The air was thick with the cacophony of frantic shouts and terrified cries, a scene of utter pandemonium unfolding before the eyes of the onlookers.
In the province of Xinjiang, the closest region to Ceprun, devastation reigned as swarms of Nephilims rampaged through the streets, their colossal forms dwarfing the buildings around them, some so massive they could effortlessly crush structures underfoot.
The ground was littered with rubble and remnants of what once was, mingling with the remains of the fallen, whose features had a more beastly appearance, a testament of their animal-human hybrid traits.
If you’re curious, long ago a rigid class system dictated the lives of these beings, determining their fate from the moment of birth based on the animal traits they inherited. However, the previous Emperor's tireless efforts have rendered that cruel hierarchy a mere whisper of the past. Yet, if you were to inquire with the locals, you would find that only a scant few still hold memories of his visage, a ghost of a time long gone, overshadowed by a strange haze in their memory.
“No shoving!” a guard bellowed, positioned by a grand gate as a throng of people hurriedly streamed through.
The kingdom of Bushin is divided into nine provinces, each marked by imposing double gates and towering walls that stand sentinel. Normally, passage would require identification and a valid reason, but in the face of a state emergency, such things were cast aside in the rush to safety.
As the last of the citizens made their way through the massive entrance, the soldiers stationed behind it swiftly closed the gate, leaving only twelve soldiers on the outside.
“That should be the last of them” the captain declared, his appearance strikingly human except for the two small horns protruding from his forehead. “What’s the situation report?”
The one who answered was his advisor, a formidable warrior who had the form of a large orc. “Nephilims are typically mindless creatures, only interested in destroying structures rather than slaughtering the masses. So only two thousand were lost during the attack.”
“Two thousand… A whole two thousand… That’s not good. If Wu were here, he’d call me incompetent for sure.”
“Wu? Who are you referring to captain?”
“Hm? Oh, don’t worry about it.”
“!”
“!”
Suddenly, a deep rumble reverberated through the ground, sending a shiver up the spines of the orc advisor as well as the ten others stationed nearby. It was the unmistakable sound of a colossal footfall striking the earth with tremendous force.
"Interesting. There seems to be one making its way here, huh."
"That can't be right! Every Nephilim should have lost their sentience during the first Trojan War!" the orc advisor stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Indeed, they should have... But perhaps a powerful deity is involved, huh." came the calm reply.
"Wait, you don't mean..."
“A first, I assumed it to be an Olympian. But, if this Nephilim is truly sentient, then the one influencing them might just be an Angel.”
As the thunderous footsteps grew increasingly louder, the guards found themselves face to face with a creature resembling a gigantic bird, but with two massive appendages that could only be described as feet.
"Quite the impressive sight, huh." The captain mused, though the tension in the air was palpable.
The soldiers, along with their towering orc advisor, instinctively readied their weapons, preparing for a confrontation. Yet, just as they were about to engage, their Captain raised a hand, signaling them to stand down. Relief washed over their faces at his gesture.
"Tamashi: Empower..." he intoned, and a lance materialized in his grip, its design featuring a crescent moon on one end and a spade on the other.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Recognizing him as the strongest among them, the giant bird unfurled its wings and lunged forward, its massive foot aimed directly at the lone guard. Yet, he remained unfazed, his demeanor calm and collected.
"Sandstorm." he declared, and with a single sweep of his lance, he conjured a swirling tempest of sand that enveloped the enormous creature, reducing it to mere fragments.
The guards around him stood in awe of his formidable power. One rookie, fresh to the station, couldn't contain his confusion. "How can he be so powerful and still just a Captain?" he wondered aloud.
The guard beside him felt compelled to enlighten the newcomer. "Haven't you heard? He’s a Captain by choice. I’ve heard he’s been offered the rank of general multiple times but has always declined."
Another guard added his input. “I heard he’s close friends with Emperor Bajie, and they even went on a journey a couple years back.”
The rookie let out a “wow” filled with respect as he asked:
“Just who is this guy.”
“Man, you don’t know anything, do you? …People call him ‘The Walking Tempest’. The Captain of the First Infantry, Sha Wujing.
***
“*Pant… *Pant.”
Gasping for breath, an Angel, often called a Royal Deck, stood in a state of disarray. Once destined to embody the “Jack of Hearts” he now found himself diminished, missing an arm and stripped of his awesome cloak, reduced to the status of just “some guy.” There was no blood to mark the severed limb, for such a fate was reserved for mortals, those bound to fragile bodies.
Ironically, before him stood just that, a fragile mortal in the form of a small child with an air of confidence, her long, radiant golden hair cascading like sunlight.
Above her head, a halo formed of three interlocking circles shimmered, while her large wings combined into a mesmerizing swirl, creating an enchanting spectacle that contrasted sharply with the Angel's plight.
“How can it be…” Dracula began, his voice trembling with disbelief. “…How can you use Royal Flush in such a diminished state?!”
A confident grin spread across Nana’s face, her eyes sparkling with delight at her brother's current predicament. “It’s quite simple, really. You’ve managed to piss me off like no other.”
With a sharp click of his tongue, the remnants of Dracula's usual playful demeanor shattered, giving way to a tempest of fury. “DAMN YOU!! DAMN YOU!! DAMN YOU!!” he shouted repeatedly, his rage steadily growing as the air around him warped and twisted. Under normal circumstances, he would have relished the opportunity to unleash his own “Royal Flush” but after enduring a barrage of kata strikes, his soul was far too distorted to summon his power. Deep down, he recognized the truth: he had been defeated, and by a mere girl, no less. This realization drove him to resort to a tactic unbecoming of a deity, especially one of the Royal Decks. Yet, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. “SAVE ME, NEPHILIMS!!”
As if responding to a mother’s urgent call -one where she called you by your full name- a swarm of colossal creatures burst through the clearing, charging toward Nana. Dracula, having cast aside all pride, erupted into maniacal laughter, convinced he had turned the tide in his favor.
“Do you really think a horde of low-level monsters can take me down?”
“Not under normal circumstances, no. But while I’m puzzled by how you managed to gather the starlites necessary for Royal Flush, I can sense your power waning. This means you’re about to face the backlash of your own contradiction. The contradiction of Instantaneous.”
“Y’know, I hate it when people explain to me my own powers. What makes you so confident, anyways? My tank is nowhere near empty.”
"! Don’t try to bluff your way out… The funny thing about us Angels. When our power is on the verge of running out, our wings and halo tend to start glitching.”
“!”
As she turned to inspect her spiraling wing, she noticed the unsettling flickering, reminiscent of a malfunctioning television.
(Crap. He’s right. Now that the adrenaline is fading, I can feel it.)
*Shatter!
The sound reverberated through the air, a sharp crack that signified the breaking of something sacred. Her halo, as well as her wing.
Nana’s hair reverted to its original white hue. The toll of her transformation was evident; she began to flicker in and out with her body’s owner.
Seizing this fleeting moment of vulnerability, Dracula cast aside any sense of morality that might have lingered in his heart. He lunged forward, sinking his fangs deep into Kyoko’s neck, the sharp pain a jolt to her barely conscious mind. In this state, stripped of her divine protection, she was an easy target for his powers, a mere mortal caught in the web of his insatiable hunger. Yet, even as he drank deeply, he felt the weight of his own exhaustion. After enduring a relentless barrage of Kata strikes and losing an arm to a divine blow, he found himself drained, requiring every ounce of focus to maintain his Empower.
“With this much blood, you can’t hope to resist my next confiscation…” he murmured, wiping the crimson remnants from his lips with a satisfied smirk. “…I confiscate… Your life.”
A sudden wave of icy dread washed over Kyoko, chilling her fingers, lips, and even her toes. It wasn’t like her entire body wasn’t cold, rather it was those specific areas that bore an unnatural frost, a harbinger of the death that loomed just beyond her grasp.
“Tuh. Had I known she’d exhaust her power so quickly, I wouldn’t have summoned those grotesque beasts…” Dracula mused, his voice dripping with disdain. “…But I suppose they can finish her off. I’m not in the mood for this.” He turned away, dismissing her like a discarded plaything, his attention shifting to Troy, knowing Kagutsuchi could restore his arm with his power.
“A whopping total of ten super, hyper, omega, divine fists!”
Then came a thunderous sound, a cacophony of ten powerful strikes merging into one, echoing through the entire providence.
“…Sorry I’m late. Heroes do tend to arrive last second.”
As Dracula turned slowly to confront the new challenger, a fierce vein throbbed on his forehead. “I cannot believe you have the audacity to show your face, traitor.”
“Traitor?” A voice emerged from a swirling cloud of dust, produced from the collapse of the massive creatures behind him. “I’ve always stood for Justice. After all… I am a superhero.”
image [https://i.imgur.com/rbgS3n5.jpeg]