hands.
"Do you know the myth about this spear?" - He swings it arbitrarily around himself as playing around.
*Clash* - The blade again slams down on his head, it seems like Aeth has no patience for talking.
"Oh c'mon. You should listen to the old man before doing something." - He stabs the spear forward and it takes away the chance to continue attacking from Aetheria.
"Agon was made by–"
*Clash* - This time is a shield, Aeth blocks himself and the attacking angles in order not to let The Pontiff attack freely. Following up is a slash downward from the high angle, of course, Aetheria just aims for a decisive strike at first.
*Clash* - Rotating the spear vertically, its shaft was able to deflect the slash to his left side. The Pontiff also shifts his hands position while pushing the staff forward, also upward by the right hand - he is aiming for a piercing strike.
A song of heaven and the spear has already stabbed through Aeth's neck. A critical hit, surely he won't stop at that strike. The Pontiff swiftly steps forth while stretching a deep wound on Aeth's neck by the spear blade, yet, no blood was seen.
There's something wrong! The Pontiff tries to turn around, yet keeps his eyes open wide without any chance to move.
This is the power of Aphenim, when it sings, the opponent can no longer access their body as usual. And that's how his head has been cut down beneath one slash from Aeth.
Not yet! He knows that if it's that easy, there'd be no reason for the Pontiff being able to reign one of the Three Great Forces over a century.
He takes out a spear wrapped by runic fabrics and stabs it through that beating heart. The lightning chains swiftly split and lock The Pontiff to the ground, it seems like the end for him already.
"If you don't want to unleash your true power, just take eternal rest." - He swings the lunar blade toward that neck, swiftly, it cuts.
*Splash* - "Welcome to the parade, The Knight."
Cutting down that arm, The Pontiff leisurely throws it aside as trash. He, at the point no one knew, had escaped from that cheap trick already. Easy as pie, he grabs the spear and clashes it into his own one. Within a clanging sound, that thunderous spear was nothing left but scraps.
On the other side, Aetheria also reverses Amplification Aura to heal himself real quick. He finally realizes the true appellation of that spear. In the Heroic Era, a spear alone shattered the majority of the Dragon Clan.
"Drakha."
*Clash* - Recalling the blade, Aeth approximately parries the critical slash from that Dragon Slayer Spear. With the trait allowing it to deflect the flows of Aura, the pressure crashing into that blade was reduced. Yet, a crackle was made, indeed.
"You aren't her, you have no ability to lock my spear." - He swings it around and brings the destruction forward.
"You can't win against me while I'm still with this spear."
"So just taking it away from you, then it'll be good enough for me to behead you, the heresy."
"That's–"
"– such an overconfidence."
He rushed forward with the speed over mach 300, the entire space around them melted to nothing. The spear cuts through the air despite the drag force it may face. Death is coming.
*Clash* - "You should not come here alone, Aetheria."
He instantly knocks away the spear after rotating clockwise and using Aphenim to hit the two arms holding the spear of The Pontiff aside.
"And you should not yap too much."
*Clash - Clash* - Two more swings and both of them returned to the starting points.
"Old corpses belong to dirt. At least do the good deeds before you turn to roadkill." - He parries the lightning beam in time while throwing back to the enemy an air slash.
*Fshh* - Cut by the spear, the strike vanished in the air, "Young makes dumb."
"Better than approaching death in hopelessness at the owl-light age."
Out of that view, the entire terrains around the Cathedral were all wiped away. Of course, done by no one but Yone Grantey. After activating his Ultimate Move: Spatial Distortion Field to land his step to the 4th dimension in space, Yone had to face the deadly challenge. Dancing on the line of destruction, he made not a terrible, yet still far from being good enough, decision. Within that 0.08 tick of disparity, he had to carry on himself the 8% pressure of that process.
Which means the destruction of 0.72% light speed crashing process, 8% of its destruction just applied on Yone without no exception. And right now, that guy is tolerating the worst damage he has ever had in his life. The crack sounds just announced his devastation.
"Seems like I just over did it."
"I think you should save that kick for The Pontiff." - Luker jumps out of the isolated space zone. Yet, he needs to keep himself floating because the emptiness of 10^9 cubic meters of land was blown away.
"Nah, this strike was made on the ideal condition of time I had. That dude's ability forced me to hit only him. So destroying everything, him and all the enemies, is the best choice." - Yone swiftly covers himself in the Amplification Aura, he needs to heal himself before everything collapses into dust.
"But it doesn't mean that you couldn't kill just that dude and destroy The Pontiff later."
"Nah, every kind of force was bent and dispersed evenly through the land under his feet. That kind of ability would actually counter mine whenever the destruction I brought stayed below the cap."
"I see. So what should we do right now?"
"Nothing, the creeps were killed. The Holy Knights have their own missions, we're good."
"Isn't it… too simple?"
"Yes it is. But this is not the simulation of the fair two-team battles. I have the ability to wipe out all the weak enemies, so our jobs are done."
"So… you guys really let the entire force attack this Cathedral just because of an extra lesson?" - Luker has no idea, it's weird to risk people like this.
"They need to witness and experience the battles. We currently had below a hundred corpses, just eight thousand wounded dudes left. This is an investment, got me?"
"No comment."
"Wait!" - Luker looks at the space below him, he witnesses the appearance of a hellish existence.
"Do you see it?" - He hurriedly asks Yone.
He also looks in the same direction as Luker, yet, "What are you talking about? It's just an emptiness."
"No, no, not like that. One, two,... five,... about eleven dark blue magic circles are set down there. They are linked by the biggest twelfth one, I can scent the hellish power overfloating." - Luker takes down the blindfold, he double checks what he just saw again by the evil eye.
"Don't you say… Shit."
Yone takes out a runic stone, it's just like a phone without social media apps, obviously, he's connecting to Aetheria.
*Crack* - "Oh f*"
In the Cathedral, The Pontiff covered the spear in the blue flame of Hell. He swung it toward Aetheria yet got missed. Nevertheless, the two runic stones hidden under his armors also got destroyed. Aetheria knew it was caused intentionally, however, he couldn't do anything but facing The Pontiff like the plan. Because he's the only one here who can match and weaken the strongest enemy by himself, so he will abuse everything just to negate that spear.
"Have you ever wondered why I use a spear instead of a staff?" - The Pontiff sounds so chill.
*Clash* - The lunar blade again clashes into that spear, "Currently no, also will never."
*Clash - Clash* - He offenses with two slashes then parries the strike from the enemy almost immediately. Aeth also activates Aphenim again, but it seems useless right now.
In that cases…
Flash back, two days before the strike to The Holy Cathedral:
"So you need my help?" - Paragon cuts the roasted beef on his dish.
"Yes, Ian was captured and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to stand till the end beneath that Pontiff." - Aeth really landed his feet on Niliphon, Cala Empire.
"So why do you think that my help will help you? I'm not even as strong as other outsiders. All my power was sealed, I have nothing at all."
"Yes, you have one."
"Oh?" - The third slice of beef was consumed.
"Your Ultimate Move."
"Let me guess. Youuuu… have the power to mimic one's ultimate move temporarily, right?"
Aeth took out a glasses necklace, "This is my trump card. I can archive three guys' data totally."
"I see."
So with this one, Paragon. Aeth silently murmurs inside his mind and the mythical item slightly lightens itself as an ignited torch.
Ultimate Move: Jack of All Trades (Paragon) was unleashed.
*Clash* - A legendary item, a massive hammer instantly knocked The Pontiff away via the explosive maximum output up to 350% of Aeth's.
This Ultimate Move allowed Paragon to explore his own potential on each weapon he touched. With his own power, the maximum length was 10 years experience.
Yet, this time the user is Aetheria. Even though the limit of 10 years experience hasn't changed due to the fact that it's just a copied version of Paragon's power, it still helps Aeth a lot. And that strike was the best evidence for this support, Aeth has been serious.
"I'm very curious." - The Pontiff disappears.
*Clash* - Parrying it with a knife, Aeth swiftly moves backward twice and changes the weapon.
"What are you going to do when our differences are just too obvious?" - The Pontiff instantly does a pressing on Aeth right away.
"Fighting." - The sounds of blades colliding, Aetheria throws three knives while taking out a longsword.
Sword Technique - Aeth twists himself to the left, surely it's a full-swinged strike. It's too similar to what Paragon performed in the fight of the Wyvern.
Flying Slash!
*Fshh* - Vanished in the air, the spear of The Pontiff swiftly cuts through that strike as cutting a silk instead of something that's really dangerous. Non-stop, that blade keeps cutting through the air. It's fast enough to leave the illusion in others' vision as space split to two separated layers.
*Clash* - A war hammer instantly knocks that spear to the ground. Following it it was another spear pinning through the ground, obviously, it's a set trap for the Dragon Slayer Spear.
*Smack - Smack* - Jumping and throwing two kicks toward The Pontiff, Aeth swiftly leaps upward in the third kick after a feint.
Another weapon has been switched, this time it's a scythe, not a good weapon honestly. Yet, having something is still better than owning nothing.
Scythe Technique: Havoc!
The blade slashes down in the air as an axe splitting woods for the up-coming winter season.
*Clash* - Not that spear, but his own fist. The Pontiff actually knocked that scythe unleashed in its own 120% power aside as throwing away a ragdoll. He raises his hands up to his chest height level, in the posture of a martial master, he throws hands.
*Thud* - A fast and clear uppercut instantly knocks into Aeth's solar plexus as a heaven defying spear. That strike was strong enough to release a shockwave wiping away all the marble floor under their feet.
*Clack* - Unfortunately, Aeth just had taken out his gauntlets before that land hit himself. It's a deep dark blue pair of gauntlets, dyed by the mysterious lights of Abyss. They're forged based on the EDZ alloy of Etherium, Definum and Zizum. In short, this combination doesn't lead the impact through the veins and releases it away like the armor Aeth's using, they devours it. Which means whenever the devoured impact is still under the maximum edge, these gauntlets won't be broken, also boost the attacks of the users up straight thrice.
*Crack* - Do you still remember the part where I said "under the maximum edge?"
*Bang* - The second impact of that strike was too strong, it cracked and also crushed the entire structure of those two gauntlets into scraps. This is too much for them to bear, the difference is just so big.
Of course, with that force, Aeth was sent flying away as fast as a bullet. However, it's not that hard for him to get back the stability. Nevertheless, his feet have already in their own positions.
*Vsh* - A leap, and then the gap between them was just about two meters. On his hands is a greatsword ready to devastate everything in the way.
Sword technique: Crashing Swing!
*Clash* - Yet, there's a detail that he forgot. That the locations of them are right at the trap locking the Dragon Slayer Spear before. The Pontiff swiftly stomped his right foot at that spear base to flip it vertically. Until the blade was suitable enough, he grabbed it and pinned the whole thing to the ground - blocking that strike of Aeth easily as pie.
Following that action, when the spear was set steadily enough for a safe zone. It allows The Pontiff to leave it there and move forward for advantages. He grabs that neck of the enemy and throws him away, far from the set zone and plenty of weapons.
Acknowledging his problem, Aeth instantly gave up continuing the old strategy. He chants something, yet gets interrupted by The Pontiff. Of course, the battle turns to the close range combat trades started when Aeth dodged the flying spear right next to his head.
Upper Eye / Shattered Meteor
+ 15% attack speed / + 25% damage (output)
Of course, they let the incantations and rituals take place in this fight too. So it has to be truly interesting, doesn't it?
*Smack* - Aeth swiftly parries one hook from the left, then throws one strike toward that face as a cannon.
Astral Rage (2) / Twin Lights
+ 25% damage (output) / + 25% damage (output)
*Smack* - At the second turn, Aeth was swiftly sent to the lower case in the combat trade after getting hit in the chin by an uppercut. It's a clear strike from The Pontiff, that he successfully baited Aeth twice then twisting himself almost unnaturally for that strike. In short, it's clear indeed, yet, weird too.
Torn Night: + 25% damage (output)
Boundary: 1.1x current buffs (31.25% damage; 18.75% attack speed)
At this time, after getting disadvantages, surely Aeth just lost his own pace and chanted one tick slower than The Pontiff. Consequently, his incantation will be finished one tick slower than The Pontiff's.
*Smack - Smack* - They keep throwing hands and parrying each other right before any kind of attacks are released with full power. Which sets the pace of this duel really fast and furious, whenever one's mistake appears, that guy won't be able to continue this combat trade again. Because…
Their chants are all at the end of the incantation.
Supernov–
*Smack* - Intentionally delaying his chant, The Pontiff swiftly abuses the moment that Aeth released his Arcane Force through the Neutral Term to do another uppercut to that chin.
Also determining the end for this fight:
Europa: Freezing enemies.
*Fshh* - This ice is made by Arcane Force, which means below the Divine level, only Arcane Force without exception can break this cage. After the chant, five ice stakes were built up and they locked Aeth inside them as an art exhibition statue.
A Special Term was chanted by Aeth.
Platinus: Impact Release
RC (Ritual Capacity) / TA (Term Authority). Applying this rule, the entire incantation contains 4 sigils while Platinus is a Grade 4 term. Which means the efficiency for this time is 100% without any reduction.
And with the 18.75% attack speed / release speed that he deserves, Aeth was just able to catch up with The Pontiff. Preventing him from chanting the new incantation and sending the fight to the starting point.
"You are talented." - He smiles. Then a strong blow is shot straight to that face as a bullet.
*Thud* - Touched by his left shoulder muscle, Aeth instantly deflects that strike by rotating himself clockwise. This chance also opens for him a scarce moment of offending; within this advantage, Aeth can throw at least two strikes toward his enemy.
Yet, on the other side, The Pontiff has also prepared for this situation.
*Smack* - Instantly jerking his right elbow to the right, it perfectly hit Aeth's face right at his left eye. Of course, with that impact, the entire eyeball instantly exploded inside the socket.
*Crack* - Even the near part of the skull got cracked beneath that strike.
In a duel, when the opponent loses his vision, it determines the end already.
Taking that advantage, The Pontiff moves his body swiftly to hook the right shoulder of Aeth. He lets that right arm wrap through his neck and tears it apart - revealing the bloody stream overflowing.
*Crack* - Even the shoulder armor of the right got distorted beneath his grasp. The Pontiff brutally throws Aeth away as a ragdoll, there's not even a chance for him to struggle.
Shattered Meteor - He points straight at the pile of collapsed blocks of the left.
Twin Lights - Two shining small stars are spinning around him.
Dying Star - Suddenly, all of them vanished in the air.
No, not the special effect of that term, it actually vanished.
Impossible. He murmurs silently.
It's a runic fabric, it wraps around his right arms, slowly.
"I leave this one for you, Aetheria." - A voice clangs from the past.
"It is the unique seal I made for him." - She chants a word.
"So catch the only moment you have to decide the end."
"Alzares." - He repeats that term and the runes start overflowing. They link and wrap around The Pontiff as thousands of snakes. All of sudden, his accumulated Arcane Flows are all gone. Even the connection between him and Drakha is cut too.
"You! Azaystral!!!" - A scream, he shouts out the hatred to that fateful enemy of his. Terribly, his voice got twisted - clanging around wickedly.
Flash back, right at the moment Paragon accepted the deal. Two guys suddenly approached them. Without a glance, Aeth already knew that they were all strong. Even the pressure around their bodies was enough to threaten all the existences in the pub.
Stepping behind, Aranta slightly extended his greeting to Aeth. Of course, there's no reason for him not to behave the same.
Then he starts the offer, "I heard that you're looking for help."
"Yes, Ian was captured." - Calmly, Aetheria told the truth.
"I see, how many slots do you have left?"
"Just one after archiving Paragon's data."
"Good, I know one dude. His ability might impress you. And also this guy." - Aranta pointed to the guy standing next to him. He has cyan hair, a pair of stars lingering inside his left eye, yet, the right one has nothing but a hollow gem within.
Surprisingly, he's the person that will carry the entire force of knights to the battlefield two days after. Yes, the strongest freelancer of Hunter's history, the only man that can terrorize the entire land just in a second and leave soft and sound. Skove The Shipper.
"This guy will help you a lot. But all the benefits I offer may require you to pay back a bit."
Aeth took a sip of green tea, "Tell me the price."
"Good."
"Let's make a binding vow." - He offered.
"Sure."
And right now, the second ultimate move has been revealed. Aeth swiftly takes out a clock made by stone gears and energy shards.
"Tenfold."
The blue aura instantly bursts out from that item. It swiftly spreads all around Aeth's body and covers him inside itself as a high technology display in game.
At the moment when The Pontiff was still in his own rage, that fist had already approached his face. The sound of landing that fist was even unable to catch up with the current movements of Aetheria, until the tenth one was landed, the first sound finally went heard.
Hammer! A crack sound of broken bones, The Pontiff crashed flying away as fast as a bullet.
Sword! A flying slash was released and it took away one arm of that guy. Non-stop, katana has been switched. Aeth instantly stabs it toward and releases a thin and piercing strike toward the target's heart.
Another weapon, a spear! It sharply pins The Pontiff to the wall as pinning a note paper. Taking that advantage, Aeth rapidly disappears within a step. Then staying right in front of his enemy with the dagger in right hand.
*Splash* - Not one, but two wounds were made. That dagger has already stabbed through the target's body, yet at the shoulder after being deflected. The second one was made by the counterstrike from The Pontiff to Aeth. By abusing the same trick, he set the zone and linked himself into it for an Auto Counter System ready to launch anytime and anywhere.
By observing, The Pontiff knew that Aeth was accelerated tenfold by using that item. He can't make sure that his counterstrike might hit the target. That's why baiting Aeth to land his strike first, then locking him to raise the chance to 100% for the counter one.
Instead of aiming for his neck, The Pontiff chose to almost cut down Aeth's left arm from the joint. It's quite risky that the opponent can dodge due to the tenfold acceleration, so switching to the bigger target was a clean choice.
Without hesitation, Aetheria instantly swings his arms with rage toward that face.
Thud, thud, thud. Whatever the sounds may be like, that dude keeps moving his legs, knees, hips and shoulders to unleash the strongest strikes ever in his life.
The blue particles instantly burst themselves, they flow over his body and boost everything tenfold upward. Which means Aetheria is currently in his best condition, his only mission from now on is launching as many strikes as possible.
"Twentyfold."
"I see, can't believe that you've made this far." - He takes a sip of cold tea.
Aranta slightly takes off his cloak and hangs it on the nearby hook, "It's time for our deal to be done."
"Of course it is. Besides that reward, I can grant you two wishes." - He delicately accepts and invites Aranta to take a seat.
"Currently no idea. Perhaps you could tell me about that land first."
"Don't be in a hurry. You'll soon know."
"That's why I hate you."
"Oh c'mon my glorious human. For those who rush their life shall fall on their back later on."
"Alright. How about–"
His hands raise up and point straight to Aranta, who is still sitting on the opposite side of the round table. Suddenly, the space around them twists and shakes itself with madness.
"–showing us your practical power first?"
Bwaang– A biwa sound, the changed location.
Bwaang– Another biwa sound, Aranta instantly gets shifted to the seemingly infinite hallway.
Bwaang– The third one and the view has changed. He needs to stand up due to the disappearance of his chair.
*Biwa: A Japanese short-necked wooden lute traditionally used in narrative storytelling.
Twang– Still that biwa, yet singing in a different tone. This time Aranta is shifted into another room. Covered by the four walls of concrete, painted over a yellowish coating of age.
Zhing– Another tone clangs over his head and the space again changes.
"Is it necessary to start everything with a rhythm?" - Aranta takes a look around the field of weeds, under the moonlight where he is.
Strranng~ Under his feet, a fusuma instantly appears and opens itself to drag our guy into another hallway built vertical.
*Fusuma: a paper sliding door (usually a pair or a long row) in Japanese culture.
Following the gravity, he swiftly falls into the end of that structure.
Twang– Another fusuma opens and the world around him later changes to the massive one.
Zhing– He keeps falling down and each time the sound of biwa rings out, each time a fusuma appears, opens and closes orderly.
Strrang– A sharp note rings and Aranta has already landed his feet on a surface, inside darkness.
Tchk– The first light source takes place over his head. It shines up a zone of five meters around him, yet, not too bright to give Aranta a normal sight as usual.
Click– From the North side, another light has appeared. It draws a line across the dark mist, revealing a pair of fusuma facing toward him.
Aranta only stands still among the everchanging life. His side face even stretches out a hazy shadow spreading in the same direction of the light, absolute cinema. His posture reminds me of the silhouette of a meditator or something alike. The one who can control their mind and keep it clear beneath any kind of pressure and terrible situation any time and anywhere.
Anh the shade that slightly covers his closed eyelids even points out that kind of stillness.
Click– This time is North East, another line of light has shined and revealed the second pair of fusuma facing toward Aranta.
A short moment of silence.
Click– South East side, third line, the third pair of fusuma has appeared.
A short moment of silence.
Click– South, fourth one.
Click– The opposite side of the second one is the fifth one.
Click– Sixty degrees to the west from the first pair of fusuma, the sixth one has been revealed.
This time, the entire open room immerses itself in the silence as still water, as daytime before the storm.
Aranta is still here, he slightly opens up his eyes of sapphires and the last sound of biwa has clanged around the seemingly endless dimension.
*Whirr* - Not in a sudden, more like a delicate movement of winds flowing through the wild field full of weeds at night time. But also like a touch of mother nature, warm and peaceful.
Yet, the force hidden under those delicate movements is nothing but a storm madly devastating everything in the way of its reign.
Martial Style: Bursting Whirlwind - Spiral Gale
A swing and the winds start flowing through his lead. It intertwines and knits a perfect orb slowly spreading around him as a protection. It steadily knocks back all the projectiles shooting from those six pairs of fusuma.
Non-stop, it even wipes out all those doors and negates all the up-coming strikes as a tornado destroys all around.
Bwaang– Aranta instantly performs a palm strike toward his rear while rotating himself for a hook to the front.
*Clash* - The winds form sharp blades, they flow and collide with the shooting knife then deflect it to another direction. All of sudden, he changes the left hand gesture to a claw-like form.
*Clash* - A x shape wind slashes were released toward his left side. They again negate three knives all at once, easily as pie.
*Whirr* - It's still that delicate movement, his hands move and draw the hazy lines of flowing winds mid-air.
Bwaang– *Clash*
Three more knives have been negated mid-air.
Then, all of sudden, the rhythm intentionally was performed as a prelude of the next part.
Do you hear it? The drums, the beats of battle.
Bwaang– Left!
Bwaang– Right!
*Clash* - Deflected knives chaotically flow in the air without any struggle.
Bwaang– Left!
Bwaang– Back!
By setting any small moving orb of winds around himself, Aranta can actually manipulate every projectile's trajectory by deflecting them non-stop. Indeed, nothing can bypass his defense at all.
Strrang*Bwaang– A pair of fusuma open itself right behind Aranta according to the biwa sounds. When it closes again, the entire space around him has already changed to a small room. Under his feet, nice and clean tatami are placed perfectly. Left and right, two pairs of fusuma face straight toward him in the corresponding directions.
*Tatami: soft mats used as flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms.
Sound*Sound: displaying two sounds ring out at the same time.
*Splash* - A sharp and cold blade has already stabbed through his pharynx. Letting that warm blood drop down as a tropical rain.
Bwaang– Three more knives shoot straight toward Aranta as fast as bullets, the unstoppable ones in this case.
*Splash* - One stabbed his left shoulder.
*Splash* - One stabbed into his left thigh muscle.
*Splash* - The third one stabbed through his neck, lower than the very first one two centimeters.
Bwaang– The second one has revealed itself over the rhythm.
*Splash* - Higher than the very first one a centimeter.
*Splash* - The heart.
*Splash* - Right at the same position as the second one.
Bwaang– The…
*Clash* - Suddenly, one of them sharply negates all the projectiles in the third wave. Of course, the protection that Aranta has set at the start. Can't even be calmer, he slightly takes each and each knife planted into himself as uprooting some flowers. How delicate it is, the overflowing Aura of Amplification is obviously healing all the wounds that dare to exist on himself.
Zhing– The room instantly gets rotated 180 degrees in the x-axis (horizontally).
Which means the left door now is at his right side currently. This change also reminds Aranta about those two pairs of fusuma existing in this chamber from the start. As usual, they must present something. And he guesses that one of them is the way out.
Left or right is now the question. Also the problem, of course, if one of them is the exit, the other one must be the way leading to another chamber. It's like a gamble of death or life gates. Or likely the puzzle of one truth, one lie statue.
Why? Isn't it obvious? The notes of that biwa is the key. There are currently three different sounds, standing for three kinds of powers.
Bwaang for one to three knives, can also be a bigger number than those two, whatsoever.
Zhing for the change in direction of the room, which just happened to the place Aranta was.
And Strrang, this one only appeared once until now. Yet, Aranta still observed and knew that it could lead him to the chamber(s) with the deadly stun applied on the target(s).
The best evidence for it was the moment he couldn't reflex and counter the very first knife stabbing through his pharynx.
Also, the mechanism of Strrang is still unclear. Aranta needs more observation chances to study the rules.
Rules, the problems. That's why Aranta linked this ability to the puzzle of one truth, one lie statue. Because they are all based on the set "rules" - so the point right here is countering this ability by abusing its rules. That's what Aranta's been aiming for since the start.
So move! To the left he rushes to, as the winds, his movement leaves nothing but afterimages and footsteps.
*Srrk* - That pair of fusuma has opened itself, yet, the next scene is darkness. Seems like he just chose the wrong one. So this one must be the second chamber in the route.
Darkness? Even Sight can't see through this veil? Aranta covers his eyes with Aura, yet gives up soon due to the fact that nothing was helped.
Tchk– His left side, five meters, there's a sudden appearance of a light pillar. Its brightness is the same as the first place at the end of the vertical hallway that he fell through.
One second. He counted it exactly in his mind.
Obviously, he won't enter it that hurriedly, it's not a wise choice.
Five more seconds, the light went off and everything again got back to the silence and blindness.
It should be another second. Aranta bets on it.
Tchk– The right side, five meters, another light pillar was lightened up.
As predicted. He slightly approaches and observes that fusuma is placed on the ground.
Nothing different.
Should I? He takes a look around, all darkness.
Aranta is now wondering whether he jumps into the door or keeps waiting. His logic really makes sense, the first chamber negated his destructive power, that's why he couldn't use Spiral Gale to defend the knives. So this second one must have its own power and rules.
One second is the pace between each five-second light pillar appearance.
Prediction, the gate always leads toward the exit, or the next chamber. If it was the first case, waiting here had to be the condition of time to activate the true attacks. If it was the second case, there had to be a rule to force him to enter the door no matter his desire. Or it could even be a penalty for being here for such a long time.
In short, jump or not.
Aranta chose to observe more. He slightly came back to the original starting point, yet! The moment his feet started moving, the perfect circle of 9-meter diameter was drawn around him. To double check his prediction, Aranta rushes toward the location of the first pair of fusuma. And that's when the problem's pointed out.
Nine meters in diameter, it means that the radius is four point five meters. Aranta was a centimeter far from the edge of the close pair of fusuma. One door has the size of 90x180 centimeters, it's placed exactly 5 meters to the right side of the starting point. In short, Aranta is now 4 meters and 9 centimeters away from his starting point.
If the next one…
Tchk– from the last one, five meters to its north side, the third pair of fusuma appears. Which means there are two possible ways to explain the rules.
The first one, the light appears each 5 meters from the starting point evenly to two sides, left and right. Then it keeps that rule and goes away five meters each turn.
The issue should be the accuracy and regularity of two sides, there's no evidence for the intertwined appearance from both sides yet.
In the second case, there's no limit and range for the regularity of the fusuma. In other words, the caster of this ability might be able to choose wherever the fusuma pops up, whenever the rule of five meters is still there.
The issue might be the accuracy of this prediction. After some observations, Aranta determines that this ability is about the manipulation element of the Aura System. The stricter the rules are, the more powerful the ability is.
Based on a bunch of rules related to the notes and dimensional manipulation, he can make sure that this chamber is still a stepping stone on the way leading to the true power of the caster. And this dimension might be a special domain expansion too, contracts of equilibrium might also be used to trade in some advantages and disadvantages. To be honest, this is the most complicated ability that he's ever seen.
With that belief, Aranta bets that the second case won't be able to bring back the caster maximized benefits as the first case. While his thoughts keep overflowing–
Tchk– Left side, to the west of the last one, five meters as usual.
Alright, eventually distributed. The anchor has been removed, he's now determined.
Also, the difference between each time he reaches the edge of the fusuma and the edge of the zone isn't that big. He can easily be countered if the next fusuma appears in the same direction. Imagine it like this, he was at the edge of the fusuma from his right side and if the next door appeared still at the right side but at the east, it would stretch a line. Which means Aranta couldn't reach those doors.
As I said, the contract of equilibrium always brings toward the users what they need and the corresponding prices.
Tchk– Left side, west, five meters.
Within the one second before that light pillar appeared, Aranta had already stepped forward and stayed in the middle of the old pair of fusuma, which had just disappeared. With this gap, no matter which way the next pair of fusuma appear, he still has enough available space to reach them.
No matter which kind of edge he'll face. If it's the 90 centimeters one, the gap will be 4.1 meters. If it's the 180 centimeters one, good for him, 3.2 meters left. All cases of course lead to the possibility that he'll reach the gates.
There's a detail that he hasn't mentioned. Every time the light pillar appeared, he heard two sounds overwritten into each other without difference in their phases. They sounded like two Bwaang notes yet got intentionally distorted so that he bets it's all because of the caster.
But the last time it was two distorted Zhing instead. So he came up with a theory that the hints are those sounds. Whether consecutive Bwaang or Zhing is correct.
He chooses Bwaang, if this time it's Bwaang, he'll jump into the fusuma.
The light as usual went off, one second of waiting. And then…
Tchk– Yes, the next pair of fusuma has appeared under the light pillar.
Yet, it's not on the right side. It's five meters to the North of the starting point.
Correct! There's no evidence that the rules are about only two left and right sides, it can be based on four directions like a compass too.
Shit. Aranta instantly realizes that he's outplayed.
Also, this time is consecutive Bwaang indeed.
*Srrk* - Even more surprisingly, the space around him again changed.
So the fifth one is the decisive strike. Aranta claims.
This one should be the third chamber indeed. He takes a look around. There are eight pairs of fusuma placed around him as a cage. Above his head, the old designed lantern is swaying slightly, stretching the shade also swinging correspondingly.
Five seconds. Aranta counts.
*Srrk* - Not the sound of the open doors, but the sliding movement of the entire structure. Yes, those eight pairs of fusuma just rotated clockwise once.
Perhaps only one of them is the exit.
It's reasonable for him to think that way. The first one is luck based and a flip trick, the second one has complicated rules but is observable. There shouldn't be ½ chance in this third Chamber to escape like the first one, ⅛ is way more ideal to trick the target. Don't forget that Aranta is still relying on the theory of maximized benefits from contracts of equilibrium. He is placing himself into the case of the caster, in order to imagine and simulate many possible cases with corresponding benefits. It might not be absolute, yet reliable to predict the next moves.
According to that rule, the danger will only come when he chooses the wrong doors. With this low chance to escape, the effect of this chamber shouldn't be overpowered. It should be like the first one, then Bwaang, Zhing and Strrang must be used as filters to buy time - waiting to trigger the next chamber.
So Aranta this time again chooses not to open any door. He will wait for more information.
*Srrk* - Another five seconds have passed, the whole structure just moved itself indeed.
*Srrk* - Yet, in his confusion, it again repeated the movement.
Wait, isn't it… no, five seconds can be the rule, but other rules might be able to overwrite it. Aranta listens to the notes, for all those current ones are all Bwaang.
Bwaang– Knives, not three but twelve at once.
Yet, the problem is Aranta can't even react to that moment in time. Consequently, eight of them just stabbed through his left arm, eye and shoulder.
Zero point five delay. He knows it.
Aranta knows that there must be something wrong with each time those fusuma moves. He feels like his sense of time just got distorted. How can he know? Just look at his fingers. They are bleeding.
In short, he just needs to take a look at the blood drop and measure the height and speed first. If it gets shifted all of a sudden, the delay has been inflicted on him already. And by watching those blood drops, Aranta was able to know that 0.5 second was erased from his consciousness.
This is dangerous. He slightly covers himself with Spiral Gale and keeps it moving continuously as automatic wind cutting blades. At least it can buy him some chances to keep his mind clear for preparing.
In another layer of dimension, there's a girl doing seiza on a zabuton. Covered by the hazy mist, she wears the kimono with clouds and moon patterns, as an embroidered night on clothes. Her right hand slightly hugs the biwa, her left hand is holding a bachi and her face is covered by a wolf mask. It's divided evenly to one white and one black side, as In and Yō, solar eclipse on the left, lunar eclipse on the right.
*Seiza: The formal, traditional way of sitting in Japan.
*Zabuton: A cushion for sitting that is commonly used in traditional Japanese settings.
*Kimono: A traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan; a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased.
*Bachi: Similar to an ice scraper or a putty knife.
*In = Yin; Yō = Yang
On her waist, a golden cloud pattern black obi slightly enhances that beauty of that mystery. Hanged at her left hip, a copper bell slightly rings through flowing winds. The attached jade pendant on it even draws over that silhouette an illusion of a wandering musician among the restricted society, where they got no position in that era.
*Obi: A sash of varying size and shape worn with both traditional Japanese clothing and uniforms for Japanese martial arts styles.
But it doesn't matter, because her prestige has already wiped out that prejudice of outdated stupidity. Taregami is the name of her hair style, it allows her to let that black river flow down as sparkling waterfall, yet, faintly lingering the feeling of a carefree wandering performer.
Strrang~
*Taregami: Floor-length black tresses were considered the height of beauty, Heian Era.
"What do you think?" - A voice comes from her rear, another girl reveals herself.
"Strong, delicate, clean and critical."
"I don't ask for his strikes, what do you think about his characteristic?"
"A soul at peace with life."
"That's weird, he doesn't look like an ascetic monk or such a man of the world. Can your sounds of biwa make mistakes?"
"Miwa." - Her hands instantly stop in the middle of the action.
"Yes?"
She slightly turns her face to the right side, even though their eyes don't directly meet each other, Miwa still feels the pressure of a mountain putting straight on her knees. Not hatred, it's just a determination within that declaration.
"My biwa can't be wrong."
"I... I see."
"Hmm?" - Torun instantly teleports aside them.
"Is it…?"
"You feel it too, right?" - Luker gazes straight at the bottom of that hole.
"That mana, it has the color of black." - Torun enchanted his eyes with mana instead of Aura, it works exactly as Sight, yet gives him a better sense of mana oscillation.
"No doubt, it is truly black mana." - Yone kicks in.
"Black mana?" - This is the first time Torun's heard it.
"Mana and Aura are two kinds of energy coins in our world. Black mana is one of them in Helheilm." - Yone instantly bursts the Aura through himself even faster, he must be recovered as quickly as possible.
"Let me help you." - Kura also comes to their side. His thumb has the attached chains of healing while his Aura is set at the Amplification element. It basically grants him the ability to heal not only himself but also others, multiple at the same time. It's an achievement that is rarely reached by enhancers themselves without years of experience.
"Damn, you've reached this level?" - Surprised by that intense healing force, Yone evaluates the guy standing right in front of him.
"Pure luck."
"Shut your ass up. There are a bunch of idiots who can't spread their healing force to others. I've been searching for a valuable Aura user like you for years. Tell me the truth, how long have you been learning Aura?" - Yone kicks the humble weird ass dialogue away, he points straight at Kura and waits for the answer.
"Ermm…" - He looks at Torun, then Yone.
"If you count my first life, it's 85 years long. And almost 3 months since the day I got to this realm."
"First life? What are you talking about?"
"Hm? Didn't Aetheria tell you that we are outsiders?" - He points to himself and Torun.
"Outsiders? Haven't heard about it." - Yone clarifies himself.
"Well… then imagine that we are not native humans of this world, we came from different far-realms and we are split from each other."
"... Interesting. No idea, whatever. Torun, tell the knights to be ready, perhaps we'll have a hard time soon."
"Got it."
*Smack* - Of course, The Holy Knights are still fighting.
Dragon: "That's terrible, is this all you have?"
He drags his sword all along the road he lands his feet on, that blade is sharp enough to slightly cut through the surface, leaving there a clean cut everywhere it goes through.
Dragon: "Seems like you brats can only rely on other forces to throw one's weight around, right?"
*Splash*
On another battlefield, Phoenix has already eliminated the second enemy.
"That's weird." - He takes out a scroll and swiftly wraps it all around the corpse.
"Just in case."
He takes a look around, "What's going on right now?"
He senses something. He feels something evil and corrupted piercing through the ground and reaching this place.
"Aetheria!" - He shouts at the runic stone, yet the rune carved on it was broken at the point no one could know already.
"Shit."
All of sudden, something's approaching.
*Clash* – Grabbing the back of flying Pigeon, Phoenix instantly swings his sword toward the spear to deflect it right away.
"Their power will increase each time one of them is unable to fight!" - She announces.
"A linked power in a group? Wait… are they still humans?"
"Perhaps not, their souls look the same. It's more a bunch of merged entities alike." – Pigeon heals herself real quick.
*Clash* – "I see, find Dragon and tell him to assemble everyone right here. I'll do the rest."
"Can you handle it? We now have to face 4 guardians with the boosted power." - She is quite worried about that plan.
Yet, he only smiles, "Just do it, then I'll show you why they call me Phoenix."
"Al… alright. Don't mess up anything."
"Will never."
*Vsh* - It's so in the way.
*Clash* – So he parries another one to back up his partner, cleaning the road for her to escape.
"That's annoying."
"Said by an annoying brat." – That guy finally reveals himself. The only spear user of those seven guardians, Alan.
"It's fate that you'll die beneath my blade." - As a fact, he declares.
Phoenix just points to the corpse lying on the ground, "He said the same, now guess what he just deserved."
"Because fate just didn't stand on his side."
*Clash* - That spear instantly knocks that blade of Phoenix back two meters, "But on mine."
"Hmm." – He just stands right there, on the top of a giant tree where the winds feel cold enough to stop the chocolate melting.
"System, what do you think about them?" - His voice is familiar.
|Ian is currently captured, he's the best target for you.|
|Luker has his own army, not ideal.|
|Torun is a quite good choice if you can make sure that he'll be eliminated before he sets his traps.|
|Kura, this guy you shouldn't fight. He is your natural enemy.|
"I see…"
*Bang* - Something just crashes straight at his back and explodes as a bomb. Yet, he's still there, still standing and farming aura on his own. Those two hands slightly stay inside the pockets, he keeps his back straight, eyes on the sky and rhythmically taps his right foot.
"Boring~"
*Swish* - Slightly tilting his head to the left, that hammer indeed misses landing itself. That guy is really chill, he even uses a finger to stop the second strike right mid-air.
"Why don't we talk for a little bit, lady?"
"You f* bastard." - She's enraged,... quite quick I mean.
"Oh wo wo wo. Chill out, I don't think I hurt you before."
"Shut up!" - She swings that great hammer straight toward his head. It tears down the air flows and burns up the space around them. The sparkles of melted winds madly lightens up the entire zone and leaves them to ashes.
Yet, that guy is still here. It's unbelievable, but he actually took no damage at all. Seems like that strike was nothing but a children's fuss.
*Smack - Boom* - A heavy strike and she's sent flying downward until her back crashed straight to the ground and left a big hole right there. Those muscular arms are impressive, it's Gala - Gorilla.
"Let's play for a little bit."
He's aware of the battlefield on The Holy Cathedral, it's still not the best time to jump in yet.
*Vroom* - Suddenly, the oscillation in space reached his side. Even though it harms nothing, Har still wants to take a look. Different from his third function, Gate of Anomalies, this space concussion is way bigger than his.
"Incredible." - A praise, he admires it in the honest interest.
In another layer of space and dimension, Aetheria has already lost two hands and NeHyenphanaph just got broken into three parts. On the other hand, Loye doesn't look better. She lost almost half her body, yet, overall, she still has more advantages than her opponent.
"FEN–"
She raises her right hand to the sky.
"–TIS!" - The pink color of light instantly falls down from the firmament, this is the end.
*Vroom*