The Void Blade’s sinister aura wrapped around his hand and slithered up his arm. He tightened his grip around the soft yet firm handle. ‘It won’t hurt me,’ the thought calmed his rapid heartbeat. The blade, a twisted and wicked creation seemingly forged in the depths of darkness, hummed with a malevolent energy that sent shivers down his spine.
As he raised the Void Blade, its obsidian edge glinted with a hint of otherworldly light, casting an eerie glow on his face. He studied the blade for a moment, mesmerized by its sinister beauty. The body of the sword, adorned with intricate patterns of a serpent that appeared to writhe and shift, seemed to beckon to him, urging him to embrace the power it offered.
[…Theo…dore?]
The gentle, shrill voice of a boy echoed inside Theodore's mind, rising to a higher pitch at the end of his sentence. It carried a child-like tone, unmistakably that of a young boy. Theodore's eyes widened in surprise, never expecting that the eerie power of a god-slaying sword would belong to a mere child. “…Can I hold you?”
[…Okay.]
Theodore let out a shaky breath, relieved that the sword allowed him to wield it. He swung the blade experimentally, testing its weight and balance. It moved through the air with an unnatural swiftness, giving off an almost ethereal grace. He felt a surge of emotions through him: a heady mix of fear and exhilaration. ‘Haha…’ he didn’t realize that he was laughing, the sword felt oddly…fitting, resting within his grip.
The Void Blade's aura seemed to intensify, swirling around him like a dark mist as if responding to his every move. He could feel its ominous energy coursing through him, empowering him with a newfound strength, but a small voice in the back of his mind whispered warnings: ‘Don’t lose yourself to its power’.
“Ah!” Theodore staggered backwards, sharply exclaiming with surprise. He looked at Osiris and Thoth, and their expressions spoke of nothing but pure awe. The fear and worry that had gripped them earlier had disappeared entirely, replaced by wonder. Theodore took this as a good sign, and a smile crept up his lips. His eyes went down to the Void Blade as he declared with newfound confidence. “Well, it's mine now."
“Yes…Yes it is,” Osiris nodded, responding to his aplomb with a bright smile of his own. “Do take a little more time to get used to its powers. The Void Blade seemed to have gained sentience…it might or might not aid you in your battles.”
Theodore held the blade closer, his eyes tracing along the scale patterns running down its body. With a gentle smile, he spoke to it, his voice calm and soft, as if he was trying to lull a baby. It most likely hasn’t been long since it’d gained is ego, he needed to be careful with how he behaves with it. “You remember Ra, right? I’ll be needing you to get rid of him, so please help me out, okay?”
[…Okay. Ra is bad. I still remember him.]
“Great! Thank you…Void? No, can I call you Ian?”
[I…Ian…] the sword seemed to be giving it a thought. He didn’t keep his silence for long though and gave a shudder within Theodore’s hand — a nod of approval. [Okay! I like Ian!]
Giving a god slaying sword such a generic name might seem odd, Theodore realized that, but he saw the Void Blade as more of a person rather than an object. As he held the sword, there was a slight tingly feeling that he couldn’t exactly wrap his thoughts around — a feeling of connection would be the best way to describe it like the weapon had something familiar hidden within its mysterious yet uncanny aura.
“Glad you liked it, ‘Ian’ has the same meaning as my name: Theodore.”
[Brothers…We are brothers!]
Theodore went quiet at Ian’s sudden outburst, the sword kept repeating his words to fill in his silence. A chuckle escaped his lips as he replied with an amused tone. “Ha, I guess we are technically brothers.”
[Yay!] Theodore felt the sword quivering against his palm, the delight practically overflowing from its form. [Ian will help! Ian wants to help big brother!]
Theodore let out a brittle chuckle. He had no idea how to feel about a weapon as old as the gods referring to him as ‘Big Brother’, though surprisingly, it also made him happy. ‘A little brother, huh?’ The thought had never really crossed his mind until that moment, perhaps his childhood could’ve been more fun with a younger rascal around to add more spice to his otherwise dull life. “Okay, okay…how about you tell me what you can do first?”
[Ian can do lots of things!] the sword shook again. [I can ignore the rules of space-time and open up portals. I can also create a lawless space where even the divine rules don’t function inside!]
Theodore’s eyes widened. Lawless space? His head snapped towards the two gods behind him, and their expressions were the same as his: they were in total disbelief. Osiris shook his head as his gaze met with Theo’s, the words that he spoke were filled with stupor. “I did not know it could do that either. The Void Sword’s initial ability was killing gods with absolute certainty — to the point that not even the Cycle could save them.”
[Ian can still do that!] The little boy’s voice was filled with hubris. Theodore imagined a small child puffing up his chest as he spoke. [Brother Theo has the Executioner’s title, right? Please use its authority with mine.]
“Hm? What will it do?”
[Just do it!]
The brows on Theodore’s face made a noticeable arch downwards. Ian was truly acting like a child — he didn’t know how to feel about that. ‘Maybe it is better than him being an evil entity,’ He let out a sigh and used Executioner’s Will. An aura of divinity rushed up the Void Blade’s body, clashing against its dark and ominous air. Like oil and water, Theodore thought they would stay separated and distinct until suddenly the skill’s ambience began to change.
No, ‘change’ wasn’t the correct word to describe what was happening — It was as if the Void Blade’s power was eating away at the divine power, replacing it slowly like stirring the water and oil into one. Theodore and the two gods watched in awe, though a mixture of anticipation and primal fear could be seen within their eyes. Is this what it’s like to be consumed by the god killing sword? A whisper of a thought was enough to make them shiver, feeling lucky that they weren’t the one at the other end of that blade.
‘VVOooOm.’
[Hello child,] Ouroboros’ voice greeted in his usual deep yet casual tone. Ian seemed to have tapped deeper into Theodore’s powers more than he should have and the Symbol of Eternity had to reveal himself. From his body, an aura of smoke-like darkness rose, and exerted an air of authority as great as the King of the Dead himself. [This is not your playground, I suggest that you back off.]
“Ouroboros.” Theodore warned, he trusted Ian — perhaps an idiotic decision to make as they’d only just met, but despite his inner instincts screaming at him to be wary, he didn’t feel necessarily threatened.
[…I shall be watching, child. Your mother is very strict with all her creations.] The aura of Ouroboros retreated back into nothingness, allowing the Void Blade’s power to take reign once again.
[Please don’t be scared, big brother.] Ian’s small voice quivered. His fearful tone made Theodore’s chest contract. Was the child afraid? He hadn’t said anything back to Ouroboros at all despite clearly being cautioned — an unusual behavior for deities, as they’re all prideful and disliked being told off by other gods. [I, I won’t do anything to hurt you, I’m almost done now!]
As Ian finished speaking, a series of the System’s notifications popped up in front of Theodore. He jerked his head back with round eyes and watched messages upon messages appear one by one. He would’ve thought Ian caused the System to malfunction if not for the contents of the reports.
[‘The Weapon of Chaos’ has tapped into the power of ‘Executioner’s Will’.]
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
[‘The Sky of the Gods’ greets the ‘Weapon of Chaos’ and allows it to enter the Demon God of Eternity’s ‘Divine Arsenal’.]
[‘The Weapon of Chaos’ will be combined with the ‘Executioner’s Will’.]
[The Demon God of Eternity’s registered ‘Divine Weapon’ is now the ‘Outlaw’s Favor’.]
[The ‘Executioner’s Will’ and its effects will be consumed by the ‘Outlaw’s Favor’.]
[The Executioner’s Will’s information has been updated. Would you like to view the updated window?]
< [Combination with Executioner’s Will] Rank: SS+ Origin: Serpent God of Chaos. Type: Longsword. Stats: [+500 Magic] [+1000 Attack] [+200% Mana Recovery] [+300 Intelligence] Passive Skills: [Primordial Fear] [Spacial Rend] [Divine Outlaw] Skills: [Execute] [Lawless World] Description: A weapon created by the turmoil-driven Serpent God of Chaos, Apophis. Its blade constantly gives off the aura of death — one strong enough that even the immortal gods had to fear. It’s more commonly dubbed the ‘Void Blade’, as being cut by its dark edges can cause pain like none other: an indescribable sensation only recognized by the feeling of one’s flesh slowly disappearing into nothingness. Now the Outlaw’s Favor, its new name sends shivers down every gods’ spine — Favor? Perhaps it reflected off of the sword’s childish ego, but the only favor this weapon will give is the painless death of getting entirely erased out of existence.>> < Rank: S+ Origin: Divine Weapon ‘Outlaw’s Favor’ Type: Debuff Cooldown: None. Description: The Outlaw’s Favor is the embodiment of godly fear. Why would an immortal ever cower in the face of death? Only when one’s demise meant their entire being’s erasure. When faced with beings classified under the ‘Divine’, the Outlaw’s Favor will exert 10% more power, including the increase of its other skills’ strength.>> < Rank: S Origin: Divine Weapon ‘Outlaw’s Favor’ Type: Damage. Cooldown: None. Description: This weapon doesn’t follow the natural rules of the universe, as such, any and all space cannot hold it down. Shields and defensive skills lower than its weapon rank cannot block the attacks from Outlaw’s Favor.>> < Rank: SS+ Origin: Divine Weapon ‘Outlaw’s Favor’ Type: ??? Cooldown: 1,000 Years. Description: The Blade was born to be lawless, and no such thing as the shackles of the divine can rear it in place. The Outlaw’s Favor shares its strength with the Demon God of Eternity, and the Divine Rules promises to turn its back on the god’s action once per a thousand years.>> < Rank: S+ Origin: Divine Weapon ‘Outlaw’s Favor’ Type: Damage. Buff. Cooldown: 30 Minutes. Description: If an enemy’s Hit Points has fallen below 30%, activating this ability will temporarily increase all damage dealt by [Executioner’s Will] by 300% for 1 Minute. If the enemy’s Hit Points are below 15%, the next attack has a 100% chance to activate [Instant Kill] which will ignore all forms of damage-reducing buffs and shields.>> < Rank: SS Origin: Divine Weapon ‘Outlaw’s Favor’ Type: ??? Cooldown: 1 Week. Description: The Outlaw’s Favor consumes the universe’s chaotic force and creates a space without rules, in this dimension, the Demon God of Eternity becomes its Divine Rules — revolving entirely around his wishes. Be warned, however, as this space is not omnipotent and the limit depends on the amount of chaotic energy the sword uses.>> Theodore blinked and dismissed all of the notifications and panels with a wave of his empty hand. His wide eyes spoke clear of his awe and the two gods watching him noticed it as well. Thoth tilted his head as he carefully spoke. “…What did it do?” The Void Blade’s aura slowly dissipated, retreating back into the sword’s body. An unknowing smile appeared on Theodore’s lips. Who wouldn’t be happy after seeing those skills? He looked at the bird-headed god and answered. “Ian gave us a ticket to victory.” [It won’t be easy, of course.] Ouroboros’ thoughts resurfaced, his voice tinged with doubt. [Ian, what is the limit of your Lawless World?] […I, I—My strength now allows me to cover at least one fourth of the human realm in Lawless Space…though I don’t think I can shift reality permanently…] [Can you break the divine rules there?] [That, that will use up the ‘Divine Outlaw’ skill, my form now is severely weakened due to lack of chaotic energy for the past eons…so brother Theodore only has one chance for now…] Ian tried to cover up his shaking voice, though to no avail. The sword paused for a moment to gather his thoughts and eventually spoke in a more confident tone. [But! I can temporarily increase the limit of divinity on the human world! This means big brother can descend using his true form!] [Theodore can already do that with his title as the Executioner.] [Eek!] The Void Blade shook violently in Theodore’s hand. He hurriedly gave the child a gentle pat against his blunt side, eye brows tying into a knot and the corner of his mouth pulled downwards. “Ouroboros, stop scaring him.” [That was not my intention…] Ouroboros’ tone returned to its natural gentleness. [Ian, my apologies, I was simply wishing the best for Theodore.] [I—It’s okay…] Ian managed to steady his voice and his body stopped quivering. [My Lawless Space can be used with multiple deities, though. However, I’ll have to reduce the skill’s radius to balance out the energy that it uses.] “So other gods can break the divine rule in the skill too?” [O, Only if I allow them to use my Lawless Space!] Ian seemed to have noticed the slight doubt in Theodore’s voice. The boy truly didn’t want to disappoint his newly met brother. [I…Am I useless?] “No!” Theodore answered immediately, eyes turning wide with shock. Useless? How could Ian think that? He frantically shook his head. “You’re very useful, Ian—No, you’re the most useful weapon I’ve ever gotten in my entire life.” […Really?] “Yes, and you’re not just useful because you’re a sword either.” Theodore softened his grip around the handle. “You’re a sentient being now. You have emotions and can think for yourself. After this battle, I’ll find a way to give you a physical body, that way you can find other purposes in life.” [A body?] Ian’s voice seemed to light up instantly. [Does that mean I can play with you?] Theodore nodded, a smile found itself on his lips yet again. “Yes, I can take you to places and show you what it’s like to live.” [Yay!] Ian’s lean, steely body managed to shake Theodore’s entire arm with it, but this time the sword was clearly ecstatic. [Let’s go, let’s go! I wanna play with my big brother already!] “Patience, child.” Osiris chuckled, letting his once faded presence known. His eyes went from the Void Blade and met with Theodore’s, his lips returning to its neutral shape. “Theodore, I’m afraid it might take a bit of time for me to open the gateway for you.” Theodore bit his lips, eyebrows arching to the center of his forehead. “…But you can still open the portal, right?” ‘Yes, Ra’s powers seem to have strengthened more than before, so it’s going to take quite a bit of effort,” Before Theodore could speak, Osiris gave a reassuring smile. “Need not worry though, you can still use the Underworld’s path just fine.” Sighing, Theodore sat down on the floor. He sheathed the Void Blade into the empty scabbard strapped to his side, the Executioner’s Will had disappeared after being consumed by Ian. “Alright, I’ll try something in the meantime.” “Something?” Thoth blinked. “Something called…’Divine Revelation’.” Theodore didn’t wait for the gods to speak and closed his eyes, allowing his consciousness to drift elsewhere far, far away from Duat. The surrounding voices faded away the longer time passed until eventually he was completely engulfed in absolute stillness. He wouldn’t have known how to do this without Apophis’ transferred knowledge, and there was a slight risk of inexperienced gods losing themselves within the scape of the mind, but he was confident that he could pull this off easily. … [—owe the serpent a large debt. We will assist you, his friend, as much as we can with our authorities.] Hermes’ voice? Theodore opened his eyes and the images spread out in front of his vision like pouring paint over an empty, black canvas. He watched a familia scene of mayhem from a bird’s eye view not too far away from his intended target: Merlin Everhart. When using Divine Revelation, the mortal’s thoughts are accelerated to the extreme, which can make it seem like time came to a standstill in their eyes. Theodore could look around freely though, and the surrounding chaos made his brows furrowed deeply. [—It’s going to be limiting, however.] Athena’s voice rang out. [Ra is already putting a major stress on this realm’s limit. If we were to exert as much power as him, we would tear it apart.] ‘Ah!’ Theodore might or might not have been grinning from ear to ear. An idea suddenly popped up in his thoughts and sparked a solid strategy for today’s last and final war. He quickly spoke, letting his presence be known. [You don’t have to worry about that, Athena.] “Theodore, you’re here!” Merlin’s excited voice got Theodore to smile, glad that his friend was still alive and well enough to exert that much joy in his tone. [Not yet, I’ll be there shortly, but for the time being…Here’s the plan.] Theodore paused for a bit. [Olympians, I have a way for you to use your powers without needing to worry about the human realm’s limits.] [Really?] Hermes was clearly surprised. […Let’s hear it then, snake god.] Athena sounded skeptical, but at least she seemed willing to hear what he had to say. [Simply speaking,] Theodore pushed down the urge to laugh at his own brilliancy. [I would need all of you to bless all the humans within Manhattan.]