Arc | Chapter. 53: The Parallel of Insanity (Patreon)

Chapter. 53: The Parallel of Insanity

I grinned, feeling the threat. “So a true challenge?”

“That is right, so what do you say?” She asked, meeting my gaze.

Was that even a question?

“Of course I’ll agree.”

The wind blew across the plateau for a few moments, the Dragon of Shadows slowly closed her eyes and then, she chuckled.

“Good, then don’t disappoint me, Arc.”

I blinked, and then she swept⁠— a long black tail of shadows immediately hit me as I barely managed to block it with my arms. I felt the invisible [Armor of Perma-frost] crack from the hit. I was sent sliding back across the ground as I stared at the Dragon of Shadows.

“Well?” she asked.

I blinked, confused. “That wasn’t really… hostile…?”

“You want me to be hostile?” The Dragon of Shadows asked, taken aback.

“Well, what was with the bloodlust then?” I asked, now a bit annoyed.

“That is to raise the challenge, or are you suddenly telling me you’re not up to it?” The Dragon of Shadows frowned. “I didn’t take you to be that kind of person.”

“I’m up to it, but…” I stared at her, she too was an SS Tier being, and I wanted to see what she was capable of but something like this…

How was I even supposed to approach it? It wasn’t fun⁠— it wasn’t particularly thrilling and I didn’t think it was exciting either. Not if I couldn’t explore things, or see at least how capable the Dragon of Shadows was, this was just boredom.

“Not like this.” I shook my head. “It’s just a boring fight with no stakes, I don’t see the point really, not if you don’t want to kill me.” A sigh left me.

Sure I did have the option of royally pissing off the Dragon of Shadows, but I didn’t want to be a douchebag so I could have a good fight. I had already been impulsive enough against Regis’karr, though at least he gave me the impression that he wanted to actually kill me from the get go before I even attacked.

However, this was different.

“Oh.” She blinked. “You’re one of those maniacs. Well, that is easy enough, then I just have to genuinely want to kill you, no?”

I paused, meeting her gaze and her aura changed. I felt the surroundings begin to darken, and moments later I felt it⁠— bloodlust, similar to the one of challenge, but also different.

“You know, I really really hate Siegfried, that piece of shit⁠— and the fact that you killed him instead of me angers me.” She shook her head. “Of course, I’m sure he’s still alive so the chance is not forgotten, but if I kill you⁠.”

The Dragon of Shadows met my gaze, her voice turning to a raspy whisper.

“Wouldn’t it be just like killing Siegfried given that you killed him?”

At that moment, my fighting spirit was reignited but also had the realization that the Dragon of Shadows was⁠ insane—

And they vanished, their body turned into a puddle of darkness as my surroundings suddenly shifted, becoming a vast void of darkness⁠— one with flowing gray mist. I was standing on an endless abyss, and then⁠, a booming sound echoed⁠— the sky flashed and I saw a gigantic silhouette over the horizon.

It was just as big as the Maw of Dragons, its form barely moving and then, there was a harrowing purple light that showed the gigantic figure of the Dragon of Shadows. Her chilly voice echoed through the land.

“Vanish from this world.”

The light was fired⁠— a supersonic beam that made my hairs stand on end instantly arrived⁠ and I used [God Step] appearing off in the distance, and then a gigantic claw of shadows gripped me, the world blurred around me and in a single moment, everything became purple before I was engulfed in a deadly explosion.

* * * * *

[World of the Abyss].

An SS Tier skill, one out of the two Malz had. And now, it was over. Arc had wanted true risk, and Malz was perfectly willing to give it to her. Truth was, she had resented Arc since she learnt the fact that Siegfried had died, and deep down she did wish to kill her, simply disregarding her logic and herself hadn’t been difficult⁠— not when the other party wanted it too.

And now, this was the price.

Death.

Malz waited for the notifications to come, she wasn’t too worried, perhaps the loss would even give Arc a wake-up call that would sway her to join the dragons for good out of their strength. Except, as the purple dissipated nothing came.

Malz blinked only to hear a crackle to her side⁠— her head snapped in the direction of the noise, and there she saw it. A blood covered hero with a gigantic ice sword, her pearly whites showing with a crazed grin.

“This is fun!”

And Arc slashed.

Her vision was slashed in half, pain shot through her neck and the abyss was torn⁠— the surroundings exploded into ice as an explosion shook the land as her gigantic body toppled, shadows exploding and dispersing around, her passive skills working in conjunction only for Malz’s to become confused.

How was she alive…?

In a moment, her body reformed, now normal sized, and Malz felt danger. She immediately conjured a barrier of shadows only to have it sheared right through, black particles flying through the dark abyss as she hastily dodged⁠— the oversized sword barely hit, nicking through her neck as a flare of pain and more shadows exploded.

This was…

And Arc disappeared, Malz blinked only to feel her tail being pulled⁠—

What?

With inhuman strength, she was grabbed and thrown into the air. Pain flaring through her body as Arc stood on the ground, creating an ice spear.

“You know, this fight reminds me of how I fought the Hero of Shadows, he too was helpless. But, you’re still stronger than him.”

Those words were like a trigger. Malz’s confusion turned into sheer anger. Her pride had been touched, the only thing she wouldn’t allow, and at that moment, she screamed, numerous skills going off in her mind.

“I’ll fucking kill you!”

Arc threw a shining spear.

“[Darkest Distortion]!”

And a hole of pitch black darkness consumed it in just a moment, then with a single command of her mind, the spear was thrown back towards Arc. The hero’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“Interesting.”

And it exploded, an all consuming ice explosion engulfed the [World of the Abyss], sending reverberating shocks throughout and yet she knew that it was far from over. Malz turned, casting another skill as Arc appeared raising her hand.

“[Perdition of the Abyss]!”

“[Judgment of the Ice God]!”

At that moment, an explosion of ice and shadows engulfed the place.

* * * * *

Regis’karr had had a bad feeling, it all started with a small tremor on the ground, Arc and Malz had been gone for some time when it happened. And he was a bit worried, Malz had⁠ (in his opinion) a couple of screws loose. And Arc ⁠(also in his opinion) had a lot of screws loose. A combination that shouldn’t meet, but deep down, he hoped they just wanted a private talk.

However, that wasn’t the case, first was a small tremor, then came another one, one that informed him something was wrong, and then⁠— the entire room shook. Something that made even the arguing Grand Dragon Elders come to a stop.

“Do you think the Dragon of Frost finally rediscovered arcane magic⁠—”

“It’s just a rumor, besides do you think he’d research something that endangers the world?!”

“Of course! Not for nothing does he act all high and mighty⁠—”

And Regis’karr had enough, at that moment, he had screamed at all of the Grand Dragon Elders to get their head out of their asses and to go check on the Dragon of Shadows and the Heroine of Frost. It was something that had stunned all of the elders, and for good reason.

It was the first time he had ever gone against them or even raised their voice.

But Regis’karr had a bad feeling, one that he couldn’t erase and sought to confirm as he traveled through the cave system in a hurried feral sprint. All while the Grand Dragon Elders closely followed, and a minute later they arrived.

Regis’karr stopped in his tracks, gasping, and before the rest could question it, they too saw it.

A large dome of shadows, many recognized it however, for some reason they could see inside and hear. Regis’karr simply gaped at what was before him, a grand battle of ice and shadows, Arc was bleeding and yet for every hit that was landed on her the Dragon of Shadows would take one as well.

“You think that’s all I’m worth? I’ll bury you!” Malz screamed.

And at that moment Arc grinned, calling out a skill that Regis’karr was unfamiliar with.

“[Avatars of Frost]!”

Her hand moved forward and slammed. A gigantic figure of ice appeared out of thin air and hit the Dragon of Shadows right into the ground with a squeak of pain. Then with a different command, the figure reformed into a charging beast that resembled monsters of old⁠— twisted horns and a large torso with ghastly legs.

The Malz was impaled, blood flew through the air as all of the present elders winced. A scream was drawn along with a cry of a skill.

“[Abyssal Repulsion]!”

And the ice exploded, all around it shattered yet Malz flew as if she were in slow motion, almost as if her time was different. Then from the corner of his eye, Regis’karr saw Arc holding a shining spear, muttering under her breath⁠—

So many skills…

He knew what was about to happen next, and a moment later, Arc threw the spear. The Dragon of Shadows clicked her tongue before it hit⁠— an explosion made everything white, and a moment later the [World of the Abyss] exploded⁠— burst like an egg as a cry of pain resounded.

Regis’karr blinked, all of the Grand Dragon Elders shook on their spot as the implications of what had just happened dawned on all of them.

Malz, the Dragon of Shadows, and one of the strongest elders had been defeated in a matter of minutes. Though, Regis’karr suddenly had a bad feeling that was quickly confirmed by a scoff of anger.

“You think I’ll let this end like that? No!”

The deep bellow shook the plateau, rocks falling into the ocean as the shadows immediately faded into nothingness. There in the middle was Malz letting out labored breaths with an awful frown, Arc stood not too far away raising her brow, her now dried blood covering her body.

“I’ll kill you even if it is the last thing I do, and it will start with a [Darkest⁠—”

At that moment, the sky became pitch black, Regis’karr’s heart skipped a beat realizing what was about to come. And yet, in spite of everything Arc smiled and raised her hand in reply, speaking at the same time.

“[Frost⁠—]”

Her voice echoed, the ground became blue; frozen over in a single moment.

“[Stasis⁠—]”

The air particles stopped, Regis’karr had to will his own heart and blood to flow as he himself felt something within him stop working.

[Eternity⁠—]”

It was all happening within a single moment, just a single sentence whose every word seemed to change the environment in different ways, and this time was no different. Regis’karr lost all sense of depth from the world, and then, he heard the end of the sentence.

“[And a]⁠—”

“Stop!”

A bellow from within their heard shook the entirety of the Maw of Dragons, the ground⁠— the air itself became frozen over as the mana within the air stilled. The Dragon of Shadows who was now trembling paused mid skill, the sky returned to its starry glory, and Arc blinked looking at her fingers strangely.

Regis’karr let out a breath of relief, one of the elders collapsed on the spot, while all the others were sweating through their multi-colored scales. A myriad of thoughts passed by Regis’karr’s mind before finally, a cold gust of wind swept over everyone.

The beating of wings drew the attention of everyone, only for the Dragon of Frost to immediately descend upon the plateau with lightning speeds.

His presence seemed to oppress everyone as he gave a sweeping gaze amongst those that were present, before finally landing on Arc and Malz.

“You both should be ashamed to fight like this in the Maw of Dragons,” he growled. “Clean up after yourselves, and heal. I won't allow either of you to be in such a pathetic state for much longer.”

Arc blinked but slowly nodded, as did Malz. Then, the Dragon of Frost turned to the hero, meeting her gaze.

“You know what to do first.”

He closed his eyes, reopening them for a second as he took a breath.

“Then, we can begin with the blood ceremony.”