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Chapter 101: For God's sake! IV

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His power made him broken, but it also set a lot of limits on him, studying how to break those limits was the most fun he ever had since arriving in this world, and his research was already seeing results.

Within the lab, Ian stood before two colossal glass tanks. It was made of special glass that can keep what's within them inside.

Ian spread his hands, each palm touching a different glass tank. He turned the switch on and let his life force flow into the tanks.

He was not only working on increasing the energies within the tanks, but he was also working on his control of his life force, making it flow in different precise ways.

That went on for a few hours before his attention turned to something else, his staff which was floating silently in the void of his dimension.

He lifted his left hand, and caught the manifested staff's handle with perfect accuracy, his eyes landing directly on its crown, specifically the vessels within.

His life force was already flowing into the staff. In fact, he made sure to never stop giving his life force away, either to his dimension rings, angel wings, or the staff itself.

"Let's continue..." Ian murmured before taking a seat on a couch on the far side of the room. He was in a meditating position with the staff held sideways.

His eyes were focused on the Kryptonian Vessel. However, there is something strange about the staff, specifically its vessels. It previously only had energies in the first vessel, the Kryptonian energies.

Now, it has something new. In the second vessel, one can faintly notice an odd cluster of energy. Its oddness comes from its constantly changing color, between yellow and red.

In contrast to the first vessel however, the energy in the second vessel was tiny, barely detectable. The energy seemed to be in constant war with itself.

The Kryptonian energies on the other hand were peaceful. They are two different energies after all while this particular energy was one, trying to find its true identity.

Sometimes it does find itself. If by chance little of Ian's life force slip into the second vessel, just for a second that energy becomes vastly different, becoming dark-ish orange but just as ferocious, moving about in the vessel.

Most of his life force though was pumped into the first vessel, leading a peculiarity to happen within.

A part of the red and green energies converged together at the edge of the vessel, seemingly fusing into something else.

Alas, he tried for more than an hour to no avail, but he knew that the success rate was low from the start.

The speed force and Kryptonite energies are entirely different from each other, so while he found the former to be easy to fuse, the latter was extremely difficult.

Still, he never gave up because he wasn't only relying on that small possibility of success, he was also enhancing his control of the staff and its vessels.

Ian let out a long breath after a while, his eyes eyeing the staff closely, appreciating every colorless line on its form, 'It shouldn't be long, right? I can feel my control over it reaching a critical state... I'm very much looking forward to what's going to happen.'

The peculiarity of his life force was still a mystery to him, so he hopes to get some answers when he take full control of something.

Even his dimension was getting contaminated by his life force, colorless lines could be seen swimming within all the time.

What's even crazier is that even Lucifer's wings were getting contaminated by it. He first thought that he could focus on transferring his life force to the two metallic slits in his back, but controlling the wings was obviously a better option.

'For now, all I know is that it works based on some sort of give and take process. I give them my life force, and they give me... No, I take away their absolute ownership.'

He had to stop his musing at some point, or it will never end. He put out the staff and went ahead and picked up a certain tool in the lab, an ear-piercing gun.

He used the device exactly for what it was made for and brought out a small black box from his dimension.

"You two aren't done just yet, but I might as well put you on." He opened the box, giving a view of two ring-like objects, looking quite similar to the black Rose rings.

They were actually just that. They are the black Rose dimension rings though he modified them to function as earrings. He now has only three rings on his fingers, but two new earrings.

Ian went to his closet room and changed his clothes, this time his clothing was simpler than before. He put on a set of white pants, a long-sleeved shirt, grey shoes, and a grey robe as the upper garment.

He left the manor and made his way toward the most recognizable structure in the city, the palace of Rama Kushna, the guardian of the city.

It was a magnificent building, befitting the word palace. The ancient Chinese style only went on to make its significance more prominent.

Ian wasn't really interested in touring the place, nor was he interested in meeting the guardian. His destination was the roof of the palace, a place he was allowed to go to.

At the forefront of the roof, there was a small wooden platform branching out from the top, giving a view of the entirety of the city, a marvelous scenery but equally as dangerous of a situation because the height at which he stood reached nearly four hundred meters.

Still undisturbed by the danger, Ian went ahead and took a comfortable seat on the very edge of the platform, his staff appearing in his hand again.

He gently closed his eyes, feeling the clear breeze brush his skin and hair, somehow helping him reach a state of pure focus.

It was icy and snowy outside, but not within. The place seemed perfectly made to bring peace and focus to all of its inhabitants.

Ian made use of that to clear his head, and get control over his emotions which he once thought to be dead, or numb might be a better word to describe his situation.

He always liked to come here at dawn, and he stays for quite a while, all in peace.

His undying nature made him odd among his peers, isolated from the normality of his previous world. He was certainly still an odd existence even in this world, but he was much less so.

It has only been a month since he arrived here, yet his current appearance, the air around him. It all told a story of tranquility.

Now, take that otherworldly scene, and move the clock for a while until a full year pass, and you'll find out that a lot has changed.

Even after a year, he still followed the same schedule. It all became a habit to him, so it wasn't strange to find him at the same time a year later in the same place.

His clothes didn't look that much different, but what did was his hair. He allowed it to grow, doing very little trimming to it, and the result was long silky hair falling down to his waist like a waterfall.

He didn't seem to be interested in growing a beard though? Hmm, quite odd. Ralf would surely be disappointed at this heresy.

He didn't look much different, yet a lot has changed. The proof of such a thing was what was hovering before him.

A staff of supreme beauty, having a somewhat dark aura due to its grey-ish color but also possessing the luster of diamonds due to the colorless lines racing through it.

His eyes were closed, and he was still, not flinching for even a moment, yet the staff was floating before him, slowly rotating on itself. Not just that, the staff itself looked much different. It...

"Distinguished guest." A soft voice disturbed his peace, but he wasn't annoyed, he just listened.

"Are you expecting visitors? Two individuals are waiting for you at the gate." The monk answered, and explained further, "I'm sorry, but they aren't allowed to come in."

"I understand." Ian stood up just as the staff vanished, seemingly on its own accord.

He didn't bother saying anything else, he just allowed himself to fall from the roof as a pair of vast wings flashed into existence on his back.

He landed at the front of the gate not a second later, eyeing the two visitors for a splitting second before extending his hand, expecting something.

"Ah! Yeh..aj." Everyone in the city treated Ian like air, even his wings didn't get a second look from them, so he might've forgotten how much of a shock they could be to the uninformed of beings.

The two still got their bearing back quickly and handed him two letters. Ian took them and flew away instantly.

The two were but messengers from the Roses, so he didn't need to say anything to them.

He just made sure to remember their faces. Giving them a small gift when he goes back doesn't sound like a bad idea.

After all, it wasn't easy for normal individuals like them to climb the mountains, and reach the place, and there was no signal anywhere near here to communicate in any other way.

"Selina, Ivy, you two will have to go back..." Ian spoke those words the moment he landed in the manor. He must've read something grim in the letters to drive such a decision out of him...

"Mike was..."

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Chapter 102: For God's sake! V

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"Selina, Ivy, you two will have to go back..." Ian spoke those words the moment he landed in the manor. He must've read something grim in the letters to drive such a decision out of him.

"Mike was badly injured. Ivy, I need you to go back and watch over Gotham.

We worked on a lot of new plants in the past year, so we need to construct a production line for them. Ivy's Garden is basically yours, so you should go back to business anyway."

Well, Ivy's Garden is basically the property of the Roses though Ivy does have a lot of shares in it.

"I... I won't be able to see you for a month?" The first on Ivy's mind was him which was strange considering it was not the first time they spent that amount of time away from each other.

Her obsession for him has only grown, especially since they're lovers now, and the year they spent with each other wasn't for nothing.

After all, Ian didn't spend all the time in training. He did take the girls out for strolls sometimes.

Ian went ahead and pulled her into a hug, caressing her fabulous red hair, "It will pass in the blink of an eye, alright? And remember what I taught you a lot for the past year, don't let your emotions run wild."

"I have to go back too? Why?" Selina was also resistant to the idea though for a different reason, "Will you be able to handle staying away from me for a whole year?"

The time dilation in the area dictates that while only a month will pass before he goes back to Gotham, for him, it will be a year.

"What is it that we focused most on for the past year? Emotions, the state of mind. How can I handle immortality if I can't even handle a year alone?"

"Right, all of that immortal mind stuff you're always preaching." Selina shook her head at his antics and also embraced him.

He still doesn't remember who told him those words, but he contemplated them and learned a lot from them. His goal was to have an immortal mind, a mysterious state he still doesn't know anything about.

He doesn't want to be a mortal in an immortal's clothing. That would be embarrassing, and he wants his answers, just who told him the quote?

"Ivy will take care of Gotham's troubles. You, on the other hand, I have a mission for you, and perhaps an opportunity."

Ian led the girls to seat down as he explained the intricacies, "First, Ivy's goal is to be defensive, but you can cut down the threat if possible.

The enemy is Deathstroke, he cut off Mike's hands both, leaving in on the bring of death."

"Deathstroke?" Ivy frowned, "Isn't that the pig that hurt you back then? How is he still alive?"

"The league of shadows has its methods... And I kinda allowed him to live as to lead us to those methods. Unfortunately, they were cautious.

His goal seems to be me. He wants to challenge me for some reason. You can let him know that I'll be back in a month if he can wait, if not..."

"He wants to challenge you? That's odd." Selina remarked.

"It's indeed odd. I don't think his emotions led him to such a decision, just because he is so bad and I am so good shouldn't be the problem. He must've another purpose."

Ian seriously agreed and continued, "If possible, since your powers' range should be able to envelop a significant portion of Gotham, try to find Lazarus' pit. It should be the thing responsible for his survival."

"Ok." Ivy nodded with all seriousness, "I will definitely kill him slowly."

"That's no..." Ian wanted to explain to her the clear words he just said, but in the end, "Nevermind, just do what you want. Just don't cause trouble."

He hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Also, it's better if you leave him alive... I want Mike to do it."

A vibrant smile instantly surfaced on Selina's face, "Aww, you're so sweet, and how is Mike by the way?"

Ian didn't change his expression as he answered, "He's perfectly fine. The project Victor is working on has a preliminary success, so he was saved at least.

Now for you Selina... I got good news. There is a way to steal the Hope Diamond."

"Let me guess, by distractions?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

"Everyone knows, and do you still not think I can steal it myself even with my current strength?" Selina curiously wondered.

"Yeah, the Hope Diamond resides in the capital city, in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in the Harry Winston Gallery... The place has a guardian that you cannot contend with at all."

Selina let out a pout, looking a bit downcast, but Ian's next words lifted her spirit a bit.

"This would be one of our greater heists. The plants were already set in motion a while ago, I just needed to confirm a few things. Still, you'll play the biggest role in it, and you'll need to push yourself a lot, so..."

And before he finished, she already jumped at him, clutching to him tightly like a cat as she sealed his mouth for a while, "Cool, it's time to show my cat powers."

Her happiness was written all over her green eyes, her vertical pupils gaining an odd luster as she gave his neck a long lick, much to his dismay, "Your powers are influencing you?"

She shook her head, taking in his scent before answering, "Nope, I'm allowing them to influence me. I like it."

"You were really destined to be a cat huh? You still pass out first though." Ivy always tools the opportunity to make fun of her, becoming a habit by this point.

"Oh wow, says the one who passes out a second later."

"I do not you meowing bitch!"

"Aw, meow, I will gladly sing it like a bird for him, not like you masochist bitch who can only screa..."

"Alright, stop it you two!" After numerous tries, Selina acquire a superpower Ian deemed to be Feline physiology, and well, her naughtiness only heightened since then... It's kinda amusing.

"Hmph!"

He shook his head and pulled Selina close to him again, whispering in her ear, "I need you to do something for me. It's very important, so focus for me. A target of mine was recently found Jason Blood."

Before he continued, he handed her a letter, "In the letter, you'll find three folded pieces of paper. You must never read them, not even a look. I want them delivered to him on three separate occasions."

"That's it?" Selina asked, confused.

Ian was not done as his next words solved her doubts, "There is a catch. He must never see you, and he must find the papers naturally without it seeming suspicious. You'll know how to do the job better than me, so expect good news soon."

Selina was confused, but still got the gist of the situation, "Can he read minds or something like that?"

"Something like that." Ian's answer remains ambiguous, making her understand that the least she knows, the better.

"I may have to extend my stay here for another month depending on how long it takes you to complete the job, but the most important thing is to be careful. Your safety comes first."

He then pulled her into a passionate kiss, doing the same for Ivy lest she floods the city with venom. After explaining several things to them, they left, leaving Ian all alone.

Raven was nowhere to be seen, isolated doing her own thing, something about a breakthrough in her studies.

Ian walked back into his lab. Since he decided to make a deal with Jason Blood, he naturally has to set his plans in motion.

"Ahh, such is the way of the kind. The things I do for the greater good." He stood before one of the glass tanks.

Within it was a condensation of energy, so concentrated it looked to be turning solid.

It was magic energy... He was planning on sacrificing it for the greater good, and he always stays true to his word, so that must be true...

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Chapter 103: For God's sake! VI

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It was all white, just snow and ice all around, but with immaculate vision, one would see a golden city far away, isolated between the mountains.

On the far top of one of those mountains sat two people. Amidst the falling snow and cold breeze, they had their backs to each other, comfortably sitting in an environment where no human can survive.

"He arrived," Raven stated, canceling the purple brilliance in her hands and preparing to stand up. She was adorned in casual black clothing with a purple coat on top.

"I know," Ian responded as he stood up. Another year passing allowed his hair to become even longer, reaching beneath his waist. The strange thing about him though is the little facial hair on his face. Ralf would be proud.

"You do? How?" Raven curiously asked. She has only exited her isolation about four months ago, and he didn't show her much of his progress in anything.

"I have my ways." Ian shrugged.

Raven let a pout of dissatisfaction though one could faintly notice her good mood. It's been like that since her resurgence. She must've achieved something notable.

She extended her right hand, taking his hand into hers before vanishing a moment later. She has indeed become incredibly powerful, seemingly tapping into her limitless potential.

They appeared almost instantly in an isolated area with no one in sight, still in the middle of snow.

Everything was already set in motion, so Raven did as planned and released an outburst of magical energy.

Soon enough, a magical portal appeared before them, a man coming out of it without a shred of cautiousness in his eyes.

He was a middle-aged man with smooth dark hair, several white hairs testified to his age, or perhaps experience in life.

The man eyed Raven with a frown, "The demon is in her, right?" That was a rhetorical question as he continued right away.

"But I have to say. The way you invited me is quite interesting, a test for someone like me? I do want the knowledge you're providing though, so I didn't mind."

The man stood right before Ian, his hand still in his brown coat pockets.

All the good mood Raven had seemed to have vanished long ago as she looked very depressed and down, "Just get it over with."

The man shook his head in dismay, "Children these days, right? I'm curious though, how did you attain such knowledge even I don't have?"

Ian released a brilliant smile, seemingly about to state words of the gospel, "Charity."

"Huh?"

Raven on the other hand just rolled her eyes, looking elsewhere in what appeared to be dissatisfaction.

"Sometimes, the solution to everything is thinking in reverse... Anyway, let's hug, shall we?" Ian further added much to the man's confusion, but the former didn't give him chance to respond as he pulled him into a hug... That was a distraction.

The art of distraction has yet to disappoint Ian because as the man was in confusion, Raven crouched down, her palm touching the ground, initiating something considered dangerous by the man, or by the thing within him.

Her other palm went to touch something else that suddenly manifested beside her, a massive glass tank with a concentrated stone of pure magic.

Things were happening too fast, but not fast enough for the thing within the man to not respond. The man started looking a bit distorted, his face seemingly transforming into something else, something dark.

"Stooop..!" The man screamed, not at Ian but at the demon within him much to the latter's confusion.

The man's resistance allowed the magic circle to take effect as something akin to a three-dimensional structure manifested around them, mostly concentrated around their target though.

"It's gonna be okay, so trust me," Ian whispered in the man's ears, still holding him in his place... It wasn't okay as the staff of all things manifested in Ian's hand, going directly through the man's stomach.

Yet the man just smiled at Ian, seemingly feeling no pain, "No wo.. AHem!" He was barely able to speak as he coughed blood, weakness spreading all over his body.

"No worri...es. If we fa...il, then feel no responsibi..." He seemed dazed by the end, seemingly on the brink of losing consciousness as his hair turned completely white.

The staff was doing what it does best, devouring life force as if it's in constant starvation.

"Well, Jason Blood, if we fail, then I'll bring you back to life sometime in the future." If Jason wasn't so dazed he heard nothing, he would've certainly passed away in shock.

"NoooooooO!" A hoarse voice reverberated throughout the entire mountain, a vile voice speaking of wrath, "You'lll regret this!"

An illusionary figure manifested above the duo, a horrifying demon with unbelievable rage written on his face in clear alphabet.

"Perfect," Ian murmured as he leaped back, and despite his immaculate martial arts and nimbleness, he found himself stumbling back slightly on a clump of snow.

As a result, he narrowly avoided a horrifying punch from the illusionary demon, "Huh?" The demon wasn't confused for long as his mouth puffed for a split second, seemingly in the motion of releasing something.

Not just that, hellfire manifested itself on the palm of his hands, annihilating every speck of snow just with its mere presence.

The demon's power was terrifying, but a bit weak for one of his stature. Well, how can he release his powers when his host is practically dying? hanging by a thread?

Moreover, most of his power was focused on separating from his host, with the intention of escaping. His illusionary form was in distortion, seeming in pieces.

Something else Ian was counting on was the fact that the demon can not stay far from the host. There seemed to be a specific area where he can move.

Despite the danger, Ian's eyes brightened as he murmured, "Now!"

Raven whose palms were still on the ground reacted instantly, and the spell finally took effect.

All the magical force within seemed to produce sparkling blasts of energy, and what seemed to be magical lightning surrounded the demon, binding him for a single second, but that was more than enough for Ian.

In what seemed to be like an instant, Ian vanished and appeared behind the demon with his staff in hand. It sparkled with orange flickers as it moved at a dazzling speed, instantly coming in contact with the illusionary figure.

Ian didn't have the speed to move the staff that fast, it just moved under his conscious control, his life force continuously flowing into it just as the staff started devouring all of the demon's energies.

Ian's bizarre plan just started to unfold itself as space around him started to experience several twists, several things appearing all at the same time.

The first a cup of water Ian used his other hand to hold and pour on the demon. The second was a crucifix that was controlled remotely by Raven the moment it appeared, making sure it always stays in contact with the demon.

The third was a phone connected to a pair of speakers. The latter released an ear-piercing high-pitched voice the moment they appeared though they were a bit far away from the demon.

It all happened in an instant in the moment of the demon's vulnerability. The collective effect of the three things only went on to paralysis the demon further, earning a deafening scream out of him.

Ian flashed his vast wings from his back, instantly enveloping the demon in their embrace, keeping him in place.

That was followed by orange lightning constantly spurting from the staff, traveling through the demon-like a current.

The spear-like staff was already stabbing deep in the illusionary but solid body, a testament to its unbelievable powers.

It was already incredibly strong due to the charity of demons, but with Ian constantly giving it his life force, it has become something else entirely.

Unfortunately, all of his methods only gave him a minute. He used it fully, and it was more than enough to acquire what he wanted considering the prowess of the demon before him.

The demon's screams stopped in an instant, and Ian could feel burning heat starting to radiate from the demon.

An air of chillness instantly surrounded the area despite the demon's body seemingly burning with hellfire, slowly melting into nothingness.

Before he vanished though, his deformed head twisted, his horns contorting with it. His demonic eyes gazed directly into Ian's, "I Etrigan, son of Belial, hereby swear with my demonic blood that I shall hunt you! To the end of the earth!"

Ian narrowed his eyes, horror surfacing on his face as his angelic wings were retracted, enveloping him instead just in time to protect him against the incoming blast.

It was a devastating burst that went on to annihilate the entire area, creating a vacant space of hundreds of meters in the mountain.

Even the snow far far away melted just due to the heat that overwhelmed the entire mountain.

Raven had it easy as she just teleported away, but Ian was sent way back, rambling through the ground like a ball though strangely the burst had little effect on the wings, remaining intact and just as spotless.

"Dammit Constantine! This is not how you told me it's gonna go!" Ian's shout resounded throughout the area as landed on the ground, gasping for breath with anger on his face.

His eyes could catch the little specks of fire remaining in the area quickly fading.

Raven instantly appeared before him and teleported him away, and the first thing he said was, "God, Constantine is such a good friend, isn't he?"

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Chapter 104: For God's sake! VII

...

Raven instantly appeared before him and teleported him away, and the first thing he said was, "God, Constantine is such a good friend, isn't he?"

"... He should be hating his life right now," Raven remarked.

"Nah, I'm sure he'll make the best out of the situation." Ian frowned soon after, "An I forgetting something? Oh, right?"

He waved his hand, bringing something, or this time someone out of his dimension. It was Jason's blood, a thin line between the man and death.

Since Ian planned the whole thing, then of course he wouldn't let Jason die, he is one of his goals after all.

He even went as far as to construct a small area in the back rose dimension where there is oxygen lest the man ends up dying due to him.

Ian acted quick, crouching down beside the man who has become an old man. He brought one of his hands to Jason's head and started giving away his life force.

Another portion of his life force was delivered to his staff, focusing specifically on the third Vessel. From it burst a blinding golden radiance, enveloping Jason.

"Is that magic?" Raven curiously asked, eyeing the fourth vessel where odd chaotic energy was swimming about, "You really got it."

"Of course. Etrigan is that much of a monster that absorbing his energy for such a short time granted me what I want."

"Such a monster was played by you like nothing... He was weak." Raven noted, seemingly comprehending a certain truth of the universe.

"Everything is relative. Everything is circumstantial. If we face him in hell or under different conditions, we'd certainly lose. We won't even have a chance."

Ian nodded with a smile as if what he had just achieved wouldn't astound even the greatest of magicians and demons.

"Not just that, you gained more than you gave away." Raven's eyes traveled to another vessel. There lie two faint energies, one he was using right now.

The energy of light which he gained a sample of from Imogen, and after a lot of time of multiplying it, he was able to assimilate it into the staff.

The other was a cloud of darkness, a strange energy that Raven could clearly sense reeks of evil.

"Yeah, demons are very generous." Ian chuckled with clear appreciation in his eyes. Etrigan would've been seething if heard his words, hell, he would've had a heart attack.

"I still have so many questions. You told me you'd show me a live example of all of your advice, but I still don't understand many things."

"Then let me solve your doubts..." Ian signaled to her to take a seat, and he began explaining without stopping the healing and age reversal process.

He did take Jason's life force away, so it'd only make sense for him to return it. At least, the wound was healing quickly, and Jason was no longer in a dangerous state.

It all started a long time ago. Ian wanted to find Jason Blood long ago not only to learn magic, demonology, and plenty of other knowledge from him but also to make a deal with Etrigan.

Etrigan, a demon prince of Hell who was bound to a mortal, Jason Blood. They have walked the Earth, and the depths of Hell together for over a millennium.

As a demon prince of hell, he was naturally one of Ian's friends with the latter seeking him for charity. Unfortunately, Jason wasn't found for a while.

The letters delivered by the Roses' messengers told him of Jason's location. The Roses' network information never sleeps, it's always working on finding something or someone.

And Ian was waiting for just that. He changed his plans from making a deal with Etrigan to allowing the latter to deliver himself to his doorsteps for charitable purposes.

Ian's understanding of magic despite not being able to use it was astounding, horrifying even.

That was why he was able to converge several spells into one grand spell personally constructed by Raven, and powered by the magic tank.

It was a sacrifice he was willing to make for the greater good, and is there a greater good than sending a demon prince back to his lair? Of course, there is, and Ian plans to achieve them all.

He could've assimilated the fully condensed magical energy into the staff there and then, but he didn't. Instead, he assimilated light energy and initiated the plan.

Etrigan is a master of deception no doubt. He was an intelligent demon, and he lived within Jason, bound to his soul by Merlin himself, so how can Ian deceive such a demon?

Well, Ian didn't, he deceived Jason Blood instead. The pieces of papers delivered to the man were encrypted and mostly written in the demonic language.

They were all combined to state a bizarre message, parts of which insinuated the location, another spoke of the rewards, and the last told the task though the latter was much more mysterious and obscure than the rest.

Still, Jason figured something out to the effect of they want the darkness within someone to leave, permanently... It warned of the danger, and the great possibility of death, but freedom was very much the focus of the message.

The reward was something Jason couldn't refuse because it might just give him exactly what he wants, freedom. Jason just wanted release from his misery, especially after he recently found the truth...

The payment was the book of eternity and all the knowledge held by the task giver.

Jason had no reason to not trust the letters because all the signs led him to believe the task to be legit.

He was obviously trying to separate from the demon within him, and the latter didn't seem to mind, allowing him to reach out for a possible solution, just like he had done many times before.

Etrigan wanted him to try, if he succeeds, then good for both of them, if not, then he can have some entertainment for himself, laughing at the amusing despair of mortals.

It was not just Jason who wants freedom, Etrigan also desire it. He wasn't counting on the book of eternity though, he was more counting on the being who can acquire such a magical book.

Things weren't too hard from there as Jason walked into the hidden trap on his own accord.

Ian's studies were focused on several specific fields just to make sure everything goes well, and things don't fail before they even start, making sure Etrigan won't be able to sense the trap.

Raven had plenty of darkness in her, a distraction so that they can assume her to be the task target.

A few confusing and distracting words were spoken before Ian further add, speaking the keywords and hugging Jason... All the latter had to do was to think things in reverse, and everything became clear to him.

The darkness to be solved was the darkness within him, not the one within Raven. The price was something Jason will have to pay, either by the book of Eternity or his knowledge of spells and occultism.

The process was dangerous because banishing Etrigan off him can lead to his death among other things, but the word freedom was reverberating within his mind, and he was willing to clutch to that sliver of hope, entrusting his life to a stranger.

The pragmatic side of him told him that Ian wants his knowledge, so he should keep his word. That side of him also got a gist of Ian's plans when the latter stabbed him with the staff.

He realized why Ian didn't tell him anything about the plan. This type of separating method was something Jason attempted many times, but Etrigan never allowed it to go through one way or another.

The reason being is the state of the demon after the process. Losing some of their powers was the least of their concern.

In the end, the demons will be the ones to suffer with permanent effects. It's just never worth it for any demon, unless it's a last result of course.

Ian basically forced the demon to voluntarily leave after devouring much of his powers.

The cost was naturally terrifying for demons, so Ian can be sure that he just became Etrigan's most hated being by far. Ian's last words were just to make Constantine share bits of that hatred.

"I... You... Huh?" Raven just sat there, her mind boggled, stalling like never before. The gears and the cogs were turning, but the clock was still. Ian has just achieved a form of time manipulation with words alone...

...

Chapter 105: For God's sake! VIII

...

"Die! Die! Die! You cockroach!" Ivy was a bit snarky, to say the least. Numerous small and big vines were gliding about, surrounding a tiny figure.

Yet, try as she might, she was barely able to hit him a few times. He was slippery, and most importantly, he was dangerous.

They were fighting in Gotham, but luckily for its people, it was a very isolated area close to the lower docks in the middle of the night.

If they were in a popular area, it would've been a massacre, not just because of the numerous wings and dangerous plants all around, but because of the poisonous air in the area.

Ivy did everything she can to eliminate him. She still remembers that day clearly, the day Ian fourth, how much he suffered, coming victorious in the end but still got hurt.

However, the enemy was prepared. He seemed to be immune to her poison and pheromones one way or another, presumably his armor.

The most annoying thing about him though was the two golden swords in his hands. Their grip was dark gold, and the blade was brilliant golden, looking exquisite with numerous odd engravings.

It was a fabulous piece of art, something seeming to be constructed by the gods themselves because only their fine hands can come up with such a miracle.

That miracle is largely what's keeping him alive. That and his experience, his superhuman physique, sense, etc.

The two golden blades swept through the plants and vines like butter, causing Ivy to wince in pain. This has never happened before, she could feel pain in her soul the moment those blades cut her plants.

It wasn't emotional pain, but real pain. It was as if those swords can harm her soul through her plants.

She was confident after training with Ian for a year and making so much progress, and she has indeed become stronger and very destructive.

Unfortunately, she has come to face the swords because the most troublesome thing about them is that they seem to have a mind of their own, and numerous eyes.

No matter how sneaky and deceitful she was, they always respond instantly.

Moreover, they can transform into many things, much to Ivy's dismay. From their original form which seems to be the sword to a shield, lance, axes, hammers, daggers, and even scythes.

They also turn into chains that fly about, always managing to save the holder from danger, extremely fast.

The weapons even seem to have a burning effect on all of the plants, akin to the effect of holy water on demons.

'Should I use it?' Ivy gritted her teeth, her emotions running wild for a second before she calmed down in a second, quite the odd thing, 'No, Ian would hate that, and it will cause the death of every plant in the city...'

Her concerns weren't about the people of the city, but about her plants. Whatever trump card she's hiding is certainly something to be feared.

She took a deep breath, her thoughts becoming more rational by the second, 'I need to remain calm. Only with tranquility can I see the road to squash bugs.'

That was certainly an interesting analogy, but what's astonishing more than anything else is Ivy regaining her calm. A year ago, she would've gone crazy watching a bug slice through all of her dear plants.

Now, however, she was able to regain her composure pretty quickly without losing herself. That was a miracle as that means she was slowly starting to gain resistance against the source of her powers.

Her fighting style was adjusted completely in a moment, changing from offense to a mix of both offense and defense.

She had almost forgotten that her goal was to keep him from making trouble, so all she had to do was to stall until he tires himself out. Perhaps killing him would be possible then, 'Unless the swords have something else in store.'

The only reason this fight is happening in the first place was because of Ian... He was late.

Ivy first set to solve the problem in a peaceful way, promising Deathstroke that Ian will arrive in a month, but a week has passed on top of that, and the assassin didn't seem to have any patience, seeking to get Ian out of whatever hole he's holding himself in.

Deathstroke switched to full offensiveness, showing his monstrous nature as ran on the large vines, jumping from one to another to reach Ivy.

His divine weapon was acting as chain hooks, keeping him from falling down, and helping him reach his target.

His jumps were a dozen meters high with a speed that appeared like teleportation. His swings and reaction time were downright horrifying, something that should be impossible for a human being.

He was certainly much stronger than he was the time he faced Ian, perhaps it was all due to training, or the divine weapon, or something else.

All that mattered at the moment is the insane danger threatening Ivy as Deathstroke moved like he was in a grappling simulator.

In the end, his claws came so close to reaching Ivy, but all she had to do was to murmur, "Bambo shield!"

And a shield of Bambo formed before her, stalling Deathstroke for a split second, but his weapon still sliced through without much resistance.

His vision of Ivy was obstructed, but as if he has a third eye, he spun mid-air, his diving weapon forming into a chain sword that went on to perform a full circle around the obstructions, reaching its target in the blink of an eye.

Her wings were already out, flying backward from him, yet his bizarre weapon proved to be a headache once again.

'Ivy, remember that every good plan requires a few backup alternatives to be perfect. That or you can use the way of distractions, about ten distractions will never fail you... The best option would be to be me, but...'

Ian's words reverberated through her mind as a vine that was already wrapped around her waist pulled her back with tremendous force to the point she winced in pain.

But she was still clear-headed enough to manipulate her plants to overwhelm the opponent, becoming much more cautious.

Much to her dismay, however, she felt herself colliding with someone. Without her knowledge, someone appeared behind her, making it seem as if her perfect sense of life force was useless.

'Ah, this smell,' She remained just as defenseless, leaning back into the man, "I missed you..."

Ian wrapped his arms around her bringing her closer. Strangely, his wings were nowhere to be seen, yet he was floating with her in his arms.

The only thing that could be responsible for that would be the staff hovering behind him.

"You did well. You even surpassed my expectation..." Ian ruffled her red hair, and a hint of pride could be seen in his eyes.

She had truly outdone herself, Ian didn't think she'd be able to resist the Green's influence, but here she is.

Ivy's mouth outlined a sweet smile as she turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and with that innocent smile, she spoke, "Then what's my reward?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I've just thought of a new project. I want you to give me your all and help me finish it as soon as possible... Please, dear?" Her innocent smile was a stark contrast to her actions, bold seductive moves to get what she wants.

Her breasts were squashed against his chest, and her hands were reaching out for dangerous territories. Her sweet breath was tickling his ear as she whispered words of seduction.

"Euphoric huh? It's summer after all." Ian noted in the past year Ivy's mood swings. It had something to do with her powers, making her more susceptible to feeling certain emotions in specific seasons.

"Your exceptional and unnecessary seduction was successful, happy now?"

Ivy rested her head on his chest, hugging him tighter, "Too happy... I'm tired, can we stay like this a while more, dear?"

Deathstroke just stood there, a bit away from them somewhat stunned. The vile woman who spoke only of venomous words was nowhere to be seen, he was speechless.

"Sure... I kinda can do everything without moving." Ian remarked as his staff levitated further above him, beams of blue energy were being unleashed at Deathstroke, "Eldtrich Blasts!"

Not just that, several magical balls continued to manifest before the staff, and swim their way to their target.

Deathstroke instantly found himself bombarded by numerous magical spells, all devastating attacks. He would've been dead in an instant if not for the divine weapon in his hands.

'God Killer huh, a weapon capable of killing gods, forged by Hephaestus, god of fire. A weapon of near-indestructible qualities, But...'

Ian eyed the golden shield surrounding Deathstroke before stretching his right hand, grasping his staff. A torrent of life force was unleashed upon it, causing it to light up in rays of myriad colors, orange being the most noticeable.

"I've never used this before, but... Please survive, that'll make things so much easier for both of us..."