Chapter 47 - Trial by Combat

"Uh…" I whispered, realizing what I had received. Luck really is important after all. With Albedo before, I was fortunate as well. But even with Albedo's knowledge and abilities in this world, I am far from the strongest. Even Wonder Woman could take me down in a snap, I believe. And that's not the only example. There are enough Archmages on Earth, too.

My main strength is cheating, if you will. I don't spend years studying what characters did. I literally assimilate their knowledge, and it becomes a part of me. The same goes for the items in the store. This all gives me huge opportunities. What can I say, in just two months, I've become somewhat strong enough not to fear every shadow in the DC world.

And now I've received two S-rank items and one A-rank character, which is very, very good. The first and most interesting is the Picture of Nature and Nations, an S-rank item. This item allows you to isolate space, essentially sealing the chosen target or targets in a sealed space, where the owner of the item can manifest various effects. So, if I seal a target, I'll be able to impose different effects on the area or terrain, such as creating permanent lava lands or storm plains. In addition, after some time, different creatures will appear in this isolated space, attacking the target. However, they will all be sixty percent weaker than the target and are just there to wear down the enemy.

This item is perfectly capable of sealing a god or gods if they are close to each other. Of course, not the strongest of them, there are limitations on the strength of the opponent. But it should work on gods capable of destroying continents and moon-sized planetoids. But even in a barrel of honey, a spoonful of tar is needed. This is a one-time item. In other words, I can't use it again. There's only one chance.

The second of the best rewards for me personally is Bang, a character from the One-Punch Man world and a master of martial arts, an S-rank hero in the Hero Association, and just a very powerful old man who can knock down a mountain with a good strike.

"Trial Arena?" Checking the description of the item, I understood that it was some kind of space where I could train to test my skills, and death there would not affect my real body.

It's almost like virtual reality, where I can test my strength against strong opponents, which is, of course, very useful. The description mentioned lines about understanding oneself and one's spirit, but it's too vague to know for sure what to expect.

The only other interesting item is a light interceptor, which I'll probably take apart when I have time. Since there's no point in thinking too long, I immediately started assimilating the "Bang."

Name: Anthony Joseph Luthor

Race: Primordial Human

Title: Villain's Brother, Brother-Killer, Administrator, Head of LuthorCorp

Overall Power: 8-A (Strength far exceeding even a regular superhuman. The ability to influence an area of several city blocks or equivalent areas of space)

Assimilated Characters:

Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark (A) (100%)

Albedo (B) (100%)

Bang (A) (1%)

Abilities: Senjutsu (B+), Aura (C)

Gacha Points: 91

My Overall Power hasn't really changed much. And I've noticed that this status only shows my basic strength. If I amplify myself with magic, I'll be able to wipe an entire city off the face of the planet, but I'll really have to go all out. While the Lucky Card is still working, I rechecked the Gachi Points.

Massage Technique (D)

Backpack (E)

Comb (E)

Healing Ointment (C)

Sand (E)

Summoning Technique (B)

Streetlight Pole (E)

Jack the Ripper's Knife (C)

Phoenix Feather (B)

Camera (E)

This time there wasn't anything particularly important. The Summoning Technique, based on its description, caught my interest and would allow me to summon a creature close to my spirit, and the Phoenix Feather could be studied. Apparently, my luck ended there...

Shinoa Hiragi: Admin-kun, we've been informed about a mission outside the walls of Sibui, more specifically in Shinjuku. Even our newly-formed squad was sent there because of increased vampire activity.

This message stirred up an inexplicable feeling in me. I knew I needed this, knew it was worth it...but personally killing so many creatures, even though I understood with my mind that they deserved it, was problematic. Shinoa's world was safer than RWBY's only because there were no gods there, at least not in the canon history. It was a good world to add souls to my medallion. I had improved the medallion a little during the evening spent in the Zatanna mansion, but those were not serious improvements. I wasn't completely sure it would work correctly, but I would be able to check that out in practice.

Anthony (Admin): When are you supposed to set out?

Shinoa Hiragi: Oh, my maiden heart trembles when Admin-kun speaks in that tone...

Rias Gremory: It's text...

Shinoa Hiragi: And I'm proud that I can feel the tone in which Admin-kun wrote it.

Shinoa Hiragi: The mission will begin tomorrow morning.

Anthony (Admin): Thank you, Shinoa, I'm very grateful.

I had some time before I went to her world. There was no point in doing anything else with the medallion since I had already tested everything I could. The meeting with the military representatives was scheduled for four o'clock, which meant I had over seven hours of free time. The Trial Arena sounded interesting, especially since I could immediately test the skills I inherited from Bang. I already felt these changes, my body was slightly changing, becoming stronger, more agile, all of it harmoniously intertwining with my human physique.

And I'm also very curious about what kind of Arena this is, so I chose it in my Gacha inventory and a card with intricate patterns appeared in my hands. I could see a fist, lightning, and possibly even blood on it. As soon as I wished to use it, my vision momentarily darkened, and I found myself in a dark room that, to be honest, scared me. It was only for a moment, but I remembered the moment when I met that entity...

And I literally felt in my gut that I had to choose between the Arena of Battle or the Arena of Spirits. I struggled to understand what was happening, and with all the experience I had gained, I didn't even realize where I was or how I got there. Wishing to return, I found myself back in the bedroom.

"Ugh," Gacha always reminds me of my insignificance, not intentionally of course, but... oh well. Checking the time, I confirmed that half a minute had passed, meaning that time there passes just like in the real world. "Cortana, can you replay the last minute of my time in the room?" I asked aloud, and a small drone flew in and activated a projector to play back what I had asked for. My body had remained in the room the whole time, while my mind was elsewhere.

"Thank you," I nodded and lay down on the bed, wishing to use the card again. Once again, I was presented with a choice, but this time I chose the Arena of Battle. For a moment, I was blinded by bright light, and soon I saw... a huge statue of someone. Actually, there were many statues, and they were arranged around my position, while I stood in the center of a smooth structure.

"It really is an arena," I snickered.

" It would be strange if it wasn't" someone's voice said, and in the next second, I felt a stunningly strong blow right in the chest.

I felt all the power that hit me, all this kinetic energy, pure and powerful physical force without any magic or other energy. One blow, and I felt my aura shatter to pieces, bones cracking in my chest, muscles tearing, skin eroding, organs getting damaged, and lungs starting to fill with blood.

I didn't immediately understand what had happened, but I collided with that same statue that I first noticed. I sank about two meters deep into the statue's back, which allowed me to see who was standing in the arena. It was a tall, long-haired man with red hair like blood. His hands were covered with strange vein-like golden lines that quickly disappeared. But his eyes remained the same. Black sclera and golden pupils.

"Impressive," I wanted to say, but instead coughed up blood. Activating Sindjutsu, I felt a surge of energy, my aura quickly began to recover, and I also applied magic. "Einalecsi," I said, and immediately found it easier to breathe.

"Are you going to stay there forever?" the red-haired man asked boredly. "I was needed to check your strength... and it's insignificant. I didn't even put half my strength into it, and you're already on the verge of death. However, at least you know how to use magic."

"That was unexpected," I admitted, feeling something like what I felt next to Superman, albeit on a smaller scale. The feeling of weakness, the realization that this red-haired man was not lying, and he really hit me effortlessly. I could feel his aura, and he was a god. A real damn god, possibly not the strongest, but still a god. The flow of Qi immediately came into motion, my muscles filled with strength, and I knew it was not the time to relax, so I really used Sindjutsu to the maximum. I was surrounded by a white glow from the aura intertwined with Qi, in addition, I increased my physical characteristics with magic and Willpower.

"Hmm, well, give it a try," said the god, not taking me seriously. And I tried. A sudden jolt, the arena under my feet cracks, and I break the sound barrier right from the start. Speed increases, I feel tension in my muscles and then I strike directly at his unprotected torso.

This strike created a powerful shockwave, throwing up all the dust and even the god himself. Well, he remained standing, but he ran across the arena with his feet, shattering the surface. At the same moment, earth pillars rose from the ground, which this god clearly did not expect, so he got hit in the face, and then I created a magical seal above him.

"Ytivarg esaercni!" I increased gravity more than fifty times for him and found myself above the arena. My gaze fell on the stone statues, focusing magic on them, and I began to control them. Several stone giants moved from their place and raised huge fists to strike the red-haired god still standing in the arena.

"This is better," came the relaxed voice, and a bright lightning flashed for a moment, and I felt a burning sensation... there was a ping pong ball-sized hole in my chest. "But still not enough."

"Oh, you're so resilient..." Shinjutsu quickly began to heal the wound, and I also used alchemy. Glancing at his arrogant smile, I drew my sword...

"Oh, at least you have a decent weapon," he admitted. "But, you see, here's the problem..." I felt the danger and created a barrier, reinforced it with my Will... but it was not enough. The first strike and the barrier cracked, this blow contained the power of a damn nuclear warhead. The second strike was stronger, and it completely destroyed the barrier. "...still weak."

"Ahem." Moving to the sky, I realized that... I lost my arm and leg. My sword was in the hands of the god.

"Well, that was a test match, if you can even call it that. Next time, you might be fighting someone else," he said lightly. "For the last time, let me show you the power of a god." His body filled with divine energy, lightning struck in various directions, and the last thing I saw was the insane smile of the god, who effortlessly destroyed my body with a final attack.

Once again, I found myself in a dark room where I had to make a choice - the Arena of Combat or the Arena of Spirits. But I left and found myself back in my bed where I had laid down.

"Yes, fighting should be done smartly, not desperately," I said, placing my hand on my face. This fight sobered me up a bit and showed me that even with my techniques and increased strength, I am nobody to a god. Of course, if I were fully dressed in Eighth Metal armor, there would have been a chance, but without it... it's a little humiliating. However, I wasn't planning on fighting such opponents fairly, that would be foolish. But for developing tactics just in case and for training, I can endure it. Although I didn't even get to try the Bang stance, I simply didn't have time...