บท 87: Wrath of the Hero
[Date: 1/18 - Saturday]
[Time: 2:15 PM]
[Location: Destiny Central - Majesty Riverwalk]
Kismet stared at me then chuckled softly and stepped forward. He summoned his Philosopher's Stone that shone golden in his hand. Ambitia, Luckie, and I watched him closely, feeling the energy that radiated from the stone.
"This is where it all ends Tribal Leader," Kismet chuckled softly, tossing his Philosopher's Stone up and down, placing a hand in his pocket. "With this Golden Stone that Lotus left me, there's no hope for you winning. This stone contains the Spirit of the King of Kings!"
"King of Kings? And what spirit would that be?" Ambitia asked, bracing herself for anything.
"King von Auger. You honestly stand zero chance against the power I shall obtain from this stone," Kismet answered, his tone tinged with arrogance.
Suru gasped softly then flew toward Kismet swiftly. "No! I can't allow you to awaken King von Auger!"
Amor repelled Suru with his energy, sending her flying back to me. He lowered his arm and glanced at Kismet with a smirk. "No one shall disrupt Kismet's ascension. Now take your place! Show these fools what true power is!"
Kismet chuckled softly then awakened the Philosopher's Stone, his entire body being encased in golden energy. The Clover Marking on his neck began to glow faintly, the clover gaining six leaves and shining brightly. Kismet laughed as his energy began to surge around him, his body overflowing with power.
"I feel it! Gilga von Auger's power. Who knew Esorian Power could feel so great!" Kismet laughed, spreading his arms out at his sides.
Golden armor began to form on Kismet's body, his hair became pure gold and his eyes shined a bright crimson color. Red markings ran down his body and glowed faintly to show his power. Kismet began to bathe in the glory of his power, reaching a point of euphoria once his transformation was complete.
"Master, we can't beat him! We should've stopped him from awakening that stone! Now he has King Gilga's abilities and traits!" Suru exclaimed, her big eyes looking at me with an expression of worry.
I stood there, staring at Kismet's new form, my body shuddering in anticipation. "Who is Gilga von Auger..?"
"He's the most powerful king to ever exist in the Old Esorian Era. He ruled over the entire Human Region, Homiheim, and is known to be The Golden King. He's the only King who has ever been more powerful than the Queen. He has never been defeated, only falling in battle because of overexertion. He had no weaknesses!" Suru explained, her tone a mix of urgency and worry.
"So my back is really against the wall on this one huh?" I said softly, closing my eyes.
"Don't give in..." Tengoku's voice sounded in my head.
"You better not give up, Tribal Leader." Jigoku said, his tone firm and resolute.
"Use our power to the fullest, let us hear your roars and we shall follow suit. Let our son hear you roar.."
I opened my eyes and looked at Kismet, crouching down onto one knee. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling softly. "Maluhia..." I said softly, standing up then let out my Tribal Howl, a silvery white aura surging around my body.
Amor grunted softly and slid backwards from the pressure of my energy while Kismet was unfazed. Amor looked at Kismet then looked back at me. "Who the hell is this dude anyway, Kismet?!"
"The Tribal Leader. Destiny's Hero. He has many names, but none of that matters to me anymore. All he's gonna be known as is a memory. A distant one at that," Kismet said, snapping his fingers then four portals opened behind him.
I got into my stance, my demeanor calm and focused. I lowered my posture and slowly clawed then ground, my golden eyes shining ferociously with determination. My gauntlets appeared on my hands then I activated my Onmyodo Source.
I glanced between Kismet and Amor, deciding who to take out first. I soon focused on Kismet since he was a bigger threat. Before I could make a move, I heard another Tribal Howl behind me, glancing back and noticing a familiar face.
"Pepe! I'm not letting you fight this one alone!"
I noticed Ani and Celeste hurrying toward me. I looked a bit surprised and noticed Celeste nodding at me, giving me a smile as she helped the civilians to safety. I looked at Ani and she met my gaze, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
"At the end of the day, Pepe, I'm your Maiden now. You shouldn't fight these battles alone. Not even you have an entire bounty on your head," Ani said, turning her gaze toward Kismet and Amor.
I smiled at her then looked at Kismet and Mt expression grew serious once more. "Thank you, Ani.."
Kismet laughed softly, crossing his arms and glanced at Amor. "I hope you can handle this weak girl without your silly Nymph."
Amor chuckled softly and the Crest of Flirtation shined on his arm. He flipped his hair and stared at Ani. "Of course I can. She doesn't even seem or feel that strong.."
With an ally at my side now, the fight was now an even two on two. Both sides were ready to begin, the battle at the Riverwalk now starting.
Ani stared at Amor with an intense expression, getting ready to strike. With a powerful stride, she launched herself toward Amor with a swift kick. Amor blocked her attack then grunted softly at the power behind her strike. Ani used her momentum to land an enzuigiri kick to the back of his head, causing him to stagger.
Ani bellowed as she struck Amor with a powerful uppercut to knock him in the air, following her attack with a powerful palm strike that launched him across the area. Amor landed on his feet then began to manipulate the water beside him, launching a water whip toward Ani. Ani twirled around gracefully, manipulating the water whip then formed an orb of water, blasting Amor away with the orb.
Amor rolled backwards then recovered onto one knee, grunting softly. He slowly stood up, catching his breath. "What the hell..? How strong is this girl..?!"
Ani dashed toward Amor and summoned a Talisman, preparing to launch it at him. As she aimed it at Amor, Kismet appeared in front of her at light speeds then knocked her away with a powerful lariat strike.
I caught Ani's arm as she flew past me, preventing her from landing in the water. I set her down on the brick road then stepped forward rolling my shoulder. "Follow my lead.."
Ani nodded and grunted as I bolted toward Kismet at high speeds, a powerful gust of wind picking up from my swift movement. She guarded herself from the winds, but kept an eye open to watch.
I dodged Kismet's first attack with Lucky Break then knocked him off his feet with a sweep kick. I began to juggle him in the air with a Sanctuary Combo, a golden halo forming beneath me. Once the halo was complete, Luckie knocked him with the air with her hind legs.
"Ani!" I called out, spinning on one hand and caused a golden updraft with my Wind Energy.
Ani noticed the cue then dashed forward, leaping in the air to use the updraft to gain extra air time. She went for a spinning axe kick, but Amor wall jumped toward Ani and blocked the attack for Kismet. Kismet landed on the ground then flipped backwards, launching golden blades at me.
I ran forward and performed a roundoff backhand spring, forming a fireball at my right foot and kicking it past him. Kismet noticed the fireball miss, chuckling softly. As he was about to counter, the fireball struck one of his portals, shattering it and distracting Kismet.
"Keep your eyes on me!" I bellowed, landing a powerful Destiny Flash to Kismet's jaw, powerful iridescent lightning flashing upon impact.
Kismet groaned as he flew backwards, but recovered on his feet, sliding backwards. He glanced at me, holding his jaw and his eyes flashed with anger. 'No Unleashed State...his Lucky Break didn't activate. That was pure instincts...'
Kismet scoffed at me, crossing his arms. "Well, well, I see I might have to actually try in this fight after all. Feleti warned me about your forms before he left for Hawaii with Lotus, but I never knew it would be this troublesome."
I stared at Kismet with a watchful eye, my amulet necklace shining brightly. I knew I had the temporary upper hand since he didn't know how to really use his power. Keeping him alive would cause too much trouble, so I planned on ending this fight as fast as possible.
Kismet watched as I dashed toward him, closing his eyes, an arrogant smirk stretching across his face. As I was about to strike, a blade of light went straight through my stomach at near-invisible speeds. My eyes widened; I didn't sense the attack coming.
"But with this Philosopher's Stone…I am undefeatable," Kismet sneered, watching as I fell to one knee.
Ani gasped as she watched me fall. "Pepe!" she screamed, rushing to my aid.
Amor grabbed Ani, smirking as he watched. "It seems the mighty hero might actually fall."
Kismet summoned multiple portals around me, rapidly firing golden blades of light through my body, taking advantage of my weakened state. He laughed as he watched me struggle to defend myself. "What are you going to do, Tribal Leader?! Are you just gonna allow yourself to die?!"
Ani struggled to escape Amor's hold, grunting as he forced her to watch. "Let me go! Stop it! Stop it now!"
Luckie and Ambitia ran to my aid, but Kismet fired blades of light at them as well, preventing them from getting close. They tried to evade, but the sheer number of projectiles forced them back.
Kismet finally ended his onslaught, noticing me sitting on the ground in a puddle of my own blood. He smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Well…looks like I overdid it slightly. While I still have you alive, let me tell you something," he said, using his foot to raise my head.
He noticed my hair shadowing my eyes, and his arrogant smirk stretched wider. "After I get done with you, I will kill the Tribal Maiden next…maybe after I have my way with her. Maybe Amor and I will take turns making her our slave. Then, we'll do the same to every one of your little girlfriends…and save Whitney for last. I just know her body is divine…I can just smell her now."
"You won't be doing anything to us!" Ani yelled, her voice echoing across the Riverwalk. "Pepe! Get up! What are you doing?!"
[Bloodlust has increased to 40%]
"He won't answer, dear. He's too beat up!" Kismet laughed, kicking my face and knocking me to the ground.
"Pepe!" Ani screamed, huffing as her tribal tattoos began to glow red. "Let me go right now!"
[Bloodlust has increased to 80%]
Kismet formed a portal above me, chuckling softly. "Thanks for all you've done, Moji. I'm sure you'll land in the history books one day…"
As he launched the blade of light at me, it was deflected, crashing through the window of a store. He stared at me for a moment and fired another energy blade, but it was deflected again.
[Warning: Bloodlust has increased to 101%!]
[Warning: Bloodlust has increased to 120%!]
[Warning: Bloodlust has increased to 130%!]
Kismet's heart thumped as he felt a menacing presence. He continued to launch energy blades at me, but each one was deflected swiftly. "What is going on..?"
I slowly got up, my gauntlets transitioning into Demon Gauntlets, the red veins on them pulsing and humming with power. My hair became wild, my silvery white aura corrupting into a dark red energy. My tribal tattoos glowed a deep red, resonating with an Indomitable Emotion: Wrath.
Kismet grunted, firing a near-invisible blade of light at me. It landed, but did nothing. He took another step back.
[Warning: Bloodlust has increased to 200%]
"Ka…ua," I said, my tone strained and full of malice. I tried to hold back my overflowing anger, but his words echoed in my head constantly.
I gripped my arms, my nails digging deep into my skin. I didn't let out a Tribal Howl, but something more fearsome echoed throughout the area, causing the windows around us to shatter from the pressure of my energy alone. I let out a fearsome Tribal Roar, awakening the deepest parts of Wrath and Violence I hid within my soul.
"Kaua!!" I roared loudly, the ground beneath us resonating with my roar. My tribal tattoos glowed blood red, my veins boiling with anger even I could not understand.
Ani watched my transformation into my Jigoku Form, her heart beating quickly from a mix of fear and worry. She felt Amor's grip loosen, noticing him step back in fear. Her gaze returned to me, her body shivering in fear. "Pepe…"
I stepped forward, my aura pulsating off the ground below and leaving a crack. I stared at Kismet with hatred coursing through my bones, violence filling my mind. "I...will...break you, Kismet. I will rip you limb from limb!"
Kismet grunted as I dashed toward him, rapidly firing blades of light at me. I evaded each blade of light and struck his face with a wild strike, a second impact blowing him away. I roared and dashed toward him, grabbing his ankle and slammed him to the ground repeatedly then threw him forward.
Before I could chase him down again, I felt a blast of energy hit my back. I looked back and noticed Amor standing behind me. I turned around, my dark golden eyes shining through the strands of hair that shadowed my face.
Amor grunted softly, taking another step back. "Flirtoria..? Where the hell are you?! I know you're watching!"
"Calling for help..? Vance did the same thing.." I said, my tone dark and intimidating as I walked toward Amor.
Amor grunted as he began to run off to find Flirtoria. As he ran, he suddenly couldn't move and looked down to notice his shadow being pinned down. He glanced back slowly, noticing Lustie pinning down his shadow.
"Calling my sister won't work, Amor..~ She already joined our side. Infact, she's the reason we were even able to find and lure you here..~ We know where her loyalties lie now," Lustie giggled softly, her tone a mix of playfulness and an eerie melody.
Suddenly, portals began to open around me, each one firing a barrage of energy blades at me, causing a large explosion in the area. Kismet grunted as he looked up and noticed me in the air, his heart thumping hard in anticipation.
I landed on the ground and dashed toward Kismet at high speeds, striking him with a knee to his chin before he could react, knocking him in the air. The Sloth Symbol shined on my gauntlet, the veins of my gauntlets glowing dark blue.
"Demon Technique: Sedation..." I said, landing a palm strike to his chest and inducing him with the Sin of Sloth.
Kismet began to grow unnaturally tired and lazy, his body slowly failing him physically and mentally. 'What...is going on..?' he thought, his mental process slowing down.
I noticed Kismet struggling to keep his eyes open and rolled my shoulder before landing a powerful uppercut to his chin, black lightning flashing upon impact and knocking him to the sky. Kismet grunted loudly in pain, but was now awaken enough to attempt a counter attack.
Kismet summoned multiple portals behind himself, launching rays of energy at me rapidly. "Die!"
The Gluttony Symbol shined on my gauntlet, the veins of my gauntlets glowing dark orange. "Demon Technique: Siphoning..."
As the rays of energy flew toward me, they began to thin out, being absorbed into my gauntlets. Each bit of energy I collected entered my body, healing my wounds perfectly, bringing my body into a state it once was before Kismet's attack.
Kismet landed on the ground, his body shivering and yelling at him to run away. He listened to his instincts, attempting to run off and retreat.
"Don't move.." I said, the Crest of Charm glowing on my arm.
{Golden Tongue Activated (1/10)}
Kismet felt his entire body buzz in an unpleasant manner, his movements suddenly stopping in its tracks at my command. His eyes widened as he was forced to obey my command. No matter how hard he struggled, his body simply wouldn't move.
Kismet's eyes darted around wildly, panic flooding his mind as he struggled to move. "What… what have you done to me?" he rasped, his voice trembling with fear.
I stepped closer, my golden eyes gleaming with a mix of wrath and satisfaction. "This is the power you sought to challenge, Kismet. The power of the Tribal Leader, infused with the sins you dared to awaken."
Kismet grunted, his muscles straining against the invisible bonds of my command. "You… you can't keep this up forever."
"Forever?" I chuckled darkly, the sound echoing through the now eerily silent Riverwalk. "I don't need forever. Just long enough to end this."
Before Kismet could respond, I unleashed another devastating blow, this time a spinning kick that sent him crashing into a nearby wall. The impact was tremendous, causing the wall to crack and crumble around him.
"Enough!" Kismet roared, his voice laced with desperation. He summoned a final reserve of strength, the golden light of the Philosopher's Stone flaring up around him. "I won't be defeated by the likes of you!"
His defiance only fueled my rage further. I advanced on him, each step deliberate and heavy with purpose. "You still don't understand, do you? This isn't just about power. It's about justice. It's about protecting those you threaten."
Kismet's golden aura flickered as he tried to muster another attack. But before he could, I summoned the power of Wrath once more, my gauntlets glowing with an intense crimson light. I drove my fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of energy rippling through the area.
The ground beneath Kismet erupted, throwing him into the air. I leapt up to meet him, my fist connecting with his chest with a powerful Dark Destiny Flash. The force of the blow shattered the golden armor around him, leaving him vulnerable and gasping for breath.
As he plummeted back to the ground, I landed gracefully, my eyes never leaving his broken form. "This is the end, Kismet," I said, my voice cold and resolute.
Kismet stared at me and held his hand out, summoning a portal in front of his hand. He fired a blade of light at my face at light speeds, but I tilted my head, his blade flying into the air. His eyes widened in shock and before he could act again, I struck his chest, my hand impaling him.
I ripped the Philosopher's Stone out of his chest, attempting to break it, but Suru stopped me, her tiny hands resting on my wrists. I glanced at her, noticing her pleading gaze.
"Please…allow me to keep it and use it. I don't want King von Auger's power to go to waste," Suru said, her tone soft as she looked at me with her big eyes.
My body urged me to shatter the stone, but I refused the urge and held it out for Suru to take. She gently grabbed it and smiled at me, holding the stone close to her chest.
"Pepe!" Ani called out, hurrying toward me and hugging me tightly.
I looked down at her, my senses finally returning to me, and my hand found its place on her head. I looked around for Amor, but he seemed to have slipped away while no one was paying attention.
Majesty watched the scene and sighed in relief as the battle was now over. She looked over at Akira and Ui, their expressions a mixture of awe and genuine disbelief. 'At least that's over,' she thought.
While the scene was dying down, Charismari used her Heavenly Energy to clean up the area of its destruction, and Sensitia began to fly around, sprinkling Pixie Energy, allowing the vibrant emotions to return to the area.
The civilians began to feel a huge weight lift off their shoulders due to Sensitia's magic and began to cheer and celebrate the fact that I had protected them along with Ani. Ani and I noticed we were getting swarmed by new fans who appreciated what we did. Ani and I gave each other smiles, enjoying the returning vibrant energy around us.
--------------------------------------------
Amor panted as he ran down the city, ducking and turning through an alleyway, then took out his phone to call Sebastian. As he went to his contacts, he noticed his phone malfunction and turn off. He smacked his phone, trying to get it to turn on but couldn't. He heard a soft giggle, the sound haunting and turned to his side, noticing Ambitia leaned against a wall.
"How did I know you were going to be here? Oh right, I followed you," Ambitia said, her piercing gaze meeting Amor's fearful eyes. "Luckie and I didn't get to do much fighting since you messed up and pissed my Master off… and now you think you can just run?"
Amor gritted his teeth and launched an energy blast at Ambitia, but she used her ability to simply dispel his attack through sheer Ambition alone. He grunted softly and took a step back.
"Mmm, now you're getting it. There was no way we would've lost with or without his rage. If Luckie and I had mixed our power, we would've awakened a second artifact for Shiro to use: Amasu's Tail, a relic in the same category as the Monarch Index that would grant him Heavenly Luck. You would have no way around that ability," Ambitia said, bluntly revealing the tactic she planned to use.
"However, although we could have used it, we focused on Shiro's safety first. But once he transformed, we didn't see the need to complete that ritual," she continued, summoning her bow.
'I've got to get out of here,' Amor thought, trying to run off but slammed into an invisible wall.
"There is no escape. Your fate is sealed. Say your final words…Amor," Ambitia said coldly, aiming her bow at his head.
"Go to hell…" Amor spat, growling lowly at Ambitia.
Ambitia smirked, giggling softly. "Gladly."
Without another word, she fired an arrow at his head, instantly killing him. She watched as his body dropped to the ground and she lowered her bow. She chuckled softly as she walked off, her ears wiggling in delight.
"Only three more to go," she hummed happily, a soft giggle escaping her as she vanished into the darkness of the alleyway.
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