The village had become a hellish inferno, littered with the bodies of the dead and fallen soldiers. The air crackled with energy as blue beams of magic clashed with fireballs in the sky. In the heart of the chaos, Duro sat within a barrier, his scepter channeling energy to create more soldiers from the environment.
Schicht navigated through the battlefield, using his barriers to deflect attacks and take down five enemies with a single powerful kick. His path was blocked by a woman with long plum hair styled in a side cut, dressed in a wizard's robe.
"And just who the hell are you?!" Schicht demanded, launching a kick at her. She blocked it effortlessly with one hand, which had a peculiar hole in it.
"And what's up with that hole in your hand?" Schicht asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm Somang, the pupil of Savan Sirri! I graduated at the top of my class from Amazacus!" she declared.
"Fantastic," Schicht replied, sounding unimpressed as he shook his leg.
"This hole on my hand is part of my magical ability," Somang explained.
"Which is?" Schicht prompted.
Somang fired a piercing slash of air from the hole in her hand. Schicht blocked it with his barrier, his expression unchanging.
"Redirection Magic! The magic of absorbing attacks and launching them back out!" Somang proclaimed.
"That sounds entertaining enough. I'll humor you for a few minutes. You'd be a little bit too much trouble for our soldiers," Schicht said, still looking unimpressed.
"Finally! Somebody here recognizes my strength!!!" Somang exclaimed.
Before Schicht could respond, Ikio appeared as a blur beside him, moving with blinding speed.
He's fast! But why didn't he attack me? Schicht wondered.
"That damn idiot!" Somang muttered.
Schicht refocused on Somang. "He should just unleash his mana already! Sealing it away only slows things down!"
"He's sealed?" Schicht asked.
"Why do you think he's wandering the field like a lost dog? Since his mana is completely sealed, he can't sense other people's mana!" Somang explained.
Meanwhile, Ikio zipped around the hellscape and perched on top of the dungeon.
"Dammit, I know there are more people than this. Where are all of those villagers hiding?" Ikio muttered. He looked down and saw Trachak effortlessly thrashing soldiers with his morningstar. "Eh, I'll find them later. It's not like they can just run away or anything!"
Trachak was batting away hordes of soldiers with minimal effort when a random soldier called out, "Cease fire!!!"
"Oh? Are we stopping now?" Trachak asked, watching as the soldiers backed away, then turned to run, engaging the enemy soldiers.
"How dare you run from me?!" Trachak roared, chasing after them but stopping abruptly. "Waaaait..." He turned to look at his reflection in a broken mirror and saw Ikio standing on his head.
"Took ya long enough, dumbass," Ikio sneered, hopping off Trachak's head with a ballerina-esque twirl. "Alright!" Ikio slapped his chest. "Come at me, fat ass!!!"
Trachak's face turned red with anger. "Grrrr.... I'M NOT FAT!!!" he bellowed, slamming his morningstar down on Ikio. The impact sent dust flying and the ground shaking. When the dust cleared, Ikio was revealed standing on top of the morningstar with his arms crossed.
"You have to be faster than that," Ikio taunted.
Trachak fired a green beam of magic from his mouth at Ikio, point-blank.
"Bump," Ikio said, bumping the beam up high into the air and turning it into a ball of green magic. He vanished and reappeared a few centimeters below the ball.
"Set!" Ikio called, setting the ball higher into the sky. He vanished again, reappearing slightly above the green ball of magic.
"Spike!" Ikio shouted, spiking the ball down towards Trachak. The ball hit, causing a large column of green magic to erupt. Ikio landed in front of the explosion, crossing his arms once more.
"You're definitely too slow. Ever thought about using a treadmill? Oh, who am I kidding, I doubt you even know those things exist—"
Trachak leapt out of the explosion and slammed his morningstar down at Ikio. But with his arms still crossed, Ikio vanished and reappeared to the side. Ikio did this about twenty more times, as Trachak continued to swing but missed each time. Finally, Ikio appeared behind Trachak and punched him hard in the back, causing blood to spill from Trachak's mouth. Ikio quickly shifted into a fighting stance, then vanished and reappeared in front of Trachak, kicking him in the face and launching him through hundreds of buildings. While Trachak was being hurled through the air, Ikio stood on his flying body, completely straight, with his arms crossed. As Trachak crashed into a nearby building, Ikio continued to stand on top of him, staring down.
"Why do you even try at this point?" Ikio asked, jumping off of Trachak. "I'm not even trying, and you're outmatched. Do you even know how embarrassing it is when someone who isn't even using magic can manipulate your attack? That's how I know you pulled that move out of the deepest depth of your ass, because there was no control, no detonation—just raw power and a dream! Damn, I can't with you magic amateurs!"
Trachak stood up, rage contorting his face. "You shut your mouth!!!" he bellowed.
Trachak swung his morningstar horizontally towards Ikio. Without moving an inch, Ikio raised one arm and effortlessly blocked it, his body still unmoved. The power of the swing created a shockwave that shattered dozens of buildings.
"Man, what kind of life-threatening drugs did you cook up and take before this to make you think that would work? Must have been a five-star one," Ikio taunted.
Trachak spun in the opposite direction, attacking Ikio from the other side with even more force. But again, Ikio raised his other hand and effortlessly caught the attack.
"Chef's kiss," Ikio said, squeezing the morningstar and shattering it completely. He lunged towards Trachak and punched him in the stomach, unleashing a powerful shockwave that ripped through most of the buildings behind him. Yet Ikio remained unfazed.
"Nice breeze!" Ikio commented, smirking.
Trachak squinted, his vision obscured by the bandages. I can only see the outline of his mouth through those bandages! Who actually is he?
Before Trachak could ponder further, Ikio launched a rapid series of punches to his stomach. Trachak doubled over, gasping, but Ikio was relentless. He leapt up, spinning mid-air, and delivered a devastating kick to Trachak's face. The force of the blow snapped Trachak's head to the side. As Ikio landed, he slammed his feet into the ground, causing a shockwave that lifted Trachak slightly into the air. Seizing the moment, Ikio kicked Trachak high into the sky, then vanished, only to reappear behind him and kick him through the air again.
Ikio continued his assault, kicking Trachak repeatedly as they soared through the sky. Finally, with a decisive move, he brought both hands together and slammed them down on Trachak, sending him hurtling towards the ground below.
Schicht observed the fight with mixed feelings. This woman fights in such an interesting way, but also in such an expected way for someone with her abilities. I'm both invested in this fight and disappointed at the same time.
Somang, undeterred, fired eight fists from the hole in her hand at Ikio. However, Ikio's barrier effortlessly blocked the attack.
Heh, this fool really thinks he has me! Somang thought. This fight will remain a stalemate until he either decides to throw out an attack that can destroy his own barrier, or Mister Ikio comes!
Schicht, contemplating his strategy, mused, I'm playing with my prey a tad bit. Maybe I should quit pulling my strikes, or else we'd be here forever.
Suddenly, Trachak came crashing down between Schicht and Somang, sliding through the ground. Ikio quickly followed, ready to continue his attack. Somang's expression was one of happy surprise, while Schicht's face twisted in anger.
Trachak?.. Schicht thought.
Mister Ikio?! Somang's mind raced.
Schicht shouted, "I got you, Trachak!"
He created an extremely flexible barrier in front of Trachak, flinging him back towards Ikio.
"What an inconvenience," Ikio muttered.
Twisting his body mid-air, Trachak attempted to punch Ikio with the momentum from the barrier. But Ikio effortlessly dodged the punch and caught Trachak's wrist, ripping his arm off with a swift motion.
"Trachak!" Schicht screamed.
Rage fueled his next move as he created a barrier perfectly fitted around his fist and punched Somang in the stomach. Somang spat out blood and was flung through two buildings, landing unconscious on the ground.
Ikio, unfazed, remarked, "This guy on the other hand-"
With incredible force and speed, Ikio pushed his palm forward, creating a powerful bullet of air that struck Trachak directly, causing him to explode into bloody chunks.
Schicht's scream echoed through the battlefield. "TRACHAAAAAK!!!"
With fury in his eyes, Schicht leaped forward to kick Ikio, but was intercepted mid-air by Savan. The two clashed briefly before jumping back from each other.
"This insect should be no challenge. He defeated my student Ikio, so allow me the honor of killing him," Savan declared, his hand glowing with golden magic.
Ikio shook his head. "Nah, I got this."
"But from what I'm sensing off of him, his barrier technique is extremely powerful. Getting through it may be impossible to accomplish," Savan cautioned.
"Boy oh boy, do you have no idea how strong people can be! I may not be able to use magic, but my muscles should be enough," Ikio replied confidently.
Savan nodded reluctantly. "Alright, Ikio... I'll go search for more civilians."
As Savan ran away, the scene shifted to the dungeon where Setchi, Carlos, and Will were huddled together with a couple hundred other villagers.
"Suzi is still out there?!" Setchi exclaimed, worry etched on his face.
"And both of her parents. The last time I saw them, their house was burning down," Carlos added grimly.
Will's voice was filled with dread. "So does that mean that they're already dead?"
"Don't say that! They might be trapped, that's all! My dad will save them in no time!" Setchi retorted with a mix of hope and desperation.
Carlos sighed. "Well, Setchi, your brother is also out there too..."
"He'll save them as well. I believe in my brother!!!" Setchi declared with fierce determination.
Carlos, unable to hide his concern, asked, "What if he doesn't come back in time?"
Setchi's eyes blazed with resolve. "I'LL GO OUT THERE MYSELF!!!"
"That's too dangerous, Setchi, you could die!" Will warned, fear evident in his voice.
"AS LONG AS I HAVE THE WILL TO LIVE, I WILL NEVER DIE!!!" Setchi shouted, his voice echoing with unwavering conviction.
Meanwhile, Ikio slowly walked up to Schicht, who was mentally fortifying himself.
As long as I have my barrier up, there is no way this can touch me, Schicht thought with confidence. There is not a being on our planet capable of mustering up enough strength without magic to break this barrier, and if I use exponential barrier technique, the strength of my barrier would be multiplied by the amount of barriers I have active. The small risk is if this barrier breaks, all of them break, but that should be impossible, because I have barriers up in an infinite amount of dimensions!
Now face to face with Schicht, Ikio loomed with a calm yet intimidating presence.
If I just stall long enough, maybe I can put a barrier around everyone- Schicht strategized.
Ikio simply knocked on the barrier. The knock shattered it, causing a massive explosion.
No- HOW CAN THIS BE?! Schicht's mind raced in panic. HE KNOCKED ON MY BARRIER AND BROKE IT!? THE FORCE OF THE KNOCK IS ABOUT TO WIPE OUT THIS ENTIRE CONTINENT!!! I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO REDIRECT IT! WHAT WAS THAT MAGIC THAT GIRL USED?! OH YEAH, RIGHT, REDIRECTION MAGIC, I JUST NEED TO -
Schicht's hands glowed with purple magic as he attempted to redirect the powerful wind generated by Ikio's simple knock. The wind was ferocious, with stray blasts wiping out half the village, obliterating soldiers created by Duro, and even killing some enemy soldiers. One blast casually broke through an entire mountain range, continuing out of sight, another split the clouds, and one reached far enough to leave the planet and destroy two neighboring planets instantly. Schicht, straining with all his might, managed to pull the shockwave into a barrier bubble, but the explosion still cracked the bubble.
Dammit, this is one hell of a way to die! Schicht thought, desperation mounting. The fact that he put no mana behind this feat and did it so casually too... I need to put all of my mana into this to create a barrier capable of holding back... the big bang!!!
Schicht's shirt was blown off by the force of his efforts.
The one time I actually put effort into something, it almost ended the world. Good thing stronger people than me exist; they can easily block things like this! Ikio mused.
THOUSAND BARRIER FIST!!! Schicht's thoughts screamed as a thousand fists made of his barriers sprouted from his back, punching the bubble deep underground—about 380 million light-years deep. The explosion erupted from the bubble, causing earthquakes that devastated the ground and the village. Yet, Ikio and Schicht still stood, though Schicht shortly after collapsed from exhaustion.
"But you're not half as bad," Ikio said, looking down at the fallen Schicht. "I'll send you to jail; maybe you'll come out a stronger man."
Soon, soldiers on broomsticks arrived, picked up Schicht, and flew away with him.
Ikio scanned the surroundings, muttering to himself, "So, where's that damn belighter..."
From behind him, a voice replied, "Right behind you."
Ikio turned to see Duro standing there. "Oh, how scary," Ikio said with a smirk.
Duro's face twisted in confusion and anger. "I don't get it... The government is sick! Why destroy lives, why ruin such a peaceful village? Why would you follow such horrid orders? Are you some sort of government dog?"
Ikio shrugged nonchalantly. "No, that's more of a take-out captain thing. Besides, I'm usually the one giving orders to the government, but being able to go out and do incredible things like this really makes me love my job."
"You're saying all of that as if you just saved millions!" Duro exclaimed, his frustration evident.
"Oh, but I did," Ikio responded. "Most of the government soldiers below me either do this because they have to, or because they want to serve their world and be a hero. Do you want to know why I do this?"
"Is it because you like the pain and suffering of others? Is it because you're bored with your life, so you love to ruin others? Or is it because you like the feel of being in power?" Duro challenged.
Ikio chuckled. "Generic reason, generic reason, AAAAAAND generic reason. The answer may shock you—I'm a fucking hero. Soldiers may think that they're heroes, but all they are is tools for the government. What I am is justice, law, and order incarnate. Doing this is the same as killing any other infestation of pests; it's just the fact that you're a little bit more conscious and can speak. I see everyone as equals, pests with a drive to win. I'm a pest myself, but what makes me stand out above the rest is I hold no bias. I'm fighting for everyone else in our ant hill; you're fighting for yours. This is just how things are because you're not strong enough."
Duro's eyes narrowed. "All of that is just—"
"You can see me as a villain all you want, but when it comes down to it, it's about one person seeing me as bad, against the world," Ikio interrupted.
"And who's that one person?" Duro demanded.
"Well, the rest of you will be dead, so that makes zero. After some deep consideration, we plan on taking your son, so that'll be one," Ikio said matter-of-factly.
"No, you can't do that," Duro replied, his voice trembling with fury.
"Yes I can," Ikio said coldly.
Suddenly, Duro's eyes glowed, and Ikio's body, along with the reality around him, began to twist and contort.
Reality magic? Ikio thought, feeling his surroundings warp. Is this how it feels to be willed out of your dimensional plane? Reality magic is one of the closest alternatives to instant kill magic. Being forced into a high dimension would kill a normal guy, but something this man doesn't know is...
Reality around Ikio shattered, and he was pushed into a blue void of many 5th-dimensional shapes and vortexes.
I'm already a higher dimensional being!!! Ikio realized, simply ripping himself back to his reality and appearing in front of Duro.
But that was just a simple showcase of abilities, Ikio mused, he has a lot more than just shifting me into a higher plane of existence, meaning that...
Ikio jumped high into the sky, joyfully shouting, "I CAN USE MAGIC!!!" The entire sky lit up blindingly with blue magic.
Meanwhile, in a large room, a large wooden boat with many animals walking around it sat eerily still. A skeleton of a crucified man was pinned to a golden cross. The room was lit with torches burning with golden flames, and large piles of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and jewels were scattered about. Laying on his side next to a large pool of water was a dark-skinned man with long, neatly kept dark blonde hair and brown eyes. He was shirtless, wearing a gold chain with diamonds in it, a statement belt in the shape of an apple, emerald green and black tree-patterned pants, and worn and torn shoes.
The dark-skinned man with long, neatly kept dark blonde hair and piercing brown eyes rose from his position beside the pool of water. "The planet almost blew up," he mused aloud, his tone calm yet laced with a hint of irritation. "I saved the world again. Who did that? Who tried to destroy the world?"
Two men stood flanking him. To his left was an old man with a long mustache that touched the ground. He wore a grey top hat and a long white robe, holding a black and red metallic scroll. To his right stood a man with only one arm (his right), his sword sheathed at his side. This man wore a black knight's helmet that completely concealed his face, a black cape, and black and grey checkered armor.
The man in the top hat spoke first. "That was Ikio Surukru, Lord Di Lusso, the person regarded as the Punishment of the World."
The top hat man's name was Serpent, the left-hand man of Lord Di Lusso, making him one of the world's hands.
Lord Di Lusso nodded thoughtfully. "This was prophesied, wasn't it?"
Serpent confirmed, "Lord Di Lusso, it was."
The armored man, known as Genesis, the right-hand man of Lord Di Lusso, added, "It was documented that if Ikio had used magic for anything other than a formidable foe that would have needed the help of at least one great wizard, he could have easily defeated any other enemy with his own strength. That must imply that Ikio is facing an opponent he is unable to defeat physically."
Serpent's eyes widened. "This has to be the battle of this era if that is the case."
Serpent dropped the scroll, revealing a list in dark, glowing ink. The list read from head to toe:
Empty Era:
- Empty Start
- Empty War
- Empty Peace
- Empty Battle
- Empty Climax
Creation Era:
- Creation Start
- Creation War
- Creation Peace
- Creation Battle
- Creation Climax
Self Era:
- Self Start
- Self War
- Self Peace
- Self Battle
- Self Climax
Destruction Era:
- Destruction Start
- Destruction War
- Destruction Peace
- Destruction Battle
- Destruction Climax
Depression Era:
- Depression Start
- Depression War
- Depression Peace
- Depression Battle
- Depression Climax
Hope Era:
- Hope Start
- Hope War
- Hope Peace
- Hope Battle
- Hope Climax
Recreation Era:
- Recreation Start
- Recreation War
- Recreation Peace
- Reaction Battle
- Recreation Climax
Duality Era:
- Duality Start
- Duality War
- Duality Peace
Serpent's finger glowed, as he began to write with it underneath "Duality Peace". He wrote "Duality Battle" under it
Lord Di Lusso murmured to himself, a sense of finality in his voice, "So this era is coming to an end..."
Meanwhile, back with Ikio and Duro, the scene was a testament to destruction and raw power. Ikio landed with a force that sent smoke billowing around him, concealing his form. Through the thick smoke, two Chinese violet-colored rings glowed ominously.
"I just couldn't resist it!" Ikio's voice rang out, filled with manic delight.
As the smoke cleared, Ikio's true form was revealed. He was shirtless, his hat missing, exposing long, spikey hair that reached his ankles, white with light blue tips. His eyes, now with Chinese violet-colored rings for pupils, glowed eerily. His upper body was adorned with black vine tattoos, giving him a menacing appearance. Grinning maniacally, he walked towards Duro with an unrestrained excitement.
"I just couldn't resist going all out," Ikio repeated, his grin widening.
Without warning, Ikio lunged at Duro, unleashing a flurry of quick punches. Duro, however, blocked each strike with one hand, maintaining his composure. Ikio then spun around and delivered a swift kick to Duro's waist, which Duro absorbed without flinching. The impact created a shockwave that demolished multiple buildings and extinguished all the fires in the village.
"Bullshit—" Ikio began to curse, but Duro interrupted with a powerful punch to Ikio's face. The force sent Ikio flying back so fast he became invisible to the human eye. His skin cracked, glowing blue as he was hurled through the air. His body began to disintegrate into particles.
No! This wasn't the wrong call after all. This guy really is worth all of my power! This sensation... It's so painful! My body's molecular structure has been knocked apart! Ikio thought frantically as he reformed his body.
He managed to flip and stop himself mid-air, halting just in front of a desert city. The sheer speed at which he had been launched caused a powerful gust of wind that obliterated the entire city.
If it wasn't for my physiology, I would have died, Ikio reflected, his skin healing itself, the cracks vanishing.
It's interesting how one punch sent me across the continent, but what I find even more interesting is how that punch had no magic behind it! he mused, a mix of awe and determination fueling his thoughts.
Meanwhile, back with Duro, a man came running towards him with urgency. It was Mr. Kyu.
"Duro... The fire cleared..." Mr. Kyu said, breathless.
"Nat, are Suzi and your wife alright?" Duro inquired, concern evident in his voice.
"Suzi was stuck up a tree due to the fire, but now that it's gone, she should be down any second now. But my wife, she got crushed under some debris. I managed to get her out, but she's in critical condition," Mr. Kyu responded, worry creasing his brow.
"Good, Nat. Run away, grab your family, and run away. He isn't dead or gone. I can now sense his mana. It's... unbelievable. He doesn't even utilize normal mana; it's life mana," Duro warned, his tone grave.
Mr. Kyu's eyes widened in shock. "I understand!" he exclaimed before hurrying off.
Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Setchi and his friends were in a state of anxiety.
"I can't just sit here! Suzi is out there somewhere," Setchi declared, pacing restlessly.
"But you can't go. It's too dangerous, Setchi!" Carlos argued, trying to reason with him.
"Danger isn't a thing when friends are in question!" Setchi retorted passionately.
Suddenly, chaos erupted. An old woman fell to the ground, bleeding profusely from a large hole in her chest, blood dripping from her eyes, her mouth agape in a silent scream. Panic spread through the people hiding in the dungeon. More and more people began to drop dead in the same horrific manner. Amidst the chaos, Setchi barely noticed Ikio nonchalantly walking through the crowd, jabbing people in the chest and causing their hearts to explode.
Before Setchi could react, Ikio moved swiftly, jabbing him, Will, and Carlos without even looking. One after another, Will's heart exploded, causing him to collapse to the ground dead. Carlos's heart followed suit, and he too fell lifeless.
This isn't... right, Setchi thought as his heart exploded. He vomited blood before falling to the ground, dead.
Everyone in the room was dead.
"That wraps that up," Ikio muttered to himself, surveying the lifeless bodies strewn across the dungeon floor.
With a swift dash, he emerged above ground and ran towards Mr. Kyu, who was standing with his wife on his shoulder and Suzi beside a tree. Ikio stopped and walked up to him.
"Who are you?" Mr. Kyu demanded, his voice trembling.
"Your savior," Ikio replied, a smirk playing on his lips.
Mr. Kyu's eyes widened. "Wait no, you're—"
"Hey, catch," Ikio interrupted, tossing Mr. Kyu a glowing blue orb.
"What the—" Mr. Kyu began, but the orb exploded into a small pillar that reached the sky, obliterating Mr. Kyu and his wife in an instant.
"Dad—" Suzi screamed, but before she could react, Ikio appeared in front of her and shoved her into the tree. She began to fuse with the tree until she became completely one with it.
Duro sensed all of this happening, but before he could fully comprehend it, Ikio was behind him.
"Nervous? You let all of that happen," Ikio taunted.
"REFUZO!!!" Duro's loud voice echoed, and a large barrier-like force pushed Ikio back, completely out of the village's radius.
"Yes! That's it! The real thing the wizards were afraid of, the true power and reason the Belighters' powers were wanted!!!" Ikio exclaimed. He tried his hardest to move through the "barrier," but he couldn't. He tried punching it, but there was nothing to punch; he just couldn't touch it.
"The true ability of the Belighter, the ability to conceptually reject anything and to absorb any inanimate thing! But there is a reason why I was chosen to take this mission on," Ikio declared.
The skin around Ikio's wrists and hands shattered off like glass, revealing his glowing light blue skin underneath, with sharp claws at his fingertips. Ikio ripped through Duro's Refuzo barrier.
"The ability to survive anywhere triumphs yours!" Ikio shouted, lunging back to Duro at light speed. He kicked Duro in the stomach with such force that it sent the rest of the buildings, houses, and debris flying away. Many soldiers were knocked far back, with only Biby and Savan remaining unphased. Duro was sent flying far away, crashing through countless mountains before finally landing in a grassy plain field. He quickly stood up.
"Damn it all..." Duro muttered.
Ikio appeared behind him with his hands on his hips. "Convenient. Everyone in your village is dead, so that's the end of that. I guess I'll stay here to fight you, then the job will be done. And since you showed me your abilities," Ikio crossed his arms, "I'll show you mine. Disaster Magic: Meteor."
A massive meteor dropped from the sky, its size making the mountains look like ants.
"PRANOJ!!!" Duro shouted. He glared at the meteor, turning it into pure mana and absorbing it into his body.
"Aaaah shit, I forgot about that!" Ikio cursed.
"You killed them..." Duro's voice was filled with fury.
"Oh yeah, like all of them. Double kill, triple kill, overkill, killtacular, killtrocity, kilimanjaro, killtastrophe, killpocalypse, killionaire. After THAT killing spree—dare I say it, killing frenzy—I was running riot. That rampage was insane, man. You should have seen it! Oh wait, you did. You just did jack-shit about it. But I guess I really am untouchable, and you're not invincible—"
"You killed my son..." Duro interrupted, his voice shaking with rage.
"One of those kids was your son? Damn it, we had to capture him due to a change of plans, but I guess those plans are canceled. You know, I have a daughter of my own—"
Faster than the blink of an eye, Ikio's arm was cleanly cut off, with the forest behind him sliced in half.
"That was dimensional cut, a reality magic spell. Damn, you really are trying to kill me now—" Ikio remarked, unfazed.
"You have a child? What kind of heartless monster are you? To take away a parent's child, knowing damn well how it'll feel!" Duro yelled, his voice filled with anguish.
Ikio's arm reformed like putting fragments of glass back together. "I'm no heartless monster, just a monster with a heart."
Meanwhile, James was running back to the village after hearing loud explosions and unsettling sounds. As he approached, he saw many soldiers lining up in front of the completely destroyed village.
"What happened?" he whispered to himself, hiding behind a rock to avoid detection.
James managed to sneak past the soldiers and noticed the dungeon's door wide open. He rushed inside and was horrified by the sight of the dead bodies, including Setchi's. This sight set him off. Standing in the middle of the room was an elf with long red hair, blue eyes, and red markings under his eyes. The elf turned around and noticed James.
"Oh, we missed one," the red-haired elf remarked.
"Did you do this?" James demanded, his voice shaking with anger.
"Feisty. I'm Iarann Cruach, Royal mage Biby Tena's apprentice, and your murderer. Metal Magic: Iron Rising!" Iarann declared.
Multiple pillars of iron erupted from the ground, quickly moving towards James.
"Be crushed!" Iarann commanded.
"Refuzo!" James countered, blocking and blowing apart the iron pillars.
"So you're the son we were told to catch! If I capture you, I might get promoted!" Iarann exclaimed, a malicious grin spreading across his face.
"You won't walk out of here alive! Thorn Magic: Ravage Trail!" James shouted, touching the ground and sending multiple spikes from the earth towards Iarann.
"Thorn magic is weak. Metal Magic: Steel Wall," Iarann responded nonchalantly, summoning a wall of steel that blocked the spikes.
"Why would you even try to fight me?! You're simply out of your league!" Iarann taunted as he jumped over the wall. "Metal Magic: Iron Fist!"
Iarann's fist turned into iron, and he punched James in the face, causing him to slide across the ground with a bloody nose and a bruised face.
*This guy really is strong... I can't lose though. Setchi... Setchi won't die in vain!* James thought as he stood up, determination in his eyes.
"Still got some fight left?! Metal Magic: Metal Sphere!" Iarann conjured a building-sized sphere of metal and sent it flying towards James. "This'll just break all the bones in your body. You'll be healed later."
"You're the one who will have all of your bones broken!" James retorted.
Suddenly, James's shirt ripped off, and large purple glowing fairy wings sprouted from his back. His eyes began to glow blue, his hair stood up and faintly glowed blue, and a pink aura enveloped him.
"That mana level?!" Iarann gasped.
A giant spike emerged from the ground and stabbed the sphere of metal, stopping it in its tracks.
"Impossible!" Iarann shouted in disbelief.
"Everyone," James began, raising one hand, "rest in peace."
Thousands of spikes erupted from the ground and surged towards Iarann.
"Metal Magic! Iron Coffin!" Iarann desperately created a coffin of iron around himself, blocking some of the spikes. However, other spikes pierced through the coffin and stabbed him. The iron coffin dropped, and Iarann used his iron fist to break off the spikes sticking in him while also backing away from the battle.
James raised his hand towards Iarann. "May you all be remembered," he intoned, his voice steady and resolute. A large beam of pink magic shot out of his hand, consuming Iarann and exploding with a deafening blast. When the smoke cleared, Iarann was slumped against the wall across the dungeon, his eyes rolled back in his head, unconscious. James stared at him with a blank yet fierce expression.
"You're not dead?" James tilted his head curiously.
He walked over to Iarann, his footsteps echoing in the silence. "Let me go ahead and kill you."
A new voice cut through the air. "So, that's what all that noise was."
James turned to see Biby standing across the room.
"Are you with them? I'll kill you too," James threatened.
Biby smirked. "Good luck, kid. Legendary Beast Embodiment Magic: Thunderbird."
Electricity engulfed Biby's body. With blinding speed, she darted across the room and punched James in the stomach. He coughed up spit before being knocked out of his form and unconscious. His wings faded away as he crumpled to the ground.
"That was a bit easy," Biby remarked, picking James up effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Duro and Ikio were locked in a fierce battle. Ikio relentlessly attacked Duro with a flurry of kicks and punches, but Duro blocked them all. Just as Duro was about to throw a punch, Ikio back-flipped five times away from him.
"Disaster Magic: Volcano!" Ikio shouted.
A giant volcano sprouted from the ground. "Controlled Eruption!" Hundreds of balls of lava shot out of the volcano and rained down towards Duro.
"Refuzo," Duro said calmly. Activating his barrier, he destroyed all the lava balls.
Shit, what did I expect? Ikio thought, frustration creeping in.
Suddenly, Duro appeared behind Ikio, grabbing him and throwing him into the air above the clouds. Duro then appeared above Ikio and whacked him with the tip of his scepter, causing a shockwave of magic that sent Ikio crashing into the ground below. Ikio quickly recovered.
"Disaster Magic: Thunder!" Ikio yelled.
Multiple black clouds formed above Duro, unleashing a torrential downpour of lightning. Duro dodged every bolt and lunged towards Ikio.
"Disaster Magic: EF-Million Tornado!" Ikio summoned a massive tornado that pulled even mountains into its vortex, directing it towards Duro.
"Reality Magic: Fissure," Duro countered, chopping his hand down. Reality around the tornado cracked, and it was dragged into a hole in reality before disappearing.
Without Duro noticing, Ikio was already in front of him. Ikio punched Duro in the stomach, grabbed him by the leg, and slammed him into the ground. Stepping back, Ikio called out, "Disaster Magic: Category One Billion Hurricane!"
Instantly, a hurricane formed, utterly destroying the terrace, forest, and mountains with ease. Ikio stood in the eye of the storm, arms crossed, but his eyes widened as Duro effortlessly stood up. The tip of Duro's scepter glowed, and the hurricane was pulled into it, disappearing completely.
Ikio, with blinding speed, dashed up to Duro, palming his face and slamming it into the ground.
"Disaster Magic: God Level Flood!" he shouted.
Water began to flood rapidly, engulfing the area.
New Landmark: The Fake Sea
The continent of Ciel was mysteriously wiped out by a powerful hurricane, killing all its inhabitants, and was subsequently flooded. Multiple meteor fragments and chunks are found here by visitors. The waters are haunted by the ghosts of the past inhabitants. This landmark became the largest man-made body of water in the world, measuring 156,385,800,000 miles wide.
Ikio floated above the water, attempting to drown Duro, but Duro overpowered him, grabbing Ikio by the neck.
"Grrr- Disaster Magic: God Level Blizzard!" Ikio roared.
A massive blizzard formed around them, freezing Duro. Ikio smiled, thinking he had won, but Duro broke free from the ice and flew out of the water with Ikio still in his grip. Ikio managed to break away and flew to the peak of a mountain.
"Disaster Magic: Meteor Valley!" Ikio called out.
The entire sky filled with earth-sized meteors.
"REFUZO!" Duro shouted.
Duro activated a Refuzo barrier, completely destroying all the meteors. He then fired a beam from his scepter at Ikio. Ikio jumped off the mountain, dodging the beam, which cut the mountain in half. Suddenly, Ikio was pulled towards Duro.
What is this?! Is he absorbing the air around me to pull me in?! Wait no... HE'S PULLING ME USING THE MANA DIRECTLY FROM MY BODY! Ikio thought in panic.
Duro pulled Ikio into a clothesline, then grabbed Ikio's body and dragged him underwater until they reached the bottom.
"Refuzo!" Duro pushed all the water around them away, creating a large bubble of air underwater for them to fight in.
"Disaster Magic: Magnitude 20 Earthquake," Ikio announced.
Ikio punched the ground, causing a wide split. Duro levitated over the split.
"Reality Magic: Mend," Duro said calmly.
The split pushed itself back together, returning the ground to normal.
"Disaster Magic: Magnitude 2 Million Earthquake!" Ikio punched the ground again, causing everything to shake violently. Before anything else could happen, Duro stomped on the ground, stopping the earthquake.
That's just- Ikio's thoughts were interrupted as he was pulled back to Duro and punched in the stomach, causing his skin to crack again. He was punched above the water, skipping across it like a pebble.
"Bullshit-" Ikio muttered, flipping himself upright and standing on top of the water.
"It's about time I get more serious," he said, cracking his neck as the cracks on his skin healed. The skin on his left hand shattered off again, revealing his glowing blue skin.
Duro stood above the water, charging up an attack with his scepter.
There's something different with the way he's charging that attack up. I can't track its mana... Ikio thought.
"Reality Magic..." Duro began.
Wait, am I really that blind? He's transcending the attack. Of course, I can see it because I'm a higher being, but the strength of this attack will be- Ikio realized.
"10th Dimension Blast!" Duro fired a massive purple, blue, and pink beam at Ikio. Ikio dashed towards the beam, blocking it with his glowing hand. He managed to move through it, punching through Duro's chest.
"Gah-" Duro gasped.
"Gotcha!" Ikio exclaimed triumphantly.
Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Mythical Beast Embodiment Magic: Demon God!"
"Back up!" Ikio happily exclaimed, his voice echoing across the water.
Flying over the water towards the two was Biby, cloaked in a fiery red aura. Ikio swiftly withdrew his arm from Duro's chest, then delivered a powerful kick, sending Duro hurtling towards Biby.
"Demon Magic: Demonic Roar!" Biby bellowed.
A beam of red magic erupted from Biby, striking Duro mid-air.
Dammit... Why am I still fighting? Duro thought, pain and despair filling his mind.
Biby aimed a punch at Ikio.
"Transcended Disaster Magic: Meteor Buckshot," Ikio intoned, his voice cold and menacing.
From Ikio's hand, a small flaming purple meteor shot forth, severing Duro's right arm with a brutal force.
Fighting wouldn't give you the life you wanted... I'm going to die in vain, my life will be meaningless, your lives will be meaningless... Duro's thoughts swirled in a vortex of hopelessness.
Biby appeared above Duro, delivering a crushing punch that drove him beneath the water's surface.
I... I can't fight for you, Setchi... I can't avenge you... So instead of fighting an empty war... Duro's hand grasped the tip of his scepter, a final act of defiance.
I'll just move the empty war... James, and Setchi... I love you... may the heart find peace in the right hands, he thought as his entire body was absorbed into the scepter, which then sank into the depths of the water.
"Why don't I sense his mana anymore?" Ikio questioned, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"He must be dead—" Biby started, but was cut off.
Suddenly, something blue shot out of the water at incredible speed.
"That's the—" Ikio began.
"The Origin Heart!" Biby exclaimed.
In an instant, it vanished into the sky.
"Dammit, it's gone!" Ikio cursed, frustration evident in his tone.
"We captured his son at least," Biby remarked, trying to find a silver lining.
"You did? He told me he died... Does that man have two sons?! God, is he active—" Ikio's voice was tinged with disbelief.
"Mission failed successfully, I guess," Biby concluded with a wry smile.
One day after the brutal battle, the dungeon was still littered with the bodies of the fallen. Outside, two solemn voices echoed through the air.
"Oh my Lord, all of these corpses, death, and destruction... it grieves my heart deeply..." Voice 1 lamented.
"There are no signs of any souls here... actually no, there is one, it's still clinging to its corpse," Voice 2 observed.
As the voices drew closer, their owners came into view—Seinaro and Dareen.
"Is that the body of the person we're seeking?" Seinaro inquired.
"Definitely," Dareen confirmed.
Seinaro bowed his head solemnly. "May the souls of everyone in this room rest in peace," he prayed quietly.
Dareen observed Setchi's body thoughtfully. "Ah, so the one with the clingy soul is a kid?"
"What a powerful soul and mind. This child must be blessed," Seinaro remarked, acknowledging Setchi's resilience.
"Perhaps," Dareen agreed, kneeling beside Setchi's body and withdrawing a cloth bag.
"I guess it's time I do the ritual," Dareen announced, his voice steady.
"Why does Subiru want to give this up again? And to a child, no less. It's perplexing," Seinaro pondered aloud.
"When that thing landed on our doorstep yesterday, Subiru knew what it was, but knew it couldn't be used on anyone close to him. So instead of trying to kill himself over this one object, he just wants us to return the object to its owner using the direction it gave us," Dareen explained, taking out the Origin Heart from the bag.
"I'll pray for you and the child," Seinaro offered softly.
Dareen gently detached Setchi's clinging soul from his body and carefully returned it, murmuring words of comfort.
"What I don't understand is why not groom the kid into being one of our own? We have an extra Kagho just waiting for him!" Dareen suggested thoughtfully.
"It's God's plan, Dareen. Subiru is simply following God, so he won't let his own selfish thoughts get in the way. He'll do what's right. Remember, we're not the bad guys; we're just good people in difficult situations," Seinaro reminded him.
Dareen nodded, understanding Seinaro's perspective. He picked up the Origin Heart and placed it gently into the cavity in Setchi's chest.
"I guess you're right, Seinaro... I need to stop thinking like a bad guy..." Dareen murmured, watching as Setchi's wound healed miraculously.
"Alright, our business here is done," Seinaro concluded quietly.
Together, Seinaro and Dareen walked away from the somber scene, leaving behind a restored soul and a renewed sense of purpose.