Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Cade's claws were strong enough to leave deep gashes in concrete and stone, but the man's scale armor only lost single scales or had some minor scratches from their fight so far. She had also tried her illusions and spells but found magic being almost useless against her opponent.

Unlike the members of Minas Mar, Cade lacked legendary items or even divine protection. The former was owed to her arrogance, the latter because of her specific class. Now she cursed her past self, that she has not taken Seth's offer to make a few items for her.

The rakshasa had nothing to overcome the immortal's high magic resistance, which only left her with physical combat. Unfortunately, she didn't overpower the others in this department as she would have liked to. Despite taking full advantage of her skills to borrow the power of beasts through transformation.

Even more frustrating was that his wounds immediately healed the moment she managed to put a wound on him. She on the other hand was already covered in bruises and her armor was about to crumble apart.

“Fine, let's do this!” she said and created a clone using a mix of spells. It was mostly an illusion, but could also attack in cooperation with her.

“This again? Why only two this time?” the man exclaimed, wielding his spear.

“Or rather, three?” he suddenly said and made a quick turn around stabbing at Cade, who had tried to use her clones as a distraction and attack him from behind. The spear accurately cut her wrist and hit the hairpin-like item out of her hand. It fell to the ground and actually broke.

“Hah! What did you intend to do with such a brittle toy?” with a kick he delivered the rakshasi into the rubble of a nearby building. Ever since they were fighting, the surrounding had changed shape a lot.

Not just their fight, but also the desperate struggle of the people of Urth against the sudden invasion of monsters had changed the cityscape considerably. Many buildings were destroyed or close to breaking down. The streets were littered with corpses of monsters and people. However, there were no people to be seen anymore, only the monsters who kept growing in number by feeding on the corpses.

“I can't believe I'm doing this...” Cade suddenly mumbled, buried in the debris.

“What did you say?” he asked. He was relaxed as he came closer. In front of him, the woman pulled herself out of the debris with a painful moan. She was biting something and ripped it away from her mouth with a decisive pull. Dark blood was flowing from her chin.

“...Is that a human arm in your hand?” the man asked appalled and disgusted. There were some things even a cruel man like him couldn't watch without reaction. The pointy bloody teeth the squelching sound of fresh raw meat being chewed in pleasure. Knowing she was eating a human arm struck him harder than he would have expected. He wanted to act to kill her, but it was as if she read his mind.

“Too late. You forced me to do this, so you will pay the price;” she said with bloodshot eyes, looking at him from a darkness below bristle-like black hair. Her blonde hair had changed, but not for long, as she changed shape again, this time-

“H-Honey?” the man suddenly asked confused. Cade who had looked like a hideous monster for just a moment, suddenly looked like his deceased wife. No, it couldn't be. She had died in the war with the maritime empire. This was a trick. He kept telling himself, trying to keep his wits.

“Charles, what have you done?” she asked in her sweet voice, marred by disappointment and worry. Hearing her talk like this broke his heart. He knew she would not be okay with his actions but- No! This was just a trick it was... he couldn't be swept up in her games.

“Ch-Charles, it's okay now. You don't have to do this..” she said and slowly stepped towards him.

“Everything will be okay now..” she assured him. She gave him a grave smile, despite her worried look.

“Y-You are not my wife! Stop talking in her voice like that! Stopping using her face to manipulate me!” he screamed swinging his spear in anger.

“Charles! No!” the woman pitifully screeched in genuine fear. He knew it was all an act, he knew he was being played by an illusion. The person before him was a hideous monster in disguise. He knew that! Yet... yet his spear stopped right before piercing her throat. Passing by the spear, she gently grasped his face in her palms.

“Don't worry, everything will be okay. I will grant you peace;” she said gently, almost lovingly. A dark fog encased the man's head and entered him through his orifices. His eyes turned empty. He sank to the ground, still breathing, still alive, but also dead inside.

When he didn't move anymore, Cade broke down and started heaving and throwing up until her stomach was empty again. Then she kept vomiting some more until she felt a little better about what she had just done. She had sworn to never eat human flesh again since Leana had helped her to overcome this burden, but it also came at a price.

She was constantly in a weakened state and only the consumption of human flesh could recover her full power. Still, she was lucky to be able to catch him off-guard, otherwise, she doubted her victory. She had used the image of his lover to grand him a deep madness. Caged in a dreamland of his own imagination.

It was her last option to win since the demon pin was destroyed. But she was only able to accomplish it by unlocking her full power. She could only apologize silently to the dead girl whose arm she had eaten.

Wiping away her sweat she propped herself back up and looked towards the headquarters of the scene before she turned around to go to the system church. Suddenly, the red markings that covered the city lit up even more brightly.

Destroyed buildings, fallen debris, nothing had interrupted the existence of the semi-transparent lines. She had just turned around when she heard a massive explosion behind her.

…

---5 Minutes Earlier---

The bouncer groaned. The court seamstress moaned. The closer circle of the Scene was enduring the massive influx of energy that the crimson formation channeled into the throne room. However, they were just tangentially gaining something, the main focus of the power of the leader, whose handsome face was twisted into a manic smile.

Massive amounts of power were surging through his vein. Thousands of souls, of the people that were currently slaughtered within the city, were collected and focused onto the throne room. With every death, his power grew. Finally, his ascension was nearing.

“We will become the new gods of Urth! This world will bow before us! Monsters will bow before us! The Pathworks will bow before us!”

“””Yes Your highness!””” The retainers pressed out, enduring the massive amounts of power entering their bodies and being assimilated by their soul cluster. Unlike their king, they had a hard time keeping their thoughts together and retaining their personality in the flood of souls that were absorbed.

The throne started glowing in a crimson light as the handsome man's eyes began shining in brilliant white light. The man was going through a qualitative change and his change triggered a similar reaction in his followers.

“It is finally time!”

The throne room was enveloped in bright light and the whole floor detonated upward, turning heaven's tent into its ceiling. Enthroned atop the ruined world, stood seven figures encased in brilliant light.

…

---Minas Mar---

Leana was concentrating on the myriad of reports that came in from the front lines. All tree stations in the direction of Ypselon were under attack. They had lost contact with most of them, as well as the team in Y-City.

She couldn't help the not that was growing in her stomach when she thought that they might actually be losing... Logically, she knew that was almost impossible, but she couldn't help but worry. Suddenly, the door flew open and the messenger stormed into the command center.

“Y-Your Highness, the Tower Master-!” “Seth? What about him?! Speak man!” she urged the man, gasping for air.

“He-He was here-” “Seth returned?! Where is he now?”

“G-Gone!”

“Gone!?”

The man stayed silent for a moment, looking at her in shock. Seeing his reaction, Leana realized what she was doing and calmed her nerves.

“What happened?”

“People saw the Tower Master appear in the lobby, but he immediately vanished again, like an apparition.”

“Did something force him to flee? Was he hurt? How did he look?”

“...A-angry, your highness.”

“..What?”

“I have never seen the Tower Master looking so angry before...”