The Neo Hero Party Vs The Dragons (PT.3) Marstramundus

Guardian of Chaos POV

Years ago, Mastramundus grappled with a formidable challenge: mastering the elusive abyssal metal bone Asura technique, set to be his 101st martial cultivation method. This achievement would unofficially elevate him above his master, a legend known for mastering 100 techniques. Mastramundus endured nearly 20 months in isolation within the dark pits of the faceless demon, devoid of sunlight or any external solace, accompanied only by his thoughts and nightmares.

From an early age, Mastramundus understood his path was unique, fraught with thorns and trials meant to forge his strength and resilience. Orphaned young, he was raised by a destitute woman who, despite her best efforts, resorted to **** means for survival. Eventually, her limited means **** her to abandon him as his needs outgrew her capacity. Left to fend for himself on the streets, Mastramundus learned a crucial lesson: power was the key to transcending his circumstances and achieving a better life.

Mastramundus's journey was a relentless ascent, each step marked by adversaries fallen at his feet, their blood a testament to his growing might. ****, an all-too-familiar specter from his earliest days, held no dominion over him. As his power surged, so did his renown, bringing with it allies, love, and fleeting glimpses of joy amidst the tumult of his life.

But with great power came the inevitable fear it instilled in those he served. Recognizing the threat he posed, they conspired against him, turning his closest confidants into foes. His own wife, swayed by the machinations of those who feared Mastramundus's strength, became part of a sinister plot woven by his mentors and riddled with deceit. This betrayal, though heartbreaking, was not entirely unforeseen.

In the midst of treachery and loss, Mastramundus found solace in his unyielding spirit, whispering to the chaos that had become his only true companion,

"Thank goodness I have you…my chaos."

Mastramundus would allow himself to become a monster. Why? Simple really, because it was better to be feared than to be taken for a fool again. He was so hungry as an infant, so hungry and so powerless. And one important thing stuck with him during those days he spent starving as a helpless youth roaming the streets.

The weak would be food for the strong.

“Heh-and I refuse to be anyone’s food.’

The warm sunlight bathed his skin, he felt pain layered against every inch of his body. They had broken quite a few bones from their earlier ordeal against that weakling, even going as far as to put a gaping hole in the middle of his chest. They were brutal, ruthless, and spared not a shred of compassion for the weak.

With both of his arms outstretched, and his head slightly tilted towards the clear blue skies, eyelids half closed, Mars greedily drank in the glorious feeling of simply being alive again.

‘Amazing! Auh! This feels amazing. I missed this feeling, of being alive again, to feel everything without being caged in darkness. Hahahaha what bliss. What untold splendors…what –‘

“EDNAAA!”

He froze momentarily before lazily lowering his crazed expression upon the duo.

“Huh? Oh…I almost forgot...”

A large dust cloud smothered the entire forest area. Mars observed the remnants of his last attack, he held no disregard for either the surrounding environment or the animals tucked in the shadows. He just wanted to release his power all at once. After being contained for so long there was this instinctive impulse inside of him to roar. And damn did it feel so good to do so

“Hahahaha that was only 20%” He mused playfully

He lowered his gaze towards his two palms, noticeably smoking with signs of mild burns and a twinge of pain. But suddenly he then picked up on some strange details, something else even more intriguing. A coil of crimson vines cased in blood wrapped around him. Small blooms of crystallized roses were sprouting forth, and very surprisingly healing his wounds at a rapid speed.

A snigger escaped through his bloodied lips as he pieced together the architect to this strange power of blood.

“As expected of a Vampirine bloodline, fufufu ah little boy you’re so lucky…I’m somewhat even jealous.”

Not even in his old life did he curry the favor of two entities with such power. Mars understood that if he could raise his power back to its former glory, alongside this ancient Vampirine bloodline.

'I will become the strongest in the world!'

The dust finally cleared and two shadows slowly unearthed from the cloud. They were both ragged in appearance but suffered no immediate signs of significant damage. Two large horns started to erect from the side of their heads. Followed by the sounds of flesh being opened as two great wings forcefully ripped out from their backs.

Mars had initially a roundabout idea of who these folk were, but now he was certain he understood what ancient race they hailed from.

“I thought your kind were all dead? Guahaha! So that’s how it is, how fun, I wonder who else knows the dragons have come back. Hmmm, but you know what...who cares right? Hehehe-all that matters is that right now both of us desire to fight, so why don’t we cut the crap and let's do this. Come! make me tremble in fear…Almighty dragons.”

A tyrannical aura surged wildly into the heavens from the duo who now looked more like two scaly humanoid dragons.

“Chusi, lets kick this bastard's ass.”

Chusi's silent nod was the only signal needed before they both burst into action, a blur of speed and killing intent filled the atmosphere. Mars, sensing the imminent threat, widened his eyes slightly and took a strategic step back, bracing for the **** from all directions. Positioning his leg out for balance and his forearm up in defense, he prepared for impact.

The clash was monumental, the sound of bone against an unyielding **** reverberated through the air.

Mars felt the weight of the attack bearing down on him.

Yet, he was ready. A heavy pressure threatened to pin him down.

In response, he relaxed his body, shedding away the weight as if shedding a cloak, becoming as light as a feather.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he executed a seamless twist, propelling a straight kick forward with the momentum he had gathered.

Then, with agile grace, he performed a backward somersault, narrowly evading the lethal swipe of iron-sharp claws aimed at his neck

“Ah-close-close.”

With no respite in sight, Mars found himself once again at the heart of the storm as the duo launched another aggressive ****.

A barrage of kicks, claws, and perilously close strikes descended upon him.

Weakened and far from his prime, Mars couldn't evade all the attacks, and in mere moments, he was marked by numerous injuries. Recognizing his need for a momentary retreat, the duo stepped back, aligning their palms to unleash small, menacing red beams at point-blank range.

Unfazed by this, Mars employed his signature fluid motion to glide backward again, mirroring the earlier watery evasion.

In the nick of time, he conjured an unusual hand gesture, before locking his fingers beneath his chin, a mischievous grin creased across his face.

With a calm and very much relaxed demeanor, he whispered coolly

"Flying... Flamingo."

As the beams surged forward, instead of the anticipated devastating impact, they harmlessly passed through Mars's watery form. In his wake, he left a swirling dance of sakura petals, before the beams obliterated the nearby trees instead.

“What the fuck! Wh-where did he go?” Edna exclaimed in fright.

Chusi’s brow remained tightly pressed before her eyes widened as she sensed something above them.

“Edna! Up there look.”

Their eyes shot upwards in disbelief, witnessing the half-elf, casually lounging in midair, his arms outstretched as if he were buoyantly resting on water. Chusi's body trembled with unease; the enigmatic nature of Mars's abilities was overwhelming.

The thought that he could even defy gravity at his level bewildered her, and a deeper, unsettling realization dawned on her: this was no ordinary half-elf they were confronting.

The last time she felt such apprehension was during a sparring session with a draconian elder, there should be no reason a half Elf could be making her feel so troubled.

Mars, however, seemed unfazed by the chaos below, immersed in a profound tranquility.

"Auu…This feeling…I feel so…at peace. Hey boy, I wonder if you can still hear me…this is it…this is what life's about.

I can taste the elements, hear the faintest movements of insects.

Between heaven and earth, I am one; I am everything…I can't wait to experience this every day.

Sigh…Master Genpo, I swore to avenge you, to bring your killers to justice, to make their descendants pay.

I will keep that promise…but first."

His soliloquy was abruptly interrupted by the sky quaking, as Mars executed a graceful pirouette to evade the onslaught of fiery projectiles launched by the short-haired girl below.

Despite the ferocity of the attack, Mars's expression remained ever-unchanging.

With his eyelids half opened he beheld the two dragons below. The short red-haired one was itching to charge at him, but he realized she was being held by the other one with green scales.

She’s the smarter one amongst the two, not bad-not bad. This might not be as easy as I first thought.

“Gravity? You’ve mastered a technique that allows you to defy gravity?” He heard Chusi speak from below

“Something like that.” Mars sniggered. He suddenly became aware of the changes currently going through the two dragons' bodies.

‘Their Qi’s are doing something strange fufufu I wonder what they’re going to show me next.’

He then placed his focus on his temporary body. A slightly furrowed brow appeared as he understood he was very limited within this childish body.

‘Sigh, I cant possibly do even 20 of the martial arts I mastered in my old form. Although, it’s good to know that there are still traces of the divine demonic styled practices lingering somewhere.’

“Edna...this -this...we need to cut him down now! Else he might be a thorn to the young masters plan.” Chusi said

Edna’s eyes flashed with confusion for a moment,

EDNA = “I thought you didn’t want us to harm the Young masters toy? Why the change of heart”

Chusi = “Pfft! The young master has several toys. We need to kill this half-ling now. He has too many secrets and...and I can't shake away this feeling”

Edna = “Wh-whats that Chusi?”

Chusi =“That...he might be the end of us all.”

Edna = “Chusi what the hell are you talking about-it's just an arrogant halfling. I’ll eat him up now”

Chusi = “Grr...yes- what am I saying ha, let’s go full power now.”

‘Hmm, I wonder how many of the blood rite katas I can still remember. Hehehe I ripped that clan of blood cultivators apart because of that, ha, fighting that old fogey from before almost killed me. Hahahaha he must be turning in his grave seeing what I’ve become...Hm! What are they doing now...oh! They’re transforming.

Mars watched with feverous delight as the two dragons underwent a second transformation, this one however sent a dark shiver across the entire skies. He felt his equilibrium tremble, as though a dark God had awoken from its slumber.

Surprised himself, he noticed the tiny hairs against his arm standing tall.

“Hahahah Well-well is this fear?...No...I’m simply just excited, aren't I?

Sigh…now then, how should we do this…Aha! Let's try that.

He stuck out a single finger before slowly lowering his eyelids. Moments passed before a tiny dark ball began to spiral and pulse on the tip of his finger.

“Don’t let him finish that!” Chusi cried out in panic,

Edna responded by inhaling a large bellyful of air before exhaling a smoldering ball of fire roaring through the skies.

This did have its effective outcome, as Mastramundus was **** into dodging the attack mid-air and thus canceling his earlier attack.

As Mars sensed an impending strike, his brows furrowed in concentration.

The incoming attack, a long silver blade pulsating with potent Qi, was too fast to fully evade.

With a swift maneuver, he shifted to one side, narrowly escaping the brunt of the attack but still feeling its deadly whisper.

Chusi, transformed her gleaming green scales and caught the sun's rays like precious gems, confronted him directly.

Her eyes, wide and seething with fury, focused intently on Mars as she wielded her arm, now fused with a silvery blade.

The initial slash aimed at Mars's wrists was a close call, but the follow-up strike found its mark, slicing deeply across his chest.

Reacting on pure instinct, Mars extended two fingers, holding them upright in a defensive posture,

“Flamingo”

A surge of petals appeared around him again, Chusi felt that strange feeling. She roared forward throwing double slashes and swift-bladed attacks in a bid to disrupt the strange rhythm. But harrowingly enough despite her severing flesh, the half lings speed never faltered.

He twisted almost inhumanly and bent his body in angles that shouldn’t be possible.

Marstramundus was like a lily between a storm, his body almost one with the formless air as he continued to sustain minimal damage whilst he continued to laugh manically whilst avoiding every near **** coming his way.

Chusi had grown tired of the theatrics and slammed her palms together, a blinding white gust wrapped itself around her hands. Her iris suddenly turned grey whilst an ominous wind began to flutter wildly.

She opened her draconic maw and released a resounding scream that sent a baleful silver and black aura roaring ferociously toward the floating Marstramundus.

For the first time, a genuine look of shock flashed across his face. He locked his index fingers together quickly. Before inhaling a large mouthful of air.

‘Demon Roar’

In a fierce retort, Marstramundus unleashed a formidable orb of baleful Qi, a dark sphere of energy pulsating with destructive power. As this fearsome **** met the onslaught from Chusi, the clash of their potent auras generated a thunderous boom, echoing like a celestial hammer striking an anvil.

The impact of this collision was monumental, hurling Mars from the sky's embrace, sending him spiraling down towards the earth's unforgiving grasp,

“Edna! Do it now!”

Mars twisted his helm slightly where he saw a strange giant seal gaping across the clearing against the ground where he was poised to fall. The red-haired Dragon was standing in the middle of the seal, her right hand had completely changed into a draconian claw. Her eyes narrowed in hatred as she held out her reptilian hand and spoke.

“Die you piece of shit! Incinerate, Elder Flame of Entei.”

The seal started to glow with a reddish light. Before Mars could counter he saw a wall of magma suddenly shoot out from the large seal. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards slightly.

“Beautiful.” He uttered before being swallowed by the great flame.

******

In time the wall of fire slowly dissipated and a charred figure slowly fell from the skies.

Chusi darted across the air with a silvery sword infused with her arm. She struck the figure through its chest before tackling the body into an unknown area within the crowded forest below.

A resounding boom quaked as a herd of trees collapsed from the impact.

Edna was delighted, there was 0 chance of that half-ling surviving those attacks. She steadily felt her nerves settle and decided to release her draconic form swiftly before her Qi depleted any more than needed.

“Nice one ch-chusi...heh we got you now fucker.”

Edna wiped the sweat away from her brow before taking a few steps forward, suddenly a sharp pain shot through her left foot.

There was a thorn spiking through her foot, oozing with her blood as she traced its end to one of those strange carmine roses blooming around the area.

Edna found that incredibly odd since both her skin and her bones were practically like steel. There weren’t many things that could pose her harm.

“It’s that halfling technique? But why is it still active if he’s dead?” A harrowing thought suddenly struck her as her eyes flashed open.

Edna's focus shifted to a specific spot in the dense forest, her anxiety momentarily easing as she spotted Chusi emerging from the underbrush.

With a mix of triumph and curiosity, she called out, eager to celebrate their apparent victory.

"Chusi! Chusi! We did it—hahaha! Where's that guy's body, or did my powerful martial technique totally vaporize him?"

But Chusi's silence was unsettling. She approached Edna, her helmet oddly still in place, an ominous sign that Edna was too caught up in her victory to immediately recognize.

"Ch-chusi?...w-what is...huh?" Edna's words faltered as Chusi, without warning, lunged forward, her attack brutally precise, impaling Edna through the chest.

The betrayal was as swift as it was shocking, but Edna's warrior instincts didn't falter.

With a ferocious roar, she tapped into her deepest reserves of strength.

BOOOOOOOM

A massive shockwave erupted, forcefully repelling Chusi. Transforming into her half-draconic form in the process, Edna stood amidst swirling winds, her breathing heavy from the exertion and the shock of betrayal. When Chusi rose again, the sight that greeted Edna filled her with dread—the unnatural magenta glow in Chusi's eyes told her something terrible had happened.

“HAHAHAHAHA AMAZING! THIS IS AMAZING-YOU HAD SUCH A POWER KID? HAHAHAHA YOU LUCKY BOY!”

Edna heard that all too familiar cackle and felt her scalp turn numb.

“You-you’re alive? H-how?”

Mars emerged from within the forest, his torso was completely covered in heavy wounds with blood pouring out from each wound in a terrible manner.

But there strangest thing about it was the rose flowers blooming around him that seemed to be drinking from his blood. Edna could feel his Aura becoming more overbearing as well. Her eyes erratically moved from Chusi then back to the half-ling

“Y-you fucker! W-what did you do to her RELEASE CHUSI NOW”

She roared with fury before charging straight for Mars again, but Chusi intercepted and struck her a few times before landing a fourth kick which sent Ednas body pitifully flying back before she slammed into a line of sturdy trees.

“Buahahaha! Out of all the martial techniques I’ve learned, stolen, and killed for. This ability {The Warg controller} Might just be my favorite kid. Oh...little dragon you not dead yet?" Mars scoffed playfully

{The Warg Controller- Allows one to swap/ or override the conscious with another being, human, animal or other for a set period}

Edna’s half-draconic form was faltering, blood poured from her gaping mouth as she couldn't fathom what was going on.

“F-fight it...Chu-si...Fight it”

Before another word escaped her mouth, Chusi appeared before her again devastating her with a flurry of blows and punches.

Edna’s mind was a mess, she couldn't fight back or counter. And that earlier move had consumed all of her Qi.

Mars watched a little while longer until it became apparent the girl was being pummeled into a bloody paste.

“Baa! I’ve grown tired of this, and more importantly, I don't have much time left...this technique of yours boy...I can feel my control waning. Hey you, snap her neck already” He spoke towards the almost zombie-entranced Chusi.

She nodded her helm before taking a few steps forward toward the fallen Edna.

Edna raised her sunken helm, her eyes filled with sadness but her mouth creased a freckle of a warm smile.

“Chu...s...pl...pleas...” Without a second of remorse, Chusi leaned down and wrapped her two draconic claws around Edna's neck.

She raised her before strangling her with her entire might.

Edna’s lifeless legs swayed softly but her body was so weak she could only stare with bulging eyes.

Chusi’s face remained unmoved. Despite so, there was a single tear that trailed down those horrifying magenta eyes.

Very quickly Edna accepted her fate as a wide smile creased against her face, She lowered her eyelids and allowed her body to stop resisting.

"S-sorr...Y-young...ma-master"

SNAP! CRACK!

Chusi released her lifeless body and Mars approached soon enough, clapping his hands, he was pleased with the outcome and more so the effects of Thorjens Warg Skill.

‘That brat should’ve learned this skill when he was trapped in the fate stone? Perhaps the Vampire gave it to him, fufufu that bitch has her own agenda I see. Nevertheless, lets see what else this can do.’

“Now then...Hey dragon, tell me everything you know about this plot, this war, and any secrets that the Dragon Queen is hiding."