I created my own system

chapter 268 Dodge

Apollo was strangely quiet the whole time Arevano spoke and would only speak when he was confused about something. He was intrigued by such a spell that he would certainly use it upon learning it.

"Alright, let's learn the Heavenly magic, a magic that draws power from the heavenly bodies in the space, ready?" Apollo just smiled, excited at his new arsenal of spells.

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The sky was clear, and for an unknown reason, the stars were shining so brightly. Constellation line up drawing wonders at those who are watching them. Contrary to the stars the ground beneath it was sullied with death. Demons flew in and continued to slay the army of hundreds of powerful magical beasts. Their bodies had already piled on the icy ground. However, the bloody battle had just begun.

After the first wave of magical beasts died another wasted no time to attack. A chimera with crackling electric fur lunged forward, its maw glowing with the light of an incoming lightning bolt. Simultaneously, a typhoon Gryffin in the back spread its wings, unleashing a Wind Cutter Barrage, razor-sharp gusts slicing toward Apollo. Another serpent-like beast hissed, summoning a massive Ice Wall to trap Apollo in place.

Apollo reacts instantly upon reading their attacks. He raised his hand, and his sword created a technique similar to a gravity spell. It was the same move he used before, but the difference was that it was more powerful. The area was subjected to powerful pressure, pulling the incoming lightning, wind, and ice toward a certain point just like the previous, though the very beasts who cast those attacks were pulled as well. The conflicting elements and beasts collided, creating a thunderous explosion that sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. It was a powerful collision, though it wasn't enough to end those enemies, so Apollo brewed another attack.

[More enemies are coming]

"Handle them I'm not finished here yet"

[Got it]

With the problem with other enemies solved, Apollo collected his focus and drew an arc with his sword. A humming sound can be heard as the sword's energy gathers and absorbs more energy from the stars. An explosion transpires as the attack hits the beast that barely collected themselves from the previous explosion.

"Done, now let me handle them," he said, referring to the beast Jeremiah tasked to handle.

As he prepared to land the final blow, the beasts shifted their formation, their mana flaring as they combined their attacks. A trio of beasts stood side by side, Fire, ice, and lightning swirled together into a single colossal sphere of energy.

Apollo's eyes widened briefly. "That was fast"

He then repositioned his body for better mobility; when he had already formed his stance, he released an attack to counter; radiant golden energy enveloped the attack before completely devouring it. Then, that golden light was followed by a dark, ominous energy that struck the enemies down.

"Alright for the final touch"

The ground was filled with death, as Apollo's spell filled a limited area beyond Nero's reach.

"Manus maledicta," a dark charcoal hand raised from the tainted ground, dragging the enemies into their deadly embrace.

The beasts caught by the spell would immediately be absorbed so Apollo put his focus on another batch of enemies.

"They are endless," he mutters as his blade absorbs more power from the stars.

---

Just as Apollo was about to strike again, Nero dashed forward, his blade glowing with an eerie blue hue. "I'm here again!" the former king shouted, swinging his blade. Apollo deflected that strike but the impact sent him skidding backward.

"Jeremiah, you did put a boost on my stats, right?"

[Yes Creator, besides the buff from the skill demonize, I added another layer of boost to assist you]

"Right thank you, guess he is just strong then"

Apollo fixed his unstable form and readjusted his sword, "Okay, we still have plenty of techniques that are powerful enough to counter him," he said to himself as his eyes calculated every possible move of his enemy.

Nero didn't relent. He unleashed six ethereal swords that flanked him. The swords slashed in unison, aiming to break through Apollo's defenses.

"Persistent," Apollo muttered, summoning his defense. His sword created an arc, creating a barrier that deflected the swords, but the momentary distraction allowed the beasts to reposition and attack again.

From above, a flame thunderbird beast swooped down, unleashing a torrent of flame and lightning. At the same time, the alpha dire wolf released a cold chunk of air and turn it into icy chains, aiming to bind Apollo in place. A chimera added its attack, launching bolts of giant metal spikes to strike him from multiple angles.

The beasts' teamwork was seamless, each skill activated carefully timed to overlap and overwhelm. Apollo began to calculate trying to read the pattern in their attacks. However, Nero's sword is disrupting his concentration, making it hard to predict their next attack. Even with this predicament, he merely steps to evade the incoming storm. He blurred out of sight, appearing behind the serpent beast, his blade slicing through its magical body. A mettalic sound rang leaving a wound that instantly healed upon being wounded, Apollo then changes the power filling his blade and raised his blade to attack.

Before he could press the attack, Nero was on him again, swinging his blade in a wide arc. Apollo parried, but the force of the blow forced him to retreat. Continue reading stories on empire

[Incoming attack at your back]

"Okay." Apollo took hold of his body, and before the frozen wind attack of Nepheline reached him, he moved and dodged the attack. However, after evading, Nero gave a signal, and the beasts responded instantly, knowing what it meant. A new formation emerged, with the surviving beasts aligning their attacks. Flames, ice shards, and lightning bolts spiraled together into a massive, coordinated attack.

[Warning Creator Nero has been casting a spell to disrupt your mana, I have been canceling it but now with his sword artifact's power backing it up, I might not last long]

Apollo nodded trying to be cautious, then a shot of energy came out from the ground, anchoring Apollo's feet and locking his mana flow.

"Damn," the boy just exclaimed while a sigh can be heard deep within his mind. Apollo knew it, Jeremiah. He must have taken care of the lock in his mana.

The joint attack hurtled toward him, and he had only seconds to act. "You're really pushing me here," he said, his voice low. With a sharp breath, he unleashed a command, slowing time around him. He knows it won't last for long since Nero's sword can absorb it, but even so, it will buy some time, even for a second.

The joint attack inched forward, and Apollo lifted his sword to break the attack. As he succeeds, he then controls his sword and causes the ground beneath the beasts to erupt violently. Spikes of earth impaled several of them, breaking their concentration and disrupting their next attack.

Nero, however, remained unaffected. With a flick of his blade, he dispelled the spikes aimed at him and charged forward.

"Enough," the former king said, swinging his blade to break his enemy's defenses. Each strike was imbued with magic, and Apollo could feel the sheer weight behind every attack.

The boy in a demon's body nimbly sidestepped, his movements enhanced by Jeremiah's stat boost; however, it wasn't enough; Nero was able to predict him. And with a sudden thrust caught Apollo off guard, nicking his arm and drawing blood.

"Wait how did that attack not return to him a hundred times?"

[His sword absorbs it]

"Damn artifact," he mutters as he controls his steps and dodges the rain of attacks that came falling in. After dodging, he decided to multi-cast attacks.

He raised his hand, summoning the spell Clock Tower's Hand, accompanied by the authority of the time. Massive gears materialized in the air, their rotation slowing time for all his enemies. The beasts froze mid-motion, their attacks grinding to a halt. Apollo knew that Nero was capable of absorbing that, so he prepared a separate spell for him, one that he couldn't cancel.

The sky suddenly became bright due to the stars, and from it, seven bright lights felt much closer than before.

"Heavenly magic, seven-star judgment grand chariot," he cast, and seven bright stars gave their power and struck Nero down.

With all his enemies immobilized, he capitalized on the moment. He unleashed Manus Maledicta, charred hands erupting from the ground and seizing the beasts. One by one, they were dragged into the cursed ground, eating them as their roars faded into silence.

[You still have a number of breathing enemies]

"Yes it seems so"

Nero broke free from the time spell with a roar, his blade glowing with a dangerous red light. "I'm not done yet!" he shouted, unleashing a devastating combination of sword strikes and magic waves.

Apollo braced himself, but then he noticed how the skill Light of Aegis works again. The shield held firm, but the Nero's relentless assault cracked its surface.

[Creator I can sense something is wrong with Nero it is best to keep your distance]

Apollo just nodded and immediately teleported away; however, before he could completely disappear, an attack from Nero almost obliterated him; if it weren't for the fact that he teleported away, he would have died.

"What the hell was that attack"

He questions as his vision begins to be filled with red glaring warnings.