Among those in Nero Virtuoso’s army, hardly any of the members could be considered the quality of the fourth rank. Due to the nature that a majority were often born with, many of his soldiers had acted brash or careless, with a pure pursuit in power leading their charge. It was rare for a raw talent to show itself, like a diamond in the rough.
However, among the many soldiers and ranks was a man who had quickly ascended to the third rank from his kills and capabilities alone. A man who gained the attention of Nero himself, who brought the giant oni in to speak with him. Whilst the two chatted, Nero spoke of a possible raise in position from his third rank, should the oni continue to show merit in battle. However, while the oni gratefully accepted his words, an oni far larger than the green third rank that sat in front of Nero spoke out. Standing near three other individuals, a sharp gaze and large fangs could be seen from the shadows. With its low voice, the colossal beast entered the conversation.
???: [Lord Nero, if I am able to, I would like to give my own opinion regarding this man.]
Nero: [Proceed.]
???: [Thank you. There is something to be said about mindless fools that rush into battle, hoping that they can score easy kills in order to gain a higher position. However, I do not think this man is the same as those fools. One’s strength does not equal perfection. One’s skill does not decide such a thing either. All that is required is proof. Proof that these attributes matter. Without the proof of strength nor skill, you would only assume that the warrior will be weak. However, this man has shown a fair amount of proof. Regardless of his forty thousand ton feat, there’s a different type of fire burning within him.]
From beyond the shadows, a massive ash brown finger pointed towards the green oni.
???: [I’d like to request that he moves up to the fourth rank, Lord Nero. I believe out of everyone in our force, he will prove to be our most valued asset.]
Interjecting into the conversation, the man with a dark brown man bun and black scleras spoke to the shadow oni.
Shimba: [And if he were defeated, what would you think then?]
Smiling back at the man, the beast from the shadows released a light laugh with his chest and rubbed his chin.
???: [He’d still be our most valued asset. It’d just mean that a good fight would exist on the enemy lines.]
Resting his head on a clenched fist, Nero raised his other head, providing Totem Deliciano with the rank of fourth.
Totem had rarely ever cared about his rank, but rather finishing the jobs he was tasked with.
Now presented with the rank of fourth, however, a new sense of duty had filled his soul.
Capable enough to be among the highest rank should one of them fall, Totem took pride in his placement. Every ounce of training he had performed was beginning to show its worth.
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Every ounce of training he had performed almost felt worthless. The near suicidal lengths he went to strengthend his body, partially ripping it apart as he gained the tough muscles that decorated his form was nothing. The forty thousand pound chains he wielded, split by both hands into twenty thousand halves was nothing. His ambition, skill, battle smarts, intuition, all of felt as though it was now worthless. Perhaps he had trained all of these aspects of himself for nothing.
From his flurry of strikes sent towards the oni who was as tall as his knees, Totem was faced with a sight he could not bear to see. Each chain was calculated, with an immense amount of power placed behind every swing. Yet the girl stood there, rapidly swinging her scabbard around without a care in the world, repelling each of the hits. It should not have been possible, not in the slightest. No matter how much she weighed, it was not even close to the weight of the chains Totem held, nonetheless the force he added onto them with his thrusts.
In Totem’s mind, the girl should have been a fine red mist. Not a corpse on the ground nor toppled and mangled from the hit, but just the pure essence of blood leaving itself behind as the only proof of one’s existence. There was not a single scenario where she should have survived these attacks.
But that scenario did exist. Regardless of whether or not Totem wanted to view it, he was seeing it with his own eyes. Ryuka Ryoma was standing directly in front of him, preventing herself from being hurt with each parry and making the fourth rank soldier’s strikes look comparable to a child swinging around a pair of toy whips.
Her attitude aggravated him, the cocky nature that she took on this fight aggravated him, but most of all, he hated how little she cared. A dull expression, always persisting on her face, as if saying that Totem was completely and utterly worthless. He was given the rank of four and the highest position among them at that. There wasn’t a single other opposing soldier so far who could handle him. He made quick work of several Bloodfire and Tensetsu troops at once, both of which were said to be the strongest armies in the world. Yet a single teenage girl could not be beaten.
Throwing down both chains at once like two whips, Totem watched as Ryuka struck them again into the air. However, this was not the main concern, as what soon followed–
Ryuka: [Yawn~.]
She yawned. The cocky child that Totem was face to face with had covered her mouth with a hand and yawned at him. His pupils shrunk down at the sight of it. His teeth grinded, with his voice cracking behind them as he felt his vitriol rage boiling. The veins on his head pushed out more and more. But most of all, his skin had started to slowly turn red, with the chains in his hand changing color as they produced steam.
Totem: [Brat… Are you taking me as some kind of joke?]
Ryuka: [Hm?]
Rubbing the side of her tired eye, Ryuka looked back up at the green oni, his eyes now hidden by a great shadow casted over them.
Totem: [Fine then. Now’s a perfect time as ever.]
Redder and redder, the oni’s skin changed from a green color to a pure, bright red.
Totem: [I don’t care if I can’t use my arms after this. Killing you is all that matters now.]
Two immensely thick horns of red burst forth from his forehead, followed by the pupil in his eyes disappearing entirely.
Totem: [DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU BRAT!]
Roaring into the cloudy sky, the chains in Totem’s hands seared into a hot white color. On his body, four more arms pushed out from inside, spilling blood as they did so. To match these extra arms, two more heads were created beside his original face.
Totem: [GRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
An explosion of a red matōki aura was shot through the air from Totem’s position. Without covering her face, Ryuka stood her ground against the fierce wind behind it, keeping the same dull expression as before.
An incredible amount of steam was released from Totem’s body as he walked forward. With a terrifying new form now on display, he laughed with his muscular chest puffed up.
Totem: [Hahaha! Well? What do you think? Surely you now understand why I’m called the Dreadful Executioner!]
Rolling her eyes, Ryuka scratched her head with the top of her blade’s hilt.
Ryuka: [Wow. An asura oni. Amazing.]
Totem: [Matōki advancements may have conditions, but if you’re willing to sacrifice something after the fact, anything can be achieved. That’s how I’ve obtained this form. Hell of the Vengeful Oni. A long name, of course, but one that describes exactly what you’ll feel. Speaking of abilities, I suppose I forgot to activate my previous iteration. Let’s fix that, shall we?]
Snapping the fingers of one of the six hands, four more searing chains appeared, each clutched in the new hands Totem had formed.
Totem: [Hell Chains. This should be more than enough to deal with an ant like you.]
Ryuka: [He can do party tricks now. Neat.]
Though he was angered with the oni girl’s retorts on prior occasions, Totem simply smiled back at Ryuka.
Totem: [Don’t get too frightened now, Ryoma. Your hell… has only just begun!]
Dashing towards Ryuka, all six chains were thrown at her in succession. Jumping back several feet, the jet black oni dodged the attacks without any damage, leading to another dash from Totem as he tried to catch up. Throwing the chains again, Ryuka swiftly dodged each while in the air, avoiding the idea of repelling them. Noticing this himself, Totem laughed at her cowardly tactic, now realizing she was helpless to his attacks.
Totem: [Is that all, Ryoma?! Surely you intend to use your sword by now! Maybe not, considering you won’t even get the chance to hit me!]
Separating his chains in timing, each chain struck down towards Ryuka’s positions that she dodged towards, leaving her in a constant cycle of moving back and forth between spots.
Totem: [Look at that! All you can do is dodge when faced with this! A first rank like you will be dead in no time!]
Spinning himself like a top, the six chains Totem had held rapidly hit the ground. The speed at which his body turned created the illusion that this was a singular chain being spun at a speed so intense no one would likely be able to overcome it. This attack did not have an out for the foe who would receive it.
Totem: [Temperance Fire Mayhem!]
Round and round, Totem kept himself spinning as he struck into the ground with the heated chains. As the cut layers of earth grew more scorched and deep from every hit, Totem stomped a foot down and allowed for one more attack to be let loose. Striking down at the spot one more time with all six chains, he created a final slash into the ground to finish the job.
Totem: [I’ll crush your scorched corpse–]
???: [Are you done with your light show?]
Unable to stop his attack, all six chains hit the earth while Totem’s attention was redirected. Looking in front of himself, the pupils of the red oni had returned as he gazed upon an oni with jet black spiky hair several feet away from him. On her body was not a single scuff nor scratch. Merely the same dull face he grew used to seeing. Astonished, the red oni stuttered as he spoke.
Totem: [H-How… You shouldn’t have been able to escape Temperance Fire Mayhem…]
Ryuka: [I dodged it as soon as you started. Regardless of how fast you are, I’ve been trained by a woman twenty times faster. Not to mention a legendary hero as well. If you seriously think an attack like that is gonna work against me, you might be stupid enough to earn yourself a demotion to the first rank.]
She did not make any sense. Not her words nor her actions, but Ryuka Ryoma as a whole. Ryuka Ryoma was an enigma within Totem’s mind, binding him in layers of confusion. He had heard of the Ryoma name along with what they were known as. A strong oni family that desired power through the means of love. No matter how wild or ferocious a Ryoma was, they always had a place for that love in their heart. Even if there had been occasional tales of strong warriors within the family, he had never heard of one at this level in the slightest. The tales were small rumors, spread around from oni to oni. Ryuka Ryoma was no rumor nor was she a figment of his imagination. She could hardly be considered an oni with her capabilities. What exactly was she? Totem did not have an answer to that.
Clutching the katana in her hands, dressed with the symbol of Shiro Fuloreen’s birthmark by the guard, Ryuka’s dull gaze morphed into the old, cold glare she gave before.
Ryuka: [I’m starting to get bored…]
The smallest bit of metal shined through the top of her sheath.
Ryuka: [... So how about we end this song and dance?]
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Airi: [Here. Have some soup. You’ll need it to strengthen up.]
Ryuka: [Ah! Thank you, Mrs.Fuloreen!]
After a long afternoon of training, Ryuka Ryoma took a break from her training to enjoy a nice meal before she continued. Slurping up the soup quickly after having it handed to her, the blond succubus scolded the girl for her manners.
Airi: [Drink properly. You don’t need to share with others that you’re eating. Slow it down as well. You’ll choke if you drink it too quickly.]
Ryuka: [Mmmmm mph mhm mmm mhmh Mmm Mmphmmmh!]
Airi: [And swallow if you’re going to talk!]
Doing as Airi had said, Ryuka took a quick gulp and passed her empty bowl to Airi, bowing back to her as she wiped off her face.
Ryuka: [Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Fuloreen!]
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Taking the bowl into her hands, Airi placed it on a table to wash later and made her way over to the porch where Ryuka sat to speak with her more.
Airi: [Honestly, you’re just like Shiro when she was younger. I can see why she took a liking to you.]
Ryuka: [Ah! Speaking of Lady Shiro, you mentioned that something was wrong earlier, right? I was wondering if she’s alright now.]
Airi: [She’s fine. There was something incredibly serious that I had panicked over, but that Sena girl made sure she was fine. Even before the girl healed her, Shiro was still alright.]
Ryuka: [That’s good to hear. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was worried about her nonetheless.]
The two sat quietly, enjoying the sounds of the ocean. Yet, the one who joined the music of the sea was not the energetic oni teen, but the succubus much older than her.
Airi: [Ryuka.]
Ryuka: [Hm? Yes, Mrs. Fuloreen?]
Airi: [I’m curious, why do you choose not to have more under Shiro’s command?]
Tilting her head, Ryuka looked at the blind hero.
Ryuka: [I’m not sure what you mean, Mrs.Fuloreen.]
Airi: [I’ve fought many battles in my time. Throughout the years, even while I was inactive, there were all kinds of warriors that existed. Even so, I could tell the green ones from the well versed. Despite your young age, I can tell that there’s a lot to your potential, Ryuka. I’ve already seen a great deal of progress already. You’ve adapted to the Babylon Way, your sword skills are exceptional, and you’ve yet to make an advanced ability at that, meaning there’s still more for you to gain. What I find odd though, is despite your immense talent, you haven’t requested anything from Shiro while being under her wing. You haven’t told her any position you would like to be in, any rules you’d like to establish, nothing. You’re more than capable enough to gain some favor with her and have your way, yet you choose not to. Why is that?]
Understanding Airi’s question, Ryuka clutched her knees and smiled, looking out to the grand sea in front of her.
Ryuka: [When I was little, my brother mentioned that when we were older, the two of us should just do whatever we wanted. It didn’t matter what anybody would tell us or what we could and couldn’t do, we’d find a way to live our lives as best as we could. I’m not sure what Big Sis Kōkatsu spoke to him about, or rather, the specific details here and there, but I could tell that my brother was happy. I’ve seen him happy before, but there was something in his face that told me he was truly happy, like he found what he wanted.]
Looking over to her side, Ryuka stared at the katana Kōkatsu had fixed for her.
Ryuka: [... When I met Lady Shiro, I thought she was really strong and a good rival. But the next day, after fighting her again and seeing how kind she was to a child she didn’t even know, I wanted to be a part of her team immediately. I knew she was a special kind of person, one that you’ll only meet once in a lifetime. After Mrs. Hemobi helped me improve, I got a whole lot better just for her and joined her team. I’ve been thinking about it since then, but I’m glad I did. Just like my brother got what he wanted, someone who loved him and he loved back, I wanted to be under someone as kind and caring as Lady Shiro. It’s why I don’t really care about where my position is or what kind of rules to make for our team to cooperate. I’m just happy to be with her as is.]
A light breeze caused their hair to sway in the wind. Holding it down with her hand, Airi shook her head and gave a light laugh back to the oni.
Airi: [You really are just like her. A little bit foolish, but kind enough that it doesn’t matter. Regardless of what she might say or you might think, I already have an idea where you’ll be placed.]
As Airi stood back up and entered the house to wash the bowl, Ryuka turned around to question her.
Ryuka: [Really? Where?]
Airi: [That’s a story for your future self to find out. For now, get stronger so you can see that new dawn.]
Shutting the shogi behind her, Airi left Ryuka by her lonesome.
Looking back down at her katana, Ryuka clutched it with her hand and unsheathed the blade. Her confident smile reflected perfectly in its shiny metal.
Ryuka: [Right! For Lady Shiro, I’ll get as strong as I need to!]
Whether she was Ryuka Ryoma of the past or Ryuka Ryoma of the present, a single being stood tall in her mind.
A goddess in white that she looked towards, who gave the oni a sense of pride in her heart.
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The jet black spiky hair of the oni swayed with the mountainous winds that coursed through the valley. Looking back to her opponent with nothing but a frightening, chilling gaze, the girl kept a thumb underneath the guard of her katana as she started at his bewildered yet angered face. Not a shred of care existed for this red oni, nor did the girl feel pity for how she had treated him so far. It was merely a test, an example of the pride she held for the one she served. Nothing else mattered now, no one else mattered. The girl’s mind emptied further and further, leaving only pools of liquid behind from the individuals in her mind. Even the goddess she adored faded into a pool of liquid, before dissolving into nothing like the rest. A state of pure nothing. A peaceful tranquility.
Left with no other choices or options, endlessly enraged by this girl, the oni roared his final time as he flung each of his chains in a circle, reusing the same technique as before.
Totem: [This time you’ll die for sure, Ryoma! Temperance Fire Mayhem!]
She did not jump. She did not shoot herself forward. She merely ran. Running and running, she approached her foe that swung his chains in a circle while clutching her blade. With each chain that closed in, she weaved her body away from it, singeing not a single piece of herself against the scorching metal whips. When a chain drew too close to dodge, she gripped at her scabbard and swung it against the attack, repelling it entirely. The sudden repelling of chains had caused a great shock to the red oni, confused as to how she could have done so.
Totem: [Impossible! She stopped hitting my chains because they were burning, didn’t she?! Why hasn’t her sheath burned to a crisp?! Why is she still okay?!]
Running and running, the oni did not stop her chase. The hunt was one she could not halt until her prey was finished. Closing in on Totem’s position, Ryuka clicked her sword back into its sheath and grabbed it with her fangs, leaving her hands free to do as they pleased. Grabbing the wakizashi by her belt, she pulled the short sword out and swung through the air. The chains that weighed twenty thousand pounds each, the chains that were blazed to an extreme degree, leaving them almost impossible to break, were cut apart rapidly as the girl approached. With every slash she performed, countless links with the chains were snapped off, followed by even more damage to the links that turned them into nothing more than dust. This feat bewildered the blazing oni, but not just because his chains were now breaking apart.
Totem: [SHE’S USING HER WAKIZASHI TO CUT THEM?!]
Once his chains had been reduced to nothing more than two links per hand, the red oni could see Ryuka come into his area. Her eyes looked completely bloodshot, ready to kill should she attack. As he swung down at her with his fists, he quickly halted his attack, noticing that it was nothing more than an afterimage.
Totem: [Damn! Where did she go?!]
Glancing around himself before sensing her presence, a terrified look accompanied the oni’s face as he turned to the sky above. From the sun that stood afar, a single shadow moved in front of it towards him. Pulling their real sword out, the jet black lighting zipped past him without any chance to counter.
Standing behind Totem with her sword held low, Ryuka paid little attention to the asura who was now cleaved in half down the middle. She swung her sword, splashing a great deal of blood along the ground to clean off her weapon, before sheathing it back into its scabbard. As it clicked down, the red oni’s blood sprayed into the wind towards her. Unsheathing her sword again, she spun it in a circle above her, preventing any drops from touching her, and swiped it to the other side, sheathing the sword for a second time after. Below where she stood, the birthmark of Shiro Fuloreen was created in the oni’s blood.
Coldly, she spoke to the fallen corpse behind her.
Ryuka: [Unworthy of my horns, my ability and my time. That’s all you are.]
Around her, each and every soldier among Nero’s force cowered in fear, scrambling away from the oni girl.
Virtuoso Soldiers: [She’s a monster… Run for it!]
Watching as the soldiers ran, Ryuka looked towards each and every one that feared her as an all powerful demon. Before they could truly get away, several were sent flying through the air as someone landed nearby.
Virtuoso Soldiers: [GAAAAAH!]
Making their way out of the smoke, Ryuka gazed upon three familiar figures. An orange kitsune, a smaller kitsune with a similar yet more refined look, and a man with blood red hair and eyes.
To the side of them, several more soldiers were sent flying as someone struck them into the nearby rock formations.
Virtuoso Soldiers: [HIDEBUUU!]
Slithering their way over, a purple lamia joined the three as they moved towards Ryuka’s position.
What Ryuka had not noticed yet was the several others who were already much closer, approaching her from the front.
Hidari: [It seems like we’re all wrapped up here then.]
Migi: [Yeah. I gotta say though, that was a crazy rockin’ performance you put on there, Ryuka! It was some real next level stuff–Owowow!]
Kiyomi: [Migi! Be careful! You’re injured enough already! Don’t go making them worse with your explosive gesturing!]
Looking towards the new three, Ryuka saw a familiar angel with a scar across his nose, the rocking incubus without his metal arm or sunglasses, and a buff kitsune who assisted the incubus as he walked.
Bachi: [Glad s’all over for the most part, though. I could use a big ol’ nap as soon as we get home. After Lady Shiro kicks some ass, of course.]
Poi: [Perhapsss we could have a ssssleepover! I’ve never had one before, but I’ve heard many fun sssstoriessss about them!]
Sena: [A sleepover sounds really nice! But where would we be sleeping?]
Tari: [Lady Shiro’s house. There’s nowhere else for us to sleep, Sena. It’s the same place we’ve been sleeping for this past week.]
Four more then joined the conversation, that being a cat girl with yellow hair and fur, a blue lamia covered in some shallow scratches, and a pair of succubi, both pinkish-red and purple respectively.
Clapping to get everyone’s attention, the smaller orange-haired kitsune made her way through and stood between Ryuka and the others.
Kaoru: [Alright, everyone. I’ll heal anyone who needs it, so if there’s anything painful you’re currently feeling, please step forward.]
The buff kitsune pointed to the incubus she supported under the arm, pushing him forward slightly.
Kiyomi: [This guy. This guy really needs it, Kaoru.]
Putting a hand near his nose, the angel gave his own opinion about the wound he received.
Hidari: [Mine isn’t all that bad. Besides, I’d like to keep it as a memory of my battle. I’ll be fine without healing.]
Grabbing her blue lamia friend in a hand around the arms, the cat girl smiled and pointed to her.
Bachi: [This lady ain’t all that hurt, but it’d be nice if she got some healin’ too. Fix her up, please!]
As Kaoru tried to gauge the severity of two who required healing, Ryuka rubbed her chin and called out to the kitsune.
Ryuka: [Come to think of it, I’ve seen you before, right? What was your name again?]
Turning around to greet Ryuka, Kaoru bowed to the oni.
Kaoru: [Kaoru! Kaoru Teppen! It’s nice to meet you, Ryuka! I’m one of Kōkatsu the Almighty’s many daughters, the first among them at that.]
Ryuka: [Oh, I see. So you’re Kōkatsu’s daughter then. Guess that makes sense, since you both have orange hair.]
Waving her hand in a coy manner, Kaoru nervously looked back at Ryuka.
Kaoru: [No, no! Mother adopted me! I know it’s confusing, but we’re not related. Still, I take a lot of pride in being her daughter! She’s an incredible woman who can’t be beat!]
Ryuka: [Huh? Really?]
Changing from a rub to a scratch, Ryuka turned her eyes over to Kōkatsu.
Ryuka: [I mean, she seems cool and all. I like her from the little bit that we’ve spoken, but she isn’t all that cool compared to Lady Shiro.]
Kaoru: [I suppose that’s fair, since–... What…? What?!]
Turning back to look at Ryuka, Kaoru suddenly erupted.
Kaoru: [What does that have to do with anything?! I wasn’t trying to start a competition! I was just saying that Mother is amazing!]
Matching Kaoru’s upset tone, Ryuka shouted back at the kitsune girl.
Ryuka: [You totally were! You were comparing Kōkatsu to Lady Shiro! It’s not even a fair competition! Lady Shiro is a thousand times better!]
Kaoru: [Huh?! Are you stupid or something?! Mother is the greatest in the world!]
Ryuka: [Like I said, she’s cool and all, but nowhere near as cool as Lady Shiro! I’m sorry that you can’t handle the truth!]
Kaoru: [The hell are you talking about, you dimwitted oni! Mother is far better than Miss Shiro, even if Miss Shiro is still nice!]
Ryuka: [What the fuck did you just say, you stupid kitsune?! You got a problem with Lady Shiro or something all because that kitsune mother ain’t cool enough?!]
Kaoru tightly grabbed onto the collar of Ryuka’s shoulder jacket while Ryuka did the same to Kaoru’s green and orange kimono, both reeling their free right hand back in a fist.
Ryuka and Kaoru: [YOU WANNA GO, DUMBASS?!]
Puffing out smoke as she watched the two, Kōkatsu smiled at the teenage girls in front of her.
Kōkatsu: [Heh. They’re gettin’ along perfectly already. S’really nice to see my precious daughter and Shiro’s strongest warrior bein’ friends.]
Silvia: [It remindssss me a lot of how you and Yoro acted when we were all teenagerssss.]
Much like Kaoru had done before, Xander clapped his hands to gain everyone’s attention before focusing on a battlefield in the distance.
Xander: [I don’t wanna break up the fun, but I’m sure everyone wants to pay attention to what’s happening out there.]
Removing the remaining tobacco from her kiseru, Kōkatsu’s smile faded as she looked into the distance alongside Silvia.
Kōkatsu: [So, s’finally begun.]
Silvia: [The moment that determinessss the outcome of thissss battle hassss arrived.]
Each of Shiro’s crew, along with those with them, joined the eyes of the goddesses.
Hidari: [I’m not wishing for the worst case scenario, but should it arrive, what should we do?]
Migi: [Isn’t it obvious? We’ll all charge that bastard ourselves and take him down!]
Bachi: [Yeah! Even if it costs our lives, I’ll gladly join Lady Shiro in hell if it means I fought that prick for her sake!]
Tari: [I already want to kill him. If Lady Shiro fell at his hands, I’d drag that bastard down with me.]
Sena: [I’m a little scared of hell, but if it’s for Lady Shiro, I’ll go there without any worries!]
The oni and kitsune threw each other to the side, clicking their tongues as they glared back. While Kaoru moved over to heal those who were injured, Ryuka’s eye grew more soft as she stared towards the taller mountain ends from afar.
Ryuka: [Lady Shiro…]
The battle between the former first rank soldier and the fourth rank soldier was over. The victor: Ryuka Ryoma.
All that remained was…
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Landing down where the angelic goddess had been, the goddess dressed in white, white like snow, looked towards the woman and received an eye roll in response.
Helig: [Fantastic. Now I need to deal with your presence.]
Ignoring the jab the blonde angel sent her way, the white succubus spoke to her fellow goddess.
Shiro: [Helig, you have a plan, correct?]
Helig: [Tell me, filthy succubus. If I had a plan, why would I ever tell it to someone as detestable as you?]
Again, the succubus ignored her comment.
Shiro: [Helig, I know you have a plan. Tell me about it and I’ll help.]
The angel did not respond, only keeping her eyes focused on the man several feet below them.
Shiro: [You can’t win without me. You know that. Please, tell me the plan, Helig.]
Gritting her teeth, Helig fixed her hair and took a deep breath, calming her nerves.
Helig: [... His divine chi, advanced ability, and Nero Virtuoso himself. All of these are things that I can seal with each of my own abilities. I can only seal one person at a time, but that oni is the only person I need to seal for the time being. Additionally, I should be able to seal his original ability, however his aura makes such a task futile. Our only option is the advancement. Regardless, these are trivial issues.]
Shiro: [That’s a good start. Other than that, what’s the catch?]
Adjusting the white tunic that hung over her shoulders, the goddess tapped her fingers atop her crossed arms.
Helig: [Unfortunately, Nero Virtuoso is the catch. There’s a certain limit in power that I can seal and the oni greatly exceeds that limit. Hence why my sealing choice is prioritizing the advanced ability rather than its base form. The fix to this issue would be weakening him, but that is quite a task in and of itself when not even Devi Bloodfire and Tequi Tensetsu could do so.]
Shiro: [That’s fine. I’ll do it. Those two were the ones to train me, after all.]
Helig: [Hah! As if a pitiful succubus like you could–]
Helig’s words were shut off by her mind as she looked at Shiro. The white goddess was not paying attention to her at all, and instead, focusing on Nero Virtuoso. In her eyes, a fire similar to the one Helig had seen in Devi Bloodfire’s own eyes radiated and burned through her soul. Clearing her throat, Helig joined Shiro in looking towards their enemy.
Helig: [It should be noted that these abilities were made for you, prior to Nero Virtuoso’s outburst. I did so to account for any treacherous steps you may have taken, but it seemed to work in our favor here.]
Shiro: [How much damage do I need to dish out?]
Curling the bottom of her eyes up, Helig gave a disgusted look at Shiro.
Helig: [At least say something in response to someone insulting you…]
Turning her attention back to Nero, a light started to emerge from her hands that she held from the top and bottom.
Helig: [I cannot say the exact amount, but you’ll know when it’s enough. Does that suffice for you, succubus?]
Shiro: [Yeah, I understand now. Thanks, Helig!]
Attacking the ground with her wings, Shiro ascended into the air before dropping back down towards Nero’s position. Watching as she did so, Helig continued to show looks of disgust as she made her way down the mountain slowly to join the goddess clad in white.
Helig: [What a truly terrible day, to be working with her in order to defeat this scourge to our world.]
An unlikely combination between the demonic and angelic goddesses was now underway.
While the angel detested the succubus, the succubus found the angel to be a great ally by her side.
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Nero: [Tell the others to stay in their positions. If they’re required, I shall make a call for them myself. Otherwise, they are to stay put until told to move, no matter what they may believe.]
Shimba: [Yes, Lord Nero. I shall do so immediately…]
Nero: [... Speak.]
Shimba: [Apologies for my hesitation, my lord. It’s just… you’ve seemed different this past week. It’s as if you’re oddly empty in a sense.]
Nero: [... Speak to the others as I mentioned, Shimba. You’re dismissed.]
Shimba: [Yes, Lord Nero. With that, I shall take my leave.]
Moving into a large dark portal, the man with dark sclera and a brown man bun exited the Onigashima District.
All that remained, standing by himself, was Nero Virtuoso. Looking up at the clouds above, he stood on a rock much higher than the rest of the ground, yet his eyes looked like they had lost their spark. The clouds continued to move at their slow pace, feeling like an eternity to the immortal oni.
When would they stop moving? Would they ever stop moving? The sun had not come out, but perhaps it would not for today. Perhaps the sun would never return. Could the clouds symbolize a storm that would soon approach or were they just merely clouds? None of these questions were ones he could answer.
Placing his crossed arms to his side, he clenched and unclenched his hands as he looked to the sky, only being interrupted by a sudden crash slightly below the rock where he stood. Moving his eyes over, he watched as the smoke around the area cleared, revealing a familiar figure to him.
In front of Nero Virtuoso stood the goddess of white, Shiro Fuloreen. A cold glare was shared between the two as they met again.
Without any words, both of their horns appeared. Shiro’s jutting out at the sides of her head and pushing past her hair as they moved back, while Nero’s pure white oni horns pushed high up in the air from his forehead.
Along Shiro’s back, two large demonic wings were spread out, followed by a thick tail similar to a dragon’s yet more like a devil by the tip. Her skin was decorated with demon markings, with her face showing the most as several green, electric shapes occupied her cheeks.
Nero’s pupils changed in color, turning into a fearsome bright white.
In Shiro’s hand, Storm was summoned. In Nero’s hand, Aureola dell’Ogre was called upon.
Shiro: [Come to me, Tempest.]
Nero: [Come forth, Martire.]
A beautiful flash of white and green lighting struck the ground behind Shiro. In opposition, a vile strike of black and red lighting hit the earth behind Nero. The clouds above them parted following the strikes, giving way to a vicious looking purple sky.
With both their prized swords in hand, the two hardened their resolve.
Shiro and Nero: [Let’s end this.]
Face to face, Shiro and Nero would now begin their duel.
The final battle has begun.
image [https://i.imgur.com/PCLCPCb.jpeg]
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