Ascension of the Nephilim

A Champion has fallen. The sneak attack of Martha quickly eliminated the shadow being. 

Martha used a more powerful version of her clone with the Core that she had. The power of Kyriachos's darkness created her clone, creating a more realistic figure that even had a 'body' that felt real.

The Champion was overconfident. The pained cries of Kyros and the angry look of Mezal convinced him.

There was also the power that Mezal was building that made the Lizardman Champion wary.

Martha had sensed that Champion and had already informed Mezal of it secretly as his battle with Giant started. Martha had been planning how to kill that creature. But she couldn't perform the attack at such a great distance. And so Martha used the power of the newly upgraded Space Core to teleport nearby. It was then she made her first attack. After attacking, Martha created a shadow and used Shadow Cloak. 

The power of Shadow cloak was even slightly stronger than Kyros's Shadow Cloak, for it contained the power of Separated Realm. 

Hidden from their detection, the Lizard Assassin prepared to deal with Mezal, who he saw as a greater threat.

With his attention focused on Mezal, he was struck with Martha's [Separating Slash], harnessing the Separated Realm as the source of power. With the help of Puff, the shadow had no means to escape and was quickly devoured.

To recover from the great expenditure of the attacks, Martha began to devour some of the Shadows. Unlike Mezal, who had to fight conservatively, Martha quickly used powerful attacks without hesitation as she could recover them by devouring shadows.

The army began to feel a strange type of fear as they saw Martha devour them like food.

"Dark Consumer! It seems this will lead to massive losses." The Giant Dirgah immediately raised his hands and took out a dark orb.

"I command the army!Attack!" Dirgah shouted as powerful dark energy erupted, and all the dark forces lost their fearful expression and had a blank stare. They lost their fear and began to attack.

Digrah carried his massive club, and dark energy was slowly covering it from the dark orb.

"Father-in-law, I'll take care of this giant! I don't have any skills that can attack this many." Martha flew ahead as the giant waved his massive club.

Kyros watched and raised his eyebrows. It was reckless for Martha to attack straight on. Even though she had the Branch of Bow, it didn't give her any boost in strength.

But as she charged forward, the transformation occurred.

Martha's body skin turned to scale. Dark wings that were made of Dark energy erupted from her back, and her features became more lizard-like as scales covered the edges of her face and turned her hair to a spike-like material. But unlike her previous transformation, that turned her closer to a lizard. Martha's beauty only improved as she revealed her dragonic form.

Her beauty stood on par with Reptilia.

Martha charged onwards, and her Blood Blade appeared, and she struck the massive club of the Giant.

BOOM!

"Dracanae!" Digrah was shocked at Martha's transformation.

"You shall be a good meal for me!" Martha smiled as the two fought.

Mezal could only sigh and complain as he retreated.

"Hmm. What a rude daughter-in-law. They haven't even been formally wedded yet, and she's already stealing the fun from me!" Mezal grumbled as he began to retreat ahead of the charging shadows.

"Father! To the right side! I'll defend this path side with Diana. Brother. Take the other wing of the wall!" Branze ordered.

If they defended only one side of the wall, the archers and Emberdon mages would have an easier time defending. So instead of giving away for the shadow armies to encircle the sides, Branze made his father and brother defend the two paths that led to the two walls.

Kyros was still amazed at the show of strength that Martha revealed.

"So this is the power of a dragon." Kyros was amazed.

"My aunt is quite a monster..."

Demerus gave Kyros a weird look.

"Says the grandmaster of Creation that has evil wings and can summon dark shadows... Compared to you, that dragon seemed cute." Demerus shook his head. But he could not help but gaze at Martha, who had an amazing beauty.

"Careful. Your staring at my aunt. Even if she is a monster, I can assure you one thing. My uncle is stronger."

SLASH!

Massive force energy slashed out, and every shadow within 200 meters in front of where Branze stood was all incinerated.

Aron had a cold look on his face and glared at Demerus.

Demerus nearly lost the power to keep himself flying.

"I-I-I was just admiring Lady Champions might! Lo-Lord Kyros... What is her stats?" Demerus quickly changed the question even as the battle below began.

"Men! Hold your attacks! Allow your lords to have some fun!" Branze ordered as he stood at the entrance with Diana next to him.

SLASH! BOOM!

A series of massive eruptions were occurring as the Steele family fought.

Mezal was enjoying his battle and created a massive Force Wall behind him, causing all those who bumped on it to retreat in pain.

Diana and Branze were fighting like formal Paladins and were using several Holy attacks.

Aron was simply slashing around as if he was testing his sword.

But the most eye-catching was the battle at the back. Martha and the giant continued to clash.

"How can she match a champion in strength? Isn't she just a recently ranked Champion?" Faye asked.

Kyros obliged Demmerus and revealed Martha's stats. He, himself, was curious at the stats.

---

Martha Kyriachos Steele

Race: Dracanae Vampire Lord

Age: 26

Level: 30

Coven: Coven of the Nephilim

---

Awakened Corruption:

Fanged

Charmed

Kyriachos

---

Strength- 165 (Coven Blessing active) // 185 (Dragonic Transformation +20)

Magic- 154 (Coven Blessing active) 

Dexterity- 203 (Coven Blessing active) // 223 (Dragonic Transformation +20)

Vitality- 148 (Coven Blessing active) // 168 (Dragonic Transformation +20)

Intelligence- 378

Dark Force- 156

----

"Impressive." Kyros commended.

"Amazing! Her stats..." Triona was amazed.

"Yes. That's Cardinal Potential at her level."

"But I don't understand. Her strength stat is still weaker! The dark energy covering that club ought to have made it stronger."

"Aunt's using her small size to her advantage. She isn't matching the attack but aiming for an area where not all full force of the swing is being made. Aunt's grown a lot. She's becoming smarter with Fate..." Kyros assessed.

"But how can she fight that? That energy she's releasing is so strong. But the laws of magic and energy state that such benefits don't come with a price!"

"Indeed. She can probably maintain that form for a few more minutes before she starts eating herself. Thankfully, there are snacks everywhere to feed her. Besides, the battle is about to end."

"What? How?"

"My Aunt's not a Ninja. She's an archer. That's just a convenient job for her to perform her last attack. Everything you see so far, in her direct clashes, are all to make that Champion guarded. And then, she moves in for the kill." Kyros smiled.

"Guarded? Move in for the kill? Those contradicting words don't make any sense!"

BANG!

Martha was sent flying as she clashed directly at the club. The giant felt as if the strike connected properly for the first time, and it sent Martha flying back.

Blood began to leak as Martha held her trembling right arm.

"Please. I've seen that trick before. Show yourself!" Digrah ignored the form of Martha and released a ripple of Entropy.

Suddenly, he turned around and swung his club with all his might.

Martha evaded the swing.

BOOM!

The club crashed down on the floor.

Digrah was trembling.

"How...?"

Martha revealed her bow. 

"I'm an archer. That's how." Martha smiled as she approached closer and placed her hand on Digrah.

Digrah died, and his body disappeared as a large portal to the Separated Realm appeared.

Martha took a step forward and disappeared, reappearing in the Temple grounds.

"Husband. Please send me some of those Shadows you kill to me. I'll need to eat them to recover." Martha sat down on the Temple steps and rested.

"Eh? Why not just use the Temple to recover?"

"You... don't know?" Martha was amazed.

SLASH!

"Know what?" Aron asked as he kept killing.

"Why does it feel that your brother has been slower than usual?" Diana frowned.

"It's Fate Challenger. He's such a genius in combat that he doesn't know he's forcing more of his Path there. He needs to control it. Anyway, Brother! We need to save energy for the Temple. It just got out of a dormant state, remember? This means that the Temple does run out of energy. The Coven and Kyros become the great ones who can kill, and we can offer them to the Temple to help the Temple build up. We have to stockpile energy for it in case this war will be a long, drawn-out one." Branze explained.

"You should have told me that earlier! I've been disintegrating shadows here, left and right!" Aron cursed.

Kyros laughed as he saw the interaction of his family. 

"Master Kyros... What happened?" Stellya asked.

"Martha fooled the giant into thinking she was a Ninja. Then, at the last moment, she made a clone after intentionally getting knocked back by that Giant and created a clone as she circled the giant. She knew the giant would be guarded with the attack that Martha showed earlier."

"The slice that created a dimensional tear." Demerus recalled.

"Yes. She shot an arrow into the hew Separated Realm and used her clone as the portal's exit, and then she rushed in pretending to attack the Giant. The Giant was guarded for that attack and swung his club at Martha. But the arrow already reached the heart of the Giant and created a dimensional rip inside. Puff was already inside devouring the Giant and went for vital organs." Kyros explained.

"It looks like... we are the weakest champions in this place." Stellya chuckled.

Demerus was trembling, but he could not refute the words of his youngest sibling.

"Oh, don't say that. You'll be useful in a bit. It seems the real threat is coming.." Kyros watched the darkness at a distance and could feel a terrifying emerging out of it.