Free Web NovelChapter 308: Two Against four [1]
Pa!
Pa!
Pa!
The sharp sound of applause echoed across the ruined battlefield as Jugra slowly clapped his hands together. The Ifrit stood amidst swirling flames and drifting frost while watching Kan and Kor casually make their way toward the mansion. Neither father nor son looked back. The contract had already been signed. Their choice had been made.
The scene was absurd. They had arrived as attackers yet now they walked away from the battlefield like honored guests while the battle continued behind them.
Even Jugra could not help but admire the sheer audacity behind it.
Damian had not simply defended himself. He had stolen allies from his enemies in the middle of combat. That was not something a reckless brute accomplished.
It required judgment and the confidence to negotiate while surrounded by hostile demigods.
A slow smile appeared beneath the Ifrit’s burning face.
"I can understand why Duke Haborym lost to someone like you."
The confession sounded sincere.
For the first time since arriving, there was no mockery in Jugra’s voice, only acknowledgment.
The violent winds sweeping across the battlefield tugged at Damian’s robes. His violet eyes remained fixed upon the remaining four enemies, calm and unreadable.
Before he could respond, Mudhhib stepped forward. The Djinn’s expression carried obvious disdain.
The symbol of the sun burned brightly upon his forehead as his twin scimitars rested casually upon his shoulders.
"Don’t make the terrible mistake of thinking we are the same as that useless duke." His voice dripped with arrogance.
Damian wasn’t offended. In fact, he looked amused.
"You are the one who doesn’t seem to grasp the strength of a Prince despite working in close proximity to one."
A faint smile spread across his lips.
"In my opinion, you are worse than the Duke."
The words landed perfectly.
Mudhhib’s face immediately darkened. The calm confidence he carried moments ago cracked visibly. His grip tightened around his weapons as veins bulged across his arms.
The murderous glare in his eyes intensified and for a moment it genuinely looked as though he would charge forward.
Pa!
A massive hand intercepted him. Ibaraki-dōji stepped forward.
The enormous demon’s white hair danced violently in the storm as he blocked Mudhhib’s path without even looking at him.
"Don’t let the fox take advantage of your emotions."
His voice was calm.
Unlike Mudhhib, he hadn’t lost sight of the situation. Damian wasn’t merely insulting them. He was provoking mistakes. The fact that Mudhhib reacted so quickly only proved his point.
Bachi approached from the side with his arms folded across his massive chest. Despite his grotesque appearance, every movement carried the refinement of a nobleman attending a formal banquet.
The contrast remained unsettling. His swollen blue body looked monstrous but his manners did not.
"Fighting him without the Kosaks was always within our calculations."
Bachi’s yellow eyes settled upon Damian.
"There is no need to make a big deal out of it."
The other three nodded.
The Kosaks leaving changed little or at least that was the image they wished to project.
Damian watched them quietly for a while, then he laughed.
Huff!
A slow breath escaped his lips and the floating throne behind him dissolved into violet flames and disappeared.
The six armed divine avatar looming behind him remained standing like an ancient god overlooking the battlefield.
Each of its three faces stared in a different direction and each pair of eyes glowed with terrifying intensity.
The pressure surrounding Damian increased immediately and the atmosphere itself seemed to grow heavier.
"Alright."
His voice carried effortlessly through the battlefield.
"We are finally done with all the chit chat. Now we can finally start figuring out who dies and who lives tonight."
Without hesitation, Damian formed a seal.
Simultaneously, all six hands of the divine avatar performed different hand signs. The complexity alone would have been impossible for ordinary beings.
A beautiful violet domain expanded outward.
[Fox Domain: Illusion of Perfect Desire Activated]
For a brief moment the battlefield seemed to distort. Then the system notification appeared again.
[Fox Domain: Illusion of Perfect Desire Failed.]
[These targets possess no desire.]
Damian blinked as his pupils contracted sharply.
The notification genuinely surprised him. It was the first time the ability had ever been used, so it was quite funny it failed on the first try.
The domain specialized in exploiting desire. Every living creature possessed something they wanted.
Or so he thought.
Yet these four stood completely unaffected.
’It seems their only desire is to serve your brother and right now the only way to serve your brother is by carrying out their mission and killing you.’
Rin’s voice echoed within his mind.
The massive fox remained across the enemies, watching the enemies carefully.
Damian’s frown deepened.
’This is what the loyalty of true devotees looks like.’
For a moment Damian stared at his own hands. A hint of disappointment appeared in his eyes. Had the illusion succeeded, he could have ended everything quickly.
"A pity. "
The words carried genuine disappointment.
Then he stretched both arms outward, the gesture felt almost welcoming. As though inviting friends into his home. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"Come." His smile slowly returned. "Let’s get this over with."
SWOOSH!
The world blurred as Damian vanished. Clearly he had no intention of letting the enemies make the first move, despite his earlier words.
A sonic explosion erupted where he had been standing.
The next instant he appeared directly amidst the four demigods. However none of them looked surprised.
They had anticipated it. freēwēbnovel.com
The moment Damian materialized, Mudhhib’s body exploded into sand. His entire figure transformed into a rushing stream of golden particles that shot skyward before reforming several meters above.
The sandy trail hanging beneath him looked almost alive.
But it wasn’t only Mudhhib. Jugra had already moved, Bachi vanished sideways and Ibaraki-dōji retreated simultaneously.
All four escaped before Damian’s fingers could close around them.
A smile appeared on Damian’s face. At least they weren’t boring.
Mudhhib raised one hand and a miniature tornado of sand formed instantly above his palm. The swirling storm screamed violently despite its small size.
Then he threw it and the tornado expanded immediately.
At the same time Jugra opened his hand. A rotating sphere of molten fire appeared. Without hesitation he launched it downward.
BOOOOOM!
The battlefield exploded.
A flaming tornado collided with a sandstorm and the two merged together, creating a devastating elemental prison around Damian.
The combined attack swallowed everything nearby. However, safely protected within his divine avatar, Damian remained untouched.
Hmph!
Three massive arms swung simultaneously. The movement shattered the attack. Instantly, tornadoes disintegrated and the entire attack disappeared beneath overwhelming force.
The resulting shockwave tore through the battlefield and Damian moved again.
His divine avatar vanished and his body shot skyward like a meteor.
Moments later he landed atop Rin’s colossal head and the transformation began immediately.
His ears lengthened as fox ears emerged while seven magnificent tails unfurled behind him. Black and violet fur spread across portions of his body and his nails sharpened while his pupils narrowed.
[Infernal Awakening: Seven Tailed Demon Fox Physiology]
[Samsara Fire Activated]
Buzz!
Both Damian and Rin transformed.
Their fur became snow white and their eyes glowed with divine brilliance. Damian placed a palm against Rin’s head and the fox’s neck expanded.
Light accumulated rapidly beneath its skin and the energy became so dense it began leaking from between its fangs.
White flames rolled violently inside its mouth, threatening to erupt at any moment.
The sight immediately caused all four enemies to narrow their eyes. This was far stronger than the previous attack.
Yet strangely enough, none of them appeared concerned. Bachi observed quietly.
"He will most likely attack one of us during the chaos."
Mudhhib nodded.
"He intends to use the fox and the flames to separate us."
The Djinn’s eyes remained locked on Damian.
"Then eliminate us one at a time."
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
The battlefield shook as Rin opened his mouth.
The accumulated power exploded outward and a sea of white flames surged forward like an apocalyptic tidal wave.
Mudhhib moved immediately.
"Scion of Dunes!"
His roar shook the battlefield.
His body exploded into an ocean of sand that surged forward to meet the flames.
At the same time Jugra raised both arms.
"Fatal Eruption!"
The ground shattered.
A volcanic sea of molten lava erupted upward.
BOOOOOM!
BOOOOOM!
The battlefield transformed into chaos. White flames collided with burning lava and sandstorms.
Entire mountains of energy collided head on.
Damian watched carefully and his expression remained thoughtful. The sight reminded him of a fundamental weakness.
This was why Abyssal Flames would forever remain the supreme flame. Samsara Fire excelled at purging evil.
But against neutral targets?
It became little different from an exceptionally powerful flame. Abyssal Flames were different. They consumed everything.
The only problem was that Abyssal Flames happened to be naturally weaker against Samsara Fire.
