A Little Sea, Tides Of Fauna

So far, the things Heian Ciemnosc had experienced in the Water trial were like a dream. More specifically, the second trial's second stage was like that. That woman and 'deity' was like a character that a minor existence like Heian Ciemnosc should never meet. However, it was clear this wasn't the Water element itself gaining personification or an incarnation. It was mysterious, and Heian Ciemnosc was as clueless as he was with most of the things he had seen in these trials. Of course, he could only continue to experience them.

The creature revealed when the golden glow receded was a tall person, about 12 meters in height, had a thin figure and had strange hair, if it could be called that. It looked like a koala’s ears but an owl’s eyes simultaneously. Meanwhile, the creature was a ‘she’ with a thin body build and expressionless appearance. Her legs and arms were about 9 meters long, more than equal to their height. She seemed to have little volume inside her body, but there were organs pulsating and breathing between that skin, as was flesh and the like.

Her skin was pale silver with an intricately adorable touch to her tone. Her eyes were pale gray, like cement, still solidifying as irises and a big ball of black as pupils. Her hair was a combination of her skin and irises’ color. Meanwhile, some pearly white strands glinted into existence from time to time. Her facial features were a wondrous thing, and as plain as her proportions might be, her hairstyle made her look like a queen. No, she was a queen, this place’s owner, its rightful ruler.

Heian Ciemnosc looked at her, finding her similar to a pouty girl wearing cute animal pajamas. However, she had the maturity of a grown woman who had looked through the world and journeyed until recognition bathed her being. Her grace and aura were magnificent, to say the least, majestous. And as he looked at her, she was looking at him. This Beast Queen’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her large eyelashes showed her superiority over Heian Ciemnosc, a subject. However, they also exposed curiosity and intrigue. But there was something that made Heian Ciemnosc’s blood stirr.

She wasn’t stupid, nor unaware of what was happening. She knew of her condition and could feel death already peeking at her from any angle. She was going to die no matter what. Thus, she should’ve been afraid. But all she did was look at Heian Ciemnosc in a way that made him feel like he was about to be punished. She only cared about one thing: completing her existence’s purpose. Heian Ciemnosc only had one doubt: why exactly?

Phisft- PEW- VRWOMP! Whoosh- BANG! CRACCCKK~!

However, Heian Ciemnosc didn’t have a chance to keep thinking as he sensed the Beast Queen’s cultivation base at the Broken Crystallization realm 5th stage. Immediately, his eyes widened, and he prepared to sidestep. At that instant, the Beast Queen gave Heian Ciemnosc the danger of not even such movements helping him this time. Feeling about 20 meters around him become heated, Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes wholly widened as he directly leaped backwards with his arms hanging to the sides.

As soon as he leaped, 20 meters around where he had stood were shot by a laser beam made from rigorous Power Energy. Several tens of meters away, the ground continued cracking and opening as the Beast Queen’s right hand could be seen lifted. Her slender fingers were delicate as they slowly relaxed as she looked at the ground where her Power Energy attack landed. Heian Ciemnosc could only wonder how miserable this igloo would’ve turned into if that was used with Neutral Energy instead.

What happened next made both parties look in awe, stunned at this place’s quick restoration! The ground regrew at a visible speed, hundreds of times faster than Heian Ciemnosc’s self-regeneration. As they noticed this strangeness, Heian Ciemnosc and the Beast Queen seemed to understand something. He looked up in alarm, and she lifted her eyes at Heian Ciemnosc’s body while secretly gloating.

Whoosh, whoosh! Swiiiiiiiish~, wheeeeeesh!

Heian Ciemnosc rose to the air and flew backwards. The Beast Queen chased after him, her left forearm placed before her collarbone as she chased after him in a 90-degree angle. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her as her right arm was sent to her back and slightly up. She then made a grabbing motion with her right hand before thrusting her arm forwards! A golden beam, contrary to the dark blue from before, shot towards him!

Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy condensed before him as Claws went Out. From his rear, a tiny shadow of a tail presented itself as Heian Ciemnosc’s speed suddenly increased briefly. The golden beam shot towards him and passed just 3 meters away from his chest, making his uniform almost reveal his nipple as it cut through the uniform and club jacket. Heian Ciemnosc looked at the Beast Queen in amazement as she looked at him deathly coldly.

Heian Ciemnosc’s shadow of a tail disappeared quickly. But it was enough to avoid getting impaled by such a powerful strike. This place wasn’t playing with him nor testing his strength first, little by little. Like the previous sudden increase of cultivation base from the rocky creature, Heian Ciemnosc was left helpless as the Beast Queen went all out. He was already prepared to attack, but she suddenly started relentlessly attacking him with golden spear beams, one after another, as soon as he wanted to counterattack.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish- whooooosh, whoosh! Bang, pom, boom, pum pum- baaang, screeech…

Heian Ciemnosc couldn’t just dodge. Every time he used his shadow of a tail, it would consume his dark Power Energy rapidly. It would still disappear on its own after a few seconds, whether he used it or not and whether he wanted to exchange more dark Power Energy - or not. He had already known this feature of his. It was like his tiny claws before they were enhanced and matured with Hong Mei’s helpful torture.

Thus, at times, he was forced to send a blasting dark Power Energy bout to defend himself, exploding the golden spear beams, thinner than his arms but longer than his whole length. Because of the prowess, they were launched with and the rigorous Power Energy they were made of, still superior to Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy, his energy blasts couldn’t immediately stop them.

When the golden spear beams crashed onto these dark Power Energy blasts, they would stop for a few seconds. But as if inertia followed right behind them, they would resume their previous speed like it was nothing. It was only with Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy consuming the golden Power Energy that he could get rid of them.

Still, the Beast Queen sent dozens of golden spear beams every minute, forcing Heian Ciemnosc to tend to each in detail. He couldn’t afford to not be meticulous enough, lest one of those stabs him and things get worse. With the Beast Queen’s increasing speed in throwing golden spear beams towards him, Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy was further consumed. He didn’t dare only use his bodily strength to put up a front.

Swish- pshift~~, … … … … FWUUSH-... PAM- BAANG.

Suddenly, Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes shone as he saw an aperture. He stopped flying away and stabbed his right hand like a knife to the Beast Queen’s left collarbone. The latter noticed the former’s intention and understanding. Knowing her slip-up, she immediately worked to amend it. Meanwhile, her hairstyle suddenly gleamed golden. A protective layer appeared before her forehead, spreading to her face and further to protect her neck, shoulders, and legs!

Heian Ciemnosc would meet head-on with the Beast Queen, well-prepared and anticipating a clever move by her opponent. However, just as she was preparing another batch of golden spear beams, one in each hand, she felt her eyes rocketing left and right as she instinctively looked to her right. Right there, a ‘tentacle’ that instantly grew to 100 meters in length, rapidly expanding to reach the nearest point of the wall on her right… on Heian Ciemnosc’s left!

Heian Ciemnosc didn’t give the Beast Queen any opportunities. With his left palm projecting his Vocón Link, his body wasn’t pulled to the left. Instead, he pushed himself lower and right afterwards up with his Vocón Link, gaining a sudden, absurd trajectory as he eventually faced the Beast Queen’s stomach. Without thinking even once, Heian Ciemnosc sent his left knee up to her lower abdomen on her right, and his right reversed fist upper punching the hell out of under her sternum!

Even if the aperture he saw was taken away right before his eyes, nobody could stop him from creating one, for himself, himself!!

“Puh…” The Beast Queen didn’t fucking expect that. As she was taken by surprise, all her eyes saw before painfully shutting was a fist covered with dark Power Energy and merciful dark claws punching her hard upwards. Saliva strumbled from her beautiful, thin lips as she had no choice but to pucker her lips, opening out of instinct. Heian Ciemnosc wasn’t finished, however…

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Phhshk, slash cuh- slash slash… Heian Ciemnosc’s left hand opened, facing Heian Ciemnosc. His dark claws reflected in the pale gray of the Beast Queen’s irises before she felt them entering her body from her right ribs up to her breast, cutting everything as she felt the terrible pain of her body being mutilated. “!!!”

She opened her mouth and showed a fiercest expression on her face. She couldn’t scream, but her actions were decisive as a wave of golden energy appeared within her eyes and mouth before suddenly plunging down her shoulders, arms, and elbows as she suddenly held Heian Ciemnosc’s waist, which was the first thing she could grab hold of to keep him in place. The Power Energy golden wave rushed from her forearms to his upper body. Heian Ciemnosc felt clear and open danger invading his senses as his eyes shot with a tenebrous silence.

… shuaaaaaa- haaaaah. “!” The Beast Queen’s eyes shrunk, including her irises, as her golden wave stopped midway and their bodies halted. With a swift, semi-smooth series of moves, Heian Ciemnosc grabbed her wrists, twisted his knees, folded, moved sideways, and twisted his waist. Liberating his body way too quickly, he pulled himself slightly upwards, lightly stomping on her abdomen and sternum a few times before going heads over hills.

However, instead of completing that motion, Heian Ciemnosc’s legs stopped in midair at 180 degrees before coming crashing back down! Straight to the Beast Queen’s forehead!

“!!” The Beast Queen reacted. She was still lost in Heian Ciemnosc’s Bloodthirsty Consuming Enshrinement. However, she could still move her body sideways, and her left hand struggled from his right hand’s grasp to grab his legs. However, she couldn’t move her rigorous Power Energy. Heian Ciemnosc was the king of bodily strength among any First Step cultivator and even Second Step. Without energy, he was truly unmatched.

Still, even with her body moving away and her head sent out of danger, her left trapezius muscle was hit by his heels. Heian Ciemnosc specifically aimed this place to punish her left arm for being unruly. When his heels landed on her body, they directly cracked open her skin as icy blue blood gushed onto his uniform. Her body, however, shot into the wall on his left, with her head first to crash against it.

The igloo, now with golden interiors and capable of restoring itself rapidly, trembled for a few seconds before returning to normalcy. Heian Ciemnosc looked as the Beast Queen’s body was embedded in the wall. A large amount of icy blue blood streamed down as she remained immobile for 3 seconds. Afterwards, she opened her eyes and calmly looked towards Heian Ciemnosc. She barely struggled out of the wall and floated in midair as she faced him,

“!” Heian Ciemnosc was surprised. His eyes widened as he watched the long and 2 feet wide gnash at her left trapezius muscle, repairing as fast as the igloo restored itself. The wall behind her was quickly mended as flesh, blood, bones, and skin regrew in her body. She calmly took a golden sword made of her rigorous Power Energy from her waist as if she had a sheath but didn’t.

Looking at him, the Beast Queen slowly pointed it at Heian Ciemnosc and challenged him as her body fully recovered. Heian Ciemnosc was feeling a heavy headache coming as he finally acted again before she could grow any cockier.

Pah- whooosh! … … … … crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack… swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!

Dozens of meters around them, Heian Ciemnosc’s Vocón Links came out one after the other from underneath, breaking the golden, snowy floor and surprising the Beast Queen, who was in the middle of this sudden dark whip forest. Just then, Heian Ciemnosc dashed forwards, bringing from his right palm the Vocón Link. The Beast Queen noticed the peculiarity of this, remembering how Heian Ciemnosc managed to avoid a direct confrontation against her protective golden layer.

“!” - “!” She dashed towards him, wanting to face him before the rest of the Vocón Links could reach them. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t fear it, though. He rushed forwards and brandished his 10 dark claws without bothering about his Vocón Link. They met in less than 10 seconds, their bodies already motioning to receive the other’s attack and harm each other. Heian Ciemnosc’s hands were wide open, and his dark claws condensed dark Power Energy around them, forming a membrane in between.

The Beast Queen brandished her sword to her left hand, catching it midair, and made a sudden, overly explosive dash forwards, arriving before Heian Ciemnosc way past his speed reaction. She must have just learned of this from him. What could be more incredible than this? He could barely widen his eyes and start looking to his right as he saw the Beast Queen’s indifferent, cold face excited, cutting half a meter from where his Vocón Link was projecting. However…

CLANK!! CRASHHH…

“!!...” The Beast Queen looked on as her Power Energy golden sword broke apart when it met his Vocón Link. Although Heian Ciemnosc was feeling secure about his innate Supreme Art, he was also left astonished at the sight of the golden sword that was just cleaving at his Vocón Link, suddenly having ¾ of its body absurdly flung upwards in the contrary direction. The section it broke off was much lower than the Beast Queen intended. Thus, she ended up slashing down further, but she only saw darkness, opaque, consuming all light and her own thoughts. Not gold…

“...” - “...”

Whoosh whoosh…

Both parties turned their heads to look at each other. Heian Ciemnosc saw a mesmerizing frown and annoyance, almost hatred, appear in the already beautiful Beast Queen. On the other hand, she saw Heian Ciemnosc’s amazement and felt like an idiot. However, before she could decide how to punish this insignificant life form, she felt her senses tingling and her skin numbing, intensely trembling as she wanted to look up.

However, as soon as her eyes were lifted, she saw a dark whip immediately lash at her face. What followed was a multitude of slapping sounds, beginning with her eyes and the bridge of her nose sinking with some strength until she instantly brought her rigorous Power energy up. Helplessly, she could only continue being flung left and right, held and entangled before being thrown everywhere, sliding and slamming around the golden igloo before being thrown to another wall.

… SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP, SLAP SLAP- WHOOSH SWISH- SLAP SLAP SLAP- SLIIIDE~ SLAP SLAP SLAP- BAAAANG…

“...?” Heian Ciemnosc was watching this grand scenery from the side. His Vocón Link, after not having this much fun for weeks — or years — considering Heian Ciemnosc hadn’t been this unbridled since he participated in his first war, was excitedly using the Beast Queen as its favorite toy, playing with her up and down, against the ceiling, sliding a few dozen meters. When on the floor, dancing in circles and spinning her body while slapping away any place on her body. Finally, they would smack her back and forth through the air, drawing so much blood it was tainting the gold in obscurity.

At last, Heian Ciemnosc threw her to a wall, smashing her harshly against it, creating an even larger hole there. However, just as that happened, he noticed another huge hole appearing somewhere else on another section of the igloo. Just as he witnessed this, he looked at the Beast Queen. Other than her bruises and bloody marks fading away quickly, her left shoulder was almost distended from her torso.

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes shone as a crazy, overly fantastical, and headache-inducing hypothesis formed inside his head. The hole he made by throwing the Beast Queen took more time repairing itself, but the one that opened ‘as an extra’ was rapidly restored to normalcy. Looking at this, Heian Ciemnosc noticed the thrown had been too powerful for the Beast Queen, whose bodily strength couldn’t compare halfway even as she was a Beast Race member.

Meanwhile, it was so powerful that it almost crippled the Beast Queen off her left arm and shoulder entirely. It was this second outcome that garnered his attention. If nothing was wrong, then… the damage to Beast Queen’s body would be spread to the igloo! However, they could both heal like this. How could he kill her? Injuring and overthrowing her was easy for now. He was still brimming with dark Power Energy, only having received a few hacks prying his pale skin open for a second before closing.

‘I have to find a way to recognize which part of her body is connected to the igloo… They may be changing at all times, and not just on the walls… If I harm both her body and the wall, with synchrony and respectively, she will die.’ Heian Ciemnosc thought as a furious Beast Queen, which didn’t show it on her face and remained calm and cold, lashed towards him!

‘Ah.’ Heian Ciemnosc looked at the Beast Queen, already before him. He spread his arms and legs as Vocón Link came out of his mouth, stunning the Beast Queen but not disgusting her. She wanted to halt her sudden all-out dash, but she wasn’t capable. Their power levels were still within the mortality of all living beings in the world.

Wrap~! Tighten… whoo-OOOOSHHH.

Unavoidably, the Beast Queen delivered herself to Heian Ciemnosc’s surprise attack as his Vocón Link’s base slid through his skin and clothes, not harming any, landing on the back of his right palm. Heian Ciemnosc gave her an indifferent, perfunctory glance before throwing her away after her body couldn’t be squeezed anymore. The pain on her face showed as his fabulously fierce countenance only became more determined to fight to the death. Although she was already perfectly fine with that.

As her body shot from one side to the other, her body crashed against the wall, forming another several dozen meters away from where they were. This time, it was bigger and more in-depth than the first ‘extra’ hole. On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc was breathing heavily for a couple of seconds before recomposing. He had gone all out just to throw her and see where another crack would appear.

‘... huff, huff… I see.’ Looking at the extra crack in the wall, Heian Ciemnosc dashed towards the Beast Queen determinedly. His darkest eyes set on her, his dark claws cutting through the air even without wanting to. The coldness of this place increased, but he also continued dashing forwards!

…