"WROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!!!"
Rue screamed at the top of her lungs within the blinding, blaring flashes of red light and dyed the world red, except for the blue-white shine from the full moon
'I think this is going to be my first time doing combat with not relying on the Pureblood... I don't think I won't be able to conjure blood swords or blood twinblades... Though, as a Sword Concept, I can use anything as a sword. Besides, I'm in my own domain and I can overpower her here... But I want to witness her capabilities and power... There's no time to waste, I'm not sure how powerful---'
At this point, [Bullet Time] suddenly activated and made everything around Philip slow down in time, even the ⟨⟨ World of Imagination ⟩⟩ itself
"Eh?"
Philip was surprised. This means that [Lawyer of Premonition: Argósensus] has deemed the next sequence of events to be extremely dangerous to Philip
This is already good for Philip because this means that the system or the Natural Order of things has deemed Rue powerful enough for Philip's ultimate skill to activate
Just then, Philip saw a flash of red light in his peripheral and a trail of red energy curved around the area until it reaches Philip
He turned his body to the right backwards and took a step back as he also tilted his body backwards
A black-red jet passed by in front of him and he barely saw the figure that was supposed to be Rue. One thing's for sure though, the figure that passed him wasn't Rue since its figure is bigger than hers
She also exceeded Ariii's speed from when [Bullet Time] activated in the Demonic Bagua as she just zipped passed him
Blood flowed from his right nostril and [Bullet Time] elevated more of its influence and slowed time even further
As the figure passed by him, the [Regenerative Ivory] across his chest and shoulders crumbled down just by the figure passing by. The blood spilled from his nose exploded and crumbled the upper part of his lips and the skin across his nose and cheek cracked
"*Huff*"
He blew his nose and the excess blood showered out of his nose. The tiny droplets exploded and shattered the air that they passed through. White lines also started to flow through the cracks on his face and his shattered upper lips to heal and repair it
Also, in this moment, Philip could see Rue's transformation in her full glory since she's in front of him while she's slowed down
Usually, Philip couldn't be easily scared or horrified, but seeing the Red Transformation of Rue gives him goosebumps and uncanny valley feelings
Rue's body is entirely black with a thick red light outlining her figure. Her chest was large and her buttocks gives Philip some strange feelings. Her legs and arms are thick, like it's covered in fur, and big claws protrude from her fingers and and feet
On her head are giant antlers that intertwine with each other and cross each other. It looks like mass of weapon on its own from the looks of it
Her eyes are so red that it gives the impression of peering through the redness of an abyss. Her mouth is also red as it zigzags when her fangs grew. Her ears also grew into deer ears and it almost made her look like a specific species of the elf race
She was reaching towards Philip with her claws as red lightning coursed through her fingers and the air around her hand begins to crumble
「 Ruination of Red versus you, huh? 」
"If I could use Pureblood, I can end this quickly... But this should be a learning experience for me and I might achieve realization and enlightenment"
「 I won't doubt it... 」
"But for now... I'll try fighting without the use of any weapons..."
「 ... 」
Even with the second level of [Bullet Time] activated, Red is still slowly moving through space. The red trail behind her also flows slowly
'Martial arts... I don't know anything about martial arts except for having the use of the body as a weapon with meaning... I think...'
Philip lifted his right fist and looked down on it
'A punch can do more than normal... Gestures and the way to strike also has meaning... Am I capable to do martial arts? What is the Pinnacle of Movement and Peak of Being for?'
He then clenched his fist and pulled it behind him. He twisted his body to the right as he slid his right foot backwards until his knee bent. His left leg is stretched forward and he lifted his left arm to aim his open left hand towards Red, while aiming his left fingers at her
He also twisted his head to the right as he also lowered it. He then closed his eyes and darkness filled his vision
'If I remember correctly, all martial arts techniques were made accordingly from certain images... Images such as nature, animals, emotions, mental state, movement, and scenarios...'
「 ... 」
'It could also be copied from anything and be forged into an offensive or defensive movements... A fist that's full of meaning will overwhelm any force that's in its way...'
「 ... 」
'The Four Absolute Rules of the universe... Literallity, Conception, Definition, and Naming...'
Philip's fist lit up in the darkness. He could see the faint light around his right fist from a third perspective. The light is white and grayish as it looked like flames wrapping around his fist
'As anime and manga has taught me... All fists has meaning, function, and purpose...'
「 ... 」
'What do I do? I don't know where to go from there...'
The grayish flames around his fist then disappeared and the darkness returned back
'...'
An empty fist
『 !!! 』
「 Hm? 」
It was at this moment that a drop of liquid, that's also grayish in color, landed on top of Philip's head. Splashes of the liquid flew around his head and the shockwave from the impact travelled across his head, towards, his neck, and then to his body and arms, until his legs and feet, until a ripple of gray light expanded on the dark ground, across the vast emptiness
'...'
In this moment, Philip lost consciousness and fell asleep while maintaining his stance
His right fist lit up once again with a bluish hue. The bluish flames spread towards his arm and shoulder until a grayish flame also mixed up with the bluish flame. Both color of flames also erupted on his left hand and spread towards his left shoulder
The flames on his arms crackle towards behind him like there's a wind blowing from his front
The grayish drop of liquid kept dropping on the top of his head in a rhythmic fashion and the gray light of shockwaves and ripples kept flowing through his body and around expanding around the dark floor
「 Mana Actualization 」
「 Perfect Recoiless Technique 」
「 Null of Magnificence 」
「 Form of Godliness 」
『 A fist without meaning is useless 』
『 A fist with no meaning will tend to have meaning 』
『 A fist that's nothing is unknown 』
*Fwoosh*
Philip's entire body blazed in gray and blue flames. The gray droplets became a single stream of gray liquid and his entire body lit up in gray color, like his body is becoming light
The ripples under his feet lit up the darkness until the entire dark ground became gray-white in color while the sky remained dark
『 Ultimate Title: Apostle of the Unknown is in effect! 』
*Bwooooommm*
"Hm?!"
Philip regained consciousness and woke up as the realm that he was just in was obliterated into oblivion. The flames also disappeared and the gray stream stopped
Without him realizing, he's already moving his body forward and his fist is advancing towards Red. His eyes are full of focus and concentration as it's shining golden
『 Unknowing Aspect Fate Controlling Fist 』
*Crack*
Philip forcefully stepped his right foot forward that it generated a crack and crater in the ⟨⟨ World of Imagination ⟩⟩ and launched his fist towards Red while leaving a golden trail from the afterimages of his right fist and left hand
"...?"
Philip maintained his concentration, but deep within his eyes show confusion and surprise
His right fist collided with Red's chest. [Bullet Time] deactivated and returned the flow of time back to normal
A massive shockwave was generated from the impact that it removed the red filter over the ⟨⟨ World of Imagination ⟩⟩. The scene was also removed and everything disappeared as the white world returned
"..."
"..."
There was an awkward silence that occured before Red's body was slightly pushed away from Philip. Her body wasn't blasted away from the impact, even though a massive shockwave was generated
Red stood calmly in place and looked at Philip with dumbfounded expression. Philip also pulled back his fist and stood up straight. His eyes were full of confusion and surprise
"Fate Controller..."
Red spoke with a clear voice. Her voice sounds feminine, but there's still raspiness within her voice
"I, Ruination of Red... Will follow you forever..."
Red started to kneel down with her right knee up and left hand on his chest. Her eyes are closed and she's showing some kind of respect towards Philip
"...?"
Philip still looked at Red in utter confusion
"You have liberated us from our fates..."
At this point, Red's body began to crumbled down and her body dissipated into the air in red sparkles
『 Special condition requirements has been met! 』
『 You have earned the Divine Color Beast: Ruination of Red's eternal loyalty 』
Red wasn't destroyed nor killed, her transformation was just cancelled after Philip controlled her fate with his fist and she seemed to have intelligence, compared to her previous savage rampaging beast mode earlier
As the red sparkles continue to dissipatw in the air, Rue's body returned. Fortunately, she still has her clothes on and she was in a kneeling position
"-Haaah!"
Rue let out a deep breath, like a heavy load was removed on his back after all the red sparkles disappeared
She opened his eyes, looked at Philip, and stood up
"So, that's how it is..."
Rue exclaimed in satisfaction and confusion
"Uh, yes... That's your origin and your history... Welcome to the mansion!"
"Yes! Thank you..."
Rue's demeanor changed from stern to calm and serene. She saw everything from Red's memories and her true identity from the past. She also saw the part where Philip went to the past and heard everything that he said. This includes the birth of Jesus and the growth of Santa's Factory
"So, this is my fate now, huh? I have to help you in your mysterious goal..."
Rue looked upwards with a serene look. Her red, scarlet eyes, glimmer from the natural light of the white world
"Yes..."
"Heh, I feel like I was forced into this..."
"Not at all! It's because--"
"Yeah yeah, I know... I figured... Fate has been set and you saved me from that fate of mine and Red's. As compensation, I have to help you... I don't mind! As long I'm free and I can do whatever I want"
"You are free... If you're in trouble and in danger, I will also protect you"
"I believe you... I reckon that you also have everyone under your protection?"
"Yes"
"I wonder if you can protect all of us?"
"I will definitely protect everyone the best that I can! I will put my life on the line!"
"Strong conviction! I will hold you on to it"
"Yes! Besides, I've already arranged for it... Everyone will have their protectors and I will protect the protectors! That also doesn't mean that I won't be protecting the ones that are being protected because everyone will be included"
"Yeah yeah yeah, I get it. You sound desperate, no worries!"
"..."
Rue then looked towards Philip
"This Magic Red Eyes of Ruination, it occupies the Magic Eye of Corruption on my right eye... Can I still use it?"
"...!"
Philip abruptly turned his head towards Rue
"No..."
He then raised his right hand and aimed it at Rue's right eye
"Corruption will only degrade your being..."
『 Ultimate Title: Hachimahome Vajyaraksa is in effect! 』