Ash sprinted forward, hoping to catch the ogre off guard once more. He unleashed a flurry of attacks, his sword a blur as he pressed his assault. The flaming sword was swung with a fierce determination to end the madness of allowing a monster into their holy domain.
Sending blow after blow, each swing was met with Asura effortlessly blocking the attempts with his four forearms. Despite the holy mana empowering his blade, the flames were fruitless. His opponent's face was unflinching as his mocking smile remained. Frustrated that his blade slid off Asura's forearms again, Ash decided on a new tactic.
Sliding backward, Ash shifted to a one-handed grip and lifted his other hand toward the sky, conjuring a giant ball of holy fire. His holy mana shifted inside, pouring from his heart and through his arm. The golden flame swirled in his palm, growing brighter as it consumed more mana.
Asura ran forward as he conjured the ball of fire, trying to interrupt Ash's blatant attack. However, Ash never took his eyes off Asura as he quickly approached. With Asura closing in, Ash preemptively slung the fireball forward, an incomplete form.
The ball of fire streaked through the air like a comet. The flames defied the world's laws, clinging to an invisible substance that fueled their life. As the ogre raced toward his opponent, in a swift act to dodge, Asura slammed his fingers into the ground, digging into it as if the rock were soil. He gripped the stone floor for leverage, throwing himself to the left seconds before the fireball shot past, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
The intense heat caused a bead of sweat to trickle down Asura's forehead as he watched it fly past his face. Good thing that missed. He thought as he continued his pursuit. The sight of the ogre avoiding his attack left Ash's eyes wide. His opponent was more cunning and intelligent than he anticipated. Most monsters charged forward with sole bloodlust in mind, but this one was experienced and decisive. This moronic demon must be high-ranking.
Behind Asura, a massive explosion erupted as the fireball struck the wall, blasting rubble and dust in all directions. The shockwave slammed into his back, nearly knocking him off balance. He turned briefly, surveying the damage. Now, on its surface was a crater in the wall, debris thrown across the ground, and smoke curling into the air.
"Not bad, soy boy." Asura nodded, impressed.
Without a word, Asura burst forward, closing the distance instantly. Caught off guard by his sudden speed, Ash barely had time to raise his blade in defense. Asura's two right fists crashed against the sword's flat, sending a jolt through Ash's arms. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip with both hands, absorbing the impact.
The force of the blow sent Ash stumbling back a few feet, struggling to maintain his footing. Yet, to Asura's surprise, he remained standing. Humans never ceased to amaze him, their resilience in the face of overwhelming power was nothing short of remarkable.
But Asura's moment of admiration cost him. Ash noticed the brief lapse in his opponent's focus and, without hesitation, seized the opportunity. The priest channeled holy mana into his blade, its aura flaring to life.
He slashed through the air with a swift motion, causing the flames to ripple. He sent thin arcs of fire hurtling toward Asura. Reacting instantly, Asura ducked under the first and leaped over the second, rolling forward as he landed. But his evasive maneuvers were not enough. The final slash struck his shoulder, igniting it in holy flames that seared his outer layer of skin.
The flames irritated Asura but did little to harm him. However, the holy flames clung stubbornly, refusing to extinguish like ordinary fire. He swatted at them for a few moments, long enough to give his opponent an opening. In battle, time was everything. It could be used to recover, seize an advantage, or set a plan into motion. Ash knew this well. The old man had drilled it into his head time and time again.
His opponent seemed oblivious to the value of time and the opportunities it provided. Frustrated by a mere flickering flame, the foolish ogre sat there, distracted, allowing Ash to act freely. What a fool, Ash thought, watching as the childish brute grew increasingly enraged by the lingering fire. Anticipating an inevitable outburst, he wasted no time chanting an incantation to summon a holy barrier, ready to withstand the ogre's wrath.
"Judex Divinum is my protector and shield." his voice never wavered, and his mana poured out into the earth. "Through Michael, the walls of heaven will not fall."
A massive golden wall of holy mana materialized, stretching across the room and cutting off any path to Ash. Standing before the towering, translucent barrier, Asura couldn't help but be impressed. Even without touching it, he could sense its immense density. He knew little about how holy mana functioned, but one thing was clear. It was undoubtedly effective. It sure does its job well, he thought.
Asura dug his hands into the ground, tearing out two large chunks of the floor. He hurled them at the radiant wall with restrained might, only to watch them shatter on impact. The barrier remained untouched as if mocking the crude assault. Ash chuckled, his confidence bolstered by the ogre's futile struggles.
"What a brute," he jested. "slamming your fists into everything won't solve your problems."
Behind the safety of his barrier, Ash's confidence grew. He began chanting another incantation, different from the last.
Asura could feel the mana gathering within Ash, but something was off. Before, it had seemed as though Ash was expelling the energy from within himself. Now, however, it felt as if he was drawing it from somewhere else.
He trained his instinct on his surroundings, feeling a faint shift in mana from another presence in the room. Asura turned his gaze and met Mel's knowing smile. She's supplying Ash. Asura muttered to himself, realization dawning.
"That's cheating." He shouted out with evident annoyance.
However, the old man remained indifferent, deliberately ignoring the situation. He was powerless against their scandal.
"Meh, doesn't matter anyway." He shrugged, his smile curling further. "Still gonna lose, soy boy."
Asura studied the barrier, but his attention shifted to Ash. Rune by rune, a ring of runes emerged, a perfect circle around him as he drove his sword into the ground. Its blade clinked against the surface but drove through. Then, suddenly, the light radiating from his body intensified with each passing second, forcing the shadows to retreat. He spoke with commanding authority in a voice that echoed through the room.
"Judex Divinum will lead those who follow the righteous path to victory." His eyes brightened with every word. "Through Michael, a path will be—"
Before Ash could finish, Asura slammed his right two fists into the mana wall with all his might. The barrier shattered like glass, exploding outward in a shockwave that sent Ash stumbling back.
"You think I'd just let you power up or something?" Asura scoffed. "This ain't no cartoon, man. And for your information, yeah, I do think my fists can solve most problems."
Ash scrambled backward, but Asura was already on him. Bending down, he grabbed Ash's ankle, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "I did see this in a movie once. Big man beat the crap out of a 'god', might be fitting for you and your ego."
Asura lifted Ash into the air easily before whipping him around like a rag doll, slamming him into the ground repeatedly. Each brutal impact rattled the floor, sending shockwaves through the room as blood splattered across the stone. Ash's pained groans filled the air, complimented by the sickening crunch of breaking bones, each one only feeding Asura's rising confidence. I'm winning.
After five brutal slams, Asura released Ash's ankle, tossing him aside like discarded trash. He stood tall, chest puffed out, basking in the glow of victory. With a smug stride, he approached his downed opponent. Ash's face, mangled and bloodied, was barely recognizable.
Not that Asura cared about appearances. The old man had said he'd heal him. What did bother him was Ash's stillness. For a few tense seconds, his chest did not rise. There was no fall.
Oh man… is he dead? Asura wondered, waiting, waiting…
Then, he heard it, a steady heartbeat. Relief washed over him. Who knows what the old man might do if he died? Breathing was good enough.
"I win!" Asura bellowed, searching for the old man.
The old man sighed, his gaze lingering on Ash's broken form. He had promised to heal him, but even magic couldn't erase the pain. Nearby, Mel watched in horror, her face pale as she took in the sight of her battered friend.
Then, suddenly, Ash's body twitched. A violent, unnatural vibration rippled through his limbs. His movements were stiff, almost puppet-like. The sight left Asura's stomach dropped.
"What he fu—?" he muttered, stumbling back, instinctively putting the old man between him and whatever was happening. Asura watched in horror as each shattered bone snapped back into place with sickening cracks. Ash's body twitched and jolted with every gruesome adjustment. His torn flesh mended itself as if invisible hands were stitching the wounds shut. Blood that had pooled around him slithered back into his body, drawn in like it was alive.
Then, after a long, eerie silence, Ash pushed himself off the ground.
"What a cheap win." He groaned, grabbing his neck as he stood, the pain still evident in his expression.
Asura barely had time to process what he had just witnessed before Ash turned and walked toward the old man. Upon reaching him, the old man gave Ash a hearty pat on the back, sending a fresh wave of pain rippling through his body. Ash winced while the old man merely chuckled at his suffering.
Now fully healed, save for the wound to his pride, Ash stood rather effortlessly as if the fight never took place. The old man turned his attention to Asura without addressing the prior events. He studied him carefully, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. This result exceeded his expectations. Asura was tougher than anything he had ever encountered, with no wounds or evidence of harm.
"That was round one." The old man gestured to Mel. "Now it's Mel's turn."
Before Asura could react, the room began to shake. He stumbled, his eyes darting around as he searched for the source of the tremors. Suddenly, a chunk of debris struck the back of his head. He barely had time to register it before more rubble whirled through the air, not in destruction, but in restoration.
The ground reassembled beneath his feet. Crumbled walls repaired themselves, the shattered battlefield returning to its pristine state like a puzzle piecing itself together. Asura watched, awestruck.
He had never seen anything like this. Human technology is fascinating! A wide grin spread across his face as he watched the spectacle unfold, like a child seeing fireworks for the first time.
The old man smirked, amused by Asura's fascination. Wholly absorbed in the spectacle, Asura was oblivious to Mel striding into the center of the room, about thirty yards away. She casually popped a bubble with her gum, a sly grin forming as anticipation sparkled in her eyes.
"My turn now, demon boy." Her voice hummed with excitement. As Ash's senior, she would have to achieve what he failed.
The word demon jolted Asura from his trance. His wide grin contorted into something even more menacing as he cracked his knuckles, slamming his fists with a deep, guttural laugh.
"I hope you ain't as weak as soy boy." "All bark, no bite. Call me a chihuahua, I dare you. I ain't one. He is." His grin stretched wider, eyes burning with excitement. "I'm a pit bull, lean, mean, ready to... pee?" His brow furrowed as his face twisted in confusion by his own words.
"Ah, whatever. Point is, I can finally beat that racist shit out of you."
The old man raised a thumbs-up, signaling the start of the match.
Mel wasted no time. Drawing both pistols, she slammed them together, sending amber sparks and flames from its metal. The molten metal screeched as its form was twisted. When the fire settled, a sleek bolt-action rifle remained in her hands.
Its silver barrel gleamed under the light, contrasting against the dark, polished oak stock. The engravings were familiar yet refined, roses winding elegantly along the weapon's body, now accompanied by a female angel clad in armor, stretching gracefully down the rifle's length.
Mel smirked, shouldering her weapon, eyes locked onto Asura. With an awestruck gaze, Asura was oblivious to the start of the battle.
"Judex Divinum purifies the wicked. Through Hephestine's flames, the impurities are purged."
The words echoed as the rifle's engravings began to glow, igniting an amber-tinted holy flame. Mana surged within the gun, filling the round to its maximum capacity. Mel pulled the trigger at that precise moment, officially launching the fight. This time, however, she aimed directly at Asura instead of skyward, a cheap shot, he thought as the bullet left the barrel.
As the oxygen kissed the bullet upon its exit, an amber flame enveloped it. The bullet streaked through the air with an intensifying spin, leaving a spiraling trail of fire that resembled a miniature tornado. Instantly, it pierced the space and struck Asura squarely in the chest.
The impact hurled him violently against the wall. A deafening boom reverberated through the building as the collision shook the structure, sending chunks of brick and debris cascading to the floor. When the dust finally settled, Asura pulled himself from the gaping hole left by the blast. Groaning in pain, he inspected the wall, noting the sprawling cracks radiating from the point of impact. Wicked, he thought, standing amidst the shattered remains.
Then, a distinct click rang out in the distance, a sound different from the initial blast yet instantly recognizable. Having seen every Western movie under the sun, Asura knew that sound well. Mel is reloading.
With no time to waste and aware that another round would soon come his way, Asura sprinted toward her. Pushing through the searing pain from his collision, he groaned with each step, determined to close the distance before the next shot was fired.
"Damn, that hurt." Shaking off the last blow, Asura roared with laughter. "This is fun, lots and lots of fun! These are the fights I've been waiting for!" His exhilaration, however, worried Mel even more than his anger. He was already unpredictable, but excited after a hit like that? Mel's lips twitched at the thought. No matter what she did, this monster simply wouldn't stay down.
"Now, this is a fight!" Asura bellowed.
For a moment, Mel stood in shock as Asura advanced toward her. She couldn't fathom how he remained unharmed by the bullet. While many monsters faltered under such an attack, he moved and charged forward with relentless energy. Snapping back to reality, Mel flipped her gun into the air like a baton twirler. As it spun, it was engulfed in amber flames once more, transforming seamlessly from a bolt-action rifle into an automatic rifle.
As the weapon completed its rotation, Mel caught it deftly and braced herself by pressing the stock against her shoulder. She unleashed a rapid volley of bullets toward the charging monster. But Asura barely flinched; he simply shielded his face and barreled onward like an indestructible tank. Each bullet exploded against his stonelike skin, yet he laughed, unfazed by the barrage.
Now, only three yards away, Asura grew ever more menacing. Mel cursed under her breath as she reached for her gun once again. Sliding her hand along its side, the rifle erupted into amber sparks and flames before the fire subsided to reveal a sleek, long, silver pump-action shotgun. With Asura closing the gap, she decided on an aggressive maneuver.
Sliding low and fast, she darted toward him, catching him off guard as she swept beneath his legs. With her gun braced against her shoulder, Mel aimed upward at Asura's chest and smiled as she pulled the trigger. The explosive round sent him soaring into the air, crashing against the ceiling with a resounding impact.
Before gravity could act, in one fluid motion, she grabbed the barrel and smashed the gun against her leg, shattering it and causing it to burst into flames. The weapon split into two forms in a dazzling display, reverting to its original dual pistol state.
As Asura began his descent, Mel fired both pistols in rapid succession, unleashing a flurry of bullets. He instinctively guarded his face with his four arms as he fell toward her. Though the bullets would likely do little harm to the towering ogre, Mel hoped to land a decisive hit, perhaps striking an eye or a mouth, as he plummeted toward the floor.
Yet before he could crash back down, Asura shifted his weight and landed gracefully on his feet with a booming thud that momentarily silenced the room. Now, standing only a few feet away, he held a distinct advantage.
Reacting quickly, Mel tried firing several rounds aimed at his eyes, but Asura blocked them with his arms. Seizing the opportunity, she began to back away and continue to fire while observing him. She noted that aside from a few burn marks from the explosive rounds, his body bore no bullet holes or other signs of penetration. Asura laughed, unfazed.
"Now that is some fun," he called out. "Alright, well, I guess we need to end this sometime soon. I would hate to keep the old man waiting."
With that, Asura bent down and, using his lower arms, effortlessly ripped two massive chunks of rock from the ground. To Mel, it was nothing short of astonishing, he tore through the floor as if it were made of paper.
Then, a wide, sinister grin spread across his face, revealing rows of sharp teeth as he formulated his next move. With a swift motion, he hurled the boulders toward her, hoping to crush her beneath their weight.
In a swift motion, Mel slammed the pistols together again, transforming them into a shotgun. She raised the barrel, taking aim at the massive rocks only a few feet away, and fired two precise rounds. The rocks exploded midair, disintegrating into rubble that rained down upon her.
A brief wave of relief washed over her as the pebbles pelted her face, but panic soon replaced it as a cloud of dust obscured her vision. When the dust finally settled, Asura was nowhere to be found. Her heart raced as she scanned the area frantically, checking behind her for any sign of him.
"Above you, idiot," He mocked.
Mel's heart dropped as she watched Asura descend. He was too close to escape, but she had to try. She jumped back, attempting to evade his grasp, but it was too late. Asura slammed his arms into the ground before her, shaking the floor and throwing Mel off balance. With no time to react, she was defenseless as Asura rose and slugged her in the stomach.
She flew across the room from the unnatural force, slamming onto the ground with a sickening thud. Blood spewed from her mouth as she tumbled across the surface, skipping like a rock on a lake. When she finally came to a stop, the full extent of the damage became horrifyingly clear.
Her lungs were ruptured, her ribcage shattered. Gasping for breath, she coughed up blood.
"I guess...it's my loss." She muttered before collapsing. Her body began to vibrate, just like Ash's. However, the second time was not any less disturbing. Asura turned away from the twitching form and performed a ridiculous little victory dance for his two spectators.
"Go me, go go go me! Go me!" He gloated as he threw his arms forward in a circular motion.
In mere seconds after being mutilated, Mel's voice spoke from behind. Asura whipped around. She stood there, perfectly organized. Only the exhaustion from the battle remained in her tired eyes, and even that was fading quickly in this mystical room.
"Why are you so difficult to kill?" she asked, getting to her feet.
"'Cause I'm so cool," Asura replied.
Mel shook her head and stepped back beside the old man. Suddenly, he let out a booming laugh, startling Asura, Mel, and Ash.
"You're pretty good for a young monster," he remarked to Asura. "To think you could withstand such firepower! And Mel, she's no weakling, you know." He gestured toward her with the pride of a parent. "She's a top-notch Paladin, truly one of a kind.
As he scratched his beard while studying the young monster, the older man added, "I finally understand why they couldn't kill you when you first entered the cathedral. It wasn't that their abilities were lacking."
The fabric of Asura's jacket began to reweave itself as the old man gazed at the unblemished black skin.
"It was that you're simply hard to kill. Most monsters heal their wounds, but you... you seem to avoid getting wounded at all. Amazing." The old man's eyes shone with unsettling greed.
"What do you mean, 'young' monster, old fart? I'm older than you!" Asura raised an eyebrow, confusion evident on his face.