God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.

Descending from the sky like a meteor, Guy swung his axe again.

A sweeping arc of condensed blood energy shot out of the edge of the blade.

Lukas sighed, "You... Releasing something like this here could put your men in the crossfire as well."

All around them, the Crimson Warriors were engaged with the Lightslayers. Tehyw ere the best of the best, and so, they managed to reach a quick standstill, neither side having the upper hand.

The Blood Crescent shot towards Lukas, but with a wave of his blade, it was cleanly deflected, turning a group of encroaching Sea Mutants to mincemeat.

Guy guffawed, "If you want to be a bitch, just say so. Where did your guts run off to? If you submit now, I'll consider soaring your life."

Lukas grinned, "I didn't know you did comedy on the side. Let's take this thing somewhere else, shall we."

Although Guy seemed reckless, he was incredibly cautious. That was why even all this time, he hesitated to approach Lukas. He could tell, even from a distance, that his opponent was the toughest one till date he was going to face.

'Couldn't have it any other way!' He thought, as a grin split his face in two.

Then, without warning, Lukas disappeared from sight.

His eyes widened as his pupils darted everywhere. Swinging his axe in a full circle, Ki shot out of his body,

Air compressed and released instantaneously, creating a shockwave that spread out in all directions.

However, Lukas remained yet to be seen.

Guy frowned, 'Is it invincibility? No... Not that.'

"Ha... And I thought you were something else. Turns out you are just a brute swinging a huge weapon without any idea how to use it." A voice wormed its way into his head.

Guy spun around to see Lukas standing a few feet away from him, blade in hand.

Guy's frown deepened, "How..."

"How did I slip past your blind attack? Or how did I get so close without you noticing?" Lukas said with a teasing grin on his face.

Subtle rage tugged at Guy's face, but he remained composed in the end,

"If you want to play games, I encourage it. Soon, you'll lose that head of yours."

Lukas' smile turned cold and callous, "The only one that will be dying today is you. Lacking every ounce of skill, and yet, you dare claim superiority. Is this false bravado, or something even more embarrassing?" Lukas said without stop.

Guy launched forward, his rage bubbling forth.

Mana and Ki poured off of his weapon in equa measure as he swung widly. Each strike contained Incredible power, but Lukas was able to dodge thanks to his superior speed.

"Ha! Where the hell are you running to?!" Guy roared as he got more and more excited.

Lukas chuckled.

The two of them raced across the pitch black expanse, using the power of magic to keep themselves from falling into its depths.

Slowly, the seperated themselves from their men, travelling further and further away from the bloody battlefield.

Once they had traveled far enough, Lukas stopped in his tracks.

"Hmm... This seems like a good place to let loose."

Guy smiled, "It is nice. No more distractions."

Lukas turned around and stared Guy in the eyes,

"Before we officially begin, can I ask you a few things?"

Guy snorted, "Sure, but I can't guarantee I will answer."

Lukas nodded. He brought the blade in his hands to his face, gently caressing it like a lover's Bossom.

He then smiled at Guy, "Do you know where your goals... your ambitions will lead you?"

Guy responded indifferently, "Of course I do. However, what the hell do you know about my goals?"

Lukas chuckled, "Well, I just can tell. You seek to conquer this world, to rule it and rewrite it's rules on your own terms. Like a true egomaniac..."

Guy chuckled, "Then I'm guessing you want the same. Am I right?"

Lukas paused for a while, "Yes, and no. While it is a part of my goals, it is not the end all be all. My true goal is not only to conquer this world, but also every other world in the entirety of existence."

Guy couldn't help but laugh, "Look who's calling me an egomaniac?"

Lukas shook his head, "Unlike you, I understand the gravity of my words. I understand the difficulties of the road I must bear and the cross I must carry..."

Lukas cleared his throat, "As you must know, this world is dying. The essence of the fallen gods is overwhelming the planet. The Devils, as horrendous and treacherous as they are, are a necessary evil to delay the inevitable destruction of this world. We need to find a way to stop this. After all, the King of a broken world is no king at all."

Guyfixed him a glare, "So what are you saying?"

Lukas smiled, "I'm saying we should come to a truce. Fighting now will only bring about a loss in resources. He true enemies are still out there growing in both numbers and power. Why not bury the hat6 now and work together?"

Indeed, such an option was possible. The truth of the matter was that there wasn't too much bad blood between these two or their subordinates.

If they could avoid fighting, they would be able to destroy the Mutant Horde and maybe they could continue growing their power together until they were strong enough to hold the fate of the entire planet in theyr hands.

Still...

Guy sneered at him, "Do you take me for a fool, or do you just like to joke around?"

Lukas' smile fell as his face turned cold and indifferent.

"What do you mean?"

Guy chuckled, "Why should I agree to a truce? What good will that do me? The world ending? The Devils? Let it end! Let them come!

I... I alone will be powerful enou6 to stop them all!"

The pride... The unbridled arrogance... Worthy of a being acknowledged by the Blood God of War.

Lukas sighed, "So simple minded."

Guy shook his head, "It is you who is simple minded. Allies? For what do I need them. If you completely submit to me, then I could consider it. Until then, you are an enemy."

Seeing that there was nothing that could change his mind, Lukas got ready to fight,

"You do not even understand the nature of the chains that bind you, yet you bear such arrogance. Perhaps killing you would be for the best."

Guy sneered "Enough with the big talk. Come, and let me show you what the true incarnation of death looks like!"

The two men stared at one another for a spilt second before dashing forward, their weapons drawn.

With a loud grunt, Guy swung his axe down. The attack seemed reckless, but Lukas was able to see through the guise. Previously, Guy had fought recklessly to lure him into a false understanding. If he was less observant, he wouldn't have been able to guess that Guy was hiding his true skill.

The positioning, the way he shifted his balance to accommodate for the excessive power of the falling axe, his footwork as he approached. Everything screamed one thing and one thing only.

A martial genius...

Lukas frowned. Things were going to be a bit more difficult now.

Still, he was not going to b one to be outdone.

In the blink of an eye, he dissapeared, then reappeared behind Guy. His blade was silent, cutting through air like it wasn't even there.

Just before the edge of the blade could bite into flesh, the shaft of the descending axe shifted. This small shift was just enough to block the approaching blade.

Lukas was unfazed, moving his body midair and striking again, this time at Guy's unguarded chest.

The attack struck, but he felt like he was trying to stab into a block of tungsten.

Lukas' frown deepened.

Releasing his axe from his grip, Guy punched forward. Dodging by slightly tilting his head, Lukas used the but if his sword to strike his forearm, shifting it out of the way. Slashing down again, he released a burst of energy. The searing heat of concentrated photons torn through Guy's flesh, causing him to wince as he retreated backwards.

Separating for a brief second, they both stared their opponent down.

'He's not dissapearing. He is just incredibly fast. So fast, my eyes can't read it. If not for {Danger Eye} and {Bloodlust Fiend}, I would be dead by now.' Guy thought to himself.

{Danger Eye} was an ability he had acquired as a result of honing his instincts. This way, he was able to react to danger almost subconsciously.

{Bloodlust Fiend} was a skill he had acquired that allowed him to detect bloodlust directed at himself. It also had the function of putting him in a berserker state the more his own bloodlust increased.

Together, the two created a very solid defense that he made use of to survive till this day. He has believed it to be foolproof until now.

'Perhaps he isn't all bark and no bite after all.'

On the other hand, Lukas' mind churned as well,

'His defense is something else. Even after that attack, he is barely injured and that injury has healed already. His physical strength is grwater than mine as well, and he can react to my attacks. As expected...'

Unlike Guy, Lukas hadn't gone into this battle underestimating his opponent. As such, he had come both mentally and physically prepared.

Just as they were about to clash again, a sudden change appeared.

Lukas was about to take a step when the black water beneath him came alive. He quickly made a move, trying to avoid it, but he was unable to.

"Fuck!"

In a panic, he tried releasing some energy. Light erupted out of his body, but was quickly swallowed by a stream of shadows.

As quickly as it had appeared, the shadows dissapeared, leaving only Guy on this seemingly endless stretch of ocean.

Silence...

"What the hell was that?" Guy said to himself after a while.

"That was your cue to start preparing for your funeral."

A voice came from behind, slightly startling him.

'What the hell, man... Why do these idiots keep appearing behind me today. Is there something they want to admire or something?!'

Turning around, Guy was a bit surprised to see a giant Mutant Creatures behind him. This Mutant Creature resembled a bear, but was much more terrifying. Its body was covered in pitch-black fur with streaks of red covering the length of its body.

And oseated on top of the bear, was someone...

He looked young, most likely younger than twenty years. He was somehwat handsome, with black hair, darker eyes, and slightly tanned skin. There was a scar running across the length of his face, marring his handsome features, yet enhancing them at the same time.

His face seemed to be enveloped in darkness, and a nebulous energy surrounded him.

Guy was immediately on guard,

"Who the fuck are you?"

Cain's voice rang out solemnly, "Your fucking grim reaper..."