Trial of the Twelve Zodiac Gods - Part 3

Within the Trial…

"Hmm, just what is going on? Did I already complete the Trial without knowing?" Rin wondered as he suddenly felt his surroundings shift as the trees and mountains around him disappeared and were replaced by some bare trees and dying shrubs.

As the once verdant green forest became a dried desert with the Sun being replaced by the Moon, which began to cast its waning light upon the world.

Just as two bright flashes of light streaked across the evening sky like comets as they swiftly approached Rin from the distance. Before landing gracefully on the ground and smiling toward Rin. 

Whoosh! Boom!

"Cough! So, did I complete the Trial?" Rin asked curiously after getting a better look at the two people who landed a foot away from him.

"Yes, however, before I anoint you as my apostle would you like to undergo one more Trial Rin Jasper Kurama?" Themis asked with a smile as Ruth stayed silent and just glanced at Rin hoping he would accept so that she could live her own life for once even if it may just be for a few years.

"Hmm, while tempting why would you change the initial Trial to something else, when I hadn't yet finished Trial 3 and began the last Trial?" Rin questioned as he gazed briefly at the younger version of Themis that was standing behind who had black hair and wore a black blindfold.

Before looking at Themis and awaiting a response to his inquiry, since it would make no sense to change the Trial unless she wanted to confirm or discover something. That the initial Trial would not be able to do, but then again why does this new Trial seem to have more strings attached to it than the last one?

'Just what are you trying to do, Themis, and why does that lady keep looking at with me such pleading eyes as if her entire life, depends on whether or not I accept to partake in this new trial.' Rin thought as his mind began to race with assumptions and guesses as to why this was happening.

"Because I wanted to, plus, isn't it more fun to do something new and innovative than boring and time-consuming like solving a puzzle, Rin?" Themis stated with a bit of disappointment that Rin chose to out his options rather than take a gamble as she expected of someone like him.

"…" Rin, 'Is she… wait, considering the environment and atmosphere does she want to assess my strength?'

"Sigh… forget it, Rin just~"

"I accept, however, no matter what happens I can't be blamed if she dies," Rin said to Themis as he pointed at Ruth and smiled causing the latter to laugh as she stepped from behind her Master and stood before Rin.

"While I love your confidence, Rin, and am grateful you helped me fulfill my dream, you are too young to think you could defeat someone of my standing, anomaly." Ruth laughed as she took out two white daggers and got ready for battle.

"And what makes you think someone of the lower realms can't defeat and even kill a Goddess, Themis's doppelganger?" Rin grinned as he summoned Scarlet and stabbed it into the ground, before clasping his hands together and using Immortal, a technique he had not used since he received it during the Tutorial. {Refer back to chapter 11 for more information.}

Which caused the stockpile of blood he collected from his defeated enemies, during the five-year period with Tom to be stimulated and purified before whatever remained was condensed into a droplet of ruby-red blood.

That merged with Rin's heart and led to his eyes turning crimson red as a faint bloody smell began to exude from his body just as his heart began to beat aggressively. Pumping a surge of unparalleled power throughout his body.

However, while it gifted him strength beyond his understanding, this state was but a temporary means to defeat the strongest foe he has ever faced second to Cypress.

"Well then good luck and no matter what happens you will still be my apostle, Rin. So good luck and Ruth please have some mercy on our friend here and lower your cultivation to Lower God and let the games begin!"

Themis smiled as she shot up into the sky and watched intently as a timer of five minutes appeared in the sky.

[New Trial Generated!]

[Survive for five minutes against the onslaught of Themis's Clone Ruth, until either one dies, or the timer stops!]

[Timer – 5:00]

And let the games begin… 

[Timer – 4:59]

BOOM! CLANG!

"Hmm, for a brat you are quite strong!" Ruth uttered after their first clash before disengaging and stepping back as she analyzed Rin, 'A scythe user, strong close range but weak long-range offense, well this should be easy.'

"You too, but this is only the appetizer, Ruth so please don't disappoint me," Rin smiled as he gripped Scarlet and dashed toward her before using Shadowstep to appear behind her.

"While smart you are somewhat dumb kid," Ruth muttered as her ears twitched forcing her to twirl around and defend against Rin's sneak attack.

"Maybe, but you never know unless you try," Rin said as he suddenly retracted Scarlet before slamming it into the ground causing the earth beneath Ruth to collapse as a pillar of fire consumed her.

***

Meanwhile…

[Timer – 1:30]

"Sigh, maybe it was too much to believe that Rin could defeat the clone of a Peak Divine Overlord?" Themis pondered after taking a glance at the timer and noticing they only had a minute and thirty seconds left before the Trial ended and she conferred Rin as her final and last Apostle of Truth.

'Tsk, I guess that means no more free days to be lazy and place all my work upon my clones,' Themis thought as she sighed once again before resuming to watch the fight.

***

'Welp, this was easy,' Rin chuckled as he let his guard down before suddenly coughing blood as he felt someone lay their hand on his shoulder and decisively plunging a dagger into his heart.

Before quickly spacing herself from Rin following the explosion of the talisman on the dagger.

Kaboom! Splat! 

"Sigh, while it was fun, you're a bit too green to be my opponent, kid, so goodnight and good riddance," Ruth whispered after distancing herself as she waited for the dust to clear up, so she could examine her foe and gave him a proper sendoff.

***

"In the end, it seems Ruth wins fair and square after all just as she proclaimed earlier," Themis and everyone else watching from home thought as they shook their head and awaited the inevitable.

As no matter how you look at it a Peak Angelic Cultivator has no chance at defeating a Goddess even if she suppressed her cultivation.

***

In the garden of the bouquet hall…

'Master, do you think Rin has a chance of winning against the clone of a Zodiac God?' Maze asked curiously as she gazed at Rin's broadcast with eyes that hoped he would do the impossible even though she knew it was impossible.

But then again anomalies cannot be judged by common reason as they have always been individuals who never followed the status quo. So, maybe Rin might be able to change this situation around and achieve the impossible, even though he may be on his last leg…

'… that is hard to say, Maze but anything is possible, my disciple in this world. So never judge a man by their cultivation but by the indomitable spirit they carry when they reach the border of death and life. As even a dying man can make a comeback and shock the world with their final strike.'

"Hmm, 'even a dying man can make a comeback and shock the world with their final strike,' what a crazy statement to say regarding Rin's predicament, Master!? But I like it as it reflects just who Rin is even though he acts like an idiot at times," Maze said to herself with a smile as she sensed the atmosphere in the garden shift as everyone stood up in shock and disbelief.

At the reversal of the century…

***

A few minutes earlier after the dust cleared and everything, everyone could see Rin standing in a crater alone with a gaping hole in his chest. Where his heart once was as blood stained his clothes and bits of flesh could be seen scattered around him.

"Tsk, for a brat of the lower realms you're quite tenacious, Rin," Ruth muttered as she began to slowly walk toward Rin before suddenly stopping.

As her senses began to go off before everything went dark and Ruth fell to the ground with a thud. Along with Rin just as the timer went off, signaling the end of Themis's little game.

ZAP! SWOOSH! SQUISH! SPLAT! THUD!

[Ding!]

[Trial 5 – Survive Ruth Completed!]

"Hmm… um, now that I didn't expect," Themis said as she stood before Ruth and Rin, and just shook her head before snapping her fingers and healing them both, "Sigh, now just what shall I do, dear Lord as I can't give Rin his special reward nor grant Ruth her chance to live the dream of every clone?"

She wondered before smiling mischievously as she intended to give them both of their rewards but with an added condition. That they will surely grow to love and hate, one day later down the road…