Chapter 114: Fourth Trial, Part 6

The Pastor would feel every single nerve being burned alive. The fire coated him as if he was oil, yet he never flinched. He never felt like he wanted to scream. He never felt like he wanted to be crude. He would stop, drop, and roll to put out the flames, still clutching onto the wound inflicted upon his chest. The fire, while somewhat put out, only expanded itself, surrounding the area, abiding by Zazel's will to circle around them, a small ring to be their last stand. Despite the heavy injuries, they still stood tall. Despite knowing this was their last chance to attain victory, the two recognized each other as equals. Zazel would be somewhat harsh in his breath, the smoke starting to rise, yet Manipura simply stood firm, taking deep breaths despite a punctured lung. "The Air.....it is cold today, isn't it Devil...?" He would speak, catching the Demon off guard, hearing his words as he'd explain. "Today.....I was going to do my usual activities. Prayers....Meditation....even the usual stroll around Synoni. It is always the same, though. I would see people waving to me as I'd go to the market. I would hear "Hello's" and "Goodbye's" whenever they wish to do small talk. I could always feel the cool air brushing at my skin whenever I walked. While it is somewhat comforting, living such a peaceful life, I would always tell myself it is somewhat boring to me. There wasn't anything special that I could remember. There wasn't anything I could recall that made me think to myself 'I like that moment.'" 

"I am proud to announce that you should Rejoice, Devil. You became the first few that gave me something to remember."

His words were collected, yet Zazel could tell the man's tone was in joy. In jubilation, even. The demon couldn't help but smile with his bloody lips, before looking up at him. "A Wise Man once said something to me: 'Do not waver. Do not Falter. Do not Regret. Do not feel Somber.' You're clearly living that mantra, but I wanna make sure you hear it too. I wouldn't want you to mess up now." The Pastor merely gave a small chuckle upon hearing such words, with the both of them getting into a stance, ready to fight for their life once more.

"Nor I....to you....Devil." Manipura would finish. Within an instant, the two lunged themselves forward once more, with the Pastor's fist's brandishing the Knuckledusters once more, while the Demon wielded his sigils to fight in his stead. As they took a step forward, they both threw their strikes. One last time, he would be glowing a soothing blue around him, increasing his speed and strength. Zazel would wield Sabnock once more, aiming directly for the fist that would clash. As the strike came, the sigil itself would act as its own shield, quickly cracking at the power output alongside such holy boons amidst his hand. Manipura would look on to see if the demon would struggle, yet he would be somewhat shocked to see the likes of a smile made on Zazel. He was waiting for this moment. He'd try to pull away his fist, yet it was too late. A metallic hand grabbed the fist itself, stabbing its claws at his wrist, nicking at the veins and muscles that weren't covered by the gloves. A metallic hand was holding him down, and the more Manipura pulled away, it resulted in a creature being let out, a Demon that is holding him down just enough so that Zazel can issue his next sigil, Asmodeus, right at the Pastor. Forced to swap Chakra's once more, his body began to emit a golden aura, acting as his defense to the flames. Triggering it once more, the Pastor would expand the very barrier, desperately hoping for an escape against both the Demons and the fire that awaits him. While the fires parted, the Demons kept holding on, even when the metallic hand bent itself amidst the barrier's effects, breaking the hand in the process. It quickly made a new one through sharpened swords and sturdy poles, letting them act as fingers and a palm amidst the wounded stump. It prepares itself for another attack, awaiting for Manipura to disable his shield.

Realizing this, he'd try to keep it up, facing off against the likes of Sabnock directly, a barrage right towards its exposed center when it was dragged out. His focus was aimed so much so for the iron behemoth, he wasn't able to notice Zazel's influence regarding the demon. As he barraged more and more, he would notice that something was etched into its body. Something he was very aware.

KRACC!! SHIKK!!

His arms were completely stabbed through, trying to get into the center, breaking the very glass that held the likes of its core, and such a glass was hiding Zazel's attack. Eligos. It quickly sunk within the wounds, and as he'd try to use Manipura to burn it away, the glass stuck upon his body was already through the barrier. Just like the previous hits had entail. "So that's its weakness..." Zazel would state, being far away from the Pastor as much as possible. "Your Chakra....I was wondering why my stuff only hits you sometimes. Sometimes its ignored entirely. Sometimes its a clean shot. I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda confused how you were being so efficient, yet still hit by everything else. Your Chakra.....the one you're using right now is like a bubble, yeah? It's a thin wall. It could deflect attacks that are coming in an area, not a precise point. Fire and Water can't hit you, but if the method is sharp enough, it could pierce right through it....That's what Manipura is...." As he gave the explanation, he'd quickly have Eligos invade and continue its severing all over the Pastor's body, cutting away at the circulatory system within an instant. Pieces of Glass were broken to ensure this, letting the sharp glass send itself across his entire bloodstream. The same set of glass went towards his Nervous system, tracking it through the muscle's to cut each of them out. Before long, the Pastor wouldn't be able to feel his hands, his arms, his body. His chest grew heavy, as the blood flow was disrupted. Everything was starting to crumble down before the Churchman.

Coupled with the attacks made before, the strike close to his very chest, it would be certain: This would be Manipura's death. Despite the inevitability, he'd still give one last smile. "Thank you...Devil."