While Miko and Luka finally found Dario and Marco, Sasha was having the fight of her life.
*Boom!*
Shui swung down his chain to fend of the eerie black beast, that was constantly aiming for his neck.
“Roar!”
The Beast growled like Shui’s attack only irritated it.
Black spikes shot out of its body and tried to skewer Shui.
“Ah!”
Shui jumped back and form a hand sign with a shout.
A barrier created from holy light quickly appeared in front of him.
*Boom!*
The spikes hit the barrier and quick dissipate.
Shui quickly formed another hand sign, but this time with two hands.
His chain started glowing and rushed towards the beast, and wrapped around him.
“En!”
“Roar?!”
Static shocks came from the chains and caused the beast unbearable pain.
The beast then turned into black mist and disappeared.
Shui looked hatefully at Sasha.
“Devil woman! Using evil spirits to form that abomination!”
“How rude!”
Sasha got angry and gathered more ghosts appeared around her, but this time they swirled around her and made a pitch black armor and knight’s lance.
“[Hel Knight]!”
A headless horse suddenly appeared under her, which she immediately mounted.
“She can use that already?”
Celina who was beside Rouge spoke in surprise.
Sasha, whose face was hidden behind a helmet, had her eyes set on Shui.
Shui could feel a cold chill down his spine.
It wasn't just him, everyone could feel the temperature drop again.
“Charge!”
“Neigh!”
Even though the horse didn't have a head, it still neighed in response to Sasha's command.
It rushed forward with a red haze cover it and Sasha.
“En!”
Shui chanted and formed several hand signs.
“Zen Repulsion!”
A powerful wave of holy aura rushed forward.
*Boom!*
It quickly repel and destroyed everything in its path.
Sasha saw this wave that stretched for almost a km, rushed towards her.
The closer she got, the more pushing force she felt on her body.
She gripped the lance tighter and purple light stared gathering at the tip.
“[Hel Joust!]”
Sasha thrust the lance, and the howls of mournful ghost resounded as a purple light shot towards the holy aura.
*Boom!*
The purple light collided with the aura.
The aura and the light pushed against each other, desperate to show superiority.
*Crack!*
Finally after nearly a minute, cracks started appearing in the aura.
“Wha?!”
This shocked Shui.
He started chanting more mantras while channeling more holy aura to repel the light.
The cracks were quickly repaired, and the barrier of holy aura was strengthen by several folds.
It quickly started pushing Sasha away, intending to destroy her.
Seeing that, Sasha eyes turned purple and she activated [Dragon Rage].
*Boom!*
The purple light suddenly had an explosive increase in intensity.
*Boom!*
It slammed on the holy aura and immediately shattered it.
“Wha?!”
The purple light instantly devoured Shui.
*Boom!*
He was sent flying back with his body spraying blood through the air.
*Boom!*
His body broke through several buildings before stopping.
“Cough?!”
Blood flowed out of his mouth like a hose.
He stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth.
One attack was able to push him to such a miserable state.
“No, evil must be vanquish!”
He quickly made three hand signs, and amulet appeared before him.
He quickly grabbed the amulet and placed it against his chest.
*Boom!*
A burst of magic and holy aura was released from his body.
The chains on his shackles danced madly as Shui’s body shone a holy light.
The amulet burned through his clothes, and directly came in contact with his skin.
The skin soon started burning too as the amulet started merging into Shui's body.
The amulet didn't take long to disappear. The moment it did, Shui's body started overflowing with strength.
“This kid isn't bad. He can already create his own amulet. Even though his Buddhist magic is self-taught, it's already reached this stage in a mere 10 years.”
Alisa said, as she watched Shui.
“If I remember correctly, that Shui guy was a slave until recently, right?”
Said Christian.
“I'm surprise that you actually remembered. Does he interest you?”
Kouta said.
“Not really, but his magic does.”
Christian answered.
“Buddhist magic and arts aren't that popular outside of the Day Continent. That's where the Buddhist Alliance is stationed after all.”
The Buddhist Alliance was an alliance between the top Buddhist schools and organizations in the world.
They all practice and endorses Buddhist magic, which was a branch of Spiritual Magic Category like Shinto Magic, Taoist Magic, Onmyōdō Magic, and Shamanic Magic.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Well I'll admit that Buddhist magic has its strong points and appeal, but it's too stoical for my taste.”
Christian said.
“Well, the guy is pretty stoic. After Dario saved him from his life as a slave, he devoted his entire time learning magic so that he could repay him. And he chose one of the hardest magic too. He even chose to keep his shackles and chains to remind him of his past, and recognize his present and future. What was it that he said ‘Strong Faith is rewarded with great blessings’ or some shit like that."
Kouta said with a rather bored expression.
After the amulet merge with his body, Shui confidence returned and his determination and faith heighten.
He rushed towards Sasha with his chains moving like serpents.
Sasha used her aura to attack him from a far.
Shui's chains intercepted them, and he quickly cut the distance between him and Sasha.
Sasha thrust the lance and he thrust his fist.
*Boom!*
His fist collided with the lance point. but surprisingly came out unharmed.
Sasha pulled back her lance and thrust again.
This time Shui punch out with his other fist.
*Boom!*
Sasha pull back and thrust again.
*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*
The two quickly engaged in a high speed clash between lance and flesh.
Every time Sasha thrust out her lance, Shui would counter with his bare hands.
Sometimes he punched out, other times he would use palm strikes. He even used kicks.
Sasha wasn't able to force him back.
However, the same was true for Shui.
Not matter how much he tried to close in and attack Sasha directly, a lance thrust would stop him a few meters away from her.
Even with the amulet fused within his body, it would lead to a fatal injury if he recklessly advances.
The two were in a deadlock.
Or so it seem.
“Roar!”
Sasha's horse suddenly roared, and a dragon head rushed out of the severed neck wound and bit into Shui’s body.
“?!”
Even though the dragon's bite couldn't rip him in half because of the Buddhist amulet’s effects, it still bounded him for a few seconds.
In those few seconds, Sasha's lance changed into a purple and black lance with a dragon design; different from its old plain black appearance.
The howl of dead mixed with a dragon's roar as it pierce through the air and into Shui's body.
*Boom!*
A purple and black light exploded inside him and blew him back.
Sasha then made the horse rush forward and swung the lance like a sword.
*Boom!*
The lance slammed into Shui's head.
She then thrust the lance in rapid succession.
*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*
Shui's body jerked as the lance stabbed into his body.
Sasha suddenly leaped off the horse and thrust the lance with all of her strength.
The image of a half dead dragon appeared behind her, as the lance quickly sought out Shui's heart.
*BOOM!*
A powerful shockwave spread out after the lance collided with Shui's tough body.
The ground burst open, buildings leveled, and soldiers were blown away with broken bodies.
When the dust cleared, Shui was laying in a crater with his body soaked in blood.
At that moment, Celina was standing up in shock.
“She actually used [Dragon Rage] to modify [Hel Knight]?!”
[Hel Knight] was a technique where the Death Maidens of Niflheim use their death aura to materialize a suit of armor and weapon.
It was a technique that required a lot of skill. That's why Celina was surprised when Sasha used it.
But now she was completely speechless.
What Sasha did, was to use the same principle for [Hel Knight] with her [Dragon Rage] aura and created her own version of [Hel Knight].
This required an abnormal amount of talent in aura manipulation.
“I guess she's the daughter of those two after all. With parents like that, it would be strange for her not to be a genius as well.”
Celina said with a sigh.
“Cough! Cough!”
To everyone's surprise, Shui got to his feet after throwing up blood.
Even though there wasn't a huge hole in his body, his insides still got wrecked.
He could barely stand much less fight.
“….I can't lose against evil.”
He weakly said such a cliché line.
However, his eyes were burning with determination.
“I first need to calm my heart and empty my mind of any thoughts unnecessary for winning.”
Shui pulled some prayer beads from his sleeves, pushed them in front of him.
“[Heart Sūtra]!”
Hymns resounded through the area, as holy light devoured Shui’s figure.
When the light faded Shui's eyes were gold, and as calm as a benevolent Buddha.
His heavy breathing stopped and he looked completely relaxed without worry.
*Boom!*
He suddenly jumped back to avoid Sasha's lance.
He calmly landed on a broken post several meters away.
“It seems that you want to prevent me from using another ability. That's the reasonable action to take.”
*Boom!*
He dodged again and easily distanced himself.
With his current state of mind that was clear without distractions, avoiding Sasha's attacks weren't hard.
Especially now that she was tired.
“You're too late. Evil like you must be vanquished, so that Dario can rule in peace.”
He took the beads, and popped them and let them fall on the ground.
He then did some hand signs will chanting at an incredible speed.
“[Diamond Sūtra]!”
*Flash!*
The beads started radiating a blinding light as they floated off the ground.
Sasha attacked to prevent Shui from completely what he was doing, but it was no good.
There was a barrier that prevented her from reaching him.
The beaded necklace around Shui's neck started glowing as well, and the beads separated and rotating around him, while the prayer beads drew closer to him.
Just like the amulet, the prayer beads buried themselves into his flesh. After all the prayer beads entered his body, the necklace beads line up on top of each other.
A gold light pierced through the beads and connected them together. The beads then fuse with the light.
After a few dozen seconds the light faded away.
What stood there was a golden skinned Shui, holding a gold Buddhist staff. Behind him it looked like the sun was blooming like a flower.
The current Shui looked like a heavenly being.
“This kid actually is one step away from reaching the Perfection Of Wisdom. He's not even 50.”
Alisa spoke with surprise.
Shui looked down on Sasha like a heavenly Buddha, and began floating in the air.
“The Heart Sūtra that brings about emptiness, and the Diamond Sūtra that cuts through all illusions. These two powers together will eliminate you.”
He lifted his staff up, and swung it down.
*Boom!*
“Guh?!”
Even though she tried to escape it, the overwhelming power that came from Shui swing his staff was enough heavily damage Sasha.
Her armor was filled with cracks and her lance was bent up.
Shui showed no mercy and swung down his staff again.
*Boom!*
This time the force was three times the one from before.
Sasha's armor shattered, and the lance was instantly destroyed. Even her horse that was far away couldnt escape the overbearing power.
Sasha's body laid on the ground covered in bruises.
“Evil doer, your soul shall depart this world forever. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll enter the rebirth cycle and be born again.”
He pointed the staff head down at her.
“I hope you walk the righteous path, in your next life.”
“I'm sorry, but I love my children and husband in this one. So I can't afford to be reborn here!”
*Boom!*
A blast of cold air, like blizzard winds, burst from Sasha's body.
Shui's vision was obstructed by white snow.
He swung down his staff.
*BOOM!*
An overwhelming force fell upon the earth and blew away the blizzard.
When Shui could see again, everything in front of him was flatten. However Sasha was nowhere to be found.
He quickly looked around, but was unable to find her.
*Boom!*
“Guh?!”
He suddenly felt something pierce through him.
He looked down, and saw a white sickle through his chest.
Behind him snow gathered and molded into a human shape.
“[Blizzard Reaper]!”
*BOOM!*
Ice cold winds burst inside Shui's body.
The snow figure then kicked him off the sickle blade, that was actually a scythe.
Shui didn't fall, he simply distanced himself while placing his hand on his wound.
He looked around and saw the snow human mold into a girl.
It wore a pure white coat, held a pure white scythe, had pure white skin and hair, and had ice like blue eyes.
It was Sasha.
She was extremely beautiful like a snow fairy, but at the same time had the eerie feeling of a death god.
This was her [Blizzard Reaper] form. A technique she learned from her mother. She had become a snow death god.
“She even learnt that too?”
Celina was once again surprised. Naturally, what Sasha used this entire fight were techniques of her clan, but they were techniques normal clan members weren't able to use.
The fact that Sasha could prove her superiority.
Shui's wound silently healed as he stayed vigilant of Sasha.
Sasha spun her scythe while staring at him.
“I must say fighting hurts, but it's actually a bit fun.”
She said.
Shui frowned.
“Fighting isn't something one does for fun. It's something one does for their survival. Only evil doers fight for the fun of it.”
“Is that so? Well, my father is a Demon God, my mother is an assassin, and my brother is a psychopath.”
Sasha shrugged.
“So me being considered evil is pretty normal I guess.”
“Hmph, then die!”
Shui suddenly rushed forward and swung his staff.
“No, thank you!”
She met his staff with her scythe.
*BOOM!*
She pulled back and swung her scythe to cut Shui in two.
Shui turned into a beam of light and disappeared.
He reappeared behind Sasha and swung down his staff.
*BOOM!*
The staff split Sasha in two.
“?!”
However, Sasha's body suddenly turned into snowy winds.
*BOOM!*
She reappeared and slashed him from behind with the scythe.
His blood sprayed for a second before completely freezing.
Insufferable cold enter his body and attacked his organs.
Shui tried to distance himself from her, but blizzard winds swirled around him and blocked his path.
“Move!”
*BOOM!*
He smashed the staff against the wall of winds and created an entrance.
He quickly flew out.
*BOOM!*
“Guh?!”
However, he was hit with two icicles that pierced right through him.
He used a chop and broke them.
More cold assaulted his body.
He could feel the effects of his Heart Sūtra fading, as he was entering a state of panic.
“Evil begone!”
*BOOM!*
A burst of holy light came from his body and blew away the blizzard.
The winds then formed Sasha's body again.
“You will die now, even if we have to die together!”
Red cracks started appearing over his entire body, releasing a blood colored holy light.
Shui released an agonizing howl like a dying beast.
His staff returned to beads, and then shattered.
The shattered beads then entered his body through the cracks.
*BOOM!*
His body burst into flames and his skin shattered like it was an outer-shell.
What was left was a blood-colored flame in the shape of a man.
“[Zen Destruction]!”
The flames rushed towards Sasha while burning everything away, rather it be on land or air.
The flames were like a death comet trying to destroy the world.
The scorching heat greatly affecting Sasha, who was like snow itself.
She felt extremely weak.
She gripped the scythe and gritted her teeth.
Black mist started leaking from her snow-like body.
The mist quickly tainted her white appearance and turned it black.
Sasha had turned into black snow.
Black winds accompanied by the mournful howls of them dead swirl around the scythe.
“Die with you? Dream on! I have a family to return to! If you want to go to hell then go by yourself!”
She swung down her scythe.
“[Black Blizzard Cutter]!”
*BOOM!*
A gigantic wave of black snow winds rushed out towards the fire.
The black blizzard took the shape of a ghastly woman with a crying face.
“Die!”
The flames in the shape of Shui roared madly.
The woman and Shui collided.
*BOOM!*
A huge explosion of heat and cold spread out.
A pillar of blood-colored flames and black winds with the faces of the dead, shot up towards the sky.
Ghastly howls resounded as the pillar slowly dissipate.
Only thing that was left was Sasha, who had returned to her normal appearance.
She was breathing heavily with a pale face.
Not far away, was Shui whose entire body was black like coal.
He had several cracks in his body.
“…..Dario….I'm sorry.”
His body then turned into dust, and blew away in the wind.
All that was left was a single prayer bead.
Sasha walked over and picked it up.
“….I'll keep this in memory of my first kill.”
She then turned her back to the spot Shui spent his last moments.
“It was fun, monk. Return the cycle of life in peace.”