032 Retribution

Upon hearing my words Gustav grit his teeth. Fury was burning brightly in his eyes. Not that it mattered, what could he do after all? Thanks to the spell I just used, his body was far too weak to act.

I silently continued to build up power in my legs, getting ready to end it all in the next strike. I narrowed my gaze and selected my target.

Straight for the head of their leader. I let my deep rooted desire to kill him leak out from me.

Gustav to my surprise was perceptive enough to pick up on it. Unfortunately due to the resilience of his spirit, it only served to further anger him.

Moments passed as he thought of his options. Without a second of hesitation he arrived at the solution to his plight. Gustav had reached into his pocket dimension and had taken out several ornate glass bottles full of bright crimson fluid.

Recovery potions. So that is your plan? Restore your health and then fight me?

I just stood there unwavering as I shook my head. It was fruitless, nothing he could do would change the outcome.

Rapaciously he began to chug the contents of bottle after bottle. Somehow in between the never ending consumption he managed to bark an order to the remaining soldiers.

"Form a shield before me with your bodies! Quick!"

Many looks flew his way. Confusion, incredulous disbelief, and even hate.

"What are you waiting for!? Protect me while I recover! I'll fight him head on after and then you all get to keep on living shamelessly off the labor of others!"

The order was barked and as unwilling as they were, the soldiers still followed through with his command.

Blind loyalty. What a useless devotion to have.

Now possessing safety before him, Gustav began to polish off the last of the glass bottles. His body began radiating a soft glow. A clear indication that he was being gradually being restored.

Seeing the people willing to die for this shit infuriated me. He deserved nothing, especially after what he caused...

Once again I had reignited my anger and was now reveling in its hate filled passion.

"Gustav!"

My calling on him startled him causing him to almost drop a bottle.

I didn't care. As long as I had caught his attention. I continued.

"Answer me this! In what world do the strong bow to the weak?!"

He scoffed at my question.

"What are you talking about?! Do you actually consider yourself to be better than us? That's absurd! You are nothing more than a traitor. A washed up has been! And here in this ground shall Luna finally make your grave!"

Venom rolled off his tongue, and I flew from the spot I had been rooted on. Having refused to hear another word.

Beaming forward I had already swung my sword several times to release violent projections of my aura. They mercilessly flew ahead and began their dance of devastation.

Bodies went flying through the air as I tore through the masses.

Having fallen into this hate I began to swing my weapon wildly and blindly.

There was no rhyme, reason, or rhythm to any of my usually flawless sword work. Vicious movements to my left and people would be without limbs. Savage swings to my right and that group would be left without life of any kind.

There was only one way anyone could describe the scene that was unfolding.

Instinctual Slaughter.

Even though I had given myself over to my emotions, my eyes never lost focus of Gustav. My gut was telling me to beware of that rat, and as always, it was right.

As I was tearing through the pathetic remains of his army from the front, a now fully recovered Gustav began his assault from the back. Without mercy he slashed his sickening aura forward. This attack brutally killed his own men, all to create a path that reached straight to me. I did the same and moments later after our combined assault, less than ten soldiers remained.

I raced towards him, ready to end him. As I flew in from the front I raised my sword up above so that it could come crashing down on him. He predicted my movements last second and raised his broad hunk of metal above him to block.

CCLLLAAAANNNGGG

White ringing reverberated throughout the crater.

I kept forcing Death's Favor down towards Gustav. Applying more and more of my strength, attempting to break his stance and end him.

To my surprise, despite all of his shaking and resistance, he stood true. I was about to change tactics and swing from the right, when he raised his leg and kicked me in the dead center of my stomach.

I was forced to go flying several meters away.

I rolled for several seconds on the rocky terrain before I found my center of gravity and challenged the momentum. Successfully, I was already on my feet before the recent dust had even begin to fall.

With my attention once again at the vermin before me, he took this opportunity to speak.

"Em, earlier you asked in what world do the strong bow down to the weak. I didn't get a chance to answer properly."

He waved his sword towards me and replied with anger.

"In this world you sad sack of shit! You are nothing! Now be a good pet and fall over and die already! You've already shown the extent of your power and I'm still standing here. Your last attack couldn't even reach me! You are out of options so just give up."

HA..HA...HA...HA...HA...HA

Mockingly I spat out a slow laugh at his ignorant answer.

"Gustav is that what you really think? That I have nothing else I can do? Where did this confidence come from!? Just because you blocked one attack and kicked me away!"

I shook my head.

"Understand this, There is no world in which I will ever allow myself to be killed by you or anyone else! Earlier I told you that I would rectify my mistake and teach you why you should fear me! Let us begin truthfully this time! No more games!"

I put away Death's Favor. In one swift motion, I removed my helmet and placed it inside my dimensional space. With my hand still inside, I slowly began to pull out Invictus.

The surrounding light began to radiate its glory to all.

Surprised by the excessively long blade, Gustav spoke.

"What is that suppose to be? A weapon that long can't even function right! Are you out of your mind."

Reaching up with my right hand I clasped my fingers around the black strip of cloth over my eyes.

[The Seal Of Auctoritatis]

I removed it for the first time. As I did it began to wrap itself onto my right forearm of its own volition.

Instantly an invisible wave of power manifested itself around me and began to grind against the air in a ferocious fashion. My silver hair began to whip about in the flowing wind. I could feel an insane power begin to flood me. More and more, it entered me. Overwhelming me almost to the point of insanity. Never have I felt or been this powerful. As I felt myself beginning to get lost within this sea of dominance, I refocused on why I took off the seal to begin with.

To send a message. A bloody message.

Finally completely in tune with this power, my eyes changed from their commanding emerald presence into an entrancing scarlet red.

Gustav just stared at me jaw dropped. He could see the visible wind flowing about. He could feel the invisible aura that encircled me. And finally, he could see the rage behind my newly dyed scarlet eyes.

Slowly, the seed of fear I had planted in his heart a while ago began to bud and take root within.

Unconsciously he took a step back. His body willed him to leave and survive knowing that before him stood death in its truest manifestation. He refused.

"Gustav this is my second form of power. I still have another level above this but I assure you, you won't be alive long enough to even imagine it."

"You lie!" Despite coming from him, Gustav had trouble believing his own words.

I smiled and without warning I flew at him. Instantly gone from reality for mere seconds, I reappeared several feet behind him with my weapon aimed at him.

"Do you still believe I'm lying?"

He began to turn around to face me but he was stopped mid way as his body finally realized it's legs had been severed from Gustav's waist.

In the deepest agony and pained filled despair, he fell to the ground groveling.

"W-w-when! Howwww?" He howled.

I slowly began walking towards him. Purposefully I crunched the rocks beneath my feet as loudly as I could. The desired effect from this blossomed within Gustav.

Fear. Not just any fear but an all consuming fear. One that strips you of all reason and sanity. One that only leaves you with a single desire.

Survive, no matter what.

He began to drag himself away from his severed legs. Leaving a trail of bright red life in his wake.

"S-s-stop! Please! Get away! Get away!"

"What's wrong Gustav? I thought you could handle me?!"

After moments of being chased I caught up and kicked him over so that he could be facing me.

As he lay on his back looking above, tears began to pool in his eyes and he began to whimper like a helpless pup. What a useless response I thought to myself.

However, my mission had been accomplished, he now feared me and oh what a sweet sensation that was.

"Now that your lesson has been learned, it's time we finish this off don't you agree?"

"Please Em, I'm sorry ok is that what you wanted to hear?! Please just kill me! Hurry!"

Furious I kicked his ribs. Several shattered instantly.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Gustav squirmed in agony.

"I am not one of your dogs to be ordered about! Especially after everything you did, you really think I am going to take it easy on you?"

I shook my head and thought of what he had done to Ven and how he had threaten to defile her in front of me.

"Prepare yourself. What is coming is because you dared to harm Ven..."

I raised Invictus high in the air and switched my grip on it. Now aimed, I brought it down with a staggering amount of force.

Relentlessly Invictus had pierce Gustav's genitals.

His pained howls increased in pitch until no ear could capture them. Slowly I began to move Invictus up, higher and higher as it was slicing Gustav in half vertically.

The agonizing torture was bringing him closer and closer to the edge of death but his trained body refused to give up its hold on life. Because of this, he just fell into an hell that no one has experienced before.

Once Invictus had reached his chest and lungs, I spoke knowing he had seconds of life left in him.

"I want you to know that there is a special teleportation portal on floor 88..."

His eyes widened as he recognized what I was talking about.

"It allows players to enter the realm of the afterlife in order to kill one of the four floor bosses. Wait for me there because I won't be satisfied until I end you permanently!"

With one swift motion, I sliced the rest of the way through and Gustav was no more.