The monk took a deep breath, slowly spreading his hands, his eyes closed. His voice, low and cold, carried an air of infinite weariness and disdain:
"Holy power... how I detest it. Very well, since you insist on your delusions, allow me, a mere mortal, to show you what the power of a true god truly looks like!"
As his words fell, the surrounding air suddenly grew heavy, as if an invisible force had locked the entire space in place.
Behind the monk, a vast and terrifying shadow gradually emerged. This monstrous figure, formed of black and purple energy, had three heads and six arms, with jagged, gleaming fangs that shone menacingly in the dim purple-black glow.
Standing over thirty feet tall, the figure bore two massive beast-like horns on its head, resembling an ancient demon awakening from the depths of chaos. Black mist surged from its body like a tide, spreading across the land, leaving the vegetation in its path withered. The air was filled with the stench of decay and despair.
Mara's eyes glowed blood-red, radiating endless malice. With every breath it took, the surrounding miasma roiled violently, as if thousands of tormented souls were wailing within.
"I am Mara, Lord of the Six Heavens!"
The deep, thunderous voice echoed across the heavens and earth, carrying an undeniable aura of authority and destruction. Mara slowly descended to the ground, and as his massive feet touched the earth, the ground seemed to tremble beneath his weight.
In his hands, he wielded a colossal blade radiating a sinister purple-black glow. The blade was inscribed with ancient, ominous runes, symbols of blasphemy against the gods and heavens.
His gaze swept coldly toward Ares, and a contemptuous smirk played on his lips as he looked down from above:
"A mere god, stooping so low as to serve as a guardian for humans? How utterly pathetic."
Ares furrowed his brows, tightening his grip on his spear. Though he had never feared any opponent, the oppressive aura emanating from Mara filled him with an unshakable sense of unease.
Jay clenched his fists tightly, a mixture of shock and apprehension flickering in his eyes. He muttered under his breath:
"Mara… so you're the true form of the fallen deity from legend!"
Mara, known in Hinduism and Buddhism as a mysterious and malevolent force, is often regarded as the embodiment of evil and temptation. Representing desire, fear, and worldly attachments, Mara symbolizes the struggles that bind humans to the cycle of suffering and reincarnation.
Legends tell of Mara's attempt to thwart the Buddha's enlightenment by conjuring illusions of beauty, power, fear, and violence. Yet, Mara was ultimately defeated by the Buddha's supreme wisdom and steadfast resolve.
Mara is not merely a "demon king" but a fallen ruler of the heavens—a former Brahma. Once the master of boundless blessings, he succumbed to greed and the intoxication of power, descending into darkness to become the Lord of the Six Heavens, an eternal symbol of obsession and chaos.
Mara sneered, his voice sharp and cold, cutting like a blade through the soul:
"Fallen gods are nothing new. But you're not wrong—I am the fallen deity Mara. Still, you pathetic mortals, do you even understand what it means to be a god?"
Sweat formed on Jay's forehead as he gripped his weapon tightly, the creeping dread within him growing stronger. This was no ordinary battle—Mara's very existence was a challenge to the power of mortals and gods alike.
He had never faced an enemy of such magnitude before. This being, known as the "fallen god," caused even the heavens and earth to tremble with his presence.
"It seems we've run into real trouble this time..." Jay muttered, trying to steady his nerves.
Mara stared coldly at Jay and Ares, his deep, unfathomable eyes glowing with an enigmatic light. His voice, low and oppressive, carried the weight of a void, suffocating in its intensity:
"Hah, you mortals. Always trying to comprehend divine power with your shallow understanding. I have long surpassed those so-called rules!"
Jay gripped the Flame Heaven Halberd tightly, his gaze sharp and unwavering as he met Mara's eyes without fear:
"Surpassed the rules? Ridiculous! You're nothing more than a god consumed by greed and corruption! Today, with the Flame Heaven Halberd and Ares by my side, I will end you once and for all!"
Mara raised an eyebrow, then let out a deep, guttural laugh that seemed to tear through the air itself. His aura exploded outward, a tidal wave of demonic energy enveloping the world in an eerie darkness:
"End me? Hahahaha… with just the two of you? Such arrogance!"
Before his words had fully echoed, Mara swung the massive Blade of Desecration in his hand. The sinister purple-black runes on the blade shimmered with an otherworldly glow as a vortex of intense flames and malevolent energy coiled around it. Leaping into the air, he unleashed his attack with a thunderous roar:
"Demonfire Slash!"
The blade's light streaked through the darkness like a meteor, radiating destructive power as it slashed toward Jay and Ares. The attack ignited the air itself, creating a deafening roar as the ground beneath it was torn apart. A scorching wave of energy surged outward, scattering debris in all directions.
Ares stepped in front of Jay, gripping his spear tightly, a feral grin spreading across his face as his battle lust ignited:
"Good! Let's see how I tear through your demonic energy!"
Scarlet flames erupted from Ares' spear, forming a blazing pillar of light that pierced the heavens. With a mighty roar, he unleashed his skill:
"Spear of Destruction!"
The flaming spear clashed with the Demonfire Slash in mid-air, creating an explosive collision of fire and demonic energy. The resulting shockwave shattered the surrounding terrain, sending rocks flying and shaking the earth itself. Though Ares managed to deflect much of the attack, the residual force drove him back several steps.
At that moment, Jay's figure disappeared in a flash of lightning, his voice ringing out as he charged toward Mara:
"Mara! Try this!"
Leaping high into the air, Jay's Flame Heaven Halberd crackled with lightning, transforming into a thunderous spear aimed directly at Mara's flank. It was his ultimate skill:
"Lightning Curse Strike!"
Mara's lips curled into a cold smile, as if he had anticipated this move all along. He calmly raised one hand, twisting his palm to intercept the lightning-coated halberd barehanded.
"These techniques of yours…" Mara said slowly, his voice dripping with disdain, "are nothing more than parlor tricks."
The lightning exploded in his grasp, but it failed to harm him. Holding the tip of the halberd, Mara gave a powerful swing, sending Jay flying. Jay twisted mid-air to soften his landing, but blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Still, his eyes burned with determination.
Seeing this, Ares roared in fury, flames flaring around him as he charged once more. This time, he unleashed his full strength with another skill:
"Rage of Violence!"
His spear blazed even hotter, and his figure turned into a tempest of fire as he attacked Mara relentlessly. Each strike carried the force of annihilation.
Mara, however, remained unfazed. With a subtle twist of his Blade of Desecration, he effortlessly parried each of Ares' powerful strikes. Sparks flew as blade met spear, and the oppressive heat in the air grew unbearable.
"Impressive strength," Mara remarked coolly, his tone still laced with mockery. "But it's far from enough."
Jay and Ares exchanged a glance, their fighting spirits soaring even higher. They had learned not to underestimate the enemy, for the power Mara wielded was beyond comprehension.
"Ares, get ready to coordinate!" Jay said firmly, the lightning on his Flame Heaven Halberd crackling loudly, its energy echoing through the air.
"Of course!" Ares responded with a wild laugh, his spear igniting with fierce golden-red flames. He leapt into the air, charging straight at Mara.
"Heaven's Wrath!"
With a thunderous roar, Ares swung his spear, carving a massive arc of golden-red flames through the sky. The fire surged forward like a comet, bearing the power to annihilate everything in its path. Simultaneously, Jay dashed in from the side, his halberd transforming into a streak of lightning aimed at Mara's lower body to disrupt his balance.
Yet, Mara's ever-present faint smile remained. He raised a single hand, and the demonic energy around him condensed into a thick, pitch-black barrier.
"Shield of the Abyss."
Boom!
Ares's Heaven's Wrath slammed into the dark shield, the sheer impact shattering the surrounding air into rippling waves. Fire and demonic energy intertwined, creating a blinding display of power. Yet the black barrier stood firm like a fortress, bearing only minor cracks.
"Interesting," Mara scoffed before sweeping his hand outward. The shattered fragments of the barrier transformed into a massive shockwave of demonic energy that surged toward both of them.
"Wave of Malice."
Jay rolled to evade, but the residual force of the shockwave created a violent gust that pushed him back. Regaining his footing, he looked up to see Ares blasted away by the full force of the attack, crashing into the ground several meters away in a battered state.
Mara stepped forward slowly, each stride landing with the weight of a hammer on their hearts. His gaze swept over Jay and Ares, his voice cold and mocking:
"Is this all you've got, Spirit Warrior? Pathetic."
Ares staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his lips and glaring at Mara with seething rage. "Don't get cocky!"
Mara's eyes shifted to Jay, a flicker of derision in his gaze.
"Oh? A Spirit Host nearing the breakthrough threshold, are you?" He chuckled darkly. "But even if you reach transcendence, what of it? Even beings close to the divine are beneath my notice."
His words cut like daggers, carrying the weight of disdain and superiority that was impossible to refute.
"Enough!" Jay roared, slamming his halberd into the ground. A pillar of lightning shot skyward, filling the air with an unbearable heat. "Ares, together!"
Ares immediately responded, the flames on his spear burning brighter. The two charged in unison, their weapons glowing with intertwining energy that formed a force capable of shaking the heavens themselves.
But Mara was already prepared. Raising the Blade of Desecration, now shrouded in purple-black flames, he channeled his immense power. Faint whispers of tormented souls echoed in the air as he called out:
"Infernal Blade."
With a swift motion, Mara unleashed a massive crescent-shaped wave of demonic flames, its destructive energy colliding head-on with the duo's combined assault.
Boom!
The two opposing forces clashed violently, creating an ear-splitting explosion. Flames and darkness fused in a chaotic storm, producing a colossal shockwave that sent Jay and Ares flying several meters back.
Jay steadied himself, his chest heaving as his arms trembled from exertion. Ares dropped to one knee, driving his spear into the ground to support himself.
Mara stood undisturbed amidst the chaos, shrouded in his impenetrable aura of purple-black energy. His gaze remained cold and condescending, a faint smirk curling at his lips.
"Is that all?" he mocked, his tone dripping with disdain. "You dare challenge me with this feeble power? How laughable."