Incomprehensible Power

"Fists of the 9 heavens, that is the ultimate technique. Chinese martial arts created this technique long ago, it represents how the entire world was made. Acquiring this martial art is something that even I cannot do." (Izumi)

"Really? Is it that powerful, master?" (Elizabeth)

"Yes. I learned of it when I traveled to the China Continent, or the Cultivator Continent if you will." (Izumi)

"Continent? You traveled to another place?" (Elizabeth)

"Yes. People call these other places 'continents' but in reality, Yggdrasil is connected to other World Seeds in the Oceanic Abyss. Yggdrasil is the center of the World Sea, connected to other Spheres that have their own mythologies, it's essentially the gateway to all mythological World Seeds. When we refer to going to other 'continents' — we are actually traveling to other Spheres outside of the Yggdrasil sphere." (Elizabeth)

"Eh? Really? So when I go somewhere like the Greek Continent, I'm actually going to an entirely different Sphere?" (Elizabeth)

"Hahaha! Indeed! Yggdrasil is the center of creation for all spheres in the oceanic abyss! That's why we're most important!" (Izumi)

"So you went to the Cultivator Continent and learned of this technique, right? Are those people really strong, master? They have to be if even you can't learn of their technique." (Izumi)

Izumi nodded his head. "Yes. They're powerful indeed. They taught me a lot, and they know of a lot of hidden truths about the world."

"Tell me more, tell me more!" Elizabeth sat crisscross on the floor, shaking back and forth in excitement.

"Fumu. Very well." Izumi lifted his finger into the air, "Before creation, nothing existed. This nothingness couldn't be comprehended, or described. It couldn't even be called a void, because it was nothing in its absolute form. This is the first stance of the 9 heavens, known as Nihility. It represents nothingness, as it can bring all things into nonexistence."

"Ohh, that makes a lot of sense! These Cultivator people are really smart." (Elizabeth)

"Fwahaha! I know right?!" Izumi cleared his throat and continued with his speech, setting his excitement aside, "After that came Creation. The being we call the Holy Spirit made the world in its entirety. This represents the second stance of the 9 heavens. After that, came destruction; the Holy Spirit destroyed what needed to be destroyed in order to create the perfect cosmology by getting rid of the bad and keeping the good."

"Eh? That's confusing. That's really vague." (Elizabeth)

"I can agree." Nodded the Sensei, "But this is the creator of the world we're talking about. Things are bound to be confusing."

"What's next, what's next? I wanna learn more!" (Elizabeth)

"Persistent aren't you?" Laughed Izumi. "After destruction came dualism. Everything has an opposite; masculine and feminine, good and evil, and black and white." (Izumi)

"Ohhh…" (Elizabeth)

This was the reason why Orcus was so powerful. He destroyed the dualism of the world with his magic, tampering with it. The Dream Devourer could make good become evil, and death become life. Such a thing was impossible to other lifeforms except for Grimhild herself.

"Once dualism was formed, he created life, which is us, but life was getting too populated, so the creator formed death." (Izumi)

"So that's six in total, what about the other 3, master?" (Elizabeth)

"Well, that's something even I'm unsure about, Elizabeth. Maybe one day, you'll find the others, considering the cultivators didn't talk to me about the last remaining three." (Izumi)

"Ehh?!? Really? That's a bummer…" Liz pouted, annoyed to not hear the full technique.

"There there." Izumi patted her head, giving her a reassuring smile, "Knowing you, you'll master it in no time." (Izumi)

Elizabeth looked up at her master, smiling, "You think so?"

"Of course I do. You're Elizabeth Rozenheart, one of my strongest disciples. You can do anything you put your mind to." (Izumi)

***

"Third Stance: Destruction!" (Elizabeth)

Elizabeth appeared in front of Boris from sheer speed alone, punching through his magic circle of Dawn Magic.

"…Damnit!" (Boris)

Boris jumped away to try and retreat, but Liz outpaced him.

She threw her leg into his gut, propelling him backward.

"Guaaack!" (Boris)

Blood spewed from his lips, but he retaliated, forming another spell.

"[Oleus]!" Cold winds had manifested in the area, freezing everything around them, except for Elizabeth herself, "How?!"

Boris was frustrated, but it made sense.

Magic was ineffective against her.

"Chaaa!!" (Elizabeth)

Elizabeth punched through the cold winds.

The Third Stance of Destruction could destroy all things. Even Shiva's authority of destruction was futile in front of it.

"Try this. [Olema]!" Boris manifested another spell, creating a blizzard in front of him that entrapped Elizabeth specifically.

Such temperatures reached Absolute Zero, stagnating even the Non-Mana Born.

"Haahahaha, Bwa ha ha ha!! You have no power against the might of Dawn Magic, child!" (Boris)

The Rozenheart was frozen inside the blizzard and turned to solid ice.

However, that phenomenon was destroyed.

"…But how? How are you doing this?!" (Boris)

Liz broke free as if she had never been frozen in the first place. Standing in front of her father, she frowned.

"Everything can be destroyed, even your chances of winning, father."

"This technique has never existed in Yggdrasil, so how are you doing something so incomprehensible?! Magic is the origin of all things. Magic is the concept that's unstoppable, not feeble techniques! This contradicts everything!!" (Boris)

Enraged, her father balled his fists and threw a tantrum like a child.

He was frustrated.

Confused.

Lost.

His whole world came crumbling down before him.

"This is what happens when you underestimate people! Karma isn't so friendly, now is it? My whole life I was ridiculed by my family for having no magic, but in the end… I'm making your magic useless. So don't give me that crap about Magic being an unstoppable force, I'm proving that it isn't before your very eyes!" (Elizabeth)

Elizabeth dashed towards her father, changing her stance once more.

"Fourth Stance: Dualism!" (Elizabeth)

"…What?!" (Boris)

"Haaaaah!" (Elizabeth)

Elizabeth punched him in his gut, destroying the authority of destruction completely.

"Guuaaaack!"

Boris was knocked away, tumbling against the ground with a face of pain.

Spitting up more blood from his mouth, he slowly rose to his feet, realizing his divine blessing was… gone.

"The authority of destruction, you… destroyed it?" (Boris)

"No, I simply replaced it with its dual counterpart. The opposite of authority is powerlessness. You no longer have its power." (Elizabeth)

"Such a thing… it's like duality magic rumored in the age of legends." (Boris)

"It's over for you Father. You were no match for me. You're powerless, hopeless, and you have nothing that can defeat me."

Boris dropped to his hands and knees, gritting his teeth in anger.

A vein sprouted on his forehead as he clawed the ground in frustration.

"…How could someone like me lose?! How… how, how?! How could I be beaten by my failure of a creation? My own daughter!?"

Elizabeth slowly approached him, looking at her father in pity.

("I can't allow this. I won't allow this! If anyone is out there, hear my call! I give myself up to you, for what it's worth!! I open my body, soul, and my Mana Force to you! As long as I win!!")

["Are you certain that is what you want?"]

A mysterious voice spoke to Boris.

It was deep, yet feminine, but also demonic.

("A voice? Who are you?")

["I have many names. But some call me Orcus, the Devourer of dreams."]

("Orcus? How are you speaking to me, weren't you sealed long ago?")

["Sealed? Bwa ha ha! I'm the one who gave you fools Mana Forces, so it's only logical that I can speak to you through them. They're the gateway to my essence. It is through your Mana Force that I can bring myself into existence, and exert my power into the world."]

("If that is true… then why don't you just bring your power to all the Mana Forces that exist? If you're so powerful, then do that!")

["I only can bring myself into those who open up their body, soul, and Mana Force to me. Think of it as a deal with the devil. You give me what I want, and I'll give you what you want."]

("Ahahaha, a deal with the devil, huh? Very well… I accept this deal, Orcus! I'll give you whatever you want, as long as I can kill Elizabeth!!")

["Fuhuhu. Very well. I'll grant you power unlike any before. Even Nokitera will be insignificant."]

Elizabeth stopped in front of Boris, cocking her arm back.

"Sixth Stance: Death." (Elizabeth)

Elizabeth was going to kill her father.

There was nothing he could do to the fists that killed all that it touched.

It looked like Boris accepted his fate, but that was until an aura surrounded his body.

It was ominous, foul… distasteful.

Elizabeth has felt this presence before from the Dark Commander himself.

Her eyes widened as fear struck her face.

"…This, aura. Could it be?" (Elizabeth)

Boris had obtained the destructive power of the evil Godhead.

"I've obtained it… the power of Orcus!" (Boris)

"Do you know what you just did, you idiot?!" (Elizabeth)