True guardian

Our strategy was evidently not working. I barely evaded a few more charges but the outcome didn't change much. The jade snake dowager's tail decimated any and all attacks coming at her and even the one strike from Sigmund that got past her tail wasn't able to penetrate the triple domain.

Just as I was mentally complaining about our lack of firepower a portal opened beside me and Night Owl stepped out along with Tenten.

'Since when can you open portals?'

"Wasn't me, a voice in my head said that you were in trouble and I should enter the portal to get here. So, what's troubling you?"

'Look right ahead and you'll see the problem.'

"Please tell me it isn't that divine beast you talked about before..."

'Yeah, it's her alright.'

With the addition of Night Owl, we finally stood a chance at harming the jade snake dowager. Together our domains could weaken the triple domain enough for a light slash of Sigmund's Gramr to reach the serpent's scales.

Unfortunately, the damage we did was negligible and we'd have to pile up a lot of hits to kill the snake. Meanwhile, the jade snake dowager needed to only get a few good hits on me and we'd be done for.

Our situation was getting more and more precarious and the snake had found out that attacking me was way too hard. Instead, she tried to go for both Sigmund and Night Owl.

Night Owl was fine since he could use his domain to buy himself the time to evade but Sigmund had nothing of the sort. Despite his light and swift movements it was only a matter of time for him to get taken out in one hit.

And so it happened, the jade snake dowager brushed past Sigmund, soaking him in her triple domain for a few seconds and even giving him a nick with her fang.

The effects were near-instantaneous. Sigmund's complexion turned an unhealthy green and he was quickly losing altitude. The poison wasn't something that could kill him but it would take him a few hours to fully recover, leaving him vulnerable to another attack.

Not that the serpent had any intentions of attacking him again. She was much more interested in Night Owl and me and we had no chance of defeating her.

I quickly lost a fair amount of wood and Night Owl's condition was worse, we were barely holding on.

'So, who's going to save us this time?'

The question was asked more jokingly and I hardly expected an answer. Our situation was quite desperate and nothing short of a divine beast could save us.

"Roooooooooar!!!!"

The ground began to quake as a beastly roar shattered the atmosphere. Even the jade snake dowager froze up for a moment and turned into the direction where the roar came from.

"Impossible! How can I still feel fear towards a being from this realm? I will kill it!!"

From afar we could make out a giant pillar of dust approaching quickly. Then, with a mighty leap, a 9-meter tall squirrel shot into the sky heading straight for the jade snake dowager.

'Rat?'

"Rat?"

'Oh, it's my guardian beast, Ratatoskr. I really had forgotten all about him...'

In midair a lightning domain spread out from Ratatoskr. The lightning domain was incredibly pure and unlike mine, it was completely self comprehended.

"It has only one domain, can it really fight against three domains?"

'Look more closely. A double domain doesn't have to mean that you can use two domains layered above each other. In rare cases it is possible to just use two domains simultaneously, one externally and the other internally. But why can't I tell the element of his internal domain?'

As the two beasts' domains met, a clear winner was quickly decided. Ratatoskr's lightning domain was eliminated and the triple domain was able to reach Ratatoskr's body.

However, despite being enveloped in a totally lethal mix of domains the squirrel remained perfectly unharmed. He kept flying in his previous trajectory and collided with the jade snake dowager.

An incredibly sharp pair of front teeth pierced through the snake's scales and left a long, bloody gash. The jade snake dowager screamed in pain as the squirrel let off and jumped back to the ground.