Misao dashed toward Athena and jumped up then slashed down with her sword. Athena dodged it and blew her away with a powerful gust of wind then fired light energy orbs at Yufumi. Yufumi dodged the light energy orbs then deflected one back at Athena. Athena deflected it back then it struck Yufumi and exploded.
I grunted as I watched Misao and Yufumi in a tight position in their battle. I tried to concentrate my energy into creating a new ability to deal with Athena. I noticed her dash toward me and slash. I dodged her attack then lost my concentration. Athena struck me with a shield bash, knocking me away then thrusted her sword at me. A beam of light extended from the sword, piercing through my body. I groaned and touched the beam of light and it burned me.
"Now you will see my true power! Victory Finish!" Athena bellowed and sliced in a circular motion, sending me crashing into a wall.
I groaned and fell to my knees and coughed. I spit out blood and my hair covered my eyes.
Athena walked forward then stopped. "The Universe's last hope is placed within you all...and this is all you have to show me?"
Misao softly groaned and stood up, holding her arm. "She's so strong despite us...being equal to her.."
Yufumi softly grunted as she stood up as well. "The Zodiacs aren't an easy target to defeat. Their hax and abilities make sure they are the ultimate unit."
I opened my eyes and heard Steven's voice then noticed I was in the Dream World. The world was still foggy, but I could see an image of a man standing within the fog.
"What is stopping you from becoming any stronger? What is stopping your True Awakening?" His voice echoed.
I looked at my hands and noticed they were shaking. "Fear.."
The man crossed his arms and looked at me. "Fear you say..? Heh...I can understand why. You are amongst the strongest of your group, so naturally the burden is meant to be carried on your shoulders."
"Exactly...I can't help but become nervous and scared. Scared that I may not be enough. Scared that I might fail and cost us the advantage. I'm so scared. I doubt myself more than ever even though I know I'm not alone." I said and looked at the ground.
"You should be happy that you are never alone. It's mostly always been me against the world after I helped restore the Earth. I have had a few allies along the way, most notably the Dark Lords." Steven said and his voice echoed.
"I am happy I am not alone, but...I'm scared that I may not be enough to protect them all. Yae. Saito. Orika. Tengu...Nagini...Mom, the Valkyrias, the Infinity Council...I want to save them all. I have to!" I yelled.
"Turn your fears and doubts into tranquility. A True Hero's Power can not be invoked with negative emotions. The Hero's Heart is filled with Courage so that they will be brave enough to test their might. A Hero's Mind must be one with Wisdom, a Hero must be smart and yet keep a leveled head at all times. A Hero's Willpower is what drives them to their goal and complete their ambitions. My purpose is to adapt and connect with my host and grant them power beyond imagination. I connect to my Host's Origin and Primordial Power." Steven said.
I looked up at the man and noticed his figure began to slowly fade away. "What-"
"You are the Embodiment of Willpower, but you barely know how to truly wield that power. Clear your mind and soul of all unnecessary thoughts. Allow your soul and body to move freely. Have no thoughts other than what's in front of you and your current goal. The key to tap into your True Power is to become one with oneself by having no doubts nor clouded thoughts. This is the Art of Pure Consciousness." Steven said then his voice faded away.
I snapped back into reality and opened my eyes. I looked up and noticed Misao and Yufumi still trying to overpower Athena. I stood up slowly and lightning crackled around my body.
Misao grunted and felt a sudden increase in power level. She avoided Athena's attack then jumped backwards. She looked toward me and noticed me take a deep breath. "Hisumi.."
"So she's finally getting serious?" Yufumi asked then noticed her Hero's Core began to glow, responding to my power.
Athena looked at me and sensed my power level constantly rising. "This power...how is she resisting my ability to equalize our levels..?"
I cleared my mind of all needless thoughts then my aura surged powerfully around my body and sparkled. My Divine Aura began to grow stronger and I looked at my hand, feeling my True Power course through my veins then balled my hand into a fist.
"There it is. She's achieved it!" Misao said in shock.
"Achieved what?" Yufumi asked.
"She's awakened...her Pure Ruler Form." Misao said and her eyes glowed brightly. "For so long...have I been wishing for her to finally awaken this form. Only few have actually awakened this level of a Ruler which is the strongest level a Ruler can reach."
I looked at Athena then looked at her seriously.
Athena looked a bit surprised and remembered something from her past. "No way...She gave herself the ability called...Superiority."
"Superiority?" Yufumi asked.
"It's an ability that grants you the power to become more stronger, faster, more powerful, and more against their opponent. Normally this ability can never work against someone with Equality, but through sheer will...Hisumi can defy the very logic behind Equality, making her immune to it..!" Misao said. "We actually have a chance!"
Athena stared at me then glared. She bellowed and began to power up even more. "You may can resist my ability to bring you down to my level, but I can always equal the playing field by bringing myself up to your level constantly!"
Athena stopped powering up then dashed toward me at high speeds. She went for an attack, but her attack phased through my body then the afterimage disappeared. She looked surprised then groaned and coughed a bit of blood after I struck her stomach, appearing in front of her. I roared and sent her flying then flew after her.
Athena landed on her feet then slashed downward at me, sending a massive cutting wave toward me. I dodged the cutting wave then teleported in front of her. I dodged her next attack then elbowed her stomach. Athena groaned loudly then grunted as I knocked her away with a powerful kick.
"She's an entirely new person. Her concentration is impeccable. She's moving so fluently. Her strikes are more precise and accurate. She's found her Resolve...her Realization." Misao said in awe.
Athena grunted as she stumbled backwards. She bellowed and began to unleash a fusillade of light energy blasts toward me. I deflected the attacks then caught her light beam then glared and redirected the beam at the ceiling. The beam hit the ceiling and an explosion happened.
Athena looked at me surprised. "This power..."
I looked at my hand again then noticed lightning crackling around my arm. I looked up and noticed a hole in the ceiling. I flew up toward the ceiling and flew out the hold.
"What is she do-" Yufumi started then heard the loud clap of thunder. She looked up and noticed it began to grow darker.
"She's...going to use her strongest attack..!" Misao warned.
I looked at the sky and fired a bolt of lightning at the sky. The thunder began to boom louder and lightning struck down to the ground. The eye of the rain clouds began to part open and a magic circle appeared in the eye of the storm. The magic circle began to absorb the thunder clouds and began to shine.
Athena flew up and out of the hold on the ceiling then looked up, her eyes widened as she caught the sight of the magic circle.
"Indra's Wrath." I said then snapped my fingers then a massive bolt of primordial lightning struck down at Athena and hit her.
She screamed as she was electrocuted with the lightning. A massive explosion happened and high winds blew around the shrine. I watched the explosion and lowered my arm. The smoke cleared and Athena's body was shown slowly dematerializing into energy particles.
I made my way back inside the shrine then my aura vanished, causing me to faint due to my overexertion of energy. Yufumi caught my body and looked at me.
"Heroes of the Human Realm...You have successfully defeated Athena. You may pass to the safe haven where you may rest until you're ready to challenge the second trial." Justitia said.
Misao looked at Yufumi then at me. "Thank the Sovereigns that she has mercy for us.."
Yufumi nodded and carried me bridal style. "Yeah...Usually it would be back to back battles."
Yufumi carried me to the next room and Misao followed behind. They decided to take a break in there and devise a plan for the second trial.
-----
Nagini arrived in Yukihori and noticed the carnage on the battlefield. She searched around for Yusa and Orishi. She rushed around the city then noticed an explosion.
Yusa grunted as she rolled backwards. She recovered onto one knee and panted. "Ori...shi..!"
Orishi flew backwards and landed beside Yusa then fell to her knees. "He's...too strong..."
Tengu flew up from the smoke and took aim at the target. She fired a laser beam and another explosion happened. She watched then gasped as the target appeared above her then struck her neck. Tengu groaned as she crashed to the ground in high speeds.
Nagini looked at the target. He was a man with black hair, yellow eyes, and scars along his body. He wore black and red armor with a dark colored cape. He had dark aura flowing around his body.
"Ryoya..." Nagini said.
The man looked down at Nagini then smirked. "I have taken down your allies, Nagini Noxius. These 'Deities' are no match for a REAL God's power! You all only imitate the true nature of a divine being! I am Darkness, God of the Eternal Abyss!"
Nagini glared at Darkness and her aura began to spiral around her body then she transformed into her Ruler Form. "A Risen Legend in the flesh. Allow me to see what you're capable of." She said then summoned her weapon.
Darkness laughed then began to descend to the ground. "You actually believe you have a chance against me..?"
"I don't believe in anything. I know my chances of winning is 100%!" She bellowed and launched herself toward Darkness.
Darkness dodged her first strike the countered her with a palm to the stomach then he struck her chin, sending her flying in the air. He took flight after her then grabbed her leg then threw her to the ground. Nagini hit the ground and rolled on her side. Darkness looked down at Nagini and rose an eyebrow.
Nagini stood up and chuckled softly. Her heart thumped hard and her aura began to sparkle. "You know...I'm happy to fight against someone from the Dark Ages. I finally get to prove to everyone how inferior the Zodiac Era is compared to the strongest in the Infinity Council."
Darkness glared at Nagini then groaned as he was struck with invisible attacks. The final strike sent him flying. Nagini took one step then suddenly appeared above Darkness within one stride. Darkness looked surprised then groaned as Nagini struck his stomach, blowing him to the ground.
Darkness recovered off the ground and landed on his feet just to be struck with more invisible attacks. Nagini landed on the ground and her afterimages rushed towards Darkness in different directions.
"I am the Logic. I am the Science. I am the Physics. I am the Magic. You will know the Power of the Ruler of Science!" Nagini bellowed and hissed then transformed into her Half Fell Beast Form then softly hissed. Her eyes changed into snake eyes and her smile became wicked.
Darkness watched the afterimages move around him. "She's in multiple directions at once..!"
The afterimages disappeared then Darkness groaned at he was struck from behind. Nagini chuckled softly and her eyes shined brightly.
"If you think I'm strong...there is one person stronger than me, but I will show you what defying all Logic looks like.." Nagini said.
She shoved Darkness forward then changed her cross into its Origin Mode. Darkness growled and turned around to look at Nagini.
"You will not make a mockery of me!" Darkness bellowed then propelled himself toward Nagini. He went for a strike then noticed he was teleported back to his original position before he charged at Nagini. "What the-"
"How does it feel to be in a loop?" Nagini asked with a sadistic giggle. "No matter what you do, you can't reach me."
Darkness charged at her once again then went for an attack, only to be returned back to his starting position. "What is this?!"
"Reality Configuration. Your see, I deal with more than science. I also can wield the Prima Arcane's Power which gives me more power to the bullshit I already have going on. You're seeing the real reason I had to be killed! I can control Reality itself. What you're experiencing isn't even 10% of my full capabilities." Nagini said.
"And yet...you struggle with Qiao Zhi..?" Darkness chuckled.
"Qiao Zhi is immune to all hax, even mine. The only one who can defy his logic is Hisumi as she has the ability to Will anything into existence."
Nagini explained. "This is why she's training. If she were to grow stronger...she could take him down in one bl-"
Nagini groaned as she was blown away by a dark divine beam of energy. She crashed into a building and grunted softly.
A man with long white hair, red eyes, and a large muscular build began to descend from the skies. He had black demon horns protruding from his head, wore gray armor with a torn red cape and wore gauntlets.
Nagini got up and grunted softly and noticed the man. "Chaos..."
Chaos looked at Nagini then glared. "It is time...to finally complete my plans."