598. Told You
Haec took a step back as the corpse went limp. He stared at the [Grand Puppeteer Fiend] lying before him— a member of the Deathsquad Hunters. A Level 152 Primeval Demon. Defeated in a single blow. Even Haec was impressed with himself.
But he couldn’t have done it alone. He had Taburas to empower him, and Bertrugil to save his life. If Haec had been alone, he would have been trapped in the [Grand Puppeteer Fiend]’s snare.
There was a chance Haec would have survived the attack. But with his second Grand Skill still unavailable, it was unlikely. So he moved to end the battle quickly. And he did.
Now he swept his gaze around his surroundings. Just because Haec had won his individual battle, didn’t mean that this fight was over. There were still the other members of the Deathsquad Hunters here. But they didn’t stand a chance against their opponents.
Haec watched as all around him, gold and silver flames shot into the air. The Salvos clones zipped around the battlefield, laughing as they unleashed an onslaught of attacks upon the remaining Deathsquad Hunters gathered here.
It was four clones against three Deathsquad Hunters. All three of them were Primeval Demons, and they were some of the most dangerous Demons in the Demon King’s Domain. They were up against apparitions— projections made of essence and mana. The Deathsquad Hunters should have been winning with ease.
And yet, Haec watched as their attacks were deflected. Their defenses were ripped apart. The Salvos clones almost seemed to toy with the Deathsquad Hunters, giggling as they blasted the Primeval Demons apart.
“She doesn’t even need my help…”
Haec murmured, before lowering his head as he heard a notification resound in his head.
“I will deal with that later.”
He took a step back and watched as a rift re-opened in space. He saw Taburas standing there inside the pocket space, with Bertrugil and Aemula hiding in the back. Haec approached them with a reassuring nod.
“Don’t worry, we will be fine as long as we stay inside.”
“We already knew that.”
Bertrugil rolled his eyes, and Haec entered the pocket space. The rift began to close once again.
“Impossible.”
Venas watched with wide eyes as his comrades were taken out one after another. He couldn’t believe it. Each and every single one of them were Primeval Demons— they were the Demon King’s Deathsquad Hunters. Powerful hunters who thrived in the Netherworld.
They weren’t soldiers. They didn’t belong in Regnorex’s army. They were given their special designation for a reason. Because they specialized not in fighting, but in killing. Utterly dismantling their targets in every way possible.
But somehow, they were the ones who were being killed off. Even though they up against four Archdemons and a single Primeval Demon, the five Deathsquad Hunters were losing this battle. And it was all because of…
Venas turned to the figure wreathed in iridescent flames floating right before him. His eyes narrowed as he faced her.
Her name was Salvos. And she was the Enemy.
She wore a grin on her face as she held a blazing scythe to the side.
“Your friends need your help, huh? How about you copy my [Salvo of Vanity] and help them out.”
Salvos tilted her head, before raising a brow mockingly at him.
“Or wait, can you only copy a limited number of Skills? Because that’s really lame. You must be really weak if you can’t even copy five of my Skills.”
“I do not need to copy any more of your Skills to defeat you.”
Venas shook his head as he drifted forward. He raised his own scythe made of purple flames, and he growled.
“And once you are dead, I will bring the heads of friends back to His Majesty.”
Salvos grinned in response.
“You can try.”
And with that, she raised a clawed hand, before unleashing a blast of iridescent flames. In response, Venas just clicked his tongue and sent the same plume of magical fire her way. Their attacks clashed and exploded in the air, shaking the earth with the sheer force of the impact.
Venas dove down low, going beneath the exploding smoke. He began to conjure up weapons of all shapes and sizes. The salvo trailed after him, burning bright as he spotted a figure moving in the gray cloud. He pointed with a savage grin, and the volley of projectiles launched forward.
“Perish by your own Skill!”
He cackled wildly, but the smoke cleared to reveal a sickle cutting through the air. It was connected to a chain, and it quickly wove between the shooting projectiles, lancing straight for Venas.
His eyes narrowed, and he deftly swerved out of the way just in time to see Salvos appearing beneath him. She grinned.
“I caught you!”
She held onto the chain connected to the sickle, before grabbing the sickle itself. Venas watched with wide eyes as she swung the blade for his neck. He gritted his teeth and raised his own flaming scythe.
“You annoying pest!”
Venas parried her strike as large flakes of flame sparked out from the impact of their clash. He spun around, ducking under a series of follow-up swings from the silver-haired girl. He bided his time, waiting for the right moment to strike, before aiming for her neck with his own blade.
“I’ve got you now!”
He swung out with his scythe, but Salvos easily twisted out of the way with a laugh. He watched as she flew up, and he opened his mouth.
“You—”
But before Venas could give chase, she dove right back down to him, landing a kick to his stomach. It happened so quickly, he couldn’t even react. He wasn’t able to dodge out of the way. Her foot was planted right in his abdomen, and he coughed out blood.
He was sent flying back, crashing into the shifting ground as dust and debris exploded into the air. Venas groaned as he got back to his feet. A drop of blood streaked down his cheek, before twisting and floating in the air, carried by Reconstruction.
Venas shook his head as he steadied himself, and he caught a glimpse of Salvos hovering high above with a clawed hand raised to the fractured sky. A ball of iridescent flames coalesced there, growing larger and larger with each passing moment.
“Hey, catch this.”
Salvos grinned, before hurling the flaming sphere down at him. Venas cursed as he raised his scythe.
“Pathetic. [Copy Skill: Radiant Slash]!”
He sliced the attack in half before it could reach him. The sphere split into two halves that crashed into a mountain in the distance. The blast shook the earth as Venas strode forward. He glared up at the smirking figure still floating in the air.
“Do you think that was enough to defeat me?”
He came to a halt right beneath her. She tilted her head.
“Honestly? Not really. I just wanted to see what other Skills you’ve copied from me. And I’m really not impressed. I mean, you’re not even using the divine versions of my Skills!”
Salvos gestured dismissively at him. His brows snapped together. He was Venas— a Captain of the Deathsquad Hunters. He was a Level 188 [Archfiend], and she was only Level 165. He couldn’t see what her Subspecies was, but it didn’t matter. Even if she was a [Hellprincess], he didn’t care. Because he was stronger than her.
“I grow tired of this battle. I shall not drag it out any longer.”
Venas raised a hand to the air, lowering his head. His body seemed to twist and crack as his face elongated. Salvos blinked as his arms grew larger, and back bent forward. He tripled in size, walking forward with four legs. A mask of bones grew over his head, covering his burning gaze as a long mane unfurled across his back.
“[Form: Hellmonstrosity].”
“Um, what?”
Salvos stared at him as he growled back at her. He snarled at her, pawing the ground with a massive claw.
“Did you really think you’re the only one I can steal from? No— I now bear the strength of a [Hellmonstrosity]! Stronger than a [Hellabomination], and faster than a [Hellreaper]! I am more powerful than you can even imagine!”
Venas laughed as a pair of flaming wings spread wide from back. But Salvos didn’t look impressed. She just placed a hand on her chin, nodding to herself.
“So you’re like Levithus, huh? You can transform and grow stronger. Or wait… is this even a Grand Skill?”
Salvos wondered curiously to herself. And Venas snarled at the name.
“I am far more powerful than that Hound!”
He beat his wings once, exploding into the sky. Salvos blinked, before diving back. But she couldn’t react in time. She was too slow. Venas reached her in an instant, swinging down with his claws.
“I’ve got you now! [Copy Skill: Radiant—”
And Salvos just pointed at him.
“Sit.”
Venas blinked as his body froze. He tried to work his jaw. What…? But the thought only echoed in his mind, refusing to leave his mouth. And as he hovered there in the air, Salvos balled her claws into a fist.
“Down!”
She grinned, punching him in the face. Venas yelped as he crashed back into the ground. He landed in the very same crater from before. He growled as he picked himself back up. He glared up at the Enemy as the mask protecting his face was chipped open.
It was a chitin that was stronger than even a [Hellreaper]’s armor. And yet, it was cracked from a single punch. It made no sense to Venas. She was not this strong just moments ago. He roared as he unhinged his jaw.
“I will incinerate you!”
He conjured up the Enemy’s own Skill against her. A copy of [The Holy Flames], creating a fiery sphere that quickly bloated to the size of a small house. In return, Salvos created her own iridescent sphere.
They both hurled their magic at each other as Venas’ eyes flashed. With his current form, not only was his strength and durability enhanced, so was his magical prowess. She could hardly even stand up to his magic just earlier. So now, he should have been able to easily overpower her.
Or so he thought.
Venas watched as the two flaming spheres crashed into each other, before exploding into a large pillar of flames. They clashed with an equal intensity, neither one overpowering each other. His eyes narrowed as he whispered to himself.
“...why?”
He sprinted forward as Salvos flew back. They moved parallel to each other, and the transformed [Archfiend] unleashed fireball after fireball. But each one was countered by an iridescent sphere of flames.
The Deathsquad Hunter Captain roared as the flurry of explosions erupted across the sky.
“This makes no sense!”
He conjured a massive fireball— its flames roiled and twisted, threatening to explode from its sheer size. It dwarfed the [Archfiend]’s transformed body, reaching the size of a small hill. Venas screamed wildly as he unleashed the fiery attack at the Enemy.
“I will show you why I was chosen by the Demon King!”
The bulky fireball streaked slowly across the sky as Salvos narrowed her eyes. She shook her head, letting out a sigh.
“Is that really all you’ve got?”
And she raised a clawed finger, before conjuring a gray spear out of her iridescent flames. She hurled it forward and it cut straight through the bulky fireball. The flames exploded outwards, streaking across the sky. And Venas watched as the projectile landed right before him, before he snarled.
“You missed—”
But with a flash of light, Salvos appeared next to the spear. She grabbed it with her left hand as she swung forward with her scythe with her right hand. Venas tried to back away, but he was too slow.
Salvos slammed the gray scythe into his side, shattering the layer of chitin protecting him. He roared in pain and swiped at her with his right claw. She casually backed out of the way, before thrusting forward with the spear.
Venas reeled as the spear struck his shoulder. He backed away with both the scythe and the spear sticking out of his sides. He reached over to yank them out— to use them as his own weapon. But Salvos was faster. She flew forward, grabbing him by the face as his eyes went wide.
How…? the thought crossed his mind. Venas could barely even keep up with her movements as she smashed his face against the ground while still still flying forward. He was dragged through the earth, leaving behind a streak of rubble in his wake. She was not this fast just a minute ago!
It was almost like Salvos had somehow grown stronger throughout the battle. Because he had grown stronger himself with his transformation, and they were equal in strength. So she had to have a Skill that was helping her keep up… no, exceed him.
Unless… The realization began to settle in. She was playing with me this whole time!
Venas stared up at the grinning silver-haired girl as she dragged him across the breaking ground. He couldn’t believe it— he refused to believe it. She could have defeated him from the very moment he showed up. But she chose to toy with him, just to see what other Skills he had hidden up his sleeve.
But she is only Level 165! It doesn’t matter what her Subspecies is, she cannot— Venas paused when he looked at the Enemy. And for the first time, he truly saw her. Wreathed in her iridescent flames, with a pair of horns resting on her head like a crown. She was… she was…
[Lesser God - Lvl. 165]
Impossible, Venas thought as the words flashed in his mind. She had been masking her Subspecies this whole time, and now she revealed it to him. She was a Lesser God. At Level 165, she had become a Lesser God.
It was incomprehensible. Venas didn’t want to believe it. But it was real. It was the truth. He couldn’t defeat her because she was a Lesser God.
I… He tried to muster out, but Salvos let go of him. He blinked, only to be struck by a powerful kick. She crashed straight into a mountain, leaving behind a crater at the very top. He gritted his teeth.
“I will not lose!”
Venas roared as he rose back to his feet. He saw the Lesser God zipping straight down at him, and he swiped forward with his claws. But she easily avoided the attack, before landing a flaming claw into his abdomen.
He wheezed, stumbling back. He opened his mouth.
“You are—”
And Salvos landed three quick flaming strikes across his face. The chitin masking him continue to tear off as he was beaten into the ground. She did not let up, landing punch after punch. She took a step back as he flopped over before her.
“You really are durable, huh? Well, that’s fine. I’ll show you exactly how powerful my Skills truly are.”
He did not respond. She raised a clawed hand. It burned with a wisping black flame, glowing with an iridescent aura. And she struck him across the chest.
“[Divine Radiant Slash].”
Venas whimpered as she broke through his chitin and tore through his hard skin. Salvos leapt back, conjuring up a dozen flaming projectiles. A volley of explosions overcame him.
“[The Holy Flames].”
He lay there, burnt and bloodied and broken. Most of his chitin was gone. He could hardly even move. But he was still alive.
“And…”
Salvos walked up to him as he raised his head. Venas groaned, trying to get back to his feet. He inhaled weakly as a sharp pain cut across his chest. And yet, he refused to surrender.
“I can still fight—”
He started, before he burst into flames. His eyes went wide as he saw the gold and gray flames eat away at his body. He tried to roll on the ground— to swipe the flames off. But it didn’t vanish. It continued to burn him even more.
“[Sacred Hellfire].”
Salvos shook her head as she knelt before the squirming figure. She smiled, placing her hands cutely on either of her cheeks.
“Perfect for someone as durable as you.”
Venas opened his mouth, and the [Sacred Hellfire] poured down his lips. He screamed, unable to muster out any words. No matter what he did, the flames refused to be washed away. He burned himself. He ripped apart his own skin. But nothing worked.
Nothing would save him. He just lay there as his defenses slowly burned away, and Salvos shook her head.
“I told you, didn’t I? I wasn’t even really trying. I was just waiting to see what Grand Skills you had. But… you didn’t have any, I guess…”
Venas blinked. He wanted to protest. But all he could do was watch her walk away with a smile as he burned. Until the last of his chitin was gone.
Until he was dead.
598. Told You
Haec took a step back as the corpse went limp. He stared at the [Grand Puppeteer Fiend] lying before him— a member of the Deathsquad Hunters. A Level 152 Primeval Demon. Defeated in a single blow. Even Haec was impressed with himself.
But he couldn’t have done it alone. He had Taburas to empower him, and Bertrugil to save his life. If Haec had been alone, he would have been trapped in the [Grand Puppeteer Fiend]’s snare.
There was a chance Haec would have survived the attack. But with his second Grand Skill still unavailable, it was unlikely. So he moved to end the battle quickly. And he did.
Now he swept his gaze around his surroundings. Just because Haec had won his individual battle, didn’t mean that this fight was over. There were still the other members of the Deathsquad Hunters here. But they didn’t stand a chance against their opponents.
Haec watched as all around him, gold and silver flames shot into the air. The Salvos clones zipped around the battlefield, laughing as they unleashed an onslaught of attacks upon the remaining Deathsquad Hunters gathered here.
It was four clones against three Deathsquad Hunters. All three of them were Primeval Demons, and they were some of the most dangerous Demons in the Demon King’s Domain. They were up against apparitions— projections made of essence and mana. The Deathsquad Hunters should have been winning with ease.
And yet, Haec watched as their attacks were deflected. Their defenses were ripped apart. The Salvos clones almost seemed to toy with the Deathsquad Hunters, giggling as they blasted the Primeval Demons apart.
“She doesn’t even need my help…”
Haec murmured, before lowering his head as he heard a notification resound in his head.
“I will deal with that later.”
He took a step back and watched as a rift re-opened in space. He saw Taburas standing there inside the pocket space, with Bertrugil and Aemula hiding in the back. Haec approached them with a reassuring nod.
“Don’t worry, we will be fine as long as we stay inside.”
“We already knew that.”
Bertrugil rolled his eyes, and Haec entered the pocket space. The rift began to close once again.
“Impossible.”
Venas watched with wide eyes as his comrades were taken out one after another. He couldn’t believe it. Each and every single one of them were Primeval Demons— they were the Demon King’s Deathsquad Hunters. Powerful hunters who thrived in the Netherworld.
They weren’t soldiers. They didn’t belong in Regnorex’s army. They were given their special designation for a reason. Because they specialized not in fighting, but in killing. Utterly dismantling their targets in every way possible.
But somehow, they were the ones who were being killed off. Even though they up against four Archdemons and a single Primeval Demon, the five Deathsquad Hunters were losing this battle. And it was all because of…
Venas turned to the figure wreathed in iridescent flames floating right before him. His eyes narrowed as he faced her.
Her name was Salvos. And she was the Enemy.
She wore a grin on her face as she held a blazing scythe to the side.
“Your friends need your help, huh? How about you copy my [Salvo of Vanity] and help them out.”
Salvos tilted her head, before raising a brow mockingly at him.
“Or wait, can you only copy a limited number of Skills? Because that’s really lame. You must be really weak if you can’t even copy five of my Skills.”
“I do not need to copy any more of your Skills to defeat you.”
Venas shook his head as he drifted forward. He raised his own scythe made of purple flames, and he growled.
“And once you are dead, I will bring the heads of friends back to His Majesty.”
Salvos grinned in response.
“You can try.”
And with that, she raised a clawed hand, before unleashing a blast of iridescent flames. In response, Venas just clicked his tongue and sent the same plume of magical fire her way. Their attacks clashed and exploded in the air, shaking the earth with the sheer force of the impact.
Venas dove down low, going beneath the exploding smoke. He began to conjure up weapons of all shapes and sizes. The salvo trailed after him, burning bright as he spotted a figure moving in the gray cloud. He pointed with a savage grin, and the volley of projectiles launched forward.
“Perish by your own Skill!”
He cackled wildly, but the smoke cleared to reveal a sickle cutting through the air. It was connected to a chain, and it quickly wove between the shooting projectiles, lancing straight for Venas.
His eyes narrowed, and he deftly swerved out of the way just in time to see Salvos appearing beneath him. She grinned.
“I caught you!”
She held onto the chain connected to the sickle, before grabbing the sickle itself. Venas watched with wide eyes as she swung the blade for his neck. He gritted his teeth and raised his own flaming scythe.
“You annoying pest!”
Venas parried her strike as large flakes of flame sparked out from the impact of their clash. He spun around, ducking under a series of follow-up swings from the silver-haired girl. He bided his time, waiting for the right moment to strike, before aiming for her neck with his own blade.
“I’ve got you now!”
He swung out with his scythe, but Salvos easily twisted out of the way with a laugh. He watched as she flew up, and he opened his mouth.
“You—”
But before Venas could give chase, she dove right back down to him, landing a kick to his stomach. It happened so quickly, he couldn’t even react. He wasn’t able to dodge out of the way. Her foot was planted right in his abdomen, and he coughed out blood.
He was sent flying back, crashing into the shifting ground as dust and debris exploded into the air. Venas groaned as he got back to his feet. A drop of blood streaked down his cheek, before twisting and floating in the air, carried by Reconstruction.
Venas shook his head as he steadied himself, and he caught a glimpse of Salvos hovering high above with a clawed hand raised to the fractured sky. A ball of iridescent flames coalesced there, growing larger and larger with each passing moment.
“Hey, catch this.”
Salvos grinned, before hurling the flaming sphere down at him. Venas cursed as he raised his scythe.
“Pathetic. [Copy Skill: Radiant Slash]!”
He sliced the attack in half before it could reach him. The sphere split into two halves that crashed into a mountain in the distance. The blast shook the earth as Venas strode forward. He glared up at the smirking figure still floating in the air.
“Do you think that was enough to defeat me?”
He came to a halt right beneath her. She tilted her head.
“Honestly? Not really. I just wanted to see what other Skills you’ve copied from me. And I’m really not impressed. I mean, you’re not even using the divine versions of my Skills!”
Salvos gestured dismissively at him. His brows snapped together. He was Venas— a Captain of the Deathsquad Hunters. He was a Level 188 [Archfiend], and she was only Level 165. He couldn’t see what her Subspecies was, but it didn’t matter. Even if she was a [Hellprincess], he didn’t care. Because he was stronger than her.
“I grow tired of this battle. I shall not drag it out any longer.”
Venas raised a hand to the air, lowering his head. His body seemed to twist and crack as his face elongated. Salvos blinked as his arms grew larger, and back bent forward. He tripled in size, walking forward with four legs. A mask of bones grew over his head, covering his burning gaze as a long mane unfurled across his back.
“[Form: Hellmonstrosity].”
“Um, what?”
Salvos stared at him as he growled back at her. He snarled at her, pawing the ground with a massive claw.
“Did you really think you’re the only one I can steal from? No— I now bear the strength of a [Hellmonstrosity]! Stronger than a [Hellabomination], and faster than a [Hellreaper]! I am more powerful than you can even imagine!”
Venas laughed as a pair of flaming wings spread wide from back. But Salvos didn’t look impressed. She just placed a hand on her chin, nodding to herself.
“So you’re like Levithus, huh? You can transform and grow stronger. Or wait… is this even a Grand Skill?”
Salvos wondered curiously to herself. And Venas snarled at the name.
“I am far more powerful than that Hound!”
He beat his wings once, exploding into the sky. Salvos blinked, before diving back. But she couldn’t react in time. She was too slow. Venas reached her in an instant, swinging down with his claws.
“I’ve got you now! [Copy Skill: Radiant—”
And Salvos just pointed at him.
“Sit.”
Venas blinked as his body froze. He tried to work his jaw. What…? But the thought only echoed in his mind, refusing to leave his mouth. And as he hovered there in the air, Salvos balled her claws into a fist.
“Down!”
She grinned, punching him in the face. Venas yelped as he crashed back into the ground. He landed in the very same crater from before. He growled as he picked himself back up. He glared up at the Enemy as the mask protecting his face was chipped open.
It was a chitin that was stronger than even a [Hellreaper]’s armor. And yet, it was cracked from a single punch. It made no sense to Venas. She was not this strong just moments ago. He roared as he unhinged his jaw.
“I will incinerate you!”
He conjured up the Enemy’s own Skill against her. A copy of [The Holy Flames], creating a fiery sphere that quickly bloated to the size of a small house. In return, Salvos created her own iridescent sphere.
They both hurled their magic at each other as Venas’ eyes flashed. With his current form, not only was his strength and durability enhanced, so was his magical prowess. She could hardly even stand up to his magic just earlier. So now, he should have been able to easily overpower her.
Or so he thought.
Venas watched as the two flaming spheres crashed into each other, before exploding into a large pillar of flames. They clashed with an equal intensity, neither one overpowering each other. His eyes narrowed as he whispered to himself.
“...why?”
He sprinted forward as Salvos flew back. They moved parallel to each other, and the transformed [Archfiend] unleashed fireball after fireball. But each one was countered by an iridescent sphere of flames.
The Deathsquad Hunter Captain roared as the flurry of explosions erupted across the sky.
“This makes no sense!”
He conjured a massive fireball— its flames roiled and twisted, threatening to explode from its sheer size. It dwarfed the [Archfiend]’s transformed body, reaching the size of a small hill. Venas screamed wildly as he unleashed the fiery attack at the Enemy.
“I will show you why I was chosen by the Demon King!”
The bulky fireball streaked slowly across the sky as Salvos narrowed her eyes. She shook her head, letting out a sigh.
“Is that really all you’ve got?”
And she raised a clawed finger, before conjuring a gray spear out of her iridescent flames. She hurled it forward and it cut straight through the bulky fireball. The flames exploded outwards, streaking across the sky. And Venas watched as the projectile landed right before him, before he snarled.
“You missed—”
But with a flash of light, Salvos appeared next to the spear. She grabbed it with her left hand as she swung forward with her scythe with her right hand. Venas tried to back away, but he was too slow.
Salvos slammed the gray scythe into his side, shattering the layer of chitin protecting him. He roared in pain and swiped at her with his right claw. She casually backed out of the way, before thrusting forward with the spear.
Venas reeled as the spear struck his shoulder. He backed away with both the scythe and the spear sticking out of his sides. He reached over to yank them out— to use them as his own weapon. But Salvos was faster. She flew forward, grabbing him by the face as his eyes went wide.
How…? the thought crossed his mind. Venas could barely even keep up with her movements as she smashed his face against the ground while still still flying forward. He was dragged through the earth, leaving behind a streak of rubble in his wake. She was not this fast just a minute ago!
It was almost like Salvos had somehow grown stronger throughout the battle. Because he had grown stronger himself with his transformation, and they were equal in strength. So she had to have a Skill that was helping her keep up… no, exceed him.
Unless… The realization began to settle in. She was playing with me this whole time!
Venas stared up at the grinning silver-haired girl as she dragged him across the breaking ground. He couldn’t believe it— he refused to believe it. She could have defeated him from the very moment he showed up. But she chose to toy with him, just to see what other Skills he had hidden up his sleeve.
But she is only Level 165! It doesn’t matter what her Subspecies is, she cannot— Venas paused when he looked at the Enemy. And for the first time, he truly saw her. Wreathed in her iridescent flames, with a pair of horns resting on her head like a crown. She was… she was…
[Lesser God - Lvl. 165]
Impossible, Venas thought as the words flashed in his mind. She had been masking her Subspecies this whole time, and now she revealed it to him. She was a Lesser God. At Level 165, she had become a Lesser God.
It was incomprehensible. Venas didn’t want to believe it. But it was real. It was the truth. He couldn’t defeat her because she was a Lesser God.
I… He tried to muster out, but Salvos let go of him. He blinked, only to be struck by a powerful kick. She crashed straight into a mountain, leaving behind a crater at the very top. He gritted his teeth.
“I will not lose!”
Venas roared as he rose back to his feet. He saw the Lesser God zipping straight down at him, and he swiped forward with his claws. But she easily avoided the attack, before landing a flaming claw into his abdomen.
He wheezed, stumbling back. He opened his mouth.
“You are—”
And Salvos landed three quick flaming strikes across his face. The chitin masking him continue to tear off as he was beaten into the ground. She did not let up, landing punch after punch. She took a step back as he flopped over before her.
“You really are durable, huh? Well, that’s fine. I’ll show you exactly how powerful my Skills truly are.”
He did not respond. She raised a clawed hand. It burned with a wisping black flame, glowing with an iridescent aura. And she struck him across the chest.
“[Divine Radiant Slash].”
Venas whimpered as she broke through his chitin and tore through his hard skin. Salvos leapt back, conjuring up a dozen flaming projectiles. A volley of explosions overcame him.
“[The Holy Flames].”
He lay there, burnt and bloodied and broken. Most of his chitin was gone. He could hardly even move. But he was still alive.
“And…”
Salvos walked up to him as he raised his head. Venas groaned, trying to get back to his feet. He inhaled weakly as a sharp pain cut across his chest. And yet, he refused to surrender.
“I can still fight—”
He started, before he burst into flames. His eyes went wide as he saw the gold and gray flames eat away at his body. He tried to roll on the ground— to swipe the flames off. But it didn’t vanish. It continued to burn him even more.
“[Sacred Hellfire].”
Salvos shook her head as she knelt before the squirming figure. She smiled, placing her hands cutely on either of her cheeks.
“Perfect for someone as durable as you.”
Venas opened his mouth, and the [Sacred Hellfire] poured down his lips. He screamed, unable to muster out any words. No matter what he did, the flames refused to be washed away. He burned himself. He ripped apart his own skin. But nothing worked.
Nothing would save him. He just lay there as his defenses slowly burned away, and Salvos shook her head.
“I told you, didn’t I? I wasn’t even really trying. I was just waiting to see what Grand Skills you had. But… you didn’t have any, I guess…”
Venas blinked. He wanted to protest. But all he could do was watch her walk away with a smile as he burned. Until the last of his chitin was gone.
Until he was dead.
