Part 1

One scale was cracked and what followed next shocked them all.

Falling down the ronin looked at what he did making him grin.

His fall did not reach the ground as the King of Gold constructed a hand that caught him.

Meanwhile, Diane, who saw someone she thought was weak crack the scales of the serpent that gave her a hard time.

No, wait didn't I pierce through the serpent from inside and the scales did not hold me it's only tough against physical attacks.

She watched the destruction of the serpent as all scales cracked breaking and the body of the serpent broke down.

What came next was the shock because after all the scales fell down the serpent poofed into a black shadow ashes being swallowed by the ground.

"Did we do it?" The King of Gold asked unsure whether they took it down.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha… Defeated, no get real that thing did not even feel it." Said the ronin as he laughed.

"Man, Mr. Oniwaro you are weird maybe I thought you be happy to at least do what we couldn't do."

Diane stared at the two men saying nothing as she moved away from them looking at her surroundings since the monster's presence still lingered.

She thought back to how two new aura beasts appeared.

Ever since I was little I did know or feel like I had more than these two beasts the tortoise for defense and the tiger for fighting but now I feel like I'm capable of doing more.

Moving one leg up like kicking something she did a martial art moves.

Winds moved around her as her aura took form behind her.

She threw a claw hand as a tiger claw followed after.

With another move, the tiger followed after her growing in size even her hair was standing and the tattered clothes she was wearing were replaced by her hair becoming battle armor that looked like a tiger with the helmet and everything.

Her face was covered by tiger face as her body did so and all of this was made of hair coming from her head.

With the tiger's pose her body tensed.

"Predator's Sense"

The two men who were talking some distance away from her watched after sensing what was happening with open mouths.

They had never seen an aura of a beast coming from anyone it was like she wasn't a human.

"Hey, Mr. Oniwaro do you perhaps think that maybe she's one of those Amazons?"

"I'd bet my katana that it's one of them as her attitude said so besides she's the reason why the auction was stopped." Said the ronin as he felt the air becoming somewhat deadly.

Back on the beautiful scenery of the tiger woman.

She was on all four as she tracked the scent of the serpent going close to where the water was.

"Down below and it's coming fast." She didn't even wait to witness what was to come out of the water as she jumped back throwing punches.

"Ten Fold Consecutive Air Punch"

The punches she threw hit the water trying to push back something huge that was making its way out but all was futile as the shadow rose high from it.

The being came out fast going in every side as it knocked all three of them like a strong gust of wind that was modeled like a moving wall.

And its dark scales did not show this being in the dark as it was just slithering fast.

Argh

King of Gold splattered blood as he was knocked out cold and the same followed for the ronin as the only person conscious was the person who sensed it coming but nonetheless, she was hit too.

Landing on the ground she ran on all four like a beast throwing slashes at the moving dark-scaled serpent.

Sparks flew but no damage was on its body only moving as it wholely came out of the water but this creature did not stop as it crashed through buildings.

"Seven Folds Slash"

Running on the back of the long creature she kept slashing at every chance she got.

The creature was slithering in a straight line heading for the county's entrance as it slithered faster.

But suddenly a bright light covered the whole county revealing the creature's eight eyes and dark scales as well as its length that exceeded what it was before being three kilometers long.

1 minute ago

Standing on the head of a viper, the red lady looked straight as she held a red saber of blood on her shoulder, while her right hand's golden nails emitted an ominous aura of toxic blood poison.

She was feeling the incoming pressure of scorching light that was furies.

A second later just like she expected her target arrived.

Standing in midair was a lady in white as her six translucent wings that looked like tentacles illuminated the night making all the snakes in the shadow retreat back.

The red lady attacked as soon as the saintess appeared, not wasting her time.

"Acidic Blood Nail"

Following the deadly slashes of nails, she unleashed another slash from her blood saber.

The saintess clasped her hand together illuminating the whole county with bright light, this light at first only illuminated a surrounding 3 meters around her but after her clasp, the whole county was cleansed of the red gas.

This light blinded the red lady while also stopping the incoming attack making it vanish as if it was not there.

Next, two of the saintess's translucent wings turned into huge arms that slammed down on the red lady hitting her without end to it.

The saintesses face that usually had tears coming down was expressionless.

Relentlessly the translucent hands kept on slamming down as the red lady had no way of retaliation.

The saintess has lived for long to say that situations like these required only force as people like this are beyond hope especially ones that are named the serpent hole.

She is a beacon of light slaying creatures of night humans or monsters the same.

Bam Bam Bam

The pummeling of the hands didn't stop for a second and the person who was taking all this struggled to get out but no matter what she thought they enclosed her preventing any escape.

"Have you actually thought you stood a chance waiting for me here huh?"

In the distance, the saintess saw a serpent slithering towards her.

"So, it's you no wait… the creature on you or person… that's strange it's familiar."

Looking at the serpent she thought, it drew her attention but it was rather the person that was attacking its back.

When Diane and the monster were on their way a wave of light blinded her face even though it was covered by her helmet hair.

Rumble

The sky above released the rain that was waiting endlessly as the storms gathered.

Thunder echoed and the dark night was flashing with lightning.

But lightning wasn't the only light as a huge figure of light was taking form.

A place not far from this place stood a tall tree.

On top of this tree was an individual covered in a cloak holding a large bow that had a wolf's eye in the middle.

Wolf Eyed Bow

The shooting range is as far as the user's eye could see.

A bow forged by the remains of a one-eyed wolf that never missed its prey.

The spine, its eye, and the tail.

"Indeed just as the client said one miss and you are dead."

"Now how am I the watcher supposed to end such a person, no it is unlike me to let such a chance slip away… Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, no way right."

In his scope was the saintess as a body of a giant lady made of light stood behind her.

***

Part 2

At the orphanage.

The princess was tearing up saying something evil is coming.

And the orphanage director also felt this one after another mysterious thing kept on happening.

Thankfully they were okay as the aura field that brought the princess to them saved them everything that's been going on outside.

Inside one of the rooms.

"I do not know anymore." Said the princess.

"Whatever happens until then I should save up my energy for what's to come." Saying that she shut her eyes going to sleep.

The dream cycle of the Lady of the Light leads to the death of many and this place will be beyond saving.

Her dreams do not tell the future but are similar to it.

***

Somewhere in the county, the scholars have been running around being chased by snakes everywhere.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Only two of them were alive as the others got bitten and died due to the poison.

They used every antidote they brought with them and used up anything that could save them from this horror.

"Babyface I can't go on take the items and find some way to survive." Said the scholar with a long beard.

"Hey, old man since when did you give in easily didn't you see that light the red mist is gone and if we make it to that brown light everything will be alright so keep up just for a minute..." Babyface replied as he took off his baby mask.

Behind the mask was a young man who had a small beard and brown eyes.

Sigh

The old man sighed as he fell to his knees.

"I lied when I said I wasn't bitten but it's already too late so take them and tell that son of mine to not lag behind others…" With one last sentence, he passed out.

"You damn snake bastards." Before he could even get near his passed-out friend hundreds of snakes crawled out of the dark coming close to him.

He picked his friend up and started to carry him while hundreds of snakes followed behind him.

The distance was narrowing with how he was walking.

One last act full of regret he looked back and took out the item leaving his friend behind as he ran to the brown light.

Not knowing the skin of his color or that of his passed-out friend.

They were turning into something else something that resembled snakes.

***

Part 3

Drip Drip Drip

As the rain poured the battlefield became clear.

The hands pummeling the red lady stopped as the serpent circled her taking the hits.

While the hands were retreating back the saintess gripped Diane who was slashing at the serpent's scales.

"Diane I couldn't recognize you for a second what are you doing here fighting a monster like that?" The saintess was surprised as not long ago they parted away.

"Huh, oh big sister long time no see." Diane's hair reverted back to normal as only a few covered her privates.

"Oh, no don't tell that even you heard about the auction?"

"Yeah while visiting home I heard about it."

"So, it wasn't only the high-ranking individuals who got the information but rather someone purposely told us this information."

"Diane would you mind taking care of the lady for me I need to make sure the monster doesn't destroy any more innocent lives."

"Oh her don't worry I've got some score to saddle."

Diane jumped down where she landed and made a crater but she didn't mind focusing on the red lady that was surrounded by the long body of the serpent.

"Catch…" The saintess threw something towards her.

Noticing what it was she smiled strike the air with it.

It was a whip made of light scorching like a hot sun.

"No… No, no, no, no it is her not you pests get."

With the whip in hand, she crouched down sucking in the air.

"Aura Manifastion Roar of Thousand Beasts"

Her deadly roar blasted away all the snakes that wanted to play with her, many died while only three came at her a viper and two deformed serpents that were 100 and 80 meters long.

She wanted to infuse aura into the whip but was rejected as it was already strong plus being light energy that belong to someone else.

"Well, it matters not." She jumped like a tiger swinging the whip and cutting the serpents and the viper in half.

"Wow." She was in amazement as she never had a weapon that could do this alone without her aura.

Hiss Hiss Hiss

The serpent stared at the saintess hissing with a deadly glare.

Getting out of the rubble the red lady spit some blood which then turned back to her in the form of round little blood balls.

"Shadow." She called out to the serpent who was glaring at the saintess.

"Begin." One word and a battle planned out for a long time have begun.

Rumble

Lightning flashed and the red lady was above Diane striking down with her blood saber.

Before the saber could hit her, her hand moved as the whip swirled catching the blood saber.

And to her right, she threw down the red lady who unleashed a bloody slash at her.

Harumph

As if it was that easy to strike her she put the light whip in her mouth running on all fours.

Basically, she was a beast fighting in the wild, whipping the whip with her mouth as her hand worked like a tiger's claw.

"Two Fold Consacetive Claws"

The aura claws of the tiger came at the red lady who had red little orbs of blood around her taking the hits.

In the background lightning and lights flashed as their battle was just warming up.

The serpent was fighting with the giant lady made of light while the saintess raised her hands high sending a light ball into the distance.

This light flew fast killing all snakes in its way as it was traveling close to the ground.

"Diane I noticed that your aura has protected some of my people in this county."

"Don't make me distract you but take back your aura as you'll need it against her as for the people leave them in my hands."

"Shining Ray of Protection"

Boom

In the place where the aura field was a light explosion happened but it wasn't destructive but rather a ray of healing and shield.

It took the shape of a white castle pushing back all that came from outside as it stood firm protecting the children and people inside.

Back on the battlefield a woman fighting like a beast clashed with a lady wearing clothes made of blood.

Blood spikes acted as hands thrusting at the woman fighting like a beast while Diane swung a whip that was in her mouth.

The whip was scorching hot dissolving when it came into contact with the blood spikes.

Diane's body was flexible as the beast she portrayed, as for the red lady her attacks were being stopped from nearing the target because of the whip making her go on physical attacks.

All the blood was gone and her body was slowly changing she was growing taller and red snake scales covered her.

Now she stood the same height as her opponent while her body was more robust with a long neck and the head of a viper.

The Red Lady. The Bloody Countess. Lady Annabelle. The 8th Daughter. 8th of The Serpents Revenant.

Awakened Ability Zoan Type: Blood-Fanged Viper

Cursed Ability: Blood

Rumble

Thunder took the skies there was no sound on the ground as the rain dropped, yes the rain made noises when it met with them or the ground.

But someone who is a predator that fights with their brain than their body can conceal themselves in the rain.

The red lady became so fast that Daine lost track of her as only a hard punch to her side brought her back to reality.

When she was flying due to the punch a kick came to her head confusing her as the flashes of a monster toyed with her.

She was hit with punches that hurt her and the speed of those punches was unable to be seen with her eyes.

Like a ping ball, she was hit being sent left and right up and down, she couldn't even touch the ground to regain her sense because there was no chance at all.

"This is true power, I'm faster than you and stronger than you."

"Huh, what else do you have to show it to me? Show me." The red lady repeated herself yet no answer came just a disappointment to her.

With a knee kick, Diane was sent far hitting the walls of the county with a dizzy head.

She was hearing the sound of rain and felt the presence of a silent being coming her way this being's steps could not be heard despite her walking on the ground.

"Get up Amazon." A long bloody tongue came out as she spoke looking down at her opponent.

She raised a leg preparing to step on the Amazon's head, her body fully scaled red with long limbs, 9.7 ft tall with a viper snake body that is humanoid.

What followed was the sound of a head being caved into the ground without mercy as the bloodied red lady laughed.

The nearby battle stopped watching the seriousness of a leg at work while kicking down repeatedly on a person's head.

"Get up."

"It's no use pretending anymore."

"I know you are not hurt."

"I know you are tough, more importantly, you and I are alike."

The red lady started yelling as she kept on kicking down the head that was one foot into the ground.

In response to her words, a hand grabbed her ankle trying to throw her off balance but she kicked it and jumped on top of Diane as she started to madly punch her.

Sitting on her chest she gave no chance for the beasts of freedom to respond.

"Just tell me what I want to know, or are the rumors just a fluke to scare off some thugs, huh?"

Bam Bam Bam

"Why won't you respond?"

"Then so be it if that is how you wish this to continue this battle is worthless as it is." With a last time giving her a chance, she thrust one more punch revealing her red bloody fangs to finish off the job.

Meanwhile, while she was getting pummeled by punches and kicks she was in a daze thinking about how she lost last time and about how the serpent took no damage despite everything only being injured when her aura awoke on its own and drilled away out of its stomach.

My body was in a vulnerable state when she sliced open my back with that slash.

And that time my body moved on its own like a beast's six senses.

Yet every attack of mine is infused with aura but there is nothing.

How does it work?

I picked up every training on the island.

I was besting all my peers in weapons without being able to use Ki.

Only I was the champion who bested granny Anie in hand-to-hand combat.

Armies feared my name and of all the people I faced none were monsters like this now that I think about it.

Was I too concerned with my vengeance that I only saw human males as my enemy?

Sure the tigers and other beasts I fought in the arena weren't challenging or had any superpowers and the executives were not allowed to fight with anyone.

Am I laking?

And coming back to my aura I have no idea when I unlocked them but before today I had only the shell and the tiger using them in defense and attack.

The bird was able to injure the untouchable scales of the serpent but what of the snake with hands and legs?

It was only a skeleton but the pressure was intense like the time I first picked up a hammer to kill someone of my own will without being in a state of unawareness.

Think and worked like the battle rage art of the tiger.

Yes, there was something Mama said once the way to defeat a monster is to bring its predator.

And what kind of predator do you have land crawler?

Bringing her to reality a drip of something disgusting dropped on her neck as her hair stood instinctively.

Attacking the red lady was a hair that took the form of a bird but that was only on the surface as something else terrified her something different about the bird.

Whoosh

The red lady's body was up in the air taking a defensive act.

Her hand was positioned crossed on her chest protecting her as a flaming bird aura pushed her up 20 feet in the air trying to drill through her arms.

"Yes, Yes. This is what I felt from you a monster just like us."

She countered the bird hair releasing the red venom in her fangs like a showerhead.

Diane's hair is 9.9 ft long, but that hair that was long was growing longer wrapping itself around her like a cocoon.

The red leady's body also changed, it was a huge viper now attacking the cocoon.

Boom

The weight of the viper was heavily pushing the cocoon down into a crater.

She sprang at the cocoon biting down hard with her venom fangs.

She was secreting venom into the cocoon hair as some of the hair was dissolving like acid was sprayed on it.

"Though you'd be on the attack are you seriously hiding now?" The red lady's hoarse voice resounded next to where the head would be in the cocoon.

Diane said back. "Wait for my new form that would be kicking your ass all the way." Inside the cocoon.

When the battle between Diane and the red lady began, the saintess's attention was glued to them instead of the serpent that was fighting her giant body that was constructed of light.

Avatar of Light comes back every time it is destroyed simply because she is the source of its power and the strength it can display is limited but can still kill yellow-leveled monsters.

She is blind but that doesn't mean she's unable to fight in fact anyone who thinks that would die without knowing how they died.

In battle mode, she has several ways of knowing what is happening in the battle.

And because her ability is energy-related she'll know your position because of your life signage or Ki.

Otherways is… Lights dawn as long as she is radiating light she'll know all those who reflect that light, that means if in this state you are close to her light or in a place her light shines it is in her attacking range.

Now since her light was over half of the county every living being was projected in her mind as little dots representing their nature as a being.

This is because of her real awakened power.

[Saintess Ria: Awakened ability Nature of Healing.

Sees the true nature of a target and heals injuries and illnesses.

Second Source Power: Emerald Gem-Light

Light energy and Reflection.

She generates light energy and reflects the light of the sun and moon.

And because of her mastery of these powers, she combined the two an awakened ability and one from a gem.]

Oh, Diane how far have you come!

But you are still lagging because you don't realize that there is no limit to your strength only your imagination and your will is stopping you.

The aura your body gives off can suffocate an entire city and still reach the sky however, you turn them into beasts making you different from other aura users.

They can only exude the three aura stages while your aura is a weapon of transformation.

Overcome your beast instinct and trauma.

Be the person they see you to be.

You Amazons are the only ones in this world who stand for women's freedom, but it is not achieved through the killing of men.

Find peace.

As you love your sisters.

Control your emotion then your body will be the machine you want.

See the flaws.

Shatter them and let loose with an open mind.

Fight back, they are your true enemies.

In her mind, only the truth speaks as she sees not the world through eyes that judge but those that tear up for happy dreams.

The saintess will not stop someone's growth as it is natural just like the river flows.

***

In the distance where the individual in the cloak was.

The person looked and the more the person watched the more they became uneasy because more and more giant ladies made of light were appearing fighting off the serpent while some stood next to the saintess.

"Calm yourself all you have to do is wait for an opportunity that's all."

"But then again it's unlikely to come."

The bow in their hand never wavered even as rain hit it trying to not miss any chance or miss their aim as the target had her senses up.

***

Back in the battle, the red lady in her hybrid form slashed some attacks with her blood saber while the cocoon was floating, revealing the person inside it with a new look.

Mama, you said every hunter has a predator.

And in my first hunt with Papa and brother, I caught a cub bear unaware behind me was a dire wolf that was hungry.

Had I known it was hunting I would have stayed still.

But then I the hunter became prey for it.

But the funny thing mama was that Papa and brother were afraid of me after I turned from prey to predator.

Yes, it was when Papa started chopping wood and I brought our dinner.

I a little girl replaced Papa.

Now I grow again but as a creature of the sky.

"Aura Manifestation Pheonix Woman: Eagle Mode"

With the light in the background her aura was one with her hair and her hair was one with her.

Like before it became armor but this time a flaming bird armor with wings.

To cover her like this her hair was 100 feet long.

It danced like the flame.

Looked like a phoenix/eagle.

Sturdy like metal armor.

Her face was showing between the peaks of the bird made of hair while the rest of her body was covered with full armor.

"Flaming Aura Death Screech"

Diane screeched so loud that some of the snakes within four hundred meters died.

This screech also provoked the red lady as she slashed attacks.

"Acidic Blood Nails" 2x

Following up with hundreds of blood saber slashes.

"Take me to a level beyond this Amazon warrior."

Her smile grew bigger as her viper face looked more monstrous.

"Don't worry you won't live to see the sun snake."

She replied coming at her at a fast speed.

An eagle claw and a blood saber clashed, While a huge thunder displayed their shadows as it landed right behind them.

End of Chapter 17