Joshua made his way into the fortress, seeing the path before him be sealed by thorns. Seijuro, Kael, One Winged Seraph and Final Judgement had made their entry. Kael pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up as he held one of his katanas. The cyborgs and army that was within the city began to surface. The civilians were present too, all with weapons. Joshua could see a toddler among them with a gun. A cyborg pointing the pistol at Joshua. No hesitation.
The cyborgs, Drusken soldiers and civilians... Their hands showed resolve but the look on their faces was one of fear. That was an odd combination, but Joshua understood something. That the Cold Cage had used his powers to force these people against their will.
The toddler's face was wrinkled with fear.
"Are you a bad person, mister?" Joshua did not answer as he walked ahead with Ashen Phoenix in hand.
"Forgive me, child." Joshua said as they fired their guns, screaming as fear had taken their veins but their bodies were not theirs. Final Judgement raised a barrier to stop the attacks.
"There is no other way for you to deal with them without killing them. For even if you knock them up, they will be forced back into consciousness because of the Cold Cage." One Winged Seraph said as he flicked his cigarette at a soldier. The soldier fell to the ground, then got back up the next second. Readying the rifle again.
"I can't hesitate." Joshua said as he drew Ashen Phoenix, where the Phoenix's shrill was unleashed throughout the entire city. It caused them to fall to the ground, being motionless.
"Shit. You actually got the Phoenix to give you this much power? You just got the damn thing a while ago."
"Correction it has been months since he obtained the blade from you. It must have been a blink of an eye for you, My Former Summoner." Seijuro commented with an approving nod.
"That draw was near to its perfection. It seems our bouts and short training have fixed your fundamentals." Seijuro turned to Joshua who sheathed the blade.
"I made it as painless as I could." Joshua spoke, as he walked over to the child who fell to the ground. No blood oozed from the wound, the eyes staring to the sky. Joshua closed the child's eyes, as he continued onwards.
"It seems as if we were not needed after all." One Winged Seraph chuckled, only to watch the bodies stand back up. Where the humans began to twitch, their bodies grew elongated. Their clothes ripped open and anything that was once human had been changed into something else. They had been changed into something far different. Some of them grew extra limbs, extra heads, extra eyes, extra mouths. A woman's chest burst opened with the body of an infant hiding in her chest.
"Great. More nightmare fuel. This is why I hate being out of my place." Kael said as he took out a card, throwing it at the newly changed woman with her infant.
"High Priestess. Cleanse my enemy!" The card grew a light but the magic didn't work.
"Shit. There goes magic, then." The horde began to amass to their position as they tried to grab Joshua first, ignoring the others. Seijuro swung his blade to free Joshua from their grip. Grabbing Joshua by the collar, pulling him back by his side. It was rare for anyone to be able to pull Joshua back out as if it was nothing. Yet, Seijuro did it without exerting much strength from it.
"It seems that he wishes to whittle you down with numbers... Well not a bad tactic." Final Judgement said as one of the creatures grabbed his arm, only to be shattered to dust with just a flick on the forehead. One Winged Seraph drew his odachi, unleashing a single wave of an attack that turned the overbearing crowd into nothing but ash.
The power of the four that was with him, when compared to him was night and day. To be more exact, they were on a higher plane of existence with their strength alone. Joshua's single strikes were one thing, but watching Seijuro, One Winged Seraph and Final Judgement's powers were a clear comparison to his. Kael was impressive in his own right, but the three that he was with is already a tough bout. Joshua had to keep his focus as he swapped Ashen Phoenix for Thanatos's Blade. Setting it to Shimmering Gale. He needed the speed and the crowd control, swinging the blade as he weaved through the horde without much worry.
The sharpness of Thorns was useful here, but even then Joshua could see the blade bouncing back against certain types of enemies. Seeing the ones who had their bodies changed to form over large metals over their bodies.
System has identified enemies as a form of demon.
This is work of the outsider. Just call them Legari for now.
The Legari? What did that even mean? Joshua ducked as he dodged a Legari's strike.
"What's a Legari?" Joshua spoke while firing off a few shots to give cover to Seijuro who was preparing a second draw strike. The cover was not necessary but it did give Seijuro a perfect opening to strike. Tearing through hundreds of them at once.
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"It's a word in dead language. Means Cuff.. Hell if this is a Legari, then it means this entire city is screwed." Kael said as he wielded his katana in a reverse grip, bulldozing through the Legari with his blade. Left hand grabbing the blade where he continued to unleash a flurry of slashes.
A swing to the side to get rid off the blood on the blade, then proceeding after another group. Final Judgement didn't even bother with a blade, simply pointing at them was enough to turn the Legari into dust, while One Winged Seraph merely had to just point his blade at them. Despite his one wing, he began to hover. Unleashing swings that turned the ones in his path to ash.
More of the Legari began to mutate, turning into larger abominations that rivaled the sky scrapers, some of them started coming out from the underground. Caving in the streets, crawling out as they began to hiss and shriek at them.
"Well. They've got the numbers alright." One Winged Seraph spoke without much care, flying high into the sky.
"Brother you cannot be serious!? Get clear!" The clouds above turned black as One Winged Seraph gripped his blade with both hands. Raising it above his head. Looking down to the ones below with a chuckle.
A downward swing, where the entire capital was brought to its knees by a single strike. The buildings began to crumble before their eyes, the Legari were turned to ash. The cracks to the ground began to amass itself all over their footing, Seijuro grabbed Joshua by the waist, carrying him like luggage instead of a person. Leaping upwards where Kael raised some boulders for them to stand on.
Kael whistled to the sight.
"Damn, that's the Seraph for ya. Always one for heavy lifting."
"Considering you sneezed a castle out of oblivion because it was cold that one time... I believe that this is the saying... The pot calling the kettle black, my former Summoner." Kael turned to Seijuro while shaking his head.
"Don't remind me about that Seijuro. It was so embarrassing. Final boss confrontation and he died because I sneezed when the room was cold." Kael and Seijuro joked around like a married couple, perhaps Seijuro was the one who had to keep Kael in line.
"Did you really train Kael?"
"I was among his Swordmasters. You are by default my first disciple who has no fundamentals aside from the Ancient's of Fall's techniques but they are good for fights but pale when compared to my swordsmanship. His true strength comes from being the Avatar of Destruction, but even then..." Seijuro glanced over to Kael who was whistling about as he controlled magic to raise the barriers for them.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"What is being in a good mood a crime now? Leave me alone, Seijuro." Seijuro crowed to his former Summoner's words. Final Judgement on the other hand was seemingly disappointed with the actions of his elder brother. The kind of second hand embarrassment that was present among siblings.
"He's too playful to be a Seraph.. But the stage is set." Whereby they watched as the dust and ash sink into the ground, amassing itself to form a large towering beast that rivaled the fallen skyscrapers of the city. Where Joshua came face to face with the Cold Cage. The man behind the madness in this world.
The towering beast made of Legari, dust and ash was a blasphemous sight to the eyes. Anyone that laid eyes on it would bleed out as Joshua could hear the screams. Raising his right hand as the thorns amassed a barrier that would not allow those on the outside to see.
"Iacus, situation on the outside?"
"We've got those enemies... The Legari. We'll take care of it. Lord, not to worry."
"Do your best."
"Good luck, Lord of Thorns." Joshua grinned to those words.
He remembered the words that the system had shown him.
"I am the Lord of Thorns. I do not need to pray. I do not need to beg. I just do." Joshua said as Kael set up a large circular boulder that became the battle arena for Joshua to meet the Cold Cage face to face.
"Good luck, Lord of Thorns. Be sure to kick that Cold Cage a new one yea?"
"The Four of us will handle this one ourselves. It has been quite a while since I could face something to ease the time. Former Summoner, what do you think?"
"A bit occupied with their stage, so I can't use much spells. I can use Ice Reaper at least. What about you two, ready to go?"
"I'm always ready for a fight. Besides, it's an outsider. It's going to be strong!"
"Oh brother... Here we go again, I suppose." Final Judgement cringed to the words of his battle hungry brother, but such is the nature of siblings after all. Joshua made his way up from the platforms that Kael had made with his magic, seeing another figure making their way over to the arena.
Seeing the Cold Cage wear a military uniform, a captain's hat. A gunblade in hand. A youthful face that matched his.
"The Lord of Thorns. It seems I must have pressed your buttons. Did you enjoy the show my Legari have made for you?" Joshua lifted his mask as a bouquet of roses appeared by his side.
"Do you have a name?"
"Ah.. I do. You may call me Fitz." The Cold Cage bowed with gunblade in hand.
"My name's Joshua. Can't say it is a pleasure to meet you."
"I wish we could meet in better circumstances, but I too have my reasons for going this far." The stern glare from Fitz was something else, the glare alone brought forth a wave of ice to Joshua's path. Stopped by the thorns that matched the ice in its tenacity.
"I cannot back out from this fight either. Even if you are my counter." Joshua said as he drew Ashen Phoenix.Taking in the Path of Vines, as thorns formed over Joshua's feet.
"Shall we begin our little bout?"
The gods of many worlds are in attendance of this match.
They will now observe the battle between you both.
The 13th Lord of Thorns vs the 3rd Cold Cage.
The victor shall decide what to do with the loser.
Supreme God Lucius is observing this match along with the Gods of Duels.
The Gods of Duels have prepared the battle for its true nature.
No outside help is permitted. This is a battle between you both and no allies shall be given priority.
Familiars that are contracted to both of you will not die, but merely fight until one of you fall.
If either of you fall. There will be consequences.
Joshua lowered his mask and Fitz fixed his captain's hat. They nodded to one another, then charging head on to begin their duel.