Chapter 3
A thunderous boom echoed across the battlefield, followed by a blinding flash of light. The warriors paused, shielding their eyes as the intense brilliance left them momentarily blind. Azazel groaned in pain, swinging wildly to fend off Samael's relentless strikes. When his vision returned, Samael continued his merciless attacks, launching them faster and more precisely, and Azazel could no longer handle them.
"Stand still and face your end!" Azazel growled, summoning a shield to block the barrage of light swords unleashed by Samael's [Genesis: Creation]. But Samael wasn't finished. He shifted into his [Orchestra of Death] fighting style, even at just a fraction of its full intensity. His movements were fluid and unrelenting, forcing Azazel onto the back foot.
Azazel, bloodied and desperate, drew deeply from the power stone. Energy surged through him, turning his strikes into devastating, erratic swings. Samael hesitated, momentarily driven onto the defensive.
Azazel launched a brilliant blast of light, aiming to engulf Samael. However, he was ready. Samael deflected the attack with his [Absolute Divine Counter] technique, launching the attack back with exponentially more power, obliterating Azazel's shield and half his soul, stunning him.
Azazel staggered, clutching his chest, his confidence wavering.
"The power stone is beyond you," Samael taunted. "You're losing control."
"I don't care!" Azazel roared, lunging forward with renewed fury. He landed a series of blows, his attacks wild yet devastating.
Samael muttered under his breath, his tone calm yet resolute. "[Proverbs: Laws of Nature]."
Azazel froze mid-attack, his bravado cracking. "You're using that already? I must be stronger than I thought," he bluffed, though fear coursed through him.
Samael unleashed the full force of his technique, his speed blinding, his blows more accurate and devastating. Azazel barely defended, his soul crumbling under the onslaught.
Metatron watched from afar, his face pale. "Samael's pushing himself to the limit. But why? Has Azazel truly grown this dangerous?"
Samael's heart pounded with excitement as he landed blow after blow. But as the fight went on, Samael felt a sense of unease creeping in. Azazel was tapping into a power beyond anything Samael had witnessed. As Samael prepared to land a decisive blow, Azazel grinned. Energy surged through him as he activated his narrative-based ability, amplifying his strength exponentially.
Samael gasped as Azazel caught his fist with a single finger and retaliated with a fatal blow to Samael's chest. Blood splattered across the battlefield as Samael crumpled to the ground, struggling for breath.
Azazel towered above him, "Still think I'm not a threat?" He snarled.
But Samael vanished, reappearing behind him. A powerful strike smashed into Azazel's face, sending him flying. "I underestimated you," Samael admitted. "That won't happen again."
Their clash intensified, their techniques colliding in a display of raw power and precision. Samael's [Symphony of Death] reached its full intensity, overwhelming Azazel. Yet, Azazel, despite coughing blood, seemed invigorated by the challenge. But as the fight went on, Azazel slowly began to doubt himself. The difference between them currently was insurmountable; even with the overwhelming power of the power stone, he was unable to land a single hit on Samael.
Azazel starts to cough blood and thinks to himself, how is he doing this? I knew he was strong, but this didn't make sense. Is he unbeatable? I guess I'll never know that since he is about to kill me. I don't want to die. He grits his teeth and prepares for the inevitable.
However, as Samael readied a final strike, a voice broke through the chaos. "Stop this madness, Samael!"
Samael froze. Turning, he saw Charmiel, his childhood friend, stepping onto the battlefield.
"Charmiel?" Samael asked, his voice filled with disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"I won't let you kill him," Charmiel said, his expression a mixture of anger and sorrow. "You've already taken enough lives."
Samael's voice hardened. "He betrayed us, Charmiel. He stole the power stone and sided with the fallen angels. What would you have me do? Let him destroy everything we stand for?"
"Tamiel was our friend," Charmiel replied. "But you tortured him. You enjoyed it, didn't you? That's not justice, Samael. It's cruelty."
Samael's eyes narrowed. Enough of this, Charmiel. I won't let your misguided ideals weaken me. If you won't fight, then stay out of my way."
Charmiel hesitated before speaking again. "I won't fight you, Samael. But I'll do whatever it takes to stop this war."
Samael scoffed. "Your hesitation is your weakness, Charmiel."
Charmiel grinned, "Who said I haven't made a move?"
Samael's eyes widened as his vision doubled, and he saw Tamiel's lifeless form around him. he shut his eyes, protecting himself from relieving the pain, before breaking Charmiel's illusion.
Suddenly, Azazel struck, and his strength renewed. Samael countered, but his concentration wavered. Charmiel's lingering presence tugged at his mind.
Then, Charmiel spoke one final time. "Even if it costs me everything, I'll stop you, Samael. Sometimes, the only way to save a brother is to become his end," he said, stabbing himself with a light energy blade, killing himself instantly. The act caused a momentary lapse in Samael's concentration, which Azazel took advantage of to absorb Charmiel's powers and the power stone, further amplifying his power.
The real fight begins now, Samael," Azazel declared, launching himself at his opponent. Samael, however, was filled with a mix of anger and sadness. Though they were on opposing sides, he still loved Charmiel like a brother, and the thought of killing him made him hesitate.
His anger spiked, and he swiftly ripped Azazel's head clean off. But he regenerates it as quickly as it's ripped off, continuing their fight. Despite being the stronger fighter, Azazel found himself unable to defeat Samael.
So, he tapped into his fallen angel form, black wings unfurling, and unleashed the devastating Blue Flames. Samael responded by summoning his metallic wings and activating his [Almighty Blue Sun], incinerating Azazel's flames, soul and much of the battlefield.
But Azazel regenerated, his power stone granting him infinite resilience. He sneered. "No matter what you do, I'll keep coming. My victory is assured."
"Is that what you think?" Samael replied, intensifying his heat, which burnt Azazel to a crisp. However, he regenerates yet again. "How are you still alive?" Samael inquired.
"Simple. I made the power stone will it," Azazel smirked.
Samael was mildly impressed. "Interesting. Someone of your skill level can bend a stone to their will. They must not be that strong."
He summoned multiple sun blades and launched them at Azazel.
He chuckled. "Really? Sun blades?" He questioned, burning the blades with his flames
Damn it, his powers are increasing even faster now. Samael though. Oh well, I guess I have to get a little rough. He unleashed [Genesis Reversal: Destruction Wave].
This took aback Azazel. "That's impossible!" He exclaimed.
His shock and fear put a sadistic grin on Samael's face. The wave completely obliterated Azazel, who could only scream as it approached him.
"Finally! That was getting tedious," Samael said, dusting off his hands.
"Miss me?" Azazel retorted, stabbing him in the back.
"You damned cockroach! How are you alive?" Samael coughed up blood.
"Your struggle ends here, Samael. Checkmate. This victory is mine," Azazel said triumphantly.
"Checkmate? Metatron thought to go for the head, but I see you failed to take the lesson to heart," Samael replied.
"Your insults don't matter; you are still dead. This is the Time Blade. It kills you at every point in time in an instant. Goodbye, Samael," Azazel said, confident in his victory.
"Are you done monologuing?" Samael grinned, casting [Job reversal: Unhealing].
Azazel paused, confused. Suddenly, he is covered with injuries. "What the? All the injuries from this fight—no, every fight—I've ever had been all coming back."
"You have my praise. It has been a long time since I used this much energy," Samael said, pleased with himself.
"You'll regret this, Samael! Power stone [overdrive]!" Azazel screamed.
This forced the power stone to push past its limit, infinitely growing in power until its host died.
"Excalibur, to me!" Samael said, calling his legendary sword of victory. His sword appeared in his hands, and his armour wrapped around him.
Excalibur is a long sword with a golden blade, pummel and cross guard, and a gold and royal blue grip.
"You think bringing that sword out gives you victory? I'll make sure your death is swift," Azazel gnashed his teeth in anger.
"Come on, do it already," Samael replied, ready for the final showdown.
The two continued their fierce battle, each strike and deflection more intense than the last. On a closer look, Samael was more skilled, but the power stone amplified Azazel's power far above what Samael could output, even with his Sword of Victory and his grace that amplified his power to its peak.
The longer the fight went on, the more of a disadvantage Samael was in. As Samael tried piercing Azazel's chest, his blade was deflected, and he was sent flying with a fire slash across his torso, causing him to bleed.
Samael gritted his teeth. If I don't stop him from powering up, I'm done for. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he thought, searching for a strategy of attack. However, his train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the smug and boastful Azazel, which only served to further anger him.
"How does it feel to be weaker than someone? To be beaten for the first time. You know I've always envied your power, even when you were a child that smug grin of yours annoyed me, but now the heaven shine upon me." Azazel taunted.
Samael stood up and quickly healed the slash across his torso, his eyes narrowing at Azazel's words. "Borrowed power, Azazel? Is that what you call strength? Pathetic. True power is forged, not stolen," he spat out in disgust.
"Easy for you to say you were born with power," Azazel retorted.
"But you stole yours." Samael's aura intensified, radiating across the battlefield.
"No way. you are using it?" Azazel responded, his eyes widening in surprise.
"You've never faced true power, Azazel." Concentrating, Samael activated his Light Bringer form, golden energy enveloping him. His speed and strength surged.
"Azazel has lost. Once that form comes out, the fight is done. But did he need to use it?" Metatron said, observing the fight.
The Light Bringer form was Samael's ultimate power and was akin to the power of a god. His soul and hair turned solid gold with blue markings. In this form, Samael's physical and magical stats are all but unrivalled. However, since he was fighting against someone amped with the power stone, the difference in power wasn't as significant as he had hoped.
Samael lunged at Azazel, but to his surprise, his high-speed slash was countered by Azazel. "That was a fluke! Counter these!" Samael shouted as he unloaded a flurry of slashes, all of which were countered by Azazel. Samael was dumbfounded that his ultimate form was struggling against a mere fallen angel.
What? No one has stopped my slashes so easily; I have to go all out. Samael thought
"Watch closely; this is true power," Azazel said as he sent a massive ball of condensed flames at Samael.
Samael's eyes widened as the flames engulfed him, causing a massive explosion.
Azazel grinned, announcing his victory, and all the fallen angels started celebrating in contrast to the angels who were all speechless and had given up all hope.
"Curse that Azazel! I will end him for this," Metatron said through gritted teeth.
"Calm yourself, Metatron. the fight isn't over yet," The Lord said
"Wait, he isn't dead yet?"
"Far from it. Samael hasn't used his light-bringer form at full power in a long time, so he is still rusty, but now he is fired up," The Lord replied.
Suddenly, a giant explosion of mana erupted behind Azazel.
What is this power? He wonders. How is he even still alive? I hit him with my ultimate technique. It had every negative narrative added to it, no angel should survive it.
Samael emerged unharmed. That was close; if I hadn't increased my power, I would be dead. "Never lose hope because I will always fight for you. Now my angels destroy your enemies and bring victory!!!"
A great roar travelled across the battlefield as the motivated angels attacked the fallen angels, and hope and joy fuelled the hearts of the angels who rejoiced that their strongest wasn't dead.
"Don't get cocky you may have survived my attack but you must have been affected by it. This next one will surely kill you."
Samael remained silent, casting [Revelations: Divine ender]. His sword was engulfed in solar energy, and he swung it with full force, sending a solar slash at Azazel.
Damn, he isn't playing around. He is using revelations. Azazel managed to block the attack but got heavily damaged.
"I won't let you regenerate." Samael pressed his advantage using [Acts plus Number: Almighty holy fire] to incinerate Azazel.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Damn you it hurts, it hurts, it hurts."
"Shut up and die." Samael charges toward Azazel, ready to cut his head off.
Azazel starts to see everything in slow motion, and Charmiel appears before him. "Use my power so we can beat this bastard together. You have done more than what we thought you could do; beating him is now possible, so let's win this." Those words motivated Azazel, and he taps into a new form with four wings and far greater power.
As Samael beheaded Azazel, he realised something was wrong; what he saw was fake. So, he swiftly broke out of the illusion just in time to narrowly dodge a slash that was going to behead him, leaving a scratch on his neck.
"He injured me? Impossible," Samael said.
"You see, with this new power, I'm not only stronger but can use Charmiel's power to control a person's actions and all their senses without them knowing." As he says that, he makes Samael stab himself.
Samael lightly chuckles, "What an irony, me, defeated by the ability of my former friend."
A loud, feminine voice echoes across the battlefield to everyone's shock. "Master, there's no other path. Use the power—now—or all will be lost."
"Wait, what? Excalibur can talk." Metatron asks the Lord.
"Of course, all the weapons of the archangels are sentient," He replied
"You are finally awake. What took you so long?"
"Forget that. You it quickly."
"No problem. I'll end it now." Samael condensed his grace into himself, turning blue. The blue markings across his soul turned golden.
"This power... it's beyond anything I've ever seen." Azazel marvels at Samael's power. He snaps out of his daze and uses his trump card. "Before I die, I'll make sure I execute your plan, my friend."
Azazel sends a blast of concentrated fire to Samael.
"Limiters' release, Sun blade." Excalibur releases a lot of heat, which increases the heat coming from Samael's soul after it evolves. Samael absorbed all the heat, changing him and his blade to be blue like a star. With this power-up, Samael passes through the fire blast.
Samael said with a cold gaze, "It's over, Azazel. This is the end you've earned." With one final swing of Excalibur, he brought the battle to a definite close.
The angels roar in triumph, and the fallen angels retreat to their realm. Samael's form burns out, and he passes out.