Chapter 30. Divine Princess

[Superman: Images & GIFs]

The luminous blue screen before me pulsated with anticipation, heralding a cascade of intriguing notifications:

<Select option>

(i) Primitive Mode - Choose this if you wish to preserve your capability to amplify your strength twofold against any impending threat.

(ii) [Unlocked] Hunter - Opt for this to unleash your inherent Cursed Technique. Your Cursed Energy (in shades of blue) will no longer enhance your physical attributes but can be harnessed for manipulation.

The sacred seal of the gods had been broken, ushering in a new era of possibilities. The digital interface crackled with energy, beckoning me to embrace these newfound dynamics.

"Primitive?" my sorcerer instincts pondered. "Hunter?"

"Wonder Woman!" My non-sorcerer senses surged, and my focus to the threat sharpened. "Mahoraga!"

The blue notification screen vaporized, dissipating into the digital ether, and left behind a solitary message:

<Defaulted to Primitive Mode. Can be changed later.>

"Totalit-t-ty-yy!" My mouth exclaimed at the sight of Piercing Bull's head thrust through Totality's abdomen.

"Nue." My thoughts aligned with the flight shikigami, just as it landed its hundredth lightning bolt on Mahoraga - who was now perilously close to being humbled.

Charged with resolution, I released my grip on the eight-handled wheel and tightly grasped the Lasso of Truth. The situation appeared grim, and I could sense it acutely. The fact that the adversary I had defeated days ago was now wielding her Lasso against me indicated a vengeful return.

"This is no time for exploration," I admonished myself, attempting to maneuver and free myself from the constricting bounds of the Lasso. "Save that for later, and trust in what has brought you this far."

I-yyyaaa!

As Nue soared towards the Lasso, its claws poised to either seize or sever it, I swung my body. Nue's claws deftly made contact with the Lasso, unleashing a surge of electric current that surged through both sides.

"Bzzztzztt!" My body convulsed in shock, mirroring Diana's reaction, causing her to momentarily release the Lasso. Seizing the opportunity, Nue snatched it away, cradling it in its talons before swinging me back onto its back. My vibrating form safely landed, the immediate threat averted.

"Oohoh..." I groaned as my body rippled, lifting myself to sit up properly, feeling as groggy as ever.

"Got-t-ta defe-eat Mahorrr-aga." I reminded myself as I took a peek below.

Freed from Nue's barrage of attacks, Mahoraga had safely landed on a solid block of land. Swiftly, it dismantled Orochi - the Great Serpent, and now, soaring through the air with the Sword of Extermination, it unleashed rapid slashes at Nue. It was evident that it was incensed, unlike all those previous encounters.

Recovering from the electric shock, Diana observed the unfolding scene, its trajectory stretching across the darkening sky. She watched as Nue swerved and coiled in the air, skillfully avoiding an air slash from the Sword of Extermination.

"You have a long way to go before becoming the Hunter," she sighed, struggling to lift her hands as her electrified muscles tingled.

"New body, old power. What do I do?" She wondered to herself. "Every person should be granted the dignity to endure through their fight. I shouldn't intervene."

Nue glided closer to what remained of the falling island, giving me the chance to jump and face Mahoraga. Once again, I was determined to put it down.

"I must be quick before that thing fully grows again." I jumped from Nue while thinking about the protrusion regenerating on Mahoraga's back. It was regenerating, and it wasn't going to be long before Mahoraga became fully formidable again.

I skillfully evaded the Sword of Extermination, unleashing a barrage of punches aimed at Mahoraga.

"Grrraaahhh..." I vocalized my frustration and exhaustion as I collided with Mahoraga's formidable form.

Determined not to falter from the repetitive impacts, I persisted, continuously punching as gravity pulled us downward. My breathing slowed, and a surge of strength and agility empowered me, allowing me to gain the upper hand and push Mahoraga away, disrupting its sword swing.

"One graze from that and I might be done for." I reminded myself as the ticking time visualized before ne. Why was time flying so fast?!

8 minutes...

"One cut, and I'm actually done for." I added.

Punches rained down on every part of its body relentlessly and I pushed myself to keep at it like there was no tomorrow.

"29 days of training and pushing hard." I tapped more energy from my frustration with Themyscira.

"Countless confrontations that always became futile." My mind reflected to all those fights I had been in.

My face burrowed harder and my cursed energy manifested faster. Mahoraga might have been having a hard time from moving its body about due to the rapid series of strikes, but it was clear that they were doing nothing to it.

"Many times I endeavoured to give up." I encouraged myself to keep hitting harder and harder.

"How many times I nearly broke the pact." I increased my speed and steadied my strength. A rush of nervousness coursed through my heart as I planned to break from the punching. If I didn't transition properly, I would end up giving Mahoraga an opening to swing the sword in an ultimate kill move.

"And what kept me going?" My right hand was up in preparation for the next strike, just as my left fist was punching on Mahoraga's arm. That was my que to transition. The opportunity to manifest. "The life waiting for me on the other side."

1600..., 2000..., 2500..., 3000..., 4500 Strength to my right fist.

"Cosmic... Black Flash!" The words came out of me naturally as all the rest of my attributes traded for above maximum strength (4500/2400). All that strength cursed energy manifested on my right fist and hurtled toward Mahoraga's chest.

Everything became still for a moment, just before all that power landed in Mahoraga.

"Divine Haki!" Diana snapped instantly on seeing the much condensed energy surrounding my fist. "Exploding Beam!"

A colorless energy surged from her eyes, hurtling at the speed of light toward the considerably narrow space between my fist and Mahoraga's chest. It was as if she was protecting Mahoraga from being hit.

My fist collided with something strong and unyielding, seemingly repelling and absorbing my attack. Meanwhile, Mahoraga was propelled with incredible speed and immense force, making it impossible for anyone to discern his movement. In an instant, he was in the air with me, and in the next, he vanished, buried deep into the Earth's core by an inexplicable power.

However, even more astonishing was the unprecedented reaction that occurred within me. Something inexplicable happened to my black flash, sending me hurtling backward and horizontally through the air. Although my trajectory wasn't smooth, and I endured an incredible amount of speed, I eventually landed on a hard metallic object that crumpled under the force of my impact.

"Damn it!" Diana cursed in disappointment as she shook her head. "Because of him, I ran out of Divine again. Now it will take ages to-"

She breathed in to calm herself down and avoid spiralling. "I put it in good use. That clash could have caused ripples that would destroy every single thing."

"He'll pay for that." I heard a voice grump and my eyes opened to a silhouette of human figures approaching from beneath me.

"I reckon you ought to be more concerned about it nosediving and stranding us without a mode of transport. Still, I reckon it's in decent shape, but this here was the final bit of stable ground, and it's falling apart," another drawled, the silhouette of smoke wafting from his face.

"But I must say, that was one hell of an entrance," the smoking voice added with a hint of a smirk.

Raising my weakened body, I spotted another figure soaring with a cape billowing behind him. My attributes window popped up just as he directed a question at me.

<Threat neutralized>

My body slumped back in relief as I sighed, placing my hand on my chest. It seemed my black flash had done its job, and Mahoraga had been subdued.

"I asked if you're alright?" The silhouette of the hovering man repeated the question, maintaining a cautious distance.

Even in my exhausted state, I could still think, contemplating his inquiry.

"I'm alright if you ain't aiming to kill me," I replied, interpreting the question in my own way. "But I'll show you hell if you are."

"I was asking if you needed a hand?" The flying silhouette clarified, now getting closer. "But I'd very much like to see you show me hell."

He approached such that I could see him while standing up to the unstable structure. Even without looking at the symbol on his chest, I could tell who he was.

"Superman," I whispered to myself with a hint of surprise, but he heard.

"I see I'm quite popular," he remarked with a hint of a knowing smile, his gaze locking onto mine.

"I don't need help. I'm good." I replied with a hint of ego in my voice. "Good enough to fight anything that stands before me and attempts to harm me."

"Easy now." Superman said with a calm voice. "Save that for later."

He sounded friendly, but the only thing that ran through my mind was: "He didn't come here for a retreat. He came here for a fight!"

To be continued...

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