Chapter 58: One against Many (Part 6)

Ymir ripped himself from the fantastical visions that danced in his mind. He imagined his training, gaming skills and imagination, echoes of his previous adventure– it all dissolved with a shake of his head, replaced by the harsh reality of the present. A mischievous grin tugged at his lips even as it remained hidden beneath his helmet. He could feel the murderous intent rolling off the couple before him, their determination a tangible force in the air.

Ymir slammed his massive sword, the "Earthsplitter," down onto the ground. The resulting boom echoed through the valley, shaking loose pebbles from distant cliffs. He raised a hand, palm open, beckoning them forward in a gesture that could be interpreted as both playful and undeniably threatening.

Kashigawa and Sashime, their faces etched with grim resolve, weren't fooled by the playful facade. The giant before them was a mountain of a being, his armor a mosaic of hardened scales and enchanted metals. The memory of Hiroko's lifeless form, fueled their vengeance.

In a silent, synchronized motion, they tore strips of flesh from their arms, revealing intricate patterns of glowing runes etched beneath the surface of their skin. Ymir, surprised by the sudden self-mutilation, roared and charged. But before he could reach them, a shimmering barrier materialized, coalescing from swirling threads of energy.

The air crackled with raw power as the avatar, a construct of pure magic, rose to meet Ymir's onslaught. A fierce battle ensued – a clash between a literal giant and a projection of unyielding force.

Ymir swung the Earthsplitter with the force of a hurricane, the sheer mass of the weapon capable of leveling entire forests. The avatar met each blow with a shimmering shield, deflecting the attacks with an ethereal glow. But with each clang, the magical construct seemed to flicker momentarily, betraying its vulnerability.

Across the battlefield, bathed in the crimson glow emanating from their wounds, Kashigawa and Sashime chanted in a language older than time itself. Their voices, raspy and strained, intertwined in a desperate plea to some unseen power. The mist, fed by their blood, grew thicker, pulsing with a malevolent energy that seemed to twist the very air around it.

Ymir, frustrated with the avatar's resilience, bellowed in rage. It mocked him with its ethereal form, frustrating his monstrous strength. He felt a primal urge to crush it, to shatter the construct and confront the fragile humans who dared oppose him. But a nagging doubt gnawed at the edges of his rage.

A lifetime of solitude had sharpened Ymir's senses. He felt a tremor, not from the earth shaking under his blows, but from the churning crimson mist. It was a different kind of power, something insidious and malevolent. He glanced towards the chanting humans, a shiver running down his colossal spine.

Suddenly, a tendril of the crimson mist detached itself from the swirling mass and shot towards Ymir with unnatural speed. It wrapped itself around his leg like a living serpent. A jolt of searing pain ripped through his body, momentarily stealing his breath.

He roared again, not just with pain, but with disbelief. This wasn't a simple attack; the mist burned through his armor, leaving behind a trail of sizzling, blackened metal. Panic surged through him. This wasn't just a distraction – the mist held an insidious power that could bypass his immense strength.

"Foolish giant!" Kashigawa's voice boomed through the valley, laced with a chilling triumph. "The Blood Rite weakens you as it empowers us!"

Ymir ripped the tendril from his leg, flinging it back towards the chanting humans. The torn mist dissipated harmlessly before reaching them. But the brief respite was a costly one. The avatar, sensing his momentary lapse in focus, pressed its attack. A concentrated blast of pure magic struck Ymir in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. He slammed into a nearby hill, the force of the impact sending a cascade of boulders tumbling down towards the battlefield.

Kashigawa and Sashime, their faces contorted in a grotesque mix of pain and determination, continued their chant. The crimson mist pulsed, growing ever larger, ever more menacing. Ymir knew he had to act fast. The longer the chant went on, the more powerful the magic would become.

He raised the Earthsplitter, its tip glowing with a faint luminescence that emanated from an ancient enchantment. A primal fury coursed through his body.

He raised the Earthsplitter, its tip glowing with a faint luminescence that emanated from an ancient enchantment. A primal fury coursed through him, a concoction of rage and fear. With a deafening bellow, he charged towards the avatar, determined to break through its defenses before the true threat, the crimson mist, could fully manifest.

But as he charged, a new tactic flickered in his mind. He remembered something, a strategy to fight those with humongous power energies, he once faced a similar foes before, he didn't fight the magic head-on. Instead, he used the battlefield itself as his weapon.

Ymir skidded to a halt just before reaching the avatar. He slammed the Earthsplitter into the ground with earth-shattering force, the impact sending tremors through the valley. The ground beneath the avatar buckled and split, large fissures erupting like hungry mouths.

The avatar, momentarily unbalanced, flickered in surprise. Kashigawa and Sashime faltered in their chant, their eyes widening in alarm. Ymir saw his chance. He launched himself forward, not towards the avatar, but towards the chanting humans.

The crimson mist churned, a monstrous entity beginning to take shape within its swirling depths. Ymir, a colossal mountain in motion, bore down on the vulnerable humans, aiming to disrupt their ritual before it was too late. The avatar, however, reformed itself and intercepted him mid-stride.

Will Ymir reach the humans in time? What dark magic will the Blood Rite unleash? And how will the avatar's intervention change the course of the battle?

(A.N: If you're confused yes, the (nickname) name of the sword is earthsplitter but it's true (temporary) name is grimfang and also yes I made the very first question 😅😅😅😅😅)