Chapter 136 - Ice Dragon

A/N: I realized why I hated writing Ashura as well as continuing his battle with Veldora. Its because I can't write super complex overpowered abilities of True Dragons. If you read tensura LN, you'll notice that the fighting are always vague unless they are mentioning skills and arts. They don't show the combat. They only show powerful attacks.

....

Guy sat cautiously on his throne as he waited for the Eastern Empire to make their move. While the foot soldiers and their machinery were indeed moving through the Forest of Jura, they could not be the only force they had prepared. Not from someone like Rudra, the Emperor.

"You don't look as excited as I thought you'd be," Velzard, the Ice True Dragon, said as she leaned against the throne, sitting comfortably on the armrest to his right.

Guy sighed, looking away from her. Normally, he would be brimming with excitement now that they had finally reached the climax of their long-standing rivalry and game.

But...

"Rimuru is in the way," he said with a frown, recalling the confident grin on the silver Primordial. "I doubt Rudra could even reach the West. He is too much of an anomaly, not to mention his strength is equal to or stronger than ours."

"Oh?" Velzard raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. Admitting that about Rimuru was something she had not expected him to do. "Do you really think that?"

Guy scoffed and stood from the throne, his gaze unfocused. "Does Rudra have a True Dragon? He may have as many saints or hero-level pawns as he wants, but I doubt he has anything that can fight Rimuru and Velgrynd at the same time. Not to mention, Rimuru brought back Ultima and Carrera. Even Lait was sighted during the meeting in Ingracia."

"One True Dragon, three Primordials, one Seraph, as well as an army of monsters including Onis," Velzard counted aloud as she walked slowly toward the First Demon Lord. Her tone was lighthearted, but she studied his every move carefully.

Guy scratched the back of his head and glanced at his two Primordial servants, Rain and Misery, who stood silently, awaiting orders. "Ramiris is also there."

Velzard's expression turned neutral. She stepped closer, and in the next instant, a burst of magicules surged from her clenched fist as she lunged toward his head.

Guy reacted instantly, drawing his mythical-grade sword and blocking the surprise strike.

Internally, Rain and Misery felt a flicker of panic at the sudden escalation. The attack had come without warning, so unexpected that they almost lost their composure. Showing visible concern for their lord, Guy Crimson, would be considered an insult to his strength and their trust in his victory.

Even so, this opponent was different. This was not like fighting another Demon Lord. Whether they were true or only seeds made no difference to the Red Primordial. But fighting Velzard, the White Ice Dragon, whose matches with him always ended in stalemates, was a serious threat even for someone like Guy.

"What's the deal, Velzard?" Guy asked with a frown, holding his blade in a guarded stance close to his body. His eyes narrowed as he watched her begin to transform.

White light enveloped Velzard's body as her form began to change. The familiar shape she used to release her natural magicules was gone.

"Guy, I really, really, really do love you," she said in a sing-song tone that dripped with unsettling sweetness.

Her body grew. Gone was the form that barely resembled adulthood with traces of childish features. Now she stood tall and voluptuous, a stunningly beautiful woman that would captivate anyone who saw her.

Of course, anyone of lower level would have already died from the overwhelming aura emanating from her. The way she moved and the tone in her voice sent chills down Guy's spine.

"Are you being controlled?" he asked, almost rhetorically, as Velzard hugged herself tightly. The smile on her face widened as she stepped toward him.

Guy sensed traces of manipulation in her, but something about it felt wrong. Before he could think further, Velzard dashed forward and attacked.

The clash sent both of them flying out of the ice castle and into the desolate, frozen wasteland Velzard had created.

Seeing their lord launched through the air, the two maids prepared to follow.

However,

Someone appeared in front of them.

Their eyes widened as they saw multiple pairs of white, feathered wings.

"Why do I have to do this," the intruder muttered, clicking his tongue. Three pairs of angel wings unfurled from his back as he raised his sword and shield, glaring at the two maids.

Another figure descended beside him, wielding a large blade with both hands. "Please surrender quietly so we can finish this fast."

"Zaloria."

"Obera."

Rain and Misery spoke the names of the Seraphs, bracing themselves for battle. They felt no fear, but the power difference was too large to ignore. Victory was unlikely.

"Hmph." Zaloria dematerialized his shield and thrust forward with his open palm. "Dark Eight Palms."

A dense aura formed into a magic bullet in his hand before firing. It split into eight separate projectiles aimed directly at them.

Rain and Misery evaded the blast, but the bullets followed with homing precision.

Misery activated her flight magic and twisted through the air to avoid the blasts.

Meanwhile, Rain summoned ice shields on the ground to block the attack. She poured extra magicules into the construct to strengthen it, hoping to reduce the impact.

As she crouched behind the shield, a massive greatsword pierced the center, shattering the barrier. She had no choice but to retreat and abandon the spell to absorb the attack.

Rain glared at Obera, who descended slowly, retrieving her blade from the ground. Without saying a word, she raised the sword with one hand, showing no signs of strain. She rushed toward Rain and began slashing with fluid, deadly precision. Rain dodged as best she could.

In the sky, Misery was visibly injured as Zaloria broke through her defense, swinging his mythical-grade sword to strike at her body.

The two Primordials found themselves in a dire situation. Death was drawing near.

Their fight tore through the structure of the ice castle. The walls collapsed, the ceiling cracked, and the sound of falling, rumbling ice echoed through the remains of the throne room.

The battle was about to end.

Zaloria and Obera now stood near the throne. Rain and Misery lay on the cracked floor. Misery's body was riddled with slashes that refused to heal. Rain, her arms severed, bled heavily from her face.

"Let's finish this," Zaloria said, leaping forward. He raised his blade to deliver a final strike. "Holy Severance."

Before the attack could land, someone blocked it.

A massive shield, adorned in gold and white, appeared in front of the two demons. It absorbed the strike meant to end their lives, at least for now.

"This shield..." Obera narrowed her eyes, scanning the area. She recognized it immediately. "Zaloria, be on guard. She is here."

Zaloria jumped back with a grim expression. "What is she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be in the Citadel?"

"I am very disappointed in you two," a calm yet firm voice called out. The figure appeared beside the now-vanished shield. She had the same short blonde hair, and three pairs of angel wings spread behind her back.

This time, she wore no armor. Not the armor the Seraphim knew so well, the one paired with a mythical-grade shield and short sword.

"Why are you here, Ciel?" Zaloria shouted, gritting his teeth. The battle had shifted completely.

"I could ask you the same," she replied, eyes fixed on Obera, who looked away. "Weren't you assigned to guard the Insectars and Ivarage? Do not tell me you are siding with Feldway and his plan."

Obera held her gaze, as if trying to communicate something unspoken.

"We have nothing to say to you," Zaloria barked and charged.

With a metallic clash, the first thing he saw was a flash of blue and green.

He snarled.

Rain and Misery now stood in front of Ciel, fully healed and radiating greater power. Evolving into True Demon Lords had elevated their strength, and Ciel had given them a further push to enhance their chances.

Still not enough to defeat Seraphim, but enough to draw out the fight and force their enemies to take them seriously.

"You think evolution is enough to beat us?" Zaloria sneered, firing mana bullets at Misery while Rain moved in close. "We have material bodies and centuries more experience. Fighting the Insectars for untold ages has sharpened us!"

Ciel ignored his boasting. Her focus shifted behind him.

"Planetes Bombing."

Obera's blade struck Zaloria's back, delivering a massive divine slash. He gasped, stumbling forward as blood poured from his wounds. Feathers from his wings scattered in the air.

Obera landed beside Ciel.

"You... since when?" Zaloria growled, pain and betrayal in his voice. Obera was the last one he had expected to turn.

"Just now," Ciel answered for her. She stepped forward, placing a hand on his head. "Force Evolution."

[Confirmed. Ultimate Skill: Lord of Judgement: Israfil evolves to... Ultimate Skill: Lord of Retribution: Metis.]

"Wha-" Zaloria looked at her, stunned. Confusion filled his face until a flash of realization passed over him. His gaze softened, a new clarity overtaking him.

Obera quickly began healing him. The damage had only been enough to weaken him temporarily, wounds he could recover from, given time.

"I see," Zaloria said, now standing upright. He looked at Obera, then at Ciel. "I was being manipulated by Feldway."

Ciel nodded, turning toward Obera. "We should go. I'll explain the plan later."

With her words, all three Seraphs vanished, leaving the two Primordials standing alone amidst the wreckage.

....

Guy clicked his tongue after sensing the three presences vanish.

At first, he had begun to worry, seeing his subordinates at a disadvantage and about to be killed. He was preparing to launch a massive strike in the direction of the castle, hoping to give them a chance to escape earlier.

Luckily, Lait, or Ciel as they called her, arrived to help the two maids. She even managed to drag two Seraphs to her side and betray Feldway, who he assumed was the ringleader behind everything currently happening.

He thought she would do the same for him, helping her with Velzard and maybe even removing the manipulation on her. Instead, she left as soon as she finished helping.

"Did she even come to help, or did she just come to take those two to her side? Did she save them on purpose, or was it all just coincidence?"

He turned toward Velzard, who was furiously attacking him. He didn't have the leeway to speak with others, let alone call out to Ciel, who was the only one nearby that could truly help him.

While he was grateful for Rain and Misery's evolution, it was still not enough to help him in his own fight with a True Dragon.

"Hey, Velzard," he muttered.

"Guy~ I love, love, love you," she purred, casting yet another spell aimed directly at him.

A magic circle materialized above their heads. Its diameter was as large as a city, all its power focused on a single target.

"That's why, die!"

Tens of thousands of white ice pillars rained from the sky. It was a terrifying, yet mesmerizing sight. A barrage of countless projectiles fell toward the First Demon Lord as he fought the one who had cast the spell.

Guy was beginning to lose his cool as he readied his blade. It was still too early to make any bold moves against his opponent, especially Velzard, who knew exactly how he fought.

Deciding it was better to buy time and see how things unfolded, he made a massive upward swing of his blade, World, into the sky. A large fissure tore through the incoming ice-covered assault.

The wide gap formed a slash-shaped hole in the falling storm, but it was quickly filled by the surrounding ice pillars still descending on him.

"Nuclear Flame," he called, firing upward with enhanced strength and power. The heat melted the continuous volley of spells aimed at him. Once he finished analyzing the magic circle, the spell collapsed and the sky cleared.

Swinging his sword at Velzard, she blocked it with her arm, now covered in snow-white scales. She then thrust her other hand at his chest.

Guy quickly bent his body sideways and redirected his blade toward her head. Velzard dodged, her eyes gleaming, then opened her mouth wide. Energy surged within.

She unleashed a blast of white dragon breath.

Guy pulled his sword back and brought it close to his chest for protection as the powerful wave blew him through the sky.

Suddenly, he felt his body grow sluggish. Slower. His gaze locked on Velzard.

She had invoked her ultimate skill.

He smirked. If she was going to start using her full power, then it was time for him to do the same.

With Lord of Pride: Lucifer at his command, he accessed the abilities within his records. Quickly using them, his speed returned to its former level and his strength surged. He had copied Velgrynd's Ultimate Skill.

He had only seen it a few times before, but it was a strong counter to Velzard's own ability. It served as a deterrent. The two skills balanced each other, if not for the fact that Velzard was clearly the stronger one between them.

Though the current Velgrynd at the Citadel would no doubt argue that she now surpassed her big sister.

Suddenly, the world stopped moving.

Time froze.

Guy cracked his neck as Velzard activated suspended world.

The true battle was about to begin.

A/N: A battle I won't fucking write! Lol. Agghhh, I hate this...

Sometimes, I feel like I am too transparent with my feelings for my story to you guys. I am my number one hater after all.

I know this because, if you're still reading this story after two whole years, then you have got to at least been reading this to past the time. The haters would have long quit before even the midpart of the story.