Chapter 89: The Demon and Nereus
The hell head's teeth snapped ferociously, echoing like thunderclaps across the desolate battlefield. The water beneath surged upward in defiance, wrapping around the grotesque creature's strings. The tension between Nereus and the demon intensified with every passing second, their energies rippling through Blackstone like a storm threatening to tear reality apart.
Nereus stood in mid-air, his trident gleaming with divine power. He thrust it downward, and the water holding the Hell Head solidified into an impenetrable sphere, trapping the monstrosity in its aquatic prison. "You speak of games," Nereus said, his voice resonating like an ancient god, "but this ends now."
The demon smirked from atop a crumbling building, observing his healing wound with detached amusement. "Ends?" he echoed mockingly. "You think those little tricks of yours will suffice?" He raised his hand, allowing his dark energy to coil around him. His voice was cold and mocking. "Let's see your so-called judgment."
Nereus's eyes narrowed. "Secret Art: Heavenly Judgment."
The heavens seemed to rip open as raindrops transformed mid-air, reshaping into countless ice kunai. Each shard hovered ominously in the sky, pointed directly at the demon. Below, even the water on the ground churned upward, producing more icy projectiles, creating a massive net of impending destruction.
The demon tilted his head, unimpressed. "Oh, ice tricks. How original."
Nereus raised his trident high, his booming voice commanding, "Strike!" The ice kunai shot downward like a meteor storm, each piece carrying the weight of divine power. The air screamed as the shards raced toward the demon.
With a flicker of dark energy, the demon grinned, his voice dripping with disdain. "If you're going to use the old style, so will I." His hands spread apart, and he muttered, "The Voice: Be Gone."
A gravitational shockwave exploded outward, obliterating the kunai mid-air. The sheer force tore through the city, shattering nearby buildings into rubble and sending waves of destruction rippling across the ground. Nereus gritted his teeth as the remaining shards surged upward, undeterred. The demon leaped into the air, his palms smashing together with a thunderous clap.
The Hell Head quivered violently, its strings snapping as it broke free from its watery prison. Its grotesque form bounced erratically beneath the demon, its jaw snapping open to unleash a torrent of black flames. The flames engulfed the remaining ice projectiles, vaporizing them into nothingness.
Standing atop the monstrous head as it bounced erratically, the demon sneered at Nereus. "Done playing yet?"
Nereus ignored the taunt, his expression calm and calculating. "Sea Creation: Feeding Monstrous Sharks."
From the depths of the water below, massive sharks leaped upward with terrifying speed. Their jagged teeth tore into the Hell Head's strings, dismantling its balance and causing it to falter. The grotesque creature shuddered as the sharks bit through its sinews, ripping it apart piece by piece. The demon responded with precision, invoking Baam Slash to cut through the swarming predators. Each swing of his invisible blade disintegrated the monstrous sharks, but their relentless numbers pushed him back.
Meanwhile, Nereus's feet shimmered as fish-like gills coated his legs, allowing him to levitate with fluidity and grace. He prepared his next move.
Elsewhere, Mengi stood amidst the ruins, his liquid blades dripping onto the ground. He began to walk away from the defeated monster, his calm yet menacing demeanor unshaken. But before he could take another step, the grotesque creature began to regenerate. Its tendrils stitched themselves back together, and its monstrous form reassembled, towering over him once more.
Mengi turned his head slightly, exhaling a plume of smoke from the corner of his mouth. "Disgusting," he muttered. "I hate things like you."
Without hesitation, he blurred forward, defying gravity as he closed the distance between them. His body emitted streams of liquid that solidified into a sleek blade in his hand. Sliding beneath the monster's massive legs, he delivered a clean, precise slash that severed them, causing the creature to crash onto its back with an earth-shaking thud.
Mengi didn't stop. As the monster flailed, his body emitted another surge of liquid that solidified into a chained hook. With a deft motion, he hurled the hook onto the creature's torso, pulling himself upward with inhuman speed. Landing on the monster's chest, he drove his blade into its grotesque face, severing one of its tendrils in a clean stroke.
Sliding off its back, Mengi crouched low, liquid pooling around him. He spun in a 360-degree motion, his blade cutting through the air with lethal precision. As he rotated, an invisible force spread outward, slicing through the monster and everything in its vicinity. The ground trembled as the attack concluded, the creature's body disintegrating into nothingness.
Standing amidst the aftermath, Mengi exhaled slowly, smoke rising from his lips. "Blade Style: 360 Steps of the Blade God," he muttered, the name of his technique lingering in the air.
Confident the monster was defeated for good, Mengi began walking toward the exit. As he leaped out of the door, he found himself face-to-face with Seiji, who leaned casually against the wall, clapping slowly.
"Well, well," Seiji said with his usual lighthearted tone. "Impressive work, Blade Boy. What's your name?"
Mengi stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Mengi," he replied.
Seiji grinned. "Mengi, huh? I like your style."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone