Chapter 674: [Ares Vs Allen (2)]

“EPIMETHEUS!!!” The Greek War God roared with rage and attempted another downward strike to stop Allen’s momentum.

This time, Allen was prepared. He crossed his two crystal swords in front of his chest and blocked it completely. As Ares stance became unbalanced due to the sudden pain and damage he had received just now, Allen decided to break free from his defending streak and launched his very own combo attack.

His red eyes gleamed in ferocity.

“Starlight Symphony—Waltz of the Dead!!” Allen’s right crystal sword slashed horizontally towards the Ares midsection. Then, his left crystal sword followed immediately to cut vertically into his body.

Ares brows furrowed. He tried to break Allen's speed and momentum but that was just the beginning. Right, left, then right again. Allen swung his swords as if the nerves in his brain were going into overdrive. The sounds of metal clashing resounded loudly one after another as white and red lights flared through the air.

“This is not enough to bring me down, Epimetheus!!” Ares muttered coldly. His body suddenly throbs that even Allen could hear it. Not Good! Allen's face turned solemn while Are smiled coldly. Booooom! With a loud explosion, from within Ares body, a dozen of fireballs shot towards every direction. As someone who was so close to him, Allen receives the full brunt attack, tearing his clothes apart.

He was blown back a couple meters.

Allen raised his head above him and found no trace of Ares. The wounds on his body slowly healed and even the torn black coat was slowly mending as if fixing itself. With a high danger sense, Allen immediately dived over to the side and as expected, on his former position, several fireballs as big as basin showered from above. Allen rolled a few times more as the fireballs seemed to be chasing him.

Boooom! From beside him, a small volcano erupted, showering in magma. However, it was as if the Magma was nothing but warm water. Allen completely disregards it. Whit a slam of his right arm on the ground, Allen's body flipped in the air, then he landed with both his feet, sliding a few meters. He raised his head and his red eyes glowered in hate.

Ares was suspended in the air just above him, looking down on him with an icy cold smile. That bastard… Allen gnashed his teeth. Then, his attention turned towards his two Twin Star Crystal Swords and his heart squeezed in pain.

On the beautiful crystalline surface of both of the swords, a vicious crack could be seen, spreading like a spider-web. He gently caressed it and asked with a gentle voice, “Rebellion…are you okay?”

[Master, I’m fine. Absorbing Master’s power would mend the damage just fine…] a soft and beautiful voice responded. Then, the twin crystal swords glowed brightly and the crack on the sword’s surface slowly disappeared as if it was an illusion.

“If you are fine, then that’s good…” Allen heaves in relief. His gaze turned towards Ares who was confidently staring at him from above, not showing any signs of attacking as if waiting for him to attack first. This bastard’s confidence is really getting on his nerves!

“Tsk!” Clicking his tongue, Allen grasped both hilts of the twin crystal swords and suddenly placed both end of the hilt against each other.

When the pommels of the crystal twin swords were joined together and twisted, a *Gachi* sound rang, and they meshed together to become a single weapon. As they did, the hilt slowly extended roughly meter in length and both the snow-white colored surface of the left and right swords--as if they were absorbing blood, was dyed in red, turning into a double-bladed weapon.

Turning the new long double-bladed weapon with one hand, Allen made a battle stance while positioning the Double-bladed sword slanted slightly behind him.

[Startlight Rebellion]—one of Rebellion’s melee weapon forms that had a grip in the center with two crystal great blades emerging from either end.

Ares grinned as he looks down on Allen. Then, Whoosh!! The cries of the raging wind resounded from every corner of the place as a heavy gust suddenly brewed.

On Ares, deep crimson flames flickered and the figure of a faint vulture loomed behind him. Ares breathing slowed down a little as the crimson flames on his surge. Around him, a storm of flames that almost seemed real brewed.

Ripppp!!

Allen’s eyes narrowed and his hold on his weapon tightened slightly. Just then the howling of a savage storm resounded intensely and the Greek War God who was just before him disappeared… replaced by no less than ten afterimages that seemed neither real nor fake, yet somewhat real and fake!

Around each afterimage was a spiral of violent flames that could shatter mountains into smithereens.

However, Allen still stood rooted to the ground and didn’t move at all, as though he had been struck dumb with shock.

As the afterimages approached, just when they were less than three meters away from him, the outermost right afterimage suddenly accelerated, swiftly approaching Allen with lightning speed, carrying him was a momentum that could shatter mountain and split the seas…

Ripppp!! Even though the air was being ripped apart violently, the afterimage did not disappear…

However, what Ares managed to rip was merely the air and an afterimage. After a short moment, he swiftly used an instantaneous movement technique as his heart twitched at the same time…

Ares brows furrowed. However, when he turned around, he saw Allen rushing towards him. As he approached, his body suddenly shook and the vision of Ares blurred for an instant. Then, he saw that there were now four images of Allen in front of him. They rushed towards him from the front, top, left and right respectively.

Seeing this, his eyes sunk and he laughed coldly to himself, “This bastard…!”

With the violent gust of hot wind blowing within the entire area, Ares could rely on the fire energy to differentiate the real and fake afterimages. However, in the next instant, Ares eyes widened because based on the feedback of his perception…

All four figures of Allen were his real body!!!

“This is…!?” The eyes of the War God Ares widened in shock and his lips curled upwards in astonishment. Without hesitation, Ares hurriedly retreated with great speed. In terms of speed, he strongly believed that between him and Allen, the latter could not possibly match him. However, as he retreated, he found that Allen’s figure was coming closer and closer, and as Allen neared, three of his other figures disappeared and his actual body was now not even three feet from him…

The Greek War God’s speed and movement skills were indeed incredible. But, in terms of instantaneous movement and afterimages, how could they compare to Allen’s Max level Phantom and boosted with Lightning Speed?

“You are really amazing Epimetheus!! I wonder how did you obtain this kind of power…!!?” Ares laughed madly.

Seeing Allen approaching closer and closer, Ares eyes widened again as though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

Luckily, he reacted quickly, utilizing all of the flame energy within him and slashed his sword intensely, shooting out two gigantic whirlwinds made of deep crimson flames, which looked like two gigantic flame dragons dancing in midair, straight at Allen.

“…it’s not someone who had thrown everything just for battles and power would ever understand!” Allen snorted and the [Starlight Rebellion] twirled in the air and slashed, tearing space and ripping the air on its path. And at nearly the same time as his entire body shined with ethereal ice-blue colored flames…

Crack-crack-crack-crack…

When the violent flames windstorm came in contact with the glow of the [Starlight Rebellion], the clear sounds of something freezing was instantly heard.

One breath later, the deep crimson flame wind spirals turned pale-blue and after two breaths of time, the wind spirals were completely sealed by ice and just remained in place, turning into two tornado-shaped ice sculptures.

Bang, bang, bang!! Following Allen’s aggression, the [Starlight Rebellion] onslaught, the ice-sealed storm shattered as though it were normal ice.

Ares expression beamed as he stared blankly at the quickly approaching Allen. His arms shook, the flame sword on his hand once again swept up a huge flame whirlwind. With a loud roar, he shot a flame storm viciously at Allen, and the figure of a mighty vulture, spreading its wings and howling emerged at the tip of the storm.

Ripppp!! The flame storm shot straight through Allen’s figure, but all it tore apart was an afterimage once again. Ares was instantly stunned...

Given that his senses and perception had been thoroughly trained, he still did not detect when Allen had used his instantaneous movement. Luckily, his reaction speed was fast; he withdrew his energy at top speed, then guarded his entire body.

At this moment, Baaaaaang!!! As though an extremely heavy sledgehammer had been mercilessly smashed onto his back, Ares back instantly concaved deeply, and the profound energy that he had gathered to defend his body shook violently, almost completely dissipating…

“Guha?!” In the midst of the deafening noise, Ares spout out blood as he flew away like a bullet, spinning around several times in midair before he barely stabilized his body using his energy, and landed at the edges of the ground. As he landed, he staggered and directly half-knelt onto the ground.

His face had become exceptionally pale. Following a gulping sound, he forcefully swallowed the blood that had already rushed to his throat. However, before he had the chance to stand up, he heard the howling of the wind in front of him. As he raised his head, he saw Allen’s ice-cold look… which was not more than thirty meters away from him.

“Hmph!” Ares grinned and another explosion rang out, as his sword and Allen’s [Starlight Rebellion] clashed head-on. Kissshii!! Ares was pushed back a few steps.

Both faces and expressions of the two combatants were fierce and full of ferocity!

“Not enough Ares?! Then, eat this!” Allen scowled and suddenly after, an ice-blue colored light flashed under Ares feet and a huge Tree of Ice sprouted from the ground, growing quickly and within one breath of time, it had towered into the sky until it reached the top of the area.

Beautiful blue color, as if made from crystals—The branches of ice and leaves of snow of the huge Ice Tree wrapped around Ares densely and he could only struggle for a short while before being completely sealed in ice. Even though he had quickly utilized all the flame energy within him, he could no longer move one bit. It was as though cold energy that came from an icy hell had entered his body.

Ares felt all the blood in his body rapidly freezing over.

“… savor it well—Freezing Inferno—Tree of Eternal Chill, bloooom!”

The corners of Allen’s lips hooked up in his mutter, and he gradually opened his outstretched hands...

Ping!!

The Ice Tree suddenly exploded and the skies were filled with ice crystals which caused the temperature in the hall to drop drastically.

Even Phobos and Deimos who were spectating from the corner shivered intensely due to the cold. Among the dream-like ice crystals, the completely frozen Ares flew out. When he crashed on the ground, Ares body flipped, landing on the ground with his feet but his clothes frozen stiff, and even a large part of it were torn.

A part of his face and hair was frozen in ice, only to be melted after a second—he looks fine and unscathed but one can see that Allen’s attack was highly effective, as the face of the Greek War God was pale.

The area was now silent once again. The two War Gods watching the bottle was struck dumb by Allen’s might—to even hurt their father this badly—is this still Epimetheus that they know of…?!

“How was it…? Woken up yet?” Allen grinned coldly.

“… …” Ares eyes narrowed. The arrogance on his face was slightly lessened now.

That attack just now… apart from that strong and powerful ice power, when Ares was engulfed by it, he finally realized something wrong. It also actually contained a power of flame that was as strong as his—!!

He always thought that Allen’s Snow white flames were just imitation flames of Ice and Frost but now he realized, it wasn’t that simple!

Fire? How… How can it be fire? Hasn’t he been using the power of Ice and Frost, how can he suddenly ignite flames that can be compared to the infernal flames?

Could it be that he has also cultivated the aspect of the Fire Laws?

This, this, this… Water and fire are two elements that completely restrain one another. To cultivate both fire-based and water-based Elemental Laws at the same time, isn’t it highly likely to cause one’s energy and being to run wild.

Even if he has perfect control over both powers, only one profound art can be used at one time, much less fused it together to create a power that contained the power of both fire and ice. Because not only is there no compatibility, there is also the danger that it may backfire at any time…

Just what is this Titan doing all his life…?!

“Epimetheus… just what kind of path are you trying to pursue?!” Ares muttered his voice full of doubt and uncertainty.

“You, who possess the bloodline of Ice and Frost should not be capable of controlling Flame Elemental Laws. Just how did you bypass the Restriction that even High Gods couldn’t do? How are you able to cultivate a different aspect than your original bloodline? You should be incapable of cultivating the Flame Elemental Laws! Why?! What did you do?!"

"Why is your fire as fierce as explosive as my brother?!”

“So much question, Ares. When did you become so talkative? Either talk or admit defeat…!” Allen snorted. He didn't answer. He would be an idiot if he replied honestly.

“…indeed, talking has no place on the battlefield. I lost myself for a moment…” Ares looked at Allen as his expression darkened, laughing coldly, “However, I may not know what you have done, but…you are still incapable of defeating me, Epimetheus…!”

He then took a step forward quickly, waving both his hands. Instantly, the deep crimson flames ignited around him, turning the entire sky and ground true crimson. An eerie aura that seemed as though it came straight from the depths of infernal hell filled the entire hall. Following Ares action, all the flames suddenly flames rushed towards Allen as though they were a beast that had just been awakened.

Ares had a bland smile on his face as he said that, but Allen could perceive an incomparably clear killing intent from his eyes.

This kind of clear killing intent told Allen that in the upcoming battle, the Greek War God would definitely try to deal a killing blow to him.

Allen also smiled, “Ares, it’s better if you boast less. This kind of boasting, in my entire life, even if I have not heard it a thousand times, I have at least heard it six hundred times. But in the end, every single one of them had slapped their own face without a single exception. Heh, and let me tell you, slapping your own face is very painful, you know.” After saying that, Allen quickly retreated, ignited Ice Phoenix Flames on his body, and attacked the sky filled with Ares Flames with a “Burning Field”.

BOooooooOOOOm—!!

Ares deep crimson flames and Allen’s Ice Phoenix Flame collided in midair, exploding at the same time.

In that instant, the sparks nearly blinded the two of them, including those who were watching the battle, and even the sky above them was now completely covered in flames. The exploding deep crimson flames and pale-bluish white flames were like two ferocious tigers and amidst the shocking roars of the flames, they were burning one another, devouring one another…

The Ice Phoenix Flames devoured the Ares Infernal Flames, and the latter burnt the Ice Phoenix Flames. The Ice Phoenix Flames were unable to overcome the ferocity of the Infernal Flames, and the Infernal Flames were unable to overcome the might of the Ice Phoenix Flames…

The two were at a counterbalance with one another.