Lord Shadow

Raymond hold his mangled hand and laughed with satisfaction. He was five feet away from Azief, maintaining a safe distance from him.

Raymond look at his hand and he notices his right hand is turning black, withering and rotting, like Time is eating his hand.

‘HAHAHA’ he laughed before he produce a dagger on his left hand and decisively cut of his right hand

Blood spurted and Raymond winces in pain but he did not scream. Azief on the other hand looking at Raymond in amusement.

‘You make my knuckles numb. That is a pretty huge accomplishment ‘he said and while it seems that he is taunting Raymond he was actually complimenting Raymond.

Azief could only count in one hand a person who is in Energy Disperse Stage that could make a Seed Forming high Realm like him to feel numb after exchanging fist.

‘Hmph’ Raymond just chuckles. He knew from the start he was not Azief match but he got to try.

‘We can talk about this. You doing this will not benefit humanity at all. It is in the best interest of Earth if we could solve this in a peaceful manner. I don’t want a war’ Raymond said, his left arm is still flowing with blood.

‘Will you give Will to me?’ Azief asked simply. Azief also don’t want this war. He doesn’t want to spill blood.

He don’t want to start killing hundred and thousands of people inside the Inner Walls of the World Government and be branded a demon.

He also didn’t want to contend with all the world heroes.

But more importantly it is because inside the Inner Wall is people. Azief is not a bloodthirsty killer and he certainly don’t want to kill innocent.

Like Raymond, he also understand what would happens if he decimated most of the troops inside the World Government.

One day, when the threats from beyond the stars come, the world, Earth, will need an army.

But he could not let Will go. And conceding is not his style anymore. If he with this much power and strength still concede, then how could he called himself a man.

Raymond shake his head.

Giselle approached Raymond almost immediately after Raymond was afflicted with injury.

She then activated her magic power and she was glowing white standing behind Raymond, reciting some undecipherable words, as a soothing wind covered Raymond and his arms slowly regrow back form the bones, to the nerves and to the flesh.

Raymond winces in pain but he did not complained and swivel his head and smiles at Giselle for trying to help him

Azief just looked at Gisele healing ability without any indication he was about to stop her but the tension on this entrance of the gate is still as tense as it was before.

The ground on the entrance was already destroyed with boulders of soils was clumped on one side of the gate and the heat from their last clash still not dissipating as time distortions still waving around in the area of their clash like the waves of an ocean before slowly dissipating.

Azief look at Raymond and sighed

‘Then there is no talk.’ Azief was about to go through the gates of the wall when suddenly a chain of steel flies out of him, intending to chain him to where he stand.

The sound of steel was grating to the ears the steel was five meter thick and twelve feet long with gray color.

‘Humph’ Azief snorted, his face full of disdain.

He waved his hand and his Thirteen Attributes forms to a wave of energy that spread out to cover that metal chain and it cracked and immediately melted in one second.

The wind spreads over made solid with the Thirteen Attributes and knocked over Arno who immediately held up a Steel Shield which exploded, its fragments turns into dust as Arno was thrown fifty meters back, coughing blood from his lungs.

It was like he was hit by a fucking mountain. His energy was devour by some external force, as black miasma covered his chest are and eating at his armour like acid was thrown into metal.

And Arno felt like is going crazy with images of war and chaos filled his head. He tries to stimulate his energy but the more he tries to do this the more he felt suffocated.

‘Uhuk, Uhuk’ he coughed black clot of blood from his mouth that clumped like a moth ball and Giselle shouted in shock looking at Arno condition

‘Arno!’ She open her other unoccupied hand and pointed to Arno. Her hand then shot out a white orb to Arno and he immediately gain some measure of health.

His face regains back its color and he stopped coughing lumps of black blood.

Her other hand is still healing Raymond. This all happens in a matter of seconds after the clash between Azief and Raymond.

Azief take a step towards the direction of Arno, his eyes shines dangerously

‘Kid. Who are you that you think you good enough to fight in the Big League? A trifling Energy Disperse Stage Low Realms and you think you can fight with the big boys.’ And Azief chuckles

Even as Azief was saying this behind him, a thirty foot Kraken emerged from the sea without warning, scaring the hell out of all the people in the entrance of the Wall, and the top of the Wall, and is rushing through the sand, and his target is Azief.

The people on the top of the Wall screamed in shock.

The land quaked and the sea went crazy as big waves rocked the beach and water as high as three storied buildings were formed and was about to hit Azief and the island

One could only imagine the impact of this Kraken made Tsunami to this Island.

The wind howled because of the pressure and it was like the whole island would be capsized by the very weight of the Kraken.

Yet, if one looks carefully and calmly, one could see that some people are not panicking or afraid. Like Oreki, Raymond, Arno and Gisele.

Arno still rubbing his chest and drinking potions, Giselle performing the last measures of healing on Raymond, Raymond looking at Azief with another determination to exchange attacks and Oreki who looked at all of this as nothing more than a farce.

And Azief who look at the Kraken rushing to him with an apparent disinterest

The troops that have already retreated far enough from the battles seeing the high water coming to them was scared out of their wits.

Some wets themselves in fear. While other kneels and pray to their God or Gods.

Azief however only snorted.

‘Illusions?’ Azief stomped his feet as Seed Forming pressure broke the speed of sound and sonic boom could be heard and his pressure surged up to the clouds opening the sky.

When he stomped his feet the land that was stomped beneath his feet, instead of crumpling up and turns to dust, Azief utilizes his energy to create a ripple of energy

This ripples of energy collided with the Kraken and the waves and like a bell tolling in the empty space, it tolls with a sound that could pierce the sky and reached the Heavens.

And the Kraken and the waves, and the sea water high tower, suddenly like the sound of breaking glass, the image of this stuff of nightmares cracked like somebody throwing a hammer into a mirror and then the images exploded into bits of white mist.

Hikigaya standing far away from Azief slumped to the ground as his ears and eyes are bleeding profusely as backlash against his failed illusions.

He quickly popped a few rejuvenating pills into his mouth and smiles bitterly looking at Azief.

Azief penetrating visions and coupled with his Divine Sense he already notices these tricks of Hikigaya.

It would surely work if the person Hikigaya fight is lower or only slightly higher level than Hikigaya but Hikigaya is fighting a man a whole higher realm than him

Azief could not help but thinks of them as merely trifling tricks. Then Azief moves again and he is near the Gate again

He is only twelve step away from the Gate. Arno who was humiliated before rushed towards the Gate and once again hurl his hand and gray steel chains appears out of nowhere as it shot out to Azief.

As Arno throws his steel chains, a gigantic sword emerged from the ground heading towards him.

Raymond in the distance is putting his hand on the ground, willing it to bide his will, Giselle on the other hand holding up his plan up into the sky as the clouds open and a ray of light covered her and Raymond.

‘This is getting stale’ Azief said before his eyes lit up and balls of fire were shot out and melted the chains.

And Azief even had the chance to flick fire to Arno stomach boring a hole into his steel armor as Arno dropped down keeling in pain.

The gigantic sword heading to him was punched by his fist and it immediately exploded into bits of rubbles.

Azief could no longer ignore this repeated attempt to delay him

With one step, space and time distorted around him as sonic boom once again sounded out, indicating Azief was moving surpassing the speed of sound.

Azief appeared almost immediately in front of Arno and Arno face was priceless.

Still hurting over the last attack, Arno hand was in his stomach, when Azief appeared in front of him and with his fist tightened Azief punch him in the face

His punch connected, a boom sound sounded as waves of energy exploded out from that punch and Arno was rendered unconscious almost immediately and was flung to the wall.

He crashed to the wall as his bones cracked and broken, bloodied and beaten it was like he was a broken kite.

Terrible wounds riddled his face as his teeth all flown away, only blood covering Arno face like a mask.

The wall shakes because of the impact of Arno colliding with the Wall and the pressure ripples all across the Walls than even people in the Eastern Walls could feel the shakings.

‘One down, four to go.’ Nobody had even had the chance to stop or see Azief incredible speed.

They only saw steel chains flying to him, a gigantic sword emerged from the ground to impale him, and he destroy these two attack effortless and disappear and appear in front of Arno.

‘It’s getting harder to control my strength. Azief said to himself. He look at his hand contemplating that his control of power is still sorely lacking.

He almost killed the kid when suddenly the sound of thunder booming could be heard and forces Azief to broke out from his contemplation.

On top of his head, the dark clouds was shining with golden lightning and booming sound of thunders filled the island.

The clouds were full of lighting roaring, like the weapons of the Sky God, ready to be hurled down to his enemies.

Then a sound exploded in the clouds.

Ten large lightning bolts are heading to Azief like a spear from the sky comes to punish him from the Heavens.

The bolts of lightning were red like blood and malevolent aura swirled around the bolts and the sound of its buzzing drowns other sound.

It was one meter away from Azief when he smirks and uses Shadow Step and disappears from his position.

With the sound of something blinking, he disappears as he teleports away from the attack of the sky

A void of darkness appears ten feet away from Azief original position. Azief look at the lightning striking the ground, leaving a large sinkhole with amusement.

Oreki panicked as he could feel his hair standing up, his senses is screaming to him and he immediately tries to turns his body around only to be stunned in shock.

Why?

Because the place where Azief teleported is behind him and before he got the chance to turn around a voice shocked him and it was like he was bind by something.

Azief uses Shadow Bind to make Oreki stay still and unable to move. With such a close distance between them the effects multiplied.

‘Hmph, and to think you were considered a threat by my officials’ Azief said coldly as he thrust out his hand to Oreki back.

With the sound of a sharp object slicing a slab of meat, Azief hand penetrated Oreki back and grab his heart from the inside

Red blood gushed down from the point of stabbing, raining down on the crumpled ground as Oreki could only moan in pain and shock, unable to move.

Oreki could only feel…..the pain of having his heart ripped out from his body.

The troops who could see all this happens gasped and shock fill their heats.

Azief grab Oreki heart from his body viciously and hold a beating human heart on his left hand as Oreki slowly slid down and falls to the ground, unmoving

‘Two down, three to go’ he said it calmly like this was a game.

‘YOU!’ Giselle shouted as she already finished healing Raymond three seconds ago and she open her arms wide as a healing circle envelops the other lords of World Government nourishing Hikigaya, Raymond and herself and gives them buff in strength and agility.

‘Don’t be so mad. It is only an avatar’ Azief said smiling under his hood and like confirming his word, the lying body of Oreki exploded into harmless lightning snakes that slithers the ground before dissipating.

The heart on Azief hands also dissipated and Azief just smiles as he looked at Giselle like he was a predator looking at a prey.

Somewhere in a nondescript cave behind the Quorum building a man who is sitting on the ground coughed up blood and he holds his heart

He was clad in yellow lightning, his armour cracked suddenly and his face turns pale. His lazy eyes widened because of the pain and shock.

‘Bastard’ he cursed as he rubs the area around his heart

‘It hurts! He at least could afford going easy on me’ He said before standing up.

Oreki knows from the start that he is not match. He only enter the battle to delay Lord Shadow and help Hirate prepares.

That is why he only send his avatar. His avatar only possess fifty percent of his full power but if his avatar dies he is still affected a bit.

‘I’m not crazy as Raymond’ he said to himself. Oreki is not as battle crazy as Raymond that would set his life on the line just to gain experience in fighting.

And he is not as diligent like Arno and Giselle. Those two kids are not a match for Lord Shadow but still try to overexert themselves.

Giselle could only bless and heal while Arno just reached Energy Disperse Stage realm. Lord Shadow will broke them

The other reason is because he didn’t want to offend Lord Shadow and at the same time he could not shirk his duties to the World Government.

Now, Hirate couldn’t say Oreki did not do his duty and Lord Shadow couldn’t say he Oreki made it hard for him.

Oreki knows from the very first moment he appeared with the lightning bolt Azief already knows he was just a lightning avatar

‘Troublesome, troublesome’ he complained before getting up and he turns into a yellow lightning bolt that shot out to the Quorum building

Meanwhile, on the entrance of the World Government Azief is only eleven steps from the Gate and only thirty second has passed.

Thirty second and two Energy Disperse Stage user has already been incapacitated. Hikigaya look at the back of Lord Shadow moving to the gate and the people parted giving him way, like Moses parting the Red Sea.

He knows he could not halt Lord Shadow advances so when he meet Azief eyes, he just nodded and Azief also nodded.

He knows when he is beaten. White mist comes from the oceans and envelopes Hikigaya and then the mist disperses and Hikigaya lanky figure is gone.

Raymond seeing this could only sigh.

But this is enough time for Hirate to do his stuff. If Hirate uses Protocol Six to catch Lord Shadow then that is enough.

Azief don’t know this but in Loki timeline he did get caught by the World Government and spent years in captivity of the World government which is why he held such along grudge against the World Government long after his ascension.

It is also the reason why in that timeline he is called petty. No matter the matters, if it involves the World Government, The Prince will never make it easy for the World Government.

But, this Azief and that Azief is different. In that timeline, Azief was never called the strongest man in the world. He was only called that after his ascension.

And at that time he wasn’t really qualified to be termed as man or human anymore. Azief is now ten step away from the Gate.

Raymond look at Giselle and said

‘Thanks, kid. Now go.’

‘But-‘

‘It’s enough. Now the preparation is complete.’

Protocol Six is the Protocol of employing a thousand man energy to powered up the Trapping Array that is placed under the island. And when Raymond said under the island, he really means the entire island.

When Hirate once again uses his Artifact to create this landmass in the Vast Sea, he made an agreement with Lee Sangmin if Lee Sangmin help him create a Defense Array and Trapping Array.

Lee Sangmin carved both of that array formation in the solid tears before Hirate throws it to the bottom of the ocean and birthed a new island.

Hirate always foresee that one day the world will birth a person that could not be constrained by normal means or numbers.

Thus the array was created and the Protocol Six was enacted and can only be used when a calamity befalls the very foundation of the World Government.

Lee Sangmin guaranteed unless the World Government is not trapping a Disk Formation User, then the trapping Array could trap any Seed Forming user no matter the level of his realm.

And that array most powerful spot to trap a threat to the World government is the spot where Will is caged.

Nine steps to the gates. Raymond gesture Giselle to leave and she was taken by a hand made of mud, dragging her to burrow underground.

Eight steps to the gate.

By now the soldiers in the wall is waiting for Raymond orders whether to fire their weapons to Lord Shadow.

Seven steps to the gate.

Raymond was just in front of the gate and Lord Shadow is coming closer to him. But he did not order the men to fire.

He did not order the men to attack. All of them were reduced to be spectators in a play.

Decorations in what an otherwise a boring frescoes. And they pray that today, no blood would be spilled.

Raymond also prays for the same thing. He doesn’t want a war. Not now. And Raymond could feel that Azief doesn’t want a war too.

Both of them knows why this war could not be fought or prolonged but both sides are not willing to find peace.

Not willing to concede.

Hirate could give Will to Azief but if he do that then he also essentially handing Azief the greatest secret of the World government and its source of power.

But Raymond knows Hirate. If Hirate could give Will to Azief, he would not have trapped Will. He would have already executed him

But like Raymond, Hirate also doesn’t want a full on war with Lord Shadow. So this matter comes down to trust.

Could Hirate trust Lord Shadow enough to give him the World Government most treasured secret?

No, he couldn’t. That is why this battle is fought. That is why Raymond had to delay him. That is why blood need to be spilled.

Because Hirate can’t trust Lord Shadow. Because the basis of trust isn’t there. There is no familiarity between two parties and both parties want to dominate.

Azief take another step. Sixth more step to reach the gate. With each steps, there is a certain weird calmness descending on the entrance of the Wall.

Like each steps marked a hope.

Fifth step to the gate and Azief and Raymond locked eyes. Azief smiles and Raymond just bitterly chuckles.

Fourth steps and Azief stopped.

They looked at each other and Azief suddenly said, his voice deep and imposing.

‘People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them a minor damage they will get their revenge, but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.’

There is a silence for a while before Raymond asked

‘Personal motto?’

‘Ah, no’ he chuckles.

‘It’s Niccolo Machiavelli words not mine.’

‘You believe that?’ Raymond asked again

Azief shakes his head

‘No’ and then Azief look at Raymond seriously, sizing the man from top to bottom

‘Raymond, we can take a step back. You don’t want this war, I don’t want this war. You can open the gate, orders those Eight Disperse Energy Stage waiting for me to stand down, request Hirate to release Will and I can treat like nothing happened here today.’

Raymond is not shocked Azief could tell that someone is waiting for him inside so he did not affirm or deny

‘And if I don’t?’

Azief eyes narrowed and he reply

‘Then I’ll have to cripple this organization.’ Raymond stand there his face is hard. And Azief take another step.

‘Haa’ Raymond sighed as he closes his eyes and opens them back, like he was making a decision and when he opens his eyes he has decided on his course of action.

The troops are all ready to attack if Raymond orders then but suddenly Raymond yelled to the people on top of the Wall.

‘Open the Gate!’ The people on top of the Wall was shocked by the order but they immediately obey.

The gigantic Gate was open and when it opens it reveal a long walkway that stretches to about five kilometers.

Azief could see it and Raymond come to Azief and gestured him to enter.

‘Let’s walk together’ he said to Lord Shadow and then whispers

‘We need to talk’ Azief just nodded as he take another step.

Raymond knew he has fulfilled his objective which is to delay Lord Shadow. He does not need to risk his life anymore right now.

But he wanted to talk to Lord Shadow and ask him a few question or even better persuading him to drop this matter before he finished walking the walkway.

And so they walk together to reach the City of Island of Peace

***

SEWAGE OF ISLAND OF PEACE

Inside the dank and dirty sewers of the Island, two silhouette can be faintly seen rushing through the sewers running through the pavement.

Dirty water flows endlessly and pungent smell assault the senses. No man in their right mind would voluntarily enter here.

Especially when the sewers is automated. But today is a day where anything could happen. First, Lord Shadow came.

And now, the World Government sewers are being infiltrated.

The two silhouettes was stealth and fast in their movement, their feet were swirling with cloud like apparition.

They were both using their eyes to navigate in the darkness.

The man has white flawless skin, his hair wave left and right as the wind blows him by as he is running in his fastest speed to immediately went out from this sewer and reach his next position.

He is rushed but his boyish cute face does not show it.

He is cool headed and calm. Because that is the way he does thing.

It is not that he doesn’t have anxiety or what this would mean for him after all of this is over, but he doesn’t have a choice than to become calm.

He is the clouds, following where the wind blows. And the wind is blowing on favour of Lord Shadow

On his left hand he is holding a large brush full of runic design coiling around the brush tip.

Whenever he met an obstacles he waves his brush and he draws new pathways to arrive as fast as possible at the other side.

Behind him is a woman, wearing a white dress making a deep contrast with the grim and darkness of the place.

Her long black silky hair was not affected by the contaminant that is the sewers even though it was so long that it reaches her waist.

On her waist is a flute strapped horizontally and tightly with a green belt.

They are the Immortal Couple, Celestial Painter Xu Cong and Heaven Flute Lihua

‘Xu Cong, why did you chose this place as the point of infiltration?’ She asked in her whispering tone

Xu Cong keep drawing new entrances.

‘That is the blueprint that he gave to us. If we go from the air ducts then we have to go from the top. Instead of coming down from the Sky, we burrowed underground. After all if Lord Shadow was right then his friend is underground.’

Xu Cong replies as he waves his brush and a new pathways was created and one could hear he said under his breath

‘Not long now’

‘Is it worth it leaving our abodes to help him?’ Lihua once again asked as she rush through inside the pathway paintings that Xu Cong just draws

‘We can no longer remain aloof.’ Xu Cong gravely said.

‘There is a war coming, my love. Factions are dissolved and formed. And it is time….for us to pick a side. A new line is being redrawn right now. And I put my bet on the one man who would dare stand up to the World Government.’

And suddenly Xu Cong stopped in front of a wall.

And you were wrong about one thing. I’m not helping him. Im helping….us and he draws a pathway and in that end of that painting of pathway, Lihua and Xu Cong could see an emaciated man on a spherical cage.

In front of the cage is a thousand monsters all with a leash on their necks. And Lihua finally understand why Lord Shadow find them to help him

And Xu Cong smiles as he said

‘After you, my love’ And Lihua chuckles before entering that painting.

***