PHASE 97 - STRONG ENOUGH

Yog-Sothoth.

It is an outer god in the horror of Lovecraft Myth. It is said that it can match the power of the all-powerful Azathoth, which is the Frozen Soul. They are complete counterparts. If Azathoth is positive, then Yog-sothoth is negative. Nothing can exist if Azathoth is absent, and nothing can keep on existing if Yog-sothoth is absent. They are like oxygen and carbon dioxide that needs one another to form an endless cycle.

The Outsider; Yohan Hikari Romanov possesses the power of Yog-sothoth. His ultimate God Core forged his terrifying existence in front of us.

His arms are now like Helena’s Cursed Arm; It looks like a robot but it is also living flesh of alien nature. Red circuits flowed upon his arms which transmitted prana from his heart to his sharp blade-like fingertips. His body is also covered with some kind of black alien-tech bodysuit that has the same glowing red circuits. There are swarms of shadow tentacles coming from his shoulders, hips, and back.

There are crimson orbs attached on his palms, fists, biceps, shoulders, knees, feet, elbows, cheeks, and forehead. At his heart, however, is a gigantic bloodshot eyeball that bears the mark of a Cursed Guardian; a black triangle sigil on its black iris.

Everybody was scared. Some gritted. The others are shaking.

Even me, who has the power to cast the , feels threatened. I can read infinite amounts of energy coming from him. Even if all Gate Guardians, Gods, and Goddesses from all parallel universes joined forces, the chance of defeating him is straight zero.

“I don’t want to wield such infinite power against you guys, but you backed me into a corner.” The Outsider said as he repeatedly opened and closed his alien hands, testing how flexible his cybernetic fingers.

“Y-You…” Diadem/Ra muttered, his jaws trembling and his eyes shaking. “How did you attain such kind of power?”

“I’m just like your twin sister right there.” The Outsider pointed at me.

“Then you-” Diadem failed to finish his sentence as the Outsider frowned and cut him with a story.

“Tiara’s love to Alaric knows no end. She’s a lot like me. I repeated everything over and over again. I have Hikari blood running from my veins after all. I have suffered billions, trillions, quadrillions, megadecagozillions of timelines just to save my loved one from being frozen, but I always failed. My never-ending love for the Frozen Soul made me awaken this power.”

“You’re crazy,” Diadem said.

“No.” The Outsider smiled. “I’m just a man who fell in love with a woman.”

<>

Rikkun/Freyr is clenching his fists.

“I can finally read him now.” He muttered words that only I can hear. “My is now working. I can finally see what will happen.”

The God Core of Freyr that I have delegated to him enhanced his Guardian Ability. Instead of seeing the next twelve seconds, he can now see the next twelve minutes. It is weird that Rikkun can’t read the Outsider’s moves on his base form, but now on his Yog-Sothoth’s form, he can see the future.

Suddenly, chills went down to our spine as the Outsider talked to us.

“Oh, your is now working against me, right Alaric?” The Outsider laughed. “But why aren’t you happy?”

The God of Kings didn’t reply. Cold sweat ran through his cheek. I can hear his own teeth cracking as he forcefully pressed his jaws to close.

“Did you see someone dying again?” The Outsider continued to ask mockingly. “How many are they?”

Rikkun didn’t talk. He’s just frozen.

“Haaaah!” Somebody’s grunt broke the silence, followed by a swift deadly slash, aiming the Outsider’s neck!

It was Heushac, on his Blue Surtr form! “Stop talking! We’re not done fighting yet!” His deep demonic voice made a loud shockwave.

Time froze once again, and the Outsider effortlessly adjusted his body to evade the attack coming from the blue flame giant. Then time regained its flow.

As soon as everybody is able to move, Helena took the opportunity to attack!

“!!!” The sword princess’ greatsword unleashed a divine beam that can delete anyone’s existence.

“!!!” The Outsider used his psychic powers to magically create a wall that looks like a huge collage of shattered mirrors.

The Spell was immediately absorbed by the mirror, and then it was returned with a hundred-fold power!

“Wha-!!!” Helena only muttered half of a word. Surprised, she could no longer shield herself with the upcoming attack. Not even her natural instinct or can save her from a blaster that contains the power of six divine gods.

But…

In the nick of time…

“Haaaah!!! !!!”

Heushac/Blue Surtr went in front of his sister, raised his flaming skull shield and unleashed a world-ending heatwave. With all the flames on his body, he exerted all his prana in canceling the attack!

“I won’t lose you again, Big Sis!” Heushac/Blue Surtr cried.

Both gigantic rays of light faded, successfully dispelling the killing blaster.

“Baby brother…” Helena cried. “Thank you.”

The blue flame giant smiled. “You’re welcome, Big Si-… Huh-!!!”

The sound of an exploding heart echoed. Heushac failed to finish his sentence when he realized that his heart has been crunched by the elongated alien arms of the Outsider.

“Heushac!” Rikkun cried.

Cough. Cough. Blood started to spurt out of the flame giant’s mouth. Particles of light dispersed from his body, canceling his anti-god form. He’s now regular Heushac, with a dying worn-out body. There was a large crater on his chest, and his heart and lungs are now missing from his melted ribcage.

“B-Big Sis…”

Heushac fell. He was caught by his stunned sister’s arms before he was able to hit the ground.

Helena shed lots of tears before she was able to realize the situation. Her eyes are wide, but her irises are small. She slowly gazes upon her dying little brother as she held his now-cold hands.

“Hang in there, Baby Brother!” Helena cried.

“B-B-Big Sis…” Blood gushed out from Heushac’s eyes, nose, and mouth as he tried desperately to talk. “I-I-I told you… I’m… not… a… baby… anymore…”

“Y-Yes!” Helena continued to cry. “You’re not a baby anymore! You’re strong! Stronger than me! You’re able to counter the power of the six gods! You’re strong! So don’t die…!!!”

“I’m... sorry…” Heushac muttered, mustering all the life force on his body to comfort his sorrowed big sister. “...I’m sorry...Big... Sis…. I promised... to protect you, but… this… is the farthest… I can go…”

The blue-haired swordsman’s hand became stiff, losing its grip to his older sister’s hand. His fist fell down to the floor as he lost all signs of life in his body.

“No! Nonononononononoonono!!! Noooo! Heushac!” Helena cried as she cradled the body of her dead sibling.

Everybody was surprised. Everything happened too fast. Nobody could believe that in just a split second, we have lost a great friend.

<>

“Yo...han...”

Rikkun gritted his teeth as hard as he can. He’s gripping on his sword too tight that blood is started to flow out from his hand. His killing intent to the Outsider knows no limits.

“R-Rikkun, wait-” My attempt to calm him immediately failed as he rushed forward before I can even finish my sentence.

“You’ll pay for this!” Rikkun/Freyr shouted as he raised his crimson katana. “!!!”

There was a blink of darkness, and a thousand lightning streaks clashed and sparked the area.

When the light came back, Rikkun, or Freyr, is already pressing his sword towards the Outsider’s astral shield. The enemy just blocked each and every slash, thrust, and stabs Rikkun made with his floating hologram barrier.

“Hey, what’s with that face?” The Outsider laughed. “You should be happy that I gave your best friend lots of time. He’s supposed to die a year ago, in the hands of your lover’s twin brother.”

“You’ll die too! Right here, right now!” Freyr shouted. “!!!”

A crimson tornado drill coated Freyr’s sword as he prepared for a killing blow. But before the attack could land, time stopped once again.

“” The Outsider muttered. Mirrors started to create a wall between them.

When time resumed, the tornado drill was absorbed by the kaleidoscope barrier. And then…

It was returned a hundredfold again.

If Rikkun is hit by an attack a hundred times powerful, there’s no way he can survive even if he has the power of the God Core of Freyr. I can’t even guarantee that a single thread of his hair will be left.

He will be utterly destroyed by his own attack.

“!!!” A familiar feminine voice echoed.

A whirlpool formed in the tiniest gap between Freyr and the kaleidoscope barrier. The said dimensional spiral quickly summoned a gigantic dragon’s mouth that sipped all the crimson tornadoes that are supposed to tear the God of Kings.

In the blink of an eye, all one hundred crimson tornado drills disappeared. Then, the magical dragon’s mouth faded into dust particles.

Everybody was silent as we realized that one of our allies are able to casually talk with the Outsider.

“Yohan, please stop this.”

A goddess walked in front of the astounded Freyr. She wears a golden mask of a fox that covers the upper part of her face, and she’s wielding a grand red halberd. There’s no mistaking that she is the Warrior Goddess of the Moon herself, Haliya.

“Asumi…” The Outsider muttered as he changed his facial expression to pure sadness.

It is as if he is disappointed to meet an old friend that is now his enemy.