Chapter 39: 38th Adversary: Regalia
"Ugh….."
When Miko woke up his body was sore all over, but he could still get up just fine. He stood up and looked around.
"Looks like I blacked out. From the destruction around me looks like it was somewhat successful."
He was feeling a bit proud. That was because he clearly forced Darry to get serious. Darry has defeated Miko over and over again. In fact, he's probably the one who made Miko taste defeat the most. So making him panic was satisfying.
(Miko, you awake?)
Suddenly he heard Tia's voice ring in his head.
"Yeah, is something wrong?"
Miko was asking if Nebulous's men had made a move.
(No. It's just that I sensed a really dark emotion from you earlier. When I wanted to check it out, I realized that you had fallen asleep. I didn't rush over because I thought you were sparring again.)
"I see. Everything's fine, I was sparring as you thought."
(I see. By the way, the trio has finished moving into their new apartment. They were asking for you.)
"I'm on my way over."
Miko was about to leave but suddenly stopped.
"Tia, tell them to meet here. I also want you to tell them to be prepared for battle."
(Who's the opponent?)
Miko smiled and pointed his thumb at himself.
"Me."
Little under an hour later, the trio had met up with Miko on the outskirts of the capital. Upon seeing the destruction around them, they wondered if a war was fought here.
"So, Miko. I heard that you wanted us to prepare for battle with you as our opponent….It doesn't look like this will be another spar."
Sora said.
"Because it won't."
Miko was leaning on a burnt tree when they arrived. He got off that tree and walked towards them.
"Today I'm here to see your limits, as well as my own."
"Our limits?"
Miko nodded.
"There's a high chance of us fighting a powerful enemy. To prepare, I think knowing each other's limits and preparing tactics around them is essential."
"Well, that does make sense. But are you going to fight us all?"
Hina asked.
"Yes. I need to get fully accustomed to your strengths and weaknesses. Fighting all of you would make it easier for me to do that."
"But will you be able to endure fighting all of us?"
Miko smiled.
"We'll just have to see."
An hour later.
"Hah~! Hah~! Hah~!"
"T-The hell?"
Sora and Ace were breathing heavily covered in wounds and sweat.
"I can't believe he actually fought them back to back…."
Hina couldn't believe what she witnessed. In front of her, Miko was laying on the ground looking far more tired and damaged than Ace and Sora.
"He also got really strong….."
"N-Next."
Miko struggled to his feet.
"Shouldn't you take a rest?"
Hina tried to stop.
"I'm fine. Let's go."
As he said that, Miko started tilting over to one side. Just as he looked like he was going to fall over, he stepped firmly on the ground to balance himself.
"Looks like this is my limit."
He sat down.
(It looks like my stamina has improved by several folds, as well as my endurance. I also seriously fought against Ace and Sora for the second time and did far better than the first. My movements were sharp and I barely gave my opponent time to breathe.)
Miko evaluated himself inside his head.
(Considering I could do all that after sparring with Darry, my current strength should be at least three times what it was before I became a proxy.)
He then looked at Ace and Sora.
(But I gotta say though, these two are something else. They're stronger than when I first met them, and that was not even two months ago. They really are talented.)
He looked at Hina.
"Sorry, looks like this is the limit for me."
Hina looked relieved. She honestly didn't want to fight Miko.
"We'll have to do this another time. For now, I sleep."
He passed out on the ground and started snoring.
"Our limits, huh?"
Hina mumbled to herself.
(I wonder if I should tell Miko the truth about myself. We're already on the same side, so it should be fine, right?)
She looked at his peaceful sleeping face. Suddenly, that face transformed into that of a rotting corpse.
"?!"
She stepped back and looked at him again. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was only her imagination. She then shook her head.
(I-I guess I'll leave it be.)
A few hours later, after resting up Miko got back to work. He had already sent back the trio and was now with Momo and Tia.
"I want my regalia."
Miko told Tia.
"Not that I mind, but why so suddenly?"
"I'm about to face a strong enemy, isn't it natural I want to get all the power I can?"
"Good point. Alright, let's do it."
"You mean right now?"
Momo asked.
"The faster the better. This will allow him to get familiar with his regalia."
Tia looked like she remembered something.
"Let me make something clear first. You have two Regalia."
"Two?"
She nodded.
"First one is a shared Regalia, the Tablets Of Destinies."
The Tablets of destinies were three clay tablets that served as a binding legal document as well as a symbol of power in Sumerian Mythology. Whatever was written on the tablets, will become the Law. Whoever holds the tablet will be recognized as the ruler of the universe. Only four persons are said to have ever possessed these tablets.
Tiamat, her son and second husband Kingu, Enki/Enlil, and Marduk.
As a Regalia it's shared between these Gods and their proxies.
"The tablets can grant you great power, however, because it's shared, the power it gives you is limited."
"What about the other Regalia?"
"That I don't know."
"What? You don't know?"
Miko was skeptical.
"I'm serious. A Regalia takes the shape or form of what is most compatible with the proxy. It's basically your desire and power in the form of a weapon or item. I'm not the one who chooses it. You are."
"So that's how it is."
Miko thought for a while before saying-
"Okay, I don't want the Tablets Of Destiny. If I have to share something with Zeus(Marduk) I prefer to fight barehanded."
Tiamat smiled.
"Fine by me. Then let's hurry and choose your own personal Regalia!"
She sank her fangs into her arm. She let her blood flow and touch the earth. The moment it did, the ground lit up and the crest of a dragon rising from out of the sea appeared. The glowing seal grew and covered where both Miko and Tiamat were standing. Miko started glowing. A light shot out of his chest and in front of him. A light also shot out of Tiamat's chest and collided with Miko's. The lights then melded and started to form something. Miko watched as the light took a humanoid shape, which caught him off guard.
"It can't be…"
The light disappeared but something was left behind.
"It's a little girl?"
Momo exclaimed.
Seeing this, Miko put his hand on his chin.
"This is the manifestation of my desires? I never knew that I had such a fetish."
He wore a serious expression.
"Is it okay to upload this stuff to the internet? Won't the story get canceled?"
"Hahaha….No, look again."
Miko looked at the "little girl". She looked exactly like Tiamat, which meant she looked exactly like him. She was naked and her hair flowed down to her feet. She looked to be a little younger than Miko. Around 12 or 13. In fact, she looked like a younger clone of Miko. Well, except for one part.
"No sex? She's sexless?"
"That's right. Just like you."
Something inside Miko snapped when he heard that.
"I always knew this day would come."
Miko made a sword out of water.
"Looks like I'm gonna be the first Proxy to kill his Parent God."
"Oh? Anytime you're ready, kid."
Tia showed a "come on" gesture with her hands.
"Calm down you two and focus on the task at hand."
Momo intervened. She separated the two and approached the little girl.
"So how do you use it?"
"Miko just needs to place his hand on her and inject some magic and the contract will be sealed."
"Is that so?"
Miko walked up and placed his hand on the "girl's" head. In an instant, the girl disappeared and turned into a black sword with azure waves on the blade.
"So it's a Katana? Nice!"
Miko gripped the sword handle and lifted the sword.
"It has such a nice feel to it. It's almost like it's a part of me!"
Miko felt an unusual compatibility with the sword. It was truly made for him.
"Give it a try."
Tia urged him.
Miko nodded and gripped the sword tightly. He then started to feel as if he and the sword were synchronizing. Immense power started to flow between the two.
"Huh?"
Tia and Momo who were observing him, suddenly saw the two become engulfed by azure and black aura. It had a sinister and beastly feeling.
"This doesn't look good…"
Momo erected a barrier around them as Miko lifted the sword in the air.
"Ah!"
*Bam!*
Miko swung the sword down and produced a sonic boom. An azure slash rushed forth and hit the barrier.
*Bam!*
The barrier trembled. Cracks soon started to appear in it. This shocked Momo. This barrier was supposed to be able to withstand Miko's Dragon Shot, which was by far his strongest attack. Yet, a single slash caused the barrier to crack. This meant that his power had already surpassed what it was not too long ago.
*Bam!*
The barrier broke and a weakened version of the slash was let loose. The ground was ripped open and left a 6ft deep trench behind before finally dying out.
"Whew~."
Miko whistled in admiration and looked at his sword.
"Not bad."
(I'm glad you like me.)
A voice came from the sword and shocked Miko. The sword turned into light and formed the little girl in front of him. She had bright purple eyes and a bright smile on her face.
"Nice to meet you, Miko. I'm Regis, and I'll be your partner in crime for the rest of our lives."
"Regis?"
The humanoid regalia Regis looked at Miko and smiled.
"Yes."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone