The Rings of Heaven (Final)

"Only one more to go after this…" I sigh, knowing full well that this ring would take even longer than the previous one because of the existence of Tona.

The surrounding for the 2nd Ring were interesting, to say the least.

The ground I stepped on was littered with stars, and the sky above me held galaxies and constellations were plainly obvious. It was like I was stepping into space. Among this endless expanse of darkness + a little bit of light, there appeared figures clad in armor, the most prominent being Tona pt.2 on fire and Huitz pt.2 with electricity flowing.

So now, while Huitz would be throwing his spears, Tona would be engaging me head on. Though, unlike being harder than what I had first thought, Tona was in her weaker state before she was reborn, so I managed to 'complete' this ring in a reasonable time.

Descending from space, cam a figure dressed in black armor with a toga-colored light blue. Its limbs were connected by a weird purplish light, and it had its belt and top half of its masked colored gold. Floating there while staring at me with its eyes glowing the same purple that connected its limbs, a staff made of light formed in its hand.

⸢Ruler of the Stars Ring, Tetla⸥

"You… shall… go… no… further…"

Hearing an astral, slow voice come from it, I can't even mask my surprise.

"You… are… not… worthy…"

Giving it a weird look, I ask, "And who are you to determine that for me?"

Swiping its hand which held the staff slowly forward, it suddenly extends at an impossibly fast speed and passes right past my arm. Hearing a *thump* come from beside me, I look over and find my arm no longer attached to my torso.

Just as I start to think 'What?' the realization of what had just occurred set in and so too did the pain.

Grabbing at the wound to at least slow the bleeding, I hear Tetla boom, "See… ...not worthy…"

Being unable to fight while in this kind of state, I transform in a Demon.

Watching as a new arm spurt from the empty socket, I look unto Tetla.

"Futile…"

Now, Tetla lowered its staff. Waiting for the moment in which the staff would extend, I'm once dumbfounded when my arm is cut off once more. Even with my heightened senses, I still couldn't see a thing. This most likely meant that the staff progressed past both time and space to cut through me. Though, the one limitation (hopefully), is that it can only be in a straight line.

Running a circle around Tetla, the moment I'm behind him, I dive forward.

⸢Tetla, Ruler of the Stars Ring, is using [Skill: Space Distortion] ⸥

Now, instead of diving forward, I'm once again in front of Tetla, watching him raise his arm and cleave right through me.

Grabbing the two sides of my head, I stick them back together, instantly healing the wound.

Summoning one of my weaker Soldiers of Light, the two of us run around the sides of Tetla and try to execute a pincer attack. But the space distorts once more and both the Soldier of Light and I are standing one in front of the other, just in time to be cleaved once again by Tetla.

⸢The light has faded from one of your soldiers… They have been lost to the infinite void forever. ⸥

Gritting my teeth in slight anger as Tetla killed one of my soldiers, I try to figure out a plan that'll work.

I try, futilely the same kind of strategy, even engaging him head on. But he would always distort the space so that I appear in front of him again. Chucking my sword right at Tetla after growing angry enough, I watch as he weaves around the weapon instead of simply distorting it back to its original position.

Smiling ever so slightly, I decided to test a theory, even if it put me in a slight bit of danger.

Changing my race ever so slightly, I become a half-demon half-ice elf. Sticking my hands out to my side, I form an endless array of Ice Weapons to surround me.

"Interesting…" I hear the off comment of Tetla.

Moving my hands forward ever so slightly, the weapons shoot forward. However, Tetla doesn't even try and dodge the Ice as when they meet his battle wear, they shatter.

"But… this… is… not… enough…"

Feeling myself cleanly cut through once more, it takes much longer to heal the wound. Once again creating an array of Ice Weapons, I spend more time to strengthen them before then hurling them forward. Seeing him whirl around the first few, I change myself to be 100% Ice Elf and stick my hands above me.

Creating a giant lance of ice, I pour in as much of my magical power as I possibly can as well as my own strength. Staring up at Tetla the moment before I release this attack, I could see him slightly taken aback and watched as he tried to pull his staff down as quick as he could. But I had already flung my hands forward.

With a speed that beat out Tetlas hand movement, the tip of the lance slammed into Tetla before then piercing through him. Exploding into an array as the gaping hole in his chest grew, I watch my Ice lance disappear.

Getting the notification that I had slain the boss; I revert to a human and near tumble to the ground if not for Asmund summoning himself and hoisting me up.

Taking a much-needed rest in this array of stars, I can't help but dread what might come next. If the final boss has the strength of Tetla, then I'd be doomed.

"Well, I can always just transform into a Demon and then use the Hearthstone. It's no problem." I psyche myself up.

Entering the last ring, I'm surprised when I find it to be a normal room. It was a round room with endless walls of gray, a floor made of marble and a ceiling of pure white.

In the middle of this room sat a throne atop a podium and sitting in it is an angel dressed in silver armor, a halo atop its head, a basic broadsword at its side, and wings as white as the ceiling stretched out behind it.

⸢The Ruler of the Blessed, Mezloc⸥

"So, you managed to even beat Tetla." Mezloc nods his head sadly, "He was a good friend, but he did tend to take things a bit too leisurely."

Standing up from his throne, Mezloc makes his way down the podium. The moment he steps off, the podium and the throne disappear.

Freaked out slightly, Mezloc says, "No need to worry… I'd just rather not have unnecessary items be in the way when we fight."

"Do we have to fight?"

Attaching his broadsword to his side, Mezloc stares at me.

"You did kill all my blessed… so yes, we must fight. For both my honor as their Ruler, and you're honor to complete the mission."

Mezloc then places his hand at his chest.

"Let me reintroduce myself… I am Mezloc, the Ruler of the Blessed and the God of the Moon. I wish you the best of luck in this fight."

Pulling his broadsword from its sheath, it shone with such a holy, radiant light that I was at a lost of words for a moment.

Holding his sword in front of him, I hear Mezzloc chant, "O' let this woeful blade pierce the clouds' bellies so that they may bless me the ability to let judgement storm down upon the mortal who was born from earth."

After stating those words, the pure white that hung above us changed to a dark, dreary grey and then rain began to pour down onto us. Or more specifically me, since when I looked at Mezloc, not a single drop of rain landed on him. Lightning then began to traverse across the sky above us until it dropped down onto me.

Quickly changing my breathing art, I directed the flow of the electricity into my sword and then out towards Mezloc. Seeing this, Mezloc's posture changed in moment's notice, and he struck towards the ray of lightning with as much force as he possibly could.

Flopping down onto the ground, a slash of light passed through the lightning and then over me. Even cutting through the rain so that it didn't land on my face for a moment.

Scrambling back up, I look at Mezloc to find him initiating a prayer once again.

"Let the earth consume this tattered soul so that he may receive the judgement he so rightfully deserves."

The ground beneath me then began to shake and the marble then sprung up and grabbed onto my legs. Pulling me down. Even after trying to hack at the marble, I couldn't do anything except be stuck in the ground soon after. Lighting once again flashed above me.

And now, instead of striking me from overhead, the electric currents traveled atop the marble and straight into my body. And the voltage of the lightning was more than enough to kill me, so I didn't hesitate to change into a Demon.

"O' heavens," I look back up at Mezloc, "Can you not see such disgrace done by one who is still living… please, use your most powerful winds to rid the world of this atrocity. For he deserves the harshest of judgements under your unbiased eye."

The winds around us then start to pick up and the rain starts to pelt against me, hard enough to start tearing away at my skin. Yet, the wind continued to pick up in speed until wisps of air started to cut at me. These wisps grow stronger and larger in size until my head starts to be cut off.

The winds then seem to layer themselves and cut through my exposed portion of body until I'm separated into paper thin slices. Having a point of my body that I could still grow off though, I experienced such harsh conditions for who know how long.

Every time that my body would regenerate, he'd be cut paper thin once more. If not for my inability to feel pain while being a Demon, I would have gone insane.

After an indeterminable amount of time, the winds died down and the rain ceased. So too did the restraints on my legs.

Freeing myself, I look at a ticked off Mezloc.

"I rarely ever use the powers of Earth to kill someone, yet here you stand…" Mezloc scoffs, "If I can't kill you with the powers of Earth, I'll kill you with my own abilities."

⸢Mezloc, God of the Moon, is using [Skill: Moon Fall] ⸥

Looking above me, the sky had changed to show an especially enlarged moon, and it was slowly inching closer to us.

"You shall experience the full wrath that I have to offer."

Instead of fearing that I'd crushed, I smiled.

After all, when I'm a Demon, I get stronger the further into the night it gets, in other words, the position of the moon. With the moon hanging directly above me and it being so large, I felt power coursing through my veins. Further increasing the density and size of my muscles with the help of my Blood Demon Art, I use the one technique of Moon Breathing I had gotten a handle on and, since it grew more powerful under the moon, I thought it was fitting.

"Moon Breathing First Form: Dark Moon-Evening Palace."

Dashing forward at a speed which even beat out that of 'God Speed', I draw and slash my sword swiftly in a single moment.

Mezloc, who had been staring at me while waiting for his technique to fall onto me, said, "Eh?" when his head went flying from his body.

Grabbing the halo that still hung above Mezloc's head as it was flung away, I slash my sword into it, causing it to shatter.

Releasing his head, it then continues to bounce away from his body.

Almost like he was impressed, Mezloc praised me. "To kill even me, a Ruler, and a God, you are impressive for a mortal. Though… I supposed calling you that would be incorrect while you're in that form. I can feel that you're going to face many trials in the future, so I wish you luck. And I hope you can use the final reward that killing me had granted you. ...Farewell."

The sky above me then changed to grey again and lighting instantly struck at the head and body of Mezloc. When the strike dispersed, I could find neither.

As I stand there, the system notification pops up multiple times, both telling me of the completion of the second quest and finally revealing the truth behind the hidden reward.

---

⸢ [Normal Quest: Collect Blessed Souls (Part 2)] has been completed.

[Received: Highest Quality Runestone: 'Transferable Light']

[Received: "'Bonus Stat +30']

[Received: Title: 'Holy Hunter']

[Title: Holy Hunter] condition requirement has not been met.

[Recipe: Hidden] has been revealed.

You can now have [Recipe: Blessed Katana] ⸥

---

Taking out the runestone, I crush it in my hand, reading the effect of the ability as I do.

---

⸢Skill

Transferable Light Lv.1

Job-Specific Skill

No Mana Required

Have one of your Soldiers of Light transfer over their location to you.

This skill can be used again only after 3-hour cooldown is finished.

Cooldown will change depending on the skill level. ⸥

---

After that, I look over the recipe for the 'Blessed Katana' and then at the items that were required to make it. Seeing that everything would be used to make it, I dump all of the bonus stat points into intelligence and then craft the Katana. Looking at the timer, the process works, and I'm left with a new weapon in hand.

Holding out the katana, I whistle aloud.

---

⸢Item

[Item: Blessed Katana]

Item Rarity: ??

Type: Katana

Attack +1,250

The strongest katana, forged with the wills and powers of the Rulers with whom provided the necessary items to make this weapon. Because of the items used to make this katana, a multitude of effects are added.

Effect: 'Flourish': +100% damage when plant-based attacks are used.

Effect: 'Living Weapon': Weapon can free float around the user and defend them, without the user doing anything.

Effect: 'Running Red': +100% Agility

Effect: 'Blind': Create a flash of light that blinds any enemies for 5 or more seconds.

Effect: 'Blue Blaze': Shoot a ray of blue fire from the tip of your weapon.

Effect: 'Self-Repair': While outside of combat, the blade will automatically repair any damage.

Effect: 'Gravitational Aura': Increase the weight of the air around you when this weapon is equip.

Effect: 'Burning Rage': Set your blade ablaze. Anything your blade touches shall also be set ablaze.

Effect: 'Astral Projection': Increase the length of your weapon without changing its weight.

Effect: 'Holy Weapon': +100% damage to anything not a part of your army. ⸥

---

With nothing left to do inside of Heaven, I test my new skill, arriving under one of the streetlamps where I had placed one of my Soldiers.

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⸢Item

[Item: Tetla's Belt Ornament]

Item Class: A

Type: Accessory

+30 Agility

Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥

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⸢Item

[Item: Black Stilts]

Item Class: B

The stilts that served as Tetla's legs.

Effect: 'Float': Gives the ability to float if the user doesn't have legs. ⸥

---

⸢Item

[Ingredient Item: Astral Oil]

Item Class: ???

Type: Ingredient

An oil where forged weapons can be plunged into to grant a special effect. Gives the ability for a weapon to increase in length and thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥

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⸢Item

[Item: Mezloc's Halo]

Item Class: S

Type: Accessory

+20 Strength, +20 Agility, +20 Sense, +20 Vitality, +20 Intelligence

Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥

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⸢Set Item Effect

Set Effect: +30 All Stats ⸥

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⸢Item

[Ingredient Item: Holy Blessing]

Item Class: ???

Type: Ingredient

A Blessing given to you by Mezloc before he passed. Can be imprinted onto a blade to increase damage and thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥