Brilliant holy energy crashed against another wave of shiny holy power, the two waves consumed each other like two opposite elements, pushing back before the two attacks completely disappeared at the same time.
The large amount of power popped like a balloon, leaving only the two opponents, standing in similar positions, both with their right hands forward, palm facing their enemies.
One was a beautiful priestess and the other a disfigured skeleton, at the sight of their equal powers, both stood still for a few moments.
Ingratitudes jaw slightly moved for a moment before closing right back, he chopped the air with his hand that was only good for this at this point, sending forth a blade of his holy energy which was swiftly countered by the exact same attack.
None of the two was any faster or had more firepower than the other, small attacks like these meant nothing.
'...'
'I wanted to try and conserve my strength but it seems like he is my natural enemy' Idil's figure shined brightly as the surroundings were suddenly assailed by violent gusts of wind.
In total uncareness, Ingratitude showed no reaction and simply concentrated his power into his hands, causing loud cracks as he forced the fused fingers of his right hand to bend into a fist, leaving the other open and taking up a fighting position, a level of expression that had until now been useen from the lesser sin.
As the two neared one another, the priestess increased the output, satuarating the natural mana around them with her own.
Rather than punching at her, Ingratitude slammed his fist into the ground, rising the debris in front of him and infusing them with his holy energy, using them as shields to stop Idil's fists from reaching his body.
As for any ranged attacks, he slashed through them with his other hand.
Once all of the debris had been exhausted, the fighting quickly devolved into moments of close quarters exchanges and moments of ranged attacks when they pushed back each other.
A chop attack from Ingratitude was stopped and so was a punch of Idil, locking both of them in a struggle for a few moments, during which the silent sin moved his jaw again, this time uttering words.
"Earlier, you tried to block my senses... Didn't you? Using holy energy" he spoke as if walking on a minefield.
"A solid... Plan, however, I see, I hear, I smell, I feel, I taste in defiance of god and his will, you are his possession, his thing, you won't succeed" he spoke, exploding with power and launching the priestess away.
"I have developped my own way of speaking... Alternative to what he left me and corrupted the powers he deemed unnecesarry to take from me, perhaps to try and teach me gratitude? Old, foolish and stupid god..."
Idil didn't know what to respond to that but something definitely felt off about what he was saying.
"You speak as if only a single god was responsible of what you became but I can clearly feel lingers of a variety of blessings from many gods on you" she asked, noticing him somewhat release his powers.
"Are you not aware beloved priestess? Even now, I would be deeply surprised if the divine fools weren't still under his thumb, they do what they want, up until he speaks up that is, they are no different from peasants who drink and party as they wish until their lord shows up" the gaps in his speech became less and less and while his conscious hold on his powers lessened, they started to act wildly, prey to the old anger inside of him.
"You are just like me priestess, not any deep meaning, you were chosen for many blessings just like me, I was very focused on the new duties these blessings meant but I was still deemed ungrateful in the end, you are lucky the gods can't just smite whoever they want anymore, otherwise we might be even more similar than now" the skeleton let out a slight ah, the closest thing to a laugh he could muster.
Without another word, Ingratitude launched himself forward, sending his palm like spike at Idil's heart, stomping the ground, the sin noticed at the last moment that an extraordinary amount of energy had been stocked in the ground.
"Letting me speak I see, I guess my years of silence caused me misfortune" he remarked to himself in a low tone as he erected a barrier around him, a long pillar of light rose into the sky as the lesser sin was ejected away.
Idil fell on one knee, pushing so much of her power stealthily and so fast had not been easy, she wouldn't have much to go help anyone else.
Exhaling deeply, she looked forward and saw a surprised looking wolf with a whole human in detached pieces on its back.
The wolf who was definitely a sin looked awkwardly at the priestess and then up, about to where Ingratitude should be by now.
She raised her hand almost immediately, sending an arrow sized projectiles at the two lesser sins, seeing that that, the wolf jumped out of the way, still getting one of his hind legs grazed in the process as he curiously baaed before running away, soon followed by Ilmna who didn't bother paying attention to the priestess.
'Some people are having fun it seems...' she thought before pushing herself up, since the heroine didn't seem in much trouble at all, Idil made her way for the biggest battlefield.
Where many of her fellow champions were fighting against one of the cardinal sins.
________________
Occult looked down upon the two ants that had followed after him, one was a possible threat while the other really was just a ant, an ant he wouldn't even have to deal with at all it seemed.
"I only need the boy" he spoke as he casted a focused and precise gust of wind, which carried Gregory away.
The draconic sin then turned to the young boy, who seemed nervous but still unimpressed, being more shaken by Gregory being flung away than the dragon.
"Now, fight!" commanded Occult as he stood up on his hind legs, the crystals on his body shining with mana.
Iustus stood his ground and glared at the lesser sin, clenching his fists.