NOVGO.NET Chapter 2321: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [39]
Chapter 2321: Oda Nobunaga’s Endless Castle [39]
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Deus roared as he closed the distance between them, declaring that Augustus’s power could only delay him, not stop him. He mocked Augustus, branding him one of the weakest among them, a mere forger and blacksmith, never a true fighter nor destined to become one.
Mjolnir swung through the air with devastating force, striking Augustus with a thunderous blow. Augustus met the attack with his black hammer, and the clash unleashed a violent explosion of thunder and flame.
Augustus stood resolute, acknowledging the truth in Deus’s words. His greatest passion had always been creation, not combat. An artist at heart, he devoted himself to crafting and peace. Yet, amid the chaos of war, he proved he could adapt.
In that moment, Deus’s eyes widened in disbelief as a massive metallic door opened behind Augustus, revealing his Divine Realm: a colossal, unending furnace where thousands of weapons were forged in real time, with divine flames dancing everywhere.
The Ancient Venerable protested, realizing Augustus’s intent, but the blacksmith, smiling proudly, had already invoked his power, the Divine Furnace of the Onyx Blacksmith ignited by his command.
"{Divine Furnace of the Onyx Blacksmith}!"
FLAAASH!
The doors swung wide as thousands of newly forged weapons surged forth, all Rank 1 Venerable Weapons, relentlessly bombarding Deus. They couldn’t pierce his skin, but their explosions accumulated damage over time.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Uuuggh! You damn dwarf! This won’t stop me!!!"
Deus swiftly punched Augustus, knocking him down, then hurled Gungnir toward him, impaling his chest as an explosion of light erupted.
BOOOM!
"Aaaaghh!"
Augustus’s scream echoed through the skies. Silence fell as his mechanical body shattered into pieces, then exploded into countless fragments, destroyed by the weapon he had helped repair.
"Hmph! Hah! So you crafted a frail body, Augustus! You foolish dwarf, you died far too easily!"
"N-No...! NO!!!"
Hrimvaldr screamed, his Aura surging, blending Vampiric Power with his Divine Ice Dragon Abilities. An aura of azure and crimson light materialized his body tripling in size as wrath fueled his power.
"BASTARD!"
RUMBLE!
He tore through the skies, reaching Deus and seizing him with his claws, driving him through thousands of rooms. Rubble burned, froze, and crumbled into ashes relentlessly.
"YOU DARE?!"
Deus retaliated with a groan, attempting to sear Hrimvaldr with his light while wielding all three of his weapons to assault him from every angle, delivering a barrage of agonizing attacks that gradually tore through his scales and flesh.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"NNGAAAAHHHH!"
Hrimvaldr roared, channeling every ounce of his draconic power. He had lost much of what made him formidable as Sangre, including his Pandemonium and Chaos Fragments and his Demonic Heart.
Yet he had gained something new: his Ice Dragon Legacy, sealed within him for hundreds of thousands of years.
Its power had grown passively as he strengthened as Sangre, and now he tapped into it with every moment of battle.
The more he pushed his limits, the more this untapped potential emerged, revealing that his boundaries were far greater than he had imagined.
"{ETERNAL FROST PRISON}!!!"
FLAAASH!
"W-WHAT?!"
Deus recoiled as azure and crimson ice enveloped him from all directions, freezing him within a formidable prison, a domain conjured in a split second.
"Haaa... Haaa... Ungh...!"
Hrimvaldr clutched his face, realizing half of it had transformed into his aberrant Vampire Dragon self. Indeed, it had never left him. Yet he knew he must embrace it to gain the strength needed to fight for his brother, friends, and family.
Crack, crack...!
"Already?!"
Hrimvaldr glared at the prison, cracks spreading rapidly. The Venerable was sealed for only seven seconds before he began breaking free.
"Ruby! Are you done?! Augustus is down! He died! Ruby!"
Hrimvaldr called out, seeing the heart cocoon Ruby had become, now even larger, black and red, brimming with cursed power.
"Augustus...!"
Ruby’s voice echoed as the giant heart began to tear apart, pieces of flesh and blood splattering everywhere.
Her transformation was complete.
FLAAASH!
Bright crimson and black light surged from the torn heart as Deus started freeing himself, his arms and weapons shattering the ice.
"Whatever you’ve prepared won’t stop me! I am the sole inheritor and successor of the Primordial Gods! The blood of Thor, Odin, and even Loki flows in my veins! I am unstoppable!!!"
CRAAASH!
The Eternal Frost Prison shattered into countless fragments. Hrimvaldr watched in disbelief as both Venerables emerged from their prisons, renewed and radiating even greater power.
"Now I’ll tear you to shreds, you filthy dragon! And—"
"SHAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"Wha...?!"
BOOOM!
Amid the deafening hiss of a colossal beast, Deus saw a massive black claw surge toward him, striking with immense force. His body crashed into a pile of wooden rubble, scattering it.
"Ungh...?!"
He examined his body, noticing deep wounds on his back and left arm where the claw had struck. Looking skyward, he saw a gigantic monster looming above.
The small Ruby was gone, replaced by an aberration born from her powers fused with all the Cursed Miasma she could absorb.
Her form resembled a titanic bat-like creature, with long arms and legs, slightly humanoid yet bearing an grotesque bat-like face, with glowing red eyes and a massive jaw filled with sharp fangs.
Her long arms bore membrane wings, each finger elongated and tipped with razor-sharp claws, which she had used to slash the Venerable’s body, bypassing his incredibly tough skin.
Ruby could never have reached this power level outside, but in this dimension, the cursed miasma continuously fueled her monstrous form.
With each passing second, she grew stronger.
Yet there was a flaw: her mind was slowly being consumed by this power.
"Uuuggh! AAARRGH...!"
Ruby shook her head, swiftly regaining consciousness as her mother’s voice echoed in her mind.
"Ruby! This form is even larger than before! You must remain calm, okay? Stay calm, take it easy."
"Uuuggh...! Mo... mother...! Augustus... died? My fault...! Oooohhh...!"
The giant Ruby wept, consumed by regret and guilt over the old dwarf’s fate. Hrimvaldr noticed her, flying to her side.
"Ruby! Is this you?!" he asked in disbelief.
"Hrimvaldr... It is... me... this form strong... but my mind... it hurts... can’t do it for too long... we must defeat... Venerable... save people... quickly."
"You’re right! Don’t worry, I’m still here...! And with you around, somehow... my powers keep growing! Is this because you wield the Ancestor’s abilities?"
"I don’t... know..."
"Whatever the case...! Let’s go!"
RUMBLE!
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