CHAPTER 1351: ...AS THE DEVIL MADE HIS DEBUT

A majority of the onlookers to Lyona’s battle with the [Demon Knights], had assumed that the [Taboo] she had summoned was actually a manifestation of her own innate [Chaos] cultivation.

This was only the partial truth.

In reality, this [Taboo] was combination of her own understanding of the desire of [Heroism] combined with the power of the kaijin known as Nepherage, who was supposed to be it’s embodiment.

If another kaijin such as Screamira,which represented [Rebellion], or Razorstella who was the embodiment of [Attention], then the resulting [Taboo] would be incredibly different from the straightforward club she was currently wielding.

To those who wonder what these would look like: the former would take on the form of a bone shield that could be tossed like a screaming chakram, while the latter would take on the form of a greatsword covered in gemstones that were in odd patterns she wasn’t able to fully name or describe.

Alternatively, if anyone other than Lyona was currently wielding Nepherage as a [Taboo], than it’s form would also change.

In the hands of someone like Zhen Xing, the [Taboo] would take on the form of a pair of armored boots made of jade, while in Zhen Tai’s case, it would resemble a giant stone pillar.

For the former believed that the ideal hero is someone who can move faster than light, while the latter thoight a hero was someone who could hold back even a collapsing mountain through sheer brute strength.

In other words, if an [Astra] was the embodiment of a warrior’s ability to impose their [Will] on the world around them, a [Taboo] was their personal understanding of [Desire].

Because no two mortals had the exact same definition for what constituted things such as being [Heroic] or [Revolutionary].

One man’s saint is another’s heretic, after all.

However, one can’t help but to wonder something.

A [Taboo] will form and reform itself based on a mutual understanding of a [Desire].

But if it’s based on [Disgust], the imposition of negative feelings on another, what form would such a weapon take?

Not only that, but what would happen if the kaijin in question was actually composed of multiple [Cores]?

...Live example time...

[Hate].

Glorious [Hate].

[This...this power! It’s intoxicating!] Dante practically moaned as he felt Obsidious [Chaos] merge with his own.

Up until the moment, Dante had never once considered using the power of his kaijin this directly before.

He had seen how the kaijin were able to cannibalize each other for power, and had even assumed that someday soon, he would have to do the same.

As such, Dante learned how to manipulate [Chaos] in the same way he controlled aether. Not enough to make the same constructs and attainments that normal aether warriors were able to achieve at higher stages, but just enough to empower them with [Chaos].

This allowed him to portray that same sense of invincibility that his Kaijin, but only to a point.

Dante knew that if one day the unthinkable happened, the kaijin betrayed or anyone strong enough to pierce through his veil of [Chaos] appeared, he would be resting eternally in the corpse pit.

However, that was no longer the case.

After he had gone on that wild goose chase after the other Lord, he had learned the secrets of creating zakos, beings made of pure [Chaos] that were even more loyal than dogs.

And now, after this rebellion had sprung its attack, Dante had learned yet another capability that he never explored with his kaijin.

Wielding them as a weapon.

And right now, he was feeling the true depths of Obsidious’s [Hate] and he knew the perfect form it should take.

[Obsidious, are you ready?]

[Yes, boss! No...YES, MY LORD!]

And it all started, with ensnaring his own heart in the dark bindings of hate that kept Obsidious discordant form together.

...Oh, fuck...

[SCREW OFF!]

[BAH!]

With a wild swing, Lyona sent the [Demon Knights] flying, just long enough for her to finally break away and go for the leader.

[Hope you’re ready to do something big!] Nepherage advised.

’You don’t have to tell me twice!’

Lyona wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but Nepherage had informed her that Obsidious and Dante were just about to form a [Taboo]. However, he was taking time to do so, as evident by the weird cloud of black smoke that encapsulated the duo.

Since this was the case, Nepherage and Lyona determined that the best idea for the time being was to rush in and smash the stupid bastard’s face in before he pulled off something terrible.

[Chaos Art: Rock slide —]

Unfortunately, she was a touch too slow.

By the time she had gotten into position to swing, Dante had finished saying the words.

[Taboo, Expose!]

And that’s when Nepherage gave a warning Lyona never thought she’d hear in her lifetime.

[Incoming rat rocket!]

^What the—whoa!^

Seconds after Nepherage gave her warning, a rat-shaped missile propelled by Ignarii aether, and attached to a chain, flew right by her head and almost shattered her skull.

[Now I got—GAH!]

"BY THE SAINTS!"

Instead, the rat immediately punctured the torso of a kaijin, ripped it’s [Core] out with its teeth and was subsequently swallowed by the rat rocket. Immediately after this disgusting action, the rat rocket fist retracted itself.

Whoops, I missed. Ah well, at least I snagged an upgrade.

’What the fuck am I looking at?’

[Oh fuck me sideways with a sledgehammer,] Nepherage cursed. [It’s worst than I thought.]

When the smoke cleared and the rat rocket was fully retracted, Lyona was incredibly flabbergasted by what she was seeing.

Namely because the [Taboo] she was seeing was based on a technological principal she didn’t understand in the slightest.

(Un)Fortunately, Nepherage was there to provide the information for her.

’What the fuck am I looking at?’ Lyona repeated. ’And why am I sensing more than one Taboo?!’

[Those are Otherlander weapons,] Nepherage explained to her, [and it looks they’re all actually one Taboo. It must be because it’s a composite Core of multiple kaijin.]

To better explain Nepherage’s words, Dante had yet to activate his [Regalia], as such, his newly minted devil-like form was currently wielding a pair of rat-shaped mecha-style gauntlets, a pair of over-sized shoulder rockets in the shape of screaming rat faces and a missile launcher vest filled with chained rat rockets.

From what Nepherage and Lyona could see, all of these weapons were tied together around Dante’s exposed heart, like some kind of cyborg rat king.

And once that rat rocket he fired from his chest had finished absorbing that poor kaijin’s [Core], a helmet with a strange sight accessory suddenly manifested around his head. As well, Nepherage could senses that something else was added to the gauntlets and missile launcher vest.

Let’s see, I think that particular kaijin was a member of Slavina’s Oppressors. Wonderful.

As soon as Dante made that statement, the rat rockets in his chest suddenly retracted and were replaced razor sharp spikes that were as thick as bamboo.

That means I just need to hit you once!

^PUTA MADRE!^

Dante released a flurry of poisonous thorn missiles that flew through the air in erratic patterns.

’Shit, I gotta block it!’

[Wait, don’t!]

In response to the incoming barrage, Lyona smashed the ground with her club and repeated the trick she used before against Delictum’s feather arrows.

Unfortunately, this trick wasn’t as effective this time around, because of a factor Lyona didn’t consider.

All of those weird ass weapons were connected to each other, meaning that they could all be fired in sequence.

Ha ha! Just as predicted!

As soon as the thorns impacted the fragments of stone, they exploded into clouds of toxic purple gas that forced Lyona to step back in order to avoid getting caught.

Unfortunately, at the exact same time, Dante fired off jets of flame from his gauntlets and ignited the gas and caused it to explode, temporarily blinding and deafening her.

^Damn it-OOF!^

And made her vulnerable to a follow up attack in the form of those giant shoulder-mounted rat rockets.

Luckily, Nepherage managed to move herself so that she could block the attack with her current club-like form.

It wasn’t without cost though.

The rat rockets, just like Nepherage’s club form was made of [Chaos], and was able to leave a rather heavy crack against her form.

[Nrhk!]

’Nepherage, are you alright?!’

Due to her current connection with Nepherage, Lyona could feel the damage that was inflicted upon Nepherage. Not only that, but she could feel that this damage was being echoed...somewhere else.

Fortunately...

[I’m fine! Keep your head in the fight!]

...both her and her creator were made of sterner stuff than that.

[Looks like we’re going to have get serious.]

...Elsewhere...

’Gah! Fuck!’

Just as Zhen Liu was about to escape somewhere to don his [Stigma], a sharp pain shot through his chest.

If Zhen Liu felt this pain while his connection was normal, he wouldn’t think much of it.

But right now, his connection was muted.

Meaning the pain he was feeling was technically reduced.

’Fuck. Looks like Dante is going to be more dangerous than I thought.’