Chapter 401: End Of An Era: Lust Vs Wrath [2]
"Of course you can’t heal. An injury inflicted by a God isn’t something you can recover from so easily."
Rin’s voice echoed inside Damian’s mind.
The little fox no longer dared remain outside. It had already retreated back into Damian’s consciousness the instant Kaizer descended. If Rin died at the hands of another prince, it would not simply disappear temporarily. It would cease to exist forever. For the first time since Damian met the fox, survival had become its highest priority.
"Alright. One hand will do just fine." Damian slowly raised arm and his fingers flexed calmly as cracking bones echoed from the ruined limb.
"Have you gone crazy?!" Rin shouted.
Damian ignored him. His cold violet eyes never left Kaizer.
The dragon deity stood several dozen meters away, completely indifferent to the massive hole where his heart should have been. Blood poured endlessly from the wound, staining his crimson scales, yet instead of weakening, his aura continued climbing higher. His muscles swelled subtly beneath his skin as a faint crimson glow spread across every inch of his body.
"Berserk Authority..." Damian muttered.
He lowered his severed arm and pressed his remaining palm firmly against the open wound.
Crimson flames erupted instantly.
Fsssshhh...
The smell of burning flesh spread through the air while sizzling echoed continuously. Damian didn’t even flinch. He simply endured the agony as the infernal flames cauterized every torn artery and shattered muscle.
Several seconds later, he removed his hand.
The bleeding had stopped. The wound remained horrific, but it had been sealed completely.
"Yes, it’s exactly what you suspected." Rin’s voice remained unusually serious. "He’s using the same Berserk Authority he placed inside the Getis. Every injury increases his strength, and while Berserk remains active, he cannot truly die. Even if you tear off every limb, his body will continue fighting. The only reliable way to kill him is to crush his head."
The fox paused briefly.
"And we both know crushing a dragon’s skull isn’t exactly easy."
Damian slowly rolled his shoulder before a cold smile spread across his face.
"If crushing his head is what it takes to win then I’ll crush his head."
He suddenly thrust his remaining hand forward.
"Demonic Weaponry!"
Buzz!
The space behind Damian distorted violently as thousands of rusted blades spun into existence one after another until they completely filled the heavens behind him. Swords, spears, axes, halberds, hammers and weapons whose origins had long been forgotten floated silently in the air. Some were no larger than ordinary kitchen knives while others rivaled trucks in sheer size, each one radiating an ancient murderous intent accumulated through countless battles.
Kaizer quietly observed the impossible arsenal.
"Asura... Of course. Only the might inherited from the Asuras rivals that of dragons."
His expression slowly darkened.
"But tell me... How did a filthy human obtain something so precious?"
Hmph!
Damian answered only with a contemptuous snort. His body shifted and uscles tightened as two pairs of arms burst from beneath his shoulders.
Four powerful arms now rested upon his body as brilliant white Samsara flames erupted around each clenched fist, dancing wildly across his forearms without burning his flesh.
"Questions like that don’t concern a dead lizard."
He lowered himself into a fighting stance
"Come. I’ll crush you where you stand."
Bang!
The air exploded and neither figure remained where they had been standing.
Only two streaks of crimson and violet remained as both combatants collided across the heavens faster than human perception could comprehend.
Boom!
Their fists collided. The resulting shockwave flattened everything beneath them. Before the echoes faded, they were already gone crossing thousands of miles in left then a breath.
Entire mountain ranges split apart beneath their collisions. Oceans rose into towering tsunamis before crashing back down. Every clash generated another catastrophic shockwave that rippled across continents, shattering windows hundreds of miles away and making skyscrapers sway violently.
The entire planet had begun trembling under the unrestrained battle of the princes
___ Aurelios, Sol’s Palace ___
Far above the magnificent city bathed forever beneath twin suns, Sol remained seated upon his throne overlooking the paradise below. Beside him, Leo lay lazily upon the polished floor. One of the lion’s golden eyes slowly opened as it watched the battle unfolding across another world.
"To think a day would come when they would dare take the initiative to step into your paradise." Leo’s deep voice carried quiet amusement. "They really want that human dead."
Sol answered only with a slight frown.
Within each of his three golden pupils, Damian’s battle reflected with perfect clarity. The image lingered for several seconds before changing. Now reflected within Sol’s eyes stood two familiar figures beneath Aurelios’ twin suns.
Lazarus and Belial.
"These are the reasons we should help him. But Kaizer planned ahead. It’s unfortunate Damian surrounds himself with demons incapable of standing beside him in battle."
Leo chuckled deeply.
"Stil, you have to admit something. What Lin Qui failed to accomplish over several centuries that boy achieved within a single year."
The lion’s tail swayed lazily.
"I’m actually curious how much further he’ll manage to civilize those wild beasts."
A faint smile finally appeared upon Sol’s face. He understood exactly what Leo meant. Under Damian, they had become surprisingly obedient.
More importantly, Sol approved of Damian’s decision to stand and fight despite knowing death waited before him.
Earth was Damian’s birthplace. If a man refused to bleed for his own home, then what exactly was he living for?
"He’s a true human. Not as graceful or as wise as I am. But still an elite among our kind."
Sol slowly rose to his feet.
"I won’t allow someone of that quality to be wasted."
Leo nodded while rising beside him.
"No... We won’t."
"I suppose it’s time to fight."
Sol casually brushed invisible dust from his robes.
Across from them, both Lazarus and Belial exchanged brief glances before looking back toward Sol.
Belial calmly stepped forward. His black robes concealed the massive exoskeleton hidden beneath them.
"Sol. Even if you defeat both of us you cannot accomplish it in three minutes. Do you truly believe you’ll save that child?"
Leo slowly bared his fangs.
"Imagine that. Three Princes joining forces to kill one demigod. My... how far Hell has fallen."
Lazarus immediately frowned and veins bulged across his forehead as rage surfaced. Before he could speak, Sol calmly raised two fingers and the entire battlefield fell silent.
"What exactly does that mean?" Lazarus asked.
Sol looked at neither of them. His calm gaze remained fixed upon the distant sky.
"Whoever I choose to protect not even the universe can harm them. I require only one minute for each of you and I’ll save the boy during the third."
Sol declared publicly.
Neither prince appeared surprised. Instead they smiled.
Belial nodded quietly.
"We expected that answer."
Lazarus’ grin widened.
"So... We invited someone else. It cost me an absolute fortune but I finally convinced that lazy bastard to leave his bed."
A trace of satisfaction appeared within his eyes.
Buzz!
Without warning, a moon appeared above Aurelios.
Night spread across half the eternal city as moonlight swallowed one side while the twin suns continued shining upon the other.
Below, countless humans looked upward in confusion. Night, had never existed within Aurelios. Yet now half the kingdom stood beneath darkness.
Sol slowly turned his head and his brows immediately furrowed.
Floating comfortably beneath the moonlight rested an extravagant eighteenth century chaise longue crafted from black wood and crimson velvet. Reclining lazily upon it was an extraordinarily handsome man dressed in elegant Roman robes that somehow looked completely out of place against his lean, lanky build.
His head rested comfortably upon the soft thighs of an equally beautiful succubus, who leisurely fed him grapes one by one while another slowly waved an ornate feather fan beside him. The man looked so relaxed that he appeared completely detached from the tense atmosphere surrounding everyone else.
Sol’s expression instantly darkened.
"What the hell are you doing here, you bloody Sin of Sloth... Aine!"