Chapter 1679: Retribution of Flames
A line from the [Sacred Flame Scripture]:
Do not pass on without relieving your burdens.
The weight of unspoken words, of hurt feelings and broken relationships, have a tendency of tainting one’s soul like impurities in firewood.
Without proper treatment, the smoke will be heavy and thick.
And such smoke has a tendency to linger.
...
[Notice: Powerful Desire has been detected. Core consolidation is possible. However, due to the source and external circumstances, another option is available. Proceed with consolidation or proceed with the secondary option.]
<=Wait, what?=>
’That’s new...what’s the secondary option?’
[Secondary option: Karmic Empowerment.]
’Interesting...’
[Notice: Performing the secondary action will require the usage of the Regalia: Senbonzuru and Taboo: Alf Layla Wa Layla to act as a conduit between the empowerer and the target.]
’Very interesting...okay, what’s the Desire centered around anyways.’
[Retribution.]
’That tracks.’
[If you wish to perform this new action, you will also need to use the following incantation.]
’Huh...’
...
=Nope.=
...
"Apologies, Serena, but do you mind if I get a couple licks in myself?" Zhen Liu asked as his knuckles made contact with Infernola’s face.
"Not at all," Serena answered with a smile.
When Serena started her assault against Infernola, it had given the kaijin and Zhen Liu the time they needed to get over their heavy sobbing episode.
After which, Zhen Liu had sent the kaijin deeper into the library in preparation for a plan he had in mind. However, he still maintained having Blazejudicator, Frosttusk, and Hurricroak in his soul, empowering his [Stigma], and acting as his [Taboo].
In fact, the fist that Zhen Liu had used to punch Infernola was actually covered in a gauntlet that radiated Hurricroak’s aura.
"Ready, Hurricroak?"
[Yes, maestro!]
"FIRE!"
A bolt of thunder and lightning blasted Infernola right in his stupid face, sending them flying off into the distance and right into the waiting arms of another kaijin.
More specifically, Springdermain.
Once he was in range, Springerdermain launched a spring-loaded fist that sent Infernola deeper into the library’s depths. The fucker didn’t even have time to recover when yet another kaijin knocked him further down the hall.
The two mortal warriors continued to watch Infernola as he got his shit continuously rocked down the library halls.
"Wait, why are you having your kaijin continuously knock Infernola further and further back? Shouldn’t we be, I don’t know, ripping him out of Copper’s body right now?" Serena asked once the thought dawned on her. "Seriously, what gives?"
"It’s because we need time to charge up our finishing move," Zhen Liu answered without skipping a beat.
"Say what?"
Holding up his left hand, Zhen Liu summoned the [Core] that condensed from the combined [Desire] of Serena and the [Sacred Flame].
It’s appearance caused the latter to suddenly flare up around Serena’s body. As if it was both attracted and repelled by the floating orb of crimson red.
"What the hell..." Serena trailed off as she stared at the core, awestruck.
"I was originally going to offer to use this thing to turn the [Sacred Flame] and the [Hearth Tender Trio] into a kaijin that would fulfill your thirst for retribution, and turn Infernola there into burnt out embers," Zhen Liu answered.
In the background, Zhen Liu could hear the Doll Twins playing volleyball with Infernola for a bit before handing him off for Goldie and Silvie to get in their payback.
There wasn’t any screaming, but he could definitely hear the sound of heavy blows landing on Infernola like rain drops on a tarp.
It was kind of soothing, and incredibly terrifying.
"But I get the feeling that doing so would probably cause more problems than necessary," Zhen Liu pointed out.
"That’s...fair."
It was one thing for a semi-sentient aether treasure to choose a mortal representative to lead an organization, it was another thing entirely for said aether treasure to suddenly transform into its own sentient being that technically needs to pay fealty to a mortal of dubious origins and powers.
"As such, instead of doing that, I’m going to give it back to you in spades."
"What does that —!"
With very little warning, Zhen Liu positioned himself to stand behind Serena before connecting his [Astra] and [Taboo] to Serena’s wrists.
Like a power circuit being completed, Serena could feel a sudden jolt of power being passed through the twin scarves.
"What the fuck are you pumping into me?!"
"Phrasing."
"You know what I mean!"
"I normally take the [Desire] of someone and combine with [Chaos] in order to create a [Core], the thing that empowers every kaijin. Instead of doing that, though, I’m taking your [Desire] mixing it with [Chaos] and turning it into a power boost that you can leverage for a singular, shining moment of triumph. Or you know, one big ass attack."
"Huh..."
"Speaking of, got an attack in mind?"
"I do."
"Cool, because it looks like Infernola is done with our shit."
"Fuck," Serena cursed one last time as she began to activate an aether art that had been bestowed upon her the moment she activated the [Hearth Tender Trio] for the first time.
...
Through the endlessness of [Chaos]
Through the power of [Desire]
I turn this potential gift of life
Into a spark that will mark the end.
...
[That...is...IT!]
[Whoa!]
The last kaijin in this conga line of pain was Razorstella, and she was more than ready to lash out with a heavy kick to Infernola’s non-existent nuts.
Unfortunately, the fucker managed to recover faster than she could land a kick.
[Alright, that’s my cue to exit.]
Razorstella would’ve normally stuck around at this point in order to fight, but the director had given explicit orders to bail once Infernola had either recovered or had been kicked far enough from the combat zone.
Both of these criterions were fulfilled, so Razorstella heeded the order to make use of an exit that Logos and Pathos had prepared for her and the other kaijin.
This left Infernola alone to deal with his impudent rage all by his lonesome.
Well, technically he has two ripe targets for this rage, they were just a little farther than anticipated.
[Wait...OH THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY!]
Throughout this conflict, Infernola learned that one of the most important factors in battle was momentum.
If you’re on the attack, you stay on the attack.
If you’re on the move, stay on the move.
And that certain aether arts were significantly more powerful the more momentum there was behind the action.
Infernola couldn’t help but crack a smile as he realized that there was a clear shot between himself and his targets.
[Let’s see, I think the name of that aether art was...ah yes! Final Star Tackle!]
Surrounding himself in aether-enhanced flames, Infernola summoned a series of aether formations in front of him before flying through them.
Every formation he passed through increased his flight speed and caused the flames surrounding him to burn hotter and hotter.
By the time he passed through the last of the aether array formations, Infernola resembled a burning meteorite that had enough force behind to cause a mass extinction-level event several times over.
As this artificial meteorite streaked through the halls of the [Library of Nowhere], the very shelves began to twist and move in order to avoid being burned by the flames of ambition.
[At this speed, it doesn’t matter what kind of defensive measures that stupid little girl or that fucking False Lord use. They’ll both end up splattered and burned like the insects that they are,] Infernola muttered to himself, as if he was trying to affirm to the universe that this was an immutable fact.
As he continued to fly, he eventually got close enough to sense Serena’s and Zhen Liu’s auras.
[Ha! Those idiots haven’t even attempted to hide away yet. I just need to tackle one of them and then I can get immediate advantage over—wait a minute, what the fuck am I sending? What the fuck am I seeing?!]
As Infernola approached the place where he initially fought Zhen Liu and Serena, he realized that they weren’t exactly present.
Instead, he found himself rapidly approaching what he could only describe as a giant woman, a hearth tender no less, made entirely of flames.
However, these flames weren’t violent and uproarious like his own.
Rather, they were gentle and carried with them a sense of light and life that reminded Infernola of the sun...or the progenitor flame that had birthed them.
[What the fuck...]
As Infernola inched closer and closer to the giant woman, a feeling of dread began to bubble in his metallic stomach.
It didn’t feel like he was approaching a glorious death, and it definitely didn’t feel like he was about to land a finishing blow against an enemy .
Instead, he felt as if he was running back towards his origins...and that thought terrified him.
[I...I have to turn back! I have to run away!]
But it was too late.
Infernola had built up too much momentum.