Chapter 312 - Was it all a dream?

Kretos was surprised that his attack wasn't able to damage Sora's body. Even though he was sure that his sword had made contact with Sora's flesh. 

'Amazing, I and all demons have great regenerative abilities but it's nothing this perverted. I cut this guy's arm off and it looks like nothing happened to him. I wonder what else can his body do? Does he have an undying body, or something similar to an everlasting body? This is getting even more exciting.' 

Kretos got even more pumped up as he controlled even more weapons and attacked Sora with greater speed. He then started using some spells here and there to control Sora's movements. Every now and then as Sora's body was having difficulty in keeping up, he got hurt in multiple points in his body. Yet despite getting pierced by Kretos's blade, or being burnt by Kretos's spells, Sora remained unscathed throughout the battle. 

When Kretos saw this it just got him even more excited. It would seem like this toy in front of him was more durable than he expected.

'So how can I beat someone that doesn't seem like he can be damaged? I guess I should try a lot of different things today.' Kretos smile was now at its peak, this was the most vicious, most ferocious-looking smile he has ever shown. Even while fighting against Kir, the strongest opponent he has fought, Kretos wasn't this excited. 

While Kretos was basking in the thrill of a new challenge, he was also getting damaged every now and then. Kretos's damage instantly heals but there was a visible change unlike Sora's. So when an onlooker sees the battle between them it would look like Sora finally has the advantage but the truth was different.

'What the heck, seriously! Just a few hits and I'm already in the red!' Sora looked at his HP bar. HP: 11,300/82,000. As his HP was now this low Sora's body started casting healing spells. Yet the damage he was receiving vs the amount of HP being healed was just prolonging the battle for a bit. Sora's MP was also nearing its limit. 

'Is this is it? Is this how my otherworld adventures will end, without me doing anything? Without me able to fulfill any of my promises? I will lose without being able to fight?' 

Sora felt his heart beating faster and faster. He didn't want to fight Kretos, but he didn't want to lose as well. He didn't want his adventure to end without him getting to at least fight all out with his actual abilities. As if noticing what he was thinking, Kretos spoke to Sora. 

"I'm sure that someone like you can still hear me even after being controlled. So let me ask you once, are you sure you want to end this way? I don't understand how your body still looks like it's in peak condition despite me going all out and slicing it apart multiple times, but I can sense that it can no longer hold on. I'll tell you now, I didn't want to fight you while being controlled. If killing that guy would release the spell I would've done it already, but I'm sure it doesn't work that way." Kretos looked at Jeter who shivered upon hearing Kretos mention his name. 

"Even if everything is stack against you and all seems lost, isn't it a hero's job to make the impossible, possible? I have read the battles the ancient human heroes had, and every time they were about to lose, they always do something surprising, something impossible, and go beyond everyone's expectations. So Sora, you're a hero... Aren't you?" 

When Sora heard what Kretos said he felt something in him burning. He could hear his heart beating even faster than before. An unknown immense feeling had filled him. Sora screamed in his mind as he wrestled control over his own body. 

Jeter who was at the side started coughing out blood as he looked at Sora in shock. The spell was forcefully negated, which gave out a massive backlash. Jeter who received the backlash couldn't keep himself awake and fainted.

The clashing Sora and Kretos stopped and the two looked at each other. After a while, Sora smiled at Kretos.

"I can't believe a Demon Lord is saying those things to a hero like me. You actually encouraged me to fight against my own fate." 

"No need to thank me." 

"Then I won't... Still, can we stop fighting?"

"Sorry, you can't back out now. Either you or I will die today." 

Sora closed his eyes and was silent. Kretos waited to see what Sora would do. If Sora allowed Kretos to kill him without continuing the fight, Kretos would be extremely disappointed, but Kretos felt that wouldn't happen. When Sora finally opened his eyes it looked like all the hesitations he had disappeared. 

"I see... Demon Lord Kretos, I know this might sound audacious of me, but can I ask you to fulfill a request of mine? No matter the outcome of our battle." 

"Oh, what request do you have?" 

"Please spare those three companions of mine." Sora pointed at Night, Niel, and Jason. On the other hand, he didn't really care what would happen to Jeter. 

"If that's all, then sure." 

"Thank you... Also, one other thing, if you go to the Sliral Kingdom can you also forgive the innocent citizens, and the Princess and Prince. They bear no grudges against you or your race. They simply have all been used." 

"Ever since we met you've only been requesting for things without giving anything in return... Well, as for your request this time, no need to worry. I won't go to the Sliral Kingdom, after I repel the army they sent that would be the end of it. I don't really find pleasure in bullying those who are too weak." 

Sora sighed as he smiled faintly at Kretos. 

"I see... As for what you said regarding compensation, you can have all my weapons and armor once you win." 

"You're talking like you won't even try to win." Kretos frowned, and in response, Sora shook his head. 

"If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you don't fight, you can't win. Of course, I'm going to go all out and try to win, I don't want to die... I'm just telling you this just in case you win. But now that I'm in control of my body there is only a slim chance of you winning anyway..." 

The two then smiled at each other, and without further distractions started to battle once again. 

...

Despite Sora being able to control his body now, he had already used most of his trump cards. He only had one technique left in his arsenal. The technique he was thinking of using was a do or die move. Once he uses it he would either gain victory or lose terribly.

Sensing that something was about to happen Kretos backed away waiting for Sora to unleash his ultimate move. Seeing the action Kretos took made Sora chuckle. 

'As expected from a battle junkie character. He's the type that won't disturb me even during a transformation scene.'

Sora started to shine a bright white light and an intense amount of mana started to gather around Sora. It wasn't just his mana, it would seem that Sora was gathering the mana in the surrounding area as well. As he gathered more and more mana the brighter the white light shined.

"Demon Lord Kretos, this is the ultimate skill given to me as a hero. I call it [Hero's light], this is a skill where my whole mana and the mana in the surrounding area are gathered into me. Once I unleash this technique you either die or I die! Let's finish this, oh strongest demon lord!" 

Kretos picked up one of the swords on the ground and enveloped it in mana. Seeing as they were both ready, Sora unleashed his ultimate skill. A bright white light shot out from Sora and headed straight towards Kretos. 

Using his sword Kretos slashed at the white light making it split right in the middle. As Kretos tried to continuously slash at the white light the weapon he was holding could no longer hold on and broke. The bright white light enveloped Kretos and a portion of the mountain and continued onward. Once the air cleared, Sora saw that the side of the mountain Kretos was standing on was no longer there, even the neighboring mountain wasn't spared as it also ceased to exist. 

Sora knelt on the ground mentally and physically drained, he no longer had a single bit of MP left. It was then he felt a cold blade by the side of his neck. Sora smiled and spoke to Kretos who was standing behind him. 

"It's your victory." Once that was said Kretos ruthlessly slashed at Sora's head. Like before Sora's head didn't detach itself from the body, instead, Sora's whole body started slowly fading into white orbs of light. 

...

"I guess this is the end of my journey. It wasn't long, but it was still quite fun. I wanted to experience some harem shenanigans, or at least confess to the princess, but all I got was a bro fest... Well then, as promised I'll give you all my weapons." Sora unlocked his inventory and all of his weapons, armors, and items came flooding out. As his consciousness was fading alongside his body, for some reason Sora didn't feel afraid of dying. As he was about to fade from existence he heard Kretos's voice for one last time.

"Thank you for the battle, o human hero." 

Sora smiled a very bright smile as his whole body turned into orbs of white light. 

...

Sora could no longer feel his body and his consciousness seems to be drifting somewhere. The place he was currently in was just darkness, there was nothing else.

'Is this the afterlife? I thought that I could meet a Goddess or something, but with my rotten luck with women, I guess that wouldn't happen.' As Sora was feeling down, he suddenly felt a bit warm. The sight before him then got brighter and with a flash of blinding light, he saw a familiar place. 

He was back at his apartment, there was his computer, his bed, and everything else. He was stunned for a moment and then he quickly headed to his cellphone and checked the date and time. 

"Seriously..." Sora was surprised to see that not a single minute had passed from the time he went to his balcony to smoke. 

"Was that all a dream?" Sora asked as he slowly lifted his finger and tried concentrating. A ball of flame appeared on the tip of his finger. Seeing the scene Sora awkwardly laughed. 

"Hahaha, Seriously?" The hero that came back from another world had retained his powers and had a different adventure in the modern age. But that is a story for another time.