10 advance chapters on P@treon.com/Saintbarbido.
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(General P.O.V)
Silence.
A quiet so extreme, it was almost audible.
No one had said a thing as the Duel reached what seemed like an anti-climatic finish.
Angel was pressed up against the energy field, blows raining down on his body with audible booms.
His opponent, Goku seemed to have entered a state of mindless rage, pummeling him while occasionally yelling,
"JUST GIVE UP."
"S-should we stop this?"
Jinx asked, looking towards Ravager with a sick expression.
Just like the rest.
Ravager however, held fast.
"No interference. Not until one of them yields. This is a duel."
Shade stared at her, saying nothing as his eyes shifted back to the one sided fight. Things were not looking good, but he had faith in the Young Master.
"What about you, Shade?"
Talia unexpectedly addressed him, the unabashed smile she wore like a coiled snake, lit up in venomous glee,
"Are you not afraid, your precious master might die mmh? Not to worry Shady boy, the League of Shadows will welcome you back with open arms."
Talia used a nickname she knew he hated. But he wasn't a lost teen looking for purpose anymore. He had already found it- the Right Hand to who would become the ruler of the Earth one day.
He simply ignored it, not keen on wasting anger on someone like her.
Jinx was not like him however. She grit her teeth, ready to shut Talia up, only for Ravager to place a hand on her shoulder.
Cheshire, who was closest to Talia, burst out in a hollow chuckle. Unlike before, it lacked the amusement from earlier.
Talia turned to her, eyes narrowed.
"And what's so funny, Cheshire?"
"You're delusional if you still think the Shadows are yours."
Cheshire replied mercilessly.
"That ship has sailed Talia, move on."
Talia snorted, eyes sweeping back to the duel- the limp body of Angel pressed against the field.
She looked back at Cheshire meaningfully,
"You sure? Because in my eyes, the five of you are about to be unemployed. The second that Bra-"
She didn't finish the sentence, Cheshire's fist connecting in a punch that instantly knocked her out.
The Demon's Head daughter flopped to the ground limply.
"You were right."
Cheshire turned to Jinx and smirked,
"Someone should have punched the bitch in the mouth."
Suddenly, their attention was stolen by a change in the fight.
"He's going to win. He has to."
Laura, whispered under her breath.
(Angel's P.O.V)
The white void disappeared and was replaced by the face of a furious Saiyan.
Only two seconds had passed in that strange space in between the Speedforce and my body.
The pain that I instantly re-registered told me why my mind had escaped in the first place.
I was hurting all over. And re-hurting as the Saiyan repeatedly shattered healed bones.
On the flip side, I had a way to change the situation. All was not lost. I just had to try out the idea.
[Angel PPL: 225-> 360]
First, I had to get out of my current situation. For a split second, I increased the modifier value of the suit to ×8, allowing me to duck under his arms and roll away.
[Angel PPL: 360-> 225]
That split second power up was a horrible experience, my body felt stuffed and about to explode, causing me to return the modifier value back to the initial ×5.
Goku rounded up on me- like a predator chasing after prey, he lunged in speeds I couldn't react to even with the enhanced perception I had- a substantial amount of speed force overclocking my brain.
This would be the perfect time for my metagene to awaken. No? Okay, I'll wait.
There was no point in running away. So I didn't try to.
Instead, a fire dragon formed from my Pyrokinesis coiled around my body and surged forward to meet the Saiyan in a head on collision.
Goku stopped and used his momentum to punch out, creating a shockwave that obliterated the fire construct.
With its disappearance, he found himself assaulted by a white Tiger, one made out of ice, the maws of the beast clamping around his mid section.
He broke it apart instantly of course. Despite how cool they looked, there was no way my creations could hurt the Saiyan.
But they didn't need to. They only had to stall him.
In the meantime, I was trying to get a sense of how my Mana shifted from formless energy into fire and ice. The attacks were thus not done in vain.
I studied how it moved whenever I reached out with my Will. How my skin tingled with warmth when a fire Dragon flew out of my right side, or how my left side grew cold when a tiger sprang out.
And every time he destroyed them, I would slip into super speed and increase the Modifier value for a split second and shamelessly run away, turning the duel into a cat and mouse chase.
Was I proud of it? No. Was it necessary? You bet your ass.
-0-
"Why is he attacking from afar?"
Jinx questioned in confusion.
"Getting close and grabbing Goku's tail would win him the fight right?"
"No. The Young Master would not want such a victory."
Breaking his silence, Shade answered with confidence.
'I know you Young Master. Despite having a way to come out on top, you want to use this chance and grow. You never change.'
Shade thought, pride fiercely burning in his eyes.
-0-
Mana.
Why have I never focused on this wonderful wonderful MANA!!!
"Hehehehe."
My shoulders shook with giggles.
Even as my ice walls were shattered to shards, and I was pushed to the wall, ice spikes holding me in place, I stayed focused on the gush of Mana within.
"FIRE DRAGON!!!"
I called out on whim, paying attention to the sensation of heat Mana responding to my probing.
Things were growing clearer and clearer.
"ICE TIGER!"
"FIRE DRAGON!"
"ICE DRAGON!"
"FIRE TIGER!"
The floor was hot to touch, making skating around with ice easier.
Goku was confined to the middle of the spacious chamber, fighting off a variety of elemental dragons and Tigers.
Now I not only had a sense of how Mana flowed, I could disrupt it's movement and divert the energy channels, producing Fire from my left side and Ice from my right.
Once that happened, it was like a mental switch was flipped on in my head. The cycle of heat and cold was not confined to one side alone!
How did I never realize?!
It was me. I was to blame, being the one that attributed my powers were similar to Todoroki's. And because Magic is belief, it became that way!
[Goku BPL: 330-> 400]
Boooom!!! The floor trembled below me, all from him powering up.
'It's still not enough to beat him.'
I belatedly realized, my back shivering in excitement and dread while creating distance between the two of us.
With another Ki burst, all my constructs were pushed away and dispelled.
"No. More. Games!"
The Saiyan roared with a charge.
Jaw clenched, I upped the modifier back to ×8, matching his power level and slipping into another burst of super speed.
I just barely managed to evade his rush, setting up ice obstacles behind me that slowed him down a little.
But after blasting them apart and putting me in his sight, I knew it was over. I literally had my back against the wall.
Fortunately, the attack I had been setting up for a few seconds now, was ready.
Without hesitation, I dropped it on his head- a compressed ball of hot mist formed from all the dispelled -Elemental constructs.
The snap of my fingers, launched red colored spark of speed force lightning at the ball.
"Hold on to your hat."
I smirked at the Saiyan who had stopped and was cluelessly gazing at elemental bomb.
The resulting explosion was larger than I expected, throwing both of us away.
The back of my head hit something hard and I blacked out.
-0-
Around them, the testing facility started shaking, cracks appearing on the ceiling and spreading even to the Kings Guard's position.
"What the hell was that?! Are they trying to kill us too!?!"
Jinx yelled in fear, shielding herself with Cheshire.
"That's what happens when you mix fire, water and electricity."
Ravager answered, concern etched on her face,
"They're lucky they have the suits on, otherwise both would be dead."
"They might be. I can't see anything with all this dust."
Cheshire complained, waving the smoke and dust away.
On the ground, Talia begun stirring due to the commotion. Jinx noticed and sneak kicked her on the head, sending her back to oblivion.
No one said anything.
-0-
On the other side of the energy field, the first to get up was Goku, staggering to one raw knee.
It was unbelievable and amazing to watch.
Being that close to the explosion should have turned him into a scalding mess of raw meat.
And while his entire front was melted, the skin and flesh having been cooked by the intense heat, eyes having popped and organs raptured by the shockwaves, the BlackNite Gi he wore had already kickstarted his regeneration.
His face was regaining it's shape. He stopped vomiting blood whenever he coughed. And his hairless tail started regrowing hair.
These being life threatening injuries, Angel had unwittingly made his chances of winning drop even lower. Why?
Goku's Zenkai activated.
[Goku BPL: 550-> 704]
[Goku BPL: 704-> 1100]
...
[Goku BPL: 1100]
As a result, he became twice as powerful.
(Angel's P.O.V)
I was swimming in a river of fire and ice. My body felt light and free but my soul was heavy and tight.
It was a strange feeling. One that I had never experienced before. Even stranger, I was somehow able to feel my soul.
The mystery of how was broken by a voice.
(Duality.)
Someone whispered from the depths of the hot and cold river my body was floating on.
(Duality. One exists for the other. Two make One. That's how. That's how.)
Another whisper floated upwards.
I recognize the insistent voice as my own. Yet it was so far far away, deep in the river.
Curious, I allowed my body to sink, following the source of the cryptic words. Something told me this could be the answer to everything.
I hit the bottom but found nothing there. No voice. No one. Even when I searched.
Soon I reached the limit of how long I could hold my breath and gave up.
Try as I might, I couldn't swim up. My soul had become heavier than before and weighed me down.
(DUALITY!)
This time the whisper was like a hammer, slamming into me and driving out the last bit of air I had.
Fire and Ice rushed into my mouth, burning and freezing at the same time.
I desperately struggled in a bid to call out my powers. To summon my swords. To reach out to the nanites. Something to save me.
(futile)
Nothing answered and I sank...all the way to the bottom, lungs suffocating while staring up at the river's weird split. Fire on on side and Ice on the other. A perfect balance.
Not a bad way to go...
But I should fight.
Angel Savage would fight.
But...I feel helpless. like...like...huh. I forgot his name. My former name.
It's like I'm him. Back in that hospital room, weak and helpless. Back then, I fought to hold on to life. To a miserable existence with a bleak future.
(Foolish)
Yes. I was.
But this time is different. This time, I simply let go...and accepted Death.
I don't die, like I feared.
Instead,
Something clicked within me.
Like a key inserted inside a closed door, my soul opened up and wondrous incredible amounts of a strange energy pour out.
I realized it was Mana. But too pure. Too thick. And way too much. Nothing like the Mana I had grown used to having. This was a different tier.
(Angelic Mana)
The Whisper returns.
The Mana connected to my body and spread out to every corner, bringing relief and pleasure to my entire being. My soul loosened and became light.
The Angelic Mana collided with my regular Mana and devoured it completely, converging into a spot in the middle of my chest.
Duality. Body and Soul.
I finally get it now.
I understand why Goku's Ki trumped my Mana in potency. The difference between us was the Soul.
The combination of his Saiyan body's life force and his Soul's spiritual force became Ki.
Through training, he had unlocked the bridge between the two parts. The self and the vessel becoming one.
I had always wondered how the Original Goku was able to access his Ki in the afterlife. The reason was clear now that I thought about it. His soul was as much a vessel for his Ki as his body.
That was what the whispers had tried to convey.
'Duality. One exists for the other. Two make one.'
In contrast, the Mana I had been using all this time was something completely different.
With the information I now had, I could conclude it's nature:- mystical energy present in the air.
My Homo-Magi cells had been passively absorbing it without my knowledge. Because I never bothered to look deeper than the surface.
All this time...I've been stuck using low quality and diluted Mana when I had my own. Just waiting to be unlocked.
A consequence of not having a magic teacher.
Magician's souls after all produced Mana. Which is what set them apart from regular Magic users like Occultists.
I was no longer a third rate mage. With the Angelic Mana, I had ascended to the next level.
But is it enough to defeat Goku?
Yes and no.
Having access to this new Mana did not translate to knowing how to use it. And the first rule when it came to power was always,
Control. That kind of control however, was unachievable in my current state. I was knocked out and this place was probably a manifestation of my Mindscape, meaning I was still in the fight and could be attacked at any time.
Luckily that explosion became a blessing in disguise, giving me a few seconds at most.
That was enough for me to find a way to beat him. And luckily, I already had an idea on how to surpass the Saiyan.
After all, Magic is belief.
-0-
The explosion had broken Goku out of his mindless rage.
Increasing his power to such heights had the effect of turning him into a battle hungry maniac, and the sight of the testing facility only reinforced that notion.
He had lost control.
But the battle was not over. Angel was yet yield.
Goku took slow steps while approaching his opponent. None of the smoke and dust hanging around touched him.
His new aura pushed such nuisances away. His body felt light, like he would fly away if he walked ant faster.
To his front, he could see Angel on the ground, chest left bare, with only the lower portion of the BlackNite gi left remaining.
Fortunately, he looked uninjured. Although he was passed out.
A sigh of relief escaped Goku. Angel being unconscious meant he won right? To be honest, he didn't want to fight him anymore.
A laugh escaped him. One that was full of disbelief at himself. He stared at his shaking hands. No matter how much he hit him, Angel never gave up.
It...it didn't make sense!
Goku was strong and knew it. He also knew he would rather die than admit defeat. But...with such a big difference between them...why had Angel kept on fighting??! Did he want to win that badly? Or was that the kind of person his friend and boss was?
'Thank god, it's over.'
He thought to himself, a smile crossing his face as he turned around to face the others. They had to see that Angel was knocked out, putting an end to the Duel, thus making him the winner.
As he raised his hand to wave them over, he frowned in confusion. While they were indeed looking his way, they weren't staring at him but behind him.
The shocked expressions on their faces was what told him something was wrong.
"Iyyahhh!"
Goku threw a round kick behind him, only to hit nothing but air. He could have sworn...
His eyes blinked as they passed over the spot Angel's body was supposed to be. But now, it was empty.
A shiver spread across the Saiyan's back, and with trepidation, he chanced a glance at the panel hanging in the air. The one that showed their power levels.
[Goku PPL: 1100]
and on the other side,
[Angel PPL: 225-> ???]
The Saiyan said nothing for a few seconds. And then, and then, the rage came back.
"Aaaaaahhh!! I won't lose!!!"
Goku turned around with a yell, releasing his full power, knowing that Angel was behind him. Now stronger than before. But he wasn't going to accept defe-
His steps faltered, his rage dissipated, his resolve weakened. All at a single sight.
White wings, made of ice that glinted with internal light and chilled his body from a mere glance, jutted off the Being's back.
Black hair with braids of golden and silver dreads fell in between the wings.
A red colored armor composed of fire compressed and molded into a skin tight form, hid a muscular but lithe frame.
The armor was nothing ostentatious, only having sharp spikes on the shoulder pauldrons and the elbows. It also covered everything except the head.
'A Red Angel.'
The term came to the Saiyan's mind.
This unfamiliar being was a few inches taller than him. The only thing allowing the Saiyan to recognize who it was, being the bit of brown skin revealed and the commanding air around him.
Everything else was different. Even the energy signature.
His battle instincts told him he would immediately die if he tried to move any closer.
So Goku stepped back and respectfully knelt down, head bowed in subservience.
"I yield. Thank you for the Duel Young Master."