Volume 3 Chapter 7. Divine Combat
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„Kaboom!"

I love it when things explode!

I sat back on a chair that I just created as I watched the scene before me being completely shredded by the thousands of magical bullets that I have been shooting.

This is clearly going to do my day.

While shooting I noticed that I completely lost sight of that god.

"Well, that's why carpet bombing is invented. If you don't know where he is, just destroy the environment where he could be."

I snapped my fingers, manifesting several missile-like constructs with its tips glowing in different lights.

"Magic Rockets Prototype 01 to 06, launch!"

The rockets flew out up into the night sky.

When the fuel, gorgon venom mixed with oil, burned out, they fell onto the ground, exploding into huge domes of light, with a force so mighty it obliterated the trees while shaking the ground so much, one would think it will crack in two.

From the torrent of explosions, I could see him, running towards me, his entire body covered in white energy.

"One dead god ordered! Maddening Bullet Hell."

I continued shooting at him, laughing like a maniac.

"-Divine Arts:-"

He disappeared.

A second, he was in front of me, but I know he is nowhere to be seen.

"-Dimensional Leap & Punch!"

Behind!

I turned around too late, his fist collided with my chest like a cannonball, creating a huge crater on me.

In the shock I lost focus, making me shoot randomly, hitting almost everything even him in the shoulder.

We pushed ourselves away from each other, one bleeding from a small puncture wound and the other (me) bleeding heavily.

This was the first time I saw my own blood. Not that black, slime-like thing, but the golden liquid of the immortals.

"Man...You almost killed me."

Slowly, I reformed my body, healing my wound.

"You're one to talk."

The wound on his shoulder closed before my eyes, leaving no trace behind.

I coughed when I saw it, feeling a surge of emotions in my head.

"Oh, this is going to be FUN. How about we step on the notch a little."

I snapped my finger, Making the extra hands and guns disappear back in my coat.

"Let us see if my powers are good in a fight. Divine Madness Magic: Maddening Bullets."

From the tip of my fingertip, a tinny ball of dark purple energy manifested.

He tried to jump away from me, but I was faster this time.

The projectile, hit the dead center of his chest, leaving no mark on him.

"Ha, your puny attack won't work on the likes of...AAAAAhhhh!"

His gloating soon turned to screams as his eyes turned completely purple.

Maddening Bullet didn't attack the body, it influenced the mind, by showing a twisted version of the world to the one affected.

The scenes they saw depended on the mind of the victim so I couldn't really tell what he saw. It wasn't pleasant that much was certain.

The mighty god of martial arts screamed while he punched the air around him, in a total panic.

Now it's time to kill him.

I materialized my shotgun sword and leaped forward.

"By-By! You will be a great treat!"

I arrived before his screaming face and stabbed.

I imagined feeling his flesh being pierced by my weapon, his blood flowing out as life left his body.

Yet, at the last possible second, he bent sideways, evading me, while also punching me in the jaws.

Stunned, I took a few steps backward, meeting with several more punches eat aimed at my head.

"Divine Technique: Dimensional Fist Storm!"

The last punch was so hard, I felt my skull bend inward.

"PUSH!"

I directed the energy before me, creating a force so big, I raised what was left of the forest, sweeping away him as well.

"ThAt BaStArD!"

I fell on my knee and I touched my head to feel the extent of the damage.

Skin.

Not cold bone, but skin.

H-He destroyed my mask! I need a new one before...

'...killer...'

I was too slow.

'..Murderer.'

'Killer.'

'MONSTER!'

The voices started out faint, but they became louder and louder, tearing my head apart. The hands emerged from my coat grabbing me and tearing out pieces out of me, trying to set themselves free.

"...No. I wIlL nOt LoOsE! I wIlL nEvEr AgAiN LOOSE!"

I regained the control, but the damage was already done. I started to turn back.

Back to my original form.

*****

I slowly stud right back up, my head still spinning from the attacks I received just now.

That black projectile just now showed me things that I wished to never remember, but with the rigorous training that I performed every day, I managed to push them back, to be able to respond.

I broke his mask with his face, so he must be disoriented. I now only need to-

Boom!

From the ground, a huge arm emerged, trying to grab me.

"Not twice pall. Divine Retribution!"

With a snap of my finger, I sent some qi into that thing, exploding it from the inside.

When the pieces of meat fell on the ground a vague of tiredness spread over me.

"Too much qi. Need a breather."

Till now, I could use all the energy in the air of the planet that I resided upon. Here, disconnected from the system, the air was so dry of qi, that it made my throat ache. Probably a clever trick made by Dealmaker to make me weaker.

"I have enough power to keep fighting for a while, but I should keep moves hidden."

I breathed in, then I closed my eyes, listening for any noise that may help me figure out what that monster was planning.

"...DIVIN THUNDER!"

I jumped at the right second dodging the bolt of lighting that almost hit me.

I turned towards the source of the sound, noticing a huge figure coming towards me, its body hidden in the darkness of the night.

"There you are."

I concentrated some energy on my legs and started to sprint towards the figure.

"DIVIN STORM!"

Dark clouds formed above the towering beast, with lightning flashing around him.

"Wind Leap!"

By using a small amount of qi, I enhanced my movement speed, soaring above the ground with lightning flashing around me.

When I was meters away from it, the behemoth raised its hand, trying to squash me.

"Divine Arts: Dimensional Movements."

It was the divine version of Wind Leap, allowing me to move anyplace which was in my line of sight.

I disappeared and appeared above the monster finally seeing it with my own eyes.

In short, it was hideous.

It was vaguely human, but only in the contours. A mass of black flesh and bones, with the head of a deer skull and a hunched back which was spitted open. In it several human-like black figures could be seen, each wiggling, crying, or shouting, reaching their hands towards salvation.

This thing was repulsive, unnatural, and shouldn't be allowed to exist. Even looking at it made my stomach turn and my head hurt.

"I shall erase you from this world! Divine Weapon: Héliú hù shǒu (Gauntlets of the river)!

On my fists, two gauntlets formed, seemingly made from silver and water.

The monster looked up to me and opened his mouth which had several energy balls manifesting in it.

" ENHANCED ORIGINAL MAGIC: DIVINE RAIN OF ELEMENTS!"

The balls of energy flew out of its mouth with a force so great, it scourged the surrounding land to ash.

"First Form: Èmó Shé (Demonic Serpent)."

I punched the air, releasing a red thread which quickly grew, by absorbing the nearby energy projectiles, soon becoming almost a kilometer long, crimson red serpent, made entirely of pure energy.

Dealmaker roared in anger, with several long cylinders emerged from his disgusting body, each aimed at me.

" DIE. COMBINED ORIGINAL MAGIC: ELEMENTAL DIVINE BULLET HELL!"

"Free their souls. Èmó Shé!"

The serpent littered towards the monster, who fired a volley of colorful projectiles. Then... blinding light follow by a gush of wind, which pushed me away a few meters in the air.

When the light extinguished, there was nothing left.

Literally, where the monster was, was now a crater, its interior still smoking and burning, with no trace of Dealmaker.

"It's finally over."

"...Stop dreaming."

Hearing the voice, I spun around.

It was... a flying head.

Not just any kind of head. it was the skull of a deer, with two bat wings on the base of its neck.

"You are troublesome. I thought that that at least would work on you, but not even a scratch! Guess I shouldn't underestimate all gods from now on. Sigh, I thought I could save this for the queen, but it seems like I have no other choice."

The skull opened its mouth revealing something inside.

It was 2 round glass vials with...

"Impossible."

It was a divine soul. the soul of a god.

Like the soul of a mortal, it was a ball of light, but they were gold, colored with some black spots on them, showing that they belonged to dark gods.

"Allow me to show you something special."

The head, snapped his mouth shut, shattering the vials.

Again, I was blinded by a blind light.

When I opened my eyes, a completely new creature was before me.

Its lower body was hidden by black skirt-like clothing, its upper body, was covered in white chitin-like armor. Its mask changed, it was still animalistic, but it looked more human, except for the two antlers on his head, which bent back a little. on its back, two pitch-black wings and two white bird wings grew, keeping him in the air. Above his shoulders, two show white skulls floated, with golden flames escaping their eyes.

Around the creature was an intense aura, reminding of the Divin Form of our kin.

The monster clenched his fist, dispersing the energy surrounding him, making my heartbeat so hard in my chest, I thought it will fall out from my body.

"I haven't yet named this form yet. I am thinking about calling it 'Soul Armament' or something."

"...You are twisted. Absorbing the souls of gods is a taboo! You will be extinguished for this!"

"Oh, honey! Do I have to repeat myself? This world is outside of the system. No one will find out about it. And no one will tell me since, well, you will die in three minutes."

Hearing his words made me shiver but I acted as if it didn't faze me.

"You are way out of your league, kid. While you are relying on tricks, you are barely able to even land a single hit on me. Admit it you are too weak to fight me!"

The demon stayed silent for a while, before starting to laugh.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, you are right! I am no match for you. IF I weren't prepared for you."

He put his index finger to his hand.

"I will tell you a little secret. Once I ingested somebody, not only do I gain their powers but memories as well. And I have absorbed SOOOO many cultivators who worshipped you. The son of a butcher who got sick of killing, then when he helps a laboring woman, opens his gut to wash them. Gross and stupid."

"...Knowing my origins won't change anything. I will beat you and drag you before the council so that your sins may be judged. Then my disciple may finally find peace."

"You disciple? Oh, you mean the samurai! Yes, he will be found peace, but not in the way you think. I left him with... some of his friends. Soon, he will be so in peace, he will fall into pieces!"

The demon laughed manically again, acting as a classic villain.

...If he is telling the truth, I can't waste any time fulling with him.

"Divine For-"

"NO."

I couldn't see him, he just appeared before I grabbed me by my throat and lifted over his head.

"Turning into our divine forms will certainly ruin the landscape further. This is more practical and way more fun."

While he talked, could feel his nails piercing my throat.

"È-Èmó Shé!"

By using the small amount of energy left in my body, I summoned the thread again and connected it to the demon's arm.

He immediately let me go, trying to get the growing snake of him while cursing in languages that I couldn't understand.

I fell on the ground the second the snake exploded from the energies it absorbed.

I crashed through the ground, landing on my left hand, breaking it in the process.

"AAAAAAAAA!"

Fighting the pain, I sat up and dragged myself to a nearby fallen tree.

"I-I need to call her."

with my good hand, I took out a small pearl and crushed it into dust, hoping it would work.

*****

Samurai POV:

" DiE!"

At the last second, I jumped away from the monster who used to be my friend. She screamed in rage before jumping at me again.

"Burning Slash!"

I used the same attack from before, but she seemed to have developed some sort of resistance.

Without any problem she grabbed my flaming blade with her bare hands, with its fingers turned long and black, ending in small blade-like claws.

"I wIlL kIlL yOu!"

I let go of the sword and jumped back, evading the sharp claws.

She threw away the sword, screaming like a beast, before running towards me.

"Shift Flow Strikes!"

With increased speed pushed her hands away from me, deflecting her attacks.

"DiE, YoU fAkE!"

"I am not fake! I changed."

I hope this works, master.

I clenched my fist together and squeezed all the remaining energy I had into it.

"Divine Arts: Dimensional Fist!"

It wasn't as strong or fast as the original, but it worked.

The second I made contact with her body; the monster exploded into tinny bits of black flesh.

"AAAAAAAAAh!"

I fell on my knees holding my arm, with all its bones shattered into fragments.

The aftershock was too great, I haven't yet mastered it completely.

I looked at the black goo which slowly evaporated on the ground.

"Rest in peace, my old friend."

"Well, he finally did it ."

"It really took him a while. That girl must have been very important to him. How tragic, how sad!"

"But wasn't that the point?"

Shit, I forgot about them.

the two girls slowly walked towards me, one still holding her hands before her chest while the other kept the weapon pointed at me.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again but it's time for your brain to be pushed out. Rest in pieces."

The witch put the barrel at my head and I felt her magic condensing in the weapon.

I have no energy left. This is it. this is how I will die!

I closed my eyes, expecting death.

Being somebody who have already experienced the feeling of the end, there was no fear in me. There were just, regrets. Regrets of not being able to fight further, a regret of not having the ability to help my friends. Regret for not being strong.

I hope that if in my next life, I will become someone greater.

"...DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!"

I opened my eyes, looking up at the sky, seeing somebody falling from the sky.

It was... a woman?

She fell not far from us, not even raising the slightest cloud of dust.

She was...beautiful.

If somebody would ask me what beauty looked like, I would have described her appearance.

Hair and eyes as dark as night. Skin as white as porcelain, yet not looking sick. A figure thin but well built. A white flowing robe decorated with golden lines, making the outlines of flowers which looked so real, I thought t I was looking at a bottomless field of gold. In one of her hands, she held a brown urn, something so mundane it looked alien from her divine appearance.

Divine...is she a goddess?

The woman, her beautiful facial features twisted by rage, stared at the two Memories who acted unfazed by her.

"Lady, this is a private party. Move along before I have to put a bullet into you."

"My rude friend is right. Please leave this ground tainted in blood, so that we may continue our task in peace."

The goddess's eyes became even darker, a thin yellow aura forming around her.

"You two don't have any soul, yet you are capable of speech and use skills. Your very existence is a crime against the balance of this world. Give yourself up and I will make sure your death will be painless."

The two Memories kept quiet for a second, then they both moved at the same time, jumping backward, one firing several red projectiles, while the other raised a barrier to protect them.

Then...boom.

I couldn't see it or comprehend it perfectly, but it seemed like the aura surrounding the goddess expanded, forming several huge, transparent arms, behind her, creating something which reminded me of a drawing of the sun a child would make.

Two of the arms got extended, grew to huge sizes, before squashing the two, in seconds.

When the aura disappeared, and the two memories, were nothing more than two black smudges on the floor, the goddess walked to me, grabbed me by my collar, and glared right into my eyes.

"Tell me, where is MY disciple?"

*

*

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Fun Fact Legends:

According to Qing Dynasty's interpretation, Xuanwu was originally a butcher who had killed many animals unremorsefully. As days passed, he felt remorse for his sins and repented immediately by giving up butchery and retiring to a remote mountain for the cultivation of the Tao.

One day he was assisting a woman in labor, while cleaning the woman's blood-stained clothes along a river, the words "Dark (or Mysterious) Heavenly Highest Deity" (玄天上帝 Xuántiān Shàngdì) appeared before him. The woman in labor turned out to be a manifestation of the goddess Guanyin( also now as the Goddess of Mercy). To redeem his sins, he dug out his own stomach and intestines and washed them in the river. The river then became dark and murky. After a while, the river flowed clear and pure once again.

Unfortunately, Xuanwu lost his stomach and intestines while he was washing them in the river. The Jade Emperor was moved by his sincerity and determination to clear his sins and made him an immortal with the title of Xuántiān Shàngdì.

After he became an immortal, his stomach and intestines absorbed the essence of the earth. His viscera transformed into a demonic turtle (Èmó guī) and a demonic snake (èmó shé), who started to hurt people. No one could subdue the demonic animals. Eventually, Xuanwu returned to earth to subdue them. After defeating them, he later used them as his subordinates.

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