Rather than struggle, Rael allowed the vines to hold him, releasing his grip on the Death Scythe. The weapon hovered in the air, responding to his telepathic control. With a flick of his gaze, the scythe streaked toward Virgo like a black comet.
Virgo raised her hand, and more vines erupted from the concrete platform, forming a dense wall to intercept the scythe. The weapon closed in, its blade shimmering ominously as it met the barrier of vines. For a moment, the two forces clashed, but Rael's voice cut through the chaos like a death knell.
"We've played enough," he murmured, his tone cold and decisive. "Let's finish this."
He whispered his next command, "Claws of Death."
A sudden rift tore open in the air behind him, swirling with darkness. From within, two massive humanoid hands emerged, their fingers ending in abnormally long, razor-sharp nails that gleamed with spectral light. The hands moved with terrifying speed and precision, as though they had been waiting for this moment.
"Virgo, dodge!" Raphael shouted, his voice laced with urgency.
But the warning came too late. One of the spectral hands reached out, its claws piercing through Virgo's elegant form. Her eyes widened in shock, and she let out a soft cry before her form began to waver, the corruption spreading rapidly through her body.
Raphael clenched his fists in frustration, his calm demeanor shattered. "Virgo!" Never in the world did he expect to fall in such a state. The arena fell silent as the audience held their breath, watching the dramatic turn of events. They all expected it would be a one-sided battle.
Yes, it was indeed a one-sided battle, but it is just that Raphael wasn't the one who was dominating. It was the other brother who seemed to be winning.
Rael's pitch-black eyes bore into Raphael, his calm demeanor unwavering as the massive claws hovered ominously behind him. "You're next," Rael said softly, his voice carrying across the silent arena like a death sentence.
"Sealing technique: Total Recall."
Raphael's voice rang out, firm and focused. A flash of brilliant light erupted from his outstretched hand, engulfing Virgo in an instant. For a fleeting second, it seemed the sealing technique might work. But as the light faded, Virgo's form continued to be pulled toward the swirling portal. Her body flickered, and the bond between them snapped like a firm thread breaking under pressure.
"Return," Raphael commanded, his voice heavy with frustration. He clenched his fists, invoking the soul card's ability to forcibly summon his Arcana spirit back to his mindscape.
Virgo dissolved into shimmering particles, leaving him alone. Fifteen minutes until he could summon his Arcana spirit again. Until then, he had to fight his brother on his own.
Rael watched his brother closely, his voice calm and steady. "It's over, Raphael. I've won."
Raphael's eyes narrowed as he shook his head. "You're wrong, brother. If you think Astralith is all I've got, you're mistaken. I'm the disciple of Alexandrus, one of the strongest individuals on this planet. The Grandson of Zeus himself. Do you think I depend on my Arcana spirit entirely? It was nothing more than the first line of defense, the qualification needed for my opponent in order to face me directly." Now, his calm demeanor vanished and was replaced by subtle arrogance. At least, it looked that way for the spectators. In his own view, he was merely stating the obvious.
Raphael shut his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, they glowed faintly with divine light. A pair of white, feathered wings burst from his back, unfurling with an audible whoosh. A golden halo shimmered into existence above his head, casting a soft glow over him. Divine energy radiated from his transformed body, a faint aura of holiness enveloping him.
With a single powerful flap of his wings, Raphael ascended into the air, hovering ten meters above the platform. He gazed down at Rael, his voice steady and resolute. "I commend you for forcing me to act on my own, revealing my powers. But now, this ends."
He raised his sword, its blade gleaming with divine energy that pulsed like a living heartbeat. "This is Danya, the Sword of Judgment. My second Arcana spirit I have awakened in my master's tutelage, thanks to his guidance, I was able to awaken it before I even turned 12," he declared, his tone solemn. "Once wielded by the Supreme Angel, it now serves me. Prepare to face judgment."
Raphael lifted the sword high above his head. "Soul Skill: Judgment Day."
The blade swelled, growing to twenty times its original size. Its glow intensified, filling the arena with a blinding light that rivaled the sun. Gasps rippled through the audience as they shielded their eyes from the radiance. For that moment, Raphael looked as if he had descended from the heavens, an angel that came to their worlds to pass judgment upon a human.
Rael stood firm, his expression unreadable as he stared up at his brother. He muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. "Indeed, you were a presence I couldn't defeat. But alas, you won't be able to show your superior prowess anymore."
Raphael's eyes narrowed, and he prepared to strike. "Now, face your—"
His words caught in his throat, replaced by a strangled groan of pain. His wings faltered, and he suddenly plummeted from the sky, crashing onto the platform below with a dull thud.
Above him, a shadowy figure materialized, taking the spot where Raphael had been moments before. Its form was shrouded in darkness, but its skeletal hand stretched forward, its fingers smearing with blood.
Rael's voice broke the silence, calm yet laced with a strange reverence. "The Ghost Lich."
Rael stepped closer to his fallen brother, who lay twitching on the ground, his body jerking with each ragged breath. His eyes, once filled with defiance, now only showed confusion and pain.
Rael's black eyes remained fixed on him, his face unreadable, but his voice was sharp and cold. "So, you finally understand what it feels like to have your heart punctured, huh?" He knelt beside Raphael, voice heavy with venom. "But don't worry, Raphael. I won't give you the same 'gift' you gave Eon. No… I'll give you something far more fitting that you remember for life."
Raphael tried to gather what little strength he had left, his soul energy rushing to protect his heart, and light elemental energy attempted to heal him, but it was futile. Rael had already sealed his fate.
Rael's hands stretched forward, and his eyes glowed with ominous power. He spoke with chilling finality. "Soul Absorption."
In an instant, the energy around Raphael's body began to unravel. Soul energy—his soul energy—started to slip from him like sand through an hourglass, drawn into Rael's palms.
Rael didn't hesitate. He sucked it in greedily, absorbing every last drop, feeding on it until there was nothing left. Raphael's body trembled as his soul orb cracked, the fractures widening with each passing second. Finally, with a final scream of agony, the orb shattered into nothingness. Raphael's body fell limp.
The silence in the arena was deafening. Rael slowly withdrew his hands, his expression unchanging. The barrier that had surrounded the arena vanished, and in an instant, Aurelius teleported to Raphael's side, kneeling beside him.
His palm hovered over his son's chest, his eyes widening in shock as he felt the absence of soul energy. "What have you done?" His voice was filled with disbelief and horror.
Rael's lips turned into a small, almost eerie smile. "I kept my promise, Father. One of your sons is crippled." His voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the satisfaction behind the words. "I've destroyed his soul orb. He's no longer an Arcana Master. Just a plainfolk. No soul energy, no powers."
Aurelius's face twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. "You… You're saying Raphael is—"
Rael's smile widened slightly, but his voice dropped to a whisper. "As for me, when I wake up tomorrow morning... I will no longer see this world. I would be blind. I hope Eon would wake up before that happens."
Aurelius's eyes went wide with shock. "What!"