Watchman, having passed his judgement on Arthur and acknowledging the presence of the supposed godslayer blade, remained curiously passive within the frozen world. Despite his relentless chatter about Arthur's demise, he made no move to execute the act himself.
Instead, the time-manipulator returned to his rightful position atop Vesper's head, settling into a comfortable stance before releasing time from its suspended state. As the world resumed its flow, a collective gasp resonated through the crowd. All eyes beheld Watchman unscathed, seemingly untouched by the prior decapitation. Only Arthur, gripping his dagger tightly, bore witness to the truth of what had transpired.
"With the demon now vanquished, kill this man!" Watchman commanded, pointing an accusatory finger towards Arthur. Vesper shifted his attention, a malevolent grin stretching across his face. The colossal half-giant stomped the ground, each step causing the forest to tremble as he charged towards Arthur.
"Mister, please run!" Sarohan called out, rushing forward to interpose himself between Arthur and the oncoming threat. The valiant white Waiga raised his sword, exerting every ounce of strength to block Vesper's ethereal fist. The ground quaked beneath the immense force, yet Sarohan gritted his teeth, standing resolute.
"You traitorous fool, be gone!" Vesper roared, launching his other fist towards Sarohan, propelling him through the air. Before the Waiga creature could plummet to the ground, time froze once more. Vesper retracted his fist, surveying his surroundings before fixing his gaze upon Arthur.
During the temporary stasis, Arthur remained motionless, understanding that his only chance of survival lay in donning his armor. The black armor materialized in all its glory, seemingly draining the world of its vibrant hues as it encased his body. Vesper wasted no time, utilizing the three seconds at his disposal to fulfill his task. Arthur stood witness as the formidable strike collided with his chest.
Boom!
For the first time within the frozen realm, a resounding sound reverberated. Watchman, confused, craned his neck to observe the scene, his gaze directed downward towards Arthur. The black armor crackled with energy, even in the motionless world.
"An armor unaffected by the constraints of time?" Watchman murmured, his eyes widening behind his spectacles. Mouth agape, he slipped from atop the towering giant, landing clumsily on the ground before hastily adjusting his glasses and rushing forward. "How is this possible?"
Watchman studied the armor as if it was the most bizarre thing. Arthur realized the reason he seemed carefree about killing him. This deity never assumed any of them was a threat, even after losing his head. His omnipotent control over time made him unable to fear anything.
Arthur tried to think of a way to win, but he could not see it. Even if the two of them had the power to kill this creature, he would simply rewind time as he did before. Although his armor could protect him, it wouldn't be long before he ends up like Seraphine.
Watchman, still in a state of shock, attempted to comprehend the unfolding events as Arthur made his daring escape. The weight of his earlier encounter with Vesper lingered within the black armor that encased him, serving as a constant reminder of the formidable foes he faced.
"The anomaly is fleeing! Pursue him!" Watchman commanded, prompting Vesper to give chase, causing the forest to quake with every thunderous step. Aware of the giant's weakness, Arthur leaped high into the air, landing on a branch before swiftly ascending to a higher vantage point.
The three seconds slipped away faster than Arthur desired, leaving him suspended mid-air, far above the half-giant's reach. Though he couldn't see them, he heard the sounds of Vesper's attempts to climb, his heavy footsteps echoing through the silence.
"Jump onto the branches! They will bear your weight until time resumes," the deity suggested nonchalantly, seeming bored as he fiddled with his watch. "I'm nearly late for my nap. Make this quick, Vesper."
"Aye, aye!" Vesper bellowed, utilizing the branches to pursue Arthur. Though the armor offered protection, it couldn't shield his entire body. As Vesper's immense shadow engulfed him, Arthur was relieved to witness time unfreezing once more.
Gripping Nightmare tightly, its cry piercing the air, Arthur focused not on attacking Watchman directly but on his weapon. As he descended, a storm of wrathful lightning enveloped him, his entire being transformed into a bolt of energy. With a resolute glare, he passed through the soaring giant, unleashing his thunderous fury.
Zzzzzzzz!
Boom!
Colorless lightning crackled as Vesper crashed to the ground, the impact reverberating through the earth. Arthur stood tall, Nightmare in hand, emitting a bloodthirsty cry.
Watchman, with a sinister grin adorning his face, clapped slowly, seemingly impressed by the sight of his fighter's defeat. "Marvelous! Truly brilliant," he commended, appearing to admire the display of losing his own champion. "I never anticipated such power from you, weak and constrained as your body may be. What is this black lightning? From where does it draw its strength?"
"The dead need not provide answers," Arthur muttered, raising his dagger and holding it above his shoulder. "Are you prepared?"
"Time is not to be wasted on idle chatter," Watchman replied, his grin widening as he tapped his pocket watch. "You have only a second remaining before I dissect you into pieces. Are you content with squandering it?"
"A second is more than sufficient," Arthur declared, his sudden grin catching Watchman off guard, leading to his confusion. Infusing his dagger with colorless lightning, Arthur hurled it toward the god.
Nightmare streaked through the air, closing the distance between the two. Watchman raised his other pocket watch, employing it to manipulate time within a small sphere before him. As Arthur observed, the sphere lost its color, rendering Nightmare motionless and unable to advance.
"Is this what fueled your confidence?" Watchman inquired, disappointment coloring his tone as he shook his head. "How unfortunate that your final attack amounts to no more than this. AAGH!"
Before the deity could finish his words, a grunt of pain escaped his lips as a piercing sensation emanated from his back. Arthur's grin widened as he beheld Seraphine, unscathed, with a blood sword protruding from Watchman's chest. The god arched his back, attempting to inspect the source of his anguish, only to find the blood demon standing triumphant.
"The blood demon...alive?
But how...your existence had vanished," Watchman muttered, bewildered, as he attempted to grasp the blood sword. However, Seraphine twisted the blade, eliciting cries of pain from the once almighty god who had razed her home. "I failed...to sense your existence?"
"I shall claim credit for that," Arthur proclaimed, raising his hand. "The moment Seraphine fell, I knew she would not succumb to that blow alone. Using my colorless lightning, I concealed her presence from your detection, ensuring this attack would catch you unaware. From there, it was a matter of seizing the opportune moment."
"Concealing a demonic presence...from a god? This power...reminiscent of...Obsidianos! Dammit, dammit!" Watchman exclaimed, the blood mist encroaching upon his sword. "I must report this...to Lord Chronos..."
Chapter Rewrite:
Whispering softly into Watchman's ear, Seraphine's words sent shivers down his spine. "Watchman, it will be a long time before you can report anything. Although this attack won't kill you, the gods feared us blood demons for a reason. We possess the power to inflict greater harm than any other race. When you awaken, you'll find me standing amidst the lifeless bodies of every god."
The blood sword erupted in a magnificent burst of crimson, contrasting with the agonized screams emanating from Watchman. His body began to dissolve into ethereal lights until he vanished completely. Seraphine stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the spot, her breathing labored and heavy.
"I had anticipated merely injuring him before making our escape, but the blood demons have proven to be more formidable than I had imagined," Arthur admitted with genuine surprise. "Tell me, how does it feel to kill a god?"
"Empty," Seraphine replied, her voice tinged with sorrow. "No matter how many gods I slay, it can never bring back those I lost because of them." She thrust the blood sword into her own chest, allowing her body to absorb its essence. Turning to Arthur with narrowed eyes, she inquired, "How did you know I wouldn't perish?"
"I believed that you possessed the resilience to survive," Arthur explained. "So I devised our plan, hoping that you would emerge victorious. Once I witnessed your readiness to strike, I abandoned the idea of fleeing. Little did I expect that killing him would be so effortless."
"Watchman is not a true god; he is a celestial being created by Chronos, the God of Time. Although his powers border on omnipotence, his physical strength is lacking. Yet, mortals could never fathom the notion of killing him, as they are incapable of inflicting harm upon him."
"Except for demons... and weapons crafted for slaying gods," Arthur mumbled, fixating his gaze upon the dagger in his hand, its surface radiating a dangerous gleam. "I wonder why this tower chose me to wield such a weapon. It's starting to feel like more than mere coincidence."
"A tower should not bestow anything capable of harming gods, for it would violate the celestial contract," Seraphine remarked. "If indeed this weapon was bestowed upon you by the tower, then its owner has directly gifted it to you, unbeknownst to the gods."
"But for what purpose?" Arthur pondered, his voice filled with intrigue.
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