Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

The spear gleamed with an ethereal, almost holy radiance. Its shaft was pure white, yet within its core swirled faint nebulae of trapped ghostly lights that shifted gently like distant stars. The blade itself was long and elegant, tapering to a needle-like point capable of piercing through concepts themselves. A faint, whispering chorus of ancient noble spirits seemed to echo whenever it moved through the air. Blank spun it once with practiced ease, and the air itself screamed in response.

”This is my White Maiden,” he declared calmly, though his eyes burned with focused killing intent. ”And you are the first foe in centuries to force me to draw it. Consider yourself honored before you perish.”

”GRRRRAAAAAHHH!!!”

The female Hollow ignored his words completely. She charged forward like a storm of bones and pure hatred, her four powerful arms tearing through the pristine white garden and leaving trails of black corruption that instantly wilted the beautiful flowers in her path. Her tail whipped about like a living blade, and her massive jaws opened wide enough to swallow a house whole.

Blank met her charge head-on without hesitation.

CLAAAAAAAAAANG!!!

The impact sent powerful shockwaves rippling outward, shattering the nearby white trees into glittering dust that sparkled in the air. White Maiden’s blade sang a clear, resonant note as it clashed against her reinforced bony claws. Sparks of void and death energy exploded violently between them. For the first time in the fight, the Hollow was pushed back. Her claws cracked audibly under the pressure.

”Too slow,” Blank muttered.

He moved like flowing mist. One moment he stood directly in front of her, and the next he had already circled behind, thrusting White Maiden through a gap in her armor with deadly precision. The spear sank deep into her shoulder, and white void energy erupted from within her body like freezing flames that consumed half of her form in an instant.

”GAAAAAAGH!!!”

She thrashed wildly in agony, her newly formed pair of arms smashing toward him in a desperate frenzy. Blank infused his power into the spear and activated White Maiden’s Unique Ability without delay.

”White Void Nova!”

A brilliant white void consumed the Hollow’s wound. Her shoulder inflated grotesquely like a balloon before exploding violently. Black ichor splattered everywhere as the force hurled both combatants backward, destroying countless marble trees and patches of white glass-like grass in the process.

BOOOOOOM!!!

The female Hollow glared at Blank with raw fury, roaring loudly as she clenched her teeth in rage. She leaped forward once more, shattering the ground beneath her feet and reaching him in the blink of an eye. Blank intercepted her attack with his spear, unleashing dozens of rapid strikes even as her massive shoulder wound continued to bleed darkly.

Her tail suddenly grew longer and sharper, coiling around his body like a serpent and lifting him high before slamming him repeatedly into the floor. Blank resisted the assault for a moment, then charged his spear with power, disappearing with his advanced techniques and reappearing behind her. White void constructs surged forth, piercing her existing wound and worsening the damage significantly.

Soul Liberation Spells continuously weakened her, releasing the trapped souls sealed inside her body one at a time. However, the process was not fast enough. She had already begun developing a troubling resistance to the technique.

”GRAAAAAHHHH!”

She roared and opened her massive maw, firing a deadly beam of death energy at point-blank range. The White Ghost could not fully resist the attack and was pushed back. The explosion disheveled his beautiful white hair and covered him in black dust, momentarily dulling his vision.

That brief opening was all she needed. She spun in midair, delivering a crushing kick to his chin followed by a brutal barrage of punches to his chest, stomach, shoulders, and torso. Finally, she opened her jaws wide and bit down hard on his neck.

CRUNCH!

”Nnnggh?!”

Blank smiled through the pain. Her bite was incredibly powerful and tore through his ghostly form, but he quickly stepped back and began to regenerate. White Ghosts were remarkable beings, capable of shifting effortlessly between corporeal and incorporeal states, which granted them extraordinary regeneration.

Although there were many ways to counter such powers, it did not mean they were without limits. As a Noble among Nobles, however, Blank stood as an incredible exception to the rule.

He clenched his teeth, dove downward, and struck her with all his might. White Maiden danced through the air as pieces of her armor began to shatter. Yet new layers of armor rapidly grew over the damaged sections, restoring her defense.

”Damn it, you’re persistent, huh?!” Blank clenched his teeth tighter. He knew this fight was designed to waste both his energy and his time. ”We’re taking too long. Is Elayne fine? Damn it, I have to—”

”RWAAAAAHHH!”

In the exact moment he lost his composure and became distracted, she attacked. Her claw blazed with black-red flames as she struck his chest. His eyes widened in shock as the blow landed on his shoulder instead, piercing a massive hole through it. The arm holding his weapon was destroyed, and blood splattered everywhere.

”Gaaaahhh?! Impossible...! Did I lower my guard?! She wasn’t this strong—she evolved... again!!!”

Blank panicked as his overconfidence finally caught up with him. The Hollow smiled viciously, catching his severed arm and beginning to devour it. However, the arm exploded violently inside her mouth.

BOOOMMM!!!

”Did you think it would be so easy?”

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, realizing that her flames possessed the terrifying power to damage both corporeal and incorporeal forms at the same time. He could no longer avoid damage as easily as before.

”GRRRR!”

She growled and darted toward him once more, her spear-like tail aimed directly at his heart. Blank transformed into a ghost and disappeared, only to be struck harshly in the back. His eyes widened in disbelief as he realized there were now two of them.

”Two?!”

He was sent hurtling through the forest, crashing into his elegant white castle and smashing it into pieces. He coughed heavily and forced himself to stand, though recovering his arm when both his corporeal and incorporeal forms had been damaged was taking longer than usual.

”Hah, just what exactly are you?!” Blank asked with a wide smile filled with disbelief. He watched as the two female Hollows stared at him from above and below. ”A clone ability? Is this your true power? Interesting... hahaha... To think a mere Hollow would turn out this strong. Maybe it’s my fault...”

As he sighed, both Hollows charged at him simultaneously.

FLASH!

Blinding twilight energy surged across the battlefield. A sharp blade carrying a small cosmos within it cut through one of the Hollows, turning her into an explosion of white mist. At the same time, the real Hollow was struck by a giant, blazing shovel as Irene and Ignis combined their powers to stop her advance.

CRAAASH!

”Gaaaaarrgh!”

She fell hard, crashing down and rolling across the rubble while glaring angrily at the newcomers. Blank’s eyes widened with relief and joy, his smile growing even broader.

”E-Elayne...!”

”Sorry for being late,” Elayne said firmly. ”Let’s take on this one together, Blank! I know you want to grow stronger, but we can’t waste any more time!”

”...You’re right. Let’s do it!”

”Okay, but why did you have to bring me here?!” Granny Yaga cried out while hanging onto Elayne’s back like a backpack.

”Shoot her with magic, Yaga! Support us with anything you can!”

”D-Damn it!”

Yaga conjured her grimoire and unleashed giant goblin god hands alongside powerful weapons formed from Soul Liberation energy, surprising even Blank with the sheer force of her assistance.

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