Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

"FIGHT!'

Zero voice was all I needed. All I wanted, as my feet kicked off the deck, shattering the ship's surface, Wrath twisted into a semi-arc, carrying an almighty flash. Space itself acted to my will, ensnaring Mephisto as my bade cleaved downwards. At the same time, Pride shimmered a foreboding glow.

I gathered all the elements, all the Dao, Mortal, and Heavenly, and refined them to such a degree that pure almighty essence radiated through Ilutahth. The Calvorian sea spiraled into the skies like a whirlwind of chaos, picking up various beasts hidden within the water, stones, and mountains. Even the stars throughout the Bed of Chaos twisted.

By the time Wrath had connected with Mephisto Silvery Wing, batting my sword away, I had stabbed Pride towards the Trickster, using the same upwards momentum that disrupted my first attack.

Steel against steel, cried following the eruption of stars and space. A brilliance beyond the dawn went off as dead laws spiraled out of my control. Filling Heaven and Earth into a wasteland of destruction.

I released a breath and stared at Mephisto's sword that blocked my spear and growled but didn't step back.

Through the ash and soot bleeding from Heaven, Mephisto looked me over, his gaze searching mine, and pushed forward.

Embers raced as he swatted my spear up, but Wrath was ready. As the gruesome sound of steel against steel hammered away, our blades clashed repeatedly. Like serpents, our swords twisted in ways that seemed universally impossible.

With our blades and footwork dancing, I quickly found myself improving at a ridiculous rate. The skill Mephisto held was unbelievable. It was erratic and impossible to perceive, just like Tene. But with the Weave on my side, knowledge, and understanding of everything Mephisto did became my knowledge.

My swordsmanship instantly changed, becoming identical and different from what Mephisto threw at me. I copied his swordsmanship, but I knew Mephisto understood its weakness. He would have too. So I tweaked it mid-battle. Changing everything to match my style.

"Zariel's Blessing." Mephisto mused aloud, taking two steps back but three steps forward as a folly of blows came at me. "What I would give to have it. If even for a second."

Parrying each blow, Pride, whom I had just regained control of, fired off in a symphony of spear thrusts.

The eyes of the Trickster glowed, and before I could react, an earth-shattering sound drew blood from my ears as I barreled through the confines of the Bed of Chaos. Blood spilled from my chest as I groaned, with the ghastly sound of bones shattering in my rib cage.

"That's a Nephilim skill." Lily hurriedly tried to explain. But by the time she did, the scarlet gaze of the Fallen was before me, his palm in my chest.

"Don't look into his eyes!"

I stared down at my bloodied chest cavity, and Mephisto's icy eyes narrowed. " Inominote Cataclysm."

Lightning so old I felt it rivaled the origin of Tenebrae. Sprang from my chest in a brilliance that seemed as cataclysmic as the Nine Hells. Creation vanished before my eyes, leaving nothing but my torn throat bellowing as I roared in pain.

" A lesson, disciple." The fiendish voice of Mephisto echoed. " Never use two Arte in a row unless you know they'll gravely harm or kill your opponent. When you shadow step, make damn sure it'll lead to a kill."

Blood bubbling, I felt myself torched and burned by some ancient force that tore at my ligaments.

"It's not enough to have the move set off a chaos lord. You need the strategy. You need it all."

Taking his lesson to heart, a baptism of the Weave filled my mind as I growled. " Inominote Cataclysm."

Divine Light spiraled from out of heaven and Earth, filling the Bed of Chaos with a Holy Seraphic Qi, splintering the Laws around us.

Mephisto smiled. "Inominote Cataclysm was created to defeat Zariel. Each attack, while insanely powerful, will be random."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Consumed in an explosion of Seraphic Might, Mephisto danced away without injury while my body took a significant hit from my technique. I shot through the Bed of Chaos, crashing into an uninhabited forest in a foreign world.

I staggered to my feet as globs of blood bled from my head. I growled, using Wrath to stand as hundreds of bones throughout my body stood shattered beyond repute.

One Technique. One trick. And I'm on the verge of defeat.

Sealing the excess lightning ravaging my insides, I sealed away the wounds to be healed for another time and stood to face the Fallen, gripping a single sword.

"Good. I'd hate for our fight to end this early. I still have much to impart, disciple."

My fingers tightened around Wrath and Pride as I stared up. Allowing the two weapons to fuel the core of my being. My aura soared as the sound of shattering glass echoed deep in my heart.

The elements became frail, obvious, and incomplete as my weapons resonated with one another. I had chosen Pride and Wrath because, in a way, they worked perfectly for me: A Prideful Wrath.

"Oh?" He smiled. "Good, show it to me then, Arsene."

"I do not need its power." I voiced, ignoring the increase in qi, which was external and temporary. What I wanted was the spiritual effect.

I follow Ren Shii, which usually leads to wild barbaric acts, which works well with Wrath but not Pride. In a fight, I can't just act wild. I need to scheme. Mephisto proved that point. He came prepared.

Where are the traps I once used when I was younger? Where is the scheme? While I've grown, I've also regressed in many aspects.

I sucked in a deep breath, filling my burning lungs with hot fiery air. Suddenly, a soft coolness filled my heart as I looked at Mephisto. And in turn, he stared back, the arcs of his lips pointing upwards.

Enjoying the Almighty Aura running through my soul, and mind, a newly founded sense of awareness awakened within me. Mistakes of both new and old flashed through my mind as I stood frozen for a while.

"Disciple," Mephisto said. "There is more to come. Your Awakening has only just started."