Chapter 26: Milliman4th Day of 3rd Water Cycle, 1999 g.c.

  The sky stretched across Gaia in an endless sweep of rich azure, its serene surface broken only by wisps of clouds that reflected the morning sun. Rays glinted off the rings that arched across the heavens, scattering shards of silvery light across the ndscape as if stars had remained visible despite the brightening day. Towering in the distance was the massive pnet Trappist, its hues of moody red and pink a sharp contrast to the soft autumn coolness settling over the nd. Together, the dispy overhead created a stunning tapestry, a glimpse into the untouched beauty of Gaia. The blue sun, not yet at its peak, cast a calm warmth over Tasi as it climbed, with hours left before reaching noon.

  Kimmi stood just outside Tasi’s entrance, carefully tending to her blue roses. Using her [Water Control] skill, she directed gentle sprays over each bloom, giving the vibrant petals an extra glow under the morning light. Her long, sandy-red braid swayed as she worked, in tune with the tune she whistled, her cheerful presence a constant in the newfound peace that had become Tasi. Nearby, the town guard slouched against his post, chin dipping under his helmet, blissfully dozing in the quiet.

  Then, a sudden surge of energy sliced through the air behind Kimmi, casting a fleeting shadow. The atmosphere shimmered with a fsh of indigo as a spatial portal snapped open, and two figures tumbled out, crashing onto the ground in a messy heap before the portal flickered shut. Kimmi turned, stopping her spell, her eyebrows lifting in surprise at the sight.

  Lysa untangled herself from Jawz with a groan, brushing dirt from her clothes. “Ow-ow-ouch! You call that a rescue?” she muttered, wincing as she tried to sit up.

  Jawz let out a low, guttural groan, his shoulders finally loosening from the tension he’d carried all the way through that portal. The edge of mortal peril had lifted, leaving his bruised body aching in its absence.

  Kimmi’s curious eyes swept over them, hands settling on her hips as she asked, “Who are you?”

  “I’m Lysa. Lysa Runefist,” Lysa replied, jerking a thumb at the injured majin beside her. “And this guy here is Jawz Eight.”

  Kimmi’s eyes widened, a glimmer of recognition softening her gaze. “A majin? Like my big brother!”

  “Your…big brother?” Lysa’s eyes darted around. “Wait, can you tell me where we are?”

  Kimmi tilted her head, her braid swinging. “This is Tasi.”

  Lysa’s shoulders slumped, her voice heavy with disbelief. “Tal-what? Ugh, the Devil of Velonica really sent us to the boondocks.”

  Kimmi’s grin didn’t falter. “You know my brother?”

  “What? You’re really his sister?” Lysa’s jaw dropped in surprise.

  Jawz groaned, his muscles tensing as the st of his adrenaline faded, the aftershock of pain catching up to him.

  Lysa gnced at him, worry clouding her expression. “Oh, Jawz! We need to get him to a healer, and fast.”

  Kimmi’s gaze sharpened with determination. “We can take him to my grandma. She’ll know what to do. But I should let my mom know first.”

  Lysa looked down at Jawz, her brow furrowing. “We’re gonna need help carrying him. He’s too heavy for me alone.”

  “I got it covered!” Kimmi chirped, rolling up her sleeve with a proud grin. She flexed a tiny yet firm bicep.

  Meanwhile...

  Back in the depths of the hillside’s cavern, shadows pressed close, swallowing the glints of mana that erupted between us. The air was thick with the raw taste of survival, a grating mix of despair and determination, as magical energies collided like snarling beasts fighting for dominance. I was back on my feet, gring at Taurus—towering and unflinching, his eyes cutting into me with a savage disdain. I could still feel the hollow ache his punch had carved through me, though [Pain Nullification] smothered the sting. What it didn’t extinguish was the rage thrumming hot and steady in my veins, my muscles tense and coiled.

  Taurus chuckled, his voice a low, predatory rumble. “Speedy little demon gnat. Seems I need to keep you from going too far.”

  He raised one massive arm into the air, summoning dark, seething Spatial Mana that warped into a rotating cube above his head. I watched as it swelled outward, its edges sharpened and expanded until it encompassed the entire cave system. We were locked in, trapped in a cube-like prison of dense magick, thick with heavenly converted magitons that drained the air itself and us of vitality. The pressure hit me like a wall, making each breath feel heavier as I realized my MP was stifled — The Wolfpak's mid-battle recovery was going to be an uphill battle now. That bastard knew exactly what he was doing, and he was pying dirty.

  In the back of my mind, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyom's voice rang with precision. “Master, the enemy has used a Domain Art that is canceling our [Spatial Control] skill. Teleportation is no longer possible.”

  And [Midnight Star: Belial] chimed in, voice a low, irritated growl. “I’m about to get our arm back, but I need you to stall him for a sec.”

  I gnced back at Taurus, whose face was twisted with a sinister grin. “Hey, Buffalo Wings, what’s your beef with this pnet? Thought angels were supposed to be the good guys.”

  His expression tightened into a smirk that could cut gss. “My name is Taurus, The Great Bull of Heaven. You’ll do well to remember it in these st moments of your life, Devil.”

  “That don’t answer my question.”

  He narrowed his rectangur pupils, a glint of cruel amusement in their depths. “Fine, I’ll entertain you. This unlucky pnet you happen to inhabit is one of the many Soul Core Cultivation Grounds across the stars. The Goddess Laniakea has beled your world the perfect pce to harvest ripe Soul Cores. All of it, to fuel an angel’s evolution into our ultimate stage—a Muon.”

  The words hit me like a lead weight. My mind stuttered, barely comprehending the cold indifference he spoke with. He saw us—saw everyone here—as livestock, fuel to propel them to some higher pne. Anger cwed up from the pit of my stomach, entwined with a dizzying surge of disbelief. This… was this the shit Omnia had tried to warn me about? Did she know that she was dropping me here, a world where we were literally prey? The very thought of it stirred a rage I could not ignore, and the word prey itself made my fists clench, the pressure feeding into a seething fury. I wasn’t anyone’s prey. Never again, never would be. Inside me, [Midnight Star: Belial] snarled in furious agreement, his energy bolting through me as a powerful surge of Bio Mana, feeding my resolve.

  Taurus’s lip curled as he watched me. “Be grateful, Devil,” he sneered. “You’ll be the reason I reach one step closer to the magnificence of our almighty Elohim.”

  I forced myself to hold my ground, tempering my fury as I still needed to buy Belial more time. “Who’s this Laniakea? The only god anyone’s mentioned here is Omnia, the Creator.”

  He froze for a moment, then threw his head back with a ugh that rattled through the cavern. His ughter cwed through my bones, his deep baritone echoing in the hollow stillness. The damn vibration itself felt like it was pulsing with a sadistic amusement.

  “Your ignorance knows no bounds, I see. The former Creator vanished from the Heavens two thousand years ago.” His gaze held a cruel satisfaction. “It is only by the grace of Goddess Laniakea that the realms still have Eden to look toward.”

  "Two thousand years?" My thoughts reeled. "How? I just seen her fourteen years ago. What in the hell is happening here?"

  Taurus’s voice broke through my thoughts, ced with a mocking venom. “Curious that you’d know the Goddess of Twilight’s name, considering it’s been long forgotten by most here. But then, the creation of the Sonata Soul Cores was the only valuable contribution she ever made.”

  He shifted his stance, a bit more at ease as he continued, a twisted pride in his voice. “Only thirty-two of those Soul Cores were ever created, and a mere fourteen remain scattered across the universe. To stumble upon a batch in a forgotten hole like this…is like finding a fortune under a rock.”

  “Fourteen, huh?” I said, gring at him. “Guessin’ y’all ate the others. So that leaves up to eighteen of your cow things…Moo-ons.”

  Taurus’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling. “I can’t tell if you’re pretending or genuinely as stupid as you sound. There are currently only seven Muons in existence, as the others died when Omnia's throne was sieged. To think that traitor ever ruled the Heavens—pathetic.”

  I clenched my teeth, more rage and disbelief tangling tighter inside me.

  In the depths of the cave, darkness shrouded Taurus as he stood, casting an oppressive shadow that filled the space with a suffocating energy. Behind him, the Wolfpak assembled, eyes darting from one another to the angelic adversary, their faces a cocktail of anxious determination. They huddled close, quietly but intensely strategizing amid the bitter scent of earth and mana.

  Steez took a deep breath, his voice a low whisper. “If he’s really one of those angels from Grandma’s stories, then his bck wings might be a weak point. We hit them; he might actually feel it.”

  Alex’s eyes lit up, gripping the concealed pendant around his neck. “Clip the wings, got it.” The motion caught Artamis’s attention, who gave him a sideways gnce.

  “You wore your Dawnstone neckce?” Artamis asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Alex smirked, holding the pendant briefly in the dim light. “Never take it off. This eight-point star’s my good luck charm.”

  A hint of a smile tugged at Artamis’s lips. “Aunt Glynis wears one too. Just try not to break it.”

  Steez, looking back toward Taurus, exhaled sharply, voice resolute. “Y’all ready? I’m about to start while Xi keeps him busy.”

  “Yeah, let’s do this,” Alex said, the cockiness in his tone tempered by a rare resolve.

  Just then, the analytical voice of [Moon Sage: Tsukuyom entered my thoughts. “Master, retrieving Taurus’s ID Status is proving difficult due to an active skill of his, reducing the magitons around him.”

  I clenched my fists. “Is it a V-Skill?”

  “From my first readings attempts, he doesn’t appear to be equipped with one.”

  “What da fuck? And he’s that strong? I guess angels py by different rules.”

  “I’ll continue to try to analyze him while preparing a counter.” Tsukuyomi’s tone was as clinical as ever, but I could feel the strain as he fought against Taurus’s interference.

  A faint draft trickled through the cave’s cracks, carrying the scent of damp earth and faint traces of flora, while sunlight from a gash in the ceiling draped over Taurus’s shoulders, casting him in an almost celestial glow. The irony wasn’t lost on me—a creature who called himself divine basking under a light he meant to blot out.

  The silence shattered as Alex charged forward, both swords drawn, his movements swift and precise. His bdes aimed to slice the back of Taurus’s neck in one decisive blow. But before the edge of his steel could come close, Taurus spun, his speed beyond comprehension, dodging effortlessly. Alex's strike cut through empty air.

  Taurus twisted his body, his fist cocked back to retaliate, only to be interrupted by Steez’s rising roundhouse kick aiming straight for his head. Taurus slipped past the attack with a casual sidestep, a sinister smirk on his face as he ducked another ssh from Alex.

  The two of them unched a relentless assault, weaving between punches, kicks, and bde strikes that lit up the cavern in bright bursts of fire and electric mana. Every time Alex swung, his bde pulsed with fiery orange, leaving bzing arcs in its wake. Steez’s fists crackled with electricity, his movements bending time itself as he activated [Chrono Trigger]. But despite their furious pace, the angel danced around them, ducking and sidestepping, his smirk growing with each failed attempt.

  Their faces tightened, brows drawn into fierce concentration as they synced their attacks, pushing their limits in a rare dispy of focused unity. Alex’s usual cocky smirk was nowhere to be seen, repced by a grim determination, while Steez’s indifferent gaze hardened with intent. But Taurus barely seemed to notice their efforts, as if their attacks were little more than an amusing distraction.

  “Very disappointing,” Taurus sneered, evading another one of Steez’s electrified punches. “To think a Sonata Core’s time manipution would be this… unrefined.”

  Steez’s eyes fshed with anger, his jaw clenched as he spat back, “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. And I don’t listen to bullshit from the Opps.”

  Suddenly, Alex appeared behind Taurus, moving at blinding speed, his bdes drawn to cleave down on the dark feathered wings. Taurus didn’t flinch. With a cold, calcuted movement, he twisted, intercepting both of Alex’s swords with a single hand, gripping the bdes like they were toys.

  “The mana around you has a familiar stench, boy,” Taurus taunted, his voice dripping with condescension. “One I can’t quite pce to memory.”

  Alex struggled against Taurus’s grip, his eyes bzing with defiance. “You smell like you’d make a great hamburger.”

  Taurus chuckled, a dark sound that rumbled through the cave. “I doubt you could chew divinity, child,” he sneered. “Though your Sonata Core is… curious. I wonder what it will taste like.”

  Alex gritted his teeth. “What the hell are you talking about? Trying to py mind games with me? I'll give you heartburn from hell.”

  A sudden barrage of rapid gunfire cut through the tension, as Artamis let loose from the far end of the cave, the rounds infused with Fire Mana and accelerating to impossible speeds with [Kinetic Manipution]. They hurtled toward Taurus, light streaking as they crossed the cavern in the blink of an instant. But before they could reach him, a shimmering barrier fred to life, halting the bullets mid-air. The rounds cttered to the ground, harmlessly rolling in the dust.

  “Magick energy that weak could never touch me,” Taurus scoffed, gncing over his shoulder at Artamis.

  “Like it would ever be that easy,” Artamis thought, frustration simmering in his gaze. “I knew his defense would be tough, but to think he’d shrug off shots with [Kinetic Burst] like it’s nothing. Even Mom takes me seriously when I pull that off. What the fuck are we fighting against?”

  Taurus’s smirk deepened as he absorbed the sight of their frustration, his eyes gleaming with a mix of mockery and malevolent delight. “Are these the Sonata Cores this pnet has to offer? Children pying with magick they barely understand?” He cracked his knuckles, and the sound echoed ominously in the cavern.

  A chill ran through the Wolfpak as they circled him again, their initial resolve shaken but not broken. Steez gnced back at me, a glint of fierce determination in his eyes, as if silently urging me to bring every ounce of strength I had.

  The Wolfpak's intervention gave me the cover I needed as [Midnight Star: Belial] finished his enhancements. Watching my brothers try to blitz Taurus and still get nowhere ignited a wild excitement in me. This was that electric chill, the thrill of chaos pressing in from all sides, like an addictive rush that hit deeper than any mana flow. My fists clenched with a hunger for the fight, and right on time, both Belial and Tsukuyomi chimed in.

  "Finally finished," Belial rumbled within my mind, his tone almost satisfied.

  Then came the familiar voice of the Prime Realm System, metallic yet reassuring: ?Evolving personal skill [Super Self Regen] to [Sage Regeneration].?

  In sync, Tsukuyomi confirmed, "Master, reactivating [Future Sense]. Beginning regeneration of your damaged arm, now."

  With a bzing bolt of Bio Mana surging through me, fatigue burned away like a fsh of fme stripping the body down to its essence. In six seconds, my left arm was fully restored, the wrist guard now intact. I wiggled each finger in satisfaction, clenching a fist to feel that renewed strength. The break was over.

  The Wolfpak was still giving it their all, yet Taurus remained unshaken. Alex seized an opening, letting go of his swords, still gripped by Taurus’s hand, flipping above the angel with fierce agility. He yered his leg with a fierce azure fire, coming down with a punishing axe kick. Fmes licked the air as his heel struck true, aimed dead between the thick, bck horns crowning Taurus’s head. But Taurus barely shifted. Smiling, he tilted his head slightly, making Alex lose bance mid-strike. Taurus twisted his head up in one smooth motion, rotating Alex to expose his back. The angel’s fist tensed, ready to drive home a devastating punch.

  I knew in a heartbeat that if that punch nded, Alex wouldn’t get up. Mana surged within me, but before I could react, a familiar aura fred.

  Just as Taurus's punch neared Alex's spine, Steez materialized from [Chrono Trigger], his kick struck Taurus’s knuckles and diverted the blow mere centimeters from Alex's back. Steez didn't let up—he shoved Alex to safety, then disappeared again in a burst of mana. In the next heartbeat, he reappeared, targeting Taurus’s newly exposed fnk, a relentless flurry of blows striking the invisible defensive aura around the angel, now shimmering with gold and white light.

  Taurus attempted to counter, but Steez was relentless, [Chrono Trigger] bending time to keep him just out of reach, allowing him to strike from every conceivable angle. The assault was unending, a relentless ballet of mana-infused punches and kicks as he hammered Taurus’s defenses with deadly precision. Even with all the hits, Steez's attacks barely seemed to scratch the surface of that divine armor. It was impressive, but I knew he couldn’t keep it up. His mana reserves were getting thin, his moves growing fractionally slower.

  It was my turn. My blood boiled with anticipation as I sent a mental signal to Tsukuyomi, who’d been waiting just as eagerly for this.

  "Yo, Tsuki," I thought, a grin creeping onto my face, "is the Red Queen ready?"

  "She awaits your summoning," Tsukuyomi responded, voice vibrating with energy.

  With a burst of Bio Mana, the magitons flooded from me like an uncorked torrent, a suffocating intensity of power filling my chest. My breath caught as I savored the taste of raw mana—sharp, fiery, tangling my senses.

  “Crimson kisses under the tri-moons…” I spoke softly, then called it with all my soul, “[Guardian Armament: Red Queen]!”

  The bde formed like a surge of my spirit breaking free. My mana stormed around me in an indigo cyclone, condensing into the long, gleaming 36-inch ōdachi. Its bde shone blindingly pure white, with a deadly crimson edge. I gripped the velvet handle, feeling the soul of the sword hum with power.

  “Oh, I’m about to commit a hate crime,” I whispered sinisterly, feeling the Red Queen vibrate in my grip.

  The timing couldn’t have been better. Taurus had just managed to grab Steez mid-punch, crushing his forearm with a brutal grip. With a feral roar, he hurled Steez across the cave, straight into Artamis, the two colliding and tumbling against the stone floor. Steez’s scream of agony echoed through the cavern.

  “Steez!” Alex’s shout split the air, but before he could react, Taurus appeared behind him like a grim shadow.

  Taurus smashed down on Alex with a double-arm strike, the sickening crunch of impact reverberating as Alex crumpled, consciousness slipping. Before his body could hit the ground, Taurus followed with a merciless kick, sending Alex hurtling toward his fallen teammates.

  “Time manipution is such an annoyance,” Taurus sneered. “But far from invincible.”

  He stood tall, exuding a sickeningly smug confidence, basking in the clear dominance he’d asserted over us. I wouldn’t allow that image to st. Channeling [Wind Mana Arts: Air Samba], I closed the gap between us faster than a particle racing across the ether. The Red Queen swung in a blur of motion, and for the first time, Taurus hesitated.

  The bde sliced across the chestpte of his golden armor, clean and deliberate. Silver blood spttered into the air, casting a disturbing rainbow effect as it caught the morning light. Taurus leaped back, snarling, his expression twisted with rage.

  I smirked, tapping the sword. “Well, well, well, Beef Tips. This just changed the game.”

  “A Spirit Weapon?” Taurus snarled. “No… a Guardian Armament! Where did you get that? Divine Skills don’t belong in the hands of mere nourishment.”

  “You scared, huh?” I taunted, relishing his anger. “You sound scared.”

  “Fear you?” Taurus scoffed, attempting to brush off the wound. Yet there was a slight tremor as he met my gaze, a spark of recognition for the threat I posed. "With your current strength, I see no reason ever to fear you. Divinity Skill or not." His flesh knit itself back together, steam hissing off his chest as he gred with barely contained fury.

  “[Heaven’s Rage]… activated!”

  The words rolled off his tongue, a dark promise of power. A roar erupted from him, shaking the earth. The very cave quaked, stones rattling from the ceiling as a hellish aura burst forth. Fmes of scarlet and gold wreathed him, wild, furious, heating the air to stifling levels. We were no longer dealing with arrogance—Taurus was finally treating this as a fight seriously. And for the third time, I felt that familiar, addictive thrill sharpen.

  The Red Queen had shattered any illusion of invincibility Taurus might’ve had. Watching him bleed, knowing my bde could reach him — it leveled the pying field.

  “Now, let’s see what my girl can do,” I murmured, a hungry thrill in my voice.

  Without a second to lose, I closed the gap, Red Queen carving through the air like a crimson meteor behind me. Taurus didn’t falter; he surged forward with both bckened horns angled like nces, hell-bent on skewering me. Our movements vanished, each step distorting the cave around us in waves, freezing the world in our wake as we hurtled toward each other.

  My aim was simple: cleave his skull right down the center. But Taurus was a seasoned fighter. His right horn caught my bde in mid-swing, turning my strike aside just as his fist tore through the air in a brutal arc toward my ribs. Already seeing it coming, I freed my left hand in time to bst his face with a condensed bolt of Yin Mana. The magick fred on impact, forcing a grunt from him and breaking his momentum. Taurus stumbled back, and I followed up with a quick flurry, slicing three times across his abdomen.

  His roar filled the cavern, shaking loose fragments from the walls, but he recovered faster than any sane creature should. Before I knew it, he’d called forth a double-headed give, appearing within his outstretched hand like some dark miracle. The instant counterattack was a blur of sharpened steel and fshing mana; I barely had time to process as the weapon swung toward me. But little did he know, he wasn’t fighting me alone.

  My own mental mastery over him was already in py — Taurus had made a fatal mistake by meeting my gaze. [Red Queen: Absolute Hypnosis] had him under its influence, feeding false signals to his brain. As his give connected with nothing but air, I danced around him, positioning myself for a devastating vertical strike. In one swift motion, I drove the Red Queen down, severing his wing in a single, vicious slice.

  The sensation of my sword slicing through him was… exhirating. The impact sang through me, and it took everything I had to suppress a savage grin as his mutited wing dropped to the ground.

  SLINKT!

  “YRRAAUUUGHH!” His scream tore through reality itself, a guttural, primal howl that made the air tremble as if his pain held the power to disrupt time itself. The sheer force ripped him free of my hypnosis, and I knew I’d awakened a fury beyond anything yet unleashed.

  In an instant, he closed the gap, and before I could dodge, he drove his give through my chest. The bde tore through my left lung, embedding itself deep, and I felt an energy unlike anything I’d ever experienced flood into me — Divinity Mana. It ravaged me from the inside, searing cold and blistering heat yered atop one another, freezing my veins while igniting them in a bze.

  I gasped, tasting blood as it filled my throat, drowning any scream I might’ve uttered.

  “FWAAGGH!”

  “Danger! Divinity Mana is damaging our spiritual structure!” Tsukuyomi's voice sliced through my mind, edged with urgency. “If your willpower breaks, our soul will shatter.”

  “Dumbass, free yourself!” Belial’s growl was less a command and more a threat.

  But even their voices felt distant, drowned by the unforgiving agony that consumed every fiber of my being.

  This wasn’t just physical; the pain was embedded, cwing at the essence of who I was. Divine Mana wasn’t something you could shake off. It broke through my body’s defenses as though I were tissue paper, delving deep into my very soul. Fragments of my spiritual self felt as if they were being shaved away, yer by yer, a splintering pain that scraped through my consciousness, threatening to dismantle every st bit of me.

  It was like lying beneath ice that burned hotter than any fme, crushing me as it seared my flesh and soul. Tendrils of wild energy shed through my core, rippling along every nerve with jagged bursts, each shock shredding through my body, tearing apart any notion of wholeness. Muscles clenched uncontrolbly, bones felt ready to splinter, and the pressure of gravel and dust grinding against raw wounds left me trapped in a torment that even breathing seemed to exacerbate.

  The give’s magical attack was more than just energy — it was an ancient violence, ripping into the core of what made me whole. My thoughts faltered, every coherent idea shattered by the relentless barrage against my spirit. All that was left was pain, a raw, unyielding agony so deep that my soul felt like it was being pummeled into fragments, leaving nothing but shards and cracks in its pce.

  Breath wouldn’t come. Just choked gasps. Blood flooded warm and thick in my throat. And yet, even as the edges of my consciousness blurred, I clung to each ragged piece of myself. To the remnants of my will. To every fraying shred of strength. Because if I let go — even for a second — I knew I’d lose more than just my life.

  This fight was more than life or death. It was survival for my cn in its most brutal form.

  Just as my spirit teetered on the edge of shattering, a grip like iron cmped onto the back of my gi and yanked me free from the give’s merciless hold. A fsh of dark energy blurred past me, snatching me from Taurus’s grasp in a st-minute save. Prince Luda had entered the fray, pulling me back from the brink in one powerful, deliberate move.

  My feet barely touched the ground before I found myself sprawled yards away, rolling across the dirt. The impact jolted my senses, but my body was already rallying, [Sage Regeneration] kicking in to heal my shredded lung and punctured torso. I could feel it knitting flesh and bone back together, but the residual trace of that Divinity Mana — it clung to my core, a toxic imprint that left me rattled.

  Luda’s eyes didn’t waver from the towering threat before him. “Damnit, Xiro,” he muttered, “I know you weren’t about to die on me.”

  Through my haze of spiritual pain and blood loss, I smirked. Typical Luda, stepping in with that heroic entrance. I attempted to brace myself as Taurus, his stance unyielding, regarded Luda with a predatory calm, the glint in his eyes razor-sharp.

  “Ahhh…” Taurus’s voice was deep, reverberating through the air with a smugness that felt thick and unsettling. “The prodigy prince of the north. So, the rumors of you being on a pilgrimage were true.”

  Luda’s gaze remained steady, but his voice had an edge, a veiled taunt that sparked like flint. “Color me surprised. I didn’t think Trappers were so caught up in Arcadian politics. Legends say your kind brings forth only bloodshed and havoc.”

  Taurus tilted his head slightly, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You should listen to your lessons, boy. Or they will teach you the hard way.”

  “I’ve never been one to shy from hard work,” Luda replied, a deadly gleam in his eyes. He lifted his chin in mock amusement. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to try my hand at cow tipping.”

  Without breaking stride, Luda steadied his stance. A fsh of blinding energy coiled around his form, and with a subtle motion of his hand, a longsword of Sor Mana materialized, its edge gleaming like molten gold in the dim light. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, tracing the determination etched into his face. His eyes locked onto Taurus, unwavering and fearless.

  “Ay…” I gasped, feeling my voice fight through the pain and blood still coating my throat. “Ayy... nig… nigga. Don’t... go stealing... my fight. ...I had him... on the ropes.”

  Luda didn’t so much as gnce in my direction. “Shut yo ass up and quickly recover.”

  He spoke in that deadpan tone, focus unbroken, his gaze still fixed on Taurus, whose aura seemed to pulse with a divine rage. The tension crackled between them, an impending storm.

  But even as he stared down the beast, I knew Luda was calcuting his chances. The glint in his eye revealed his resolve — the same silent courage that had carried him through every skirmish and trial we’d faced. In his mind, he was already three steps ahead, mapping out his next moves.

  "Fate knows, a nigga is going to need your help," he thought, tightening his grip on his bde.

  Without another second to waste, he activated his trump card, [Journey of Ra]. Sor Mana ignited around him in a burst of radiance, transforming into a searing cloak of pure, living fme that coated his entire form. His presence amplified, his mana roaring out in waves that would’ve smothered any human or sociovore too close.

  Still struggling to catch my breath, I gnced over to where the Wolfpak was regrouping, each of them visibly affected by the energy rippling through the battlefield. Even from a distance, I could feel the weight of Luda’s power in the air, thick and votile.

  My vision cleared as my body finally settled, [Sage Regeneration] mending the st of my wounds. Taurus had turned his full attention to Luda, and I could see the csh coming, the forces preparing to collide. Round two with the Bull of Heaven was about to begin, and this time, it was for keeps.

  Luda’s assault started like a ser shot—a burst of speed matching my own, maybe even surpassing it. With barely a sound, he closed in on Taurus’s exposed side, the pce where one of the angelic wings had been sliced clean off. The bde glinted, empowered by Luda’s mana, brilliant and searing, as it cut through the air. He aimed for the vulnerable nape, the very spot that would’ve brought Taurus to his knees if struck just right.

  For the first time since this nightmare began, I saw something other than pride in the Trapper’s face—he looked almost... hesitant, his gre shadowed by a flicker of caution. He brought his divine give up, crossing it in a tight arc to parry Luda’s strike, meeting it with a loud, ringing impact.

  "Why does he look like he's scared of L?" I wondered, narrowing my eyes.

  [Moon Sage: Tsukuyom’s steady voice whispered into my mind. "It could be due to Luda's skill—[The Fated Hero]."

  "Wait, what’s that one again? I don’t remember talking about it," I thought, scanning my memory.

  [Midnight Star: Belial], ever the helpful smartass, piped up. "He used [Analyze] on Luda during your first scrap with him. You just weren’t paying attention, boss."

  Tsukuyomi eborated without missing a beat. "[The Fated Hero] guarantees that every attack becomes a critical hit—perfect, unerring, guided by Fate itself. It is cssified as an Absolute skill."

  "Hot damn... instant crits? Why didn’t he use that when we fought?"

  "He did," Belial muttered dryly. "But your [Physical Damage Cancel] ate it for breakfast. The Skills output was too weak back then."

  Tsukuyomi’s tone shifted slightly, now brushing against old knowledge. "According to Arcadian history, Garnd Braye used [The Fated Hero] to sy the first Trapper. Its effects may be especially potent against angelic types."

  "Interesting..." I mused, watching the two csh in midair. "And what the hell is an Absolute css skill? Yo, we got some stuff to talk about ter."

  But there was no more time for idle thoughts; Luda was moving again. Each step and strike was part of a fluid rhythm, and his sword—a blur of energy—fshed and cut with blinding precision. His flurry of attacks pressed Taurus into a defensive stance, the Trapper’s eyes widening as each blow narrowly avoided critical damage.

  Luda’s intensity sharpened, and he called out in a voice brimming with determination, “Let’s see your answer to this! [Heavenly Crescent Bde: Starlight Barrage]!”

  Suddenly, his sword shot forth in a rapid onsught of thrusts and sshes, descending like meteors from a midnight sky. Each arc of his bde seemed to carry the weight of a thousand stars, and each thrust held the fury of the divine. Taurus’s give swung and parried with supernatural force, but even he couldn’t keep pace with the relentless cascade of strikes raining down on him.

  “He’s actually using it in a fight!”

  The Heavenly Crescent Bde Style was a technique my mother had only taught to me. It was a treasure of the Mikazuki Cn, believed to be a gift from the Creator themselves, granting an infusion of divine prowess and unmatched mastery over the bde. Mastering the style demanded raw power and immense amounts of MP, which held even the best warriors back. Yet here Luda was, pouring everything into these high-risk techniques like his life depended on it—maybe because it did. He either knew this was the only way to bring Taurus down, or he was preparing to go out with a bang.

  His assault blitzed the Trapper, throwing him off bance. For a split second, Taurus’s footing slipped, and his heel was pushed back under the force of the attack.

  Luda aimed for the final thrust, the strike that could end it all. "Let's end this!"

  But before his bde could make contact, Taurus’s voice erupted in a bellowing roar that froze the air itself.

  “RRRAAAAOOOOOMMMM!! HOOORRNNNNK!!”

  The cry shook the ground, a beastly, primal roar that built from the lowest pit of his chest, echoing like thunder rolling over jagged cliffs. It was a rumbling fury, like a rockslide crashing down a mountainside, shaking the earth with each wave of its intensity. I felt it vibrate through my bones, rattling my very core. The ground beneath us seemed to shiver, and the wind itself felt smothered, pushed back by the raw force of his cry. It was a sound that told us we weren’t dealing with a man or even a simple creature. Taurus was something ancient, something unyielding.

  In that moment, Taurus’s whole presence seemed to swell, his gaze a fierce bze of righteous anger as he gred down at Luda. “I will not be made a fool of by inferior creatures!” His voice dripped with disdain, each word thunderous and resounding. “I am Goddess Laniakea’s chosen; you all are specks of dust upon my path! You will learn your pce!”

  Luda steadied himself, his stance unwavering even as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear, “Almost had him.”

  I looked between them, my gut churning with a strange, growing certainty. Round two had looked hopeful for a heartbeat, but I knew better. Out here, shit could switch in a second, and no amount of pride or heroism could take that truth away.

  [End of Chapter]