Chapter 185: The Escape, Part 7

The Pastor would breathe heavily as he'd stare down towards the angered King, feeling his lungs and stomach starting to take more and more hits from the roots. He could feel them growing and burrowing across his body, attempting to reach for his nerves to prevent him from moving altogether. He would try to stand, but he can feel his bones locking up, knots and branches made in his skeleton, making it near agonizing to properly stand, let alone walk and fight back. He tries to use Anahata to minimize the damage, yet it was proving ineffective. He'd gave a weak smile as he looked towards his death, embracing his fate as he continues to try and get up. He never thought of all days, this would be the one that sealed it. How many days has it been since living such a monotonous life that gave him such a result? How many days has it been while living in tranquility, to be resulted in a horrid outcome.

He's lost count of it, yet these two days were enough of him to remember until he passes on.

The King would try to rush forward, charging his attack once more. He'd go for a hook towards his eye in order to blind him, resulting in Manipura using one of his Chakra Arms, Vishuddha, to block it. He would snake the arm around Malak's appendage to try and dislocate it, with Manipura raising his leg to knee him in the stomach and go further, trying to pull it off entirely. Malak contested with such force, grabbing onto the arm and pulling in the same force, but for another reason entirely: Stability. By putting the Pastor in such a position, he would have his magic course through his other arm, preparing a straight punch into his mouth, then follow it up with an upper hand, and then a lower, essentially juggling him in such punches while holding his other arm down, pummeling his face over and over and watching it become a meaty mush. Despite his attempts, Manipura doesn't have an easy way to block it, due to the roots invading his very core. As such, he would counter with his own flurry of strikes, utilizing Muladhara and one of his actual arms to barrage back, aiming towards his chest and stomach, putting the two in a perpetual motion. Both of them screamed like mad as they delivered such a combo, damaging one another more and more until one finally falls. The sun shone down upon them, reflecting the blood they spilt across its rays.

Finally, when the sun sets itself, a victor of the barrage stood.

The King held a wide grin as he'd stand proud, watching the Pastor fall into his knees, before taking the advantage further and doing a chop towards Anahata. Manipura tried to raise his arms up, but the damage he sustained and the strength of the attack was too much to handle.

SHIKK!!

His very arms, both physical and spiritual, were finally cut off. "Finally....Now you can't heal yourself anymore...!! I can finally put you out of your misery! It's been a hell of a match, but now, you're nothing more than a pest. Let's push you to use that blasted eye of yours..." Malak stated, showcasing his knowledge and understanding to his Chakra Magic.

Manipura simply stayed collected as he'd get up. "You've gotten stronger....Wiser.....Faster....To say I am impressed is an understatement..." He'd spoke, showcasing his admiration for such qualities.

"As a King, you should've been aware of that. If I'm not in my peak.....then what purpose does it mean to be a King in the first place...?" The King would scoff at such words, his pride unaverred, despite his frustrations.

"If so...then why...? Why be a King....? Why go this far....?" Manipura's question would cause a shift towards Malak's core. He'd take a deep breath as he'd get into thought of why such a path. Why such a road to carve for himself. Why such a road is one he would ride or die on. When he has his reasoning, he'd speak.

"Allow me to answer your question with one of my own: Why would I not? Everyone in this world strives to be the best. That's how the world works most of the time, even more with Magic. Why wouldn't one just go for the best spells and call it a day? Why wouldn't one just go to great lengths in mastering a technique that nobody can match? Why wouldn't one put their time and effort in proving who is superior? At the end of the day, there will always be someone who looks down upon you. That's the pit of hatred I felt with those brats. That's the pit of Hatred I felt with you, who downed me and left me to rot. That's the pit of hatred I felt with my comrades, who abandoned me at my time of need. At that moment, I realized I was pathetic. I need to be stronger. I HAVE to be stronger. They would just be proven right if they ever got the chance to step up and talk down on me again. To be a King.....it means to dominate. It means to maintain your hold with an iron grip. It means to slaughter ANYONE that dares disobey that very notion. That is what it means to be King. To be Royalty. To be superior. Otherwise, what purpose would you serve other than being a floormat for every degenerative waste of space in this rock? To live means to be strong. Strength....is what it means to Live."

Manipura couldn't help but scoff at such an ideology, before feeling the roots embed into his chest once more. His remaining eye began to glow as he'd initiate his trump card once again. "When I first saw you.....I saw a fool. Before this....I actually took your words as King in truth. Now.....I can see a bigger fool before me." He'd smile smugly with his last words before Sahasrara kicked in, resetting everything back to a previous point.