God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.

Stingè stared at Hunter who was out cold on the ground,

"That human... He possesses Ki unique to one of the Beasts of Ragnarok. They are a group of the most powerful Aether Beasts in recorded history. I have no idea how he came across such a thing. However, he is so special, countless forces across the starry sky would destroy worlds to get their hands on him."

His eyes narrowed and his smile fell as he stared at Cain intensely,

"However... I have no idea what the hell you are. Your Ki is incredibly robust, but you lack a Nexus of Ki. Your mana pool is large and the quality of your magical energy is simply incredible for a Tierless being. However, you do not have a mana shard or core. Devil Essence is corrupting your very being as we speak, but you still have the presence of mind to have that with me.

I can't make any sense of it..."

Cain's face fell, 'If he starts fighting again, I don't think I'll be able to last long. Should I do it now? If I do, I could be putting the rest in danger.'

Cain's mind churned as he observed Stingè quietly. He didn't want to rush to conclusions. However, he also couldn't afford to be hesitant here. If he was just a second too slow then none of them would be able to escape with their lives intact.

"But I am sure of one thing..." The predatory shimmer in Stingè's eyes became brighter. He stared at Cain as though he was looking at a prized gem he had helped to find in a pile of dung.

"You are just as special as him, if not more. It is such a shame I have to kill you here."

Cain gritted his teeth as a terrifying chill ran down his spine,

"Why do you have to kill me? If all you have said is true, can't I be captured as well?"

Stingè sighed, "Indeed. If it had been under any other circumstance, I would have indeed spared your life. However, you have become a Devil Corrupted. Even if you don't get out down, I'm afraid you'll soon turn into a mindless killing machine. Killing you now will save me the hassle."

Cain's face became pale, 'He seems hellbent on his stance. Does this mean it's truly over for me?'

{Replying to host: Affirmative...}

Cain's brows twitched as he nearly roared at the system in anger.

'So I have two options available. A, turn into a Devil thrall and get killed, or B, get killed before turning into one.'

Cain sighed. If he was going down, he at the very least wanted to determine how it was done.

"Sorry, but I can't die now," Cain said as he took a stance, both hands on the hilt as his blade was held diagonally.

Stingè shrugged, "Struggle all you want. You can't change a thing."

Cain didn't answer. However, in his mind, he was already preparing for the worst. If he was to die, he would go out, guns blazing, and on his own terms.

'What do you fight for?'

If he was asked that question, he would have no way of replying. Even now, with his life hanging on the edge by a mere thread, he still didn't know.

Was he fighting so he could live?

No. That ship had already sailed...

Was he fighting to save others?

No. He wasn't a hero...

Then what was it? What was this fire in his soul that refused to be quenched? Even in his dying moments, Cain had no idea what it was.

However, that didn't matter. And that was because he didn't need a reason. He was simply going to do it because he could. And he was going to do so to the best of his ability!

Having accepted his impending death, Cain's mind and body seemed to have entered a strange state. A state where he had been temporarily freed from the cares that a being who still had the hope of living would possess.

This state could be accurately termed as a 'Kamikaze' state. He was going to try to bury his opponent at the cost of his own life.

Simply put, a suicide attack...

"Abyssal Dragon Blade..."

His body was still in a state of metamorphosis. Rakshasa and {Golden Body} were still active. His stamina, HP, mana, Ki... All his reserves were running low.

However, there was one energy within his body that was as robust as ever.

Devil Essence...

It suffused within his bones, flesh, muscles, blood vessels, nerves... Everything that made him human was being forcibly altered by this unique energy.

However {Golden Body} was working hard to counter it. His bones and muscles that had been blackened by the corrupting Devil Essence would then be washed with an extraordinary golden light.

{Draconic Transfiguration} was also using his Ki to contain the Devil Eseence so it wouldn't cause too much damage. However, the Nirvanic Circle veins made it so that it was very easy for the corrupting energy to travel through his body rather quickly.

All these things had been at an impasse within his body all this time. However, the moment Cain decided he was going to use his life as a catalyst to at the very least, slow Stingè down, {Draconic Transfiguration} and {Golden Body} seemed to change.

Rather than fight the corruption, they were now going to make sure the power it provided was used to its fullest before Cain died.

***

Name: {Cain Lenosi}

Level: 99.

Strength: 5,074.

Agility: 5,434.

Stamina: 589/3,289.

Vitality: 3,727.

Defense: 3115.

Control: 207.2..

Perception: 221.4.

HP: 6,050/70,200.

MP: 10,750/85,000.

Magic: 5,012.

Ki: 230,790.

Spirit: 4,100.

Resistance: Poison- 90%. Fire- 50%. Lightning- 50%.

Skills: Golden Body, Burning Spirit, Burst Step, Divine Essense of Metallurgy, Blood Regeneration, Azure Burst, Mana Heart, Intermediate Seal, Devil Eye: Eye of Clairvoyance, Elemental Body, Abyssal Dragon Blade Mastery Tier 1, Spirit Sense, Gravity Defying, Nexus Tether, Draconic Transfiguration, Neophyte Mage.

Spells: Infernal Celestial Arts: {Flame Orbs, Imploding Star, Vampiric Star}, Infernal Wings, Wind Weaver, Sigil of Darkness, Blue Lightning, Spatial Jump, Golden Halo, 7 Golden Stars, Frozen Paths, Frost Temple, Poison Arrows, Flames of Darkness.

Abilities: Elemental Vault, Ki Fire.

Titles: Champion of Ashur (locked), Sorcerer's Mind, Blessed by Mana, Pioneer, Devil Hunter, Loved by the Spirits.

Free attribute points: 97.

System Points: 2,201,200.

{Inventory}. {Shop}.

***

{Demonic Drake-Kin} level 150 (Deadly, Tier 1)

Strength: 61,000.

Agility: 40,000.

Defense: 3,000.

Magic: 100,000.

HP: 1,211,000/1,211,000.

MP: 1,000,000/1,000,000.

Skills: ???, ???, ???.

***

{Golden Body} boosted all his physical stats for times over. This meant that upon activation, his over five thousand agility points were now twenty thousand, which were still around half of what Stingè possessed.

However, {Golden Body} wasn't the only ability he had. {Draconic Transfiguration} had been modifying his body passively since the day he had acquired it, making his bones and muscles much more dense and powerful, thereby, increasing his overall weight, which in turn equated to a direct increase in his strength and speed.

Still, this wouldn't be enough. Hence, he needed something that would pose a serious and immediate danger to the incredibly powerful Stingè.

His golden eyes shimmered brightly. The horns at his temples elongated, and the blade in his hand buzzed violently with excitement, almost as though the being that slumbered within it was finally stirred from its slumber.

The edge of the blade glimmered with a sharp glint as it became sharper and sharper. At the same time, Cain's hands trembled as it became as heavy as a mountain.

The crisp voice of the system echoed in his ears,

{Congratulations to host... Your proficiency in the skill, Abyssal Dragon Blade Technique, has increased greatly...}.

{Your skill, Abyssal Dragon Blade Technique Tier 1 has evolved into the skill, Abyssal Dragon Blade Technique Tier 2}.

***

{Abyssal Dragon Blade Mastery}(Tier 2):

The corruption of your heart and soul has bled into your blade, becoming an edge that cuts through all. You now wield absolute devilish might that destroys the body and soul of your enemies, just as it destroys you.

***

Devil Essence and Ki converged at the edge of his blade. Light and color seemed to vanish from the world...

Stingè's eyes slowly widened as a flame ignited in their depths...

'This... What is happening?'

Even he was stuck in this zone where time seemed to stand still. It was strange. Despite his powers as a Tier 1 being he seemed incapable of moving.

'What is going on? Is this an ability? A spatial one? No... A Time manipulation ability? It doesn't seem like it.'

Cain wasn't manipulating time. Stingè's mind was simply processing things at an incredibly fast rate.

He could sense that something odd had happened. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally understood,

'Ah... It's been a while since this happened.'

Like most beings that had what it took to transcend the gulf between Tiers, Stingè had his own methods for detecting danger, much like how Cain could sense when an attack fired off by an enemy had the potential to kill him.

That danger sense that would often alert him of something that could pose a threat to his life rang out like alarm bells.

'Never would I have imagined...' Stingè's thoughts came to a screeching halt as the words flowed out of Cain's mouth.

"Abyssal Dragon Blade: Black Line."