"Marvelous. How absolutely marvelous! Splendid!"
Melech had gotten up from his sitting position and was not floating with his feet in the air, staring down at the magnificent chaos unfolding below.
He had expected that he would have to make a move soon to save the human, but his expectations had been surpassed.
And by a large margin at that.
Although both were Tier 2 beings, the {Frost Sylph} was of a much greater make than the human.
Not only was its level greater, it also had more stats and a significantly better physique.
Most important, since this was a soul battle, as a being of soul, every single one of the {Frost Sylph's} attacks were powerful enough to rend the human's soul to pieces.
In truth, the physical stats and efficacy of weapons, armor, as well as items were all but useless in a soul battle.
The most important thing was the strength of the soul.
The actual battle itself was a crucial mix of this strength and the limitations of the individual.
The {Frost Sylph} had been holding back on his command.
Despite that, the human should have been defeated a long time ago.
"To think he would last this long." Melech said with a satisfied smile.
"Unfortunately, this battle is coming to an end."
It was unfortunate indeed, but there was a limit.
Plus, Soul Essence exhaustion was a real and scary thing.
Melech stretched his hand forward, prepared to end the battle.
'Besides, I've seen what I want—"
Melech paused.
The battle below ranged in madness devolving into a fierce melee that shouldn't have made any sense.
The {Frost Sylph} made use of its tremendous body and power, its powerful craws slashing through the air, each one like the grim reaper's scythe.
Its maws chomped down as well, actively seeing to bite Cain's head off his neck.
In response, Cain was like a blurring spectre, dodging and weaving through the vicious and powerful attacks.
Those he couldn't dodge, he blocked with defensive spells or sheer will when those failed.
However, each one contains the power to rattle him to his core. With every strike he was forced to endure, mouthfuls of blood leaked from his lips, causing his face to turn white and pale.
Despite that, he kept going, striking back furiously in turn. Searᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
With the Eternal Sunflame, he could cushion his organs and most of his insides from too much damage.
Through the insane melee, Cain continued to circulate the {Sunflame Body Tempering Technique} over and over again.
With each complete revolution, more Sunflame poured into his soul.
Each time, it was purer than the last bolstering him, and giving his just enough survive the next blow.
Visually, he wasn't looking too good as well.
His metal arm was twisted in unimaginable ways as he fought to return it to its previous shape.
For some reason, the frost from the body of the {Frost Sylph} made it harder for him to use magic over time, so it was definitely slowing him down.
His armor was covered in bloodstains and frost. Despite this, a golden flame burned on its surface, driving the cold away.
With every clash, the damage he sustained continued to climb.
Raising his arm, he blocked a bash from one of the {Frost Sylph's} heads. He gritted his teeth and pushed down with his arms.
His gauntleted fists clampef down on the frozen scales and summoning as much strength as he could from his core, he pulled down.
His muscles bulged, the veins in they threatening to burst.
Even the enormous body of the {Frost Sylph} buckled.
Moving the power in his body around, he stepped on the air like it was solid, and delivered an earth-shattering knee shot to the temple if the head he had grabbed.
The creation let out a shrill screams. The other two heads shot down, one attempting to bite down on his head and the other charging a spell.
With incredible dexterity, Cain let go of the captured head and spun around mid air, dodging the other one.
Unfortunately for him, he was unable to dodge the third attack.
A lance of solid ice traveled through the air faster than a bullet, piercing into his side.
The white hot pain blinded him for a moment.
Seizing the chance, the {Frost Sylph dove down on his, its enormous head smashing into his much smaller frame.
Cain fought through the pain.
Using everything he had, he tried to slow their momentum.
However, how could he stop the momentum of a beast with such power? A beast that embodied strength?
Together, the two, man and beast, crashed into the frothy ocean below.
The waves swallowed him.
At first, Cain could still see the light.
Then, there was darkness.
'I... I can't breathe!'
Cain felt dizzy.
Under the waves, the light from the sky above was incredibly dispersed, making it quite hard to see.
Cain desperately flapped his arms and feet.
Even worse, after dragging him into this place, the {Frost Sylph} had disappeared somewhere into the dark depths.
Cain knew it was not far though. He just couldn't see it yet.
It was lurking, ready to strike at him at any moment.
'What's going to happen now?'
There were only two ways the current situation could unfold. He could either give up and let his body sink.
Or he could fight to the bitter end.
Either way, both paths had the same outcome.
'I can't beat it.'
A deep darkness came over him.
That realization.
That overwhelming sense of weakness.
It was embarrassing.
It was painful.
A shadow appeared for a split second. Then a tremendous force slammed into him, launching him deeper into the dark depths without letting him go.
Cain felt the teeth sink into his flesh and then through his bones.
The {Frost Sylph} had finally gotten its jaws around him.
However at this point, Cain had already given up.
There was nothing to fight for anymore.
'I'm tired.'
Indeed, he was exhausted. He had run out of stamina, spirit, mana , Ki, everything.
He was completely drained.
He was empty.
The world slowed down.
Suddenly, for a moment, the world seemed brighter.
Cain's eyes widened.
'Is this what it's like to truly die?'
It was a beautiful sensation. Like floating on clouds or falling into a warm embrace.
'What's going on?'
Cain felt something.
It was like an invincible connection had been bridged.
Like a light he never knew existed had been switched on.
In a moment of desperation, at a seemingly impossible point of death, he had experienced true peace.
He had entered a trance...
The world around him continued to slow down until it eventually came to a halt.
Cain closed his eyes.
'What am I?'
A man?
A demon?
A savior?
A soul in need of grace?
Who was he?
He had been an orphan. He didn't know who is parents were. He had lived with a family he didn't care for. Then his world had been flipped on its head.
That sense of normalcy he had always detested had been broken, and he finally got to witness excitement for the first time.
He was handed the opportunity to finally attempt to create or find an identity for himself.
And yet, he still couldn't.
Cain, the man who does not exist yet strives to leave his mark on the world.
Maybe that was his reason.
He did not truly care about the world. And the deaths the Devils had brought about were terrible, but they had no effect on him personally.
However, his desire was to leave his mark on the world.
To let someone know he had lived.
He wanted to save the world for his selfish reasons.
So that made him human.
It also made him a Demon. A terrible, black-hearted demon.
One that desired to be a savior, a Messiah...
But one that needed to be saved so he didn't lose his soul.
Cain reached out and touched upon it.
He touched upon that ethereal being.
The center of his identity.
It was him, but not simultaneously.
It was his soul.
And it was that soul that was currently being held in the vice-like jaws of the {Frost Sylph} at this moment.
All this time, the battle between the two was not one that involved their physical bodies. No, their souls had been battling all this time.
And right now, Cain's soul was in shambles.
A complete wreck.
His defeat had been total and complete.
And yet...
Even then, he couldn't help but want to try again.
Just once more.
And so he did.
The Eternal Sunfire burst forth like a torrent, enveloping him from the inside out.
The tongues of flames were pristine and golden, spewing forth from his wounded soul like never before.
His face lighting up with one last grin, Cain stared down.
Right into those piercing blue eyes.
All six of them.
Then he mouthed the words;
"Fuck you!"
***
Drip...
Drip...
Drip...
At first the sound was subtle.
Then it became impossible to ignore.
Cain sat up and opened his eyes.
It was a world of darkness surrounded by a thick grey fog.
'Where am I?'
His attention was once again stolen by the sound of water dripping.
He looked down.
Before him was a pool of an unknown liquid. It was dazzling and bright, like clear liquid crystals.
It was small, but it was there regardless.
It was his Sea of Consciousness.