The Black Dragon continued to launch attacks as Atreus continued to also parry, match, block, and dodge attacks. When it was time to counterattack, Atreus also threw techniques like Dragon Rush and Ender's Return. All techniques taught by Gideon to him to master.
Currently, Atreus's attainment in each of the techniques were only of the Advanced Stage. Far from the Master Stage, yet the power behind each move contained so much force that if converted to percentage like in games, he would have an output of more than 500% of his physical prowess.
The same could be said for the Black Dragon. It was simply releasing breaths and magic attacks. But these simple attacks had power more that was equal or more than 500% of its overall attack power.
As the match continued the terrain was destroyed, the shockwaves were also devastating. Even the helicopter flying about a kilometer away was affected and had to rely in the pilot's skills to steady its flight.
"Tha-Thank you Mr. Pilot!"
"No problem. I do suggest getting out of here, sir."
"Y-You're right. We'll try to obtain access to this fight's footage using other means…" like renting a satellite to project the fight's video to the station. Is what his full thought was. As a journalist, he was someone who craved for thrill and the truth at the same time.
"Good decision, sir." The pilot took them away and the journalist immediately called his superiors for his plan. A few minutes later, the broadcast was switched and the images became so much more high definition.
"Currently, the saint has been fighting the black dragon for a few minutes already with a victor yet clear! The fate of humanity rests on the saint's hands. However, as we all can see through our screens, the saint and the dragon seem to be equally matched!
"Without decisive blows, this fight is projected to last a few hours more. Please be reminded to evacuate as the region commanders have commanded for all civilians. Watch this feed from the safety of your evacuation centers."
The journalist continued to narrate. His insistence on being given the right to narrate had given him this opportunity. His name would be remembered through history after this along with the 'Saint' that he dubbed as, Atreus.
On the other hand, Atreus was sweating profusely yet his breathing was not labored. The black dragon was also feeling the depletion of energy but was not physically tired.
After a brief separation, they yet again tangled with each other as they fought. With the Black Dragon's size, it was easy to hit, but with its size also, it was easy to sweep Atreus away with each swipe. And each strike was devastatingly loud as shockwaves explode with each collision.
After almost an hour of fighting, the Dragon, Hiei of the Black Dragon suddenly became immaterial. It was his racial trait, being the shadow of the Black Dragon, he was able to meld into the shadows and become shadow itself.
With this ability, it gained the upper hand. On the other hand, Atreus was beginning to feel the sting of not having enough techniques to better channel his strength. Without them, he could only stick to two attacks which have already been thoroughly memorized by the black dragon. Using them in this fight was no longer effective so he stopped wasting his precious Qi.
Soon, the gap between them widened even more. The black dragon started attacking using the shadows it created while also appearing everywhere he would land to bombard him with devastating attacks.
Bleeding, Atreus sustained injuries that he would have been able to heal from with his strong vitality as a Transcendence Realm Cultivator, but the evil energy's property of inhibiting healing and regeneration in its presence made it hard for Atreus to heal.
"Shit. I can't regenerate but it can, how am I supposed to hold on like this?"
He gritted his teeth and simply remembered Gideon's words that he had to hold on for when he arrives.
"I trust master, let's go!" Atreus, bloodied all over looked like a frenzied demon who was going to give up even his life for the sake of the world! The satellite feed captured this and was able to project this to the whole Earth.
The blood of all heralds started to boil! The stimulation was too much!
"A Martial Saint! That man is a Martial Saint!"
"Yes! He is! He fights so desperately for the sake of us ordinary people! How can he not be a Martial Saint?!"
The many supporters he'd gained from the broadcast did not leave before the dragon was taught a lesson!
They were expecting this from the losing human brave-soul!
"Don't lose! Fight! We're right behind you!"
"You can do it!"
These shouts were directed at the screens in each evacuation center. They were desperately wishing, praying that Atreus would be able to beat the dragon!
Unknowingly, particles of unknown origin slowly gathered in Atreus like fireflies. While it was sparse, he ignored it, but when it gathered like a flood, he was alarmed. However, when he felt it was not of ill-intent, he welcomed it. And when it seeped into his body, he found that a new source of energy had been created in himself.
"What is this?" Obviously, the dragon was unable to sense this. Atreus felt energized and as many more of these particles gathered, his spiritual power seemed to be bubbling up.
"Master… what is this?"
As if Gideon heard him and answered, a whisper came to his ears, "That is the power of faith. People are praying for your success. Accumulate this energy enough, and you'll be able to ascend to godhood."
"Godhood? Like master?" He asked.
"No, not like your master. You will become more than your master. You will surpass him."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What do I need to do?"
"Feel the energy and gather them into your heart. Keep them there until you feel you can no longer accept more."
"Okay. I'll do it later when master is present." Atreus answered.
He couldn't risk being open to attacks from absorbing unknown energy. So, he listened to its introduction before declining.
"All I need to do is buy time for master. No need for extracurricular activities." Atreus clamped down on the desire that's bubbling inside of him. He had to concentrate on suppressing them and focused on the fight.
Hiei noticed this unnatural state he was in and suspected something. However, without being able to see it, he was not certain about his suspicion. In the end, he still harassed Atreus until he was black and blue.
"No need to endure it anymore, return my disciple." Gideon's voice entered Atreus's ears and he immediately left. Leaving the Black Dragon shocked and indignant.
"Son of a—!" Before it could finish its sentence, Gideon held its big Dragon Jaws as this touch immediately reverted it to material form. And the gigantic jaw was clamped down by the grip of a being much smaller that it was.
This scene was too contrasting that it was unbelievable.
"This was the predicted outcome. A stalemate between my disciple and you. A champion of an evil god who has enough juice to hide its tracks while infiltrating the world it wants to devour."
"W-Who are you?!" The Black Dragon sent a voice transmission telepathically since it couldn't open its mouth.
"No need to know. But if you must blame someone for your death, then I guess you can blame me, Gideon."
"Gideon, if you release me now, I can spare this world and move on to another. How about a deal?"
"A deal? No need. I'll use your body to make equipment later, so just die for me."
"N-No! You cannot kill me! I am in possession of the human soul called Dylan Ross! If you kill me, then you are also killing him! Think about that, hero!"
"Hmm? When did you assume that I was some kind of hero? I am not. That's one of the greatest tools the evil gods devised to deceive the strongest beings in each world they devoured. Calking them hero and breaking their spirit by having them betrayed by the very people they tried to protect. Quite a scheme."
"N-No… it is not a lie! I will go away! Never to return!"
"Yes, you'll never return… as for Dylan Ross… Hmm…" Gideon paused and then continued, "He's not really that valuable to me."
At this juncture, the black dragon felt that was truly imminent. Its mental barriers almost collapsed but before it did, Dylan Ross found the opening he was looking for.
After possessing the body of the Black Dragon, he found that he was unable to move at all. He opened his eyes and saw the one man he swore never to be caught by!
"W-Why are you here?!" Dylan Ross also sent a voice transmission telepathically.
"Hmm? Is that Dylan Ross?" Gideon narrowed his eyes as if seeing deep into the dragons being and saw Dylan Ross in the helm.
"I see. No need to worry. You'll die very soon. Along with this lizard. I just want to ask though, how did you escape me earlier?"
Gideon was rather curious about it.
"I… I had an item that teleported me to the farthest dungeon from my location."
"I see. And then you were enticed by the evil god and now the world has been plunged into chaos because of your decisions. No need to feel remorse, I'll still kill you. I just wanted to know that."
Without further ado, Gideon killed Dylan Ross who possessed the black dragon's body. And purged the soul, Dylan or not, from the vessel. He then swallowed the body through the dimensional pocket.
Without moving, Gideon felt the Earth and the chaos that sprang from the dungeons. He gazed into the skies and saw in his eyes the situation. Grief filled his expression as it was replaced by fury.
His eyes turned electric blue and then golden. And then, he willed the world's skies to produce lightning clouds. After such, he diffused energy from himself to pump the lightning clouds with the golden blue lightning currents.
Soon, the skies rumbled all over the world.
"This, is Divine Punishment!"
The moment Gideon uttered such. His will, as if the absolute authority on Earth was carried out. Every single dungeon and dungeon cores inside them were smitten by golden-blue lightning that carried the wrath of a god.
Each time it bombarded a dungeon as its lightning snakes entered each dungeon as well, the ground trembled and the whole world was turned deaf. The thunderous roars of lightning clapping on its targets, it was breathtaking!
This was the solution that Gideon found after cultivating himself. His divinity and skills were incorporated into the one skill that followed his thoughts. His Qi was melded with his Divinity and the skill Absolute Will became the base for a new skill. This skill had devoured all other skills that Gideon possessed before its conception and were enhanced. Now he possessed only one skill of divine and spiritual nature: Gideon's Law.
Gideon's Law was in simple terms, anything that Gideon wills, become reality. It was a skill that was only applicable inside his Divine Territory which apparently was the entire Earth and its sub-dimensions, such as the Divine Realm, the Spirit Realm, the and the Dead Realm. Realms and Planes that are outside Earth but are connected to it remain accessible but not controllable. These realms are the Astral Plane, The Akashic Plane, and Heaven and Hell.
So, within Earth and its sub-dimensions, Gideon's Will was absolute. This was an expansion of his Absolute Will skill.
When Gideon uttered the words, "This is Divine Punishment!" Gideon's Law was invoked and his will was carried out. The greatest advantage to this is that Gideon doesn't expend energy. His Qi, and Transcendence Realm Cultivation was sacrificed in order for this skill to be created so he was now an ordinary mortal, with a body of a transcendent being. However, technically, he was also a god, but because of the creation of this skill, even his divinity was taken from him to accommodate the creation of the skill.
"Sigh. At least, I avoided the fate of being expelled from Earth because of my exceeding Realm or Power. I'll have to deal with the evil gods by taking the fight to them from now on. I can't always be on the defensive. With Atreus here, no champion beyond below Transcendence Realm can wreak havoc here.
"Rebecca is also here and my little angel, Alice. I'll be gone for a while, but when I come back, Earth should be at peace, wouldn't it?"
Gideon disappeared and reappeared inside the Flying Island. He arranged everything. He spoke only of the truth to Rebecca, Deborah, and his parents. He then told them to take care of things while he was away. When he came face-to-face with Alice, he was almost dissuaded to do what was right according to his judgment.
"Baby, I'll leave you with mama for a while, okay? You'll be a good girl and take care of mama, won't you?"
"Papa will go on a trip for a long time?"
"Yes, darling."
"Then papa has to bring lots of new toys for Alice when you come back. I'll take care of mama and everyone here while you are away!"
"Is that so? I feel so much more confident about leaving, eh?"
"But Papa can just come back instantly if he misses Alice right?"
"Sure I will!"
"Promise?"
"Promise!" Gideon couldn't help but promise. He wasn't entirely sure he would be able to return if he wished but he still promised. He understood then, that those scenes on screen where the father promises something to their children and then breaks them were scenes like the one he'd just enacted with Alice. He couldn't help it. He had to promise. Even if he couldn't fulfill it.
It was to ease the tension of the child! Gideon realized.
However, when everything calmed, he still decided to do what he needed to do. That is to find the evil god, and vanquish yet another one of it.
This was his self-imposed quest. As long as the evil gods targeted Earth, he won't be able to rest in peace.