Chapter 302: Famine & Humility 2

“Lord Deus grant your wrath to those who question your reign. Radiant armament!! Dawnbreaker Whip!!!”

Raphael’s whip shines and its length increases in contrast to his power extending in a range where it surrounds the coliseum. The time of testing his foe had ended as his capabilities were threatening and so he decided to commence an extermination. His Whip encircled the arena, and slowly it reached out to its target and its speed hastened to ensure his capture

[Careful, Blakey! That whip isn’t something you’d dare touch. He’s not playing anymore. He’s out to get you!!!]

’So he finally saw me as a threat? No wonder I could read his actions. It seems that both of us were assessing our foe. But that’s hardly an issue. What infuriates me is that he has the gall to belittle me. Still, this setting is by far the best. Just as that lady had foretold… everything is set in motion. I’ll gladly tear you apart!!!’

“This is your lost Knight of Famine!!!”

He made quick work of his foe once he revealed his power and sealed off all hopes of escape. That’s what he thought but the reality of the matter says otherwise as the seal made by their oath remains. He heard tremors from the ground that shrouded the whole arena in its force, then it ceased as if it never occurred

“Although he resisted my whip it appears he didn’t last long. What a pity. So this is why he’s the weakest of four–” The ground suddenly breaks and Raphael is yanked by a group of roots pulling him to the chasms of the arena

“You chose that arena so you could have the upper hand in our fight? Good thinking but the barrier says otherwise. It only affected the size of our stadium vertically but what about the case if it’s horizontal?”

Blake charges at his restrained foe with the help of his wings, landing another clean hit and triggering another Decay. The force of his kick sends Raphael hurling to the edge of the barrier which knocks him back to his attacker. Blake prepares for another strike but Raphael’s incredible recovery manages to launch his whip to bind his fist

“Don’t get ahead of yourself… just because you grazed my flesh. You godforsaken mutt!!!” Raphael’s whip curled around the Knight of Famine and as he approached he sent a roundhouse kick

The force was stronger than that of his foe but Blake never once bounced on the barrier’s edge. The chasm these two have fought was enveloped with greenery that blossomed at the command of Belfast. The thorns prevented his collision and in mere seconds they shrouded his body and masked his presence

’That hurts!!!’

[See I told you. I wasn’t jesting that you’ll die in one hit. Your body is already durable but facing him it’s barely of any use]

’Humility… what a horrifying power. I barely made it out alive if not for these plant’s healing capabilities. I wonder if this is the same as Mr. Morris’s troubles when facing Seper Alinea. He was overwhelmed and even his cunningness wasn’t a guarantee for his survival,’

[Please don’t die on me now! It’ll be tiresome to find a capable avatar. It’s hard to find someone matching my preferences]

’Oh yes I remember, tall, white, and the most important of all handsome,’

[I meant your Alchemical aptitude but that as well, along with me taking a fancy of you, there’s hardly any good men around]

’Are you certain that your preferences were for an avatar and not for your potential partner, Lord Apothecary?’

[kuuuugh! When did you think so highly of yourself huh? Remember your achievements were made because of me]

’I know… I’ll make sure I’ll ascend. I wouldn’t want to leave you hanging. My dearest Alexis,’

[…]

Blake out of those who followed under Christoper Morris was weak but compared to the rest he was by far the closest. Each of them attempted to copy his sinister display but it seems that none could ever graze nor mimic this person. That was until he stepped up, their group’s apothecary, known for being the least capable when it comes to combat prowess

“Just where did he go-”

“I’m right here…” Raphael launched his whip to his back once he heard the sound of his foe only for his whip to entangle a vine

“I could’ve sworn that was him–”

“Jab of Decay!” Blake immediately offsets his balance amidst the air as he ambushes Raphael once again he dishes another clean hit

“I could’ve sworn that was you… so how. I don’t understand. How did you bypass my senses with a mere scheme?”

For what reason was he the closest to the Scheming Masked Devil, was he smart? Psychotic? Or maybe crafty? Every soul is different but there are chances where there’s bound to be a tad bit comparable even if it’s a mere replica. The reason was simple, even a child could’ve easily guessed, that this man was undeniably weak, which allowed it to work

“I’ve realized… although you talk so highly of your authority it’s quite a bit flawed. Like the part where you can’t detect me,”

“How do you know that?”

Blake wasn’t uttering any folly nor was it a joke, his enemy was disabled, and every moment or so he lost his senses. The loss of his sense is randomized and even Raphael himself could hardly predict the senses he’ll lose. Humility, his authority grants him the power to strain his body with no impact, but for the price of losing oneself

’Humility… thinking of others or god more than yourself. It allows them to gain immense strength. For the price of themselves? The first hit I struck at him when we met he lost his sense of surrounding making him vulnerable to my airborne attack. The following he lost his sight, hearing, and taste, because of this flaw I was granted a chance to counter his monstrous strength,’

Raphael smiles at the sight of his weakness being uncovered but then as if fate had tricked Blake, the whip shifted. It broke through the vines and in seconds the situation returned to his impediment doom once again. There seem to be no signs of escape and it is then he realizes the meaning of Raphael’s smile

“I don’t know how but I commend in learning my weakness. What you said is true but it no longer matters. Because this whip bestowed onto me by Lord Deus, the Sinner’s Regret…” Blake tries to escape but to his surprise, the whip isn’t budging then he realizes the amount of power Raphael has applied

“This whip allows me to perceive those who are harmed by its touch. It was a great match so don’t be disheartened, this match was wonderful. Farewell now, Knight of Famine or was it Pestilence? I Raphael had a wonderful time,”

“How preposterous, who decided your victory, are you certain that you’ve won, or have you yet to realize…”

Blake’s reassurance frightened Raphael and before he could do anything he tightened the grip of his whip. He heard it, the rupture of his enemy’s guts, the splatter of his blood, and the disappearance of his aura. But what was this feeling he couldn’t smother, a sense of grief, giving the sign of the most unpleasant fate, his defeat

“Origin Unleash!!!”

His dying body decomposes into a vile and noxious gas which then expands over time and its potency is beyond reversible. As time passes the prophecy of the arrival of the end foretold of their arrival, beings carrying the worst of mortal kind. Famine was one of them, although it came first, throughout the ages its name was changed, but its meaning remained the same

“Famine or Pestilence… whatever you ought to call me doesn’t matter. What does is whether you’ll be the one leaving,”

From the smoke an image materializes, the shape is that of a demon, its skin is rotting, and his body is poisonous. Throughout their fight against one another, Raphael notices his uncannily weak performance but dismisses it for his rank. But this fight demonstrated how vile and cunning his enemy truly was, he’s certain that he never once used his full power

“So all this time you weren’t serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. One wrong move and I’m a goner. That being said, I was stalling once you’ve become exhausted,”

[Liar! This whole fight was nothing but a sham. Just how long are you gonna wear that elusive demeanor?]

’Okay, I’ll be honest this whole thing was a part of my plan. Because I’m the only one out of us four who has a second authority it can’t be helped. The system had to lower my Origin transformation which removed the limitations of our ability to a certain degree,’

“I’m in awe, so this is your true form? You’ve become Decay itself. Am I supposed to be threatened?”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination. So would you like to know? Which of us is stronger, my Decay or your Humility?”

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