194 Chapter 194: The Heavens and Earth Roar (2/2)
After being suspended in the night sky for just a second, I then allowed gravity to pull me back down into its embrace so that I could unleash my attack with maximum impact.
I slashed Hades with the full weight of my Vermillion Phoenix enhanced twin fiery feather swords.
A tremendous explosion rocked the area, throwing me back. Crashing onto the ground, I managed to flip myself over somehow and land on a kneeling position. Coughing, I wiped blood from my face and continued channeling more mana into my hands as I prepared for the next summoning spell.
Hades emerged, his entire body blazing furiously. He had been immolated by Vermillion Phoenix's flames and incinerated thoroughly, yet even the divine fire wasn't able to slay him. Worse, the Chains of Andromeda had been destroyed during the blast and he had broken free from whatever metal that had held him down previously.
And now he was free to exact vengeance upon me.
However, I was not done yet. My fingers twitched as I completed my next summoning spell.
”Virgo! Iron Maiden!”
The woman-shaped coffin materialized around the advancing Hades, entombing him. Spikes dug into his body, locking him in place.
However, the coffin blew up almost immediately. I raised both of my hands to defend myself even as the immense shockwaves buffeted me. Amidst the hellish flames, I could see Hades stalking toward me silently, his halberd raised like the grim reaper's scythe.
Hades dashed forward and swung his Annihilation. Miraculously, I wasn't cleaved into two, but I was thrown off and sent flying through several concrete walls of the neighboring building. Parts of the structure collapsed upon me.
”It's done,” Selina smirked as Hades turned away, and then focused her attention on Anastasia, who warded her sword away with her daggers. ”You're next, sweetie.”
”It's not over yet,” I panted, hauling and throwing the rubble off me. Rising to my feet unsteadily, I summoned Lyra. The golden harp hummed melodiously in my hands as I heaved myself forward to approach the raging spirit.
”You're a stubborn one, aren't you?” Selina sighed as her Hades turned back to face me.
The wrathful spirit lifted Annihilation over his head and raced toward me, bounding across the gap between the two buildings. However, hundreds of invisible garrote wires streamed out of the harp, cutting everything in its path, including steel, brick and concrete. Hades was no different, blood spurting from all over his body as the near invisible wires sliced into his black flesh and cut to the bone.
”Cheap techniques like those won't work against Hades!” Selina shouted furiously as she kicked Anastasia away and returned to spectating the battle between her spirit and me. Wow, I must be hurting her spirit really bad if she got this rattled.
That meant I should continue whatever I was doing.
Unfortunately, Hades wasn't making it easy for me. Purplish black mana billowed outward and blew out from his body, ripping the wires apart in a huge searing blast. I was thrown back from the overwhelming force, but I managed to do a back-flip and land on my feet again.
”Out of tricks, boy?” Selina sneered derisively with a laugh as Hades approached me. ”Your little harp can't do anything…”
”Harp?” I was pointing Vega at Hades while fitting the glowing arrow to the bow form of Lyra. Golden mana swirled around Vega, giving the impression of a violent whirlwind. My surroundings were breaking apart just from the presence of such immense amounts of mana. ”I already told you, didn't I? My most powerful techniques are my ranged ones.”
I released Vega. The golden arrow slammed into the berserk spirit and hurtled him all the way back. He flew several hundred meters away before exploding in a fireworks display of golden light.
I gritted my teeth as I fought to stand amidst the resulting shockwaves. Staggering back, I watched the awesome spectacle of destruction with grim satisfaction. However, my intuition told me that Hades wasn't down yet.
”I wouldn't be surprised if he survived that attack as well. That bastard seems to be immortal.”
”You got that only half-right,” Selina informed me. I glanced at her for a moment, and then froze when I sensed something impossible behind me.
”What…?” My eyes widened in shock. I didn't even have the chance to turn around before something slashed me from behind. If I hadn't instinctively jumped forward, that attack would have cleaved me neatly in half. Stumbling forward, I felt something heavy slam into my back, sending me flying across the city. I crashed heavily into the ground several meters away, somewhere near the crowing Selina.
”I'll have to admit, your attacks are really impressive.” Selina placed one hand on her hip and raised her other hand to count with her fingers. ”They took away like…three of Hades' lives? It's amazing that you're able to kill Hades three times by yourself. Too bad Hades has thirteen lives.”
She began to laugh.
”You have to kill Hades thirteen times before he dies permanently – and even that wouldn't be permanent because as long as I maintain the contract with him, I'll be able to resurrect him sooner or later. It'll cost me a lot of time and resources, and I'll have to pay a heavy price, but for a spirit like Hades, it's more than worth it.”
Selina chuckled as she gazed down on my prone form.
”But look at you. It only has been three lives and you're almost dead. Face it. You'll never be able to defeat Hades.”
I wheezed in agony, struggling to get to my knees at the very least. Clutching my back, I coughed out a mouthful of blood.
”But I have to hand it to you! Throughout the entire time I have established a contract with Hades, I have never met anyone capable of killing Hades three times by himself. Even back then, when you worked together with Cecilia Stuart and that other girl, the three of you only took two of his lives or so. By allying against him. But now…you actually took three of his lives by yourself! You've truly gotten so much stronger! You've exceeded my expectations! I knew it was right to let you live that time!” Selina threw her head back and laughed. Whether it was in delight or scorn, I could not tell. ”A pity…you would have made a great Assassin, but I'm aware that you'll refuse. If I leave you alone, you'll threaten the Assassins Guild eventually. Sorry, but I'll eliminate you before that happens.”
I could only watch as Hades approached me silently, hellish flames wreathing his body. He was a black silhouette engulfed within the inferno I had set ablaze upon his body, yet he didn't even seem affected by the immolation. It was as if he was becoming immune to the devastating effects of fire itself.
”I see…” I smiled to myself. ”Truly the Grim Reaper indeed.”
The flames that continued to burn Hades' burly muscles flickered out, revealing totally unharmed skin. At present, he looked as if nothing had happened to him, with no sign of injury whatsoever. He had emerged from his battle with me, completely unscathed.
So, Selina wasn't lying when she said that he had thirteen lives. Not that it would make any difference.
Hades raised his Annihilation and slashed me with such force that I was sent flying again. Crashing into the ground several meters away, I coughed out another fountain of blood as I clutched my wounds. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to my feet again, glaring at Hades. Despite the blood streaming down my face, I grinned.
”You are insane,” Selina concluded before her berserk spirit brought his Annihilation down on me.