The applications of cosmic energy are infinitely varied; it's both the fundamental essence of all things and the canvas for all possibilities.
Arthur was currently focused on one method: shaping that energy into powerful offensive forms, a devastating extension of his raw might. Since Hela dared to wield Thor's lightning, Arthur intended to match her blow-for-blow on the magical and energy-projection front!
A massive serpent head shot across the void, traversing an impossible distance in an instant, attempting to bite Hela. Simultaneously, a second head opened its maw, spewing raging flames, and the eyes of a third flashed with light, generating a localized, intense gravitational field!
Three forces pressed in at once, yet Hela remained utterly unfazed.
"No wonder you've gained the confidence to come find me again... you've really grown!" she mocked.
As her words fell, the longsword in her hand swung horizontally. Rising from it were hellish black flames, dark and foreboding, a fire that seemed to feed off the malice of the world itself, tearing violently through the void.
Arthur hadn't anticipated this! He hadn't imagined Hela could wield so many different techniques. Previously, she had given him three chances; he thought the third wouldn't even be needed; this time, he believed he could finally deal with her.
But he hadn't realized the truth: she had never taken him seriously before.
What Arthur didn't know was that these newly displayed abilities weren't innate to Hela. During their last battle, although Arthur had suffered a crushing defeat, Hela's own mind had registered a faint sense of potential danger.
The three chances she offered weren't just a challenge for Arthur; they were a self-imposed deadline for her own evolution.
But this woman was born of arrogance and pride; how could she allow a mere mortal to surpass a goddess so easily, especially a goddess like herself?
After Arthur left the previous time, Hela began quietly contemplating countermeasures. Each of Arthur's visits grew progressively more formidable; his rate of growth seemed utterly impossible to measure by any normal standard. His strength surged in a way that could almost be called irrational. If she didn't have a way to respond, the next time he came could have been her undoing, a humiliation she could not stomach!
No matter what Arthur achieved, Hela resolved to always maintain her superiority.
She knew that their first all-out battle was both an opportunity to crush him and a true test of his strength. By their second encounter, he would be supremely confident. Therefore, new skills were necessary.
She began with lightning, then fire... primarily because Arthur's techniques were becoming so complex and unpredictable that they inspired her to evolve her own abilities. Breaking cunning with overwhelming force, piercing the surface with precision, these were good strategies. But when the opponent's tricks were too numerous, one inevitably suffered.
This time, Hela approached the battle from both angles: versatility and overwhelming power. The results were impressive.
Coincidentally, when Arthur had grown in power and intended to confront Hela, she felt her "divine mastery" was finally ready to face him. Their wills collided, Arthur came exactly when Hela expected him to.
So, at the start of the fight, she opened with the "Return of Ten Thousand Swords" to test his new resilience. When she realized that move couldn't harm him, she unleashed her new divine techniques.
Black flames, clearly imbued with the world's malice, sizzled as they consumed the void. A single swing of Hela's hand spread the inferno, instantly creating a vast, dark firestorm.
In a fraction of a second, the sky was filled with a chaotic, frenzied onslaught.
The first serpent head bore the brunt, instantly engulfed by Hela's flames. Since both were composed of energy, the massive construct twisted and howled toward the sky in agony! At the same time, the fire leapt past the first head and surged directly toward Arthur.
The void itself trembled.
Arthur's eyes widened. "This... this move looks so familiar..."
Suddenly, realization struck him: "You watch Naruto too?"
Hela nearly lost her mind. What the hell is he talking about? Here in this cursed place, all she had to look at was the gray sky, the dead trees, and the occasional blood rain that defined hell's unique scenery.
"You watch Naruto too? My ass!"
Hela was seething with curses when Arthur's figure vanished instantly.
This wasn't surprising. If Hela had forgotten Arthur's instant teleportation, she wouldn't even be fighting him!
Before Arthur could reappear, Hela's longsword had already pierced the limitations of the void, the moment he materialized, a sword was at his forehead.
His figure disappeared again, reappearing above Hela for a descending slash, the Void Slash!
But this Void Slash was different from before. Previously, it relied purely on spatial energy, but now it was infused with raw cosmic energy. The energies intertwined, and the slash tore a faint rift in the void, releasing sizzling white lightning.
The brilliance of this move lay in its precision. Arthur could make the attack appear exactly where he wanted it to, as long as it stayed within his reach. It was one take, one action, no swinging, no delay, the result was instantaneous!
Hela stood perfectly in the center of the slash. A black rift appeared momentarily on her body... she looked up sharply at Arthur.
The rift lasted only a fraction of a second. When it vanished, Hela stood unharmed!
"Monster!"
Arthur vanished once more. Simultaneously, a variety of lights rippled around Hela, even laser beams! These were all of Arthur's collected and bizarre abilities, unleashed simultaneously, creating a stunning visual spectacle. Meanwhile, Arthur pulled out a sniper rifle from a distance.
He aimed the energy shot at Hela's abdomen; the head was too risky.
A gunshot echoed like the opening of an explosion!
In an instant, five-colored light erupted. Hela was engulfed in a sea of radiant energy, waves licking her body. Yet, in her hand, she gripped a single, crucial bullet.
Arthur released The Eye of Horus, preparing to observe the results, when suddenly, a roar tore through hell, soundwaves shocking all directions. The sky above nearly split from the force.
All the surrounding energy was instantly pushed outward. Hela, bearing a crown of spikes, charged straight at him.
Arthur vanished and reappeared directly behind her, slapping her on the back.
"Enough. This ends here!"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 70 chapters on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395