Chapter 1103 Netherborne
Seraphine raised her head with shock, not believing that the goddess would not be killed by that attack. After returning to her senses, Artemis turned furious at the humiliation she had suffered. Arrogance soon followed as she began to deny what she had witnessed.
"Whatever tricks you have used to bend away the divine energy, they will not work twice!" shouted the goddess as she slammed her bow to the ground, shaking the entire second floor in her rage.
A giant crater appeared underneath her as she jumped in the air, calling over her lower half. The two halves attached to each other with strings of golden mana, making her grin at him. "Your attack is nothing but a fa?ade!"
"In your time here in the second floor, you have killed many," muttered Seika, ignoring her cries or threatening aura. His hair fluttered in the wind caused by her overbearing presence, but he looked at her with nothing but pity. "I cannot forgive you, Artemis. The voices demand that I send you back to Devaheim with a wound that would not heal."
Although Seraphine was sure that he was not trying to mock her, his sympathetic tone made the goddess tremble in humiliation. It was obvious that he did not see her as a threat or an equal.
"My name is Artemis, the Moonlight Goddess of Hunt, Wilderness, and Nature!" roared the divine creature as her rage seemed to take form in this world. "Even if I break every celestial law, I will take your head with me, whoever you are!"
"Whoever I am?" muttered Seika as a smile formed on his face. "I have never been more certain of my identity as I am today. My name is Arthur Netherborne, the Returning King of the Lower Realms," he declared as he raised his dagger toward Artemis.
As Seraphine heard his name, she could not help but gaze at him with confusion. The name she knew was Arthur Silvera, but the name he declared now was different. However, this one was much more suitable.
Netherborne referred to someone born from a lower realm, which suited him the most as he went against the gods. If that was the name that he has chosen for himself, she could not help but feel his determination to rise against the gods.
"You have abandoned all hope, Arthur Netherborne," said the goddess as she unleashed her aura, which was already towering. It was now crushing them with a colossal weight. "Not even the gods will answer your prayers now!"
Artemis raised her bow again, pulling on it with all four of her hands. An arrow formed with golden mana wrapping around it. Chains appeared as well, wrapping themselves around the arrow that seemed to create a vortex pulling everything into it.
"I wonder, in their times of need, who can the gods pray for?" muttered Arthur with a thin smile as he raised his dagger to the raised, letting a black aura surround his arm. "Would they ask for the mercy they never gave?"
Artemis glared at him with hatred before releasing her arrow. The bowstring disappeared as it launched the arrow faster than light. It reached Arthur in an instant, but he took a step back and pierced it with his dagger.
Boom!
The golden arrow met the black dagger, and their collision caused a shockwave that tore through the ground. Seraphine and the rest were sent flying, making them leave the fight between these two monsters. Arthur did not budge or break a sweat, but his smile disappeared.
"I recognize this golden mana," he said while staring at the arrow. "Many questions still need an answer, but time only allows for one. The souls that you have killed, Artemis, demand an answer. Do you regret killing people, either directly or as Moon Offerings?"
"I gave them the highest honor, so why should I regret that?" asked Seraphine as she summoned another arrow, this time encompassing the moonlight. "You can join the pathetic souls who could not fight on their own!"
Boom!
Artemis released another arrow, this time faster than before. The moonlight seemed to carry this arrow and feed it strength. It tore through the battlefield, aiming at Arthur's chest. Before it could cut through his flesh, a golden shield appeared.
"You are not the only one with many tricks up their sleeve," said Arthur as his other hand created a barrier that held back the arrow. "Let me demonstrate how this golden mana should be used."
Snap!
Arthur snapped his fingers and disappeared, letting the two arrows explode and obliterate the surroundings. As the goddess looked for his whereabouts, a bright sun shone in the sky.
Seraphine looked at the sky with dust covering her face as the world kept shaking because of the two arrows. Despite her confidence, she knew that she would be a burden if she tried to help him.
"Does he even need help?" muttered the demon as she stared at the golden sun that appeared in the sky. Below the sun was her king, his long hair flowing in the wind. His eyes held a playful smile as his hand carried the golden sun atop his palm.
"Golden mana is powerful, but it is best utilized through conversion to other forms of nature," said Arthur as he stared down at the goddess. "For example, we can turn it into force."
The golden sun turned into a giant golden fist that punched toward the goddess. As the goddess found no way to escape such a giant creation of force, she was buried deep into the ground as the entire world began to shake.
Seraphine and the rest felt the ground rise beneath them like a wave as the giant fist tore through it. Arthur was falling from the sky, but he still had a smile on his face.
"Then, we turn the force to flames!"
Snap!
Boom!
Raging fire exploded from the hole he created, burning Artemis within it. Arthur landed beside the hole with a smile as he raised his palm, seemingly feeling the scorching heat coming from the flame.
"And in a single moment, the flames can turn to ice."
Whoosh!
Without changing shape, the fire froze and turned into an ice pillar. A cold wind made the crowd shiver, but fear also played a role. As they stared at his back, they failed to fathom how vast his powers extended.
Arthur seemed to be far from done, as he leaned forward and held his dagger in his right hand. He curled himself inward as his eyes stared at the golden pillar while his lips announced his plan.
"Godslayer Art, Eternal Night."
Light disappeared from the world, and Seraphine felt the same comfort as before. Then, a single flash of light tore through the night as the giant ice pillar broke into a million pieces. Arthur landed on the opposite side of the hole, light fading from his dagger.
Seraphine stood there in shock before she saw Whisker walk out from the rubbles. He had returned to his humanoid form, but his body was still riddled with wounds despite the golden mana healing them.
Whisker was a few meters away from Arthur when he fell to his knees, bowing toward the man. Then, he raised his hand and saluted with a smile.
"Hail the Returning King, Arthur Netherborne, King of the Lower Realms," he shouted in a loud enough voice for everyone to hear him.
Seraphine then snapped out of her daze and rushed to do the same, repeating the exact same words. Ilia did the same, and Sarohan emerged from somewhere before kneeling as well.
"We hail the Returning King, Arthur Netherborne!" the three said at the same time, kneeling before him. Arthur stared at them, then he gave a smile.
"You endured well in my absence," said Arthur as he looked at each of them. "I am sure that each of you has been hammered through ordeals. For those who wish to rest, I shall understand."
The four raised their heads, all looking at him in the eye and shouting, "Never!"
"Your resolve will not go unnoticed," said Arthur with a smile as he raised his hand, covering them with his black aura. "The gods can no longer control your mind. As long as you follow me, there will be suffering and pain in the bitterest of fights. However, I promise you freedom."
"We already know that you are the one who carries the most pain," said Ilia Perli with sadness. "I don't care who your enemies are, even if they were the gods themselves. Until you command otherwise, I shall live as your sword and shield."
"Until you command otherwise, I shall live as your sword and shield!" repeated the other three with a hardened expression. Arthur smiled and nodded at them before turning around toward the threatening presence from within the hole.
"You can let me fight for now, and ensure that no one else is harmed. Do not kill or cause suffering unless you must, and follow me with pride as I defeat this goddess."
"As you command!" said the four before they retreated back and began clearing the surroundings. Arthur waited for the goddess to rise from underneath the hole, knowing that it was still too soon for her to die.
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