4th Day of 3rd Water Cycle[1], 1999 g.c.
The air within the magically encased battlefield hung heavy, almost suffocating under the influence of Taurus's overwhelming power. The Domain Art drained magitons with every passing moment, robbing the atmosphere of its vitality and leaving behind a chilling void that clung to the skin like a second, oppressive layer. The dimensional cube stretched endlessly, spanning a dozen miles in every direction, its iridescent edges pulsating with the raw energy that threatened to collapse inward at any second. There was no escape. Not that we planned to run or some shit.
Taurus stood at the center of it all—a blazing pillar of Divinity Mana that rippled outward in violent waves, bending the very fabric of the prison and shaking the shattered landscape beneath our feet. The atmosphere had a taste of divine magic.
The taste of air saturated with concentrated Divinity Mana is a paradox—ethereal and intoxicating, yet sharp and unnerving, like sipping from a goblet of liquid starlight while feeling the shadow of something vast and unknowable looming just out of sight. It began with a purity that was almost unbearable: a taste like molten gold and crystalline dew, impossibly clean and radiant. It felt like tasting creation itself—light, life, and raw energy distilled into a sharp, unnerving paradox. Hints of sweet ambrosia and heavenly nectar intertwine with a faint, electric tang, as though the air hums with the vibrations of divine power. But beneath this heavenly symphony lay a chaotic undertow. A hidden metallic bitterness crept in, subtle at first but growing as if the air itself were warning you of its destructive potential.
It was the taste of an impending catastrophe, the tang of ozone sharpened to a knife's edge, coupled with the primal instinct of danger thrumming in your chest. Breathing that air was an experience that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. It felt like the promise of godhood, but with every breath, there was an undeniable sensation of your soul being weighed, judged, and teetering on the brink of obliteration. The danger wasn't just present—it was intimate, pressing, and impossible to ignore. And it was pissing me off. I couldn't imagine how a human would experience this.
I glanced at Luda. His chest heaved with every labored breath, his mana pool bleeding away like a punctured dam as the angel's Domain Art ate at his reserves. Scratches marked his yellow coat and face, lines of red seeping through his skin as his [Super Self Regen] worked its magic. But his gaze was as sharp as ever, unyielding as he stared down the angel who had brought us to the edge of annihilation.
The morning light struggled to penetrate the suffocating gloom, bending through the refracted barrier of the magical prison. The cobalt glow of the battleground dimmed into a murky gray as Taurus's power siphoned even the color from our surroundings. The ground beneath my feet trembled, cracks spiderwebbing through the rubble with every pulse of his Divinity Mana.
I gripped the Red Queen tighter, its crimson blade glinting faintly in the dim light. My breath came slow and measured, my mind settling into a razor-sharp focus. Before I could take another step, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] buzzed in my head, his voice laced with that rare excitement.
"Master," Tsukuyomi said, his tone vibrating with anticipation. "Analysis of Taurus is complete. Displaying his stats now."
My lips curled into a hellish grin. "Oh?" I thought, my Guardian Armament steadily pulsing in my hand. "Let's see what Cheeseburger Breath is really made of."
The moment stretched as the buzz of data flooded my mind. My vision sharpened, outlines of Taurus's energy signatures and combat parameters overlaying the battlefield in stunning clarity.
[Battle Class]: Z
[Name]: Taurus
[Alias]: Great Bull of Heaven
[Vessel]- Speedy Trickster: Hermes*
[Crest]: Crest of the Zodiac Keys
[Race]: Principality
[HP]: 411550/450000
[MP]: 310510/350000
[Offense]: Z
[M. Offense]: A
[Defense]: S*
[M. Defense] SS
[Speed]: SS*
[Mana Affinity]: Earth Mana, Holy Mana, Yang Mana, Angel Mana, Divinity Mana, Spatial Mana, Astral Mana
[Defense Skills]: Physical Damage Cancel, Spiritual Damage Resist, Magical Damage Resist, Earth Nullification, Spatial Nullification, Heat Nullification
[Ultra Skills]: Vespertine
[Personal Skills]: The Hierophant, Aphrodite: Partner Switch*, Spirit Weapon: Venus, Vespertine: Undo, Vespertine: Hidden Place, Vespertine: Harm of Will, Divine Earth Control, Wind Control, Divine Spatial Control, Soul Dominion, Enhanced Body, Ultimate Speed, Mana Damper, Mana Sight, Super Smell, 6th Sense, Sage Wisdom, Area Detection, Master Caster, Perfect Mana Control, Limitless Stamina, Self Sustain, Chant-less Cast, Barrier Creation, Aphrodite: Venusian Love, Aphrodite: Shield of Venus, Heaven's Rage, Super Hearing, Parallel Thinking, Divine Regeneration, Iron Hide, Angel Intimidation, Spatial Warp, Grounded, Sense Presence, Charm, Mana Generator, Heaven's Boost, Appraisal, Hermes: Divine Speed, Hermes: Shadow Race, Hermes: Image Replication
[Blessings]: Spirit Weapon: Mercury, Laniakea's Protection
[Mana Arts]- Earth: Landslide, Domain: Cuckold's Demise, Divinity: Winds of Eden, Angel: Illusion Mirror Clones, Lava: Katia's Amazement, Lava: Molten Earth, Lava: Hot Grasp, Earth/Yang: Jada's Entanglement, Angel: Light Field, Yang: Golden Fist, Earth: Breath of Famine, Earth: Lily Poison
[Combat Arts]- Twin Horns: Red Bullseye, Justice Strike
"What the hell? I thought y'all said he didn't have a V-Skill." I voiced, internally.
"It seems his Vessel Skill has the ability to hide within his mana signature. It is also behind the trouble I was having with [Analyze]. But something is still off about it." Tsukuyomi replied, reading over the ID Status as well.
"Ahhh, no wonder the cow is so quick. That V-Skill is a deity of speed."
"You scared?" Belial whispered with a mocking tone.
"Nigga, never."
Luda's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and focused. "Alright Xi, what's the plan?"
"Well, seeing how I finally finished analyzing him, it appears he's really been playing with us."
"Tsk. So we don't stand a chance?"
"Probably not," I said, as I concentrated high amounts of Bio Mana through my body, the surge raising my attributes back to their peak. My skin prickled with the heat of raw energy flowing through my veins, muscles tightened with renewed strength. "But that don't mean shit. We'll just make one."
Taurus chuckled darkly, his voice a deep rumble that carried both mockery and menace. "So you managed to see my ID Status, did you? You must have quite a powerful Vessel Skill to get past [Speedy Trickster: Hermes]."
"I mean, I'm pretty blessed. Omnia did a nigga right."
Taurus tilted his head slightly, an eerie gleam in his eyes. "Hmm... You speak strangely. Are you suffering from constant brain damage, or is this just your natural way of communication?"
Luda smirked despite the tension, "Damn Xi, he's calling you an idiot."
"Nigga, I heard him. He still a bitch."
Luda let out a low chuckle, but his focus never wavered. That small moment of levity eased the suffocating pressure hanging between us, if only slightly. Luda's mana signature, which had been bleeding anxiety into the air, steadied for a moment. His reserves were low, and unlike me, he couldn't replenish them indefinitely. Meanwhile, the angel's mana pool loomed over us like a mountain, easily three and a half times my own.
Just as I was ready to lock horns with Taurus again, a roar erupted behind me. I turned just in time to see Alex rocketing forward, his body cloaked in a fiery jet stream of black and azure flames with a pair of black fire wings. The raw intensity of his Hellfire Mana froze the atmosphere itself, leaving a shimmering distortion in his wake.
Alex's first strike was a fist wreathed in black flame aimed at Taurus's face, but the angel didn't flinch. A shimmering aura of Divinity Mana burst outward like a shield, easily blocking the blow. The collision created a shockwave that blasted debris in all directions.
Alex was a whirlwind of fury, each following attack coming faster and harder. Punches, kicks, elbows—his strikes were relentless, slamming into Taurus's divine shield with the sound of thunderclaps. His eyes glowed with an unnatural light, devoid of reason or restraint.
The young Tengu roared again, his voice distorted into something monstrous as hellfire licked at his skin and wings. Watching him burn himself out wasn't just hard—it was infuriating. Alex was young, but already putting his life on the line for all of us. I'd make sure his gamble wasn't wasted. Taurus, however, merely closed his eyes, his expression one of mild boredom.
Seconds ticked by like hours as Alex's assault continued, each blow thrown failing to crack Taurus's unyielding defense. Then Alex leaped back, his wings snapping open as he hovered several yards away. He spread his arms wide, then brought his palms together with a resounding clap.
"Don't ignore me!"
Black flames began to coil inward, forming a glowing sphere of pure destructive energy between his hands. The azure streaks within the ball pulsated like a heartbeat, growing brighter with each passing moment. The flames on Alex's body dimmed, retreating toward the sphere and leaving his form exposed. The necklace around his neck shone like a miniature sun.
"Hellfire Mana Arts: Wrathful Light!"
The beam that erupted from his palms was enormous, a torrent of black, white, and azure energy that screamed through the air with silent fury. The ground beneath it buckled, fissures radiating outward from the sheer force. The shockwave flattened everything in its path as it barreled toward Taurus.
Taurus opened his eyes, a smirk curling at the edges of his mouth. "This mana signature again? I knew it felt familiar. That dragon had it on him, those years ago."
The beam struck his divine barrier with a deafening roar, the collision lighting up the battlefield. A massive explosion followed, shaking the ground and shattering what was left of the terrain. Dust and debris filled the air, reducing visibility to almost nothing.
"Damnit Alex, we're still here!" I yelled.
Luda swiftly commented, "That's a hell of an art show!"
The light from Alex's attack finally dimmed, leaving behind a landscape scarred beyond recognition. But it wasn't over. Suddenly, above Taurus's head, a green halo began to materialize, shimmering with blue and gold. Sprinkles of divine energy fell like rain, each droplet humming with otherworldly power.
Alex's flames vanished completely as his body dropped to the ground, unconscious. He was spent, his chest rising and falling faintly as he lay motionless.
The battlefield grew silent, save for the faint crackle of remaining flames. When the dust cleared, Taurus stood at the epicenter, his arms outstretched and a wicked grin plastered across his face. His wings were blacker than before, the feathers gleaming with an eerie blue gloss. His once-mottled hide had turned pure white, radiating divine energy.
The halo floated above his head, its light bright enough to dim the sun. The pressure he exuded was suffocating; even his Domain Art crumbled under the sheer weight of his presence.
"Just as it was fourteen years ago, that attack won't reach me while my halo is activated. Although I can no longer hide from the other Zodiac Keys, the limiter on my body is lifted. Now taste the true strength of Goddess Laniakea's Chosen."
"Of course, this nigga had another stage of power. I bet his bitch ass got another form, too." I said rolling my eyes in a boring fashion.
Luda crouched beside Alex, his expression somber. "That was an impressive attempt, Alex. One worthy of respect."
"Seems Alexander is out of gas," I stated, looking down at my cousin.
"My reserves are running low as well. So Xi, are we still creating that winning chance?" The prince said as he looked back up at me, before shifting back to the Trapper.
I smirked, adjusting my grip on the Red Queen as I locked eyes with Taurus. "Does a Spiderbear shit silk in the woods? If Taurus's halo turns his power up to eleven, then we'll need to hit him where it hurts, no matter what... His Soul Core."
The battlefield was a shattered landscape, scorched and broken. The aftermath of Alex's hellfire beam left a trail of devastation, but the destruction wasn't just physical—it was visceral. Black flames still clung to the broken earth, burning unnaturally on splatters of soil and rock. These flames didn't consume as ordinary fire would; instead, they left behind patches of icy, white smoke that curled lazily into the sky, shrouding the sunlight and casting a bone-chilling gloom across the field. The light was dim, filtered through the haze, leaving long, shifting shadows that stretched and danced ominously across the ground.
The eerie quiet was broken only by the occasional crackle of remaining flames and the low hum of energy radiating from Taurus.
Xiro (thinking): "Skills powered by anger need a special pain. That shit eats more than mana—it takes your stamina, your body, your soul if you let it. Alex poured himself into that beam, but it wasn't enough."
Tsukuyomi (within): "Alex will live, master, but your cousin's recklessness has left him critically weakened."
Xiro (thinking): "Yeah, I noticed. When he wakes, I owe him a thanks for testing the waters."
Belial (within): "That's if you're all alive after this."
Xiro (thinking): "You wildin'. Relax. I got this."
Taurus stretched his massive arms outward, his wings unfurling slightly, the air shimmering around him as he began to gather spiritons into his right palm. The shimmering particles of energy danced like fireflies, drawn toward him in an irresistible flow. His double-bladed glaive materialized in a burst of viridian energy, the weapon humming with newfound intensity. The radiant green light etched sharp shadows onto the already darkened battlefield, the blade's edges crackling like distant lightning.
The albino bull took a single step forward—but in the next instant, he was standing over Alex's unconscious body. The movement was so sudden, so precise, that it felt like reality itself had skipped a beat. His imposing figure cast a long shadow over Alex, his weapon raised high, poised to strike.
Luda's voice rang out, desperate and panicked:
"Alex!"
I muttered under my breath, dread knotting in my chest.
"Shit. This is bad."
Taurus tilted his head slightly, his crimson gaze glinting with cruel amusement.
"I'm not sure of your connection to that dragon I met before," he said, his voice dripping with malice, "but this time, I'll make sure that mana signature dies with you."
The glaive came down in a vicious arc, the viridian glow trailing behind like a streak of divine wrath. I didn't hesitate. My hands moved instinctively, my mana surging in response to the desperate need to protect.
"[Yin Mana Arts: Shadow Storage]!" I shouted in my head, directing the spell beneath Alex's still form.
A swirling void of shadow opened beneath him, consuming his body just as Taurus's weapon struck. The blade hit the shadow portal with a jarring crack but couldn't pierce it.
Taurus pulled back, his brows furrowing as he examined the strange barrier. He sneered, his grip tightening on the glaive. "What is this? Devil, is this your work?"
I stepped forward, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart.
"You really think I'mma just let you kill my family in my face? You got me fucked up."
Taurus turned to face me fully, a cold smirk spreading across his muzzle. The sheer arrogance in his expression sent a shiver down my spine. He flexed his wings once, and in an instant, he vanished.
My [Future Sense] screamed, and [Accelerated Mind] activated automatically, sharpening my perception of time to follow his steps. Even with the world slowing to a crawl, Taurus moved like a phantom, his afterimage still lingering in his previous position. My [Devil 3rd Eye] strained to keep up, registering his movement at blistering, incomprehensible speeds.
Before I could react, his kick connected with the center of my back. The impact felt like being hit by a planet—every ounce of his infinite mass concentrated into that strike. I spun out of control, hurtling across the field. The ground blurred beneath me, the air screaming in my ears. Only [Physical Damage Cancel] and [Pain Nullification] kept me from being utterly crippled, but even then, the sheer force left me momentarily disoriented.
Taurus, undeterred, turned his attention to Luda. His glaive moved with a predatory grace, slicing through the air as he closed in on the prince. His expression was disturbingly serene as if he were strolling through a meadow, not a battlefield.
Luda's eyes widened, but before he could react, Steez appeared in a flash of motion, planting himself between the glaive and Luda. His hands glowed with a desperate intensity as he formed a barrier, both palms outstretched to intercept the divine weapon.
The collision was cataclysmic. The barrier shattered instantly, the Divinity Mana tearing through it like wet tissue. The glaive's blade sliced into Steez's palms, leaving deep, glowing wounds that crackled with energy. Blood sprayed across the darkened field as Steez gritted his teeth, activating a skill in the same instant.
"Chrono Loc—Aghhh!" Steez screamed, his voice a mix of pain and defiance as the divine energy surged through him. His body twisted as the force of the blow sent him careening backward into Luda, who barely had time to catch my younger brother.
The moment Steez collided with Luda, Taurus appeared behind them with chilling precision. His horns glinted in the dim light as he lowered his head and drove them into Luda's back. The sickening sound of flesh and bone giving way echoed across the battlefield.
Luda's cry was raw and guttural, blood spraying from his mouth as he was lifted into the sky like a trophy. Taurus's wings flared out, his towering form radiating an aura of utter domination. He held Luda aloft for a moment before twisting his neck sharply, slinging the prince's body across the field with terrifying force.
Luda's body hit the ground with a dull, lifeless thud, bouncing once before lying still. The golden glow of his aura flickered weakly before vanishing entirely. His eyes, once emerald-coated and blazing with determination, dimmed as his true vermillion cat-like pupils closed. His body convulsed in small, erratic spasms, the remnants of his mana desperately trying to keep him alive.
Taurus turned back to my brother, his voice calm but brimming with dark amusement. "Wait for me over there, Star Lion… this Sonata Core may shatter before I can retrieve it."
He glanced down at Steez, who lay crumpled nearby, blood pooling beneath him.
"Manipulating time-grains made you neglect your defense. Such a fragile spirit." His gaze shifted to the glaive, which remained lodged in midair, frozen by the skill Steez had used in his final moments of defiance. Taurus let out a low, rumbling chuckle. "Reminds me of Gemini."
Taurus raised his powerful leg high, the gleam of his armored boot catching the fragmented light from the battlefield. His intentions were clear—a downward axe kick with the force to shatter Steez's skull like glass. The ground beneath his boots trembled, cracking under the weight of his divine power. The viridian glow of his mana pulsated around him, making his every movement feel like the will of a god come to smite the unworthy.
But before the bull's heel could connect, I acted. My fingers moved swiftly, shadows rippling outward as I channeled my mana.
"[Shadow Storage]," I muttered afterward, the words slicing through the chaos like a blade.
The ground beneath Steez darkened, swirling into an abyssal void that drank him into its depths just as Taurus's boot slammed into the space where he had been. The impact shattered the earth, sending shards of rock and dirt flying in all directions. A wave of raw energy rippled outward, stirring the dust-laden air as the battlefield quaked under the sheer weight of his missed attack.
Taurus straightened slowly, his towering form exuding irritation masked by faint amusement. He glanced at the shadows where Steez had disappeared, watching the ripples spread like rings in a still lake.
"Again?" His deep, gravelly voice cut through the ringing in my ears. He flexed his wings, the viridian glow framing his rectangular pupils as they locked onto mine across the torn field. "You're still up?"
I clenched my fists, refusing to yield. The sight of Luda and Steez pushed me into an emotional stir. It was a must, I had to avenge my niggas.
Taurus tilted his head, his massive horns catching the faint glow of his weapon embedded behind him.
"I must say," he added, his tone laced with mockery, "you're living up to the rumors, Devil."
I felt [Midnight Star: Belial] stir within me, his voice coiling through my mind like a fire licking at dry wood.
"That's it. That's the feeling. Give it everything we have, and prove no one is better than you."
My breaths steadied, my focus sharpening. I noticed Artamis through the haze of dust, standing across the battlefield with his rifle aimed and his eye fixed behind the scope. His aura was a calm storm—steady, calculating, lethal. I knew what he was waiting for. He'd nuke the entire area the moment I got everyone out of harm's way.
But I had another plan.
"[Telepathy]," I thought, channeling my mana to pierce the airwaves directly into Artamis's mind.
"Ay, Art. I saved Steez, but he and Alex aren't looking good. I'mma run iso with Taurus…"
Artamis's response came almost instantly, his voice a silent steel blade in my thoughts. "I already know what you're about to say. Quickly, send me."
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. Art was on his shit.
"Say less."
I cast [Shadow Storage] again without hesitation, targeting the ground beneath Artamis. The shadows stretched hungrily, pulling him into the same safety net where Steez and Alex already rested. In one motion, I had secured the Mikazuki clan's finest, their lives tucked away in the impenetrable void of my storage dimension. And that thought shuttered me with hesitation, as everyone's future now depended on me.
I glanced toward Luda's prone form, his body battered and his aura faint. My gut screamed at me to retrieve him too, but I didn't get the chance.
Taurus was done waiting.
The air warped as he surged forward, closing the gap between us in the blink of an eye. His glaive materialized in his hands mid-dash, its viridian energy carving arcs of light through the air. I dodged the first swipe by a hair, the blade grazing my shoulder and leaving a stinging trail of mana residue in its wake.
He followed with a spin, the glaive now a blur of deadly precision. My [Auto-Evade] flared, my body reacting faster than my mind as I ducked and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding decapitation. But even with my reflexes heightened, I could feel the handicap. The limitation on my growth due to my Soul Core's lack of a Lord Seed left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I couldn't rely on my trump card right then, and I knew it.
The battlefield felt smaller now, Taurus dominating every inch of space with his relentless offense. Each swing of his weapon was heavenly destructive, each step closing off an escape route. I countered where I could, using bursts of Devil Mana to redirect or absorb some of the damage, but it was clear that this wasn't a fight I could win through attrition alone.
This was no longer just survival. It meant more... This was proving myself. For Steez. For Alex. For Luda. For Artamis.
For me.
Taurus's gaze locked onto me, his angular eyes seemingly piercing through my location without focusing directly on me. The molten glow in his irises intensified as he raised one finger, pointing it toward my chest like a divine executioner. The space surrounding his fingertip twisted violently with magitons, Earth and Fire Mana converging into a frenzied spiral. The two elements clashed for dominance before melding into a molten plasma, its heat palpable even from the distance between us.
I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of his intent settle heavily on my chest. The heat scorched the air, rippling toward me in waves that made it hard to breathe. My instincts screamed to move, but my eyes stayed locked on the deadly dance of Mana from his fingertip.
"Lava Mana Arts: Katia's Amazement," Taurus whispered, his deep voice drenched in sinister power.
A beam of molten light erupted from his finger in an instant, its vermilion and golden streaks cutting through the battlefield with terrifying speed. The ground beneath its path blackened and liquefied as the plasma's blistering heat—over 1,400°C—reduced all it touched to ash.
Time seemed to slow as I raised my hand, willing my mana forward in a desperate defense.
"[Energy Devour]," I commanded, the thought carrying a sharp edge of urgency.
My palm glowed faintly, a swirling vortex of Spatial Mana forming at its center. The beam slammed into my outstretched hand, its immense force rattling my bones and sending a shockwave through my body. The energy coursed into the vortex, absorbed into the endless void I created to counter such attacks.
But something felt off—too easy. My gut twisted with suspicion. It was a decoy.
Taurus moved like a shadow, his enormous frame defying logic as he vanished from my sight. The warning from [Future Sense] hit me like a bullet: he was behind me, his glaive poised to strike. The exact location was burned into my mind—a stab aimed at the center of my back. The bastard was trying to pierce my Soul Core again, going for an instant kill.
"Not this time," I thought.
I pivoted, shifting my body with a sharp burst of momentum. The Red Queen sang as I drew it in a deadly arc, its blade gleaming with a hungry crimson light. The air cracked violently as our weapons collided, his glaive meeting my sword with a ferocity that rattled the heavens. The shockwave from the clash flattened the battlefield, kicking up dust and debris in a chaotic spiral.
Within my mind, Tsukuyomi's voice cut through the noise, calm and calculating. "Absorbed and analyzed. New Lava Mana Art learned: Katia's Amazement."
"Good shit," I thought, grinding my teeth as I pushed back against Taurus's overwhelming strength.
I didn't hesitate. As our weapons locked, I channeled Wind & Yin Mana into my free hand, casting [Deadwind Mana Arts: October's Uzumaki]. A spiraling sphere of poisonous, corroding air materialized, cloaked in the sinister hue of Devil Mana for good measure. The sphere twisted and churned with violent energy, its corrosive tendrils licking at the surrounding space like ravenous snakes.
Taurus's eyes narrowed in recognition. His confidence cracked as he freed a hand, summoning a defensive shield of Divinity Mana. The golden barrier flared to life, meeting my spiraling attack head-on. The sheer force of the collision sent tremors through the ground, the air screaming in protest.
"Yeah, you feel that?" I spat, pouring more energy into the uzumaki.
Taurus's face twisted into a snarl of annoyance as he struggled to maintain his barrier. I could see it—he wasn't smirking anymore. That alone was enough to bring a grin to my face. With a final push, I released the attack fully, sending the deadly sphere hurtling toward him.
The impact hurled him hundreds of yards away, his body tearing through the landscape like a meteor. The sphere shot skyward as he redirected it, detonating in the atmosphere with nuclear force. The explosion painted the sky crimson and black, its shockwave flattening the terrain and swallowing the battlefield in an acrid storm. The air became unbreathable, the metallic taste of rust and acid clinging to my tongue as oxygen vanished for several suffocating seconds. The confidence in his molten gaze shattered, leaving only a flickering inferno of anger.
I exhaled slowly, steadying my stance. "I can beat this bitch," I thought, the conviction settling deep into my bones. "I just need to lock the fuck in."
Then her voice cut through the storm, "Master."
"Kyttin?" I thought, startled.
"I have an idea," she whispered, her tone steady but urgent. "If you're willing to risk your soul."
"What the hell? How are you—"
"Listen, Master. There's no time. Follow these instructions."
Her words were accompanied by a flood of images and knowledge, a Skill far beyond anything I had ever seen.
My mind raced to piece it together as Tsukuyomi chimed in. "Without a Lord Seed, you'll have 99 seconds at most," he warned.
"A final round, huh? Damn... I wish I could be scared." I mused, gripping the Red Queen tightly. "But I trust y'all."
"Fuck it, we ball," I thought, a wild grin breaking across my face.
"Beastly!" Belial roared within me, his voice echoing with approval.
Without hesitation, I raised the Red Queen with a surge of spiritons dancing across the sword. Taking a deep breath, I rotated the blade and plunged it into my chest. The sword vanished within me, its essence pouring directly into my Soul Core.
"What are you… doing?" Taurus stammered, his voice breaking into a growl. "Stop!"
The discomfort hit immediately, an excruciating cramp that felt like my very soul was being stretched to its limits. Then the tempest erupted from within me, a tidal wave of godly power, unlike anything I had ever felt.
The foreign matter surged directly into my soul, a sharp invasion of energy that blended a cocktail of Divinity Mana with something refreshingly alien. It felt soothing yet electrifying, the kind of high I hadn't experienced since those smoke-filled studio sessions back on Earth. The power swelling inside me was intoxicating, building with each breath until my veins thrummed with the rhythm of an unseen crescendo.
Then came the warning: a chilling chime from the Prime Realm System, cold and clinical in its delivery.
«Warning: attempting a manual Trance without a Lord Seed will remove the Soul's protection limiter and damage the Soul Core. Recommend canceling current action.»
I barely had time to register it before Belial's voice echoed within me, smooth and imperious. "Ignore. Opening Sonata Soul Core, now."
The system went silent. I felt it forcibly muted as energy—sharp and sinister—spiked through my consciousness. My world froze. My surroundings dissolved into an eerie dimension bathed in a sunset sky that glowed blood-red, yet with no visible star on the horizon. It was haunting and surreal. Then came the pain. Divinity Mana tore through me with merciless precision, shredding my soul from within. But this wasn't an attack. The agony was self-inflicted, coursing from the core of my being. Yet, paradoxically, it was laced with pleasure—a maddening duality of suffering and euphoria that left me reeling in a state I could neither fully reject nor embrace.
On the physical plane, my transformation began. Waves of mana poured from me, cascading outward in a brilliant red and purple torrent. It felt alive, wrapping around my body like sentient armor, seeping from my skin until it solidified into fur-like texture. My hair whipped back, as if caught in an eternal gust, morphing into an iridescent flow of crimson and violet dreadlocks. Divine energy etched itself into my form, shaping protruding canine-like ears atop my head and a matching tail that lashed behind me with vigor. I glimpsed my reflection using [Devil 3rd Eye] as mana shards orbited me. A demonic wolf-boy stared back, eyes blazing with a crimson light that radiated feral intensity. The transformation was oddly reminiscent of Luna's ethereal mana wrapping, but fiercer—untamed and explosive.
The ground beneath my feet trembled violently. A deafening crack echoed across Arcadia as the continent itself seemed to recoil from the surge of magical energy. The gravitational pull of my mana pressure split the earth, sending jagged fissures racing outward and splintering nearby boulders into dust. The chaos wasn't confined to the battlefield. Back in Talasi, the village quaked. Shelves toppled, walls creaked ominously, and terrified shouts filled the air as people scrambled for shelter.
Just outside of Fann's front door, Vericka stood frozen in her tracks, her breath hitching as she raced outside. She knew.
Her voice trembled in awe and disbelief. "This signature, It can't be... Did Xiro learn how to Trance?"
Her words were swept away by the vibrations rattling the lands, but they lingered in her mind like a beacon of pride.
My body adjusted in quick, volatile bursts. My right arm twitched, adapting to the surge of godly magic coursing through me. I clenched my fist experimentally. A trail of crimson-colored mana smoked from my fingertips, the glow in my eyes intensifying with every passing second. This wasn't power—it was transcendence. The sheer magnitude was staggering. I felt as if I could split Gaia's crust with a glance, and implode the sun with a flick of my wrist. But my gaze fell on Taurus.
The Trapper stood across from me, his expression—a mixture of shock and frustration—betraying his shattered confidence.
"A seedless Sonata Core that can achieve Trance? No, something's off," he muttered, his tone darkening as realization dawned.
I wasn't in the mood for idle chatter. Ninety-nine seconds. That was all I had. I propelled myself forward with what felt like a casual step but cleared the distance between us in an instant. We locked eyes, and I smirked triggering a skill. Before he could react, the Red Queen materialized in my hand, a gleaming crimson blade burning with violet fire. I brought her down in a sweeping arc. His right arm separated from his body with surgical precision, silver blood spraying the field like an oil painting turned macabre.
Taurus staggered, his thoughts racing. "Damn, he's this much faster now?"
He leaped back, attempting to create distance, but I wasn't giving him the luxury of recovery. My body blurred as I activated [Wind Mana Arts: Flash Step], repositioning myself directly behind him. The Red Queen flared to life in my grasp, its edge hungry for another strike. I swung. His head rolled cleanly from his shoulders—or so it seemed.
Instead of collapsing, his form shimmered, revealing the Illusion Mirror Clone, an Angel Mana Art that replaced his real location with a decoy.
But mental tricks were useless against me. I'd anticipated it. The Xiro he saw decapitating his fake was itself an illusion, a shadow born of my [Absolute Hypnosis]. Taurus's tendency to meet my gaze had been his undoing before, and he hadn't learned. Eye contact was needed to cast the ability.
The real him had leaped upward, but I was already there. My body surged into the air, The Red Queen poised above my head. Anti-Mana condensed along her edge; silver and ultraviolet light intertwining as it hummed with devastating potential.
Taurus barely had time to think. "He might be a legitimate threat to Goddess Laniakea. I'm going to have to kill h—"
I cut him off, literally.
"Heavenly Crescent Blade: Midnight's Edge!"
The words roared from my throat as I brought the sword down in a devastating swing. The blade carved through him with unrelenting force, splitting him and his halo from between his horns to the base of his wings. The sheer velocity of the strike ignited the air, and the space around him ruptured as atoms disintegrated along the blade's path. His body erupted into twin explosions, the shockwaves rippling outward, shaking the heavens and earth alike.
I landed with a thunderous impact, the ground trembling beneath me as debris scattered in a cloud of dust. My descent had taken seven seconds—plenty of time to compose myself before the charred remains of Taurus's body slammed down a few moments later. My crimson and indigo aura flared around me, twisting and curling like a living tornado, the energy sharp and biting as it caressed my skin. My eyes darted across the battlefield, searching for any trace of him. The faint taste of ash and tension lingered in the air.
"You can stop playing me for a fool and come out now," I called, my voice echoing over the ruined expanse. "I know that wasn't the real body."
The ground trembled again, this time with purpose, as the dirt began to shift and crack open. My instincts flared, and I tightened my grip on the Red Queen. From beneath the earth, Taurus emerged, his halo illuminating the scene with a soft, divine glow that contrasted the menace in his smirk. His black wings unfurled; scattering dust like ripples through water as he ascended.
"Bravo, bravo," he drawled, clapping slowly. "But why the rush? It's as if you don't have long in that semi-divine form." His tone oozed mockery, each word a calculated jab. The cocky glint in his eyes told me he had already begun dissecting my weakness.
"You nervous?" I retorted, baring my fangs through a wicked grin.
Taurus's chuckle was low and resonant, a sound that crawled up my spine like an unwelcome visitor. Fully surfaced now, he stretched his arms wide. Dozens of Angel Mana orbs materialized around him, humming with volatile energy. Their golden glow intensified before they pulsed outward, morphing into perfect replicas of him. Each clone bore his signature, their presence weaving together into a seamless wall of deception. It was a flawless tactic—if I didn't have my ways to see through it.
The voices of the many Taurus clones filled the battlefield in unison, their synchronization unnerving. "Not at all, Little Devil. But I wonder if you will be when you run out of time." Their collective chuckle followed, dripping with condescension, the sound digging into my patience like nails on steel.
"The motherfuckin' disrespect," I muttered, the words slipping out unfiltered.
My pulse quickened—not from fear but from the rush of anticipation. He still thought he was untouchable.
I gripped my Guardian Armament, the blade's edge pulsating with my mana, crimson streaks of energy bleeding into the air. My eyes darted between the clones, locking onto each one as I counted. Forty-two. The devilish smile that spread across my face was involuntary, the thrill of the challenge igniting something primal in me.
The battlefield grew silent for a heartbeat, the tension thick enough to taste. The scent of burning mana and scorched earth filled my nostrils. I exhaled deeply, the rush of power surging through my veins as I prepared to end this.
It was time to wrap it up. The climax was finally here.
[End of Chapter]
[1] November on Earth