After setting the boss music, Tanael charged against the Malenia, Blade of Miquella of this world. As a courtesy, he even made it so that Freya could hear the BGM.
At least, that was what he saw Freya as. Based on what he had seen throughout his life as a Pathseeker, Freya was no doubt world-class. Probably the strongest one in her age bracket. God knows how many stronger people she had laid low at her feet.
The Level 4 peak four elents user Magisterium Tower Master that Viers defeated not too long ago, even if Freya was lower in cultivation, Tanael fully expected she was stronger than that man.
Beam Saber in hand, Tanael’s first strike was a crafty one, aiming to unbalance her, Suiten Mitsurugi-ryuu’s second form: Formless Lake. With the absurd cutting power of the laser sword, he hoped to hit Freya sowhere fatal should she tried to block the sword straightforwardly.
And she did, bringing so elation to Tanael’s mind.
Tanael fully expected to win in clashes between weapons because the Beam Saber was that Magisterium Tower Master’s masterpiece which was further tinkered by Tanael. It was a fitting weapon for Level 5s. Freya’s sword wasn't low quality but surely it couldn't hold a candle against his laser sword, right?
But Freya’s sword firmly stopped the arc of the Beam Saber. Her sword was coated with a light filant. Now, the two combatants looked like wielding laser swords each, albeit a bit different but so resemblance was undeniable.
“I know you’re an otherworlder, Tanael,” Freya said while the two blades of light crackled against each other. “I’m the few that knew the existence of your kind, and how dangerous you all can be. That sword, there are records of weapons like that in the Church’s library.”
It wasn't strange Freya could deal with Tanael’s weapon, after all, lasers are light.
Tanael looked at Freya. She was as she rembered around five years ago. A black-haired, bespectacled cold intellectual, like an aloof young boss lady in the office that looked at soone incompetent and beneath her.
That was the look she had when seeing her enemies.
Tanael swiftly chained his swordplay, mixing in so of his original technique, like the third and first form of Suiten Mitsurugi-ryuu. Each form served different purposes.
He already used his Euryale Sight Arte. With superb kinetic vision combined with soul sight, it was as if he could ready the opponent’s next moves. It seed simple, but this was one of the reasons that made Tanael’s formidable swordsman.
Freya’s defense was watertight and even managed counters. As expected, her martial skill was no slouch either. Who knew how many techniques and Artes hidden beneath her action? At the end of the exchange, he pushed her and created so space between them.
He changed tactics.
Arte - Shade Soul!
A black mass of soul energy flew towards Freya in a straight line. It wasn't darkness or other affinity, just pure soul. Freya dodged, but the second one was already on the way to hit her. She barely dodged the second but her dodge was too desperate and broke her footing. The third one she couldn't evade and had to defend.
The black soul energy hit her shield of light; it was stronger than she expected. She grunted as she defended against the blast. The fourth broke her shield and the fifth strike would have hit her, but she split it before it hit her with a flying sword slash.
The silver sword slash severed the Shade Soul Arte and the visually impending blast, coming at Tanael’s last position before she lost visual. Besides, his Arte moved in a straight line so tracing that her attack should hit the sender.
That silver sword slash was a pale imitation of the one she released in her silver form earlier, her Aurora Scroll transformation that defeated three Devil Gods avatars. However, it was still far stronger than run-of-the-mill Level 4 Artes.
But Tanael wasn't there.
“Above!” Freya looked upwards, sensing him. Tanael ca down with a downward sword slash cloaked in dark soul energy. It was vicious and ominous.
Arte - Descending Dark!
As Viers or his other front identities, he sealed his Soul Artes from the public, using mainly his water affinity. As Tanael, he used his soul side freely.
The Hollow Knight three spells: Vengeful Spirit, Desolate Dive, and Howling Wraiths. These three were the first soul Arte that Tanael had created and used.
A lot of ti has passed and Tanael was no longer a fledgling Pathseeker. Those three Artes he had upgraded to Shade Soul, Descending Dark, and Abyss Shriek. It was not a simple color-change either. Tanael abhorred uselessness. The power of the evolved Artes were much greater than the old ones.
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Arte - Radiant Ascent!
With the faint shape of bright angel wings on her back, Freya upward strike t Tanael head on in a clash between light and dark! The shockwave spread, followed by a sound like thunder.
It was almost a pity that no one was seeing their battle.
Even though Freya was drained after all that had happened. The toll of so many consecutive fights and the loss of her ntor and friend, then the Aurora Scroll’s transformation.
anwhile, although nobody knew, Tanael was a clone, with less power than his original.
The power of these two, brought a new aning to the fight between young Level 4s. Pathseekers reaching Level 4 before the age of thirty were already considered exceptional. Freya and Tanael were still in their early twenties.
Truthfully, if Freya was at her peak condition after winning the scroll, Tanael would not have engaged and went back ho quietly. But she was not, and so the villain fought.
In the middle of the clash, the Silver Legionary grabbed the villain’s wrist.
“I won't let you get away this ti!”
During their first eting, Tanael, or Viers as she knew him back then, were unable to trade blows with her. Now, seeing what Tanael was capable of, the height of his power, Freya felt a foreboding.
She decided to end the threat here.
Tanael felt Freya was activating her Imaginary Domain. He scoffed.
“Co at !”
Coincidentally with the boss music’s climax, both combatants invoked their Domains simultaneously.
Tanael stood in the middle of his Domain, in the middle of a sea’s surface. The blue sea was brimming with life, while the many green waterfalls were filled with the soul of the dead. Life and death intermingling, paradoxically, separated and joined at the sa ti.
Imaginary Domain - Sea of Life and Death!
On the opposite side of him, there was a vast throne room. It was very regal, from the materials which were used to make it, the decor, the furniture, all seed to be made by the peak artisans of their craft.
On a high, red-carpeted staircase platform, there was a silver throne.
If the room was regal, the silver throne was outright divine.
Freya did not sit on the throne; it was empty. She stood below the stairs, like a guardian.
“Valiant souls of this place, hear ,” Freya said, almost with a prayer-like tone. “An enemy we must defeat stands before us. Please, lend your aid.”
Motes of light descended from above and condensed into the form of a man. One, two, three, more and more was created. These people were all geared for battle. Tanael felt how powerful these n and won that seemingly co from different eras. Tanael knew a few, famous figures from the history books long dead!
“I see,” Tanael looked at the army before him. “So this is your Domain.”
Imaginary Domain - Eternal Throne of Valiant Spirits!
Not even Cedric knew Freya’s Domain so Tanael was in the dark.
Heroic Spirits? She's summoning Heroic Spirits like in the Fate series? Hah! There’s also a touch of Sung Jin-woo in her. Unfortunately for you, Freya, you ain't leveling solo in this world. Now then, the question is how strong are those spirits? I should treat them like they are all five stars Servants. There’s already over fifty of them, pulling them all from the gatcha pool must make her wallet cry.
While Tanael was analyzing Freya’s Domain, Freya did the sa towards him. She looked at his Domain with contempt. The seemingly unending streams of the souls of the dead, the boundless vitality that created the sea... Freya guessed it was all stolen lives and souls.
This man was an unforgivable butcher. How many skeletons he had made to create sothing like this?
“Tell sothing,” Freya asked. “Are you related to the cult of Dumuzin?” That Devil God was known for his power over souls. Looking at Tanael, Freya found it hard Tanael could achieve all this on his own.
He had to have a backing. A great one at that.
“Dummy’s cult? Bah!” Tanael showed his tongue in disgust. “No, I’m not his creature. I hate him. Probably going to kill the guy in the future. Killing his cultists is my favorite sport.”
“I see,” Freya didn't believe a single word that Tanael said. “Your ti ends here. I will release those tornted souls you’ve chained down, preventing them from their rightful afterlife. As for your own... may the Goddess have rcy on your soul.”
Freya pointed her sword at Tanael and the spirits charged towards him.
“You and what army?” Tanael challenged. “That army? It’s not enough! In the na of Tanael, heed my call and arise!!!”
The gleaming blue sea beneath Tanael’s feet roiled and churned, as if sothing big was rising from the depths.
Freya thought it was an octopus at first. A giant monster octopus because of the shape. Then, as the thing kept rising from the water, she saw the neck, torso and limbs. Its eyes were two red suns of malice.
I was wrong. Is Tanael summoning a sea-dweller race? Like the r and sahagin? Yet, I never think they can grow this large.
The humanoid with an octopus head and tentacled mouth was at least fifty ters tall. Freya and her heroic spirits seed so insignificant. The power it had was also mind-bogglingly humongous. Was it stronger than Tanael? How was it possible?
The Domain’s master was at the top of the creature’s head. As the creature erged from beneath his feet, he rose with it.
“Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn.”
From far above, Tanael’s words reached Freya easily, as if it was uttered by the world itself.
To Freya, Tanael who was speaking so alien words was the very picture of a shady cultist that summoned an eldritch creature through so dark arts.
And he dare say he wasn't a cultist? What a joke!
Tanael’s Cthulhu roared and struck with its clawed hand. So of the heroic spirits managed to dodge but not all of them. The speed it moved was contrary to its sheer size. The heroes of the pasts, projections or whatever they might be, unperturbed by their fellows turned into spirits version of mince at, and countered attacked. The monster was big, so they had no reservations using wide AoEs. Of course, the Cthulhu fought back.
Seeing it all happening from on top of the creature’s head, Tanael felt like he was the picture perfect of a villain. Devilishly handso, mysterious and charismatic, with dark and eldritch powers.
It was glorious.
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