I remember everything.
At last, all my memories have returned.
Witnessing Jessica's death and the fate that befell Kwanita mirrored the horrors endured by my mother and my sister. Clarity washed over me; my memories unfurled completely. After vanquishing the ten princes of Hell and absorbing their powers, a single tear from an innocent girl with pure of heart shattered the curse sealed by the Four Great Kings.
Unexpectedly, I had been trapped in the Abyss for five hundred long years. And Kwanita was the one who had rescued me. I could no longer remain passive; she had lost someone important to her. I would not let her meet the same fate as I did. I cried out, "Elysium Light Form: Phase One: Dawn's Awakening!"
In an instant, a golden-white aura erupted from my body, blinding all who stood witness. They gasped, astonished by the divine light. Only Sambra, the sole soul strong enough, beheld me in disbelief, mouth agape, unable to utter a word but a stutter of shock.
My appearance had changed. My hair flowed long and shone brightly, as if woven from light itself. My severed right hand was enveloped in solid white energy, transforming into a radiant replacement. Now, my right hand resembles light, just like my hair. My body expanded, muscles bulging larger than those of Sambra. The armor gifted to me by Gabriel in the heavens returned, cloaking me perfectly.
With my memories restored, my strength felt incomplete without the Sword of Blerit. I raised my radiant hand skyward. The Sword, sleeping within the mountain, stirred, causing stones to tumble down the hill. Moments later, it soared from the depths of the earth, cleaving the mountaintop in two before flying into my grasp.
As I held it, the blade gleamed brighter, purging the sins of the wretched around me. A radiant wing unfurled from my back as my powers coalesced.
Sambra, trembling, managed to stammer, "This is impossible. You cannot be the Doomsayer."
"I am Rhinggamana Astolfo, the hero who saved this city from invaders five hundred years ago. The statue in the center of this city is my likeness. The people of this city are the true embodiment of creatures devolving back into humanity. What has happened to you? Your behavior has become far more infernal than five centuries ago. As I recall, before Trendava and the other kings attacked this place, the humans who lived here were far more civilized!"
Seeing my wrath, Lennin and the others surrounding the execution site bowed their heads to the ground, as if worshiping a god. Kwanita, once hysterical over her sister's loss, fell silent, her eyes wide with awe at the divine figure hovering before her.
"You! You disrupted my ancestors in the heavens when they sought rare specimens in this city. How did you survive? I thought they had destroyed you!" Sambra yelled, masking his fear.
"I have died multiple times at the hands of Trendava and the others. But it seems God has decided that my tale is not yet finished. I have ventured into heaven and hell, acquiring strength from their leaders. You, Sambra, have provoked my wrath to an uncontainable degree. Had I still been a mortal, I would have already destroyed you. With the power I possess, it is entirely within my capability to do so."
Sambra fell silent, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat. His mouth trembled, and sweat drenched his face. Kwanita and the others dared not lift their eyes, as though gazing upon my emotionally charged form was a sin.
Pointing the radiant Blerit Sword at the mayor, I declared, "Sambra, I wish to kill you now. You are part of a celestial descendant and I still have vengeance against your ancestor. But I will not. One thing I ask of you: renounce your position as mayor and depart from this place, never to return."
Sambra's Bropa lineage bred an arrogance that overshadowed his fear. In my words, he chose to challenge me instead. "Do not be so arrogant, Rhinggamana. Just because you have regained your powers does not grant you license to act with impunity. I have been chosen by the great power of God Trendava, to lead this city. It is you who must leave."
I swung the Blade of Blerit, golden energy slicing the earth beside his feet. Sambra fell silent, realizing that had I aimed at him, he would have been reduced to ashes.
"I shall not repeat myself, Sambra. Your actions are monstrous. You have toyed with the fates of these sisters, tormenting them for years, and you murdered Kwanita's sister before her very eyes. You even sought to execute me. I have ample reason to eradicate you. If you continue to insult my mercy, do not expect a second chance."
"No! If I cannot have this city, then no one can!"
He hurled a green potion over the city, then soared into the sky. I nearly pursued him, but the sight of his release filled me with dread. The green smoke began to envelop the city, choking the inhabitants. I frantically searched for Kwanita.
Suddenly, Lennin and his group screamed in pain, feeling a sharp sting at their necks. Upon closer inspection, the chips affixed there had shattered, the liquid within spilled onto the ground. All those wearing the chips writhed on the ground, screaming in agony.
"Help me!" Lennin cried, crawling beneath Kwanita's feet.
This is dire! If that girl breathes in this green air, she could suffer the same fate.
"Kwanita! Whatever you do, do not inhale this green smoke!" I shouted above the chaos.
From within the crowd, her small voice emerged, "Don't worry. This smoke does not affect me at all."
Is that so? Could this green mist only affect those with chips on their necks?
But still, even if Kwanita is unharmed, I should get her to safety. My instincts screamed that worse was yet to come. I summoned Vimana. The antigravity vehicle resembling a lotus flower descended from the sky and landed at Kwanita's feet. She gasped, startled by the sudden appearance of the giant flower, glancing left and right in confusion.
I approached her and said, "Come. Climb aboard this flower."
She leaped up, and Vimana soared high into the sky, lifting us away from the suffocating green gas. Kwanita still struggled to process the unfolding events, looking at me in astonishment.
"I can't believe this. You are the hero who saved our city five hundred years ago. How did your memories all come back?"
"The experience you just endured mirrors my own childhood. Witnessing Jessica's death seems to have unlocked those painful memories, bringing everything back."
"I see. Have you regained all your powers?"
"No, for some reason, after being sealed in the prison created by the Four Great Kings atop that mountain, only ten percent of my original strength remains."
"What a pity. Did you truly fight the Four Gods alone in the heavens?"
"I will explain everything later. For now, we must focus on what is happening."
"You're right. I apologize for straying into unimportant matters."
"Forget that. I wish to ask you something: what exactly are those chips on Lennin and the others' necks?"
"They are products sold by Sambra's company. They say the chips allow users to feel no fatigue. And indeed, everyone wearing them seems to have boundless energy. No matter how arduous the task, rest is unnecessary, even sleep. They are highly effective for boosting productivity."
"Then why didn't you use the chip?"
"I couldn't afford it. It is exceedingly expensive, available only to the wealthy."
"I see."
Before long, Lennin let out a piercing scream, louder than the rest. He howled at the moon, his mouth elongating into that of a beast. Fur sprouted, covering his skin, claws grew long like those of a wild animal, and his teeth morphed into sharp, bloodthirsty fangs. In mere moments, he transformed into a werewolf.
One by one, all who wore the chips began to change into the same monstrous form.
From behind the clouds, Kwanita exclaimed, "By the gods, they are all turning into monsters! Is this a side effect of the chips?"
"It seems you made the right choice in avoiding them."
"You're right. It turns out being poor can save my life."
The werewolves began to prowl the city, seeking fresh meat. Spotting the impoverished souls unaffected by the green gas scattered throughout the streets, they started to hunt. One by one, victims fell, devoured alive by these savage beasts. It made no difference whether they were young or old; as long as they were human, they had no chance to resist, becoming mere prey for the monstrous carnivores.
Kwanita could no longer endure the horrifying scene unfolding below. She covered her eyes, turning her face away. The small tiara she wore swayed in the night breeze.
Within half an hour, every human in the city had vanished without a trace. All had perished, consumed by the hundreds of werewolves. It was finished; there was no hope left for this city to be saved. This place had to face its reckoning.
I had to end this before the monsters sought their next prey in another town. Unfortunately, I could only harness ten percent of my power. I questioned whether I could defeat them all alone.
"Kwanita, stay here. No matter what happens, do not leave. I will take care of these monsters," I urged.
"I hope you're not planning to kill them all, Rhinggamana. They may be monsters now, but remember, they were once human."
"Kwanita, I regret to say this, but there's no one left to save in this city. It has been overrun by demons. The only way to rescue this place is to eradicate them completely. I know it's hard, but it's the only way."
I leaped from Vimana into the midst of the werewolf pack, feasting on the remains of the fallen. Their mouths were stained with blood. My presence seemed to disrupt their gruesome meal. They snarled in annoyance, baring their bloodied claws.
I drew the Sword of Blerit, ready to strike. With a swift motion, I swung the sword, attempting to sweep through them in a single blow. But what happened was beyond my expectations. Nothing occurred; not even a scratch marred their hides. What was happening? Why had the Sword of Blerit lost its power?
Oh right, I remember it now. Michael had taught me how to wield the power of this sword.
"Remember, Rhinggamana, the power of the Blerit Sword draws from the positive energy of humanity. Ambition, joy, love, and hope—these are its fuels." That's what he said to me during my training.
And now, in front of me, there was not a trace of positive human energy left. It had all vanished. The only strong feeling I could sense was Kwanita's, but it was insufficient. Blerit could not be wielded against beasts devoid of such emotions.
Seeing me attack without inflicting wounds enraged the werewolves. They lunged at me. With the Blerit now turned into an ordinary sword, I fought to fend them off, striving not to become their next meal.
Suddenly, while I was busy defending myself, one werewolf bit at my leg from below. I hadn't expected an attack from that angle. Their teeth pierced through my armor. I struggled to break free from the torturous grip, but other werewolves jumped in unison, biting at my arms and legs. I was immobilized.
What should I do now?
There was still one way to escape this situation. I remembered that I had absorbed powers beyond light. Specifically, power from the dark side. I feared using this power in the mortal realm; if I couldn't control it, everything here would be annihilated. But given the predicament I faced, I had no other choice. I had to use that power.
With intense concentration, I pushed aside all the pain from their bites and declared, "Demonic Dark Form: Phase One: Belial's Infernal Flame."