(A/N: I used AI in this chapter to try and improve my writing, what's your thoughts? Was it good or should I never do this again? I this this as a way to increase my world count... so who knows.)
Toph sent everyone far away, and from a distance, they watched as the skeleton dragons merged into a colossal, formidable creature. This being was unmistakably at level 80, a sight that crushed Evileye's hopes of winning. It bore the power of evil deities, and it would take the combined strength of all 13 heroes to even stand a chance against it. Not to mention, it was completely immune to magic.
But then they witnessed something incredible. I shot into the sky, crackling with lightning that lit up the horizon and struck the skeleton dragon with an unmatched force. The deafening sound made them cover their ears as the dragon crashed to the ground, shaking the very earth beneath them. Yet, in a shocking display, the skeleton dragon rose unscathed and retaliated fiercely.
The battle raged on for hours, utterly obliterating everything in the forest and leaving a wasteland in our wake. It was a spectacle beyond anything they had ever laid eyes on, showcasing the absolute might of a warrior at level 80.
A few hours back.
"Do you think you can stop us all by yourself?" Clementine asked with a cold smirk while sizing me up and down. She licked her blades, eyeing me up and down, almost seemingly getting turned on by the very concept of stabbing me.
"Haha, you'll find that I'm more than enough... well, let me fully introduce myself to you fools," I said, ensuring that Evileye and the others couldn't see what was happening. Once I was ready, my flesh began to drop to the ground, blood horrifyingly splattering over the ground. But I stood there, my devilish aura sending chills down their spines. It was then that Khajiit and Clementine finally understood something: they couldn't win.
Every inch of their being screamed at them to flee, even the undead they had summoned gathered behind me. The skeleton dragons submitted before me. [The End] possessed another unique skill: [Undead Tamer].
[Undead Tamer] - As the Lord of Death, how could the undead ever oppose you? They revere you and fulfill your commands because you are the source of their power.
"Do you understand, Khajiit? I granted you my power last night," I said as the Orb of Death slipped from Khajiit's hands, floating into my palm.
"You exist because I intended to forge the perfect hero—one whom the people would turn to for protection, a champion who would secretly serve my ambitions," I stated firmly as Khajiit fell to his knees, trembling, pressing his head hard against the ground, tears streaming down his face.
"You both stand at a crossroads today, with two distinct paths waiting for you to choose... submit, or die." I looked at the horrified Clementine, who quickly joined Khajiit. When confronting death, no matter how ill one may be, fear is a natural response. Only a handful of people can laugh in the face of death, and those individuals are usually the ones who have nothing left to live for.
Like in the anime, Clementine wanted to live. Despite the pain she had caused, when it was her turn, she was no different from the people she took pleasure in watching die slowly and painfully.
I remained silent while extending my palm, summoning a powerful lightning-type creature. I then seized its source (concept), and amplified it, imbuing the summon with strength to rival that of a level 80 being.
I had the summoned creature battle with the 14 skeleton dragons, making sure the fight was as dramatic as possible. When it became clear that the skeleton dragons would lose, I had them fuse together to form a single, powerful dragon. This led to an epic battle between the newly formed giant dragon and the summon, a spectacle that astonished the world.
"You two may raise your heads," I said calmly, ignoring the occasional earthquakes. The two looked up, shocked to see that I was alive.
"My capabilities extend beyond the concept of death; they also encompass the essence of life. I possess authority over both domains. Therefore, I encourage you to articulate your perspective. What drives your actions?" I inquired with composure while taking my place in a chair that I had just materialized.
(A/n: That above was too much, it made me sick.)
"I wish to become a powerful undead so that one day I can bring my mother back to life," Khajiit said softly, his voice tinged with longing. Growing up in a poor household, he turned to magic, focusing on necromancy, driven by the hope of resurrecting his beloved mother. Yet, somewhere along the way, he lost his path. Now, consumed by his desire to reunite with her, he aims to bring her back as an undead. However, he realizes that first, he must become undead himself, so he can continue this journey and hold on to his dreams of seeing her again.
"I see..." I nodded thoughtfully, my gaze shifting toward Clementine. She stood quietly, a mixture of uncertainty and confusion etched across her face, clearly reluctant to voice her thoughts. The silence between us deepened, as it was evident she was grappling with her feelings, unsure of why she had acted the way she did.
The origins of her struggles can be traced back to her older brother. He received all the attention from their parents, leaving her feeling ignored. Yearning for recognition, she tried desperately to be the perfect daughter. However, over time, the pressure to gain her parents' approval took a toll. Eventually, her relentless pursuit of their attention and her attempt to fulfill their expectations led her down a dark path.
"It doesn't really matter what drives your actions," I said, my voice firm yet welcoming as I approached the two of them. With a deliberate motion, I lowered myself to one knee, eager to meet their eyes and convey my sincerity. "What truly matters is that, from this moment on, you're my people."
"I will love you both as if you were my own creation... so go and retrieve my mother's remains. I will bring her back to life," I said with a gentle smile. Why was I doing this? It was simple: Khajiit could be transformed into a powerful, loyal necromancer capable of creating armies of the undead for me. Once his mother was brought back to life, he would have no choice but to be loyal to me.
As for Clementine, I had explored the depths of her memories, unearthing the origins of her troubles. Deep down, she craved love and affirmation, a gentle reassurance that she was inherently worthy just as she was. With that understanding, I knew she would give herself wholeheartedly to me.
True to his nature, Khajiit dashed away, his excitement palpable as he couldn't bear the thought of waiting for his mother's return. In stark contrast, Clementine stood rooted to the spot, her eyes searching mine, filled with uncertainty and a hint of doubt about whether she could trust the assurances I was offering.
"Do you have any doubts about me?" I asked in a lighthearted tone, noticing the uncertainty reflected in her eyes. She seemed taken aback for a moment, so I gently took her chin in my hand, encouraging her to look me in the eyes.
"In my eyes, all life is equal," I said, my voice steady and warm. "If you question my intentions, it shows you don't trust me. But you must understand that, ultimately, all life will find its place in my hands. I will embrace every soul, just as I invite you into my embrace. Death is impartial, offering no judgments or opinions about our lives. Likewise, I find myself in a position where I refrain from passing judgment on others."
She stood there, uncertainty flickering in her eyes like the last light of sunset. "You see yourself as a broken thing," I continued gently, "but I see you as one of my cherished children, someone who hasn't yet realized how profoundly special they truly are."
As I spoke, my words wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, and I could see the transformation in her expression as she was moved to her core. Tears began to gather in her eyes, shimmering like dewdrops in the morning light.
I pulled her into a hug, pouring all the warmth and affection into that moment that her parents had withheld from her for so long. She clung to me tightly, a fragile bird afraid to take flight, as if she feared that this moment of tenderness might vanish in an instant...
While, a few minutes later, Khajiit returned a group of undead skeleton carrying the frozen remains of his mother. With the order, to live, the frozen remains of Khajiit's mother came back to life... and I was shocked that someone so beautiful gave birth to something so ugly.
I instructed them to journey to Nazarick, and with a swift, graceful movement, Shalltear arrived to personally escort the three. As I shifted my focus back to the tumultuous battle raging in the sky above, I began to conjure a clone of myself. This replica bore the unmistakable signs of turmoil; its form was marred with charred black marks, as if it had been scorched in a fiery blaze, creating a hauntingly vivid contrast against the clone's otherwise familiar features. It was a striking reminder of the chaos that surrounded us.
"Wait, could this be something akin to an avatar?" I pondered, my gaze fixated on the life I had just conjured. As I observed the clone before me, an uncanny sensation washed over me—I felt a compelling urge to inhabit its form. The replica was strikingly similar to me in every detail, yet there was a vital difference: this version of myself was alive, its movements fluid and animated. However, I quickly realized that its prowess was confined, capped at a mere level 80, a limitation somehow contrasting with the vibrant spark of life it possessed.
'Well, let's start.' I thought while bringing the battle to an end...
"He is winning," Evileye exclaimed, her voice brimming with unexpected joy. The vibrant shift in her tone was startling, especially for Toph who was accustomed to her usual emotionless, deadpan delivery. The contrast between her typical demeanor and the warmth in her words left her momentarily speechless, eyes wide in disbelief at this rare glimpse of emotion from the usually stoic Evileye.
"Let's go!" Toph exclaimed, her voice sharp and commanding. With a swift and graceful motion, she summoned the earth around them, sending a powerful wave of rocky debris shooting them toward the battlefield. As they soared through the air, the scene before them unfolded like a grim tapestry—the defeated skeleton dragon lay sprawled on the ground, its once-mighty form slowly disintegrating into a pile of dust and bones.
Atop the skeletal remains stood a figure cloaked in soot and ash, its skin charred from the fierce battle. In each hand, it gripped a pair of long, white swords that gleamed ominously in the fading light. It was unmistakably my clone, and the sight sent a chill of unease through the hearts of those who had come to witness this moment. Without hesitation, they dashed toward the corpse of the dragon, their eyes fixed on the still form of my clone, who had been momentarily balanced atop the crumbling monster.
As the dragon's remains collapsed beneath him, my clone toppled downwards, and panic surged among the group. They rushed forward to catch him, a flurry of movement and desperate energy.
"He is still alive!" Evileye exclaimed, relief flooding her voice as she dashed to his side. She was quickly joined by Laykus, who began to weave intricate patterns of healing magic in the air, a shimmering glow enveloping them both as they sought to restore my clone to health.
"He will live… but that lightning inflicted devastating injuries upon him. He is the strongest individual I have ever encountered… this man possesses a strength that surpasses the combined might of the 13 legendary heroes," Evileye remarked, her voice tinged with awe.
"What?" Lakyus gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. She recognized the gravity of Evileye's words; after all, Evileye had once been one of the evil deities, her power feared and respected throughout the land. It was only through an intense confrontation that Evileye had been forced to reconsider her path.
"Yes… the magic he wielded was entirely nullified, rendered ineffective by the skeleton dragon's remarkable immunity. I suspect he was channeling magic of the seventh tier or higher, but it came at a significant cost," Evileye continued, her mind swirling in contemplation, as she grappled with the implications of such extraordinary power.
Evileye pondered deeply, her mind racing as she assessed the situation. "He should be around level 90 or even higher," she mused, her gaze fixated on the charred visage before her, a mix of admiration and concern swirling in her heart. The skeleton dragons, formidable and fearsome, had not completely mastered immunity to magic; it appeared that 7th-tier spells pierced their defenses. However, when these creatures fused together, their resistance surged, surpassing even the 7th tier.
'He is a hero…' she thought, a flicker of warmth igniting within her as she took in the haunting beauty of his burnt-black face, marred yet captivating, reflecting both strength and vulnerability.