The Greatest Sin is weakness
After Starless and Seph dug out a small snow-room under the snow near the pathway, Starless slowly explained the situation and what had happened to her. Skipping nothing, all the way from after he won his fight against the master ranked monster, all the way to the imposter saying that it would be back.
Seph explained back what had transpired after she had beaten her abomination. After a long battle, she had killed the abomination, noticing something glowing within its chest, she moved close to inspect it, she noticed too late that there was something very wrong with the space surrounding the abomination's body. After that she blacked out.
Contrary to Starless's expectations, Seph did not freak out whatsoever. She calmly explained to him that if something like that ever happened again, it would be nice if they had a phrase to figure out if they were real or not.
They decided on the phrase "We must survive" , "no matter what", both of them would say the first half of the question to probe whether or not the other "person" was real.
***
In the morning when they both woke up, they quickly got out of bed, and summoned their names, readying themselves for another harsh day of battle. There were still three abominations left after all.
Starless and Seph again circled the pathway to the summit. Waiting for the moment when the three abominations would split up, though it seemed as if they were maintaining a tighter formation than yesterday.
Once the three abominations split up, each by themselves, around 200 meters apart, Starless and Seph struck.
They both targeted one abomination, trying to grab its attention by attacking it and then luring it away. Unluckily for Starless, The other abomination caught on to their antics, quickly subverting its attention from guarding the path to assist its brethren.
***
How unlucky! Two quasi-master ranked monsters wasn't something I could handle with a week of training. To make the situation worse, Nola suddenly felt heavier in my hands.
Nephim? Something wrong?
No response.
Nephim? You stupid ugly fairy! Listen when I'm talking to you!
Even though I clearly tried to provoke her, There was still no response.
Something had clearly happened to Nephim.
While I wasn't entirely sure what had happened to her, I didn't have time to dwell on it, as the monsters swiftly closed the distance between us, one each coming from the left and the right.
Starless quickly stepped back, executing void chop at the two monsters as their claws converged onto a single point aimed at my head.
Void Chop 100% completion rate, 7/10 necessary for second technique unlock.
As their weapons collided, Starless was flung backwards, crashing into a tree some 30 meters away. Getting up, Starless quickly realized this wasn't a battle he could win. His only option was to hold out until Seph eventually won her battle. Though he wasn't entirely sure that he could hold on for that long.
As Starless opened his eyes, he saw both abominations charging at him, quickly moving out of the way, both of the abomination's claws slashed at the three, leaving deep slash marks on the tree.
'Damn. Just one hit and it's over for me.'
The monsters quickly realizing they had missed, turned their attention to where Starless had now moved, seeing nothing but air. The monsters, confused, looked around, wondering where their target had gone.
Quickly leaping down from trees above, starless executed yet another void chop at one of the abomination's backs, leaving a shallow orange-colored gash across its back.
Hitting the floor, Starless's right leg faltered, his leg still injured from the previous fight the day earlier.
Not missing their chance, both abominations quickly closed in on him.
Starless, already expecting his right leg to falter, executed another void chop at the monster's vicious claws, getting sent back some 10 meters.
Slowly standing up, Starless stared down the monsters, before rushing back into the fight. This time he feinted a void chop, and slid under the impending abominations claws, slashing at their legs.
Both abominations faltered slightly, but because of Nola's new heaviness, and the toughness of quasi-ranked master monsters, he couldn't do anything but break past the skin. Cutting through bone was a distant dream to the current Starry.
The abominations revealed a hideous smile, before rushing back in. Starless quickly backpedaled, knowing that he wouldn't be able to take them on in a direct clash more than a few more times before his body gave out.
He quickly executed yet another void chop, though this time, a prestige notification rang throughout his ears.
Requirement reached for unlock of 2nd sword technique of [Swords of ruin].
'Blade domain? This might be my only chance.'
Starless swiftly entered his soul sea, and called out to the prestige to unlock the necessary information to learn blade domain, all happening in less than a few seconds.
The information and short demonstration of blade domain quickly entered his mind. As soon as Starless grasped the information on how to execute Blade domain, he executed the technique. Quickly, Nola split into three swords, One for each hand and one in his mouth.
His surroundings turning into a flurry of sword swings, appearing from afar as stars fluttering around him, though he knew that this was a byproduct of his weapons clashing against the abominations attacks.
It seemed that blade domain was an active defensive type sword technique, capable of fending off multiple enemies, though for short periods of time. As Starless had never wielded two swords before—much less three, it was extremely awkward to execute the technique. At most he could hold out for a minute longer like this, before his body fully gave out.
The monsters, quickly noticing that their head on attacks were not working, quickly executed an ordinary level combat technique, converging both of their claws into a single point and attacking.
Starless, quickly noticing this, tried to focus his sword's defensive sword slashes more on the general direction that they were attacking from, to no avail. Both abominations had split up, one in front of him and one behind. Starless could only see one direction at a time, and due to the awkwardness of the tri-sword style coupled with his low understanding of blade domain, it was impossible for him to defend both combat techniques at once.
The monsters, giving Starless no time to think, quickly rushed at him, forcing him to end blade domain abruptly, causing him to stumble off balance and spit up blood.
Blade Domain Completion rate 65%
He quickly recovered, though his right leg slightly faltered again. He slowly deflected both claws to the same point of convergence, making the monsters attack each other.
The moment their claws collided, both monsters went flying back. At this moment, Starless's vision went blurry, his hearing dulled, and the world slowly lost its color, appearing monochrome. It was clear he wouldn't last much longer. The monsters then rushed at him again, being unable to properly defend, Starless simply raised Nola to counter their attacks, offering very little resistance as their claws pierced his stomach.
Starless coughed up blood as the abominations pulled their claws out of his stomach. They then slashed their claws at his arms, cutting them off with little resistance. Blood sprayed all over the snow, the surroundings turning blood red. The abominations revealed grotesque smiles at the sight of his despair.
At this moment, a small annoying voice resounded throughout his ears, granting him a small shred of hope.
'Starry! Oh my gods… Just say the words.'
Nephim? Please. Help me.
'Your wish is my command.' She said, her voice sounding somewhat cold and mechanical.
'Seriously though. Don't blame me for what comes after this.'
Advent of Half-God Descension!
Within the split-second that Nephim had agreed to help, Starless's body quickly glowed extremely bright with light. Not a second later, the status that he was releasing increased by more than one thousand-fold. Additionally, his body quickly healed before transforming into that of a short, extremely beautiful young girl with lush blonde hair.
The abominations quickly realizing that they were no match for what had come out of the human they were toying with, ran away.
"Not so fast. Not after what you did to him."
Snapping her fingers, The monsters stopped abruptly in place, fear now covering their previously sickeningly joyous expressions.
"Been a while since I've been out. Might as well have a little fun. Am I right guys?"
The abominations struggled to break free of the restrictions placed on their body, but failed to do so.
"Guys. Really? Trying to leave? So soon? We've just started."
She again snapped her fingers, a large golden spear engraved with red-runes appeared within her small hands.
"Let's start with you first." She said loudly, pointing her large spear at the abomination on the right.
Nephim quickly wound up her spear and threw it, seemingly extremely slowly, but the moment the spear left her hands, the space around the spear started warping before violently trembling. Time slowed as the spear collided with the abomination, thoroughly erasing it from existence. Nephims complexion paled slightly, but she snapped again, summoning a large silver black-rune engraved spear, this time slightly smaller. Her complexion again paled, this time much more.
"Saved the best for last. Wouldn't you like to suffer too?"
The monster trembled at the sight of the spear, recognizing its immense power. Nephim again wound up the spear slowly, but threw it again, space trembling and time slowing, though this time as the spear met its target, the monster appeared completely fine.
Not a second after the monster visibly relaxed, the restrictions on it lifted, and it tried to run away. To no avail. The second the restrictions lifted, the monster fell to the floor screaming in agony, quickly using its claws to tear open its stomach and face. The monster swiftly dying from self-inflicted wounds.
"Still got some time left. Might as well clear this lame ass trial." Nephim said, her voice clearly trembling slightly.
Wings quickly grew from her back, as she jumped into the air and took off, much faster than the speed of sound
"Oops. Almost forgot his girlfriend. He'd never forgive me if I left her. What a dumb guy."
Turning back, Nephim located Seph and swooped in to grab her off the ground.
"Starry? How-"
"Don't even start. I'll help you clear the trial. We're heading towards the top of the world summit."
Seph, unable to process what was happening, and why his appearance had changed so drastically quickly asked the question,
"Starry. Or whoever you are. Must we survive?"
As Nephim's beautiful lips slightly curved upwards, she answered "What a foolish question. Of course we must. No matter what."
Seph quickly calmed down upon hearing this, though didn't talk again for the duration of the flight.
"We won't make it in time. Brace for impact."
"w-hat"
Nephim quickly crashed near the top of the world summit, failing to reach the top due to the limited duration of her descent.
Even though Nephim took the brunt of the fall, Seph was still injured, though still capable of walking.
"Take care of him for me, someone needs to be saved right about now.."
As Nephim finished saying those words, Starless's body glowed brightly, before reverting back to his original form.
***
As starless plunged deep into the waters in his soul sea—seemingly previously unreachable, he thought that this was it for him. He had given it his all. Even enlisting the help of an Asura-ranked Fairy. In the end his resistance was futile. His body had likely imploded due to the sheer status that Nephim released. Perhaps this was his 'salvation'. Closing his eyes and accepting his face, Starless noticed a familiar noise ringing throughout his ears, though extremely distant. Opening his eyes, he noticed a beautiful young girl swimming down to him.
'An angel?'
"I'm not an angel you idiot! Stop sinking deeper and swim back up! You aren't dead yet!" Nephim yelled, almost pleading for him to come back.
Ignoring her, Starless continued sinking, not realizing the identity of the angel that had come to see him off.
"Dammit! This idiot must be going deaf!"
"In the name of The Fairy Queen Nephim,I invoke a portion of the name, Starless of gluttony!"
'Nephim?'
No sooner than Nephim invoked his name, Starless's eyes turned grey as an indifferent expression colored his face.
"Swim Starry! Come back to me!"
Starless obliged. He quickly raised both of his arms and started kicking with his feet to propel himself through the incomparably dark waters. The moment this happened, a large dark shape moved through the water, closing in on Starry.
"Hurry! Even I can't save you if that thing gets you!"
Starless again obliged, turning his arms faster than they had ever gone, far surpassing human limits. Though he sped up, the dark shape was still speedily approaching.
"Starry! Close your eyes and keep swimming!"
Starless followed her command, shut his eyes and continued to swim. No more than a few seconds after he closed his eyes, he felt a human arm latch onto his leg and attempt to pull him down. Though a mere pull would never be enough to stop him from obeying Nephim's orders.
"Why did you do this to us? Why did you kill us? You don't deserve to live. Come down with us. Stop swimming. Turn around." The disfigured voices of thousands yelling and urging him to stop swimming and turn back.
"Almost. Almost. Starry, Extend your arms!"
He listened to her commands again, quickly extending his arms and embracing a small figure. He then started speeding through the water multiple times faster than what he was previously capable of.
Not long after, the grip the arms had on his legs considerably loosened, before letting go. Soon after, he broke the surface of the water and flew out. The grip the small hand had on his hand tightened, before loosening slightly as he made contact with a hard surface.
"Open your eyes." an unfamiliar voice whispered in his ear. Not obliging, the voice resounded again, only in a much louder tone,
"Open your eyes!"
"Begone Sufferer!" A beautiful clear voice yelled, not long after the surroundings went completely quiet.
"It's okay now. Open your eyes Starry." Starless obliged.
"Oops. Almost forgot. In the name of the Fairy Queen Nephim, I relinquish authority over Starless of Gluttony!"
Coming back to consciousness, Starless looked up only to see a beautiful young girl, with blonde hair, likely around the age of sixteen.
"Is this heaven?"
"No you idiot. You didn't die. I saved you. And stop looking at me like a lost puppy!" Nephim said before punching him in the stomach.
"Ow! What was that for?! Wait. Nephim? Is that you?"
"The one and only."
'It seems a brutish angel has replaced Nephim. I must escape.'
"Who are you calling brutish?!" Nephim loudly said again, before kicking him in the shin.
"Ow! Stop that! Wait. Nephim. Is that really you? How come you look so…"
"Stunning? Beautiful? Jaw-Dropping?","I always looked like this, only you couldn't see me." She said, not bothering to disguise the pride in her voice.
Ignoring her, he slowly responded with"Nephim. Did you save me just now?"
"Yup. Back in the real world too."
Upon hearing confirmation, Starry ran up to Nephim and hugged her tightly, tears running down his cheeks.
"Nephim. Thank you. I really mean it. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Nephim, clearly shook about Starry's display of emotion and gratitude remain frozen, unable to respond. Quickly, she pushed him away, but upon seeing the hurt in his eyes and the tears forming, she moved back to hug him, although somewhat awkwardly.
"Don't sweat it. But it'll be a long while before I can descend in your body again. Just descending this time cost me 1/10th of my natural life span."
"Nephim. Neph. Can I call you that?"
"I don't mind."
"Did you really sacrifice your lifespan just for me?"
"I just said I did, didn't I?"
"Neph. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? You know I don't like owing debts. Is there something you want?"
Smiling, Neph said"Nothing in particular really. But if it is ever possible could we visit yggdrasil on roathia?"
"Of course. When I get the chance to go, we'll visit."
"That's all I want. You don't owe me anything either way. If you die, I'll be sealed after all."