~The Battle Between Ashton and Invincible Blade~
"Surrender now, and perhaps I will grant you a painless death," Invincible Blade said, his voice a low, menacing rasp.
Ashton stood still, a silent defiance in his posture.
"Has fear finally claimed you?" Invincible Blade taunted.
Hahahaha! A sharp, unrestrained laugh erupted from Ashton, cutting through the tension. "Not quite," he said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Then die," Invincible Blade hissed, his hands lashing out towards Ashton in a swift, deadly strike.
In a blur of motion, Ashton's sword intercepted Invincible Blade's attack, the clang of metal echoing in the tense silence.
"What? How?" Invincible Blade exclaimed, shock etched across his face.
"Surprised, aren't we?" Ashton said, a hint of triumph in his voice.
"Don't get cocky because you blocked one attack," Invincible Blade snarled, launching another relentless assault.
Ashton effortlessly evaded every strike Invincible Blade threw at him, his movements fluid and precise. A flicker of nervousness, of anxiety, crossed Invincible Blade's features.
"Come on, don't be scared," Ashton taunted, a devilish smirk playing on his lips. "Save the fear for when you gaze into the pits of hell."
"I will kill you!" Invincible Blade roared, his attacks growing more frantic, more intense. Yet, Ashton continued to block and evade them all with infuriating ease.
"How? How? How?" Invincible Blade screamed in utter frustration.
"Well, it's quite simple, really," Ashton said calmly. "It wasn't long before I realized the nature of your weapon. It's a vibrating iron string, isn't it? That's why your attacks felt... invincible."
"It doesn't matter if you know what my weapon is! You will die either way!" Invincible Blade bellowed, attacking with unrestrained fury.
"You are quite wrong," Ashton replied smoothly, sidestepping a lethal strike. "I can see a few seconds into the future now. Before, I couldn't avoid your attacks because I didn't understand their true nature, how to anticipate or evade them. But now I know. You are dead meat." Ashton's features sharpened, his eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity as he transformed into his vampire form.
With a burst of incredible speed, Ashton rushed forward, weaving through Invincible Blade's desperate attacks. Closing the distance in a heartbeat, Ashton's sword flashed, severing both of Invincible Blade's hands.
Invincible Blade screamed, a raw, agonizing sound of terror and pain.
"Say your prayers," Ashton said, his sword now pointed directly at Invincible Blade's throat.
"You motherf—" Invincible Blade began, his words cut short as Ashton's blade sliced across his mouth.
Invincible Blade's screams intensified, a muffled, horrific sound.
"I hate insults," Ashton said, his voice cold. "I might have ended this quickly, but insulting me was a mistake. Now, you will tell everyone in hell who the better torturer truly is." Ashton's eyes gleamed with a cruel satisfaction as he subjected Invincible Blade to a series of unimaginable tortures.
~The Battle Between Hazel and Doom~
"Well, it looks like this battle is over," Hazel said, his gaze sweeping over the fallen figures.
"What do you mean?" Doom replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.
"All your teammates are dead, except for one who is currently experiencing a state of… torment. But we both know he's as good as gone," Hazel said, his voice devoid of any emotion for the defeated.
Hahahahahahahaha! A long, echoing laugh boomed from Doom.
"Do you really think I came here relying on them to win this battle? If that was your assumption, you are sorely mistaken," Doom said, his eyes glinting with an unsettling light.
Hazel frowned, a sense of unease creeping over him. Suddenly, a familiar, oppressive aura filled the air.
"Be careful, Hazel. That is the aura of a god," Grim's voice echoed in Hazel's mind, a stark warning.
Hazel tensed, every sense on high alert. A swirling red cloud enveloped Doom, and then the transformation began. Doom's appearance shifted dramatically, becoming otherworldly.
Doom now wore garments that seemed to shimmer with an unearthly energy, and he hovered effortlessly in the sky. "Surprised?" he asked, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
"Have you ever killed a god before?" Doom's question hung heavy in the air. "Where do you think I got the name 'Doom' from? I slaughtered five gods and ascended to godhood. The remaining deities call me the Doom of existence."
"The system also recognizes me as a god," Doom continued, a chilling pride in his voice. "And I was granted the title of Sovereign of Chaos."
"Hazel, you have to run!" Frayja urged, her voice filled with desperation.
"I can't," Hazel said, his jaw tight. "Everyone here will die if I do."
"Now," Doom said, his eyes fixated on Hazel with cruel anticipation, "I would very much like to see you suffer."
Hazel launched a swift attack, hoping to catch Doom off guard. But Doom effortlessly dodged his strikes, barely needing to move.
Then, Doom materialized beside Hazel in the blink of an eye. "I can see your attacks from a mile away," he said, a cruel smile twisting his lips, just before delivering a devastating blow to Hazel's neck.
Hazel's neck snapped with a sickening crack, and
he was sent hurtling through the air, smashing through the walls of nearby buildings. Luckily, his rapid healing abilities kicked in, allowing him to survive the critical hit.
Hahahaha! A menacing laugh echoed from Doom.
"Hazel, I know how you can beat him," Grim said urgently.
"How?" Hazel replied, his voice strained with pain.
"The only way is to—" Grim began.
"How would that even help?" Hazel interrupted, disbelief in his voice.
"There is no way in hell I'm trying that!" Hazel exclaimed, his eyes wide with apprehension.
"Well, if you don't try it, that is exactly what will happen anyway," Grim retorted grimly.
Hazel pushed himself up from the rubble and began to run, putting distance between himself and Doom.
"Running won't do you any good," Doom said casually, appearing directly in front of Hazel and slamming him back down to the ground.
Hazel coughed up blood, the impact jarring his already injured body.
Doom then grabbed Hazel by the hair, lifting his head. "Now, show me that helplessness. Show me that fear. I want to see it on your face!" Doom sneered, anticipating a look of utter despair.
But Hazel's face was etched only with desperation and fierce determination. This angered Doom, and he rained down more brutal blows, trying to force a sorrowful expression from Hazel.
Finally, growing tired of Hazel's resilience, Doom hauled him up by the hair once more. "This is far too boring. You simply couldn't give me the thrill I was seeking, the expression I desired. Well, now you die."
"Hazel!" Alexa's desperate scream pierced the air as she and Darwin, Oscar, and Mia appeared on the scene.
"NO! Run! Run!" Hazel screamed out to them, his voice raw with fear for their safety.
"Oh, I see," Doom said, a cruel understanding dawning in his eyes. He threw Hazel to the ground. "Since beating you won't grant me the taste of true sorrow and hopelessness, I might as well break your little team."
Hazel heard this and a primal fury surged through him. He summoned his scythe and leaped towards Doom, who was still levitating. He aimed a desperate strike, but Doom casually grabbed him by the neck as soon as he got close.
"Yes! Yesss! Yessss! This… this is the expression I have been craving! Give me more! I want more!" Doom said, his voice laced with manic glee.
"Don't you dare touch a single hair on their body!" Hazel choked out, his throat constricted by Doom's grip.
"Oh, don't worry," Doom chuckled, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I'll be touching far more than a hair." He flung Hazel away and vanished, reappearing instantly behind Ashton.
Ashton saw the future, a horrifying premonition, but Doom's speed was far beyond his ability to react.
Doom's hand pierced Ashton from behind, straight through his heart and out the front of his chest.
Hazel's mouth fell open in disbelief, a strangled cry tearing from his throat. "Nooooo!"
[Requirements have been met.]
[Skill: Invincibility has been activated.]
Hazel's body began to glow with an array of vibrant, otherworldly colors. Then, he moved. His speed exploded, surpassing anything he had ever achieved before.
Hazel dashed towards Doom, but even with his enhanced speed, in the millisecond it took to close the distance, Doom was faster. He vanished again, reappearing behind Oscar and tearing apart all of Oscar's limbs with brutal efficiency.
Oscar lay broken and bleeding, without arms or legs. Doom held Oscar's severed hand aloft, his gaze fixed on Hazel. "Show me more, little Reaper! I want to see more of your helplessness and sorrow!"
Tears streamed down Hazel's face as he witnessed the horrific sight. He charged again, pushing his limits beyond comprehension.
Hazel reached Doom, but once again, he was not fast enough to even graze the god.
This time, Doom appeared in front of Mia, his hand shooting out to grip her neck. With a sickening snap, he broke it.
Doom then tossed Mia's lifeless body to the ground. "It's not enough, Hazel! Show me more! I want to see how truly sorrowful you can be! Entertain me! Hahahaha!"
Hazel fell to his knees, a primal scream tearing from his soul.
Suddenly, the same dark, swirling aura that had surrounded Mia during her fight erupted around her once more. Mia stood up, her body shrouded in black shadows.
"Such disrespect," Doom scoffed. "How dare you, lowly god, even attempt to stand against me?"
Doom raised his hand towards Mia, a malevolent energy gathering in his palm. But Hazel knew Mia wasn't strong enough. He dashed towards her, screaming, "Run! Run!"
Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, Doom decapitated Mia. As Hazel reached her fallen body, Doom turned to face him. "Now this is getting interesting," he said, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
Doom vanished again, reappearing behind Alexa. He placed his hand on her head. A single tear rolled down Alexa's cheek as she offered Hazel a small, hopeless smile.
"Please don't!" Hazel screamed, his voice cracking with despair.
"Now that is the face I love to see," Doom purred. "But why stop here? I can just kill her too, and watch you descend into complete sorrow as you finally let go of life. Say goodbye, Hazel."
"Nooooooo! Nooo! Nooo!" Hazel roared, his aura exploding outwards, destroying everything within its immediate radius.
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
"Yesss! Yesss, Hazel! That is what I love to see!" Doom exclaimed, relishing Hazel's berserk state.
"No need to cry," Doom said, walking slowly towards Hazel. "It's time for you to join them."
Hazel saw Doom approaching, his vision blurred with tears and rage. He charged, a desperate, futile attack. With effortless ease, Doom disappeared, reappearing behind Hazel in the blink of an eye, his hand plunging into Hazel's chest.
"Goodbye, Hazel," Doom whispered, pulling out Hazel's still-beating heart.