Part 6:
I finally reached Tenebris, and now I can finally get some answers.
And yet to all my displeasure he looked like he had no intention of speaking.
"What the hell man? I demand answers, not another damn fight!"
"Despite what you say you want to fight don't you."
"I also want answers!"
"Defeat me and you'll have them."
I responded with an intense glare.
"..........Fine I'll give you some."
He responded with a tired sigh.
"Haven't you wondered why all your previous adversaries had such a limited amount of power? It's because all of our powers that you already acquired are unavailable to us. An example would be Ignis's and my dragon forms. But be warned you unlocked most of Ignis's powers not mine."
Meaning this old geezer had most of his arsenal still with him. Now that I think back I haven't used anything related to him at all, I barely used the darkness element as well.
Tenebris changed back to untalkative mood and adopted a combat stance. His limbs were already in a partially transformed state.
Truly a dragon, despite how wise they are they can never deny their warlike nature.
I also adopted a combat stance and could feel my blood boiling in excitement. I guess I truly do have dragon blood running in my veins.
"[Takemikazuchi form 3]!"
[Takemikazuchi form 3] gave me the power of divine lightning. My body was enhanced with that power, adding that power to my strength. Along with that was a power centered divine lightning avatar.
I exchanged speed for as much firepower as possible. I vaguely remember that his scales were ranked first in toughness and were very hard to destroy, even with [Tsumi].
Neither of made a move, we were probing each other's defences while waiting for the perfect chance of landing a fatal attack. In a battle of wits the first move is the most dangerous but the most effective. In a battle between two high level combatants the first move could decide the entire fight.
Thus I was making a first move a big one. Through a huge amount of intricate planning, I had come with best method to deal with Tenebris. And that was using my entire arsenal for victory.
Tenebris too must have made planned countermeasure against every power I revealed so far. Everything I used before was useless in this battle. Four avatars have already been used. I suspected that they already knew about the two I used against the nephiliam. Meaning I had less than eight avatars left, and three of them are highly unstable. Sadly those three are the most powerful. Leaving only five avatars left.
"Time alter: triple accel."
Activating magic to speed up time for myself I rapidly began chanting my spells.
"Bring the raging winds of the heavens down upon the earth, descending wrath of the heavens scourge the land. You are the blade of the gods, the evil slaying wind. A raging wind that no armor can withstand, that no fortress can endure. You are the silent death that prowls the land in search of sinners, sacrificing them to the gods to further strengthen your blade. You are the invisible death that can cut apart anyone, anywhere. The invincible wind that cuts apart both life and death, the denier of immortality. Manifest malevolent winds that slay all. Divine evil slaying blade storm of omnipotent winds."
Before the avatar could appear I already started chanting for my second spell.
"Freezing winds of the north, burning winds of the south, fierce winds f the east, barbaric winds of the west gather here. Embodiment of calamity, create the storm that even gods will fear. Wield the power of nature wrath. Making hurricanes, tornadoes and cyclones look mild, conjure the storm that shake the heavens and sunder the earth. Natural Calamity enchantment!"
And that was not enough. How could it be? M enemy was a dragon god, and he has the power to destroy the world at the end of time. Simply draining all of my mana on a big magical attack was nowhere near enough.
That is my I took this big risk. Recklessness, curiosity and the desire for victory fueled me as I began my final incantation.
"Peering down from the heavens above, in your glorious castle you watch over the world. O' wielder of divine power, exercise your authority on this world. Let your divine might color the night white. Let your fallen power color the sun black. As the true master of the heavens above exercise your right smite all sinners with the true light of the heavens. As the god of the angels command all light. Reveal the power to control corruption and purification. As the king of the fallen angels you hold power over all corrupt magic. As the avatar of justice you bring forth brilliance to the land, taking all sins onto yourself. Benevolent Divine king of the fallen heavens!"
I coughed up a lot of blood as my magic completed, a large amount of my life force was used in exchange for my mana. But it was done.
Three large magic circles erupted across the sky, encompassing the heavens, stretching farther than the eyes could see. Two magic circles overlapped each other and each of them was both overly complex and unique.
A massive amount of gale force winds surged overhead but before they could fully form a massive blinding surge of light stole both mine and Tenebris's vision.
Descending from the heavens above as massive angel like being, the only difference being the eight red wings with white lines running through them. Donned in lustrous silver armor, wielding an equally lustrous silver spear with blood red blade. Through the silts in the helmet, a pair of golden eyes could be seen.
On the ground below it the gale force winds gathered together and made a giant hawk that stood over three meters high. The feathers on its head were fiery red like a burning crown. Its body was covered in dark purple feathers. The beaks and claws it had given off an extremely dangerous feeling. An eerie black aura was emitted from the hawk.
Tenebris did not just stay idle despite using time alter he was moving just as fast. From his body burst a mountain sized dragon like apparition. A large quantity of mana was gathering in its mouth. In his hands was a dark sphere that also had a continuous amount of mana being poured into it.
So he also had something prepared as well.
"Kurogane Shōmatsu ryu: Garuda devastation."
I entered a stance where I held my sword parallel to my sword, all the bones in my arm made a strange creaking noise as my muscles all bulged abnormally. All the veins in my arms were throbbing violently as well. Just as it reached the point of collapse I released it.
A huge trail of destruction burst forward. As it neared Tenebris he acted.
He fired the orb forming in his arms to intercept my slash, while simultaneously having the dragon apparition fire it breath at me.
"Intercept it."
Both of my avatars immediately acted. The light avatar readied its spear and fired a large beam of light at the dragon's breath. The wind avatar gathered a tornado of wind blades under its command and fired the barrage at the breath attack.
All of our attacks were equal in might, resulting in a massive explosion on the sky and ground. The land between me and Tenebris was reduced into a crater.
"Kurogane Shōmatsu ryu: Rakshasa fangs."
In an instant I appeared behind Tenebris and swung my sword that began morphing into his back. The blade seemed to have turned into a numerous claws as they neared his back.
"Don't underestimate me!"
With the slightest movement I dodged while turning to face him.
"I could say the same!"
"Wha...?!"
Impaling his back was a lustrous silver spear that was brimming with holy light. Utilizing that chance my sword struck his chest, digging into it. Blood began to drain from his body just as the heavenly sword of wind struck him head on.
I leapt back along with my avatars and fired off another slash at him, along with a beam of light and a barrage of wind blades.
Tenebris didn't take this laying down. Wrapping himself in a strange intangible darkness he warded off our attacks, and charged at us with unbelievable speed and power. He surpassed me in every category, and I had to use everything to resist.
Entering the divine lightning avatar mode could equally trade blows with using my skills beyond max power. My Light avatar joined the fray as well, tanking his attacks with its tower shield. Its spear was used to limit Tenebris's movements. My wind avatar took the role of ranged attacker. Gather up various winds it attacked with barrages of heavy wind blades, with majority of them carrying purifying qualities. Light based attacks slightly corroded his defences.
His scales were harder than before but with our coordinated attacks we began breaking through inflicting wounds all over his body. My avatars and are also had several injuries but they were all minor. Yet the situation was reversed in an instant when Tenebris's claw nearly took my head. Large claw marks were left on my face.
"YOU!!!!"
He roared angrily as he saw ''it'', my terrible secret. His voice carried enough force to push me and avatars back several meters.
"I see.... so that was why Superbia acted like that...."
In an instant his calm was restored and he began analyzing my condition. His faced said that he was going to lecture after this fight, whether I won or not.
I took this as a chance and signalled my avatars to use their ultimates.
Above the avatar of light shone a blinding magic circle, above the avatar of wind was a magic circle that stretched across the entirety of the skies above.
Gathered around the light avatar's spear was a rampaging golden light. IT endlessly twisted and turned until it formed a dragon like figure. The avatars body was also wrapped in a golden light with a blood red outline.
The wind avatar was summoning a storm. With it in the epicenter a large amount of clouds blocked out the sun. Covering the entire sky except the area directly above the avatar. A massive tornado was forming, holding inside it a near unlimited amount of blades.
First went the light avatar. With suicidal abandon it charged at the distracted Tenebris with astounding speed. Its body blinked just when it entered his range, warping into his blind spot. Gripping the spear with two hands it launched a flurry of attacks on his unguarded body. The light only grew stronger them ore it corroded his defence. Each strike became more powerful than the last and Tenebris suffered twice the damage due to his weakening defences. Tenebris counterattacked at every opportunity he got but the avatar paid no heed to it as it continued attacking. Just as Tenebris's defences were completely nullified his arm pierced the avatars chest. Ignoring the fatal wound, with the light on its spear reach the apex, the avatar using all of its force stabbed Tenebris through the chest. A powerful explosion of light resounded throughout Tenebris's body, as the avatar faded to nothingness.
Leaving no interval to rest the wind avatar made its move.
The instant the light avatar was destroyed a large tornado engulfed Tenebris. From all direction wind blades assaulted Tenebris. Each them were over three meters long and really heavy. Along with blades came a heavy wind pressure that threatened to crush him. The winds blades slowly transformed into arrows and spears barraging him from sides, and sticking into his wounds. As the spears and arrows continued, hammers and maces were added in. Soon a huge variety of weapons of all kinds assaulted Tenebris. Drawing on the power of nature the winds grew stronger and stronger, to the point that they devastated the land all around. The ever increasing speeds sucked out all the air around Tenebris. Tenebris was thrown upwards, just as he reached the clouds an unbelievably heavy pressure sent him crashing back to the ground. After that the wind avatar charged at Tenebris, slamming into him full force and self detonating. Claws and beaks ripped into Tenebris, along with a massive explosion. The explosion ripped apart everything around it, widening and deepening the previously created crater.
I nearly fell down from exhaustion and over using my mana and life force. Clenching my teeth I held on, I really can't do something like this again. I nearly lost my life back there despite not being hit fatally once.
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It took quite a while for me to regain my senses, entering a calmer state of mind. The next battle would be twice as hard, considering that this was only the opening move.
It was time to go back to the basics, no magic, no ki, and no hybrid techniques. It was only pure use of the kurogane Shōmatsu ryu from now on. Besides it's not like I could do anything else anyway.
Tenebris also climbed out from the crater, ready to battle. He was covered in cuts, bruises, puncture wounds, a series of severe burns, and a gaping hole in his chest. In several places his skin was shredded to the point that the bone could be seen, mostly around the ribs and arms. Almost all of the scales on his body were torn apart and he was bleeding profusely.
What caught my interest more than his injuries was that strange shadow he cast. It was that of a gigantic dragon, and was surrounded with an eerie aura.
Dark specks were flying up from his shadow. The specks attached themselves to his body, slowly forming a dragonoid shape. The darkness formed a layer about half a meter thick, it solidified giving the impression that it was extremely difficult to destroy.
Tenebris was in a state similar to I was and despite being more injured then me he seemed even harder to defeat than before. I guess the true fight starts now.
"Kurogane Shōmatsu ryu: Final ultimate technique: Chaos avatar seal release!"
Snapping sounds burst from body, the sound of every bone in my body snapping could be heard. This was followed by the sound of tearing skin and muscles. Blood burst from every open wound I had, blood that was mixed with a strange black liquid.
A massive physical change overtook my body.
My height somewhat increased, leaving me standing at two meters tall. My hair grew to the point it was waist length. Countless horrifying scars were etched across my body, to the point the scars did not seem humanly possible to survive those wounds. My right eye was shining bright gold, while my left eye was burning black with a blood red iris. My skin had changed into a strange scale like texture and look.
[Tsumi] also was overcome with a rapid change. The blade grew to the length of three meters, the blade grew to about thirty centimeters thick. The black aura around the sword darkened and now had traces of red going through it, while the rest of it shone even brighter than before, giving the mixed image of a divine sword and a demonic one. The hilt of the sword transformed into a dragons head and was encrusted with unknown gems and jewels.
My tired and battered body was flushed with a sense of omnipotence. All my injuries and depleted resources were healed. I was restored beyond my limit and was bursting with power, so much power that it had a limited time of activation. So far, despite all of my training, this form lasts five minutes. Not a second less nor a second more.
Neither Tenebris nor I asked about the others change, we simply raised our respective weapons and charged.
The sound of clanging metal resounded throughout the area as we moved at speeds faster than the eye could capture, leaving behind several hundreds of afterimages.
My body was coated with divine lightning at an output on different scale from earlier, the same could be seen with Tenebris as he was coated it in a shroud of darkness over his exoskeleton like transformation.
"Bring forth the sinner to sacrifice before the lord. Drain him of his blood as you rip him apart, piece by piece. Bleed him of his soul, and annihilate his existence! Divine Sin Execution!"
[Tsumi's] melodious voice rang out in a more mature and icy tone from before, her change was affected by mine.
[Tsumi] disappeared from my hand. She manifested in the air a hundred meters above Tenebris. She immediately grew to the size of hundred meters long and was surrounded by meteor sized red stars.
"Exterminate him!"
At her cry the meteors fired at Tenebris with blinding speed!
He swiftly jumped to the side barely evading the meteors before impact but [Tsumi] wouldn't allow it.
With just her angry intentions the meteors teleported above Tenebris, leaving him no time or space to dodge. As the explosion bombarded him none stop the giant sword shot out, piercing his chest as if cutting butter with a hot knife.
The giant sword pinned him the ground and the aura it emitted acted as corrosive acid, burning through his flesh. He roared in pain as they meteors continued dropping.
"Kurogane Shōmatsu ryu: white tigers divine palm strike!"
Jumping through the flames I struck his heart with my palm strike with enough force to send him flying, which split him in half as he was still pinned by the massive sword in his chest.
Tenebris lay on the brink of death as I prepared my ultimate and final attack.
"Kurogane Shōmatsu ryu:......"
I took a deep breath as [Tsumi] reappeared in my hand and a pale white aura that came out from my body wrapped around it.
"......DIVINE LIBERATION OF THE MONSTER GOD OF CHAOS!!!"
A pitch black light mixed with blood red streaks descended from beyond the heavens above, and engulfed me. A swarm of power burst with such brilliance it split apart the sky above.
The bustling energy formed a blade that reached beyond the heavens above. Gathering together all the strength in my body, I unleashed it upon Tenebris.
The force destroyed the entire world around us as it crashed down on the defenceless Tenebris. The world collapsed around us a devouring darkness exploded in every direction, it was the same darkness as the one I used in my death.
Along with the total destruction of the
Part 6.5:
I dropped to the floor in less than a second after Tenebris was killed. I had absolutely no energy left to even attempt to heal anymore.
The only thing keeping me awake was the warm energy that flowed out from [Tsumi]. She still didn't let out a word but I could tell she was worried.
I used the slight amount of energy I built up to begin the healing process, which [Tsumi] happily supported as she released another strand of energy.
Just as I was able to hold my consciousness and able think rationally Tenebris appeared. He had a smug, content look on his face.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!"
He burst in laughter when he saw my sorry state.
"As expected of my successor! Winning a death match with one as exalted as my life will not come without a price. Nonetheless you did very well!"
He laughed loudly some more before finally calming down.
"I will entrust you with three important things. First of course is my legacy. In the shrine of the black dragon god you will find my teachings and the secrets of my powers. It will teach you how to use and learn about your newly acquired powers and possibly awaken an [Authority].
Second is a mission I am entrusting to you. Which is the evaluation of the current king of the black dragon tribe. Using your own standards I want you to judge if he is good enough to rule over my tribe, if not destroy him. I leave the judgement to you.
And finally I want to deal with your unique 'condition'. It was something that greatly interested me during my lifetime and I have found a way to control it. Though I suspect you found it as well."
I simply nodded in understanding. But this old man was really cunning. He clearly gave me that mission so I could find his legacy first. The black dragon king's is really close by my current location and it is also the most likely location to find the shrine or concrete information about it. With that simple request he placed himself at the top of the list.
"May I ask what your suppressant is? The previous cases I knew about used gold, weapons and bloodshed."
It's only natural for him to wonder about that, after all only a very few handful of people in history should have been able to commit the ultimate taboo, and received this stigma.
"..........Women."
I answered after a long pause. I decided to tell him since he could offer me further insight.
"What a peculiar suppressant. It's the first case where a living being can be used as a suppressant. Also I suspect that there is more to it than that or does simply any woman do?"
He didn't even let me deny or confirm the before he continued.
"If my hunch is right you have to fall in love right? But that contradicts every previous case where one suppressant was not enough. So you have to fall in love with multiple woman right? Expanding that thought means that your condition may be the most dangerous of them all..."
He entered a period of silence as he thought rapidly.
"My advice would to travel the world, seek out adventure and power. Woman will flock to you and hopefully you'll fall in love, though you seem to be rather picky in that area. Never let go of those you love or you will face your doom but be careful. The effects of a betrayal would be catastrophic."
I tool his advice to heart despite that being one of my original objectives.
"Regarding all of this I can't but help to wonder what your end game is? I know that you came to this world without your consent but your actions show that you have a goal you wished to achieve."
He asked a really vital question, a question I would normally have no intention of answering.
"Answer me first and we have a deal."
"Fine. The reason we tested you is to see if you are worthy of inheriting our powers and become a new existence that will shake this world to its core. To see if you could carry our legacies, wishes and regrets on your back. With each of you victories you've been given the power of the one you defeated but it will depend on you if you can fully unlock them. You have handed the mission to fulfill our wishes, and forced onto a perilous path filled with bloodshed and treachery. We wanted to see if you could stay true to your path while you carry our legacies with you."
"I understand, though I fought for intention of getting answers it would be more fun to found out by myself. It was a fun battle and I'll never forget it."
"Haha of course you won't, no one carrying dragon blood would! But I have something else to tell you as well. Be very careful in heaven and hell. Ira and Vas have given you their blessings, a thing that will bring out the ire of many angels and devils."
We talked about a few other minor topics before Tenebris began to fade away.
"It seems my time has arrived."
He said solemnly.
There was no hint of regret in his eyes, he calmly accepted his second death.
"My goal......"
I began to speak just as was completely gone.
"..........In about a decade the dimensional door in the
I kept my rampaging emotions in check as various memories ran past my mind.
"..........And I will finish my war and have my revenge!"
I said in a voice seething with rage.
Tenebris cracked a ferocious smile, with bloodlust filling his eyes in response.
"Teach those fools who dare to oppose you the wrath of the dragons!"
He roared as he vanished. His last words embodied his savage nature as a dragon. A nature that he has now passed down to me.
In mere moments after Tenebris's departure the world around me collapsed and I was hit by the sensation of waking up.