Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The prodigy had returned.

Red Rage had returned.

Finally!

An unnatural air blew from his lengthy cape and onto Skullius’ face, its moving particles somehow whispering the word ‘Justice’ half-imperceptibly.

This glorious cape, with its unwrinkled mass, looked like a careful placement of billions of tiny golden grains into a silky sheet, the entirety attached to the now visible pristine white armour of this…hero.

Groves with a golden hue inlaid within them could be spotted on several select points across this blameless white armour in circles as well as swirls, the pauldrons, couters and poleyns of this adornment made into bulged images of golden six different golden beasts.

The helm worn by the heroic Apostle had a complex appearance, with its visor partially hiding the golden light brimming from the face of creature it hid.

As if the magnificence of the armour wasn’t enough, a thick stroke of radiant yellow outlined Red Rage, within it dancing illusory shapes that thrummed audibly, promising a sturdy level of offense and defence.

Justice…

“I’m glad you decided to join, Red Rage,” Skullius said with a visible scowl and the shake of his head.

Red Rage drew closed to his master while floating elegantly.

“Please identify me as Prisma Avaris when we are in the presence of malicious company, Master Skullius. Thank you,” the Apostle whispered an update while cupping his armoured hand over his closed helm.

…

Skullius couldn’t believe it.

This bastard had gotten even worse, hadn’t he?

Power-wise though…

The first thing he noticed was a super bright blue core within the Apostle’s body, powering his image superbly.

‘I can’t even pretend to be surprised anymore,’ Skullius thought.

The [Blessing of Serenity] continued to do its wonders.

As for his Tier…

The Hybrid Luman sighed exasperatedly even more dumbfounded.

“Should I even ask…?”

“Perhaps now isn’t the best time, Master,” Red Rage replied, his serene light and air baptising the atmosphere with graceful justice.

“Ha! An ally? Good! One of you was getting boring for my taste!” the burly Form User said as he cracked his knuckles, the Perfect Aura around him brimming as he grew excited.

“Don’t be foolish,” the Mage who had teleported to his side just now said with narrowed eyes, his gaze upon Red Rage drowning in suspicion. “You can’t tell he has no presence about him?”

“What? So? Presence. No presence. What difference does it make?” the beefcake chortled as he advanced on the remains of broken stairways not boiling within themselves.

He wasn’t stupid, however.

His skin rippled a bit, a detail Skullius didn’t miss. Nor Red Rage for that matter.

His words were deceiving.

He was wary of the enemy but didn’t show it.

For insurance, the Form User finally decided to use his technique offensively.

“Let’s see what YOU can do,” he said before making a strange gesture with his hands, something Skullius assumed was a combat form too hard to describe or deconstruct.

“Dragon Breast Ram!” the bulky opponent hissed as his body tensed, his muscles growing muscles and his body being temporarily decked in thickets of scale-like skin!

A white shockwave blasted from his body as he moved, the air crackling like thunder as it was torn by the vicious man breaking the sound barrier!

In the Hybrid Luman’s senses, the shape of the Form User vanished but in the sight of those who could see, the man appeared in front of his Red Rage after teasing reality, his body leaning while with a grin, he hurled a malevolent hook at the floated Apostle!

His large fist and its velocity were so fast that Red Rage couldn’t see them and with the wind unable to catch up, the Apostle had no way of knowing that he was done for!

…!

Well… he would have been.

The burly Form User was elated as his fist drew inches closer to Red Rage’s armour.

Then…

Its momentum slowed.

Slow.

Slower.

Halt.

Pat.

The fist connected with the glowing white chestplate upon the floating Red Rage but it had naught but the force of an fly.

…!

Justice…

The Apostle gazed upon the remnants of an attack landing on his chest, then at the gobsmacked bulk before him, utterly shocked at what he was experiencing.

“What…what happened? I was…” the man began with a panic stricken face only to feel a gauntlet fall on his shoulder lightly. Then a voice spoke to him with the universal authority of justice.

“Attempted murder? Vile. I live (sort of) to deal with walking filth like you,” Red Rage said before cooking his fist back a bit.

“Look away, Master. It might get messy.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Both Skullius and the Form User had similar reactions to these words.

The burly brawler drew away while gathering his Aura… but it was too late.

The pristine armoured arm of Red Rage fettered by the yellow light turned into a nigh imperceptible beam of light that hurtled towards the beefcake’s chest!

…!!!

The man who thought he had defended enough…

Skullius who looked on with realisation…

The Mage who analysed the new entrant…

All three felt and saw things differently but the conclusion was the same!

A punch so fast it looked like light, its impact so loud it cracked the rune powered walls, the resulting radiance dying everything white…

This was the power behind a sequence of justice delivery, starting with the Special skill called…

[That One Punch]!

The bulky form user spat blood as his chest was caved in by the attack that sent him soaring like a shooting star high up!

His Incarnation didn’t help at all!

His technique didn’t help!

His raw muscles didn’t help!

Something raw!

Something so sharp and invasive that he couldn’t evade or block had knocked into him, bypassing his defences!

That… wasn’t a punch!

The innards of Skullius’ ears exploded, as did those of the Mage but he quickly healed himself as he traced his partner who soared madly!

The Hybrid Luman didn’t tear his attention from what was going on.

In his mind, all he could think of was…

“That was Null Life Essence…!”

But the dishing of justice was far from over.

The sequence was not yet done!

After trying to commit murder, one couldn’t just eat a single fist!

The figure of Red Rage coming from an attack twisted, warping in a circular manner as it vanished into thin air!

It appeared right where the spinning burly Form User was about to pass, a second dish of penalty of about to ensue.

He was yet again ready.

Red Rage’s fist turned into a golden beam that struck the back of his enemy’s head with the follow-up skill in the sequence…

[That Other Punch]!

With this attack, the walls to the space rippled while an even brighter light bathed everything, the burly man being sent shuttling through the air once more while roaring in pain!

“A…” the groans he made lasted for only a minute granule of time.

He fell into the pool of molten rock, his body disappearing within it!

Red Rage flashed towards Skullius while folding his arms.

“Manageable,” he said while nodding.

Skullius turned to his Apostle, both amazed and confused.

“He’s not dead. You know that right? Those were some… powerful hits but against a Master…” the Luman pointed out.

“Oh, Master. I’m quite aware. While I can kill him, I don’t intend to do that myself. I’m a father now,” Red Rage said with pride.

“Uh? What?” Skullius said, piles of not-understanding piling over his head.

The pool molten rock bubbled and the body of the bulky man floated up.

He was gnashing his teeth, the gruesome wounds on his chest – bones sticking from it – as well as the blood pooling in his hair from the back of his head paining him greatly.

His skin was skin discoloured.

His body was dragged over to where the Mage stood, his sceptre coordinating where it would go.

“Impressive. I am astounded by this show of strength. I have never seen power exercised like this before,” the Mage said with intrigue, setting his partners body down.

A potion floated from him and went into the hand of the muscular Form User who eagerly drank it up, his wounds visibly healing rapidly.

The salamander atop the Mage’s sceptre cooed.

“I don’t need the compliments of a fool,” Red Rage said. “A soon to be dead fool.”

The Mage chuckled.

“You seem pretty confident. Are you going to fight him and remain snarky too?” Skullius asked while finishing the task of mending his body.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Skullius asked with a frown.

What was this father business?!

Red Rage emitted a cough before pulling on his cape.

The inside of it, as smooth as it was, suddenly changed colour from the pristine gold to a shade of sky blue. Strangely, it then started to swirl and flow… like a liquid. Like water.

Wait!

It was water!

…!

“Come out, Killin Max,” Red Rage called.

Blub, blub!

From within this watery surface of the cape, a dark shape appeared, tearing through the somehow contained water to reveal a large hand first, then a full body in the world.

It was tall.

It was… thick.

It was black.

As soon as it appeared, a took in a long, deep breath.

SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

The air was pulled on with a heavy suction.

So was the air and the bits of mana now swimming in the space from the usage of techniques!

It was all drawn in!

A balefully dreadful presence then softly sifted out of this creature and its long tentacles, its entirety almost seeming to be made of mana just because the sheer amount of it that it possessed was utterly ridiculous and it wasn’t even coming from the mana core!

“I’ll be damned…. Red Rage you sockethole…” Skullius said while looking dumbfoundedly at this creature.

The Mage frowned for the umpteenth time.

‘What in the world…? A Tier 9 beast? Or is it 10?’ the robed man thought, his body stance changing.

The tide had shifted suddenly.

Who was this man who could casually call forth a beast of this Tier?!