Fate.
By definition, fate was the development of events beyond an individual's control, development determined by a supernatural or higher power.
However, in a world of mana and universal law, the definition of fate couldn't be so simple.
If Karma was the web that connected all things, then Fate was a representation of the possible futures that could sprout from those connections.
The "fate" that one usually thought of when the term was mentioned, one's ultimate fate that determined the course of their life, was a representation of the karma between oneself and the universe itself.
Yet, even this definition was only on the surface level. Anyone who had some sort of comprehensive ability could draw these connections, but that didn't mean they could suddenly wield fate.
No, for someone blessed with such a power, the understanding required was far more intrinsic.
But the problem also stemmed from this fact.
Despite the heaven-defying comprehensive ability a genius like Astoria had, she also had a heaven-defying level of talent.
When she'd been using and understanding Fate instinctively for the past 20 years, suddenly attempting to truly comprehend its inner workings was an extremely complicated task to do in a closed environment, let alone during battle.
'I have to do this. I have to understand it.'
Whoosh!
Astoria dodged to the side and punched out, exploding with golden aura and pushing back her opponents.
'If I can't do it on my own…'
As she fought, Astoria slowly gained the ability to perceive her surroundings and calmly analyze every factor she possibly could.
With this new outlook, she was finally able to notice the golden blobs in the sky that had almost taken shape.
'…then I just need to borrow some help!'
Bang!
The ground burst into a cloud of debris as Astoria launched herself into the air, using Vector Control to exponentially boost her acceleration and reach the partial Fate Clouds in an instant.
She closed her eyes and set up a Dimensional Cage. Lightly moving her hand through the air in a strange pattern, Astoria summoned both her Golden Dragon and spatial mana together as she said:
"Sentries…"
Her mana coalesced into four miniature dragons that exited the Dimensional Cage and flew around it.
These dragons weren't just manifestations of her will and mana, but also targets loaded with charged Vector Points that would be able to repurpose enemy attacks and defend her position.
With them protecting her, she at least didn't need to worry for a brief 30 seconds.
Astoria didn't plan to waste this time at all.
Her body became a vortex, absorbing the energy of the Fate Cloud around her without any mind for the ancient tradition that all Golden Dragons respected, to never desecrate these clouds.
Strange golden mana entered her body in waves. It was corporeal and present, yet ethereal and seemingly existing on a higher plane. It was mana, but not necessarily mana. It was like Damien's Void Mana, better called its own energy than a form of mana at all.
Thump!
Her heart beat powerfully.
Within the core of the world, a golden heart thumped with the same rhythm.
The energy of Fate filled Astoria's body, causing her to glow in a golden sheen.
A mark appeared between her eyebrows.
Gradually, like a nearly stilled river blocked by a damn, a "golden star" formed itself between Astoria's brows.
And judging by the energy fluctuations in the surroundings…
The dam would be flooded soon enough.
***
'God Spear.'
The soul weapon of the Valkyries was summoned.
Elena wrapped her hands around its pole and forcefully pulled it into existence, revealing its beautiful platinum and white glow to all beings present.
'God Spear Inquisition Technique: Downward Momentum.'
Without waiting for a response from her enemies, Elena slammed the spear into the ground, running her mana through a specific bodily pathway before charging it into the swinging spear.
BOOOOM!
The ground immediately burst. From below, rays of white light pierced the earth and polluted the area, becoming more and more numerous until…!
BOOOOOOOOM!
"Dammit!"
"Kagh…!"
A massive explosion of light enveloped an area several tens of kilometers wide. The Kun Lord immediately dashed into the air and escaped the blast radius, however, the Tyrant Lord wasn't so lucky.
"Haa…haa…haa…"
He took short and heavy breaths as he tried to stabilize his weary body.
It was odd.
At the beginning of the battle, Elena slashed him twice. Ever since that moment, he'd been weakened over time until he couldn't even fight Yggdrasil anymore.
In simple terms, there was a circuit connecting Elena, Yggdrasil, and the Valhalla Army. The Tyrant Lord had been marked, and his energy was currently feeding that system.
Whenever Elena needed lifeforce, Yggdrasil could immediately transfer it to her. When she didn't need it, Yggdrasil could use its authority to relegate the life force to the Valhalla Army, increasing the strength of the soldiers.
With its administrative power within Elena's established abilities, Yggdrasil naturally wasn't weak itself. Every hit that the Tyrant Lord took from the tree would sap a portion of his lifeforce, draining him even faster than before.
However, there was simply no way for the Tyrant Lord to know this fact.
He was too far removed from Life Laws to know that they were ruining his body at the moment.
He stood up shakily and hardened his body, coping with the injuries he received from the explosion as he glanced into the sky at the ongoing battle.
Elena used the God Spear with ultimate proficiency, launching several sweeping attacks and thrusts that fully made use of her distance advantage to suppress the Kun Lord's speed.
She stepped back several kilometers and held the spear in one hand, pitching it forward like a javelin.
WHOOSH!
The spear tore through the atmosphere, ripping apart space and time as it arrived before the Kun Lord.
The Tyrant Lord's eyes widened.
'I have to get up there!' He thought to himself in frustration.
He took a step and took another. He pushed his mana to support his weak body into the air.
And as he began to rise into the skies…
Shik!
A sword pierced him from behind, driving itself through his heart.
"…!"
He looked down with widened eyes.
"You…"
He wasn't allowed to speak before he suddenly jerked forward like he was possessed.
"Since it's been long enough, I think it's time to reap this reward."
Elena's words entered his ears like the whispers of a devil.
She was going to reap…what?
"Keuk…!"
The Tyrant Lord coughed out a mouthful of blood as his body jerked again.
Elena touched his torso before suddenly yanking her arm back, tearing a large ball of mana out of the Tyrant Lord's chest.
"I'll be taking this for myself. As for you…well, just slowly enjoy your last few moments."
Without another word, Elena shoved the ball of mana into her own body and shot back into the air to face off with the Kun Lord.
It was only then that the Tyrant Lord realized it.
From start to finish, he'd been her target.
While she pretended to put her full focus on the Kun Lord, she used covert methods to slowly wear him down until he was nothing more than a pig on the chopping block.
With the Kun Lord preoccupied, he wouldn't have been able to sense the strangeness, and when it came to the Tyrant Lord…
If his previous actions were taken into account, it was clear that perception wasn't his forte.
Flash!
Suddenly, Elena appeared before him again, causing his slowly closing eyes to rapidly reopen.
Elena looked up at him with a smile. "My bad, I forgot something."
Shing!
A sword slashed through the air.
The Tyrant Lord suddenly felt a breeze from below, and in the same instant, he felt a terrifying pain envelop him, far worse than the pain of death that he was already undergoing.
As Elena once again returned to the Kun Lord to continue their battle, "something" fell to the ground below and sank into the sea of blood that was present there.
To define that "something's" identity…
Well, was it enough to say that the Tyrant Lord could no longer be considered a man?
