A wind blew and the scent of blood reached Varian. Smelling it like a predator that's about to jump, he sharpened his senses and focused on the sky.
'Status'
[Rank 8
Paragon Body: 15,000/25,000 (+10,000)
Ignis: 15,000/25,000 (+10,000)
Death Giant: 15,000/25,000 (+10,000)
Order: 10,000/25,000 (+2,500)
Chaos: 10,000/25,000 (+2,500)
Space: 15,000/25,000 (+10,000)
Time: 15,000/25,000 (+10,000)
<What happened? What led to an enlightenment? A profound thought? An inexplicable connection?
This jump is absolutely not normal. The System didn't detect anything abnormal and yet this happened.
You were also emotionally disturbed in that duration. There's something you aren't revealing>]
Varian was dumbfounded at the huge progress. But oddly enough, he didn't feel any satisfaction for it.
If he had a choice of not experiencing those few seconds and missing out in this leap, he'd pick it without hesitation.
Because even though he's now significantly stronger than just a few minutes ago, the burden on him had grown beyond his ability to comprehend.
It felt he had seen something he shouldn't have. Even though it's been minutes already, the sight was burned into his memory.
Oddly enough, he could 'feel' what he saw, even recall it vaguely. But he could not use his soul power to 'play' it again.
"I just had an enlightenment." Varian wiped the sweat that flowed down his forehead once his thoughts were directed towards that experience and lied to the system.
[But why all of a sudden? Enlightenments are incredibly rare. More so in seven paths at once. It's possible but statistically, you're more likely to be the ruler of Genesis Empire.]
"It just did." Varian shrugged and brandished his sword, holding the blade against his palm. "Now if you'll excuse me."
The battle in the sky had undergone a definite shift.
Even though the holy squad hadn't recognized it yet, their battle experience was giving them subtle hints.
Unfortunately for them, the collective vast experience which should've greated a sense of 'caution' failed miserably in front of the enthusiasm of devil slaying.
They were prepared to die and yet survived this far. They were also going to win.
The holy squad, going against all the personal wisdom they accumulated in their long experience, indulged fully into the battle.
It was a mistake.
Boom!
Once they dealt a decisive blow to Icarus and severed his two legs, two phantom red fists blasted through the chests of the Holy Squad.
The Old Witch and Space Wizard twitched violently as the red energy melted into their bodies and sapped away their vitality.
Almost simultaneously, Immortal crushed the skull of Hammer Warrior, filling him entirely with the power of death and killing him at once.
At the exact time, Isadora's sword of darkness pierced right through Immortal's chest, severing him into two, one with head and one without.
The severed parts tried to reattach swiftly but two chains of darkness latched onto them and then pulled hard.
It was a very forceful push, akin to pulling iron away from a very powerful magnet.
But the chains did their job dutifully and as the distance between the two pieces increased, they injected it with the power of darkness.
It was gradual at first before it turned into a flood.
The bastion of 'death energy', the glowing red, soon turned black. It twitched violently, flaring unsteadily, trying to compete against the invasive force. And it got even more suppressed by Isadora who fully focused on the battle.
As a result, one half of Immortal, the part without the head, turned into specks of darkness and dissipated.
The child of slivers was just coming to his senses when he sensed another powerful aura fluctuation nearby.
'What? When? How?'
The dying holy squad looked at him with shock in their final moments.
'H-He's this strong? The fuck!'
Isadora was equally surprised. She wanted Varian to deal a decisive blow because he did grow a bit from the synergy but this was beyond her expectations.
"Fuuu~"
Varian pulled his sword out of Icarus' chest and the man gasped as the vitality gushed out.
"Haa! Haa! Ha—urgh!"
Varian's sword lodged in again and he twisted it like it's a screwdriver, messing with his insides.
Icarus twitched violently as the power of death ravaged his body and in desperation, he threw out 'rules' to blast off Varian.
Technically, it should workd because Varian seemed far weaker than everyone else here.
Even though he himself was in a very injured and exhausted state, Icarus didn't think he'd lose to someone who's not even a high rank 9.
<The death energy of your sword will counteract with your life energy, turning into a zombie>
<Your aura leaks out at a rapid pace, hollowing you out of any strength>
<Your physical senses will be overwhelmed by one particular detail and jam your mind>
These were dangerous rules and when taken together, they'd essentially incapacitate him.
Icarus wouldn't have tried them on others since they were very strong for these rules to take effect.
But Varian?
'You're ove—huh?!'
As the rules were manifesting, Varian raised his other hand and swatted casually.
'No, no!'
It was undeniably the power of order…and chaos?
Under Icarus' confused and disbelieving gaze, he easily dismantled the rules before they could even take root.
He looked at Icarus with an amusing gaze and his voice directly sounded in Icarus' mind. "I don't mean to brag but I'm somewhat of a nemesis to you."
'W-Wait, how can he have the power of a soul awakener?'
Looking at the confusion dawning on the man's face, Varian smirked and clenched his fist.
Icarus' senses screamed danger and he hastily used his powers to try and escape this dangerous man.
None of his attacks were as strong as others and yet…
"No, no."
A gentle wave of chaos power emerged from Varian, corrupting all the 'order' rules laid out by Icarus to facilitate his escape.
"You'll regret this!"
As he realized he won't be able to escape, Icarus threatened Varian with bloodshot eyes.
"You and Isadora, both of you would regret this! You wish you'd have died under my hand and took the easy way out. I swear on my dead pare—"
Varian bent Icarus down and smashed his head with his knee. "Yeah, sure."
The headless body struggled violently, as the power of order tried to bring the fragmented parts to the proper 'order' again.
Varian was having none of that.
"Come what may," He slammed his knee into the regenerating head again and again.
Blood splashed out and pieces of bones and brain scattered out, all falling down like a rain before they were pulled back by the stubborn order face to be pieced together again.
Requiem lodged in Icarus' chest continued to eat away his vitalty despite the resistance offered by his dwindling yet tremendous power.
And Varian—
Ka! Ka! Ka!
His knee was covered in blood and brainmatter of his enemy, painting a terrific sight. But he didn't seem to care.
Like a ruthless machine, he went on for dozens and dozens of times even after the head body ceased to move.
When he finally stopped, he realized only a pair of shoulder bones were left in his hand. The rest was long smashed.
"Fuck," He rubbed his forehead.
That vision he had…it disturbed him too much.
Icarus became a vent for those turbulent emotions.
Varian looked at Immortal with a dismissive gaze. "Will you kill yourself or do you want me to dismantle you piece by piece while I flood your body with the power of life and explode bits of you every second while the rest struggle to regenerate and keep this going until you lose the will to live and kill yourself?"
After being ambushed by Isadora and losing half of his body, Immortal tried to fight back against her even in a very disadvantageous circumstance, showing his indomitable will.
But when he saw Varian looking down at him from above in a bloodied attire and ruthless eyes, the child of slivers paused and looked at him with a hateful gaze.
"Once you get out of this little safe room," Immortal glanced at Isadora before turning to Varian. "You will learn how lucky you were. If it was my real body standing here, even if I give you an eternity, you wouldn't be able to kill me."
With a pop, Immortal exploded, ending his own life.
