{Date: 10/17 - Monday}
{Time: 1:50 PM}
Pandora stared at me with her cold, sadistic gaze and bit her lip with excitement and anticipation for the battle to start. I immediately merged with the Black Tiger, gaining access to my Tiger Style. I took a step forward, the Fallen Valks around me readying their weapons instantly.
Black and purple lightning began flickering around my body, my eyes scanning the hiking trail like a lone beast roaming a battlefield. Suddenly, an arrow began ripping through the air, speeding toward me but my aura began to decay the arrow before it could reach me, the dust falling to the ground.
"I'm no longer... holding anything back," I said coldly, lightning crackling around my hand as I summoned a gauntlet on my hand. "Death shall fall upon all who oppose me..."
The Siphoner roared, commanding the Fallen Valks to attack me. The Fallen Valks began charging forward, each of them readying their weapons to strike from all directions. I shifted my foot, letting out a roar as I slammed my fist against the ground, releasing rows of thunderbolts all around my body.
The lightning bolts began striking the Fallen Valks, eliminating each one in a single blow, their Fallen Energy slowly floating toward my Vow of Death. My body began flickering, using a burst of speed to move around the peak of the mountain at speeds beyond perception.
Orika gasped as she noticed Fallen Valks dropping one my one around her, each Valk another victim to the raw combination of an unrestrained Tiger Fist and an Evasive Quick Attack. "I can't even see her moving..! I've never seen her move like this...!"
Adrianna grunted as my raw speed began to generate winds, dark clouds slowly forming in the sky and the sounds of thunder booming echoing across the islands. "Hisumi..!"
I continued striking down the waves of Fallen Valks, adding more power to my Vow of Death with each successful hunt. Red lightning began crackling around my body, yet I didn't care enough to worry about overexerting myself.
'You better not give out on me, Hisumi! I want to rip their faces off! Just let it all out!' Cerebral thought, continuing to build up power for the Vow of Death.
The wind became more violent, the howls of the wind sounding like wrathful screams as I moved around the battlefield. Once I built enough power, I appeared in front of the Siphoner, letting out a powerful roar.
"Tiger Style: Roar of the Jungle!" I bellowed, striking the Siphoner with a powerful body shot, the collected Fallen Energy rushing from my Stigma to my fist to release a violent pulse of energy directly to the point of contact.
The impact of the blow knocked the Siphoner away, causing him to cough black blood and crash through the trails. I began walking toward the trails, my aura decaying everything it came into contact with. My gaze was cold, uncannily focused, and full of the desire for vengeance.
Kioshi took a step back, the intensity of my energy causing her body to grow unstable, her tears slowly welling up in her eyes. Kioshi wiped her eyes, noticing she had began crying. 'Wha— Why am I crying..?'
Yusa watched as I began to traverse down the trails like a lost spirit wandering the afterlife, hearing the screams of the wind and the rage of the thunders above. "I always knew...Hazuki was after my husband, and I knew someone on your end had a role to play in it. You tore apart my family...hurt my child beyond belief..."
"Save the maternal speech, your days are over, Valkyrian Governer Yukota. Now that we finally have you outside your walls, by decree of the Commander...you are top priority," Pandora said, giggling maliciously and summoned her Black Box next to her.
Yusa readied her katana, walking toward Pandora slowly, her steps slow and menacing. Pandora chuckled lowly at Yusa, slowly summoning her bladed whip from her Black Box. The two began meeting half way, both of them having an intense showdown.
Pandora licked her lips slowly, dashing toward Yusa and slashed downward at her but Yusa swiftly evaded her attack, countering with a quick gut punch to stagger Pandora. Manipulating the space around her and Pandora, a beautiful scarlet glow radiating around them.
Pandora grunted softly as a strong gravitational force began press her against the ground, her legs growing heavy beneath her due to the intense pressure against her body.. "Nngh..!! What...is this..?!"
"You are trapped within my Scarlet Field and this isn't a gravity trick..." Yusa said, walking to the side and watched as the scarlet dome around Pandora began growing smaller. "The space around you is growing smaller, and it's only a matter of time before you crumble within yourself."
Pandora looked around in a frenzy, not thinking Yusa would outright go for the kill so early in the fight. Though her life was in danger, the danger itself excited her even more, her Spirit Energy slowly forming around her body.
"Yusa..~ Mmmnn, this is the Yusa I remember, and everyone wonders where Hisumi gets her natural killing instincts from," Pandora breathed, her Spirit Energy slowly corrupting into a dark pink hue, her breathing becoming a bit heavier.
Yusa held her hand out, curling it into a fist to manipulate her Scarlet Field, causing it to shrink faster around Pandora. "Save your bullshit for the Ruler of the Underworld you disgusting hag..."
Pandora laughed maniacally, slashing her sword upward, the blade parting into its whip form and clashed with the Scarlet Field. Pandora watched as sparks flew around, her eyes filled with lust and euphoria. "You forget that I am the Lieutenant of Judgment, killing me won't be that easy!"
Pandora's whip began crackling the Scarlet Field, chipping away at its durability slowly. Pandora's heart began racing with victory, but it was short lived as Yusa manipulated the space between her and Pandora, delivering a devastating Spirit Flash to her jaw.
Yusa watched as Pandora flew into the forest, her body flicking then vanishing at invisible speeds. She began racing through the decayed trees, her afterimages flicking in and out of Pandora's view. She appeared above Pandora with a swift kick, sending both of them to the ground.
Celene noticed a large smoke cloud within the hiking trails, her mind racing with concern for the safety of me, Yusa, and the civilians. "Adrianna, Orika, Kioshi, and Yumi... you four get the civilians to safety while I help them drive Judgement out of Destiny Islands."
Adrianna nodded, awakening her golden aura and hurried into the hiking trails. "Vamos, Orika!"
Orika nodded, awakening her energy around her feet then began to skate after Adrianna. 'Please be safe, Hisumi and Mama Yusa...'
Kioshi wiped away her tears and let out a soft exhale, raising her axe from the ground. She began to walk forward, her eyes beginning to flare up with a mix of determination and sorrow. "Yumi...let us right our wrongs. Knowing the truth...we can not stand with Judgement anymore and anyone who does...shall die."
Yumi watched Kioshi walk forward, noticing the purity in Kioshi's energy seeping through the cracks within her Fallen Energy. A soft smile curled on her lips, her eyes flashing with joy of being released from the chains of corruption.
"Let's do this!" Yumi said, hurrying behind Kioshi.
Celene watched as the four left to save the civilians, a warm smile playing on her lips. Her face soon shifted into a serious expression, her gaze directed toward the decayed half of the trails. "Tengoku, please give me strength..."
The Siphoner thrusted his tail at me rapidly, aiming to pierce my skin just once to siphon more of my energy, but I was too quick on my feet, evading each thrust with swift and calculated steps. Upon his next strike, I swayed out of the way, grabbing his tail and stared at the ground.
"You know...I always knew my father never loved me and when he made you, he seemed to always care more for you," I said lowly, a pool of shadows forming beneath the Siphoner's feet, skeleton hands grabbing upon him to hold him in place.
The Siphoner let out a worried grunt, trying to break free from Death's Grasp. He grunted heavily as he felt me pulling upon his tail, letting out cries of protest.
"I am the original and do not fail to remember that! He took everything away from me... everything up to this point has been a lie and I refuse to accept that! Die now!" I roared, using all of my strength to pull upon his tail.
The pained yells of the Siphoner stretched across the entire hiking trail, alerting Orika and the others of the battle nearby. I chuckled coldly, continuing to yank on his tail, his tail starting to rip off his body. The Siphoner let out one last scream before his core was ripped out of his body, his body thudding to the ground.
I stood tall with the entirety of the Siphoner's spine in hand, the core of the Siphoner humming and glowing ominously with Death Energy. I took hold of the core, the orb dispersing into death particles and entering my body.
{Passive Relearned: Cerebral Adaptation}
I let out a soft exhale, panting heavily as I began running low on energy. I walked toward a nearby tree, sitting down along the trunk and lowered my head. "One down...eleven more clones to go.."
I continued to rest along the decaying tree, hugging my knees as my mind was filled with the memories of my life until now, and how every moment with my father was a lie. I lowered my head, my heart aching to the point of me breaking into tears.
"This is supposed to be a vacation...but nothing is going right. Why..? Why do you keep punishing me?! What am I doing wrong?! Why did you revive me?!" I yelled, screaming at the sky, hoping to get an answer from anyone.
"Is it because I'm supposed to stop Judgement?! Why is that my problem to bare?! Is it because you Deities were bored, so you use me as your puppets?! Huh!?" I continued, gripping my hair and pacing around with tears flowing down my face.
I dropped down to my knees, holding my hands to my chest, my heart bleeding with a sorrow I couldn't describe. "Fuck...someone just answer me. Just tell me what I'm fighting for beyond the people I love. What is my purpose beyond this...why am I Honored. I took a Vow, I pledged, I prayed and yet...I don't feel Honorary. So why? Why am I on this journey..?"
"Ahh, the Journey of the Redeemed. Such a classic tale, yet you pulled the shortest stick of the bunch," A hissing voice said behind me, her tone a mix of mockery and sadistic interest.
I heard the unfamiliar voice, immediately standing up and pointing my katana at the unknown woman standing before me. 'Who is this woman..? Why can't I sense her energy..?'
The woman was was a rough beauty, having the beautiful face but her eyes had slight bags under them and she had a healed scar running along her face. Her eyes shimmered an otherworldly green and pink gradient, her pupils sharp like a serpent. Her hair was a pale green, styled in a messy bun with a pen running through the bun.
She slipped her hands into the pockets of her white lab coat, a sly smirk curling on her lips. "Hmm...I like that look in your eyes. My good friend Liao Ru talks about you a lot, Cerebral Valkyria."
"How do you know me..? Who the hell are you..?" I muttered, my body crawling with goosebumps as if to warn me about the pure intelligence of the woman.
The woman giggled softly, lowering her head and letting out a soft exhale. The breeze of the wind caused the tail of her coat to flutter behind her, causing her presence to look more radiant. "Your heart rate increased by 20%, your breathing rate increased by 12.4%, you're nervous and on edge..."
"Your next plan is to..." She continued, pausing in her sentence to shift her body to block my Quick Attack. "... strike me with your signature Quick Attack in hopes to catch me off guard."
My eyes widened with shock as she effortlessly blocked my attack, my hands tightening around the handle of my katana. I jumped back to create space between us, lightly gulping and panting softly. 'How did she know I was going for it...?'
The woman fixed her lab coat, dusting off the debris upon her coat. "Well before you rudely interrupted me, my name is Dr. Noxius aka Nagini Noxius. I don't affiliate with Judgement nor the Lost Syndicates, but I am interested in their studies...and they so happen to study you a lot..~"
I slowly backed away from Nagini, keeping my katana ready in front of me. "What do you want from me..?"
Nagini hummed softly, looking me up and down with a smirk. "You seem like a hard Lab Rat to work with, but...I'll make it work. You have immense untapped potential, and I so happen to have a knack for awakening potential for anyone and anything...as I am a Physical Goddess!"
'Physical Goddess...? What the hell is she talking about..?' I thought to myself, raising an eyebrow with skepticism and curiosity.
"If you don't believe me, come at me. I shall show you my credentials," Nagini said coolly, slipping her hands back into her lab coat.
I stared at Nagini, my body telling me to retreat to find either Yusa or Orika, but my mind and heart was brimming with curiosity of Nagini's claims. I knew if I wanted to fight someone like Nagini, I would need to calm myself down.
I sniffled lightly, using my sleeve to wipe away my tears and took a few deep breaths. Exhaling slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at Nagini with a slightly more clear mind. "Before I attack...where is my mother and the others."
"Ahh, Lady Yusa is currently fighting the Lieutenant of Judgment, Pandora, in the trails and your friends went to help the civilians to safety. Don't worry, I casted a veil around these trails, no outsider is getting hurt," Nagini said, her calm gaze studying my body language intently.
I tried to keep my body language as calm as possible to prevent her from reading me, my body as still as a solid structure. "I see...well, let's begin!"
Immediately, I appeared behind her at near invisible, leaving behind a trail of black lightning then sheathed my katana. The black lightning flashed, causing a delayed slash to strike Nagini, but the attack barely fazed her.
Nagini continued to stand in her same spot, the same sly smirk playing on her face as she waited for my next moves. "That's not the power I'm looking for...you aren't mentally sound. Controlling your rage doesn't mean you have a clear mind, you are still angry at the end of the day."
Her words seemed to annoy me more than usual, my tolerance already at an all time low. I grit my teeth, my black and purple lightning crackling around me as my body flickered in and out of view. Using bursts of speed, I began rushing around Nagini in all directions, my movements generating wind around us.
Nagini chuckled softly, rolling her shoulders slowly. "And this is what they call fast..? I've had students much faster than you."
Nagini began dodging my barrage of Quick Attacks, seemingly prancing around each strike, none of my attacks coming close to striking her. She snapped her fingers, the gravity around us suddenly intensifying and causing me to slam to the ground hard.
I grunted as I couldn't move due to the intense gravity keeping me on the ground. "What...is this..?"
"Since I've seen you when you were a kid, I've studied you and I know you have the most potential out of everyone on this Goddess-Kissed Rock. The last of the Nomura Family, Daughter of the Head of the Yukota Clan...wielder of both the Shadow Gardens and Yukota Techniques," Nagini began, walking forward to stand in front of me and crouched down.
"You have the potential to be the pinnacle of Valkyrias with your reserves alone. The only thing stopping you...is yourself. You can't find your purpose because you're still too worried about public perception," Nagini said, smacking me with the cold truth.
I grunted softly, stopping my struggle to fight against gravity to listen to Nagini. I stared at her with a defiant gaze, yet inside I knew she was correct.
"You have the cerebral Intelligence and the spirit of a Valkyria. It's not about light and darkness, it's about finding the balance in between that makes them both work," Nagini continued, standing up and snapping her fingers to revert gravity back to normal.
"You can't grow stronger if you split your two halves. Look at Yusa, she controls five elements...and has two Valkyries that merge together to make one. You have an Overlord's power and a Valkyrie, you can make it work without splitting them. Your mind and body make up the Spirit," Nagini finished, watching me stand on my feet.
I looked at my hands, slowly curling them into fists and took another deep breath to calm my nerves completely. I took Nagini's wisdom to heart, focusing on listening to both my Mind and Heart.
As I focused, I felt both the embrace of my Death Energy and Lightning Energies wrapping around my body. My aura flowed calmly around my being, it's dark purple hue grimly dancing around my body while light blue lightning crackled around me quickly and energetically.
"Two become one, this is Spirit Control 201, Inner Balance..~ Look at that, already learning more from me than expected. Now, you'll get a chance to test it out in about ten seconds," Nagini said, looking at her watch.
Before I could reply, a loud explosion happened behind me, Pandora groaning loudly as she rolled backwards along the ground and slamming into a tree. Yusa walked forward with her lance ready, her gaze still cold and apathetic while Celene was close by, vaulting over a fallen tree.
"Another one..?" Yusa asked, glaring at Nagini and tightening her grip on her lance.
Nagini chuckled softly, closing her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "I was just enjoying the view, I'll get out of your hair."
Before Yusa could respond, Nagini's body began dematerializing into tiny snakes, each one slithering away in every direction. Yusa huffed softly, turning her gaze back to Pandora, ready to end the battle as quickly at possible.
Pandora slowly stood up, holding the back of her head with a low growl. "Alright, you're starting to piss me off! From this point forward, I will not be holding back!"
"Bring it... It's time we ended this game of tug of war anyway," Yusa retorted, getting into her stance with a cerebral gaze.
I watched as Celene prepared herself as well then turned my gaze toward Pandora, my current goal shifting from destroying all of Judgement to eliminating Pandora first and working my way up.
'Let's hope that strange doctor's advice works and doesn't waste my energy too fast,' I thought, mentally and physically preparing myself for the battle against Pandora.