Chapter 215 - Re:Birth

Coiling his hand in lightning, the fearsome look exhibited in his azure irises seemed to bring the creature to an understanding as it finished its stretches in its new body. Taking the initiative, he didn't want to give it the opportunity to strike first, dashing around the perimeter with speed pushing beyond the boundaries of what he displayed previously. 

Even so, Sloth remained standing in the same spot, its arms hanging near its sides as if presenting its new, evolved form to the world. Coming up on its back with a strand of lightning cutting through the rain, the creature swiftly turned its head back, looking at him with its wide, inhuman smile. 

It reacted to this speed?! He thought. 

Using its back as a platform, he kicked off of its hide, narrowly avoiding a swipe that appeared more as a blur. The raw, brute strength behind the simple swipe of its hand had halted the rain falling on that spot for a few seconds. 

If that would've hit, that would've been bad, he thought. 

Landing onto his feet, by the time his soles met with the moist, damp soil, Sloth had vanished from his sight. A chilling sensation drove over his back like a wave of utter despair, feeling the presence of the colossal monster directly behind him. 

The speed it exhibited was reminiscent of his own, but even that conclusion was quickly thrown to the wayside as Sirius saw past his own hanging pride. 

No, it's faster! 

Attempting to evade the incoming attack predicted only by his own instincts, he realized there was little time for such an action, instead turning and raising a single arm as a shield. As the harsh, crimson-clad knuckles met his forearm, he could feel the integrity of his bones being compromised. 

...Strong! He thought. 

The force from the hit felt as if the gravity that held him to the world was seized, being thrown back weightlessly until his back collided with the unwelcoming sharpness of bark. 

My arm is still attached?...Good, Sirius thought. 

Wincing from the throbbing of his bones in his forearm, there was no time to dwell on the pain as all of his hairs stood, moving his body simply by instinct as an impact thundered across the tree which he rested against. 

Close!--

Before he could claim safety from the attack, another one came just as quick, the imprint of the fist larger than his own head met against his face. It was a much sharper hit than the one he felt against his arm, or at least that was the impression he got from the potent warmth flowing underneath his skin as he was sent flying backward once more. 

Rolling across the moist grass, tumbling over jagged stones protruding from the now loosened soil, his consciousness flickered from the sheer brutality of that last hit. 

As I thought...It was the right move to get Sora the hell out of here. This thing is far beyond Phantasm. The only saving grace here is this seems to be its final evolution, he thought, I can use this...I won't use my ability...Heh, I'll take a note out of your book, Sloth. 

"Does it hurt? I'm surprised you're still in one piece. With the strength I have now, I could pulverize a mountain with my fists--yet you're still breathing. Peculiar." 

It was hard to pinpoint if it was taunting or the irregular personality awarded to such an inhuman, incarnation of sin. Bringing himself up after having his face buried in the mud, Sirius coughed, watching as blood streamed from his nostrils to the mud below, mixing with the brown muddle into a less than savory mixture of crimson and mud. 

"You talk a lot."

"Mm?"

Standing up, Sirius let out a long exhale as he wiped the mixture of blood and mud that sat near his nose away, looking at the sentient beast with eyes that exhibited no fear. 

"Don't get cocky just because you finally made me bleed. It wouldn't be fun if you couldn't do that much." 

When was it I became so serious?...Who knows. 

"I could say the same to you! Acting all high and mighty despite being covered in mud and blood! Meanwhile, I don't have a scratch on me! Open your eyes to the situation, while I constantly regenerate, you only tire more and more. The victor has already been decided." 

"Blah, blah, blah...Sheesh, you sure do like the sound of your own voice, don't you?"

Angered by the calm, abrasive remarks of the human, Sloth burst forward with the speed natural to its new, evolved form, crashing its fist against the man's skull once more as he bounced off of the floor from the sheer force. 

"See? Nothing but talk."

Satisfied after relieving its anger, Sloth ran its long, slimy tongue across its knuckles that became lathered in the blood of its opponent. 

Once again, Sirius brought himself back to his feet, his eyelids halfway closed as he swayed side to side a bit. 

"Just a little more. Push me a bit more and I'll show you…"

"Ha-ha-ha! What a sight; groggy and bleeding! This is the so-called "strongest Outlander"--embarrassing, to say the least." 

Each step forward Sloth took was packed with such speed that it appeared as if the creature was simply bending space to warp from one position to another, bringing itself back in front of the human before picking the man up by his jet-black locks. 

"Show me what? Are you still prattling on about having a "hidden power" up your sleeve?"

No answer came from the busted lips of the man, resulting in Sloth having no qualms with unleashing a flurry of hits that shock the entire forest with each impact. 

Damn, he wasn't kidding about being able to destroy mountains with these fists, was he? It feels like a building is being slammed against my cheekbones every time, even with my reinforcement, he thought groggily, If I had to guess, that evolution adapted directly from my own displayed strength, allowing it to adapt even to that…

The punches didn't stop, constantly slamming against his skull as Sloth laughed like a gleeful child, carefree as it threw both of its enormous fists against every section of his head. As they continued in quantity, the speed in which they came increased, shooting towards his cranium like a machine gun, hammering down as each impact echoed through skin, flesh, skull, and brain.

Ah, I feel it coming...It's close, he thought. 

Finally, it seemed the wrathful assault of Sloth came to a halt as he was slammed against a tree, hearing his own arterial fluid leaking from his busted skull splatter against the bark of the tree. 

"After I'm done with you, I'll go after that friend of yours. He was weak, but at least he'll make a good way to pass the time for a bit." 

Looking back down at Sirius, the creature grinned at him with its blackened teeth, awaiting a response as the man sat there, hunched over silently. 

I can taste the blood in my mouth, so warm and thick. I guess I deserve this. 

"What a shame. The human condition; so feeble, so frail. I possess no such ego; I simply exist to hunt, kill, and feed."

It all became black for Sirius as those last words full of disappointment from Sloth met his ears. There was still some level of consciousness as he listened to the droplets from the clouds pitter-patter against the damp soil, hearing the loud, heavy footsteps of the beast trample the mud. 

This happened once before. I was still a novice mage, green and scared of this world. Still, Beatrice sent me out on a quest without any warmth in her heart. "If he's weak, he isn't worth keeping around anyway", is what I convinced myself she thought. 

I was beaten within an inch of my life, no--I should've been dead; my skull was fractured, ribs shattered, arms twisted. That damn ogre really tore me up. At that point, all I could unleash were small sparks that only seemed to piss it off more. 

Something...clicked. Put on the verge of death, I think my brain went into overdrive in an attempt to find a way to live. When I opened my eyes, all of the spells that I just couldn't wrap my head around...just came naturally. It didn't take more than a few seconds for me to demolish that ogre from there. 

I can feel it. 

That same feeling, once again. The tubes in my brain, the bridges connecting one experience from another, all collaborating to bring me to a further level. I can see it all; everything I struggled to learn, what I should do, how I can do it. My fears are leaving, any doubt is vanishing again. 

Dimitri, Lada...Your big brother is doing this all for you both. The pain, the toil--I don't mind any of it, if it means one day, I can see those joyful smiles once again. But...It's not just that. I hated this world, I cursed it, despised it---I just wanted to go home. But things just aren't that simple. 

I met some really great people, I want you to meet them someday--that resolve just gets my heart throbbing with a fiery will! 

That's why for now, I'll do whatever I can to win, I'll rip and tear until it's all done. 

When it comes to a battle of survival, it's not good or evil that wins, but the strongest. That's who I am, Sirius Federov, the one who has to be the strongest. 

"Feeble?…Frail? Just who the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh? You're still--"

Before Sloth could finish its sentence, a flash blew across its vision, sending it back violently as its body flailed against the sea of trees it found itself flying back against. The familiar, unmistakable purple light that clung to the light instantly brought the beast to a conclusion to its origins, using its tail as a tool to halt its turbulent travel. 

As it turns out, I have so much to protect. In both this world and Earth. 

As it raised its head, another flash kicked in, blowing its arms off completely as its inner fluids spilled out. Its teeth chattered rapidly from the anger, instantly regrowing its lost limbs as it watched the man who should be dead now on his feet, approaching him slowly. 

"What is the meaning of this?!--"

"I told you, I wasn't getting serious yet. You're facing a grade-A stubborn asshole! I don't expect you to understand the will, the desire, the fighting spirit of a human! Even if you can speak, it doesn't mean you're anything more than a bloodthirsty beast living only to kill!" 

Brushing his damp hair out of the way of his azure irises, Sirius looked up at the beast as crimson streamed down from his scalp, trickling down two sides of his face. 

"It was a fluke! A fluke!"

Rearing its arm back to prepare for a thrust of its fist, Sloth found nothing in place of its limb as it tried to throw a punch. It happened so fast that the pain didn't even register; its arm had been blown off once more. 

It had come around full circle; once again, the monster found the speed of the man to simply be untraceable, surpassing the grace of lightning he previously possessed. 

"You…!"

"That's right, me; the self-proclaimed big brother of the Outlanders!" 

The confident, radiance parting from Sirius' lips sent the monster into a further stupor, watching as the Outlander raised his hand, regenerating its lost arm as it raised a guard in preparation of the incoming assault of lightning. 

However, no such attack came, instead, it felt an immense pressure squeeze it from all directions; its ears ringing as it let out a gasp that left its maw in a whistle. 

"...What...is this?!..."

"Spatial magic. You have my "gratitude" for helping me achieve this." 

As Sirius squeezed his fist tightly, the compressed space squeezing Sloth, as if four invisible walls enclosed on its form, popped the monster's flesh like a bubble, releasing an explosion of its black, interior fluids out. 

Reduced to a sack of mutilated flesh and powdered bones, a squelch resounded from the squashed beast as the spatial spell was cut off. 

"Reform already. I know you can." 

Egging the beast on, Sirius uncaringly adjusted his gloves as droplets of crimson trickled down from his messy strands of hair. 

It seemed the creature hesitated to do such; attempting to feign its own death to avoid any further conflict with the man. Begrudgingly, it began to rebuild its torn apart body, inflating its empty flesh like a balloon as its own mysterious fluids extended out to weave its body back together. 

It's regenerating slower, Sirius thought. 

"Unfortunately for you, I don't really know how to accept my own limits." 

Sirius explained with a confident smile as he ran his gloved fingers through his hair, tucking his bangs back with a mixture of rainwater and crimson blood. 

"I can feel it now. Space; it's all around us, always persistently existing right at our sides, but we take such a thing for granted. Now, I can bring it into reality. What do you think will happen when I bring such a constant force that holds everything together into the palm of my own hand? I wonder."

Speaking to the creature that now seemed wreaked with fear, Sirius looked at his open palm with eyes uncaring for the battle he participated in. Even the monster could deduce the meaning behind that absent look in those damp jewels. The very existence of those eyes of his was a bewitching sight; the previous azure radiance seemed to slowly shift in hue as they vacantly looked onward.

Simply, Sirius recognized no threat in front of him. 

The lack of animosity emanating from the man caused Sloth to notice a moment too late that magic was being woven from his lips and will. 

"Brahma: Horizon Rendezvous." 

As the simple incantation calmly left his bleeding lips, the small, minuscule orb of refracted light above the tip of his index finger expanded. Soon, a gentle tremor traveled through the sea of mud, a feeling of weightlessness overcoming Sloth. 

Trees parted from their roots, ancient boulders took flight, patches of dirt and grass alike ventured to the sky. The monster attempted to halt his part of this journey, clawing at the ground only for it to be brought with him on the trail towards the sky. 

It all began to coalesce into one, singular point in the nightly skies, forming a sphere formed of cedar, rock, and soil all meshed into one form, trapping Sloth in the center of it all. The powerful force of gravity enacting an all-mighty pulling force seized the futile attempts at escape of the monster, finding the center point, the origin of the magic itself, to possess a force strong enough to turn coal into diamonds hundredfold. 

"Think of it as a badge of honor. I doubt many beings would be able to survive in the center of the Horizon Rendezvous as long as you have; I imagine it would turn most into a paste the moment they breached the boundary."

With the conclusion of the spell being reached, what was left was a massive formation resembling a small world of its own, hanging in the navy skies by way of its own source of gravity. 

"…Not enough! Not enough!"

An explosion blew through one side of the spherical collection of the forest's contents, the black, abyssal hand of Sloth reaching out as its voice bellowed from the depths of the small moon.