Bang! Bang! Bang!
Terrible explosions rocked the air, shaking space and even causing it to shatter in certain areas. Massive collisions took place countless times every second, making it impossible for any organism to survive within a several thousand-kilometer radius of the battlefield.
Bang!
A great axe swung through the air, attempting to bisect its enemy completely, but the current enemy was simply too snake-like. Every time the axe came near him, he'd turn into a puff of smoke and reappear several kilometers away.
The same thing happened this time. The grey-skinned man's body faded as if it never existed. However, when he reappeared, there were an array of surprises waiting for him.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Spheres of strange water surrounded his body, shooting out tendrils like iron wires to confine him in a single spot.
If this attack was merely water alone, it would've been impossible to suppress the man who could escape from far worse unscathed, but Rilia was prepared.
Every water affinity expert would evolve as they grew in strength, developing their own quality of water that matched their fighting style. Some would have poisonous water mana, while others had water that could heal. Rilia's specialty was suppression, and she'd been working to incorporate the qualities of gravity into her mana since a very young age.
When she attacked with the intent of forcing an enemy into a corner, there was nigh-anything that could stop her.
A heavy suppression bore down on Aarish's shoulders like a mountain. For the first time during this fight…he gritted his teeth.
'How troublesome.'
His eyes scanned the three enemies in front of him. Individually, he could kill each of them without much trouble, however, it was different when they combined their power.
They couldn't kill him with personal strength, but they could definitely prevent him from landing fatal hits on each other.
The three-point defense they created was almost impossible for him to penetrate with simple moves.
However, the reason he gritted his teeth wasn't pain, but annoyance.
'I have come here to find the Heavenly Demon Candidate's killer, but the search has been too inconclusive. These three beings are the only ones capable of killing the previous candidate, however, their mana signatures do not match the traces left at the scene…'
Aarish narrowed his eyes, twisting his body at an impossible angle to dodge a massive bloody axe that once again aimed to chop him into pieces.
'The third has yet to act.'
Aarish hid within the folds of space and observed his opponents.
'I must get rid of that woman first.'
The woman with the power of suppression was the most troublesome enemy, as her aid allowed the other two to attack freely. Without her, they would barely even be able to touch him.
His body flashed away, appearing behind Rilia in an instant.
"Die, peasant."
His arm slashed through the air, a thick and murky death mana covering his hand as it approached Rilia's neck.
The hair on her body raised in foreshadowing of danger. Her senses pricked up, ringing alarm bells in her head.
She spun around with widened eyes and raised her staff, erecting a makeshift mana barrier to protect her from the surprise attack.
Shing!
Shatter!
Pieces of the mana barrier fluttered to the ground. The second Aarish's hand passed through the flimsy barrier, it was broken into countless pieces.
"Kak…!"
A mouthful of blood flew from Rilia's mouth as she was sent flying. Aarish's eyes locked onto her like a predator, his body appearing at her position within the same instant.
"You will be the first to die."
"Not so fast."
Clash!
Just as he went to deliver the final blow, his outstretched hand collided with something metallic. A large claymore had blocked his path.
As for the wielder of said weapon…
"So you have finally decided to step in!"
Aarish exclaimed with excitement as Jean's visage was revealed.
"What a masochistic monster, anticipating your own death with such fervor," Jean commented in disgust.
"Kekeke, but who said I would be the one dying today?"
"I did!"
Geralt's booming voice came from behind. He stood with his great axe coated in gold aura. His eyes glowed like sunbeams as he roared into the sky.
"WAR GOD'S FURY!"
The axe came swinging down. Before it even reached halfway through its swing, the ground caved in from its pressure.
By the time it sliced into the earth…
BOOOOOOM!
A wave of golden mana roared through the environment, cutting a massive gorge into the Blood-Drenched Wilderness as it moved to eclipse all those in its path, including the other two guild masters.
Jean's eyes narrowed. In the split second Aarish was distracted by the incoming attack, he grabbed Rilia's arm and threw her out of the blast radius.
In the next moment, he jumped back and readied his sword.
"Hahaha! What is your role? Preventing my escape? Worry not, for I have no such plans!" Aarish exclaimed arrogantly.
It was clear that he'd mistaken the reason for Jean's actions, but that was even better for them.
The Nox Commander stuck his hand out in front of him, as if motioning the wave to stop.
ROOOOAAAAAAAR!
The wave soon encompassed him. On both sides of his body, the massive gorge continued forming, the slash leaving behind an abyss thousands of kilometers deep.
Aarish, on the other hand, completely avoided the effect of the attack.
A thick black cocoon covered him from head to toe, acting as a turtle shell to shield him from the impact.
However…
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Hairline cracks spread across the cocoon's surface from the pressure. Aarish glanced at these cracks with surprise.
"Oho! You are far stronger than expected, giant! However, it is still not enough!"
"…but we've known that since the beginning."
Jean's voice came from behind.
The man closed his eyes and swung his sword in a strange arc.
Shing!
The sword's blade traveled its arc, and as it reached its pinnacle, a miracle happened.
The extreme tip of the blade, the indescribably small point that signified the absolute end of the blade, barely came in contact with the golden mana wave.
Ding!
A sound like a bell being rung resounded.
All things froze for a second.
Aarish's eyes widened.
"Perfect Parry."
The words signified the completion of Jean's attack.
The golden wave that was furiously rushing past him a mere moment ago…
…defied all reason to change its course an entire 180 degrees, rushing to swallow Aarish for a second time.
'At this rate, my shield won't hold on…!'
Aarish made a quick decision. He put his hands together and gritted his teeth.
"Dammit! Damn this body! It does not matter. Even if I must use my power, I will kill the three of you today!"
His hands came together in a praying position and then separated by barely a few inches.
Clap!
Aarish brought his hands together and clapped once.
Space seemed to change.
It contracted endlessly into a point before expanding again, and then finally…
CLAP!
A second clap rang out.
This time, space itself popped.
WHOOOOOOOSH!
A massive suction force leaked from the portion of the chaotic void that'd been released. The entire golden wave of Geralt's War God's Fury attack was swallowed by this newly born black hole.
"Now, over there."
Aarish's gaze snapped towards Rilia, who'd gotten back up and was preparing for a major attack.
He grinned.
His fingers snapped.
Space popped a second time. A new black hole opened near Rilia's position.
And from that black hole, a massive wave of golden energy leaked like a tsunami, enveloping Rilia's body in an instant.
BOOOM!
