Chapter 1356 A Stone Sword
Arthur watched the rising light with apprehension. The sphere of light scattered into countless others, each darting in a different direction around the city of Kera. As he lowered his head toward the ground, he found the citizens moving in a single file.
"The hypnosis has begun, muttered Arthur as he spread his arms.
It wouldn"t matter if he teleported or rushed toward Deluge. The spell had already been cast. However, he couldn"t let Li and the others face the calamity alone.
Golden mana overflowed from his body as he poured it into the [Flight] rune. Arthur turned into a sphere of golden mana as he bolted through the sky. He became a shooting star as he headed toward Deluge.
He reached the coordinates in just thirty seconds. Deluge was standing on the ground amidst a crater of destruction. The one facing him was Li, who had drawn out Stars Reaver.
Arthur landed on the ground, the impact shaking the entire city. He emerged from the dust cloud with a crushing presence, each step bursting with black lightning that crackled around him. Deluge turned toward him, staring at the overbearing combination of creation and wrath. Arthur stared at him with unbridled killing intent that had lingered ever since Deluge harmed Diana.
"We meet again, creator," said Deluge with an unfazed expression. "I still remember how you tore me apart the previous time. I"m here to repay-"
The calamity did not finish his words, as Arthur disappeared from his spot and appeared next to him. His knee met Deluge"s face and sent the Sin of l.u.s.t flying through Kera. Ie rolled several times on the ground before crashing into a building, which crumbled as a result.
Arthur landed on the ground, his killing intent unsated. The black lightning around him began losing control. As the wrath started to consume him, Diana came rushing through the sky. Her blue wings carried her over the battlefield as she flew straight toward Arthur.
The Princess of Ice and Fire did not care for the crackling lightning that threatened to rip the world in half. She threw herself at Arthur and hugged him tightly, regardless of the lightning destroying her wings of flame.
"It"s alright, my love. You can stay calm. I"m right here, she said while hugging him tightly, pulling his head toward her chest as she hovered two feet off the ground.
The lightning started to calm down, turning into obedient snakes instead of angry serpents. Arthur shook his head in confusion as he raised his eyes to look at her. Seeing Diana"s eyes calmed him down, and he felt himself regaining control.
"Thank you," he said while closing his eyes. Diana nodded as she caressed his head and began to land beside him. She wiped away the rivulet of blood that leaked from his eyes with her dress, which she had picked for today"s date.
Julia and Oren came rushing from the streets of Kera, seeing the destruction that had ensued. Before they could join them, Deluge rose again, mana bursting from him at an alarming pace.
The Sin of l.u.s.t rose from the ground with a bloodied face but grinning nonetheless. His mana reached an unprecedented level as the ground around him began to disintegrate.
"I have devoured countless life forces, making them my own. This is the true power of l.u.s.t," said Deluge while rising, his red mana lifting him from the ground. "I will show you today... how much I have prepared to fight you again."
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Arthur stared back at the Sin of l.u.s.t, knowing full well that he was different from before. He pushed Diana back as he turned toward the rest. "Make sure that the citizens are far from here. I want to fight without needing to worry about them!"
"I can use my Soulfire to break the hypnosis, but they would be hurt a little," said Diana, and Arthur nodded toward them. Julia and Oren nodded as they joined Li and Diana. The four of them stared at Arthur"s back while he faced the incoming calamity.
"I have always wondered how someone like Rain could be tied to you!" said Arthur while staring at Deluge"s long silver hair and tanned skin. He resembled Rain even in their appearances. "But I will make sure to crush that past for her!
"Oh, Rain?" Deluge looked amused as his bleeding nose healed. "I don"t consider her my sister, not at all. She is... the weakness of the Sin of l.u.s.t. A deformed person whom I created in order to become my current self."
"What does that mean?" asked Arthur with a frown as he reached toward empty air and summoned his dagger, Nightmare. Deluge grinned but did not answer. Arthur took a step forward. "I"ll make you tell me."
[Release]
The golden rune did not need to evolve to show its true capabilities. It undid the limits on Arthur"s body as his stats began to rise. His mana bubbled as the wrath inside his heart blossomed.
An armor began forming over Arthur"s chest, as black as the night. It encased its master in a layer of protection as the lightning roared to life. Arthur bolted forward as Deluge welcomed him with a grin.
"What a beautiful creature of contradictions, Arthur Netherborne," said Deluge as he faced the incoming Arthur. He reached toward the necklace he wore and pulled it. The necklace turned into a stone sword full of strange symbols. "You are strong... but I know how to make you bleed." Nightmare clashed with the stone sword as lightning exploded around them. Arthur pushed his dagger to cut the stone but found himself unable to break through. Deluge let out a roar of laughter as he pushed forward with his mana.
"It"s useless, Arthur Netherborne! The G.o.ds have spoken and shown us the way to kill you!" Deluge roared with laughter as he gripped the sword with both hands. "Today... Devaheim will be the victor!"
Arthur felt his dagger shaking before the strange stone sword. He studied it with confusion, sensing a strange ancient power stored within it. After gritting his teeth, Arthur shouted,
"G.o.dslayer Art-"