Cocytus

I could hear a growling noise reverberating through my head as I healed my left arm.

"Come out and play Osiris, I already know you're itching for a fight."

Readying my fist, Osiris appears on my body. It let out a deep bellow as its skeletal tail lashed the ground with violent intent.

"Grrrr~"

I turned to Myran who gave me a look of disgust.

"Don't think you've won just because you've powered up!"

"Powered up? I haven't even shown you my full power yet. Stop talking and let's fight."

Myran yelled and launched a wave of flesh spikes at me. I turned around and Osiris' tail quickly swatted them away like bugs.

"What!?"

"Neat, right? Not only can I control this tail at will, but it can automatically deflect any incoming projectiles."

Using Flash Step, I'd close the distance between us in a flash.

"Now I believe it's my turn to attack."

With an Inertia Fist to the stomach, he was sent flying.

"Bastard!!!"

He sent Frost Bolts at me which I countered with a wave of Flame Pillars. When that wasn't enough, he sent strings made of ice towards me.

I deliberately let him get my arm and I could feel him using his Red String of Pain again.

"Got you now!"

Yes, he got me, but he also got Osiris as well.

"ROOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!!"

A piercing cry would echo through my head but I stood unaffected. Myran on the other hand wasn't so lucky.

"Aaauuggh!!"

After disconnecting my heart and placing it back again, I started creating bones. Collecting the organic material around me, I shaped a few bones enough for me to perform Boneyard.

"Rise and serve me."

The bones quickly connected and rising from the ground was an army of skeletons. I ordered them to attack Myran, which they obeyed.

As the skeletons approached Myran, he began to place his hands on the ground and suddenly the entire arena ground was encased in ice.

The skeletons slipped and broke apart on impact. Some managed to stay up and continued forward.

Suddenly I felt a bad premonition and a second later, I was impaled by an ice spike.

However, I didn't feel the pain and when I blinked, I was on the ground unscathed.

"What the-?"

Then my sense went haywire and I performed Fallen Descent, smashing the ice beneath me. An ice spike must've protruded exactly when I smashed the ground because when I did that, ice flew everywhere.

"Hmm, so that's how Premonition works."

At first, I thought I was just seeing things, which I was. If I get hurt and I don't feel the pain, then that must mean Premonition is active. Going to have to be careful since I could easily ignore it by accident.

"Die, die, die, die!"

He sent me another wave of Frost Bolts. I used Flash Step and quickly closed our distance. In return, I kicked the side of his head. He landed on his side and I heard a few bones crack.

I should get a grip of him and finish him there.

However, when I took a step forward, I felt a sharp pressure on the back of my neck. Then I realized I was surrounded by thin threads.

"Hehehe, you took the bait."

I didn't move since I would immediately get decapitated if I did. I could feel it. The threads have some sort of razor on them.

I'd lean a bit forward so the pressure on the back of my neck would subside.

"Hehe, you can't escape, can you? Otherwise, you'll die."

Hmm, I would Flash Step away right now, but maybe I'll just play with him just a little longer.

"I may not be able to escape but that doesn't mean I can't fight."

I'd snap my finger and my aura materialized. I began infusing flames into my aura and the surrounding threads began to melt.

"Tch."

"That's not all you know."

I pointed my finger at him and my aura quickly turned into thousands of shadow blades. They relentlessly darted towards Myran. He didn't have the time to react and he was nailed in his legs and chest.

Most of my shadow blades missed since I was covering up a large area but I managed to hit him. Although he has Pain Negation, I'm still able to damage him. All I did though was hinder him from standing or walking.

I hit the ground and generated a Grim Dragon Cage around Myran, trapping him inside.

"Wha-!? Let me out this instant!"

"Nah, I don't think so."

I clenched my hands, compressing the cage to become smaller and smaller.

"Better get out of there fast or you'll end up squished and die."

As the cage got smaller and tighter, Myran had no choice but to use whatever trump card he has hidden under his sleeve.

"Damn it!"

There was a sudden chill in the air and I stopped.

Why did it suddenly get so cold?

"DEMON LORD FROM THE IMMORTAL LAND OF ICE, LEND ME YOUR POWER-!" Myran yelled and a sudden chilling breeze blew against me.

"LET ME FREEZE THE ENEMY STANDING IN FRONT OF ME AND IN RETURN I'LL GIVE YOUR THEIR SOUL-!"

The ice on the ground a while ago was slowly returning to Myran. It covered my Grim Dragon Cage and that made me lose control.

"I WANT A SCENERY OF NOTHING BUT ETERNAL WHITE! ICE THAT NOT EVEN THE FLAMES OF HELL CAN MELT! ONCE I CALL YOUR NAME, COVER THIS INSIGNIFICANT WORLD IN NOTHING BUT ICE! COCYTUS!"

At that moment, a blinding light erupted and I could feel intense energy surrounding me. Ice traveled everywhere and when I opened my eyes, around me was a gigantic dome of ice.

Crackle!

I took a step forward and ice instantly encased my leg. I tried melting it but that didn't do anything. Luckily it was thin so I was able to break out of it without breaking a sweat.

So this is Cocytus? It may be unmeltable ice but it's still ice so I can still break out of it.

I performed Fallen Descent, smashing the ice-encased ground, but I didn't even manage to make a crack. Just a tiny dent.

I tried it again and again but I was unable to scratch the surface.

"It's useless."

Myran broke out of my Grim Dragon Cage and approached me.

"Once one is inside Cocytus, they are unable to escape. No matter how many times you punch the ice of Cocytus, it will just form over and over again. It'll just be an endless cycle."

I looked around and many icicles began to form on the ceiling. Is that so...?

"I'm impressed you were able to bring me this far. No one besides my sister has forced me to use Cocytus. It's been a while since I've fought someone like you."

Myran took his cloak off, revealing his appearance.

Like I expected he was a young elf boy but that ice on his back was a bit abnormal. He had some sort of spiky shell made of ice that almost made him look like a tortoise.

"It'll be fun to freeze you to death. Now it's time to die!"

He motioned his hand and I saw spikes protrude from every direction. I was stabbed but I didn't feel the pain.

A premonition!

As soon as he motioned his hand, I quickly performed Flash Step and got out of there quickly.

When I appeared behind him, I took the opening and went for an Inertia Fist, only to be blocked by a wall of ice spikes.

Falling back, I used Inferno and engulfed the entire area in flames, but even that was negated. The flames just died out.

"You thought!"

Myran quickly appeared in front of me and I received a blow to the chin. Luckily Osiris had shielded me just in time. That gave me the time to run away.

"Running away? You think that's going to help you?!"

He threw multiple Frost Bolts at me which I managed to dodge. When he stopped I delivered multiple waves of Volatile Orbs. But then the icicles from the ceiling began falling.

I quickly performed Grim Dragon Cage to protect myself and it managed to take the blow despite the thousands of sharp-pointed ice mercilessly striking it.

When it was over, I dashed towards Myran with a Soaring Dragon Fist prepared.

[Mana: 31,252,429/110,000,000]

I know I was using a lot of mana but as long as I have mana left, I can do "it."

A wall of ice stood in my way and my attack was wasted on that.

"Behind you!"

I quickly turned around and parried his incoming strike. He had a sword made of ice in his hand but it was a good thing Osiris' bones were tougher than it.

"This isn't all you've got... right?" Myran said with a creepy smile.

I didn't say a word as I attempted a reverse roundhouse kick to his face which he bent back to dodge. I then took the chance and performed Inertia Fist, sending him flying.

"Yes, I've been saying I wasn't going to play around but I just did anyway."

I withdrew Osiris and began to let my dark aura spill out.

"So, let me show you just how powerful I am."

Myran stared at me in confusion.

"Your Cocytus, if I guess correctly, it's a domain... correct?"

"Huh? So what if it isn't?"

"That means Cocytus will be no match for mine."

"What?"

The words were etched into my mind so I knew exactly what to say.

"Before light, came darkness. An infinite void housing fear and nightmares."

Myran must've noticed what I was doing because he quickly launched a wave of Frost Bolts at me. My dark aura quickly shaped into shadow blades and deflected his attacks. I'd continue to chant.

"Even if it is erased by light, it'll continue to exist. Light is but a pest to the god of darkness living deep in the eternal abyss, eternally shielded from brilliance."

My aura would begin to darken and soon it was completely black. Not a single particle of violet wandered in the air.

"Divine god, grant me the absolute power of darkness to trap my enemy from the light, for they will never set sight on it again."

My aura shrunk and all of it was absorbed back into my body.

"Bury the light and embrace the darkness."

Myran dashed towards me, but it was already too late. I pointed my finger at Myran and a panicked look crosses his face as I finished the incantation.

"Your nightmare begins here. Shadow King Domain."

.

.

.