Heracles’s voice broke through Nathan’s thoughts. “Are you ready?” he asked, fists raised and poised for battle.
Nathan gripped his lance tightly and nodded. This time, there would be no holding back. Both warriors prepared to unleash their full strength.
Heracles moved first, vanishing from sight in a blur of motion. Before Nathan could react, the demigod reappeared directly in front of him, his speed startlingly faster than before. Nathan barely managed to raise his arm in defense before a powerful fist collided with it. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through his body, and he heard the ominous sound of his bones creaking under the impact. The force hurled him backward, crashing him into the frozen ground.
Heracles was relentless. He appeared above Nathan in a flash, descending rapidly with a raised leg, ready to deliver a crushing kick. But Nathan rolled aside at the last second, swinging his lance in a wide arc. Frost erupted from the weapon, instantly freezing the ground where Heracles landed. Ice crawled up Heracles’s legs, immobilizing him momentarily.
Seizing the opportunity, Nathan channeled immense power into his fist. He lunged forward and delivered a punch to Heracles’s cheek. Though his fist was much smaller than the demigod’s, the impact was monumental. The deafening crack of the blow echoed through the battlefield, shaking the air itself. Heracles groaned as the force sent him flying across the frozen terrain.
Nathan didn’t waste a moment. He closed the distance with blinding speed, raising his lance high before driving it down toward Heracles. The ground trembled as the lance struck, creating a massive crater. But Heracles was no longer there.
Before Nathan could process what had happened, Heracles reappeared, his massive hand clamping onto Nathan’s arm. With a mighty swing, he hurled Nathan through the air like a ragdoll. The world blurred around Nathan as he flew at an incredible speed. Desperately, he tried to regain his balance, but Heracles was already upon him again, his fist glowing with a fierce energy.
“Iron Fist!” Heracles roared, bringing his glowing hand down in a devastating strike.
Nathan crossed his arms in front of his chest, bracing himself for the impact. The blow connected with a thunderous explosion, the force reverberating through the battlefield.
BADAAAM!
Nathan gritted his teeth, his arms throbbing with pain as he absorbed the full brunt of Heracles’s devastating “Iron Fist.” The sheer force of the blow left the ground beneath him fractured, deep fissures spreading out like veins across the battlefield. He skidded backward, his boots digging trenches in the frozen earth. The air was thick with tension, every breath Nathan took feeling like a struggle against an invisible weight.
Heracles stood tall, his glowing fist still radiating heat. He cracked his knuckles, his expression a mixture of admiration and determination. “You’re tougher than I thought,” he said, his voice carrying a grudging respect. “Most would’ve been crushed by that.”
Nathan’s golden eye glinted ominously as he steadied himself, his lance glowing faintly with frost. “I’ve faced worse,” he replied, his voice cold. He didn’t mention the searing pain coursing through his arms or the creeping fatigue in his muscles. There was no room for weakness here.
Without warning, Heracles charged again, his movements a blur. Nathan barely had time to react as the demigod’s massive fist came hurtling toward him. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blow, and retaliated with a quick thrust of his lance. Frost exploded outward, but Heracles swatted the attack aside with his forearm, the ice shattering harmlessly.
“You’re going to need more than that,” Heracles taunted, throwing a series of rapid punches. Each one carried enough force to level a building, but Nathan’s agility kept him just out of reach. He ducked, weaved, and countered when he could, his lance leaving trails of frost in the air.
But Heracles was relentless. He closed the distance, his massive frame towering over Nathan as he swung a powerful backhand. This time, Nathan wasn’t quick enough. The blow connected, sending him sprawling across the battlefield. He tumbled through the icy terrain, his armor scraping against the ground before he managed to dig his lance into the earth and halt his momentum.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he rose, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Heracles was already on him, his fists glowing with celestial energy. Nathan knew he couldn’t afford another direct hit. Summoning his strength, he slammed the butt of his lance into the ground, creating a dome of ice around him.
Heracles’s fists collided with the barrier, the impact sending cracks spidering through the ice. The demigod didn’t relent, each punch more ferocious than the last. Nathan concentrated, pouring his energy into reinforcing the barrier. The temperature around them plummeted, frost creeping up Heracles’s arms as the icy dome absorbed the force of his blows.
Finally, with a deafening crack, the barrier shattered, shards of ice exploding outward. Heracles shielded his face with his arm, but the brief distraction was all Nathan needed. He surged forward, his lance coated in a shimmering layer of frost. With a powerful thrust, he aimed for Heracles’s chest.
The lance struck true, the icy blade piercing Heracles’s flesh. Frost spread rapidly from the wound, but Heracles gritted his teeth and grabbed the lance’s shaft. “Not bad,” he admitted, his voice strained. Then, with a tremendous roar, he snapped the lance in two, the shards of ice scattering across the battlefield.
Nathan stumbled back, the broken weapon still clutched in his hands. Heracles pressed a hand to his chest, steam rising as his mana began to heal the wound. “You’ve got skill, I’ll give you that,” he said, his tone almost conversational. “But you’re not the only one who’s been holding back.”
Nathan’s golden eye narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
Heracles grinned, his muscles tensing as he raised his arms. “Time to show you why they call me a legend.” Golden light enveloped him, his body glowing with divine power. The air around him crackled with energy, the sheer intensity of it forcing Nathan to take a step back.
Before Nathan could react, Heracles vanished. He reappeared an instant later, his fist crashing into Nathan’s torso with the force of a meteor. The impact sent Nathan hurtling into a nearby cliff, the rock face crumbling under the force of his landing. Dust and debris filled the air as Nathan struggled to rise, his vision swimming.
Heracles didn’t give him a moment to recover. He leaped into the air, his glowing fist poised to deliver a finishing blow. But Nathan wasn’t done yet. Summoning the last reserves of his strength, he unleashed a surge of icy energy. A massive pillar of frost erupted from the ground, meeting Heracles midair and engulfing him in a freezing torrent.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then, with a deafening roar, Heracles broke free, shards of ice flying in all directions. He landed with a thunderous crash, his body steaming from the cold. “Impressive,” he admitted, shaking the frost from his shoulders. “But it’ll take more than that to bring me down.”
Nathan staggered to his feet, his body battered and bruised. His armor was in tatters, and blood stained the icy ground beneath him.
“Then I’ll just have to try harder,” Nathan declared, his voice low but resolute, resonating like a bell tolling in the silence before a storm.
The atmosphere around him shifted dramatically, an invisible current rippling outward as if the very air itself acknowledged his determination. His status screen materialized before him, glowing faintly with an ethereal light.
Luck: 12,677
Transfer Initiating…
Strength: 928
Stamina: 885
Agility: 1,012
TEMPORARY TRANSFER COMPLETE!
STRENGTH: 4,928 (+4,000)
STAMINA: 4,885 (+4,000)
AGILITY: 5,012 (+4,000)
The numbers burned in his vision, a stark reminder of the risk he was taking. Nathan ended the transfer, feeling his entire body tremble under the strain of the sudden surge of power. He clenched his fists, breathing heavily as his muscles swelled with newfound strength. He couldn’t afford to focus everything on a single attribute—his body wasn’t a vessel that could bear unchecked power without consequence. Instead, he carefully distributed the surge to maintain equilibrium, balancing strength, stamina, and agility to avoid tearing himself apart from within.
And now, it was enough.
A sharp crack reverberated through his frame as his body adjusted to the strain. His resolve hardened, and with a single step, he vanished into the air, leaving nothing but a faint ripple of displaced energy in his wake.
Heracles’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What!”
Before he could react, a devastating blow struck him square in the chest.
“GAARGHH!!”
Blood erupted from Heracles’s mouth as his massive chest caved inward from the sheer force. The sound of his ribs breaking echoed like brittle wood snapping under pressure. The once-mighty warrior was sent hurtling backward, his colossal form carving through the battlefield like a meteor crashing to earth. Thousands of meters passed before he finally came to a halt, the ground torn apart in his wake.
Nathan didn’t wait. The moment Heracles was airborne, he surged forward again, moving at a speed so blinding that it left afterimages in his wake.
Heracles, dazed and struggling to remain conscious, bit down on his tongue until blood filled his mouth. The searing pain jolted him back to awareness. His eyes snapped open, burning with an intensity that defied his injuries.
He roared, his voice reverberating through the battlefield. “COME, SAMAEL!!!”
A cataclysmic BADOOOM!! accompanied his shout as he unleashed the full brunt of his power, his muscles bulging unnaturally as he burned through every ounce of mana left in his body.
Nathan’s kick landed on Heracles’s side like a battering ram. The demigod raised his arm to block, muscles straining to hold firm against the assault. For a fleeting moment, Heracles seemed immovable, an unyielding fortress. But the sound of cracking bones soon betrayed him. His arm gave way, and the force of the kick sent him flying once again, his battered form carving another scar into the earth.
Despite his unleashed power, Heracles was no match for Nathan in his current state. The difference in strength was insurmountable.
Heracles coughed up blood as he stumbled to his feet, his body trembling. But his eyes blazed with unwavering determination.
“This… will be my final ONE,” he muttered through clenched teeth.
Nathan stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes.
Heracles raised his arms, veins bulging and bursting under the strain as golden light coalesced between his hands. The battlefield grew silent, the winds stilled, and all combat ceased as every warrior turned their gaze to the unfolding spectacle.
From the swirling light emerged a massive, burning lion. Its form towered above the battlefield, its mane a blazing inferno that scorched the ground beneath it. The air vibrated with its guttural roar, a sound that resonated with primal power.
Heracles’s voice thundered across the field. “DIVINE RANK MAGIC—ZEUS’S LION’S ROAR!”
The lion charged, its fiery form tearing through the battlefield with apocalyptic force, annihilating everything in its path.
Nathan stood firm, his body weary but his resolve unbroken. He whispered under his breath, “Divine Rank Magic…”
To beat someone of Heracles’s caliber he had no choices.
His Divine MAGIC was incomplete and not a true one compared to Heracles but Nathan counted on his stats to get the win.
Khione’s icy magic enveloped him, a cold mist veiling his form. He raised his hand, and the ice surged outward, shaping itself into a sleek, divine lance. The weapon shimmered with an unearthly beauty, its surface etched with intricate patterns that seemed to pulse with ancient power.
Heracles unleashed his attack with a ferocious roar, the lion’s fiery body racing toward Nathan with unstoppable momentum.
Nathan remained calm. He swept his lance forward, its tip pointed toward the oncoming destruction.
“LANCE OF THE FROZEN DEATH,” he declared, his voice carrying a chilling finality.
The lance shot forward, a blur of freezing energy that seemed to freeze the very air in its path.
The two forces collided in a cataclysmic explosion.
BADOOOOOOOOOM!!!