Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 385.6- One V. Two

The battle starts with a simple clash.

           CLANG~!!!

FWHOOSH~!!!

The force of Elysium and Naraka’s strikes forced the land around to be ripped of its greenery.

Glance~

Elysium could see Artemis had let off an arrow.

“Hm.”

“!?”

Naraka and Artemis felt the air get thicker.

Artemis's arrow grew slower, as did the goddess's movements.

Elysium pushed Naraka back.

Clang!

Tap-Tap!

He took two steps back and swung his spear to slice Artemis’s arrow into two.

“… What did you just do?” Naraka said with her sword up.

“The air…” Artemis jostles left and right. “You made it thicker. It’s like we are walking through a swamp. Then my arrow…” Artemis looked at her broken arrow. “It should have kept going until it hit you.”

“Nothing much.” He smirked. “As for the arrow, well, it touched Laelaps.”

“Laelaps… How many authorities did you use in its creation?” Asked Naraka.

Artemis and Naraka keenly observe Laelaps.

“A lot. But I’m not some villain who would monologue about how their weapon or powers work.” He held Laelaps skyward.

___!!

“!?”

The sound vanished; any white noise was extinguished. Elysium had gotten rid of the air within the arena and made it a vacuum-like space.

Artemis and Naraka had to use their godly powers before their lungs and blood were torn from their orifices.

Then Elysium's voice rang through the vacuum.

“<<Emerald Night Art:>>.” Terajoules of electricity surrounded Elysium. It slowly covered Laelaps in a coat of white, smooth electricity. Black stars began to dot and paint the electricity. He then swings it down with the name of the move: “<<Nox Genisis>>.”

Time slowed down for Naraka and Artemis.

Naraka quickly grabbed Artemis and teleported away.

Blink!

The goddesses appeared behind Elysium to see his swing come down with the touch and force of a galaxy.

CRACK-■■■-BOOM~!!

It deleted everything in its path before suddenly dissipating.

“…” Elysium turns to see his wives. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Fear.

“!!”

They felt fear for the first time from the one they loved. Before them stood a god who had fought several gods in different worlds, wielding power that could burn the world asunder and shake heaven down to its knees.

“You are serious, huh? Elly?” Naraka said sweating.

"Here, I thought you would go easy on your wives,” Artemis said, her appearance becoming more godly.

“The things you want are things that must be earned. Naraka uses this as experience. Artemis, use this to polish your skills once more.” He holds Laelaps with both hands and points the tip down towards the ground. “If there is a god you fear, it will be only me. I will take your pride and your meaning with me, my love." He then impales Laelaps into the earth. “Let our voices sing! Let our blades ring! Let the earth shake with your cries of pain and pleasure!!” A massive chunk of the earth disappeared suddenly. “Before you ask, yes, yes, I will rock your fucking world.” He raises his left hand and points up. “<<Emerald Night Art: God Shattering Star>>.”

Naraka and Artemis look up to see the massive chunk of earth from which Elysium disappeared blot out the sky. It was coming down so fast that it had an atmospheric drag.

“Oh man,” Naraka said with mixed feelings of love and fear.

"Well, the bedroom will be more intense than usual, I see.” Artemis smiles, feeling the same way as Naraka, looking up at the meteor. She turned her sights back on Elysium. "Nara, go and deal with the attack.”

“Got it!!” Naraka drew her sword and shouted her move. “<<Void Flower Art: Division>>!"

___~!!

Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!

Elysium’s meteor turned into small cubes.

Artemis kept her sights on him. As the cubes rain down around them, Artemis notches and fires her arrows one after the other.

Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh! Fsh!

Silver arrows ricochet through the rain of cubes, going in so many random directions at blinding speeds. With Elysium getting rid of the air, the force and speed of Artemis’s arrow were even greater.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

“No named moves?” Elysium points his spear toward the incoming barrage of arrows.

“I don’t have any, but you can call this move <<Silver Meteor Shower>>.”

“How dull for such a brilliant goddess! <<Emerald Night Art: Branching Circuitry>>”

Creak~!

Laelaps jutted out several more blades like the branches of a tree, yet like circuitry, they were all ridged straight lines.

Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!

Yet it filled and branched out so many to stop Artemis’s arrows.

Tap-Tap~

Elysium glanced to his right side to see that Naraka had already swung her sword.

“Got you!!” She shouted, swinging her sword at him.

Swish~

Elysium didn’t try to dodge as his divine armor phased Naraka’s sword through his body, leaving him uninjured.

“?” Naraka was surprised; she was sure she used her authority to cut Elysium, yet something else was at play.

“Surprised?” He turned his head toward her. “Teumessian is rather attached to me.”

With a single motion, he kicked her below the chest.

Thud!!

“GAH!?” Naraka grabbed his foot, and with her fingers touching him, she began to cut into him.

Elysium was about to swing his foot down when Artemis wrapped her arms around his neck and tightened them.

“You used your authority of night and change, huh?” Artemis said now, having wrapped her legs around his waist from behind. "It took a minute to really get you, but I did it."

“Hm. It seems you are a huntress." Artemis' experience and authority of The Hunt made it easy for her to understand Elysium for her to hunt, just took a while to grasp him. "Sadly you're in my personal space.”

Artemis could feel her hair beginning to get static.

“Ai move!!” Artemis let go of Elysium to teleport away, but he wouldn’t let her. “!?”

"Artemis!!" Nara shouted towards her.

Artemis found herself wrapped in his star-touched threads.

“Now Artemis. Crackle!!”

Naraka tried to cut Artemis free, but Laelaps had bent itself, biting down on her sword, stopping her from swinging.

“Dammit!!” She couldn’t remove it; it was stuck in place.

"Nara, get away now! Leave me and beat him!" Artemis shouted as Elysium moved her before him.

Naraka let go of her sword and teleported away.

“Tsk! Blink!”

More electricity began to dance around Elysium, covering the two gods.

“Artemis.” Elysium gently caresses her face.

“Elysium. You are acting very much like some villain.”

“You don’t like it?”

Crackle!! Crackle!! Crackle!!

Crackle!! Crackle!! Crackle!!

More electricity covered the two in a dense bubble.

“I think I like you better when you're kinder.”

“You say that, but your face says otherwise; it’s red like a strawberry.”

Artemis was blushing heavily. She quite liked how Elysium was acting.

“N-no I’m not!” She said this, turning her head and blushing even more.

“Your ears are red.” He made her look him in the eyes. His helmet faded away to reveal his face.

“Hmm…” Artemis puffed her cheeks up, much like Callisto.

“Are you mad you lost?”

“No.” She said it under her breath, looking into Elysium’s eyes.

“Next time, my love.” He brings her in close and kisses her. “This is but a sample of the dish I wish to serve you and Nara, Art.”

Her face was bright red.

“I-I go first, got it!” She said it embarrassedly.

“Of course.” He kisses her once more. “So stay safe, my moon.”

He hugged her lovingly, and she slowly began to enter his shadow.

“Ooh?” Artemis was fascinated by the feeling. “This is new.”

Like that, Artemis was taken out.

With Artemis out of the way, Elysium unleashes his move.

He holds and throws Naraka’s sword away as he places the end of the shaft of Laelaps on the ground.

“Get ready, Nara.”

From afar, Naraka could see the electricity around Elysium grow larger and larger. She felt Artemis’ divinity gone.

“Dammit! Artemis…” Nara grits her teeth in anger and frustration. "You... you at least figured out how he fights. I need to learn to use my powers like Elly.”

Naraka, having learned Elysium, uses his authority of change and night to handle and control the battle.

Shine~

In the corner of her eye, she saw her sword being thrown away.

Naraka quickly teleported to grab it.

Grab!

She immediately examined her sword, finding it in good condition.

“Now I have to—”

           Elysium’s words rang in her head.

“<<Emerald Night Art: Nascent World>>.”

A serene, chilling calmness painted the arena.

Naraka looked as if the electricity that covered Elysium in an orb got sucked in like an implosion before exploding.

CRACK-BOOM~!!!!!

Nara immediately acted to save herself.

“<<Void Flower Art: Cross Guard>>!”

She sliced the air vertically and horizontally, opening up a void.

FWHOOSH!!!

The force pushed her back as her technique absorbed the attack.

“Grr!!” Nara couldn’t go easy. “<<Void Flower Art:>>!" She howled, stomping the earth. “<<Tenhijū>>!!” Naraka was dyed scarlet, and her nine tails compacted their fur to make her tails thinner and denser. Around Naraka, the area around her began to bend—twist around her.

Once Elysium’s attack ended, she saw the result.

“Oh.” Everything behind her was the only thing that remained; everything was gone. Except for one being.

Standing in the middle of the emptiness was Elysium.

“Wise choice going all out. You look splendid in that form.”

Naraka noticed he didn’t have his helmet on.

“Why don’t you have your helmet?”

“I took it off to give Art a farewell kiss. Hm.” He smiled warmly. “She looked so cute when she lost. She puffs up her cheeks just like Callisto.”

“I’ll make sure to give you one when I’m done.” She moves her left leg back and crouches with her right, building tension.

“I look forward to it. I should also get more serious with you.”

Elysium knew her authority over the void was a highly, highly dangerous power. If she was better at its usage, this fight would be in her and Artemis’ favor.

“Heh. Try me! <<Void Flower Art: Kyuukage>>!"

Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!

Eight of her tails disappeared, and appearing around and next to Naraka in a flash were nine clones of her.

“Oh.” Elysium was surprised. “Nine Nara's, huh? I don’t think I have the time to deal with so many. Oh, wait, I do. Oort.”

Having escaped Elysium’s attack through Laelaps, Oort came out of Elysium’s shadow under him.

“A cloud?”

“This is Oort.” Elysium’s helmet comes back on. The air returns, filling the arena. “They are looking forward to a scrape.”

Crackle~

Naraka saw electricity flicker inside it.

“No matter, all are equal under my blades.”

“Then come at me! <<Emerald Night Art: Golden Lion>>.”

Oort was supercharged with terrajoules of electricity, turning it a glistening gold.

Crack!!

With a single crackle of lightning, Oort and its creator disappeared.

The Naraka’s eyes darted all around before disappearing as well.

Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink

The sounds of their battle ring all around.

Crack! Clang! Crack! Crack! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Crack! Crack! Crack! Clang! Clang! Crack!

The two gods' battle became an intense exchange of power.

Naraka herself was learning at eight times the normal speed with her other clones.

'How can he keep up!?’ She thought.

Elysium was moving at absurd speeds. The only way she could think he was doing this was because of his authority over time.

'He must see at least a few seconds into the future! That’s the only way!’

She had her authorities and methodically began to use them.

CRACK!!

TING~!!

“Hoh.” Elysium blocked a thunderstrike from Naraka. “Now you’re getting dangerous.”

Naraka didn’t give him a response; she was too busy applying two more authorities to her blade.

Shing~!

It shone with a deadly glint before she sheathed it.

“Fuu~” She took a deep breath and got into her iaijutsu stance; all of her clones began to mimic the original’s movements. “<<Void Flower Art: Ame-no-Murahana-no-Tsurugi>>!"

A brief flash, a momentary glint.

SPURT!!!

“Huh?” Elysium looks to see himself with several bleeding gashes across his body. "Well fuck."

Clink!

She sheathed her blade.

Naraka had slashed Elysium instantaneously with her usage of her authority of The Void, The Sword, Bifurcation, Hunting, and Love.

Elysium falls to his knees.

“Urgh.”

“Yield. I am just getting better.” Naraka said ready to use the same move.

“Heh.” Elysium’s helmet disappears for the last time as he looks into Naraka’s eyes. “This is far from over.” He gets back onto his feet; his wounds quickly heal themselves.

“I can and will cut Laelaps in half.”

“How mean. Oort, keep her busy for a minute.”

“What do—Gak!?”

She felt her lungs be grasped, and the air in her body began to choke her.

Oort had expanded their existence; the Oort that carried Elysium was just a large clump of them. Elysium made sure Oort covered the whole arena when he returned the air.

So while Naraka was dealing with Oort, Elysium took a deep breath while he could.

“Fuu~” He placed his palms together in a Buddhist prayer. “Naraka.” His voice was soft and calm.

Naraka looked at Elysium, and that same serene calmness that erased the land and the sky washed over the area.

“Gasp!” Naraka used her void authority to cut off Oort out of her body. “What are you planning on doing now?"

“I am showing you the weapon you so desire.” Elysium pulled his hands away. “Woom~ Woom~ Woom~” From his hands, a fairly ornate spear appeared; it looked completely normal. “Grab!” Elysium grabbed it tightly with a single hand. “This is my Cosmo Sword. Cirrus.”

“Ci… rrus? You named your sword after your mortal self."

“I did not name it. It named itself. Cosmo Swords are an extension of oneself, much like its sister, the Zanpakutō the Cosmo Swords are a reflection of one’s soul, one’s inner self.” He swung Cirrus around. “I am the spear, and the spear is me.” He stops and points it at Naraka. “(Burn my cosmo, Cirrus). [Unknown Doe].”

■■■!~!■■■!~!■■■!~!■■■!~!■■■!~!■■■!~!

Before Naraka could even see the spear, one of her clones disappeared.

Poof!

“!?” Nara looked to see that she had two tails. “What—Poof! Poof!” Two more appeared.

The experience returned to Naraka, and with each one, she felt a hot, piercing feeling through the base of their spine.

Naraka was about to go and stop it, but Elysium had already dealt with all of her clones.

Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!

Tap-Tap!

Naraka turned to see Elysium with a pure emerald spear, engraved with as much detail and craft as his armor, and a long, vibrant red cloth at the bud of the spear.

“Surrender now, and I won’t have to get rough.”

Naraka looked at the spear; it felt the same way as Gram.

"It... works the same way as Gram, doesn’t it?”

Elysium smiled with pure confidence.

“Bingo.” Points it at Naraka. “Its final form is something far more dangerous. I doubt you will leave unscathed. So what say you?”

“I can take it.” Naraka tenses even more; her divinity condenses and sharpens.

“Hm. Fine then. A demonstration. I wanted to use its release form to make you back down, but how foolhardy it was of me! It seems age has made me forget how you are.” Elysium reeled his arm back. “(Breathe once more, my strength) [Zephyr’s Hymn].”

That emerald spear was wrapped in a long red cloth.

Whoosh~

A brisk wind blew on it to reveal its form.

No longer was it pure emerald; it returned to a normal-looking spear with some changes to it. The shaft, made of antlers, they had grooves and runic engravings, and the hilt had a decadent red and gold cloth in place of a tassel that flapped in the wind. Its head was battle-worn, with a hole near the tip of the blade like an executioner's blade.

Whistle~~

The air goes through the hole, making a whistling sound.

“…Oh.” Seeing it, Naraka understood. The spear in his hand held everything that was and is Elysium. Along with its essence, Naraka could feel an appalling level of danger and awesome power.

Its power was practically bleeding out; the whistle it was making was like the sound of death.

“So.” Elysium carefully moves his spear. “Give up?”

Naraka looks at his spear in awe. Her lips frown as she puts her sword away. She doesn't want to be on the other side of that spear when it swings.

“… Yeah.” Her hair returned to its normal color. Her ears also drooped down in defeat.

Elysium sighed before putting his Cosmo Sword away.

“Nara.” He goes up to her. He holds her hands and gently puts his forehead against hers.

“Elly.” She said it disappointedly.

“I’m sorry I had to use so much force.”

“… Are those weapons really for the Primordials?”

“They are. I do not wish to give you or Artemis weapons that will put you in those future battles.”

“We are adults. We can make our own choices. If we wish to stand by you and your knights when that day comes, then that is what we will do. This is our world, our home, where our children were born and raised.”

The two open their eyes to look deeply into one another’s gaze.

“… So be it. If that is what you desire,"

“Elly. I am sorry I asked for something so… dangerous. The Shōuchūtō. Seeing yours, I understood.” She opens her arms and hugs her husband. "They aren't meant to be given lightly."

Elysium did the same.

“Now you know.”

Holding her, Elysium recreates the arena.

“So what do you want me to wear?” She looked up at her lover. “Knowing you and your tastes, their bunny outfits, right?”

“Mmm... No, I have something different in mind. So shall I,” He whispers into her fox ears. “Thoroughly taste my wives?”

 “Fufu.” She smiled lovingly. “I do love this forwardness.”

“Then you will like that Artemis goes first.”

“Come on, I fought longer!”

Elysium wrapped her up, and they both disappeared to enjoy their night together with Artemis.