Chapter 993: Battle of Demi Gods
The Demi-God roared in anger and channeled more energy into his attacks.
"I don't need a Divinity to kill you, disgusting cretin!" He bellowed in between a series of heavy blows. Michael raised an eyebrow, but that seemed to worsen the Demi God's mood. Michael's barriers blocked all his attacks easily: "You are only an 8th Tier. I will kill you and get what I deserve!"
Michael blinked at the Demi-God, unable to hide his surprise. Were all Hyumans like this? Delusional, narcissistic, and lacking a few brain cells? He upped the power of his Imperial Barrier to block the follow-up attacks.
"I'm not sure if you are arrogant or plain stupid. Did you even ask your superiors about my powers, or did you come here thinking you could kill me with that kind of power?" Michael asked while channeling advanced healing serum through his body. His serpent scale armor was regrowing, and his burned energy paths and flesh regenerated rapidly. Only a few seconds passed before Michael looked like he had never been injured.
Michael glanced over to the remnants of the girl levitating in the open space and sighed.
The girl didn't know much about their mission. She had only been told to bring the Demi-God, Lanester - or something along those lines - to Keiros and leave right after. Her knowledge of Lanester was not extensive, but it was enough for Michael to deduct a few things.
"You are merely a pesky Curse User who channels his Curse's Divinity through your body! I will rip the Divinity out of your soul and make it mine!!" "Lanester, I don't think you are aware of your situation. Don't underestimate your enemies like this," Michael sighed. He wasn't sure what the Supreme Human Alliance thought when they deployed Lanester to kill him. Did they underestimate him even after everything they'd seen him do.
[What did you expect? I mean, this guy is one of the weaker Demi-Gods, but he is still a Demi-God. You shouldn't underestimate him either.] Jormungandr pointed out while Fenrir growled.
[The Supreme Human Alliance is stupid. They could have deployed one of their Pseudo Gods. A few Demi Gods are always postponing the Final Ascension to master an Authority. The SHA should have sent one of those people to take care of you. Or maybe they're too afraid of the Primal to do that. I don't know. It's stupid to send this Lanester, though. Did they plan to kill him before he turns into a problem?]
Michael shrugged. He had no idea what the Supreme Human Alliance was thinking but considered their act as a means to stall for time. Maybe more Demi-Gods were already on their way to greet him. Was that it?
"I have a few more high-ranked Soultraits than you and more than one God Curse, but you should have noticed that at this point. If you didn't...well, it doesn't matter. You will be dead in a few minutes ei-..." Michael didn't finish his sentence but jumped into action instead.
He was tired of defending and used Unlimited Enhancement on Seer's Domination instead. Domination hit Lanester's mind and soul but caused little damage. Michael teleported behind Lanester when the Demi-God retaliated to the mental attack with a barrage of lightning bolts. Michael accessed the Death Authority that had blossomed inside his Soul Sphere and pressed his hand flat against Lanester's back. A moment later, a beam of Death burst through Michael's right - undead - hand. The Death beam would have inflicted massive damage to Lanester if Michael hadn't used Insert on the Death Authority, inserting Death straight into Lanester's body.
Michael's Death Authority was not weak but far from reaching Hel's level. That was okay, though. Michael tapped into the Power Authority, coiled his serpentine tail around the Hyuman's leg to pull him closer, and executed a series of ferocious punches. Each punch with his undead side transferred a tiny portion of Death and poisonous curse power into the Demi God's body. In contrast, the punches executed with his left hand focused on transferring True Extraction Essence into Lanester.
The Demi God was surprised by the sudden retaliation, but he grasped the opportunity to be so close to Michael and went all out. Lanester's entire body was covered in highly compressed lightning currents. The currents spurted in all directions for a fraction of a second before Lanester regained control. Then, the currents weaved into his skin and merged, transforming a black lightning armor.
Once the armor was created, the Demi God's speed improved drastically. He accelerated and reached a top speed more than twice as fast as before. That was enough to escape Michael's True Vision. Lanester moved around Michael with terrifying speed. He quickly released bolts of lightning from all directions, punched his shoulders, crushing his shoulder blades once his attack went through the serpent-scale armor, and moved onward to crush his arms and legs and attack his neck.
The attacks caused considerable damage, and Michael's neck broke as well. From Lanester's point of view, it looked like Michael wasn't even trying to defend, but the opposite was the case. Michael had already retaliated by focusing on the Death, poison curse power, and True Essence lingering in Lanester's body. It was a matter of fact that Michael wasn't fast enough to follow Lanester. Maybe he could restrain the Demi God and slow him down, but that wasn't his plan.
Michael regenerated faster than Lanester could injure him. That wouldn't have been an issue for the Demi God, if Michael didn't use Imperial Barrier to weaken or block deadly blows. Michael might not be physically faster, but his senses were on a whole different level. All his 8-Star and 9-Star Soultraits enhanced his energy perception, some more, others less. One way or another, Michael had the means to perceive the lethality of all incoming attacks easily.
Summoning an Imperial Barrier didn't cost any time. It was instantaneous since Michael had enough energy channeled in all Soultrait Symbols to instantly activate them whenever needed.
Again, Michael focused on destroying the insides of the Demi God. Lanester had burned the serpent tail, but Michael regrew it with an additional layer of highly tempered earth, which coiled around the Demi God when his access to energy was suddenly cut. For a quarter of a second, Michael unleashed the True Extraction Dome to suck the surrounding energy inside his body. Simultaneously, he used the True Extraction Essence within Lanester to cut his energy access. It lasted only a quarter of a second, but that was enough to slow the Demi God.
His tail coiled around Lanester's legs, giving Michael just enough time to push forward and grasp Lanester's head and shoulder with one hand each. Death moved through the Demi God's shoulder and neck and drained the Demi God's defenses.
At last, the Power Authority jumped into effect.
"I told you," Michael said eerily calmly, "You will die."
A moment later, Michael tore the Demi God apart.