Chapter 7 - Goldstorm
Without a moment's hesitation, Agha reverted to his transformed state, unleashing a ferocious onslaught upon the man. "Ryaaaaaa!!!"
The man, while exerting minimal effort, engaged Agha in a relentless back-and-forth combat that tore through the surrounding landscape.
"Well... Well... Well... If it isn't the famous Great hero..." He scoffed.
"I'm Neybal, on the commanders... I came here for something else, but it seems I've struck a jackpot..."
As Agha's strikes connected, he noticed something, the skinless man's flesh was regenerating at an astounding speed, as he had never been hurt.
While Agha, on the other hand, was getting injured with each blow.
The battle raged with unmatched intensity, yet Agha faced a grave challenge - protecting the defenseless baby bound to him.
The Skinless anomaly seized the opportunity to launch an assault on the infant, "Now why are you holding a child..."
To safeguard the child, Agha had no choice but to turn his back, shielding the baby from harm.
As he did so, a powerful punch struck him square in the back, landing right on the very wound he had previously sustained. "Letting your guard down at such a moment..."
The force of the impact sent Agha hurtling through the mountains, his body spiraling through the air.
With unwavering determination, Agha curled himself into a protective shield of aura, shielding the baby from harm in the face of this dire threat.
"The heroes of Doom? I expected more from you... I'm disappointed... And I can't understand... Why are you fighting alongside an infant?" said the skinless man
As Agha's consciousness teetered on the brink of fading, "D-Damnit..." a deluge of memories from his past rushed into his mind.
In these memories, a young boy with the same appearance as Agha, but one year older, stood before him.
They shared long, flowing hair and a deep familial bond, engaging in a heartfelt sparring session.
Agha, younger and smaller, had always fallen short and voiced his longing to become as strong as his older brother, Maze.
In response, Maze playfully teased his younger brother, declaring that he would always remain the strongest, their laughter echoing through the courtyard.
A sudden, gust of wind, transported Agha to the moment when Maze, now twelve years old, was entrusted with a mission on behalf of the Goldstorm family.
Agha pleaded with Maze not to go, his voice laced with desperation, but Maze emphasized his duty to serve and honor their family.
A year later, as the war concluded, Agha eagerly anticipated Maze's return, determined to show his brother how strong he had become in his absence.
Soldiers returned home, yet there was no sign of Maze.
Agha's hope began to wither, replaced by a gnawing sense of unease, "W-Where are you brother..."
He was summoned to the family hall, where his father handed him a square-shaped box as if he were being awarded something.
When Agha opened the box, he discovered a skull - the skull of a twelve-year-old boy, the grim truth of Maze's fate sending shockwaves through his heart.
"A-AHHH!??" Bursting into tears, shivering with fear.
Agha's father revealed the harrowing truth - Four months ago, Maze was captured by the enemy, they threatened to surrender in exchange for his life.
Our surrender meant ruin to countless lives, all of whom depended on our victory, a young boy's life seemed feeble compared to that.
Thus Maze had been publicly beheaded, and the skull served as a haunting reminder of this tragic loss.
Agha's anguished cries resonated through the room as he mourned his beloved brother, the weight of grief nearly unbearable.
The wind blows, with high intensity, taking its path, towards the cosmos, "Well, Grief... It's one of your chosen ones, let's see... Who did he turn to? Me or Evil!" Said a white bright light.
"This is truly exciting!! What that man proposed... It was indeed entertaining!"
"I'm surprised we didn't do something like this before, We can finally, put an end to our eternal conflict!"
"After the chosen ones, completely overcome their grief, the one who gets chosen the most, good or evil, will win!" Said an enigmatic red light.
"Both of your existence brings me pain... I just want one of you to disappear already..." spoke a darkness.
"It's the existence of both of you, that makes people turn to me... It is exactly what made that poor man turn to me... he's willing to sacrifice his everything entirely, just for you two"
The darkness continued, "I am Grief, I am both, beautiful and wrenching, it is indeed you two, that make me suffer, it is you who make me exist, I just want death..."
The darkness grew thicker, "You warriors were chosen against your will, each of you carrying the burden of the strongest, lifting grief heavier than anyone else"
The darkness boiling, "Oh! the one chosen by him, Overcome your grief! And bring me death..."
The wind again gushes back to reality, to the battlefield.
Agha, as he woke with unwavering determination and a burning desire to protect the innocent.
"Odin's Glare: Million Despairs" let out a resounding scream, pushing the limits of his mind and body.
As he did, his hair began to change color, turning pure white.
This transformation unleashed a newfound power within him, the extraordinary ability to see and manipulate atoms.
The skinless, recognizing the gravity of the situation, swiftly transformed, enveloping itself in a sinister, life-sucking aura.
"This smells like trouble damnit, I didn't come here for this..."
The ensuing battle was a relentless back-and-forth, with both combatants displaying incredible power and skill.
The monster, intelligent and aware of the impending danger, fought with all its might, knowing that a single touch from Agha's sword could be fatal.
Agha's has reached new heights, his eyes bleeding, could see even the atoms themselves, delivering a cut so precise, that regeneration is rendered useless.
The confrontation reached its climax, leaving Agha drenched in blood, his hair flowing like cascading snow but stained with the crimson of battle.
A symbol of his devastating memory of a child's death, that being his brother himself.
In a critical moment, the monster of a man attempted to exploit Agha's weakness and target the child once more. "It's too late to turn back now!!"
This time, Agha was prepared. With unwavering resolve, he countered with a devastating slash of golden aura.
"Atomic Wappen" severing the skinless's arms and subjecting it to a relentless barrage of slashes. "Ahhhh!!!"
These strikes cut deep into the man's flesh on an atomic level, rendering regeneration impossible.
Agha stood as the victor, his gaze unwavering as he looked down upon his defeated adversary, vowing that no more children would be harmed under his watch.
As Agha prepared with a deadly smile to deliver the final blow, "Huff... Huff... Die... Skinless... You bought this upon yourself... you monkey..."
The skinless, in a desperate and suicidal act, launched flesh projectiles from its mouth.
Intent on taking Agha with it, "I can't die yet!! My lord, my people, I have a lot to protect!!"
Agha fought with every ounce of his being to counter this assault, desperately trying to move, but his body refused to respond.
He pleaded with his body to move, but it remained frozen. "MOVE!! GOD DAMNIT!!"
Just as the monster's attack was about to strike, magical blasts materialized out of nowhere.
Disintegrating the incoming projectiles and delivering a lethal strike that annihilated the skinless in a brilliant explosion of light and shadow.
The day was won, and the defenseless child had been saved.
As Agha fell to the ground, his vision blurred, and his consciousness began to slip away, he was supported by an unexpected savior - Magnus.
Gazing up at his friend, Agha heard Magnus's reassuring words, "Ya did well. The child is safe. Ya can rest now, my friend."
Hearing this Agha responds "Shut up, you lowly midget cunt"
With those words, Agha finally surrendered to his exhaustion and the toll of his injuries, slipping into a deep and well-deserved slumber.
In the embrace of darkness, he found a moment of peace, knowing that he had safeguarded the innocent.