’Surrender to what, sure death?’
The thought echoed in Ryuk’s mind as he looked at the burning magma grounds. He knew well what fate awaited him if he dared to lose this battle.
That was why, even if it would kill him, he had no choice but to win.
The thoughts echoed throughout Ryuk’s existence as his mind drifted past what else he could do.
[Warning: Activation of Nano-Umbral Reaper is highly inadvisable.]
[Advice to revoke the technique will be given.]
In the next instant, he jerked his head up toward Ignatius, a crazy smile on his face.
’Activate Nano-Umbral Reaper!’ Ryuk ordered in his mind.
The system notification blared red all over his face, but Ryuk paid it no mind...
[Error. Advice not taken!]
[Nano-Umbral Reaper will now be activated.]
[Host will now proceed at his own peril!]
An inhumane roar exploded outward toward Ignatius, followed by a wave of dark power that pushed him off his feet.
He gently soared through the air and landed ten meters away.
"What the...?" Ignatius thought, his eyes flashing in shock and horror as he looked at the inhumane transformation before him.
The moment Ryuk activated the technique, it was like the doors containing a colossal amount of energy had suddenly opened within his heart, causing him to roar out from the incredible and sudden power ravaging his body.
Suddenly, his body began contorting violently, as his skin suddenly cracked, and then, they shattered apart, revealing streaks of molten lava that dripped underneath them.
His bones elongated as his height rapidly increased from his previous 1.8 meters to a full 2 meters.
Ryuk raised himself up, a shocking amount of steam bursting out of his lips as he raised his head toward Ignatius, who had paused in terror.
Now, Ignatius could see it...
Ryuk’s eyes had become orbs of molten light, glowing with an intensity that seemed to pierce through his very soul.
From the corners of his eyes, thick streams of glowing lava-like tears flowed constantly, sizzling as they dripped down his face.
An inhumane grunt escaped Ryuk’s lips as another colossal pain ripped through his head.
Once more, the transformation worsened as Ryuk raised his hands to his face.
He watched as they grotesquely elongated, their structure reshaped into monstrous scythe-like appendages.
His hands had turned into humongous claws, each finger radiating a shifting energy as if reality bent around them.
His Nano-Reaper, the dark two-meter scythe, overly large , had now perfectly fused with the size of his right arm.
Once looking oversized for Ryuk, it was now the perfect fit, resting tightly in his grasp and connected to him by glowing, netted veins.
The scythe itself changed to a completely jet-black exterior, its edges outlined in a crimson glow.
His legs were reinforced by thick, jagged armor-like plating, which appeared to grow organically from his body.
The plating tapered into sharp, clawed feet, giving him a predatory stance.
His steps were incredibly heavy and deliberate, the ground cracking and sizzling beneath him as if unable to bear his presence.
Sprouting out of Ryuk’s back were jagged, razor-sharp wings made of floating nanite shards.
The shards shifted independently, changing in size and formation, faintly orbiting him.
These wings did not seem to provide actual flight but acted as both offensive weapons and a shield.
Surrounding Ryuk’s entire figure was a shifting aura of darkness, filled with faint crimson sparks and swirling ash.
The very air around him grew heavy, oppressive, and cold, as if the life force of the battlefield was being drained into his form.
The silence of it all was occasionally broken by low, resonating pulses, akin to the beating of a colossal heart deep within the void.
"What the hell is that transformation!?"
The genius area buzzer loudly with confusion as they all felt a terrifying aura that sent shivers tingling down their spines.
But it wasn’t only the geniuses.
The instructors all rose to their feet, their eyes flashing with shock and doubt.
They didn’t know whether to stop the battle or not.
What form exactly had Ryuk taken?
They could only watch, waiting helplessly to see for themselves.
The elders’ area was the most silent.
Even though all of the elders had the most shock on their faces, they couldn’t recognize the transformation.
Despite their centuries-old knowledge of various existences, it was unlike anything they had ever seen.
Instantly, they could only look toward the Half-Fallen One, who still made no remarks at all but confidently sat in her chair and watched.
Ryuk never stopped stepping forward, every step rendering cracks across the ground, steam bubbling out of his nose and mouth unceasingly.
His eyes were locked onto Ignatius, whose confident expression had been wiped clean from his face.
"Your domain..." The growl rang clear, yet thick, throughout the entire arena as Ryuk stepped forth, soon appearing five meters away from Ignatius.
"Is nothing before me!"
"I gave you a chance to surrender, but you refused my benevolence. Now I’m afraid I have no choice but to forcefully make you go uncon--" Ignatius was saying when Ryuk faded away into thin air.
Suddenly, a shadow completely covered Ignatius’s figure as Ryuk stood above him.
His aura was palpable, his eyes revealing that of a fierce predator.
"Do you not understand?" Ryuk asked.
RIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!
It was the droning sound of space being ripped apart to nothing but cinders as Ryuk’s scythe slashed through the burning air, creating fissures of void-like darkness that completely extinguished the flame aura all around the area
Instantly, it made it cleaved toward Ignatius, whose eyes flashed as a shield made of burning swords appeared around him, but then...
The shields were instantly sliced apart in a fiery explosion, as the scythe barely missed Ignatius, who instantly moved twenty meters backward with a single tap.
Yet, he collapsed onto his knees right after...
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In and Out_SnowySmoos.