Against The True Gods

Elura frowned.

'What does that have to do with anything? Using your own logic, shouldn't keeping a low number of summons be the smartest path?'

'No. Using my logic, it means that, just like the world, I need to find a balance between quality and quantity. Right now, the scale skews heavily toward quality, and that's not good.'

'It still doesn't make sense,' Elura argued, her form appearing above Caine's head, a wisp of ethereal light and shadow. 'Why would quality matter to an army of immortal summons?'

'Not only are they immortal, but they can draw power from your stars and your Will. Why the need to go overboard? You're complicating your life for no reason, Caine.'

'What kind of enemies could you possibly face that require such overwhelming power? You're rushing to the end of a race that hasn't even begun. I can feel the unrest in your heart.'

'Who are you afraid of?'

Silence followed, heavy and suffocating. The world seemed to hold its breath, afraid to move under Caine's gaze. Elura's form trembled, only now realizing the weight of her words.

"Fear?" Caine repeated aloud, his voice unnervingly calm. "Fear?" he asked again, the single word slicing through the stillness like a blade.

Elura shivered as an oppressive Will descended upon her, a force so overwhelming that it felt like the sky itself was bearing down on her. It wasn't Caine who acted; his Will moved of its own accord, lashing out as if her words had insulted its very essence.

But with a thought, Caine quelled the storm within him, suppressing his own Will star.

"I do not act out of fear," he said. "You simply cannot see what I see."

A powerful rush of qi swirled before him, and slowly, a figure began to take shape.

Simultaneously, high above, the World Will Eye began to manifest once more, its gaze cold and indifferent.

Elura stopped trembling. The tears brimming in her eyes dried instantly, evaporating under an unseen force. "I… I'm sor—"

"There's no need to apologize," Caine interrupted, his tone even. "Perhaps my actions did contain traces of fear I hadn't noticed. It is what it is."

Elura's form faded, retreating deep into his Bond Space, silent and withdrawn. In that fleeting moment, she had glimpsed the boundless wrath and hate simmering deep within Caine's heart. It wasn't directed at her, nor the world, but at himself. A self-loathing so potent it had taken form, breaking into the True Will stage long before his reincarnation.

Perhaps it had ascended even beyond that.

'What could have happened in his past…?'

WHOOOOOOOOSH!

Caine's attention returned to the figure now fully formed in front of him.

A tall humanoid entity stood there, its body covered in dark brown fur that shimmered with radiant golden runes. Ape-like features dominated its visage, and its scarlet, bestial eyes gleamed with vicious intent.

Atop its head, a swirling crown of fire blazed, and rings of golden flames encircled its wrists and ankles, radiating waves of oppressive heat. In its grasp, a long wooden staff gleamed with ancient power.

Toseh, the Ape King—the very entity Caine had faced during his coming-of-age ceremony, during the second phase of the trial.

The World Will Eye's voice resonated above, cold and final.

[More trials were intended, but they have proven unnecessary. The ruthlessness of your own hands and the infernal fire within your heart are trials enough to forge you, child. So be it.]

[Face my warrior and emerge triumphant, or fall.]

The World Will Eye faded, its decree echoing into the void.

Caine and Toseh locked eyes. The Ape King shifted uncomfortably under Caine's unwavering gaze, an unsettling sensation gnawing at his confidence.

The last time they had faced each other, Toseh had been stripped of everything—his cultivation, his dignity and his hands, mangled beyond recognition. Chains had bound him, forcing him to fight under crippling restraint.

Now, his strength had returned, almost to its full extent. Yet, he still felt… inadequate.

The feeling festered within him, feeding his bitter rage.

"Little Velios boy," Toseh growled, his voice a deep, primal rumble. "You've grown quite a bit, haven't you? I see that the world—"

"You're afraid too, aren't you?" Caine cut him off, his voice quiet yet sharp.

Caine slowly removed his upper robe, revealing a black battle shirt that hugged his muscular frame. He flicked his wrist, and the robe vanished into his storage ring. His hair, dark and silken, moved like threads of living shadow, weaving itself into a long, tight braid.

Toseh's laughter erupted, a deep, earth-shaking roar. "Me? Afraid?" he mocked, his voice rumbling through the air, shaking the ground beneath them.

Caine paid no attention to the display. His voice was soft, reflective. "Scared and embarrassed. Is this what I looked like to them?" he mused aloud.

He flexed his fingers, his knuckles cracking.

"Regardless, I'll be using you to test a few things."

Caine exhaled slowly.

Toseh's laughter choked off abruptly. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, a primal terror surging through him. His breath grew ragged, and his heart pounded erratically.

"…[Star Ring Circle: Fire.]…"

Behind Caine, his arcane and martial rings manifested, their forms overlapping in a mesmerizing dance of power. At their center, his Elemental Fire Will Star blazed, a radiant beacon of destructive energy.

Toseh's chest tightened, his instincts screaming in panic. He snarled, furious at his own fear. His crown of fire spun faster, and his aura flared, roaring to life. But it was futile.

Caine wasn't finished.

"…[Dragon Foundation.]…"

In the depths of his Fire Star, an ethereal dragon appeared, its eyes glinting with primordial might.

Toseh's vision blurred.

A heartbeat later, he found himself airborne, flames searing his body, blood spilling from his lips. Agony radiated from his chest, a clear indentation of a fist burned into his flesh.

Far in the distance, Caine's voice drifted toward him, calm and cold.

"I hope you can stay alive until I'm done testing. After that, I'll let you rest… for eternity."