Against The True Gods

During the Samsara Trials, after upgrading his soul form and restructuring all his knowledge of the nine arts, Caine had taken the time to compare himself to the fallen gods he had competed against.

The conclusion he reached was humbling yet extraordinary: using his rings alone, he stood just steps away from true godhood.

But what did this truly mean?

What did it signify for a mortal to master the arts to such a degree that they were mere inches away from absolute godhood, the highest realm of existence?

And what did it mean now that Caine had not only grown more powerful than ever but had pushed all his knowledge to the Virtuoso and Savant grades?

The question lingered—just how much potential was Caine wasting by not relying on his rings more?

***

Adari was overwhelmed.

As a Wraith, Adari's race was among the rarest and most sought-after across the myriad worlds of existence, and for a very specific reason: potential. The Wraith race brimmed with untamed, unbridled potential.

Wraiths were unique beings. They could only be born from the fusion of corpses and shattered souls, forming a construct that was neither spiritual nor physical—a perfect balance between the two. Their power depended on the quality of the corpses and souls used in their creation, and they often bore affinities so strange and potent that they rivaled those like Caine.

A Wraith's sheer affinity alone allowed them to contend with beings like Caine, provided they were at least one or two realms higher. That was the nature of their terrifying potential.

Adari, in particular, was no ordinary Wraith. He had been forged from the corpses of countless powerful figures and bore two of the most fearsome affinities known: Karma and Tribulation.

By all logic, with these affinities and his immense power, Adari should have overwhelmed Caine effortlessly—especially after fusing with his meticulously cultivated army of summons. An army he had painstakingly nurtured over millennia.

And yet, facing Caine now, even Adari felt apprehensive. Something about this mortal had transcended explanation.

But unlike most, fear did not deter Adari. It fueled him. He was, in many ways, the perfect opposite of Caine. While Caine maintained an unshakable calm, Adari burned with unrelenting madness. Every emotion he felt became fuel for his Dao Heart, filling him with even greater power.

"GOOD!" Adari's loud, ear-shattering voice boomed across the battlefield as he shot forward. His crazed laughter echoed through the air like thunder.

His armor exploded off his frame as Death Qi transmuted into thick, layered muscles that rapidly grew to fill his skeletal form. Strange, dark-gold Qi condensed into pale grey skin that tightly wrapped around him. His armor reformed, majestic and menacing, draping his form like a conqueror's mantle.

Tendrils of Tribulation Lightning erupted from his bald head, reforming into strands of wild, fiery hair. His eyes blazed crimson, their blood-red pupils overflowing with madness.

He swung his blade at Caine's speeding figure, laughing as he did.

WHOOSH!

Caine's wings fluttered, and his momentum seemed to vanish momentarily before redirecting entirely. In the blink of an eye, he maneuvered around Adari, his movements so precise they defied logic.

With a flick of his left wing, its feathers shining resplendent and milky white, Caine tore across the Wraith's back, leaving rivers of black blood in his wake. His right wing followed, slamming into Adari and sending him hurtling through the air.

Without pause, Caine extended a hand, gathering the terrifying essence of all his stars into a single concentrated beam of power.

With a thought, he launched it.

Adari tumbled across the ground but landed on his feet, his mad laughter undeterred. He stared at the incoming attack with a resolute heart.

[Wraith Art: Karmic Mirror]

BOOM!

A golden mirror materialized in front of him, freezing the world around it for a fleeting moment. Then, in an instant, Caine and Adari switched places.

From where Caine had once stood, Adari extended his hand, casting another spell.

[Wraith Art: Death Amplification]

The orb of chaotic Qi heading toward Caine tripled in size. A thin film of Death Qi coated its surface, elevating its lethality to unimaginable levels.

[Wraith Art: Tribulation Cage]

The skies darkened as five pillars of Tribulation Lightning descended, encasing Caine. Azure barriers formed around the pillars, sealing off every possible escape.

It all happened in less than a second, barely giving Caine time to register what had occurred.

'He's a terrifying spellcaster,' Caine noted, his expression unchanging.

His massive wings folded tightly around his body just as the amplified orb crashed into him, erupting in a kaleidoscopic explosion.

The cage itself detonated next, and from above, countless lightning pillars descended simultaneously, stacking upon one another in a relentless barrage.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"COME ON! MORE!" Adari roared to the heavens, his laughter growing even more manic. He knew Caine wasn't dead—not even close. His madness only fueled his desire to strike again.

But Caine, fully aware of his plight, refused to give Adari the upper hand.

The earth beneath them cracked and shattered, giving way to a surging tide of magma that erupted into the skies.

[Blight Art: Magma Chain]

WHOOSH!

From the magma, countless thick chains formed, each heading toward Adari. He frowned, his instincts immediately on high alert.

'This attack is too weak and simple. It must be a trap.'

Using the remaining fragments of intact ground as platforms, he began to evade the chains, his body a blur of motion.

Seconds passed, and realization struck.

These chains weren't coming for him.

Adari turned, his eyes widening in horror as he analyzed the pattern of the runes forming around him.

'A formation!'

But it was too late.

[Blight Art: Abyss]

The battlefield vanished, replaced by a domain of pure, unbridled darkness. Adari stood frozen, his cognitive functions slowed to a crawl as his body, soul, aspects, and even his True Will refused to respond.

Veins bulged across his frame as he strained to regain control, but nothing worked.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the abyss.
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[Blight Art: Blade of Damocles]

Across the dark expanse, all of Caine's stars manifested, their radiance horrifying as the pressure upon Adari multiplied tenfold. The stars began to fuse, their brilliance converging into a single, grand blade held by a towering, winged angelic figure.

Caine's calm gaze met Adari's fiery one, and for a brief moment, the world fell silent.

"You are a warrior worthy of respect," Caine said softly, "but I cannot grant you eternal rest."

Though frozen, Adari somehow managed a grin, his madness undeterred. "Do what you must. Such is the way of summoners."

The blade descended, tearing through the domain like paper. As it struck Adari, Caine whispered one final incantation.

[Nameless Call]

The blade detonated, consuming Adari in an explosion of cataclysmic proportions.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!