PHASE 46 - GOD CORE THIEF

“Hah! So what if you have attained divinity?” Helena shouted as she tried to conceal her illogical fear. “A half-assed goddess like you doesn’t stand a chance against me and my six God Cores!”

We both know that it’s the truth. But still, I won’t give up. She may still have around twenty God Core Release spells stored, but I have my own willpower to do this!

I materialized my staff on my hand and spun it to my left and right. With my steel gauntlets destroyed, I have no choice but to use offensive spells with my remaining weapon!

“!!!” I waved my staff, and as I tapped the tip of it to the ground, ten golden portals appeared behind me. Each of those Gates became the gateway to ten golden serpents which rushed to Helena!

“!!!” Helena stabbed her sword to the ground, and a lightning storm formed in the skies. Each of my energy dragons got neutralized by the overwhelmingly powerful lightning that struck them!

“Raaaagh! How can you match my power!” Helena roared. “I’ll finish this! !!!”

Helena launched her mechanical spear hand to me, but on time, I have blocked it with my spell!

“!!!” Ten astral shells materialized in front of me and stacked themselves to block the holy spear of the almighty Norse God. The sound of shattering glasses echoed!

But her power is not enough. only destroyed seven of my energy shells, and there are still three more active.

“I’m not finished yet!” Helena yelled once again. “!!!”

Before she could charge her next spell, I made a fast counterattack!

“!!!” In a swish of the wind, I have already closed the distance! I ducked and went under her as we stared on each other’s eyes! It was just a brief moment, but I can feel her fear of my newfound power!

“What the-”

Bam! Gauntlet-less, I made a swift punch with my left, but it was what I thought. She’s still protected by her as Lord Vishnu, so there is only one thing I can do!

“!!!” With my right palm, I channeled a dark hole which absorbed her invisible barrier as well as one of her treasured God Core of Vishnu!

“DAMN YOUUUU!!!” Helena raised her sword, and smashed it to my neck!

In the nick of time, I channeled the energy coming from the God Core of Vishnu to create a myself! And that invisible barrier saved me from being chopped off!

Clang! Helena’s sword was launched to the air. This will be my new opportunity!

“One more! !!!” I made a gentle palm straight to her face, and created another mini black hole!

There was an explosion. Helena and I were launched up in the air, but the enemy knight retained her balance. I didn’t, so I had myself rolling on the ground.

I may have been put down, but I won that exchange of blows. Floating in my right hand is a white ball of light that once belonged to Kristoff… The God Core of Mercury!

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“Just… Just four more…” I made a smirk as I wiped the blood from my lip. I may appear a lot more beaten up, but I’m getting the upper hand in the mental state. She's panicking. Once I stripped Helena out of her divinity, this battle will be over.

“How the heck are you able to steal my God Cores…” Helena readied her mechanical right arm and her broadsword on her left. Hundreds of swords hovered behind her which are coated with lightning energy.

I focused prana on my feet, and momentarily, wings spawned upon my boots. I have used a little of Mercury’s power to gain speed as I boosted towards the enemy!

“!!!” Helena stabbed her sword into the air, and a bright and white laser surged!

“!!!” I used my palms to negate the attack as I charge with full force! “Haaaaaaa!!!”

As I close in the distance while resisting the almighty force, Helena readied her next attack! “!!!” It was a swift side-slash with her sword!

I barely caught the blade with my left hand, but the edge cut a shallow part of my skin and now it’s bleeding. Now is not the time to complain about the pain! I still have to win this fight!

“!!!” I made a point-blank throw with my right hand to her feet, which froze her and kept her from making a step back! Now she’s wide open again!

“I’ll be taking one again! !!!”

My dark-hole-equipped palm made a powerful shockwave!

“Gah!” Helena flew horizontally in the air and she crashed to a nearby house! Smoke filled the area of the impact.

I… I did it… I finally have the God Core of Freyr in my hand!

I think I can save Rikkun with this!

“Rikkun!” I immediately rushed to his lifeless corpse. I channeled the God Core of Freyr’s energy to my fingers. According to mythology, Lord Freyr has an extremely powerful healing prowess. My made it possible for me to repair his fried brain and damaged heart.

But it’s not enough. I hate to do this sinful thing once again, but I have no choice.

“!!!”

Rikkun’s body glowed with golden light for a couple of seconds. I have successfully glued his soul back on his body. This type of revival is the very same thing I used on the last timeline when I fused his soul to his severed head.

“”

I dipped my lips to Rikkun’s chapped mouth as I pumped his lungs with healing oxygen. This should do to repair his internal organs and blood cells.

“Hah...hah…” I’m now heavily panting. There are so many processes in saving him… and so many pranas used… I think I’m going to pass out any moment…

I blinked three times. My vision is getting blurry. I think my left eye is temporarily blind now. My mind is now getting blank. I can no longer move my wounded right hand. I am so focused on being a God Core thief that I ignored all the injuries my body sustained. What’s more, is that I’m out of prana left to cast a single spell.

My spine gave me a chill as I heard heavy crumblings from a nearby collapsed house.

It was from Helena. Unscratched. Unfazed. Her knight armor is still yet to be damaged. There are still three God Cores left. Even though I have the same number of God Cores, I can’t utilize their full force. And my energy is almost empty…

“You damn witch!” Helena shouted in anger as she wiped specks of dust on her right shoulder. “This is quite the fight, Tiara. You’re the strongest Gate Guardian I have fought so far. Not even the previous Lord Odin or Lord Vishnu gave me this experience.”

“He...le...na…” I slowly stood up and stepped forward.

Rikkun is still in the brink of danger. I haven’t fully repaired his body. He still has about thirty minutes left before he dies again.

But I… I still have to fight her! I have to protect Rikkun!

I raised my fists. I could no longer materialize my Weapon Gem due to prana deficiency. My is no longer active since I used and all of my forbidden spells just to revive my love.

All that’s left in me is my tattered shrine maiden dress that looks more like a dirty worn-out rag.

Helena continued to walk forward, her metal boots clanking, which added tension to the atmosphere. I’m certainly no match against her.

As the darkness fades away and the sun peeks up for its rise…

I realized that there is only one way for Rikkun to survive…

I’ll be abandoning all my ideals just for my love. It pains my heart, but I have to do this.

I held my chest and withdrew three balls of light. The golden one is the God Core of Freyr. The white one is the God Core of Mercury. And the orange one is the God Core of Vishnu. I bowed as I stretched out my hand to the evil knight, purposely giving the God Cores back.

“I… I surrender.” I cried. Warm water fell from my eyes as I bow down.

“Huh?” Helena asked in disbelief.

“I surrender! I’ll let you kill me and absorb the Fragment of the Frozen Soul! J-Just let Rikkun live!”