PHASE 91 - STOP NUKING ME, DAD!

The ominous heat waves blew towards our faces. In front of us is my very father, who has transformed into a seventeen-meter dragon-type Eidolon.

Everybody drew their Weapon Gems, ready for battle. The four goddesses even had their chest glowing, which indicates that they will transform into a divine entity anytime. Helena and Heushac are ready to unleash their extraordinary powers too. And Rikkun is ready to draw the from my chest.

But…

I have to talk them out. I don’t want them to fight my father.

“Everyone…” I bowed. “Please let me take care of my father. I want to do it all by myself, to test my bond between us. So I request all of you… Please lower your weapons. It is only I who must fight him.”

Everybody was silent. They looked at each other and nodded, silently affirming that they will let me do what I want. They reverted their weapons back to their gem form, and they didn’t activate their God/Goddess Cores.

They let Heushac battle Helena in a one-on-one battle last time, so there’s no way they’ll never let me have this opportunity to fight my father alone.

“Tiara.” Rikkun patted my head. “Good luck on saving your father.”

I made a jolly smile at my lover as I pumped my fists. “Yes! With determination, I refuse to give up!”

I shifted gaze to my gigantic monster father. His crimson scales look burning, and his large eye is giving off evil wrath. But I won’t faze! I slowly walked in front and transformed into my . I also materialized my gauntlets as I gave off a composed battle stance.

“Let’s do this!” I made a warcry.

“-----__-------______----------!!!”

The one-eyed crimson dragon returned the same shout.

“Haaaaah!!!!” Materializing my ten wings, I blasted off forward with a speed of light! I made a superman punch aimed at the monster’s chest!

Bam! A strong shockwave echoed. I failed to hit the chest for the reason that he blocked my knuckles with his gigantic dragon arm! I followed up with one, two, three blows in an attempt to destroy the defenses, but its crimson scaly armor is harder than steel!

Wham! A counterattack was made by the dragon by sweeping his other hand straight to me. I crashed on the floor, leaving a huge crater on the ground. Thick smoke engulfed the area.

“Tiara!” Rikkun shouted.

I revealed myself when the smoke faded. I’m still fine, and I only sustained minor scratches on my left shoulder. My heavenly dress projects an invisible prana shield that filters fatal attacks, so I’m still in top condition.

“WHAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!” The dragon roared as it opened its mouth and unleashed a nuclear blaster of flames!

“!!!” Layers of energy shields protected me. The solar flare blaster that the dragon unleashed managed to shatter eight of my barriers!

But the dragon’s attack didn’t stop there! It used its hundreds of tentacles to thrust and pierce me, but I tumbled and somersaulted to evade those spear-like stab attacks!

“!!!” My feet and elbows spawned flames to boost my movement speed. I closed the distance to the dragon, completely avoiding all his tentacle sweeps and thrusts.

I jumped unto his knees, and I felt that his crimson scales are radioactive. It’s able to melt the soles of my shoes as if I’m stepping on magma, so I have to run and jump fast.

Galloping like a ricochet, I managed to step on its shoulder. The moment the dragon’s blue eye turned to me, I made a deadly attack!

“!!!”

My fists unleashed a dark aura shaping those of an enlarged dragon claw, ten times bigger than my normal . With this, I made a full power right hook directed to the dragon’s right cheek!

“---____----!” The dragon cried.

It was about to fall down, but it used its wings to slap me from the air!

“Kyah!”

Blam! I landed like a meteorite for the second time. Now, I have severe wounds and scratches. Blood started to crawl from my forehead, shoulders, and arms. I think my lip got a cut.

“Haaaah…” I exhaled. Then I wiped the blood with my wrists.

Battling a Level 4 Eidolon is hard, especially if you don’t have somebody to rely on. A Level 4 Eidolon can match the power of several Gate Guardians. A bona fide battle-type God or Goddess can take this kind of monsters one versus one.

But this fight is different. I’m fighting a Level 4 Eidolon that has the power of a fake god: Cthugha. The last time we fought these kinds of monster is when Rikkun lost control of the power of Cthulhu. Goddess Freya defeated that monster and saved Rikkun, but only with the help of the shrine maidens, Heushac, Key, and I.

Also, I felt that my punches are weak. Subconsciously, I’m withdrawing my punches. There are guilt and hesitation on my heart, and no matter how hard I focus on the battle, I can’t remove those shackled feelings towards my father.

So this is how a fight against a loved one affects me. I’m afraid that I may lose my father one more time.

I’m afraid.

I’m afraid.

I got cocky and reckless. I’m so overconfident that I decided to take a fake god on my own. I’m just a demigoddess. There’s no way I can match Freya/Necchan’s powers.

But even so…

It’s my father who’s inside that monster. Even if it’s hopeless, I will still fight!

“I refuse to give up!!!” I made a cry that unleashed sonic waves. Then, I readied my foot to make another series of attack again! “!!!”

Swoosh! I ran with the speed of lightning and closed the distance again. The dragon swiped his claws, stomped his feet, stabbed his tentacles, and smashed his wings, but I evaded all those attacks!

Now that I’m close to its head once again, it’s time to unleash my most powerful attack!

“!!!”

Ten thousand lightning-fast punches left ten thousand afterimages as soon as it hit the enemy’s face. Each of my punches felt the hard and hot steel scales which melted a part of my skin. Even if my fists suffers from second-degree burns, even if my knuckles break, I will never stop my punches!

“Yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya!!” I cried.

Bambambambambambambambambambambam!!!

My punches unleashed mini-shockwaves!

“-----______----------_____!!!”

The dragon cried as it was about to fall down. Having sustained unbearable damage, it opened up its defenses on its chest, revealing the face of my infused unconscious father.

“Dad!” I cried as I flew towards his position.

I grabbed my father’s head and tried to pull it away from the monster in a manner like those midwives pulling a baby from a pregnant mother.

“Hrrrrrggggh!!!” I cried as I try to draw him with full force.

But it's no good. His flesh is perfectly connected to the body of the Eidolon. Sheer brute force will never remove him from being stuck in this body!

Suddenly…

“------______-------!!!!!”

The monster cried. It unleashed a radioactive aura and unleashed a flame blaster from its chest. A mushroom cloud explosion came, followed by a deafening roar.

I fell down to the ground the third time. This time, I have fractures and broken ribs. Half of my body has been shallowly burnt, and I can no longer open my left eye. My is no more, and my tails are now nothing but burnt sticks. My left leg’s nerves gave me excruciating pain that disabled me to stand up.

Here in front of me, is the dragon. Its wounds have completely regenerated. Its sky-blue eye glared at me with killing intent. My father is still completely fused on its chest. It wouldn’t budge even if I pulled it on full force.

The dragon emitted a radioactive aura again, ready to unleash another direct hit of its atomic blaster. The next time I get caught with that attack, it will be all over for me.

“---_____----------___-----!!!”

The atomic blaster surged forward to my position.

I can’t move my injured legs. I don’t have prana left in me. There’s no way I can shield or evade that incoming blast.

But…

Somebody took the attack for me.

It’s not Rikkun.

He’s a man filled with flaming golden armor with gold scale plates. He used his golden hawk wings to shield me from the radioactive beam.

When the blaster subsided, I was astounded by his extreme divine presence.

His magnificent golden bio-metallic armor makes him look brighter than the sun. His hands are golden talons capable of tearing a dragon’s flesh. His chest has the royal logo of the strongest war god of all. His face is covered by a winged helmet that has the face of an eagle.

“.”

His voice… His voice is familiar. When he turned and talked to me, I can finally confirm who’s the person behind that armor.

“I’m sorry, my beautiful sister. He’s my father too, so I think I have to interfere with your fight.”

"D...Diadem!?"