Chapter 223: [A Mountain of War and Death] 8/?: Brother Against Brother
Chapter 223: [A Mountain of War and Death] 8/?: Brother Against Brother
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Azra suddenly noticed the wave of Life Energy that began to spread through the entire battlefield, while a large group of monsters and demi-humans emerged from within a giant metallic tower that fell from the sky.
The golden wave spread through the battlefield, revitalizing the life of all the wounded, including his accursed father that was on the brink of death. And to make things worse, his old brother, the one he has not seen in a while has appeared out of nowhere, while wearing armor capable of resisting his Death Attribute Magic.
“What is happening? Why you from all people?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?! Have you come to ruin my moment, brother?! Wasn’t it enough for you to leave us, to leave me?!” asked Azra in rage, he still remembered the day that his older brother cowardly escaped the fight against his father.
“Azra…” muttered Gaius.
Gaius was one of the few people that brought joy to Azra’s life, he always thought that as long as there was his brother, that he would be capable of accepting his father’s rejection… However, that quickly came to an end when Gaius left the village to fulfill his own Dreams while forgetting about those important in his life.
Gaius did not realize how important he truly was for Azra’s mental fortitude, to the point that not many months after, his younger brother was enticed by the Necromancer, the mysterious sorcerer that awakened within the Undead Dungeon at the bottom of the mountain.
After having been discriminated against due to his powerlessness and after having all of his dreams destroyed, such as crafting and alchemy by the claws of his father, Azra’s heart turned completely black as hate took upon his mind, doing something that he would never be capable of stepping back from.
The pact with the Necromancer and its powerful Divine Protection brought upon more than power, but an enormous emptiness into his very soul, while his emotions and nature became more uncontrollable and chaotic.
Azra now desired to comply with his lord’s wishes, which now also included the obliteration of the bear-kin race, where his father was. It was like killing two birds with one stone, he would get his revenge while also obeying his lord and gaining merit from him.
After all, he was even promised greatness as no one else had ever promised him, such as immortality at his lord’s side, as Gods. He simply could not let this opportunity slip off his grasp.
However, such plans were quickly shattered as an unexpected guest appeared, bringing their plan to an abrupt end.
Azra was just about to get rid of yet another disposable bear-kin as he was interrupted by the figure of his brother, whom he resented almost as much like his father for having left him alone when he most needed him.
“Azra, what have you become? What are you doing?! It was never my intention to leave you… but the circumstances of my actions led to such an end. I am sorry, but it was the best thing I could do at the moment,” said Gaius.
“What…? Is that so? So you’re just like our foolish father, apologizing when the damage is already done, isn’t it? Do you think that by just apologizing, everything will be simply and easily undone?! No! It is not as simple as that! The negative emotions swelling within my soul and my heart are like a bomb about to burst, do you think that I can simply sit and accept your apology? My lord asked me for your blood… And I shall offer your blood to him!” roared Azra.
Gaius glanced at his roaring younger brother as he could not help but feel a terrible sense of guilt within his heart.
“Is this what I have done…? What my irresponsibility has caused?” he wondered.
While laughing Azra’s Phantasmagoric Aura resurged from within his Soul, enveloping him in clothes made out of ghostly blue flames, an eerie presence and deadly pressure were emanated from within his entire being… a presence that Gaius had never sensed on his brother.
“Azra… what have you become?!” asked Gaius.
“What… have I become? I have become strong… I have become strong, brother! That is what I have become! And it’s all thanks to my Lord!” laughed Azra, as his Aura began to shape as countless laughing skulls made out of ghostly blue flames, directing themselves towards Gaius!
“Underworld Flames!” recited Azra, as he conjured an advance form of Demon Fire, named Underworld Flames, which held greater heat-leeching powers than its previous version, in exchange for draining more Mana from their conjurers.
The powerful and cold flames shaped themselves as laughing skulls as they flew towards Gaius while breaking through the wind. Their freezing flames covered the ground with ice as Gaius felt an icy and heart-wrenching breeze pass through his body.
“Just die and get off my way!” roared Azra, as the blazing skulls approached Gaius.
Flash! Flash! Flash!
“I don’t have time to fight against you, so let’s end this quickly, I’ll make you apologize to all the people you damaged after this, young man!” said Gaius.
“What are you even talking about- HUH?!”
“Armor Shaping, Furious Metallic Claws!”
Gaius’ armor suddenly began to shape as if it were liquid metal, not only covering the areas where his limbs should have been but also beginning to cover his entire body, as a large, bear head-shaped helmet covered his head in an instant.
His metallic claws grew up to three times their original size, as with a burst of overwhelming strength that broke through the ground and generated shockwaves, Gaius unleashed a series of slashing attacks through his sharp claws.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The laughing Skulls were suddenly broken apart through a rain of slashing attacks over and over, although Death Attribute Magic was abnormally more resistant to attacks than other Attributes, Gaius packed each of his techniques with large amounts of mana, breaking apart the Skulls by destabilizing their structure as Spells.
It would not be possible for someone to do this if it were not because Gaius’ armor was a Cursed Equipment by itself, assisting him with even more Mana and by using its own Techniques. There was also the important factor in Gaius increasing Mana Pool, which had been forge after the daily sessions of Mana Training undergone by Ervas and Veronica.
The Skulls disappeared within a few seconds as Azra was left in shock.
“Impossible, simply using your strength and armor shouldn’t let you slash through my Spells! And what- What kind of armor is that?!” asked Azra.
“This armor is the creation of Ervas and Veronica, the lords that I have sworn loyalty to, Azra! But I myself have become a different man as well, my strength and my conviction are nothing like before. I am not willing to fight to the death against you, but I will stop you and perhaps, knock you unconscious, so bear with me,” said Gaius, as he ran with his four feet through the ground, his metallic claws broke through the stone and dirt of the ground with overwhelming strength, creating small spiderweb-shaped cracks.
Flash!
In less than five seconds, Gaius already appeared in front of Azra, as the young bear-kin man was left startled for a split of a second, quickly gnashing his teeth as he conjured another Spell to defend himself.
“Underworld Armor!”
Azra’s Phantasmagoric Aura shaped itself as a gigantic armor, shielding him from Gaius’ slash in an instant!
CLASH!
“Tsk! You have committed a mistake by coming near me! No matter how hard your armor is, my magic can penetrate your defenses! Phantom Blades!” roared Azra, conjuring several blades made out of freezing, ghostly blue flames. The blades sprang towards Gaius with great momentum, as if they were projectiles ready to impale his soul!
Flash! Flash! Flash!
“This…!” said Gaius, as the blades reached him within less than three seconds, however, from the inside of his armor, a phantom power emerged to counterattack Azra’s spell.
“Let me show you something that Lady Veronica has taught me! Phantom Form! Phantom Claws!” roared Gaius, as his phantom emerged from within his body, completely separated from his armor and taking the shape of spectral claws of a bluish, semi-transparent color.
Flash!
“W-What? You also know Death Attribute Magic?!” asked Azra in disbelief, as Gaius used his Phantom Claws to intercept the Phantom Blades conjured by Azra, destroying them one by one.
Clash! Clash! Clash!
Although he had a lot of precision, some of the Phantom Blades managed to reach Gaius’ body, penetrating his armor without any problem, and dealing internal damage into his insides, making him vomit mouthfuls of blood.
Azra noticed that his brother lacked some tact in his attacks, as he released a chuckle.
“Hah! I just need to keep conjuring and you will be done for! Phantom Blades! Demon Fire!” roared Azra, conjuring Phantom shaped into blades and blue-colored fireballs.
“Don’t think it’s that easy, Azra!” roared Gaius, pouncing towards Azra’s back as he was left startled once again.
“Ngh… that speed! Underworld Armor!” said Azra in frustration, conjuring his defensive spell as he quickly realized that his spells were easily avoided by Gaius this time and that at the same time, his Mana was quickly depleting. His soul was wailing as the dead spirits trapped within began to escape, weakening him.
CLASH!
Gaius claws clashed against Azra’s Phantom Shield as the shield began to crack like glass, Azra’s mana was drained with each hit, as the dead spirits escaped from his soul one by one.
Through the special spell that ‘Dead Spirit Fusion’, Azra and the other young Necromancers were capable of sealing Dead Spirits within their souls by entrapping them inside, using their souls as bags, through the overaccumulation of dead spirits, their Mana Pool increased exponentially, but whenever they were to deplete their Mana too soon, aftereffects such as their souls ending up breaking and freeing the dead spirits inside could happen, greatly weakening them.
“Unngh… Aagh…!” cried Azra, falling into the ground as he felt the sharp and terrible pain of having his soul slowly being pierced by the crazed dead spirits inside that escaped from their seal.
“It’s over, Azra!” said Gaius, quickly destroying Azra’s last defensive Phantom Shield, as he extended his claws towards his young brother.
Azra gnashed his teeth as he expected his death at the hands of his fearsome brother… only to feel a very tight grip that made his torso hurt a bit.
“Aggh… Huh?”
Gaius used his claws and extended them as if they were tentacles, entangling Azra’s completely while taking away his staff and covering his mouth so he could not conjure magic anymore.
Gaius sighed in relief at the quick end of their pointless quarrel.
“Sigh, there is a lot to talk about, Azra, stop fighting, and let’s settle things down,” said Gaius, as he walked back towards Ervas.
“D-Damn it! Let me… go! I will kill you…! Agh…” roared Azra within his metallic imprisonment, he struggled but his body was weak and frail, and the metallic claws that captured him were incredibly sturdy.
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