บท 33: The Colosseum
The Seraphic System
Chapter: 33
Pa/ t reon details at the bottom of the chapter if you're interested I'll keep posting regardless.
Note: The Gabriel encounter is happening in a few chapters. It'll be here soon.
(The Colosseum)
Glaring In annoyance at the house, its energy dome fueled by dozens of drones, I felt annoyed. With a flex of my will, I conjured a massive circular blade of light just as new drones began to swarm around me.
I think I was starting to understand.
Whoever was attacking me was some sort of drone expert who used his sacred gear, Vardoger Hand.
Which was why appraisal marked all of the drones as copied. It was pretty smart. I would definitely do the same. Create a strong weapon you could use remotely and simply overwhelm your target.
I swung the circular light disk towards the house covered by the shield drones, watching it easily tear through the drones in front and slice through the shield.
The entire building was cut in half and it left the edges from the cut melting from the sheer heat of my holy light. I dodged a massive hail of bullets a moment later as the gun drones resumed attacking me.
Lowering my hand and touching the ground and dozens of vines shot up, impaling the gun drones that came flying at me. The vines swung around, catching even more drones on the spikes I had added to the vines.
They operated like massive wooden tentacles around me, swinging around and destroying dozens of the cloned magical drones. My usage of Mokuton has gotten much better. It was insanely versatile in its usage.
The gun drones fired, shredding through the chakra-infused bark. With a surge of chakra through the tendrils linked to my feet, the wood regenerated, repairing the damage caused by the gun drones.
A flash of blue caught my attention and I flew away as another massive beam descended on my previous location. My wood tentacles were obliterated in the next moment along with everything else in that location.
Looking up, there was now another hammer drone now visible in the sky. I created a powerful rotating sword of holy light that was sent slicing through the hammer drone a moment later with a flick of my wrist.
Exploding in a burst of speed that left the dust around me kicking up, I slammed into the building of the perpetrator. My eyes searched for the assassin and I turned my head as I heard even more buzzing.
I watched as a platform flew out from the massive cut going through the middle of the building. A man wearing a long coat standing on a platform that floated out. I almost wanted to roll my eyes.
'Appraisal'
{Name: Valder (Mr. Two)}
{Title: The Drone Assassin}
{Race: Human}
{Power level: 4000}
So it was that assassination organisation Shanu told me about. It seems they hadn't gotten the hint and given up after their first attempt failed.
Annoying, another problem I would need to deal with in the future. It was even more annoying they had decided to attack now.
I briefly wondered what was with the numbering? I had gotten Mr. Six last time who had been more annoying to deal with than anything else. Though those angel killer bullets were nasty.
I was assuming this one was listed as more dangerous? He was weaker in power level but then again. The sheer amount of drones and versatility his sacred gear had definitely made up for it.
A deadly assassin if you gave him suitable preparation time.
This had been my first time seeing a sacred gear in action. A minor one I hadn't heard of but still. To think father dearest had a Heavens system giving these out freely.
Imagine how powerful Heaven would have been with them in its possession. But I suppose God never anticipated his own death. I wasn't sure of the current state of affairs in Heaven or the church.
I was pretty sure the church was full of corruption.
I floated outside with my dazzling golden wings out on display, it was something I could do for some reason even if it didn't physically make sense. I could simply hover with my wings out.
"I don't suppose you feel like surrendering? I may even let you live if you tell me where your boss is." I calmly spoke.
I was beyond pissed off, and he was definitely going to die.
My skin still burned from the initial explosion that had caught me off guard. How was I supposed to know magical drones were a thing? I couldn't be blamed for that. I had been on alert for any magical or physical attacks.
The man didn't respond, not that I had expected him to. Whoever was running this organisation seemed able to make their assassins willing to kill themselves instead of being captured. It was a level of cold brutally I could somewhat respect.
His arm extended, and I prepared to unleash a burst of powerful wind to incapacitate him. I couldn't kill him just yet; I needed to find out who was sending these assassins after me.
Did I have a hit on my head? If so, who placed it on me? I had a vague suspicion of who it was since it would go with what I know for a devil to know an assassin organisation on this level.
The Phenex siblings were perhaps the only people I'd made enemies of during the unhinged phase of my new life. At least I hadn't killed them. Then again, eliminating them and leaving no witnesses might have been a smarter move.
There was also the point of the timing of the assassins' attack, occurring right after the incident, which furthermore strongly suggested their involvement in it.
There was the chance it wasn't them and someone else but if it was someone else. Who? There were questions I wanted answered, it had obviously been placed a while ago judging by the fact I had been attacked all that time ago in India.
I looked back to the assassin, even if he was annoying to deal with due to his duplicating sacred gear he was more of a supporter. Meant to stay away from the enemy while his drones do the work.
Which should mean he would be easy to capture. I would have to make sure he didn't activate the death trigger the other one had.
My empathy skill briefly activated and I blinked in confusion as I felt nothing… just a lack of anything from the assassin. Which shouldn't be possible. Not naturally anyway.
I see…
The assassin held up a black box.
Reflexively, I used appraisal like I always did when the person I was fighting suddenly pulled out something.
Mimir's Wood
Description: Mimir's Wood is a sleek, black cube. Its surface is entirely smooth and non-reflective, with faint, dark purple veins that pulse subtly when in use. There are no visible seams or openings, giving it an ominous look.
Abilities:
1. Emotions Enhancing: It enhances pre existing emotions in the user to an extreme high level. This boost in emotions can lead to many different effects.
2. Personality Changer: It slowly starts to affect the personality of the user, changing it to be more hateful and revenge-motivated.
For a moment, I was confused. Then I remembered his sacred gear, visible on his hand: a black metal glove with a yellow crystal embedded on its surface, emblazoned with the symbol of two cubes splitting apart.
Balance Breaker.
The Ultimate form of any sacred gear.
Reaching Balance Breaker allows the wielder to unlock the full potential of their Sacred Gear, resulting in a dramatic increase in power and new abilities. Which is unlocked by extremely intense training or heightened emotions.
Basically something that the author can use to justify power ups mid-battle.
Mimir's wood, I'm assuming, was a part of Norse mythology. Had they stolen it from the Norse God's realm or was it just oddly named? I wonder how powerful and well connected that organisation is to have such resources.
A black power exploded out of the box as I realised that thinking while fighting was a bad idea.
It wrapped around his head and seeped into his eye, which changed from their dead-fish eyed look into intense hatred. Even the red crystal eye seemed to shine maliciously.
My empathy activated and I felt an overwhelming amount of hatred comparable to that of my own at my family's betrayal directed at me.
Vardoger Hand started glowing and I quickly used appraisal on it.
Vardoger's Hands
Description: Vardoger's Hands manifest as a pair of intricately carved gauntlets made from the flesh of Vardogers. The gauntlets are adorned with crystal's with the image depicting the essence of duplication and motifs of mythical creatures.
Abilities:
1. Replication: Vardogr's Hands allow the wearer to create physical copies of objects, mimicking their appearance and powers. It is limited to only creating weakened copies and is also able to duplicate one item at a time.
2. Deceptive Aura: When activated, the gauntlets emit an aura that distorts perception, making it difficult for enemies to accurately gauge the fakeness of the creations created by the gear.
While I didn't exactly feel threatened, I was put on edge by the sacred gear. I had been a bit passive in fighting mostly since I had wanted to find out who was coming after me, so I couldn't just destroy everything and kill him. Especially since I was in the middle of a city.
I was a part of the ultimate class. That wasn't to be taken lightly. I could fight with gods in their mortal forms on this level of power. Which was a feat I would have never imagined when first arriving in this chaotic world.
I had been floating around with little direction other than training ever since leaving the familiar forest, but the hatred I felt coming towards me reminded me of how I had felt when first arriving in the void. The first time I had truly experienced hate.
The plans for revenge on my family barely mattered anymore. What were they in front of me now? I had become so much more. I commanded five, soon to be six ultimate class angels. More in the future once I became more stable.
All that hate was exhausting, but it reminded me of my goal. One beyond just my main goal of gaining power so that I could do whatever I wanted and not be restricted by anyone ever again.
My goal was to become so strong that even if I was stabbed in the back in the future one day, it wouldn't matter. To not have this underlying worry that everyone was going to betray me at some point.
Throughout my journey, I had grown emotionally and had learned many valuable lessons. However, the deeply ingrained part of me remained unchanged. I wouldn't go around killing everyone I disliked when I had been controlled by that hatred, but I wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who stood in my way.
Peacefully or forcibly.
Two golden chains erupted from my body and shot directly toward the assassin, even as he activated his Balance Breaker.
What? Did you think I was going to wait around and let him power up?
The dome of yellow energy that had expanded around him as his Sacred Gear enveloped his arm was pierced by my chakra chains. The assassin looked shocked. The intense emotions he had gained worked against him as he had no control over them.
As I was sure that he can't escape now, I activated the Chakra syphon ability of my chains, and started draining the assassin of his energy.
Bright yellow energy was absorbed at an astonishing rate, the dome shrinking as the chains wrapped it up. No matter how much he struggled, the chains didn't unwrap.
The most damage that my chains sustained were a few cracks but a healthy dose of chakra made the cracks easily disappear. These chains had sealed foes far stronger. He didn't stand a chance against someone with so much more energy than him.
I watched my chakra chains in action for the first time, a smirk on my face. I enjoyed the warm breeze. This had been a good download, even God had known how to seal. Which verified how useful it was.
I was essentially an Uzumaki angel.
The assassin futilely struggled, the emotions making him panic. His sacred gear deactivated a moment later, as he was left wiggling in the air desperately.
"What are you!" He shouted.
I titled my head.
"Just an angel." I replied truthfully.
"No! Those golden wings. They aren't normal wings. Only the Arch-Angel Michael is supposed to have them. You're him aren't you! Disguised to punish the wicked?!" He roared in rage.
I stared at him flatly. Trying to convey the sheer unimpressed feeling I felt at this very moment.
Seriously? That was his conclusion.
I didn't know much about Michael but considering he was running heaven right now, I doubted he had the time to prance around and deal with some assassins. Though he didn't know that in fairness.
My chakra chains tightened around him.
"How about you tell me about your organisation and I'll consider sparing you." I threatened.
He flinched, seemingly about to answer before his eyes dulled. Making me curse as I realised I had just finished absorbing the weird energy giving him emotions.
The fear was gone. Replaced with a detached coldness. His mouth moved and I quickly moved him in front of me. I tried to force his mouth open, but I scowled as he tried to swallow the pill just as I managed to pry it open.
'Damn it.' I thought.
I had wanted to question him while he still had emotions, as it seemed the only way to extract information and exploit his major weakness. He had seemed completely susceptible when he had emotions.
Which indicated that this lack of emotion was artificial like I had suspected.
My hand wrapped around his throat. Barley blocking the pill from being swallowed. Surprisingly Galadriel slithered out.
I looked at her in confusion as she suddenly shot into the assassins forcibly open mouth.
Leaving me bewildered as she retrieved a black capsule held gently in her mouth. Quickly, I snatched it out of her mouth. Not wanting her to accidentally open whatever was inside.
I knocked out the assassin a moment later with a hard hit that likely gave him a concussion and stuffed him into my inventory for questioning later.
The pill followed him into my inventory. I shook my head. Placing a finger to my temples, rubbing them as the distant sound of police and ambulance sirens echoed. A few bricks tumbled down as the building's infrastructure slowly collapsed.
I gave Galadriel some strokes for her efforts. Which she happily received before turning into ethereal sparkling smoke and phasing through my shirt so that she could wrap around my torso.
A new ability?
Wait, why didn't she use that earlier?
My thoughts quickly returned to the issue at hand.
Annoying. Extremely annoying. I would have to wait until later to integrate him. I had known he had it but I thought wrapping him up with chakra chains meant he wouldn't be able to try it. Along with the emotions that had given him a healthy fear of death.
Maybe a tracking skill would be useful.
I didn't want to wait for a stronger assassin to sneak up on me.
I sighed, watching the local police flood the area. My eyes flickered to the magical shop I had been looking at and I threw my hands up at its state.
Ugh.
It had been destroyed in the many blasts from the drones. It probably wasn't the real deal anyway if it had been destroyed so easily. Then again those explosions had been able to hurt me.
Deciding to get this over with, I quickly made myself scarce and started heading towards the Colosseum. I'm sure the mist covered up most of the fighting from the human eyes.
I wondered if it would be played off as some sort of terrorist attack.
My face was completely healed by now apart from a nasty stinging pain.
The Colosseum in the distance became more visible as I got closer to it.
Hopefully whatever Ares had planned wasn't too annoying. This was meant to be for Percy right? So it shouldn't be too hard. I sighed at the silence. I should stop provoking fate.
Wait, technically didn't they exist?
Fuck…
-{Percy Jackson}-
Percy stood, hand stroking the spot where a beard might grow if he were older. He adopted a classic thinking pose, gazing out over the wide river before him. The sun shone down through the surprisingly clear sky. A good sign in his very respectable opinion.
He hoped that it meant father and Zeus had stopped fighting for now. Mostly because he didn't want
Finally shrugging he turned back to his two companions.
"Yep, I have no clue." He sighed.
"Why don't you try speaking to the river?" Annabeth suggested, rubbing her head as she sat down. Looking rather exhausted.
"You want me to… talk to the river?" He asked, somewhat incredulously.
Annabeth growled. Throwing up her hands.
"I don't know, all my suggestions so far have apparently been terrible. So I'm trying something new!" She argued, wincing.
Annabeth had been pouting ever since she woke up. According to her, Percy had been giving her a "smug look," even though he hadn't said a word.
He looked towards Medusa.
"Perhaps give it a try. It may work? God's are weird." She replied calmly.
Percy sighed in exasperation. Turning around and looking at the flowing water somewhat bashfully.
"Uh, hey Dad. I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I could really use your help. I need something that can take me and my friends back to the human world," Percy said, his voice wavering as the stupidity of his actions set in.
That changed though as the water bubbled briefly and a form appeared from the dark depths. A man with a neatly trimmed beard broke through the surface of water.
Percy took in the man's appearance: two large fish tails instead of legs, young features, green skin, and black hair tied in a ponytail. He wore armour studded with pearls.
Instantly, Percy could tell the man—no, the merman—wasn't normal. There was a certain presence and underlying pressure about him that Percy had only felt once before, however at a much higher level, from Ares.
'A God, huh.' He thought.
The sheer arrogance and disdain that Percy could see in the man's eyes further confirmed this theory. The way that Medusa tensed up also made the fact that this man was a God more evident.
"Boy." The man said, clear disdain and dislike in his tone.
"Uh yeah?" Percy replied awkwardly. He was feeling much less confident without Kai.
"Poseidon has decided to accept your need for assistance. As such I've been ordered to deliver these pearls to you. They will return you to the human world once cracked." The God informed boredly.
Chucking three pearls onto the ground in front of him.
"Happy to see you too." Percy remarked, even without Kai's presence he was still as mouthy as ever.
The gods' eyes narrowed.
"Don't get snarky with me, you should be thankful I took the time to deliver these to you." He replied, shaking his head.
Percy bit back his retort, this God obviously didn't like him. It was clear to see in the blank uncaring eyes that stared at him.
"Your presence has caused problems for Atlantis. You are on thin ice as it is. You better succeed in your mission Percy Jackson, or a war on a level you can't fathom will be brought about." The God warned, crossing his arms as his two fish tails idly swished behind him.
"Well excuse me for being born. I can't exactly help that my dearest father decided to impregnate my mother." Percy couldn't help but retort.
"Don't give me such a pathetic excuse for being born. You're a Demi-god. That comes with responsibilities you can't run away from. You should be proud to have the blood of a God running through your mortal veins, instead of complaining like a shrimp." The God chided with a humourless smirk.
"Though I can't say I particularly like your existence. I do wish you success. Fate for some reason has decided that you should reshape our pantheon. Let's see what you've got, little brother." He continued, sinking below the water just as Percy's mind comprehended his words.
"Wait!" Percy shouted, only to watch as God sank into the blue abyss.
Medusa and Annabeth looked on, both thoroughly unamused.
"Your big mouth is going to get us killed." Annabeth sighed, too exhausted to even be angry.
Percy sighed.
"Wait, I never did get his name. Was that one of my elder brothers? Oops." He said embarrassedly.
-{Kai}-
I stared at the Colosseum in contemplation.
The Colosseum was an enormous amphitheatre made of stone and concrete, towering several stories high. Its exterior walls featured rows of arches and columns in different styles.
Despite looking a bit weathered, with some sections eroded and ivy creeping up the walls, it retained a majestic, aged appearance.
How to go about this?
My eyes were focused on its large gate that led inside the Colosseum. Ares wouldn't be simple enough to just place a trap at the entrance right? I mean, he was a god and he seemed much more impressive than he had been from my previous canonical knowledge.
Which suggested changes. Which was what I had expected.
I could always fly up. The walls were high but not nearly high enough to be a nuisance to fly up above.
My Mind's Eye of Kagura activated and I flinched back from the sheer amount of mist condensed around this place. There was a dome of thick mist I could barely see through around this place and it finally made sense.
I had been confused about learning that a Colosseum such as this was nearby. Now it made sense. Turns out for humans there wasn't. The mist was repelling them, I concluded.
The mist around here acting as a barrier was probably only perceptible to beings with a certain level of Magical Perception. I had observed that over time as a being grows stronger their magical resistance and perception increases along with them.
So, to be able to see through this barrier of mist a being would need a certain level of magical perception. Which I believed to be above the low/middle class area. Meaning Demigods and above if we went with the Greek rankings.
My eyes flickered to the entrance, I couldn't see anything wrong mostly because the whole place had energy surrounding it. Making my energy sense ability a bit hard to use.
Again, I doubted Ares was simplistic enough to leave a trap right at the doorway.
I approached the gate, determined to stay vigilant. After all, I had no intention of lowering my guard when dealing with a god.
As I crossed the gate's threshold, the ground beneath me lit up, leaving me feeling more incredulous than anything else. The illumination spread outwards, lighting up everything within a few dozen metres.
Really Ares?
-END-
if you wish to read up to eleven chapters in advance among all my stories and other things please visit pa/t reon * / Snipez818, I appreciate all the support!
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง