Chapter 148: Raging Star Zothena

Chapter 148: Raging Star Zothena

“Don’t get overconfident,” Gido says with a frown. He pulls out a syringe filled with a red liquid. “If it came to it, I could inject myself with this and enter Blood Magic. But I doubt I’d need it.” He puts the syringe back in his pocket and narrows his eyes. “Subject 42, you have the power to topple it, but his Raging Star power is not to be taken lightly. Go all out!”

Subject 42 forms numerous razor-sharp shurikens made of magic. They hover around his body as he begins running in tight circles around Zeth, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.

Zeth concentrates, taking a deep breath.

A single shuriken launches toward him. Zeth spots it and punches it down with his magic.

Annoyed, Subject 42 releases several more shurikens at once. Zeth uses even more power, striking them down in rapid succession.

“Come on, Subject 42!” Gido shouts. “Take him down!”

Subject 42 grows furious and unleashes all of his remaining shurikens at once. Zeth does his best to knock them aside, but a few slip through, slicing into him. His raging star aura destroys them before they can do too much damage.

Subject 42 rushes in close. The two exchange punches, each landing a blow to the other’s face. Subject 42 begins taking damage from Zeth’s raging star aura, but he manages to kick Zeth away.

Zeth steadies himself.

“I want to end this quickly,” he says. “I need to use Raging Star Zothena.”

A memory flashes through his mind.

***

Zeth recalls a conversation with his older sister, Zaydra.

Zeth and Zaydra stand in a training room within Angel Sanctuary.

“Your third altar power-up gave you the ability to use a new Raging Star technique called Raging Star Zothena,” Zaydra says.

“What’s that?” Zeth asks.

“A very useful but also risky and dangerous ability,” she explains. “You know how normally the aura of Raging Star Mode is very outbursting and chaotic?”

“Yeah.”

“This condenses the aura along your skin so that you become the sharpest object on Earth. You can cut through any non-divine substance with ease. However, you risk cutting allies into dust, and if you don’t do it right, you will cut yourself into dust. The attack was named after our grandmother, the previous Light Goddess, Zothena, as she was the one that created this ability.”

***

The memory fades.

Zeth swallows and clenches his teeth slightly. A drop of sweat flows down his forehead. “She showed me how to do it… but can I do it right?”

He begins attempting to condense his raging star aura.

“Fool!” Gido shouts. “Do you think Subject 42 is just going to sit idly and do nothing while you prepare an attack!?”

As Zeth focuses, Subject 42 starts forming a massive orb of magic energy, preparing to launch it.

Zeth is on the verge of fully condensing his aura, but he messes up. His own raging star aura tears into his right arm, opening a severe wound. He coughs up blood as more injuries tear across his body.

“No!” Zeth mutters. “I will do this!”

He tries again, even as Subject 42’s energy orb continues growing larger.

At last, Zeth successfully condenses his aura, though it’s sloppy, condensed unevenly. “Not perfect, but it will get the job done.”

Subject 42’s energy orb is now over seven feet in diameter. For the first time in the fight, he speaks. “You are friends with that black-haired girl who humiliated me back in the mansion.”

Zeth flinches. “Sasha!?”

“This will be my vengeance!” Subject 42 declares.

“Damn!” Zeth growls. “I can’t hold this condensing for long! I have to go now!”

He charges forward. Every step he takes shreds the floor beneath his feet.

“Die!!” Subject 42 roars as he launches the massive orb of energy.

“I won’t dodge!” Zeth yells. “I’m going straight for it!!”

Gido’s eyes widen. “Won’t dodge!? Are you crazy!? Not even you could withstand Subject 42’s massive energy attack!”

Zeth barrels straight into the attack.

“Hahahahahaha!!!!!” Subject 42 laughs.

Zeth throws a powerful punch. For a brief moment, the orb resists. After a few seconds, his strike slices clean through it.

“No way!!!” Gido screams.

“Impossible!!!” Subject 42 screams.

A heartbeat later, Zeth reaches him and throws another punch. This one slices straight through Subject 42’s body. His form begins disintegrating into dust.

“Thank you…” Subject 42 says faintly. “I am free…”

Subject 42 disappears completely.

Zeth’s Raging Star Mode fades. He turns toward Gido.

“I can’t believe it!!” Gido shouts. “Grrr! I need to come up with a new plan! I won’t use my syringe just yet!”

He retreats, leaving the room to head deeper into the fortress.

“He retreated,” Zeth mutters, breathing heavily. “It’s alright though. I need to regain my energy before another fight.”

Zeth looks down at the dust left behind. “Even with vengeance on your mind, you were still thankful to be freed from the Enigmus brainwashing,” he says quietly. “For that, you have my respect.”

In death, Subject 42 is now free from Kogen’s control.

Chapter 148 END
To be Continued in Chapter 149: The Other Factions Arrive