Chapter 126: CH 122: BRUTALITY
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When Lilth reached Adam, she could feel that the heart of the body she was inhabiting was thumping wildly against her chest.
'Calm down girl. Your man isn't dead... At least not yet;'
She could clearly see the black spot spreading from the body of the woman to Adam and it was gradually covering his whole body in the vestiges of its darkness.
'Dream Realm. Shit...'
Lilith hissed under her breath when she realized the identity of the phenomenon that occurred with Adam. Asmodeus had the same authority as her in this domain. More than Lust, this was a primordial power that could bring one to the very top of existence once mastered.
If Adam was really inside the dream realm, his chance of escaping was close to none.
'Then again. This isn't really the true Asmodeus. So, he can still survive.'
Like the current her, this was only a part of Asmodeus' true self and authority. No, even worse. At least she was still a complete Avatar of Lilith. Asmodeus should have only been able to send a small part of his will by using the Cursed Womb of a woman as his medium.
"No... We can't just separate them at this point. They are linked now. If we try to do it he will truly be trapped inside that realm for all eternity."
She sighed under her breath in frustration, "This is a fight only he can win. All by himself. There is nothing else we can do but wait and believe. Believe in his will to suppress that bastard."
She looked at Adam's visage, taking in all of his features down to the very last detail, and sighed a long sigh. The dark spot had covered more than half of his body already and it was slowly covering more of his being.
It seemed like the situation was very complicated.
'What should I do?'
It was then...
Thump~
Lilith closed her eyes as she felt the sudden surge of power in the air and cursed in a low voice. She didn't need to turn around to know what happened. She knew very well about their current circumstance from that aura alone. Everything just went to shit and beyond.
Natasha and Makoto immediately made some distance between themselves and the Vampire man and watched as the blood cocoon exploded and let out the source of that uneasiness.
[Blood Manipulation: Invincible Armor]
If before the man had at the very least the outward appearance of a humane, now all of that was gone like that had been a facade from the start. Ominous Black Blood covered his entire body from head to toe, giving the impression that one was facing a living armor.
His height diminished slightly, giving birth to even more speed and the hand that was cut off seemed to have been replaced.
Opening his mouth, stretching it as wide as possible...
ROOOOAAAR~!
Rooaarr~!!!
A bloody light bloomed out of the inhumane monster and the roar of a savage, bloodthirsty beast resonated in the air, causing the walls of the temple to tremble. This was not a sound attack this time. It was even difficult to know if the monster who had lost reason could think of using such a technique.
But the pressure and power that came off were such that it left no doubt in the mind of the two girls who were fighting.
'Should I use it?'
It was surprising. But at that very moment, the three women had the same thoughts. They were not left with much time to think.
Richard moved before they could come to a solid conclusion.
Saying that he was fast was an understatement. His body broke all laws of physic as it rushed in front of Makoto, fully intent on finishing her first as she was judged to be the greatest threat to him at this stage.
"Not on my watch, you bloodsucking fiend..."
A wall of ice was erected before the grotesque monster was able to touch Makoto. Even though it looked thin and easily breakable, it was something that was tough enough to even stop a shell from a tank with not even a scratch on being dealt to its surface.
Richard did not even register this wall as he broke through it like he was tearing simple paper with a razor-sharp blade.
It was only after he stopped in front of Makoto that the sound registered in his mind and he was able to realize that there was something in front of him that had been erected to obstruct his path to the blade-wielding girl. Too bad it was too weak.
BOOM~!
"Kuh."
All it took was one punch from the monster to send Makoto ruthlessly flying like a cannonball. But the girl did not let herself lose her bearing.
Flipping in the air, she stabbed her sword into the ground, setting a long trail as she forcibly slowed herself down and stopped herself from being splattered on the wall.
'Dominant arm useless. Broken. Critical Damage to the Body.'
Makoto did not change her expression as she took a view of her physical situation. It was clearly pretty bad but she was used to this level of pain. So she did not mind it a single bit. The problem was her loss of fighting prowess that would hinder her from achieving her mission.
As Richard was about to attack her again he was body-slammed by Natasha and the two monsters started to fight, providing enough time for Makoto to think up of a solution.
The situation was looking pretty bad for them. The enemy had mysteriously powered up and they were completely outclassed.
What to do in such a situation?
'Retreat seems necessary.'
She did not take long to arrive at this conclusion. The training she received was clear. Hunters were not heroes. There was nothing good about fighting down to your last breath. This only means that the next batch of fighters would enter with no information and most likely also be wiped out.
At least one of them had to survive and give the information about the failed raid. She pressed down her sword and forced herself to get up.
Even though she was called The Lightning Blade, her life was not particularly valuable. She was just a replacement. Someone who had been chosen because she was the only one suitable for the title rather than her pure talent for wielding the title. She was an expendable asset.
Cough~
Blood started to flow out of her lips as she forced herself to get her bearings. She had hurt her internal organs, and that became clear. Her chance of fleeing just lowered considerably. If it was so she had to change the plan.
"I will hold him back."
She muttered under her breath and then commanded in her characteristic emotionless tone, "You take the man you wanted to save and leave. Warn the Director about the situation at hand."
The moment she finished saying those words, she took out the blade and started to walk steadily. Accumulating energy as she prepared herself to unseal the sword. It was a true Divine Weapon with a seal for a reason. She was simply unable to unleash her full might without paying a considerable price.
She had no control over this phenomenon and she knew what her destiny would be. But she did not care. She was a blade no one wanted either way.
Natasha howled as Richard's punch nearly broke her back. Her body was thankfully much more sturdy than Makoto's and thanks to her sharper senses, she was able to hear the words Makoto muttered.
Natasha's fight against Richard was bloody. The monster seemed to have become vastly stronger than before, but at the cost of his sanity. Making him unable to use the techniques he should have been able to.
Thanks to this she was able to use her strength to match him, albeit slightly. But she knew that this situation could not last for long.
There was one way for her to fight on an equal footing with this monster. But she hesitated. If she made a mistake she would only become a mindless monster that would fight to the death like the one in front of her.
If before she wouldn't have hesitated, now that she saw what would be her eventual fate if she took this step, she realized that it would be a stupid decision. Makoto's proposal was a godsend but also a humiliation to her. She had to flee once at Adam's demand and she had to do it again?
Natasha growled like the beast that she was inside. Her wounded pride fought against her instinct and reasons.
In the end, though, reason won. An alpha could not sacrifice the entire pack for useless pride. Even though she was perhaps the weakest Alpha to have ever existed, this did not change the situation at hand.
Sae and Adam's safety took priority over her pride.
The two girls were about to make very difficult choices, ones that would change the flow of this battle without a shadow of a doubt.
Asmodeus' ritual was continuing and reaching its paroxysm. They were just a moment away before hell truly came down upon the earth.
Richard roared in excitement. Even with his dimly remaining sanity, he could feel the taste of victory and knew what it would entail.
But... In one moment... Everything changed.
Step~
The sound of someone entering the temple filled their ears. It was just one step. But--
They all felt it resonate in their minds and body.
They all stopped moving at the same time and turned in unison in the direction of the sound.
Then... They saw... It.
Someone clad from head to toe in crimson-red armor that hid their facial features. A feminine figure that seemed highly enticing and long crimson hair waving behind her in a ponytail.
In her hand, was a menacing large greatsword with sawteeth covering the entire edge of the humongous blade.
The figure walked quietly inside the heavy atmosphere. Compared to Richard and Natasha, she seemed so small that it was practically ridiculous. Compared to the entrance that Makoto showed, she seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary woman.
But... Almost instinctively, they all knew.
This was not something that should be fought.
This was not something they could even hope to touch.
Thanks to Natasha's powers, the entire temple had been filled with ice and snow. But for every step she took, the temperature seemed to rise with her steps. Bit by bit, until fire even started to spread as she left fiery steps behind in her wake.
The sawteeth began to move, and a sound that seemed like a high-pitched scream filled the temple as a seemingly inextinguishable ember of fire covered the blade.
Makoto trembled and her eyes widened. Even though she could not see the face of the woman, she immediately recognized this demeanor.
The devil steps. The temperature that seemed to be taking away all the moisture in the atmosphere and this giant sword with one of the most eerie-looking blades that she had ever seen.
There was only one person in the entire world who could have all those things at the same time.
The tension was at an all-time high and finally, the beast could not stop himself anymore. It refused to bow down to such a small and frail being. Sanity had already left the beast, so it was not able to recognize the power of the behemoth before him.
ROOOOAAR~!
It roared its lung out and launched itself at the woman. With all its speed and weight, he punched, intending to bring the woman down as he did with the previous girl.
The pressure was so high that the ground caved in a radius of more than ten meters. His punch was so powerful that it was sure that it would have reduced the other woman to dust.
This was the best punch the monster could ever throw, packed with all its might.
"I guess I became truly weak. To think even someone like you dared to attack me."
The beast did not understand. Why did the punch not connect?
It was then that it realized -- Its arm was already gone before he even knew it.
It was not just cut. But everything from the hand to the elbow was reduced to shreds before being burned down to mere cinders.
The monster roared in pain when it finally registered the event, blood formed all around him and transformed into hundreds of pike, ready to impale the woman from all sides but no sooner had they reached her that it started evaporating into nothingness.
He did not give up and swung with his other hand but that punch was simply blocked then its arm was crushed in her grasp.
She brought him down against her knee and hit him so hard that he blacked out for a solid second. What followed could not even be said to be a fight.
It was nothing more than a one sided beatdown. A scene that was akin to an adult disciplining a child.
Wham~!
She punched, punched, and punched. Her small fists felt like a sledgehammer with almighty force. Its skull was dented and broken slightly, its rib cage was destroyed like it was nothing. All remaining limbs were twisted and broken until they were completely useless.
It was a display of absolute and pure violence. So much so that one started to wonder who was truly the monster between the two.
"....Stop..."
The monster moaned and the woman indeed stopped after hearing its sound, slightly bending down to look at him.
"You are awake now?"
One could see the light of intelligence in its previously blurry eyes. This caused her to grin. "As I thought, a good beating is always the best alternative."
She did not wait for him to answer as she grabbed him by the jaws and tore it apart like it was just a sheet of paper.
She grabbed him and then started to walk in Adam's direction with a bit of a hasty gait. The ritual was at its peak. Any moment now and it would end, but she showed no worry.
She knew her son more than anyone else.
"I hope you had a good a nap there, son dearest."
Lilith, who had consciously taken a few steps back looked incredulously as the black spot on Adam's body started to vanish and the light of the ritual dimmed.
She looked up at the temple that slowly started to vanish and the surroundings that were slowly going back to normal.
This could only mean one thing.
As impossible as it seemed -- Adam had managed to surpass Asmodeus in the Dream realm.
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When Lilth reached Adam, she could feel that the heart of the body she was inhabiting was thumping wildly against her chest.
'Calm down girl. Your man isn't dead... At least not yet;'
She could clearly see the black spot spreading from the body of the woman to Adam and it was gradually covering his whole body in the vestiges of its darkness.
'Dream Realm. Shit...'
Lilith hissed under her breath when she realized the identity of the phenomenon that occurred with Adam. Asmodeus had the same authority as her in this domain. More than Lust, this was a primordial power that could bring one to the very top of existence once mastered.
If Adam was really inside the dream realm, his chance of escaping was close to none.
'Then again. This isn't really the true Asmodeus. So, he can still survive.'
Like the current her, this was only a part of Asmodeus' true self and authority. No, even worse. At least she was still a complete Avatar of Lilith. Asmodeus should have only been able to send a small part of his will by using the Cursed Womb of a woman as his medium.
"No... We can't just separate them at this point. They are linked now. If we try to do it he will truly be trapped inside that realm for all eternity."
She sighed under her breath in frustration, "This is a fight only he can win. All by himself. There is nothing else we can do but wait and believe. Believe in his will to suppress that bastard."
She looked at Adam's visage, taking in all of his features down to the very last detail, and sighed a long sigh. The dark spot had covered more than half of his body already and it was slowly covering more of his being.
It seemed like the situation was very complicated.
'What should I do?'
It was then...
Thump~
Lilith closed her eyes as she felt the sudden surge of power in the air and cursed in a low voice. She didn't need to turn around to know what happened. She knew very well about their current circumstance from that aura alone. Everything just went to shit and beyond.
Natasha and Makoto immediately made some distance between themselves and the Vampire man and watched as the blood cocoon exploded and let out the source of that uneasiness.
[Blood Manipulation: Invincible Armor]
If before the man had at the very least the outward appearance of a humane, now all of that was gone like that had been a facade from the start. Ominous Black Blood covered his entire body from head to toe, giving the impression that one was facing a living armor.
His height diminished slightly, giving birth to even more speed and the hand that was cut off seemed to have been replaced.
Opening his mouth, stretching it as wide as possible...
ROOOOAAAR~!
Rooaarr~!!!
A bloody light bloomed out of the inhumane monster and the roar of a savage, bloodthirsty beast resonated in the air, causing the walls of the temple to tremble. This was not a sound attack this time. It was even difficult to know if the monster who had lost reason could think of using such a technique.
But the pressure and power that came off were such that it left no doubt in the mind of the two girls who were fighting.
'Should I use it?'
It was surprising. But at that very moment, the three women had the same thoughts. They were not left with much time to think.
Richard moved before they could come to a solid conclusion.
Saying that he was fast was an understatement. His body broke all laws of physic as it rushed in front of Makoto, fully intent on finishing her first as she was judged to be the greatest threat to him at this stage.
"Not on my watch, you bloodsucking fiend..."
A wall of ice was erected before the grotesque monster was able to touch Makoto. Even though it looked thin and easily breakable, it was something that was tough enough to even stop a shell from a tank with not even a scratch on being dealt to its surface.
Richard did not even register this wall as he broke through it like he was tearing simple paper with a razor-sharp blade.
It was only after he stopped in front of Makoto that the sound registered in his mind and he was able to realize that there was something in front of him that had been erected to obstruct his path to the blade-wielding girl. Too bad it was too weak.
BOOM~!
"Kuh."
All it took was one punch from the monster to send Makoto ruthlessly flying like a cannonball. But the girl did not let herself lose her bearing.
Flipping in the air, she stabbed her sword into the ground, setting a long trail as she forcibly slowed herself down and stopped herself from being splattered on the wall.
'Dominant arm useless. Broken. Critical Damage to the Body.'
Makoto did not change her expression as she took a view of her physical situation. It was clearly pretty bad but she was used to this level of pain. So she did not mind it a single bit. The problem was her loss of fighting prowess that would hinder her from achieving her mission.
As Richard was about to attack her again he was body-slammed by Natasha and the two monsters started to fight, providing enough time for Makoto to think up of a solution.
The situation was looking pretty bad for them. The enemy had mysteriously powered up and they were completely outclassed.
What to do in such a situation?
'Retreat seems necessary.'
She did not take long to arrive at this conclusion. The training she received was clear. Hunters were not heroes. There was nothing good about fighting down to your last breath. This only means that the next batch of fighters would enter with no information and most likely also be wiped out.
At least one of them had to survive and give the information about the failed raid. She pressed down her sword and forced herself to get up.
Even though she was called The Lightning Blade, her life was not particularly valuable. She was just a replacement. Someone who had been chosen because she was the only one suitable for the title rather than her pure talent for wielding the title. She was an expendable asset.
Cough~
Blood started to flow out of her lips as she forced herself to get her bearings. She had hurt her internal organs, and that became clear. Her chance of fleeing just lowered considerably. If it was so she had to change the plan.
"I will hold him back."
She muttered under her breath and then commanded in her characteristic emotionless tone, "You take the man you wanted to save and leave. Warn the Director about the situation at hand."
The moment she finished saying those words, she took out the blade and started to walk steadily. Accumulating energy as she prepared herself to unseal the sword. It was a true Divine Weapon with a seal for a reason. She was simply unable to unleash her full might without paying a considerable price.
She had no control over this phenomenon and she knew what her destiny would be. But she did not care. She was a blade no one wanted either way.
Natasha howled as Richard's punch nearly broke her back. Her body was thankfully much more sturdy than Makoto's and thanks to her sharper senses, she was able to hear the words Makoto muttered.
Natasha's fight against Richard was bloody. The monster seemed to have become vastly stronger than before, but at the cost of his sanity. Making him unable to use the techniques he should have been able to.
Thanks to this she was able to use her strength to match him, albeit slightly. But she knew that this situation could not last for long.
There was one way for her to fight on an equal footing with this monster. But she hesitated. If she made a mistake she would only become a mindless monster that would fight to the death like the one in front of her.
If before she wouldn't have hesitated, now that she saw what would be her eventual fate if she took this step, she realized that it would be a stupid decision. Makoto's proposal was a godsend but also a humiliation to her. She had to flee once at Adam's demand and she had to do it again?
Natasha growled like the beast that she was inside. Her wounded pride fought against her instinct and reasons.
In the end, though, reason won. An alpha could not sacrifice the entire pack for useless pride. Even though she was perhaps the weakest Alpha to have ever existed, this did not change the situation at hand.
Sae and Adam's safety took priority over her pride.
The two girls were about to make very difficult choices, ones that would change the flow of this battle without a shadow of a doubt.
Asmodeus' ritual was continuing and reaching its paroxysm. They were just a moment away before hell truly came down upon the earth.
Richard roared in excitement. Even with his dimly remaining sanity, he could feel the taste of victory and knew what it would entail.
But... In one moment... Everything changed.
Step~
The sound of someone entering the temple filled their ears. It was just one step. But--
They all felt it resonate in their minds and body.
They all stopped moving at the same time and turned in unison in the direction of the sound.
Then... They saw... It.
Someone clad from head to toe in crimson-red armor that hid their facial features. A feminine figure that seemed highly enticing and long crimson hair waving behind her in a ponytail.
In her hand, was a menacing large greatsword with sawteeth covering the entire edge of the humongous blade.
The figure walked quietly inside the heavy atmosphere. Compared to Richard and Natasha, she seemed so small that it was practically ridiculous. Compared to the entrance that Makoto showed, she seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary woman.
But... Almost instinctively, they all knew.
This was not something that should be fought.
This was not something they could even hope to touch.
Thanks to Natasha's powers, the entire temple had been filled with ice and snow. But for every step she took, the temperature seemed to rise with her steps. Bit by bit, until fire even started to spread as she left fiery steps behind in her wake.
The sawteeth began to move, and a sound that seemed like a high-pitched scream filled the temple as a seemingly inextinguishable ember of fire covered the blade.
Makoto trembled and her eyes widened. Even though she could not see the face of the woman, she immediately recognized this demeanor.
The devil steps. The temperature that seemed to be taking away all the moisture in the atmosphere and this giant sword with one of the most eerie-looking blades that she had ever seen.
There was only one person in the entire world who could have all those things at the same time.
The tension was at an all-time high and finally, the beast could not stop himself anymore. It refused to bow down to such a small and frail being. Sanity had already left the beast, so it was not able to recognize the power of the behemoth before him.
ROOOOAAR~!
It roared its lung out and launched itself at the woman. With all its speed and weight, he punched, intending to bring the woman down as he did with the previous girl.
The pressure was so high that the ground caved in a radius of more than ten meters. His punch was so powerful that it was sure that it would have reduced the other woman to dust.
This was the best punch the monster could ever throw, packed with all its might.
"I guess I became truly weak. To think even someone like you dared to attack me."
The beast did not understand. Why did the punch not connect?
It was then that it realized -- Its arm was already gone before he even knew it.
It was not just cut. But everything from the hand to the elbow was reduced to shreds before being burned down to mere cinders.
The monster roared in pain when it finally registered the event, blood formed all around him and transformed into hundreds of pike, ready to impale the woman from all sides but no sooner had they reached her that it started evaporating into nothingness.
He did not give up and swung with his other hand but that punch was simply blocked then its arm was crushed in her grasp.
She brought him down against her knee and hit him so hard that he blacked out for a solid second. What followed could not even be said to be a fight.
It was nothing more than a one sided beatdown. A scene that was akin to an adult disciplining a child.
Wham~!
She punched, punched, and punched. Her small fists felt like a sledgehammer with almighty force. Its skull was dented and broken slightly, its rib cage was destroyed like it was nothing. All remaining limbs were twisted and broken until they were completely useless.
It was a display of absolute and pure violence. So much so that one started to wonder who was truly the monster between the two.
"....Stop..."
The monster moaned and the woman indeed stopped after hearing its sound, slightly bending down to look at him.
"You are awake now?"
One could see the light of intelligence in its previously blurry eyes. This caused her to grin. "As I thought, a good beating is always the best alternative."
She did not wait for him to answer as she grabbed him by the jaws and tore it apart like it was just a sheet of paper.
She grabbed him and then started to walk in Adam's direction with a bit of a hasty gait. The ritual was at its peak. Any moment now and it would end, but she showed no worry.
She knew her son more than anyone else.
"I hope you had a good a nap there, son dearest."
Lilith, who had consciously taken a few steps back looked incredulously as the black spot on Adam's body started to vanish and the light of the ritual dimmed.
She looked up at the temple that slowly started to vanish and the surroundings that were slowly going back to normal.
This could only mean one thing.
As impossible as it seemed -- Adam had managed to surpass Asmodeus in the Dream realm.
When Lilth reached Adam, she could feel that the heart of the body she was inhabiting was thumping wildly against her chest.'Calm down girl. Your man isn't dead... At least not yet;'She could clearly see the black spot spreading from the body of the woman to Adam and it was gradually covering his whole body in the vestiges of its darkness.'Dream Realm. Shit...'Lilith hissed under her breath when she realized the identity of the phenomenon that occurred with Adam. Asmodeus had the same authority as her in this domain. More than Lust, this was a primordial power that could bring one to the very top of existence once mastered.If Adam was really inside the dream realm, his chance of escaping was close to none.'Then again. This isn't really the true Asmodeus. So, he can still survive.'Like the current her, this was only a part of Asmodeus' true self and authority. No, even worse. At least she was still a complete Avatar of Lilith. Asmodeus should have only been able to send a small part of his will by using the Cursed Womb of a woman as his medium."No... We can't just separate them at this point. They are linked now. If we try to do it he will truly be trapped inside that realm for all eternity."She sighed under her breath in frustration, "This is a fight only he can win. All by himself. There is nothing else we can do but wait and believe. Believe in his will to suppress that bastard."She looked at Adam's visage, taking in all of his features down to the very last detail, and sighed a long sigh. The dark spot had covered more than half of his body already and it was slowly covering more of his being.It seemed like the situation was very complicated.'What should I do?'It was then...Thump~Lilith closed her eyes as she felt the sudden surge of power in the air and cursed in a low voice. She didn't need to turn around to know what happened. She knew very well about their current circumstance from that aura alone. Everything just went to shit and beyond.Natasha and Makoto immediately made some distance between themselves and the Vampire man and watched as the blood cocoon exploded and let out the source of that uneasiness.Blood Manipulation: Invincible ArmorIf before the man had at the very least the outward appearance of a humane, now all of that was gone like that had been a facade from the start. Ominous Black Blood covered his entire body from head to toe, giving the impression that one was facing a living armor.His height diminished slightly, giving birth to even more speed and the hand that was cut off seemed to have been replaced.Opening his mouth, stretching it as wide as possible...ROOOOAAAR~!Rooaarr~!!!A bloody light bloomed out of the inhumane monster and the roar of a savage, bloodthirsty beast resonated in the air, causing the walls of the temple to tremble. This was not a sound attack this time. It was even difficult to know if the monster who had lost reason could think of using such a technique.But the pressure and power that came off were such that it left no doubt in the mind of the two girls who were fighting.'Should I use it?'It was surprising. But at that very moment, the three women had the same thoughts. They were not left with much time to think.Richard moved before they could come to a solid conclusion.Saying that he was fast was an understatement. His body broke all laws of physic as it rushed in front of Makoto, fully intent on finishing her first as she was judged to be the greatest threat to him at this stage."Not on my watch, you bloodsucking fiend..."A wall of ice was erected before the grotesque monster was able to touch Makoto. Even though it looked thin and easily breakable, it was something that was tough enough to even stop a shell from a tank with not even a scratch on being dealt to its surface.Richard did not even register this wall as he broke through it like he was tearing simple paper with a razor-sharp blade.It was only after he stopped in front of Makoto that the sound registered in his mind and he was able to realize that there was something in front of him that had been erected to obstruct his path to the blade-wielding girl. Too bad it was too weak.BOOM~!"Kuh."All it took was one punch from the monster to send Makoto ruthlessly flying like a cannonball. But the girl did not let herself lose her bearing.Flipping in the air, she stabbed her sword into the ground, setting a long trail as she forcibly slowed herself down and stopped herself from being splattered on the wall.'Dominant arm useless. Broken. Critical Damage to the Body.'Makoto did not change her expression as she took a view of her physical situation. It was clearly pretty bad but she was used to this level of pain. So she did not mind it a single bit. The problem was her loss of fighting prowess that would hinder her from achieving her mission.As Richard was about to attack her again he was body-slammed by Natasha and the two monsters started to fight, providing enough time for Makoto to think up of a solution.The situation was looking pretty bad for them. The enemy had mysteriously powered up and they were completely outclassed.What to do in such a situation?'Retreat seems necessary.' She did not take long to arrive at this conclusion. The training she received was clear. Hunters were not heroes. There was nothing good about fighting down to your last breath. This only means that the next batch of fighters would enter with no information and most likely also be wiped out.At least one of them had to survive and give the information about the failed raid. She pressed down her sword and forced herself to get up.Even though she was called The Lightning Blade, her life was not particularly valuable. She was just a replacement. Someone who had been chosen because she was the only one suitable for the title rather than her pure talent for wielding the title. She was an expendable asset.Cough~Blood started to flow out of her lips as she forced herself to get her bearings. She had hurt her internal organs, and that became clear. Her chance of fleeing just lowered considerably. If it was so she had to change the plan."I will hold him back."She muttered under her breath and then commanded in her characteristic emotionless tone, "You take the man you wanted to save and leave. Warn the Director about the situation at hand."The moment she finished saying those words, she took out the blade and started to walk steadily. Accumulating energy as she prepared herself to unseal the sword. It was a true Divine Weapon with a seal for a reason. She was simply unable to unleash her full might without paying a considerable price.She had no control over this phenomenon and she knew what her destiny would be. But she did not care. She was a blade no one wanted either way.Natasha howled as Richard's punch nearly broke her back. Her body was thankfully much more sturdy than Makoto's and thanks to her sharper senses, she was able to hear the words Makoto muttered.Natasha's fight against Richard was bloody. The monster seemed to have become vastly stronger than before, but at the cost of his sanity. Making him unable to use the techniques he should have been able to.Thanks to this she was able to use her strength to match him, albeit slightly. But she knew that this situation could not last for long.There was one way for her to fight on an equal footing with this monster. But she hesitated. If she made a mistake she would only become a mindless monster that would fight to the death like the one in front of her.If before she wouldn't have hesitated, now that she saw what would be her eventual fate if she took this step, she realized that it would be a stupid decision. Makoto's proposal was a godsend but also a humiliation to her. She had to flee once at Adam's demand and she had to do it again?Natasha growled like the beast that she was inside. Her wounded pride fought against her instinct and reasons.In the end, though, reason won. An alpha could not sacrifice the entire pack for useless pride. Even though she was perhaps the weakest Alpha to have ever existed, this did not change the situation at hand.Sae and Adam's safety took priority over her pride.The two girls were about to make very difficult choices, ones that would change the flow of this battle without a shadow of a doubt.Asmodeus' ritual was continuing and reaching its paroxysm. They were just a moment away before hell truly came down upon the earth.Richard roared in excitement. Even with his dimly remaining sanity, he could feel the taste of victory and knew what it would entail.But... In one moment... Everything changed.Step~The sound of someone entering the temple filled their ears. It was just one step. But--They all felt it resonate in their minds and body.They all stopped moving at the same time and turned in unison in the direction of the sound.Then... They saw... It.Someone clad from head to toe in crimson-red armor that hid their facial features. A feminine figure that seemed highly enticing and long crimson hair waving behind her in a ponytail.In her hand, was a menacing large greatsword with sawteeth covering the entire edge of the humongous blade.The figure walked quietly inside the heavy atmosphere. Compared to Richard and Natasha, she seemed so small that it was practically ridiculous. Compared to the entrance that Makoto showed, she seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary woman.But... Almost instinctively, they all knew.This was not something that should be fought.This was not something they could even hope to touch.Thanks to Natasha's powers, the entire temple had been filled with ice and snow. But for every step she took, the temperature seemed to rise with her steps. Bit by bit, until fire even started to spread as she left fiery steps behind in her wake.The sawteeth began to move, and a sound that seemed like a high-pitched scream filled the temple as a seemingly inextinguishable ember of fire covered the blade.Makoto trembled and her eyes widened. Even though she could not see the face of the woman, she immediately recognized this demeanor.The devil steps. The temperature that seemed to be taking away all the moisture in the atmosphere and this giant sword with one of the most eerie-looking blades that she had ever seen.There was only one person in the entire world who could have all those things at the same time.The tension was at an all-time high and finally, the beast could not stop himself anymore. It refused to bow down to such a small and frail being. Sanity had already left the beast, so it was not able to recognize the power of the behemoth before him.ROOOOAAR~!It roared its lung out and launched itself at the woman. With all its speed and weight, he punched, intending to bring the woman down as he did with the previous girl.The pressure was so high that the ground caved in a radius of more than ten meters. His punch was so powerful that it was sure that it would have reduced the other woman to dust.This was the best punch the monster could ever throw, packed with all its might."I guess I became truly weak. To think even someone like you dared to attack me."The beast did not understand. Why did the punch not connect?It was then that it realized -- Its arm was already gone before he even knew it.It was not just cut. But everything from the hand to the elbow was reduced to shreds before being burned down to mere cinders.The monster roared in pain when it finally registered the event, blood formed all around him and transformed into hundreds of pike, ready to impale the woman from all sides but no sooner had they reached her that it started evaporating into nothingness.He did not give up and swung with his other hand but that punch was simply blocked then its arm was crushed in her grasp.She brought him down against her knee and hit him so hard that he blacked out for a solid second. What followed could not even be said to be a fight.It was nothing more than a one sided beatdown. A scene that was akin to an adult disciplining a child.Wham~!She punched, punched, and punched. Her small fists felt like a sledgehammer with almighty force. Its skull was dented and broken slightly, its rib cage was destroyed like it was nothing. All remaining limbs were twisted and broken until they were completely useless.It was a display of absolute and pure violence. So much so that one started to wonder who was truly the monster between the two."....Stop..."The monster moaned and the woman indeed stopped after hearing its sound, slightly bending down to look at him."You are awake now?"One could see the light of intelligence in its previously blurry eyes. This caused her to grin. "As I thought, a good beating is always the best alternative."She did not wait for him to answer as she grabbed him by the jaws and tore it apart like it was just a sheet of paper.She grabbed him and then started to walk in Adam's direction with a bit of a hasty gait. The ritual was at its peak. Any moment now and it would end, but she showed no worry.She knew her son more than anyone else."I hope you had a good a nap there, son dearest."Lilith, who had consciously taken a few steps back looked incredulously as the black spot on Adam's body started to vanish and the light of the ritual dimmed.She looked up at the temple that slowly started to vanish and the surroundings that were slowly going back to normal.This could only mean one thing.As impossible as it seemed -- Adam had managed to surpass Asmodeus in the Dream realm.
