Feeling the danger, I felt my consciousness succumb into darkness and my subconscious taking control; and this only gave the devil more control over my body. I absorbed the energy tentacles which were binding me down and right before Yuri could punch out I got down and spun in a windmill-technique, kicking around with both legs while using Dragonic Materialization on my entire body. I had no wings, tail or horns, but my whole body was covered with white scales filled with dark lines on them while my hands turned into sharp claws and my canines grew even longer, almost looking like sabertooth fangs. My dragonic eyes were red like blood while my black hair had now few white hairs appear here and there.
“Wha-?!” → Yuri
Yuri dodged the kick then looked confused at me. My eyes were unfocused while my aura changed completely. However, a terrifying smile suddenly appeared on my face, making me look like a real devil.
“You… Shen? You’re still Sir Shen, right?” → Yuri
Yuri tried to understand what happened by focusing on his [Soul Eyes], but what he saw made him understand how grave things turned out to be now. Inside my aura atop my back, Yuri saw a huge and terrifying Devil slowly forming from a dark smoke, taking control over my mind and soul more and more. He observed how the golden and shiny light inside my aura was slowly engulfed by the dark and nasty smoke which almost covered me completely. My eyes then shone with killing intent and my body shot out toward Yuri with a speed even more ridiculous than before. Because of the pressure, the ground broke and huge boulders rose from the earth.
It’s alright. I can still see him! → Yuri
Yuri observed the way my chi, mana and other energies circulated through my body and was able to foretell what my next move would be. He dodged to the side and wished to break my arm with his staff, but to his surprise, I caught his staff mid-air and spun with all my power.
“Ugh!” → Yuri
I sent Yuri flying then shot out toward him then punched him to the ground. The ground sunk and huge boulders rose in the air from the impact.
“Bugh!” → Yuri
This was the first hit I landed on him and it was anything but a light one.
T-this brute power is insane! Is he really only of level 10?! What is he using to gain such strength? That devil must be forcing his spirit and body! → Yuri
Yuri felt his internal organs quake from the strong punch and in his mouth, a metallic taste of blood appeared.
I need to see his next move! → Yuri
[CHRAAAH!]
He tried to foretell my next move by staring at the circulation inside my body, but from inside my meridians, an illusion of a black demonic shadow suddenly appeared, shrieking threateningly at Yuri.
“Wah?!” → Yuri
Yuri was startled by the loud noise and the ugly form which appeared inside my aura, making him lose focus for a moment.
“Pffft!”
But this one moment was enough for me to kick him on the side, sending him flying for more than 200m away. At his landing, Yuri rolled on the ground for quite some distance while spitting out blood.
W-what was that just now…? I was unable to foretell what would come because of that weird demonic face suddenly appearing! → Yuri
[Kekeke~. So that’s how you were reading my movements. There won’t be a second time, brat!] → Shen
“?!”
Yuri heard a demonic voice inside his head and looked my way.
“Shen… You. Please try and fight back!” → Yuri
My teeth turned sharp like a shark’s, one of my eye was bleeding, completely red, while my other eye was pitch black. My terrifying smile deepened while from inside my black-haired head, a small bloody horn sprouted out, barely visible through the spiky hair. Together with the dragonic form, I appeared anything but human now.
“ROOOAAAAAH~!!!”
I roared out and thick blood-lust covered the entire battlefield. The sky turned red while the air froze. The clouds seemed to be swirling and twisting while the dusty ground cracked and quacked. A dark miasma covered the area and even the mountains for more than a few kilometers around like a dark mist as illusory dark spirits flew and swirled around while shrieking like the wind. A great dark pillar of energy shot out from me right through the twisting clouds then disappeared after the next moment, stabilizing the calamitous space just created and sending everywhere around the entire Sario a silent sonic wave. The wave was invisible, inaudible and felt by few, but only those with incredible abilities had the ability to detect it, like other God-rank, true gods, seers and other great entities that were made aware of the appearance of a new identity in their ranks.
All over the world, be it in the skies, under the ground, in the far North or South, the sonic wave brushed past the clouds, the mountains, the underground waters and past the warring kingdoms and empires, washing over the entire world, informing all of Sario about the birth of a new mighty being.
[[[POV CHANGES TO NORTH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN VESTRIA AND NOSTRUNG]]]
In the far North, between Vestria and Nostrung, a blind old man with shrivelled fray hair and beard who rested in his dead-bed, twitched at the sonic-wave and looking toward the south, through the uncovered window of the hut made of clay and hay, inside a little poor village filled with mighty barbarians which wore helmets that had two well-molded eyes above the eye-holes to induce the enemy in confusion. A little boy saw the old man move and walked beside him with confusion in his eyes.
“Great-grandfather? Is there something wrong?”
The old man didn’t answer, still gazing in the distance with his white eyes. Only after five whole minutes did the old man turn toward the young boy and said in a trembling voice.
“Little Ingus… Tell your brother Duras… His questions and pleas… Shall all be answered by the golden one who’s carrying the devil… Tell him, that I, the Elder of the tribe Magnos Lupi, have seen a future…. in which our people will be able to atone… for our sins…”
“Great grandfather…?”
With his last breath, the old man said about the prophecy then closed his eyes as numbness took over his entire being, standing still with his arms together at his chest.
[[[POV CHANGES TO THE EIHWAZ CONTINENT]]]
In the Eihwaz continent, somewhere inside the glacier mountains, in a deep cave of the tallest mountain, an old man with an eye covered, while holding a cane and a raven on his shoulder, he looked outside his cave as he got up from his frozen stone bed, putting on old and dusty skin slippers as his dirty and dusty coat covered him entirely. Even though the freezing air was cold enough to freeze boiling water in an instant, the old man seemed to not mind it at all as his skinny bare arms tried to support the old body on the wooden cane.
-CHAW~!-
The raven’s cry shook the entire mountains around as avalanches appeared everywhere, at one point even covering the entrance of the cave. The old man smiled lightly and nodded as if approving of the raven’s thoughts. He then opened his mouth and a deep and resounding voice resounded inside the cave, making the walls to vibrate.
Just as he finished talking, another raven shot out through the snow which covered the cave, making the entire frozen snow to explode and have freeway toward the inside of the cave. The raven then obediently landed on the free shoulder of the old man and quietly whispered in his ear. His eye opened wide then a worried glint flashed in his eyes as he shook his head.
The other raven then chawed again, just as loud and the old man smiled lightly.
He then walked outside the cave and started his journey through the frozen mountains filled with glaciers while a blizzard made the place not even for the sun to shine over them.
[[[POV CHANGES TO SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES]]]
Somewhere in the skies, a flying land covered by the clouds levitated a few kilometers above the ground, being unseen or even known by the mortals below. On this separate flying land, more humans with white or black wings resided together and lived their lives in peace.
In the middle of this flying continent, a white-winged priest prayed to her gods as a freezing air made her suddenly wake up and stare in the distance. Drops of sweat fell down her forehead as her big blue eyes gazed outside the mosaical colorful windows of what resembled a mighty monastery.
Another Young God rank has appeared? B-but how? And why do they have no seal of any of the True Gods?! T-this is huge news. I have to inform the great elder!
The young blonde girl got up in a hurry and shot out from her room toward the principal room for prayers.
While all around the world mighty beings became aware of another one entre in their ranks, three mighty characters became aware as well as they stood tall in their own thrones. A tall man with great blue horns spiraling from the sides of his head, opened his demonic blue eyes as a wide grin appeared on his face.
So you grew once again. I can’t await the reunion we’ll have 8 years from now.
Then in front of him, two blue holographic screens appeared as another two great characters that stood with imposing or oppressive auras on their thrones, were reflected on them.
[Demon Lord… May we know what’s the meaning of this?]
A tall and strong-looking bearded man asked in a deep and domineering voice as he tightly grabbed a hold onto his great sword that rested right beside him. He had a long blonde hair with a stuffy and wild great beard on his rough face. With a killing intent, he then asked.
[I thought you’ll just focus on growing in numbers, not in personal power… If your answer is not satisfactory then you will support the consequences.]
Then the other man with brown short hair and cleanly cut beard and mustache said in a calm and composed manner, but tightly gripping onto the throne metallic arms as they bent and cracked under the pressure. His dark eyes sharp and deep while staring intently at the Demon Lord.
[Also, please don’t try to play us for fools again. Both Darius and I felt how the strong sonic-wave of a breakthrough to God-rank appeared from your continent. If you say you played no hand into this, then don’t expect us to simply sit tight like this.]
The Demon Lord glanced at both of them sharply then grinned again, showing his sharp and long fangs, an amused glint shining in his eyes. He raised both hands and said confidently
“I truly have not played any kinds of tricks this time. You have heard of the new race that appeared called players, right?”
[And what about those fools? They’re the best kind of tool one could get, both for military powers and for research materials. Even though we suffered some loses a few times, it can’t compare with what we’ve discovered this time.]
The one called Darius smiled mockingly after hearing about the supposedly strongest race that suddenly appeared like falling stars into this world. Then the other man interjected with a frown.
[Don’t tell me this is actually has something to do with them? Or rather, with that Warlord Chen?]
“No. Not with Chen, but another individual called Shen.”
“I know what the mortals say, and I can assure you, they’re not the same person.”
The Demon Lord grinned amused as he glanced at the both of them.
[And do you expect us to believe that those foolish people from the “player” race actually acquired such powers? What’s more, this individual is under no True God! How can someone reach such powers with no divine blessing as long as they’re not helped by another Young God power-rank?]
“You can speculate as much as you wish, but I can assure you that I played no hand in this. However, this one is mine. So, Emperor Darius the III of Nostrung and Emperor Logos of Vestria, if you dare interfere with this one, be sure to have quite the difficulties with my underground army in the future.”
[Hoho~.]
[You dare?!]
The aura of both Darius and Logos broke out as their own thrones cracked while the Demon Lord’s blue eyes shone in the dark as he glared at both of them then with a wide smile he continued.
“I say to keep our forces on standby for now. The players are raising fast while a new kingdom has been born. The gods turned silent all of a sudden while the world shows signs of changing. We better keep ourselves from doing anything foolish or the balance will fall and The Guardian will be mad with us.”
After hearing the word guardian all three of them calmed down and started to think more of their own actions then the demon continued.
“We might not even need to do anything. With him guiding us, we might be able to get past this obstacle as well, just like we did all of these hundreds of thousands of years.”
[[[POV CHANGES TO THE UNDERGROUND OF SARIO]]]
While the surface of Sario was becoming more aware of the new entity, the underground wasn’t ignorant of the news either.
[Teh foolish child hast opened his eyes?]
A humongous white snake with terrifying red eyes swirled through the darkness and between colossal and thick roots.
[SHRIEEEEK~!]
[GROAAAH~!]
[CHRIEEEGH~!]
Eerie and mortifying shrieks and growls echoed through the impenetrable darkness as yellow, red or blue eyes shone everywhere and flew around, in pair between around 20 or just a lonely eye, as grotesque and hair rising ugly silhouettes flew with incredible speed or appeared then disappeared here and there everywhere around the great white snake whose body length couldn’t be measured.
[Hmm… As expected. His destiny is bound to bring forth significant CHANGE. And teh date of mine release now closeth in! If not through Yggdrasil, then through teh rifts of Sario!]
His ethereal and demonic voice made the monstrous creatures to shriek in pain and run around as gray liquid spilled through the five orifices. With his red snake eyes the humongous monster gazed upwards and observed more swirls of dark energy which absorbed the dark energy everywhere from the surface and brought it through huge swirls toward the middle of Sario, at a great green natural spirit which was trying her hardest to purify all that pool of dark energy then emanate it to the outside as vital energy.
[Naive woman. Can’t you see? They send thy toxins yet thee give back life, for what? Is thus what mortals call “affection”? Or is just thy way to self destruction?]
Inside a green globe, a great green spirit crouched and frowned in pain as she absorbed the dark energy and released to the outside pure-green and blue energy that helped the living grow and purify the air on the surface. Once a great spirit revered by all, now a spirit succumbed in a great swirl of darkness which awaited to be purified or engulf the entire great spirit to corrupt her. She then opened her shiny green eyes and looked toward the great white-snake. With pity in her eyes she sighed and said in a suave and melodic voice:
[Nidhoggur, my affection for the living can’t be compared with anything in this world, maybe only with the All Father’s love for us all. I don’t help them grow because I’ve been asked to, but because I want to. Even if it costs me a few eons to recover, I still wish to help them however I can.]
[THOU FOOL! Thou arst just a fool. Nothing more.]
With a beautiful smile, the spirit asked back.
[Are you worried about me? Nidhoggur.]
[THOU FOOL! How can I! Emperor under teh Underworld! Be worried about a fool like thee?!]
At his disturbed reaction, she lightly chuckled then asked:
[Then why are you by my side all the time, Nidhoggur? Rather, isn’t your hate for the living based solely on the reason that we, the spirits which want to help them, end up suffering in their place? Doesn’t that mean your affection is still there and just shifted from, the living to us volunteering spirits?]
[…]
Nidhoggur said nothing as his demonic red eyes stared at her sharply, unable to say another word. He then twisted his humongous body and distanced himself from the spirit which, even though big, was only as big as his head while enveloped in a green and golden barrier that protected her from the darkness around.
[Thou all arst not worth mine care. Thou all just turn corrupted for foolish spirits sealed in clay and dirt. Their judgment clouded, their hearts silenced, blind and deaf to all our pleas and whispers. Ignorant of all and everything, yet thou all simply wish to save them from their darkness, thinking thus they might grow and advance… Just fools with no clear sight over a future thou all wish to create.]
[Yes… it is indeed not a clear future, but as long s they’re able to learn and improve, this is enough for us, because this is the fastest way to let them grow. This is a great gift from our Father to let us improve the young souls and ourselves as well, and you know this.]
[I see no “great” in this. I shall never see “living” as a gift. Not now, not ever.]
[Even if you say this, you just don’t wish to see your dear ones suffer. For thinking so much about us, I thank you, Nidhoggur.]
[…I can’t talk with thee any longer. I shall take my leave.]
With a grunt, the great snake left her after glancing one more time at the green and beautiful spirit which purified the endless dark energy created from the surface and absorbed by the earth to be then released right back as beneficial energy for the living.
[[[POV CHANGES SARIO’S HEAVENS]]]
Above the great clouds of Sario, and above the mighty continent of the winged tribe, in another dimension from the material world a mighty palace flew through space around Sario where, inside it, great beings reside and live together. At the moment three of such mighty beings were residing inside a meeting hall around a circular table, with deep frowns on their faces as all of them were brought together by a sudden echo which told them that another living being advanced to, what the mortals called, Young God power-rank, the God ranks.
A blonde young man with an always serious expression asked while glancing at the horned and purple-skinned middle-aged man, and at the angelic woman which had blonde hair and golden eyes. The horned man had a demonic appearance with a terrifying aura, while the woman had a godly beauty with the holy and enchanting aura around her, but the proud air around them vanished as now a grumpy or saddened expression took over their faces. The beautiful woman opened her mouth and said in a sigh.
The young man grumped then continued with a frown.
Then the demonic one opened his mouth and continued in a heavy tone.
A blue screen then suddenly appeared in front of him and the information of an individual appeared together with a 3D image of the respective person right beside it:
—– START OF STATS —–
« General Information »
Name: Shen (Rosabhi)
Sex: Male
Class: Devil
Primary Element: Darkness
« Skill Points »
Health: 1.500.000
Mana: 1.000.000
STR: 907
AGI: 800
DEF: 700
VIT: 1.000
INT: 819
Avg Attack Power: 2.800 (AP)
« Status »
Soul’s Rank: Golden (Locked)
Pride’s Might (Awoken)
One of the Seven Deadly Sins. Essence used by Gods against Gods.
Feeding on Prana:
Regenerate 50.000 HP/s. In case of instant death, the body will be completely rebuilt in 100 seconds.
Curse of Vepar (Weakened)
Strengthens inner demons and Rosabhi’s awakening power.
Awakened Rosabhi
WARNING: Rosabhi has awakened. The host’s powers will reach a third of Rosabhi’s, but the host’s mind, spirit, and body will be taken over by Rosabhi.
—– END OF STATS —–
Then the demonic being showed them another screen, just like the first one, but with different pieces of information:
—– START OF STATS —–
« General Information »
Name: Shen
Sex: Male
Class: Spirit Fighter
Primary Element: Earth
« Skill Points »
Health: 123.000
Mana: 1,000
STR: 240
AGI: 260
DEF: 300
VIT: 320
INT: 250
Avg Attack Power: 790 (AP)
Status
Soul’s Rank: Golden (Awoken)
Pride’s Might (Awoken)
One of the Seven Deadly Sins. Essence used by Gods against Gods.
—– END OF STATS —–
