(chapter 11) Bloodbath

Kuni appeared in an odd landscape.

It was a barren rocky land for as far as the eye could see and when he looked up.

Whoa. That's pretty cool. He thought.

There was no sky to look at but instead space itself and the universe up above in clear view.

Kuni frowned a little as he noticed something.

Aren't those planets a bit, well… big?

He suddenly realised that all the planets were the size of small galaxies with the galaxies he could see in the far of distance probably the size of Universes.

"I'm pretty sure there are larger galaxies than that and since we're in a Reality sized dimension, wouldn't they as big as Multiverse!?" Kuni murmured to himself. "Actually, I don't want to think about let's focus on the incoming battles."

Because of the past two months of training Kuni developed the 8th Tier Skill Alert which allows him to sense the power of incoming people with the intent to do him harm to him in some way

Let's see, one, two, three… seven Ethereals all strong enough to destroy a Galaxy. This should be good.

No sooner as he finished the thought, multiple beings smashed into the ground in front of him by a few hundred feet.

Kuni immediately dodged two bolts of lightning that descended from the sky and sensed a presence behind him.

Got you.

Before the attacker could react Kuni whipped round and swiped his hand across the opponent's neck, severing the head completely.

Using Eagle Eyes Kuni looked at the explosion of dust where the attackers had landed.

I count five targets and using Sloth I see two Mages and four Tankers.

Kuni smiled realising this should be easy.

Since none are Assassins, this should be a piece of cake.

Kuni rocketed forward and began to dismantle the group of attackers.

He slammed his knees into the chin of one of the Mages with such a force it broke their neck with a sickening snap. Kuni then quickly dodged a barrage of attacks from two Tanker Classes with max level physical enchantments.

This little piggy went to the market.

Kuni increased his strength by 2x using Multiplier and slammed a punch into of one Tankers, breaking the Wall Skill enhanced skin and caving in their chest.

Kuni whipped round and foresaw multiple attacks, from the other Tanker, using his Unique Skill allowing him to dodge them with ease.

This little piggy stayed home.

Kuni increased his speed, delivering numerous kicks to the opponent's body, shatteringthe Wall enhanced skin revealing none rock like looking skin underneath. Taking advantage of the Tanker's surprise Kuni formed a short sword like blade and stabbed his opponent straight through the chest.

The reaming Mage and Tanker seemed to snap out of their surprise and went on the attack.

The Tanker lunged at Kuni at speeds greater than sound. He leapt back and the Tanker smashed into the ground where he once stood, partially caving it in, in an eruption of debris. As soon as Kuni recovered the Tanker was in front of him throwing heavy, but faster than sound, punches which Kuni narrowly dodged. He felt a rocky fist graze his cheek as he landed five kicks faster than the blink of an eye barely even cracking the skin.

Kuni saw the Tanker smile before two massive punches came down towards him which just missed him as he leapt up into the via jumping off said fists.

Kuni narrowed his eyes at the Mage staring at him while in the air.

Mage Class. Dragon Rank. Unique Skill: Thought Acceleration. Skills: Water Manipulation, Multiplier and Teleportation.

And judging by the flow of Ethos I'm sensing a barrage of incoming icicle projectiles.

Just as Kuni predicted, the Mage fired hundreds of icicles from his hands but at the same time Kuni formed a chain blade which he spun like a propeller, shredding the projectiles while falling in the air.

This little piggy had roast beef

As Kuni landed he swung the chained blade down, slicing the Mage in half down the middle.

"You bastard!" The Tanker yelled from behind Kuni but Kuni was already on them. Before they could even throw a punch, he delivered hundreds of punches all over their body, each attack increasing in intensity, shattering the rocky skin like glass.

"You'll pay for this." The Tanker said through gritted teeth.

Kuni grinned as he sensed the Tanker apply multiple enchantments at once.

Speed: Max, Strength: Max, Reactions: Max. Not bad at all.

"How do you expect to even hit me if you can't see me." Kuni said as the Tanker threw a punch which he dodged and activated Ultra-Stealth at once.

The Tanker whipped his head around trying to find Kuni.

"Well, you couldn't have heard that statement or this since my presence is now completely hidden." Kuni said right into the Tanker's ear before grabbing his head and twisting it faster than they could react.

Deactivating Ultra-Stealth, Kuni inspected the result of his battle.

"Wait a minute. I count five bodies here and I took out another before that which makes six."

He immediately got into a fighting stancewith his guard up.

"So, where's the seventh?"

As soo as he said the the ground began to shake so violently, he nearly fell over.

"What the fu-"

The planet he was on then erupted in a massive explosion of fire, rock and golden orange flames.

"What the hell was that!?" Kuni said floating amongst the chunks of planet.

"I'm surprised thought you'd be dead but the again you're also a Dragon Rank so a simple planet destruction shouldn't kill you."

A few feet away from, floating in the void of Space, was the 8th attacker Kuni had sensed. He had brown eyes and blonde hair with a lean body and very cocky smile.

"Actually, these planets are the size of galaxies aren't they. Guess you're more impressive than I thought." He giggled. "Name's Kuruma, mind telling me yours."

Aren't you quite the asshole? Kuni thought to himself.

He rocketed forward closing the distance between him and Kuruma in nanoseconds, but his punch hit nothing as Kuruma seemingly disappeared.

"Hm?"

Pain suddenly slammed into his head as Kuruma reappeared beside him, throwing a punch that connected with his jaw. The punch sent Kuni flying straight through a nearby planet leading to its destruction.

Ok let's heal that boo boo up. Kuni thought wiping the blood from his lips as his Heal Skill closed up the wound.

Barely any time passed before Kuruma reappeared with more attacks at the go, a sadistic smile on his face with golden orange electricity.

Class: Mage. Unique Skill: Amplify. Skills: Solar Magic.

Kuruma threw a punch that grazed Kuni's cheek as he dodged it drawing blood in the process. Kuni went in for a triple kick combo but his attacks were dodged and blocked with ease before getting hit in the stomach by a kick. Kuni's stomach burned, not with just the pain of his bones fracturing, but the heat Kuruma's body was generating.

Solar Magic users, when they activate their abilities, generate an abnormal amount from their bodies and heat up their surroundings in the process. The stronger the Mage the hotter the heat with Kuruma's body generating heat that could turn steal and rock red hot.

The kick sent Kuni flying through the nearest sun before he managed to stop his momentum by digging his hands and feet into the ground of another planet slowing him down to a stop.

"Shit that hurts." Kuni said through gritted teeth as he looked at where Kuruma kicked him.

There was a large smoking hole in his shirt revealinghorribly burnt looking skin and flesh.

"Prick cooked me well done. Better use increase Multiplier to 3x to increase my durability if I want to avoid getting burnt via touching him."

The wound began as he activated Multiplier but Kuruma was already there.

He went in for another punch but Kuni and sensed it coming and was already counter attacking but Kuruma merely blocked it.

Dudes fast. Don't why I'm saying that he's moving at light speed so of course he's fast.

Kuni and Kuruma rocked this way and that trading blows with Kuni on the defensive as all his attacks were blocked.

"Enough!" He yelled as he dodged a kick. "Multiplier: 4x"

Kuni finally landed a hit. A punch square into Kuruma's face sending him straight through a whole solar system.

Kuni began to go after him but was hit by a beam of golden orange energy. The blast sent him straight into another the planet as Kuruma appeared way above said planet with not a scratch on him. He spread his arms wide as thousands of pointed golden orange projectiles began to form.

"Solar Shower!" He roared as he flung his arms forward, throwing the blasts down onto Kuni.

Shit those are as fast as him. I can't dodge all of them.

Kuni flew across the galaxy sized planet as it was destroyed with the blasts following him while he soared across space being forced to dodge and block the blasts in the process.

"Ok time to up the ante. Multiplier: 5x" Kuni rated while simultaneously activating Flash.

He charged upwards right into the path of the blasts into the direction Kuruma. Now that he was travelling at the same speed as Kuruma (light speed) it was much easier to avoid the blasts in fact Kuni grabbed two of them and threw them at Kuruma taking advantage of his distraction to connect a powerful punch to his jaw. The shockwaves released, annihilated the nearby planets and stars but Kuruma didn't seem to be injured at all.

Kuni materialised a dagger in his hand and swung it down but it was kicked out of his grip as he was also forced to block a point-blank Sunlight Burst from Kuruma, burning the skin on his arms and sending him flying once more.

Come on! One cut, that's all I need. Just need to draw some blood.

As he was sent flying, he threw a chained blade from his hand which wrapped around Kuruma's leg.

"Let's go for a ride!" He yelled as he swung the Kuruma attached chain blade straight through multiple planets as he crashed into one of his own.

"Bastaaaard!" Kuruma yelled a golden orange flame aura erupted around him vaporising the two planets beside him.

"I think I made him angry." Kuni mutteredas Kuruma fired a country sized beam of energy at him.

"Burn to ash and never come back." He roared as the beam engulfed Kuni before blowing up the planet along with the neighbouring sun in a fiery explosion.

Kuruma breathed heavily as he squinted his eyes trying to find any trace of life.

"Gotcha."

Kuruma's arm was suddenly severed by the elbow as Kuni deactivated Ultra-Stealth beside him.

He grinned as Kuruma roared in pain, falling back and clutching the stump of his arm, blood poring out of it.

"If you didn't already, you've just signed your death warrant." Kuruma said through gritted teeth as his arm began to grow back using the Light Recovery Skill before lunging forward, a golden orange blade forming in his hand.

"I'll think you'll find that is awaiting you, my friend." Kuni replied with a calm smile as the golden orange blade disappeared along with Kuruma's aura.

He clutched his chest in pain as the veins on his body began to glow a reddish gold colour, pulsing with the same-coloured light.

"What's happening to me?" He rasped as he coughed up blood.

"My Incarnation Skill is at play." Kuni said calmly, circling Kuruma as he writhed in pain the void of space like a shark circling its prey. "Once activated any cut, no matter how big or small as long as it's draws blood will kill you."

Kuruma let out a quick shriek as his hand began to disintegrate into reddish gold energy.

"But it does more than just kill you." Kuni said, clearly enjoying all of Kuruma's cockiness vanish. "It effects you soul and erases your very existence."

He grabbed Kuruma by the throat and lifted him up.

"A paper cut caused by me when the Skill is active will cause you to cease to exist."

Kuruma was about to let out a scream but couldn't in time as his whole body disintegrated into energy which evaporated in a matter of seconds.

"Right, now that firefly is gone let's find the next opponent."

"Aren't I popular." Shion said as she watched a literal army of opponents swarming towards her in every direction at once, all packing enough power to destroy multiple galaxies.

Shion quickly activated Bodiless as a shower of blasts descended upon on while many others tried to land punches and kicks.

Surely the nickname "The Phantom Mage" would clue them in that physical attacks won't work.

The training had allowed Shion to increase the time limit of staying in this untouchable state to 30 seconds.

I've got plenty of time to do this!

Shion crossed her arms over her chest causing her golden orange aura to swirl round her body as more energy of the same colour began to gather at the centre point of her crossed arms.

"Now, Supernova!" Shion roared and swung her arms wide.

A massive wave of golden orange energy and fire erupted from every part of her body in every direction at once. As the wave spread at speeds many times faster than light, it completely vaporised all galaxy sized planets, suns and competitors in its path reducing that whole area to nothing but dust and chunks of charred rock.

Shion surveyed the destruction she caused as she floated in the void of space, eyes searching for any kind of movement while golden orange electricity crackled off her body. The visual effect of activating Skill Light Speed as she was on guard.

"Got you!" Someone roared from behind alerting her to dodge a punch with ease before grabbing her attacker by the throat.

It was a girl and Tanker Class, a very powerful one at that, her rocky skin barely managing to hold out against the insane heat Shion was generating from her body.

"Either I've gotten stronger or severely overestimated everyone." She muttered to herself before unleashing a blaze of energy, millions of times hotter than the sun, onto her attacker causing the rocky like skin to melt before being vaporised completely.

As Shion just began to relax, searing pain struck her in the stomach causing her to look down to see her stomach had been sliced open. Before she could react, a purple energy beam slammed into her, it was colder than anything imaginable, sending her flying straight through multiple planets before smashing into this solar system's sun, destroying it in a purple explosion from the beam.

Shion groaned in pain as Light Recovery healed her sliced stomach and the cold burns covering her body.

"Lunar Magic huh? No wonder that hurt."

She wiped her nose and looked at her hand to find blood on it.

"Ok yeah. I'm pissed." She muttered calmly before letting out a primeval roar, a massive golden orange burst of energy erupted from her body blowing junks off nearby planets before her aura of the same colour swirled around her body like a vortex.

"Shi-Shi. It's been such a long time." A playful voice called out before a purple and black portal opened in front of Shion.

Out stepped a guy with a purple glow outlining his muscular body which was surrounded by a halo of black daggers behind his back. He short, yet wavy, black hair and eyes while also wearing a leather jacket of the same colour. He was also holding a massive black sword, that looked almost as big as he was, which he rested on his shoulder while looking at Shion with smug grin on his face.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about me." The mysterious guy taunted.

"Oh, don't worry how could I forget your sorry ass." Shion spat while rolling her eyes.

"Well, that's good to know. I mean I'd besurprised if you had considering how famous I've gotten." He replied brushing off Shion's comment before aiming his sword at her.

"Why don't you come over here so I can kill you." Shion said forming a table sized sun in her hands. "Goren Jacobs."

I dodged a punch before responding with one of my own.

"Enchantment: Punching Power Increase Max!" I yelled slamming my fist into my opponent's stomach.

The shockwave and impact of the punch blasted straight through them before crashing into the hundreds of other Ethereals and planets, wiping them all out.

My opponent stared at me blankly, mouth open with blood trickling out, before looking down at the hole in their chest which was just in front of my rocky like arm.

"Da-Damn." They muttered before they went limp and floated off into the void of space within the battle dimension.

I heaved heavy breaths, leaning on my knees and disabling the Wall Skill so I could recover more power.

"Fighting non-stop for an hour really does work up a sweat." I murmured before standing up straight and surveying my surroundings, witnessing the chaos of battle.

Before my eyes, galaxy sized planets, stars and solar systems were reduced to nothing by the clashing opponents. I could feel the heat of the Solar Magic and Fire Magic users, the weight of gravity from Lunar Magic users and the overall smell of blood from the dead began to crawl up my nostrils.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I muttered as someone tried to kick me from behind, but their attack stopped short by an inch.

"The B-B-Ba-Ba-" My attacker stammered, fear consuming his eyes.

"The Barrier Skill." I sighed rolling my eyes. "It's not hard to say and its very useful."

"Bastard!" He roared before forming hundreds of icicles which shattered on my Barrier as I casually walked towards him before grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up.

"You Mage Classes are very powerful granted however you let that power go to your heads which stops you from learning basic hand to hand combat." I said tightening my grip causing him to choke. "So, when a more hand to hand combat Classed Ethereal, like myself, can beat your little party tricks"

I raised my fist as the skin covering it turned to rock.

"you become helpless." I finished before slamming a punch into his face.

The punch sent him flying through many planets before disappearing from view.

"Helpless you say."

As soon as I heard the voice blistering heat covered my whole body before being sent flying into another planet.

"Aaaaaaagghh!" I screamed as a golden orange beam of Solar Magic constantly slammed itself against my body before finally fading.

I gritted my teeth through the pain as I got on my feet while watching my attacker descend onto the ground ahead of me.

"Of course, it's you, knowing my luck." I muttered as the figure came into view.

It was girl, my age, with long ginger hair and a supermodel like body with violet eyes that were flashing the golden orange colour of Solar Magic.

"Amber Flare." I spat.

"Naturally." She said with a smug grin as she formed multiple mini suns around her.

Ok these burns are getting annoying, let's put this technique to good use then.

I focused in on my Ethos and imagined it pumping around the parts of my body that were the badly burnt the most imagining it's power flow through said body parts, flooding them with the almost divine power of Ethos.

"Oh, so you know more about Ethos than I expected." Amber chuckled as she watched my burns heal up before her eyes. "It's such a shame you won't be able to master it."

She snapped her fingers, and the mini suns came flying at me, with speeds almost as fast as light.

Enchantment: Pinnacle of Physicality.

This Enchantment boosts all the user's physical abilities the absolute max to almost god like levels.

Activating Wall at the same time, I charged through her attacks and slammed into Amber carrying her straight the planet.

Amber pressed her hands against my body, flooding it with heat that was unbearable, forcing me to let go leading her to delivering a combo of punches before whipping round behind me and firing a Sunlight Burst at point blank range onto my back sending me cascading through space.

"Die!" She roared as she released what could only be described as purple fire from her hands.

Shit! Hellfire attacks the opponent's soul directly.

Before it could hit me, I clapped my hands together as hard as I could creating a shockwave that crashed into the hell flames, dissipating it with Amber already gunning straight for me but I predicted this. I dodged her punch, grabbed her arm and pulled her in close before slamming my elbow down on her shoulder blade as hard as I could. I heard something break before a groan escaped from Amber's mouth as I swung her around, throwing her through a planet and into a sun.

"I think it would be bettered suited if you died." I muttered while pulling back both my fists.

I threw both arms forward as if I was punching creating two massive shockwaves which smashed into Amber and the sun causing it to be annihilated in a supernova like explosion.

Not letting up I rushed forward but Amber had the same idea and our fists clashedtogether.

"Not bad." She said her now glowing golden orange widening in excitement. "Seems like you've recently upgraded to Dragon Rank. Good job."

"Thanks." I replied sarcastically.

We flew across space trading blows and destroying planet as we went with Amber slowly but surely forcing me to go onto the defensive. When she activated Light Speed, I could do nothing but block. I knew for a fact if I went into counter, I wouldn't be fast enough to block her own counterattack so all I could do was let myself be pummelled and wait or hope she would leave an opening.

Then I saw it. I delivered a punch that connected with Amber's chin, breaking her jaw and sending her flying back.

"Not bad." She laughed as she fixed up her jaw. "I think I should get a bit serious now."

"You've got to be kidding." I muttered.

"Afterlife!" Amber yelled as she clapped her hands together as if making a prayer before a flash of bright light consumed my vision.

After it cleared my surroundings had completely changed. I was no longer in Space surrounded by planets, stars and galaxies but instead I was in what could only be described as Hell. My surroundings had changed to one of dark red rock, raging fire and flowing lava rivers and lakes.

"Afterlife allows me to create a pocket dimension of sorts that is one of the many afterlives and or underworlds throughout literature." Amber explained slowly walking around me like a shark, fire roaring up for openings behind her. "I thought the Christian Hell would be a nice change of pace to the void of Space."

She then instantly fired off a beam of Solar Magic that I just barley blocked but the force of the attack pushed me back causing me to dig my heals into the ground to stop myself from being pushed into the roaring fire behind me.

"How about we put more umph into this." She grinned as the beam doubled in size and power.

I gritted my teeth as I could feel the rocky armour of the Wall Skill begin to melt and turn red from the heat of the attack as it started to become so unbearable, it felt like the flesh on my arms were melting off the bone.

"How about a little break." Amber jeered stopping the attack.

I clenched my fists in pain while trying to heal the worse than third degree burns on my arms.

"We have visitors so you should probably clean yourself up." Amber said suddenly behind me before kicking me in the back, sending me flying and crashing into the ground.

As I got up a black and purple portal opened up next to her.

"What the…" I stammered before a body came flying out of the portal and crumpled next to me.

It was Shion. She was battered, bloody and bruised all over while also being covered in slash marks yet she was somehow still conscious as she slowly got up to her feet.

"Shion… What happened?" I stared in shock at the strongest Ethereal in G.E. High who looked back and gritted her teeth.

"Don't drop your guard." She replied staring directly at the portal as a guy stepped out.

Judging by the massive black sword he was carrying I was sure this was Goren Jacobs who looked slightly burned from presumably Shion's attacks, but he looked relatively unharmed.

"Goren." Amber greeted not taking her eyes off me.

"Amber." He replied.

They both raised their hands and aimed at us but before we could react, they executed their attack.

""Combo Attack: Solar Vortex of The Moon!""

A purple and golden-orange tornado consumed us instantly and I felt nothing but pain. Heat that seemed to be infinitely times hotter than the sun burned into every pore of my body while a cold that seemed infinitely time colder than anything in started to freeze the very blood in my veins. I screamed but it just made the pain worse as the insane heat and cold shot down my throat and into my lungs burning them and freezing them at the same time.

This is it. I'm going to die right here. Shion and me both turned to ash which would then freeze and shatter like dust.

No, we won't.

I'm weak. I just barely classified for a Dragon Rank a few days ago and these guys are the strongest Dragon Ranks out there. How am I supposed to win?

What if you had the power that was more than capable of taking these two out but strong enough to go up against the Demon Ranks themselves. What would you do?

What would I do? What wouldn't I do? I would destroy this pocket dimension and kill them. Kill them both and anyone else who would get in me or my friends' way.

Suddenly the pain seemed to be pushed so far into the back of my mind I could barely feel it, and everything went darkened and blurred but there was a light. No, a person…or… figure? Someone glowing in a blue light in front of me. All I could see was the outline of the long flowing hair and body all of which was the same electric blue colour but there was one more thing. Two glowing red circles for eyes.

Good. The take that power and KILL THEM BOTH!

The strange figure held out their hand in front of me and after a brief pause, I took it.

I felt power rush through me. Power that I never thought possible but there was something else with it. Memories. Nova talking to me after we sparred. Talking to me about… Ethos… Awakened Ethereals… sentient Ethos… Capere Forms… TheCosmos's. I remember it all.

I felt grab my soul and… take control over me.

Then everything went black.