Hero of Darkness

The battle raged on between the Hero of Nature and Cherufe, shaking the heavens and threatening to lay waste to the earth. Neither combatant showed any inclination to surrender, their determination unwavering.

Slash!

With a tremendous swing, the Hero of Nature's colossal greatsword, infused with darkness and lightning, slashed through the outer exterior of Cherufe's armor-like body. The strike created a deep wound, causing the mythical monster's chest to shatter like fragile glass, its form crumbling under the immense power of the blow.

"Useless heap of crystals! Is that all there is to you?

Did all those people die to a braindead monster?!" shouted the Hero and kicked the opponent's chest, sending it flying 3 kilometers away.

Undeterred, the monster continued its assault on the Hero's titanic figure, relentlessly launching incomprehensibly hard and lethal diamond bullets. The projectiles, driven by the monster's immense strength, aimed to pierce through any defense the Hero could muster.

Boom!

Bang!

The relentless exchange of attacks and counterattacks persisted between the Hero and Cherufe, each side refusing to yield.

[Get out of my way! You have no idea what's coming!] a sudden telepathic message echoed in the Hero's mind.

"There's no chance, no room for negotiation after what you've done!" the Hero retorted, his tone resolute. As he spoke, he deftly evaded one of the four pillars that had acted as Cherufe's legs, which were revealed to be the strongest and hottest long-range extensions of the monster's body.

The pillar attacks left deep dents and holes on the Hero's near-indestructible shield, which had been faithfully protecting him from the onslaught of diamond bullets. If even a single one of these attacks had landed, it would have ripped through a 20-story building, causing it to collapse like a house of cards.

[Have it your way then, Human.] Cherufe responded, his tone betraying a sense of urgency.

Meanwhile, Juno and the remaining soldiers, though not saints themselves, observed the battle from a vantage point that allowed them to witness the unfathomable size and scale of the combatants. The enormity of the battle was such that it could decimate cities on Earth with the sheer magnitude of destruction unleashed when both sides attacked with their full power.

Even Juno, a 3rd stage saint, knew that she would suffer fatal wounds if caught in the crosshairs of this grand and terrifying clash, which appeared like a skirmish between gods to their mortal eyes.

However, despite the awe-inspiring nature of the battle, such confrontations between saints and mythical monsters were considered relatively normal in Vantrea.

SWOOM!

At this critical moment on the battlefield, a tremendous surge of world energy emanated, filling the air with its palpable intensity. The Hero, seizing the opportunity, executed a powerful vertical slashing maneuver, channeling the immense power of his Terra Domain into a single devastating strike.

Boom!!

As the Hero's attack connected with Cherufe, the sheer force and intensity of the strike caused the sea to momentarily part in a dramatic display. For a fleeting moment, the water split into two distinct paths, creating a mesmerizing sight that defied natural laws as the power unleashed by the Hero's attack reverberated through the battlefield.

Sizzle!

Rumble!

The seawater sizzled as the Hero's sword plunged into the ocean, sending a massive burst of smoke and steam spreading in a three-kilometer radius. The sound of the impact echoed throughout the nearby islands, signifying a decisive strike against the mythical monster.

For a moment, the Hero's expression became elated, convinced that their opponent had finally been defeated.

However, as the smoke cleared, a gasp escaped the Hero's lips at the sight before them.

The undamaged figure of the mythical monster had reappeared, towering over the ocean's surface. This time, however, it was different.

The monster was not only unharmed but appeared to have completely healed, as if none of the previous attacks had even touched it.

The Hero's heart sank at the realization that they were not dealing with an ordinary foe.

"How is this possible?" the Hero muttered, eyeing the monster warily.

[That is its most powerful life saving skill it can use periodically.] messaged Juno.

The Hero's mind raced, searching for a strategy to defeat the formidable monster before them. They knew that they had to act fast before the monster could unleash its full power once more.

"I see." the Hero said, his voice firm.

"Then I will have to kill it before it can use it again, or I'll just injure it too many times till it can no longer use it." responded the Hero of Nature.

At this moment, those two were the only viable battle tactics anyone could use.

An hour passed…

With the help of his domain and divine ability, the Hero of Nature dominated the entire battle.

But the monster kept shifting through a different spectral form whenever the hero tried to land the finishing blow.

[Get out of my way or die!] the Cherufe threatened the Hero while his aura burst and shook the entire battlefield.

"Is that so? Then why didn't you use this ability to get past the forces before I came?

That's the biggest drawback of your skill, isn't it?" a smirk appeared on the titan hero after he realized a fact.

The Cherufe, a mythical monster of immense power, was not without limitations. Whenever it desired to move to another location, it had to manifest itself in the physical world. This meant that it couldn't use its incorporeal form to traverse distances, rendering it vulnerable to physical attacks.

And that was the reason why Juno was able to stall it for all this time.

If the Cherufe lacked the ability to phase shift or if it were merely another 5th-stage saint, its demise at the hands of the Hero would have been swift and certain. However, it was precisely due to this limitation that the mythical monster found itself trapped, unable to escape the relentless onslaught of the battlefield and the colossal Hero of Nature.

Though the Cherufe skillfully evaded the Hero's attacks, it could only manage to do so by the narrowest of margins, clinging to survival amidst a barrage of powerful blows. This constant dance of evasion and near misses kept the mythical monster confined to its current location, unable to venture beyond the battlefield's bounds.

[You know that you can't kill me on your own. Yet why do you try to insistently?] asked Cherufe, suffering from intense exhaustion.

"Because a soldier doesn't care about the consequences when it comes to protecting people back at home."

5 Hours Later…

The tide of the battle had undergone a complete reversal, leaving the Hero of Nature battered and exhausted. Because the Cherufe itself revealed its hidden powers...

The relentless onslaught of crystalline projectiles, capable of momentarily bypassing solid objects, had taken a severe toll on the Hero.

This unique ability of the mythical monster turned each projectile into an unavoidable homing missile, leaving the Hero with little room for escape. The Hero's titan physique, once formidable, now bore the marks of severe injury.

Yet, despite the onslaught, the Hero had not succumbed to defeat. The key to his endurance lay in his constant regeneration of life force, a power derived from absorbing the surrounding world energy. This remarkable ability allowed the Hero to continually replenish his strength, providing a lifeline amidst the chaotic battlefield.

The Hero of Nature's remarkable endurance owed much to his 2nd Divine Ability, Undying Pyres.

Like a fruit nurtured and preserved by nature itself, as long as the Hero remained connected to the world around him, whether it be the ground or the sea, he could not die. The life force of the surrounding world would continue to heal him even if he was on the brink of death.

Though not as instant as Kahn's regeneration skill he received from Cthulhu, the Hero's power could heal wounds that spanned 100 meters in width and depth on his titan form.

Coupled with the fact that the battlefield was his own domain, his class also allowed for periodic healing.

The ability was a testament to the Hero's deep connection to the world and his unwavering resolve to protect it. His haggard state was no match for his unyielding spirit, for he was a knight who would never stop fighting even in the face of inevitable death.

[Lord Hero! The evacuations are nearly done. I and the rest will hold the front even if we die.

Once your world energy runs out… even your domain will vanish and your divine abilities won't be effectively able to heal you. You should leave and call back for backup.

Your life is more important than mine and everyone else.] said the fenrirborne saintess out of genuine concern for the man who saved their lives.

"I don't trade lives, lady." replied the Hero with a serious voice, his tone full of resolve to stop the mythical monster here before it took any more lives.

The Hero of Nature chuckled in response and asked...

"Besides... What are you talking about?"

His titan body stood tall and proud, reinvigorated while taking a deep breath as he tightened his grip on both the shield and the greatsword. His eyes shone with an indomitable will, the kind that could defy even the heavens themselves.

"I can do this all day."