Capítulo 244: Book 7: Chapter 13 – Flame Tyrant
Near the centre of the second floor of the Necropolis of the Gods, three individuals could be seen casually strolling towards another volcano.
On the left, Leona, the majestic Divine Lioness. Her immense presence demanded attention, a testament to her newfound strength after breaking through to the ninth rank. She had once again grown in size, now towering over the landscape at a size comparable to a fully-grown elephant.
Her muscular frame rippled with power, each sinew and muscle defined with an air of dominance. Her obsidian fur, as dark as the night, gleamed with a red hue radiating a terrifying heat, accentuating her fierce and regal appearance.
Her stride was powerful yet controlled, a reflection of her newfound mastery over her enhanced physical abilities. Leona was a force of nature, a guardian of her companions, and as she roamed the second floor of the Necropolis, her imposing figure left an indelible mark, a symbol of her unwavering determination to protect and grow stronger.
On the right was Amira, whose beauty seemed to enhance with every breakthrough. Her presence was nothing short of ethereal, a vision of otherworldly grace and elegance.
Her mixed-race heritage lent her a unique and enchanting beauty, capturing the attention of all who crossed her path. Her complexion was flawless, akin to polished ebony and smooth ivory merged into one. Her features, delicate and refined, held an air of celestial charm, evoking a sense of awe in all who laid eyes on her.
She was adorned in a white leather, tight-fitting armour that accentuated her lean yet undeniably feminine physique. The pristine material clung to her like a second skin, emphasising her lithe curves and graceful form. The armour bore intricate designs, adding an air of elegance to her already angelic appearance.
Her golden eyes shone like twin suns, radiating warmth and wisdom. They were pools of brilliance set within her elegant visage, a reflection of her extraordinary inner strength and the depths of her soul. Her hair, a lustrous black, framed her face and cascaded down her back in a stunning contrast to her golden eyes.
As she strolled with each elegant step, the soft, ethereal glow of her presence seemed to illuminate her surroundings. Her every movement exuded an aura of purity and grace, a testament to her mastery over the profound mystery of purity. With each breakthrough, her beauty had become more angelic, a living embodiment of celestial allure.
In the centre, Ace strode confidently through the desolate landscape of the ruins, his appearance commanding attention and exuding an air of unshakable confidence.
After countless battles, all the robes his mother had forced him to take had been torn to pieces or incinerated, a fact he wasn't particularly unhappy with.
As it stood, he donned a pair of loose-fitting black cargo pants, the fabric tucked into his large, imposing black boots, reminiscent of the unwavering father figure from his previous life.
But it was his choice of – or rather, lack thereof – tops which was truly reminiscent of his former self. He opted not to wear a shirt, bearing his perfectly sculpted upper body to the world. Each muscle was defined and honed to perfection through rigorous training and countless battles. His chest was broad, and his shoulders were strong, a testament to the physical prowess he had achieved.
As he walked, the searing sun beat down on his bronzed skin, casting shadows along the contours of his well-defined abs and chiselled arms. Beads of sweat glistened on his skin, a stark contrast to the rugged terrain he traversed. His posture was relaxed yet poised, exuding an aura of power and determination.
Like his master, Ace's glaive clung to his back, seemingly of its own accord. The only odd thing was that, despite not being in battle – at least not yet – his glaive, instead of its normal navy colour with crimson hue, was instead obsidian in colour, signifying his deliberate use of Haki.
Amira asked why he was wasting energy channelling his [Armament Haki] when not in battle; Ace explained that since their weapons were capable of growing with the nourishment of spiritual essence, he figured it should also be possible to nourish it with his Haki as well.
Although Ace had no proof to back his theory, due to his current prowess, the strain on him was marginal at best. Plus, constantly doing so also had the added benefit of training his mental dexterity.
They had only just neared the volcano when the ground began trembling violently as a colossal Flame Tyrant, stood hundreds of meters tall, emerged from the fiery landscape. Its body formed by countless interlocking lava boulders. The air grew scorching hot as waves of intense heat radiated from its towering figure. It clutched a dark-red battle axe, a Demi-God-level divine artifact emanating an ominous Destruction-type power.
The power it emanated seemed to have surpassed that of the average prime saint. Still, no surprise could be seen on the faces of the trio, only excitement and anticipation.
This was already their eighth time challenging the tyrant. Though they were more than capable of going around it, they had decided to set themselves the challenge of only proceeding to the next floor when defeating this monstrous creature.
"You three are back again?" The Flame Tyrant growled; the sound of its voice thundered across what would soon become a battlefield once more. "You should know by now you're incapable of beating me!"
As the Flame Tyrant roared, flames surged around it, creating an aura of inferno that enveloped the battlefield. Its crimson eyes blazed with malevolence as it glared down at Ace, Leona, and Amira, its lips curling into a sinister grin. The giant's grasp on its blood-red battle axe tightened, ready to unleash devastation upon its foes.
Ace, Leona, and Amira stood their ground, their determination unwavering. They knew they faced a formidable adversary, but their last attempt had been two weeks ago; they had each made significant progress in that time.
Amira activated her Viz bloodline, summoning a radiant angelic phantom that mirrored her image, bringing her warrior and mage cultivation into the ninth rank.
At the same time, Ace's [Armament Haki] spread across his body, turning him into what could only be described as an obsidian-coloured titan, whilst a thin, but overbearing, skin-tight aura of crimson flames wrapped around him like a fiery armour.
Leona crouched low, her obsidian fur bristling with anticipation, and her feline eyes focused intensely on their colossal opponent as she, similar to her human partner, willed her flames to coat her muscular body, causing the air to crackle from the heat.
Seeing that, a snort left the rock-like lips of the Flame Tyrant as it swung its battle axe, sending a wave of destructive force hurtling toward them.
Ace was the first to react. His glaive piercing forward with explosive momentum, deflecting the arcing axe over their heads.
Amira, using her enhanced agility and speed, moved like the wind, disappearing into the blind spot of the tyrant, who knew better than to take his eyes off the obsidian-skinned little titan.
At the same time, Leona's muscular rear legs rippled with frightening power as she tensed. Then, kicking off against the ground multiple times in an instant, she shot forward like a crimson arrow being released from its bow.
Agility was never her forte, but when it came to straight-line speed, because of her undeniable power, her velocity was electric.
The Flame Tyrant didn't have time to blink before Leona was on top of him, and because of Ace's previous deflection and Leona's perfect timing, his rocky side was left open to attack.
The lioness' fiery paw tore a chunk of its side off, causing the Tyrant to grunt in pain as lava flew from its wound like blood. Still, as a Flame Tyrant, a king among Magma Demons, its vitality was seemingly endless.
In the blink of an eye, the wound had recovered as new lava boulders took shape, replacing the ones just destroyed. Still, the trio continued as though they hadn't noticed.
Ace conjured a blazing tornado of fire that spiralled around his glaive, increasing the might of his [Blazing Glaive Art] as his polearm drew a beautiful arc through the air towards the Flame Tyrant's opposite side.
The Tyrant prepared to respond to Ace's attack, meeting fire with fire, when it suddenly stumbled forward, feeling a sharp pain assaulting its rocky ankles. It only saw a brief flicker of light before Amira's figure disappeared, swiftly leaving its attacking range.
It was just as the Tyrant was at its most vulnerable that Ace's strike met its mark, causing molten rocks to splinter and explode. It bellowed in pain as the flames scorched its form.
In a frenzy, the Flame Tyrant activated its Bloodlust ability, a surge of dark energy originating from its battle-axe engulfing it.
Ace and his partners had already surpassed the Tyrant in its ordinary state. It was this transformed state that had given them trouble time and time again. After activating the Bloodlust ability of the axe, the already impressive physical power of the Tyrant skyrocketed. Fortunately, when in this state, though the Tyrant's physical ability improved, its intelligence suffered.
Its movements grew erratic and frantic but easily predictable. It swung its battle axe with relentless fury, forcing the trio into a defensive formation, with Ace being forced to take the brunt of its attacks, meeting its tyrannical attacks with the explosive and wild but oddly elegant strikes of his [Blazing Glaive Art].
It was because of this that Amira was able to counter with swift and precise strikes from her katanas, aiming for the Flame Tyrant's joints and vulnerable spots, whilst Leona lunged at its legs, tearing through the lava boulders with her claws and fangs.
The last time they fought, the trio had been forced to flee in a sorry state, but after their most recent improvements and the trio's increased coordination and synergy, they were able to deflect and counterattack with precision, exploiting the moments of vulnerability in their adversary's berserk state.
As the battle raged on, the Flame Tyrant's once formidable body began to weaken. Its flames flickered erratically, and its movements grew sluggish.
Seeing that, Ace's eyes flickered with excitement as he saw an opening. He stepped forward, his body flickering out of the way of the incoming axe, seemingly teleporting directly in front of the enormous head of the Flame Tyrant as he roared, "[Myriad Point Convergence]!"
Finally, with a final five simultaneous thrusts from the youngster, a giant explosion engulfed the Tyrant's crazed body, shattering it into countless pieces and scattering it across the fiery landscape.
Breathing heavily, Ace, Amira, and Leona stood victorious over what was left of the vanquished Flame Tyrant. An excited glint in each of their eyes as they panted. Finally, it was done! They won; they had actually beaten a being that was not only a prime saint but one more powerful than any of the saints among their enemies.
It was because of this that they were filled with confidence, ready to face whatever dared to stand in their way.
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