The Seraphic System

The Seraphic System

Chapter: 110

(A Bad Day To Be Greek)

Wings burst from its back, glowing white and marked with a strange symbol. In its hand was a blade that seemed sharp enough to cut through space itself.

I activated my appraisal instinctively.

{Divine General Mahoraga}

{Title: Adaptive Divine Guardian, Tenth Shadow of Heaven}

{Race: Angelic Super-Shikigami}

{Power level: 17,900}

Peak Ultimate-Class.

My method, of using the summoning ritual, had fundamentally changed it. The wheel above its head, looking a lot like a halo, began to turn slowly, and Mahoraga's masked face tilted toward me.

No words. There was no thought going through its head, nor any further thought process as I entered its gaze.

Just immediate explosive movement.

The distance was closed in a heartbeat. Before I could even activate my Rinnegan, its blade was already cutting through the space I was occupying. I moved out of the way smoothly and decreased my own weight, letting myself drop below the strike even faster.

The blade passed overhead with the sound of splitting air. I pushed out a shockwave of wind and made some distance between it and me. Mahoraga tracked my movement perfectly, those empty eye sockets beneath the mask somehow following me with unnerving precision.

It launched forward again, wings propelling it with frightening speed. The blade came in a horizontal slash. Before it could make contact with my body, my own sword appeared in my hand and came up in an instant to block the powerful strike.

The impact was surprisingly strong, and the force sent me skidding backwards, feet tearing grooves in the earth.

Mahoraga put even more force behind the attack, his blade work precise and devastating. Each strike was measured and controlled. No wild swings, but instead calculated cuts designed to kill.

My sword blocked them all, despite how rapidly they came. We met with a fury that beseeched even me. I ducked under a vertical slash and retaliated with a palm strike wreathed in holy light. The luminous impact connected solidly with Mahoraga's chest, Holy Energy detonating on impact.

The shikigami exploded back, its skin burning from the sheer force. The light burnt against its skin, and his burns pulsed with agony; that much was clear from its inhumane grunts.

Just as it looked to be burning a hole through the Shikigami, the Wheel above its head spun, and the Halo sparked with power. When the light faded, it returned to its normal position. The burning light that had been meant as a sneaky killing blow faded.

I felt the shift immediately.

The Holy Energy that should have burned into its very core had done way less damage than expected.

So that was its Adaptation at work.

Just how long would it take to download those skills from Mahoraga? Its sheer potential was baffling.

My eyes narrowed, and I decided to try something new. Massive amounts of chakra rolled out of my coils, and a massive well of gravity suddenly crackled into existence over Mahoraga, increasing in power.

Its wheel turned, and its body grew just that bit larger.

Observing closely, I watched his body pause and bend, affected by gravity until it began rising and actively resisting the walls of Gravity with increasing ease, with each passing second making it easier for it to move.

Ah…

So it wasn’t foolproof, but it was also adapting to the level of power at a downright monstrous pace.

I pushed off the ground, Light Embodiment turning my body into a streak of energy, and came at Mahoraga from multiple angles.

Each of my parts struck at the shikigami from different locations. Mahoraga's blade moved in a perfect circle, Holy Energy trailing in its wake. It cut through every illusion without hesitation, finding the real me instantly.

I blocked the counterstrike with a calmly erected barrier of gravitational force that repelled the sword back. The blade almost hit me, but stopped just a few inches away.

My hand lashed out against its chest, landing a powerful punch that sent it flying back, but not before my sword swiped and a massive cut tore through its torso. Blood sprayed just as he was sent back, his large arms coming to dig into the ground, and the wheel coming to click once more.

The massive cut and the rapidly forming bruise from my hit began rapidly fading in a shocking display of regeneration. It didn’t waste a moment waiting, instead opting to launch itself towards me.

Another slash, and a massive gnash appeared after. My sword flickered as I mixed the attacks, trying to make my attack pattern as random as possible.

The gnash quickly closed, the blood that poured out halting, and I noticed the damage was less than it had been last time, while my punch found itself leaving less of a bruise that further faded against its pale, ashen skin.

Unbothered, the Shikigami dug its leg into the ground and lashed out with a powerful strike that was infused with cursed energy. A wave of light travelled through its large arm just at the point of contact, releasing an explosion of light that would have done some damage…

Had the light not washed over me uselessly.

The cursed energy naturally bypassed my immunity to pure physical damage, forcing me to block properly. But that didn’t do much as I retaliated with a powerful kick that slammed into his torso.

His regeneration didn’t wait.

Mahoraga shot towards me, blade extended and poised to try to shred me apart.

Chains tore out of reality and attempted to wrap around him.

The wheel turned.

Golden light exploded outward from Mahoraga's body. My chains held for three seconds before they shattered. I retaliated, channelled Light through my hand, and delivered a devastating palm strike to its centre mass, truly damaging its internals.

The light energy detonated, cratering the ground beneath us. Mahoraga slid back but remained standing, and wounds were burned deeply into its skin. What would normally be a massive amount of damage turned out to be minor injuries as its body began rapidly regenerating. Again.

My eyebrows twitched.

"Alright," I said, upping the amount of power that came to the surface of my skin. "Let's see you adapt to this."

I guess this was as good a chance as any.

I raised a hand, Angelic Magic flooding outward in a wave of oppressive force. "Anathema.”

Reality twisted around Mahoraga. The Divine Curse took hold, marking the shikigami as rejected, creating a zone of decay and supernatural pressure around it. The very air turned hostile towards it, pressing against Mahoraga from all sides.

The shikigami's movements slowed.

I realised with growing interest that the Anathema curse wasn’t weakening in its effect on him. Interesting indeed. No adaptation to Divinity, huh? That's a bummer, but it makes sense.

Alright.

Enough playing around.

My full strength finally came to life, roaring into its presence and flattening the area around me. An aura made of pure energy enveloped my body like a second skin, spiralling with blue whips. My wings stretched across the grounds, and a halo of light twisted above me.

Mahoraga's blade rose to meet mine.

The two weapons met in a collision of Holy and Cursed energies. The shockwave flattened everything within a hundred meters. The area around us flickered, straining under the pressure.

Then Vesper's cursed light flared and found the chance. My blade carved deep into Mahoraga's shoulder, splitting through its tenacious flesh. Cursed Light flooded into the wounds of the cursed creature, spreading like poison.

His regeneration fought against it, and Mahoraga's wheel spun rapidly.

I didn’t stop there.

I twisted the blade and channelled a full burst of sun breathing through it. "Dance of the Fire God.”

An explosion of light and flame erupted from inside Mahoraga's body. The shikigami was blown upwards, its left arm torn off, half its torso charred and leaking golden light instead of blood.

Even then, its regeneration proved deadly.

A powerful spear of light that formed in the sky dropped abruptly, unleashing a massive, ear-shattering blast that consumed everything within the barrier. The only thing that stopped it from going beyond was.

So I was genuinely surprised when a blade pierced through the light and tried to decapitate me. Mahoraga's blade, which had been purely holy before, began to shimmer with darkness. Cursed energy wrapped around holy light, creating the same fusion I'd just used against it.

“…”

He mimicked even this?

Its body was torn apart, for lack of a better term, and the fact that it could still move was a miracle. The somewhat aesthetically pleasing appearance was replaced with a monster of burnt flesh.

It wasn’t the same type of cursed energy, but it was definitely a variant.

My palm pressed against its chest. The already raging air around my hand became even more volatile.

Obviously, it wasn't just a simple touch.

Light, Holy Energy, wind, gravity, all of it erupted in a cataclysmic blast that would have levelled the surrounding forest for a mile if not for the barrier.

When the light finally faded, I stood in the centre of a perfectly spherical crater.

The forest within the barrier had been completely erased, and the ground had turned to glass from the heat. And at my feet lay Mahoraga's wheel, cracked and broken, golden light fading from its surface.

The shikigami itself had been obliterated beyond what healing could regenerate

I stared at the wheel for a long moment, finding myself grinning.

My reserves were fine, but forcing me to my max, even if I was at the lower end of the God-class, was an insane feat. It was more of a Pseudo God-class in terms of personalised power.

Against beings less versatile than me, I am sure it can take down a Minor God.

His destructive capability wasn’t particularly impressive, but in a battle, he would probably kill anyone at his level of power.

I watched as the broken wheel dissolved into motes of light. They swirled upward, forming a pattern in the air before flowing into my chest. The connection was solidified instantly.

The trial was complete.

Another useful asset for Heaven was acquired. The fact that it had somehow mutated due to my Angelic power was just a bonus.

It was then that a banging sound reached my ears, making me peek up in confusion. My eyes widened, and it only took a moment for the realisation to dawn on me.

Azrael was attacking my barrier.

The Angel of Death moved in a blur, her fists wreathed in black and silver energy as she hammered against the golden dome. Each impact sent waves across its surface, and I could see the genuine worry in her normally cold expression.

Her eyes were wide, almost frantic.

Damn it.

So that’s what I was hearing.

How did she find out?

I was more surprised than relieved that the barrier hadn't broken. I didn't plan to lose an asset like Mahoraga just because one of my Angels caught note of my secret escapade.

I could see uncertainty in her movements, though, probably figuring out that I'd laid the barrier myself, but still unable to stop herself from trying to break through.

If she went all out, she would probably alert everyone within Heaven and the sub-dimension. That would have been embarrassing.

I quickly dispelled the barrier, sending an apologetic look to the two massive trees in the distance. The golden dome shattered as glass, and Azrael disappeared from my gaze.

The only reason I knew she was still here was that I felt it as she slammed into me, arms wrapping around my torso in a desperate hug that sent us both crashing to the ground.

I let out a resigned breath. This was exactly what I'd wanted to avoid. How had she even sensed me? Since my other Seraphim weren’t swarming me, it must be something to do with Azrael’s abilities.

"My Lord! I- I," she whispered against my chest, her voice tight. "I saw... You… I couldn't..."

"I'm fine, Azrael." I hugged her back, feeling her trembling slightly. It was a bit surprising how genuinely rattled she was by this.

I took a moment to merely comfort her, slightly unsure as the normally cold Angel seemed so… different.

Two realisations came to me.

Firstly, I was shirtless, with my pants being in a less-than-ideal situation as well. My clothing appeared to be destroyed during the fight.

Secondly, I saw how seriously she was taking this. I tried to see it from her point of view, and it did make some sense.

Seemingly, finding a random being attacking your Lord, while he is alone, with an extremely powerful barrier separating you and him. All this is happening in an area that was supposed to be the safest place.

Perhaps I should have allowed my Seraphim to at least know. But I hadn't done so in the first place because they would never allow it.

And I didn’t know if they could kill Mahoraga for me.

Even if I commanded them, they’d intervene instantly and worry needlessly.

My plan had been foolproof.

I would have released the barriers if Mahoraga were an actual threat to me. They would sense it immediately, and Mahoraga would find himself under the vicious assault of multiple powerful Angels.

If not, I’d fight and defeat Mahoraga. Then I’d reveal it after in a… flowery way, which would probably get me in boiling water till I left Heaven with Michael.

My Angels really didn’t play around with my safety…

But I wasn’t one to shy away from danger.

Azrael finally shifted.

She pulled back slightly, her gothic features etched with worry, before her expression smoothed into something colder. More controlled. But her hands still didn't leave my shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to startle you-” I began, only to be cut off.

"What happened?" Her voice had regained its usual icy edge, but I could hear the anxiety underneath. “How did that… monster get within the sub-dimension? And why did you set a barrier around the battle?”

“…It was intentional. I was performing a ritual of sorts to gain control over the being you saw attacking me.” I replied honestly. “And for that, I had to defeat it on my own.”

Her silver eyes became questioning but considerably less concerned, even as her brows furrowed. “Why was I not informed? And where is Michael? Or any of my siblings for that matter.”

“I didn’t tell you or anyone else not to worry you. I was fairly certain I could handle it, and if not, I had plans to release the barrier, drawing help from nearby immediately,” I explained calmly. I had to keep myself from wincing at her gaze.

My words certainly seemed to have an effect. Unfortunately, not the one I desired.

“You must be speaking in jest, My Lord?" Her voice is getting even colder. "Fighting something that powerful alone. Along with putting up such a powerful barrier…”

-{Azrael}-

Perhaps she was overreacting… but that worry over his life she had experienced weighed heavily on her.

She had seen how quickly the battle had ended when he unleashed his full power. Even with the being’s impressive ability to grow resistance to any attack, it couldn't contend against her Father's glory.

Perhaps one of her new Seraph siblings would have had more trouble if they hadn’t let off their largest attack at the very start, an occurrence that happened rarely.

There was a slight shake in her body, and bad memories kept flashing by. That accursed battle. That starless sky. The world was trapped in darkness as the Sun fell from the sky.

She and her siblings were only able to look up into the blackened Heavens, as its Master’s corpse turned into motes of light that disappeared in the air.

She despised those memories.

She hated that singular moment most of all.

"I apologise for not telling you or anyone else," Kai apologised, waking her from her nightmare. A slight wince crossed her face from the tight grip he kept on her.

Her silver eyes narrowed. "And you decided to use the two trees as a way to lock us out? At the very least, you should have made a weak barrier.”

Azrael couldn’t ignore the intense dislike that was directed at the two large trees that had rebuffed her attempts so thoroughly and with a minor amount of success.

If this is what they could do, then what else?

"I needed to do it myself. I was… testing myself against a new creation." Kai said.

"Then I could have stood by," Her grip on him tightened. "Just in case."

"You would have intervened a second into the battle," He pointed out gently. “And then you would have started monitoring me just in case I tried it again alone.”

She wanted to deny his words, but it was painfully true… She could see his point, but she just didn’t like it. It wasn’t about how powerful he was or how small the chance of it going wrong was. She couldn’t allow that chance to exist.

She opened her mouth to protest with some other point, but then closed it. Her expression flickered with something hurt before settling back into cold understanding. She didn't let go, though, remaining close even as her face became an icy mask again.

Still, the subject couldn’t be dropped.

“Was this necessary?” Azrael questioned. “I have become aware of your lack of fear of danger, but Heaven isn’t scraping its claws for power. Not anymore. This didn’t need to be done and even if it did, risking the leader… I’m sure this has been explained to you.”

The Angelic Empowerment had done wonders to raise Heaven back to its footings.

The position of now and before Kai’s arrival couldn’t be compared.

“It has.” He sighed. “But I was confident, and as you can see, the Shikigami will become a valuable asset to Heaven. And while we are strong… We are not the strongest. Other Pantheons, like the Greeks, have expanded to an incredible degree. Fractured as they are, I don’t want to ever need to worry about groups like them making alliances against us.”

Her face scrunched up in forced understanding. “I understand to that degree. But aren’t we looking for potential alliances as well? Even then, calling Heaven stale in growth…”

“It’s not that. I just feel like I should be doing the most.” He said, and her heart genuinely fluttered for perhaps the first time in history. “My personal power is great and all, but what happened after God died?”

Azrael’s lip trembled.

He didn’t even need to explain it further.

Heaven had fallen quite quickly without his power.

“I understand.” She said deeply. “Please just tell me next time.” Azrael sighed. “Don’t put yourself into this risk and allow me to place a Shade on you just in case.”

-{Kai}-

Her tone was pleading, and I found myself sighing at her being so fussy. This was the second time I had seen her being so emotional.

“Ok.” I agreed easily.

She sagged in relief, sending me a pretty smile.

“You know I wasn’t in any trouble, right? I could have defeated Mahoraga in one second if I had desired so. I was just playing with it.”’

“That's exactly what worries me. You need to be more careful, my Lord.”

“Hah… me and my overly worried Angels. It's equal parts sweet and annoying how reasonable you bunch can be sometimes.”

"Where are you going next?" she asked next. She was clearly re-directing our conversation to a different topic, but I shall let her off this time.

"I need to check on Percy. The Demi-God I told you about.” I replied easily, a robe appearing out of my inventory. “I originally told him I would be sending someone, but it seems I’ll be going myself now.”

"So, leaving Heaven?” She clarified.

"Yes."

"Good." She stood, pulling me up with her. "I'm coming with you."

I raised an eyebrow but didn't argue.

Having Azrael along wouldn't hurt, and she clearly needed reassurance.

"Alright.”

I held out my hand, making her hesitate for a moment before her hand entwined warmly with mine.

How lewd.

-{Percy Jackson}-

Percy was in the middle of sword practice when golden letters of light formed into a message in front of him.

Well, not in front of him. Not where anyone else could see, for that matter. It was in the reflection of his blade, where the word appeared, and it disappeared so quickly, he almost missed it.

Thankfully, it was just one single word. Yet, he understood its meaning completely.

Beach.

Percy fumbled his strike, earning a look from the Ares kid he'd been sparring with.

"You good, Jackson?" He questioned.

"Yeah, just... remembered I had something to do." Percy lowered his blade. "Let's take a break."

He was beating Percy’s ass anyway.

Percy made his way towards the beach as casually as possible, trying not to look like he was rushing. His heart was pounding, though.

Finally! He'd been waiting for a long time. It felt like ages since their last talk, and Chiron had been increasingly getting on his ass about the quest. While Annabeth had been surprisingly willing to wait for Kai, the same couldn't be said for the Centaur.

The relief that Kai had found someone to go with him was almost overwhelming. He found Kai standing near the water, and Percy grinned, jogging over excitedly.

He noticed a barrier around them and assumed it was meant to remain unnoticed.

"Dude! I was starting to think you'd forgotten about-“

He stopped dead.

A woman was standing next to Kai.

Tall, with pale but healthy skin, long black hair and features that looked like they'd been carved from divine ivory. The woman had a face that he couldn't stare at for too long.

Percy had never seen Aphrodite before, but he was sure that this lady would definitely be her match in terms of looks.

She was simply stunning.

The lady wore dark clothing, and her silver eyes tracked Percy with an intensity that made his mouth go dry.

Percy's face flushed hot.

He immediately looked away, focusing entirely on Kai.

"Uh. Hey." His voice cracked slightly. "Didn't realise you were bringing… a goth chick."

The woman looked mildly puzzled but regarded him coldly.

And Percy looked at Kai in bewilderment. Was Kai serious right now? Did he not realise a Goddess was standing right next to him?

Kai smiled slightly, clearly noticing Percy's reaction. "Oh, right, Percy, this is Azrael.”

The Arch-Angel in question didn’t feel the need to say anything, and Percy noticed her hand wrapped around Kai’s. Her silver eyes, that he swore flickered red for a second, looked at Kai with a warmth that was… sensual?

Dude…

“The Angel of Death?” Percy asked confusedly.

He wasn’t knowledgeable on Angels, but even he knew the Seraph’s names.

A pleased look flashed through her eyes.

“A pleasure.” She said, her tone musical to his ears even as it came out in a flat tone.

"Right. Cool. Angel. That's... yeah." Percy absolutely did not look at her again.

The angel’s silver eyes inspected him.

“So, uh, I’m guessing you’ve managed to find someone to come with us?” Percy said, staring back at the cold beauty.

He hoped it wasn’t her. Percy didn’t know if he would be able to focus, and his track record with powerful beings suggested he keep away from this dangerous woman.

Kai smiled casually. “I’ve decided to come with you.”

Percy blinked. His confusion must have shown on his face because Kai continued.

"I know I said I was too busy before. Things have changed now."

The gothic Angel’s face, which was already cold, became even colder.

Percy chuckled nervously.

"But you're the King of Heaven now, right? How are you just... leaving?"

“He shouldn’t be,” Azrael said coldly. “But his friendship with you has made my Lord reconsider.”

Kai glanced at Azrael, who was staring at Percy with an expression that just might have been a glare. Or maybe that was just her face. Percy couldn't tell and wasn't willing to look long enough to find out.

He valued his manhood too much to participate in such experiments.

"I have people I trust to handle things," Kai said simply. "And this quest is important. Besides, I promised I'd help."

Azrael’s lips thinned, but she remained silent.

Relief flooded through Percy. "That's... that's awesome, man. Seriously. Chiron's been on my ass lately, and I wasn't sure how I was going to do this without you. Even Annabeth has agreed that you will increase our chance of survival by a lot…”

Should he be talking?

He could swear Azrael was exerting a pressure that weighed on him.

"You won't have to." Kai's expression grew more serious. "I need to handle a few things in Heaven first a day or two. Then I'll meet you at Camp Half-Blood properly. We can plan the quest details then."

"Will Lady Azrael come with you?”

Azrael slowly turned to Kai.

“She’s too busy.”

Azrael continued to stare at him.

“Is Annabeth coming?” Kai questioned, moving on tactfully.

“I doubt she will allow herself not to; she’s been dying to talk to you,” Percy said with a grin.

“It’ll be good to see her again.” Kai smiled.

Percy laughed. “She’s been fan-girling over you for a while, so I suppose she will be happy as well.”

Kai, in turn, shot him a surprised look. “I’m glad I left such an effect on her.”

Annabeth was going to kill him.

Kai paused and looked thoughtful. “In fact, since this is such a dangerous quest. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone…”

Percy blinked. “I’m sure I’ll be fine, I’m not weak, and I doubt something will suddenly happen to me.”

Right…?

“Sure,” Kai replied half-mindedly.

“Dude… don’t jinx me!” Percy said, half-seriously.

“I think I’ve got a suitable bodyguard in mind.” Kai nodded.

Azrael looked curiously. “You intend to use that creature?”

What?

“It’ll be good to see how far my orders extend, and I’m confident he’s under control.” Kai nodded.

Azrael’s expression finally gave way, a small laugh escaping her, a nice sound despite the vicious tint to it.

“A good idea, my Lord. Allow this demigod to enjoy its presence.” Azrael nodded happily.

Some sort of Heavenly beast?

Kai stared flatly. “Don’t listen to her, he’s not that big of a problem.”

“You did have to fight to get him under control.” Azrael inputted.

“He should be completely obedient.” Kai rebuffed.

“You’re not talking about Satan, or someone like that, are you?” Percy asked hesitantly. “I’ve never been religious, but demons aren’t meant to be good for anyone’s general welfare, are they?”

Azrael perked up, then stared. “I have reevaluated my stance on you.”

Percy blinked.

“Don’t mind her, you’ll be fine. It’s just a new creation of sorts.” Kai said, his tone carefree. “A bit odd looking, if it attacks, just pray and I’ll unsummon it.”

“If…?” Percy questioned.

“Mahoraga,” Kai called.

Shadows pooled around Kai, and oh my God-

A massive creature climbed out. Not particularly ugly but definitely odd-looking. His nose twitched, almost expecting to smell that scent most monsters had, even if it looked oddly perfect. Only to find it smelled like nothing.

The creature looked at Kai.

“Guard my friend here with your life and listen to his base orders without fail,” Kai ordered, his eyes flashing with a ruthless glint.

Mahoraga merely bowed its head, giving way to a golden wheel. Azrael seemingly relaxed from next to Kai, staring at the being with genuine dislike for a reason he suspected predated the earlier statement of Kai being attacked.

Kai nodded, then turned. Golden light began to gather around him and Azrael.

"Wait, you're leaving now?" Percy asked.

"I'll be back soon,” Kai commented. Try not to get into trouble before then."

"When do I ever get into trouble?" Percy asked as an attempt to reassure him.

Kai just gave him a look.

“Hey! Don't forget that you were a huge reason for my problems as well!” Percy tried.

Surprisingly, Azrael nodded along with him.

The light intensified, and then they were gone, leaving Percy standing alone on the beach. The barrier was left a moment later.

He let out a long breath, his face still warm.

Lucky bastard.

He must be drowning in beautiful Angels up in Heaven if he didn't react to her being next to him.

Percy looked at the massive creature standing next to him.

“What do I do with you?”

He received no response.

He sighs.

“I guess I’ll call you Greg.”

Once more, no reaction.

“How am I going to explain this to Chiron?” Percy sighed.

Why did he even need protection? Sure, Luke had proven himself a bastard, but he was confident in his abilities.

Why was Kai so weird?

-END-

Hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter. It’s quite a long one.

if you wish to read up to 17 chapters in advance among my stories and other things please visit pa/t reon * / Snipez818, the app is charging a lot more for some reason so I suggest using the website.

I appreciate all the support!