Suddenly, the flames surrounding the temple surged, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Mara's grip on her dagger tightened. "What do you want, Malak?"
Malak's gaze locked onto Vin. "You, Zero. You're the perfect sacrifice my master needs to unlocking the Mystic Realm's secrets. And with those secrets, our master, Midwak, will finally achieve his goal of reshaping the realm in his image."
Vin's jaw clenched. "I won't let that happen."
Malak chuckled, his body emitting a toxic cloud of greenish energy. "We'll see about that. You see, I've been... altered, to ensure our encounter ends in your capture or demise."
Zara growled, sensing the dark energy emanating from Malak. Vin's God's Eye pulsed, detecting the poison coursing through Malak's veins. "You've been infused with Dark Poison."
Malak's smile grew wider. "Yes, a gift from our master. It enhances my strength and resilience but comes with... unpleasant side effects."
Mara's eyes widened. "You're killing yourself."
Malak shrugged. "A small price to pay for the power to bring you down, Zero."
The air grew thick with tension as Vin, Mara, and Zara prepared to face Malak, their determination to stop him fueled by the stakes.
"What's your plan, Malak?" Vin asked, his voice low and even.
Malak's laughter echoed through the temple. "Oh, it's quite simple, really. I'll wear you down, Zero, until you're weak enough for me to capture. And once I do... our master will unlock the secrets of the Mystic Realm."
Vin's gaze hardened. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
With a fierce battle cry, Vin charged forward, his companions close behind, ready to face Malak and the dark forces he represented.
The battle raged on, the temple's walls echoing with the clash of steel and the roar of energies. Vin, Mara, and Zara fought in perfect sync, their movements a testament to their unity and training they had undergone in the forest.
Malak, however, seemed unfazed by their combined might. His body, infused with the Dark Poison, radiated an aura of malevolent power.
Vin's God's Eye detected the intricate web of energies surrounding Malak, a complex network of dark forces that amplified his strength and speed.
Mara darted forward, her ribbons flashing in the flickering light. Malak parried her attack with ease, his own blade slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Vin leapt into the fray, his sword clashing with Malak's in a shower of sparks. The force of their collision sent shockwaves through the temple, causing the stone statues to tremble.
Zara joined the battle, her claws swiping at Malak's flanks. He sidestepped her attacks with an unnatural agility, his eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.
As the fight wore on, Vin and Mara began to tire. Malak's sheer power and speed pushed them to their limits.
Mara stumbled back, her dagger trembling in her hand. "Vin, I... I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."
Vin gritted his teeth. "Hold on, Mara. We need to find a weakness." he was struggling because he still hadn't unsealed the majority of his strength that he had sealed away, and more so because Malak was usually strong.
Malak's laughter echoed through the temple. "You'll find no weakness in me, Zero. I am the instrument of Midwak's will."
Although he was only in the seventh stage of the Spirit Sea Realm, one more stage above Vin, he was almost as strong as someone at the peak of the realm.
With renewed ferocity, Malak launched himself at Vin, their blades clashing in a blur of steel and energy.
Vin stumbled back, his sword arm trembling under the onslaught. Malak's strength was overwhelming, his Dark Poison-enhanced muscles rippling beneath his pale skin.
Zara leapt forward, her jaws wide open in a desperate bid to distract Malak. He swatted her aside like a nuisance, sending her crashing into the temple walls.
Mara screamed, rushing to Zara's side.
Vin's vision narrowed to a single focus: defeating Malak. He summoned every last ounce of strength, channeling the Runic Spiritual Energy into his sword.
The blade shone with a fierce, violet light as Vin unleashed a devastating strike. Malak parried the attack, but stumbled backward, his eyes widening in surprise.
For an instant, Vin saw an opening. With a battle cry, he charged forward, sword flashing in the light.
Malak regained his footing, their blades locking in a struggle that seemed to shake the very foundations of the temple.
Vin's muscles screamed in agony as he strained against Malak's superior strength. The Dark Poison seemed to amplify Malak's power, making him almost invulnerable.
Mara rejoined the battle, her ribbons slicing at Malak's exposed flank. He spun, his sword slicing through the air, forcing Mara to dance back.
Zara, recovered from her ordeal, rejoined the fray, her claws raking across Malak's armor.
The battle raged on, the three companions fighting in desperation against Malak's crushing might.
As the fight wore on, Vin began to realize that Malak might be too strong, too powerful. The Dark Poison had transformed him into a monster, a creature driven solely by the will to destroy.
Vin's thoughts raced, seeking a solution to the seemingly insurmountable challenge before them.
And then, in a flash of insight, he saw it - a glimmer of hope in the depths of Malak's malevolent energy.
A weakness, hidden deep within the Dark Poison's corrupting influence.
With renewed determination, Vin focused his attention on that weakness, pouring all his energy into a single, decisive strike.
With Sword Two as the bridge he raised his sword and casted his two incredible techniques at the pinnacle of completion.
"Nine Chronicles of Hell: First Chronicle ~ Tears of Asura."
"Seven sins of chaos ~ Fallen petals"
"Sword Two"
An Ethereal violet glow immediately enveloped Vin at that moment.
Thousand and thousands of Sword Qis left his body through his Void calamity sword, these sword qis then fussed together to form thousands of violet colored petals around him like leaves on a tree with Vin as it's trunk.
And then thousands of reddish-black teardrops grew out of those branches that were also formed by his sword qi like fruits.
Looking at it from an outsider's point of view, it looked like a violet colored tree, with pristine violet colored petals and reddish-black fruits in shape of teardrops.
And with a downward motion of his sword, tens of thousands of violet colored petals and reddish-black teardrops whizzed through the air with precision.
The moment they were about to clash with the Malak's sword, hundreds of them separated from the main group and shot towards his body.
Series of explosions went off at the moment of impact, the entire chamber was immediately covered in ravaging poisonous energies, mixed with Piercing violet colored sword qi and reddish-black energy.
The mixture of these energies tore at the walls of the corridors, almost tearing it apart, as the walls on both sides were pushed to its utmost limit, the entire ground imploded it on itself as it couldn't handle the force.
And in that moment, a lone voice sounded out...
"Hermes Celeration"
But the voice was barely audible so very few people heard it, after a the rampaging energies had ram rampant drive few more minutes, it finally settled down.
But when the scene was revealed, a stunning scene was revealed, Vin was standing right in front of Malak, his sword piercing through the right side of his chest.
B. B.. But..but. How's that possible, how did you get here so fast and without my notice, wait don't tell me.....?" Thorne was bewildered as he stammered out blood spilling out of his mouth.
"You're correct Malak, if I could hide my strength, what made you think I didn't hide my speed too" Vin replied with a smile as he drew his sword out of Thorne.
That was correct, Vin had decided to use the full ability of Hermes Celeration since they had no other choice, this skill granted him the ability to pass through the speed force.
So unless there was a huge disparity in strength, no one could track him, and no one could stop him if he wanted to leave.
So the moment those energies were still rampaging, he had casted the skill and pierced his sword through Malak.
And that's how he had won, when all these were revealed, his two companions were in a quite a shock.
The were both happy and relieved as Vin stood victorious. Malak, his eyes narrowed, smiled sinisterly. "You won this time," he said, "but do you think it's over?, next time, you won't be so lucky, I because there are still people who are way stronger than me under the master."
Vin smiled, his eyes blazing with fighting intent. "I'm looking forward to it," he replied as he released the energy condensed within his sword.
Malak didn't even get the chance to say anything else as he exploded into blood mist, dispersing into the air with a wave of Vin's hands.
The battle was a little bit though but they had won without any casualties and that was the best outcome.
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