Proving My Worth

Three days later we hurried towards the Temple which Sephora said was not too far away. Gwyn took out his camera and took a photo of the sky and a large floating temple appeared. As soon as the Temple arrived we were stopped by Spirit Warriors. We stopped and looked at the warriors.

"I see you're here to see our Goddess, Annette. We won't allow you to casually stroll in and let your mortal eyes gaze upon her!" A female said. "I, Yukimari, am her most loyal retainer! Noble Princess of the House of Reigia bearer of the Mark of Ethros. You shall not pass!"

"I am Duedi, Prince of the House of Hsvelgon...bearer of the Mark of Xeros. I am Annette's other retainer." He said and looked at us.

Annette sat on her throne and crossed her legs as she watched the battle from a floating crystal ball. She rested her cheek on her hand and zoomed in closely to me. She saw her son within me. Because of that...

"Yukimari...Duedi, do not hold back. Push her to her limits, make her draw out my son's true power." Annette said.

"As you command." Duedi nodded and summoned his sword, Thunderbrand.

"I have no issue with crushing my opponent!" Yukimari smirked and summoned her lance, Tvesoli.

"Yu-chan...they aren't holding anything back. Neither will we!" Yui summoned her weapons.

I looked at the Temple and closed my eyes and smirked then appeared in the pinkish world and saw Leona. She looked at me with her arms crossed and smiled then turned her head away.

"That spark in your eyes. Reminds me of someone familiar...a brother to me. Listen Yufumi, they aren't pushovers in the slightest..but I know we can take them." Leona looked at me. "Like you said we're the strongest team to ever exist."

"No one can stop us!" I smiled and held my fist towards her.

She floated forward and gave me a slight fist bump and we smiled at each other then I snapped back to reality. I opened my eyes and my eyes turned lion like then my hair slowly turned into flames.

"If this is what it takes to see her, then I will destroy you!" I said and summoned my sword and the Mark of Cipher shined on my chest.

Annette was caught off guard seeing the Mark of Cipher glowing. She smirked and closed her eyes.

"So he trusted her with everything he had huh? All she has to do is draw out his powers. My son is a strange one." Annette said.

"Prepare yourself for defeat!" I said.

"Confident huh? Blessed with the power of the Ancient Hero now you think your undefeatable, we won't let you see Annette!" Yukimari glared.

"Are you sure you two can handle them on your own?" Sephora asked.

"Yeah, this is all for Yu-chan! I will do whatever I can to help her!" Yui nodded.

"Let us turn the wheels of fate, we shall win and I will gain the blessings as you intended...mother." I said.

"Mother..? Must be the Ancient Hero in her.." Sephora said then smiled a bit. "Fine, press on! Show them what for!"

I smirked and got in a stance. Yukimari looked at me and got in a stance also. Yukimari's body flickered and she vanished at high speeds. She appeared behind me and thrusted her lance towards me. I sensed her attack and dodged the attack then jumped back. Yukimari dashed towards me and slashed down. I parried her attack and slashed as well right after. She blocked the attack and glared at me. I looked at her then bellowed and pushed her back. I stabbed my sword into the ground and dashed towards her, dragging the sword against the ground then slashed upwards. Her lance glowed and she blocked the attack then she knocked the sword out of my hand.

"Dawn Breaker!" Yukimari bellowed and spun in a circle and slashed then heard a clash. She looked shocked. "Lion's Gauntlets?"

My entire skill set and moveset changed. I smirked and pushed her lance away and palmed her chest and a surge of aura erupted from her back. She coughed and groaned then was blown away. Duedi dodged her body and looked shocked. The Lion's Gauntlets are the true Zodiac Weapon for a Leo. Only obtainable when reaching Level 2 with the Leo.

"Focus on the battle!" Yui bellowed and raised her hands to the sky and clouds began to form in the air.

"What?" Duedi looked at the sky.

"Yu-chan! Dual Burst!" Yui bellowed.

I looked at the sky and watched the clouds turn gray. Primordial Wind manipulation was one interesting thing to me. I saw a powerful lightning bolt surging down to the ground. I shot a powerful fireball at the bolt and the two Elements collided.

"Dual Burst: Arcane Arc Flash!" We both bellowed and the lightning bolt crashed towards Duedi.

"Lunar Shield!" A female voice sounded and a barrier protected Duedi and absorbed the flaming bolt. The barrier shined brightly. The woman appeared behind me. I was caught off guard then she kicked me towards the barrier. "Eclipse Burst!"

The barrier shined and exploded and blew me away. I rolled on the ground and rebounded off the ground then sensed her above me. She was so fast. She wrapped her arms around me and we went down.

"Sun Shield!" I bellowed and the shield reduced the damage from the suplex.

"You think quick on your feet..but I expected you'd do as much. Taken you and the Ancient Hero think the same. I am inside the barrier...you can't use Sunset Burst." The woman said.

"You criminally underestimate me!" I said. "Sun Shield has another property. A Support Ability!"

"Support Ability?" The woman asked.

"Yui! Hit the shield with only melee attacks until the shield shines crimson red!" I commanded.

"Right!" Yui dashed towards the shield and began thrashing on the shield.

"What the..?! Do you not realize these shields are double edged sword?! Even if the damage is reduced and your shield gets stronger it drains your energy quicker! Are you crazy?!" The woman looked at me.

"What is she doing..?" Gwyn asked.

"She's about to pull off a Sacred Combo.." Sephora said.

"Alright! Finished!" Yui jumped back.

I panted and gripped my chest and coughed a bit of blood. I wiped my mouth and caught my breath. The woman looked at me and I smirked at her.

"Helio Arts: Sun Drain!" I bellowed and the shield shined brightly and slowly began turning into particles and fused into one orb.

"Sun Drain, the Support half of the Sun Shield combo. It heals the user and gains all of the boosts from the shield. Yufumi's strength and endurance has increased significantly and she's healed completely. The Sunset Burst releases all that stored energy--"

"Now! I will end this battle! Ultimate Arts: Red Giant Explosion!" I bellowed and the tiny orb began growing in size quickly.

"What the-" The female was shocked.

"What is this combo?!" Yukimari said in disbelief.

"What?! Even I wasn't expecting this!" Sephora said. "This is a combo that originates from the Original Whitefang, Leona's teacher!"

The red orb grew bigger then exploded and blew all of the opponents away. Duedi and Yukimari crashed into each other and grunted. The female slid back and looked at me. Yui healed me and all of my stamina was returned. She smirked and closed her eyes.

"You defeated two of the three of us...but it's still not enough to see the Goddess. I, Nisshoku: Guardian of the Temple, will end this false pride you hold!" She bellowed and her spirit aura surged powerfully. She transformed into her Spirit Form and looked at us.

She dashed towards me and went for a powerful strike. I dodged and went for one back and she dodged. She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her then punched my stomach. I groaned and coughed then she kicked me away and grabbed my leg then slammed me towards the ground. I coughed up some blood and bounced off the ground. She grabbed my face and slammed my head into the ground and began dragging me against the ground and threw me in the air.

"Spirit Flash!" She bellowed and appeared above and punched me down and I crashed through the ground at high speeds.

"Yu-chan!" Yui yelled.

"Nisshoku...she's so powerful.." Gwyn said.

"It's not over." Sephora said.

"Huh?" He looked at the fight.

Nisshoku landed and sensed an increase in power then the Omni Flames surged into the air. She looked shocked and saw me floating in the air. I slowly looked up and the Kami-Yaoke awakened in both my eyes.

"What the- What is this power..?" Nisshoku said.

I landed on the ground and the flames vanished then dashed towards her at blazing speeds and punched her stomach and bellowed. I blew her away and appeared behind her then kicked her down. Nisshoku rebounded off the ground and I came down with a punch and yelled. She caught my fist and the ground cracked.

"Cosima..what is this power from Yu-chan?" Yui asked.

"This is the power of Pure Resonance. Leona and Yufumi are truly one and their power have also become one. This is a True Zodiac." Cosima said.

Annette kept watching and watched with interest. She hasn't seen the Omni Flames in forever. To her, I am no ordinary Zodiac Knight.

"How is she this powerful now..?! I can't get a clear reading on her when she's in this state..!" Nisshoku said then pushed me backwards.

I grunted and felt Leona wanting to go even further. My hair covered my eyes and I exhaled and I felt like I was ready for Ascension.

"Yufumi! Sync with me!" Leona roared.

I grunted a bit and began gathering energy then my aura surged. Nisshoku felt a constant rise in power. I bellowed and my aura surged wildly. Reaching Zodiac Level 3 I began ascending beyond. My crimson fire hair flashed white. Nisshoku heard Leona's roars within my bellows and watched in awe.

"Ascension.." Sephora smiled.

My bellows soon turned into roars and my hair fully turned white and the Mark of Cipher shined brightly. I began seeing all of the memories of Cipher. Emilia...Rinka...Misaki...Rhea...Mitshune. My aura spiralled around me quickly and vanished. My hair was white and I achieved Whitefang Mode. I looked up and saw only a glimpse of Nisshoku's reaction before I inevitably passed out due to Burnout. I turned back to normal.

"Yu-chan!" Yui ran to me and got on her knees and held me up.

"She's alright...she just Burned out. She used what remaining energy she had left to ascend. I'm quite impressed I might add." Sephora walked up. "Ascension is no normal feat..."

Gwyn walked up and looked at me. The Mark of Cipher stopped glowing and shattered. The Mark has served its purpose. Annette was pleased with the results and caused her crystal ball to vanish. She closed her eyes and smiled.

"Hm...it's been a while since someone's given Nisshoku a hard time. I'm impressed...Yufumi. You do intend to surpass my son. Let's see how far you can go. Can you reach my son's level of power?" Annette said to herself.