"HAHAHAAA!!*
An audacious laugh erupted from all around us.
"Who the hell-
"What's goin' on wit'cha, ZeeArc, ZeeShift?" A voice suddenly came from behind us. We turned around to face them, only for him to be behind us yet again.
"Nah, I'm in front of ya, I guess. But the name's Shiishii Lucius Von Senkozen, at your service!" He bowed to us, showing his own immense amounts of respect for us. We bowed back, showing that the feeling is mutual.
"Tuh, you're a little overzealous, don't you think?" I asked.
Stepping forward to get a better fell for his person, his essence, his actual spirit as a god. Quite the honorable process of sizing up if I do say so myself.
"Tuh, and you're a little uptight. That ain't gonna get you any closer to your gooooalsss bruh. Hmph, I meeeeaan... if you can't even be yaself whilst giving it your all. Are you truly pouring EVERYTHING into pursuing that goal? It's YOUR goal, how can you not be the true ZeeArc whilst pursuing it, bruh?" He flicked my head a bit before stepping away from me.
He could tell I was riled up, just from that. Seeing me riled up, also riles up my little brother, ZeeShift. He got us both, just like that!
"What did you just sa-
"Just gonna let me control the flow of our exchange just like that? Heh, this'll be an interesting battle indeed." He smiled at us both, further antagonizing us all the while.
"Tch, when does this match commence, Lord Zenki?" ZeeShift attempted to approach Shiishii, only to be stopped in his tracks by Kishin. We didn't even see the guy move!
"What is it with these two!?" I asked myself. Allowing my agitated essence to rise within that instant.
"Mmh... Seeing as you're all getting along just, SO welllll. We might as well start... NOW!" He snapped his fingers and transported all of us to a training grounds he regularly uses.
"This is the Senkozen family training grounds created by my father and aunties. You four can fight your hearts out here, allow me to see what you all can do. It'll be a grand showing for my son here. His name is Hideaki Senkozen, and he's also a recruit just like you guys." Zenki patted his son in the head.
His essence, along with Shiishii's own seemed odd. It was dark, ominous, and gave off an actual stench. The stench of Death.
"Wait a second... Are these two-
"Yep, my big cousin, Shiishii and I are the second and third generation of Death Deities." Hideaki stepped forth, wearing a black suit with a long cape attached to the back. His face had the tattoo of a huge demonic star drawn on it. He was like a darn copy of Lord Zenki as far as looks go.
"Hmm... Let's make this an actual test with a little twist instead. Haydes and I shall join and make it a free-for-all."
"A free-for-all?!"
"A free-for-all indeed, ZeeArc!"
Shiishii and his siblings were all cracking their knuckles. Eager to fight each other from what I could see. Hideaki was no different, which surprised ZeeShift and I.
"If you're wondering why these four are so eager. Just think about it, they come from the Combat Colossaverse. Even more than that, they are warriors from the Nordic style clan, Gahwardia... The God of War clan. Make sense now?" Zenki asked.
"Yeah... yeah, it does. Guess it's time we got read-
When I turned around, ZeeShift was actually smiling, excited to get this thing going. Seeing this, I couldn't help but allow the thought to cross my mind.
"I want to fight this little fucker." Now, even I was smiling like a mad maniac.
"Hmph, seems they'rrrre all finally into it. It be the grrrreatest of times to get this starrrrted. Myeow is the time, Zenki!" The blue, Tom Cat Deity, Zigorim stated. His pale skin glistened in the sun that shines brightly upon our battlefield.
"You're right, Zigorim. Let's see what these five can do. We appreciate the help with this, Shiishii."
"No prob, Uncle Zenki. Give us the signal to start whenever. With that being said, let's gain some muthafuckin distance!" Shiishii, Kishin, Haydes, Hideaki, ZeeShift, and I all vanished. Spreading out for miles in order to gain some proper distance for beings that can go beyond the speed of light.
"Give'en the rules for me, Lady Chinlee." Zenki instructed.
"You got it, boss. Alright then, this is a sanctioned free-for-all match where all means of combat are allowed. This realm has been set up so that you're all evenly matched at the Power Scale Level of 10. With that being said, you only have a maximum time limit of ten minutes. Do you all unduhstand?" Chinlee us the run down, raising her hand above her head.
We nodded our heads, agreeing to the rules and terms of this battle. We all felt our own bodies out, some of us having had our levels depleted to match the weakest amongst us. Understandable though, both of them are less than thirty years of age. Impressive that they're even this powerful at such young ages in this age of peace.
"Good, you may now, begin!!" Chinlee's voice echoed out into the realm around us. Giving us the signal to begin our well esteemed free-for-all fight.
I was under the impression that one of the brothers would come for us. Instead, Haydes and Hideaki shot straight for Shiishii. Kishin on the other hand, he went straight for ZeeShift with a rousing speed blitz.
"Huh? Damn... Kishin is fast as FUCK!!" ZeeShift let his instincts take over for that moment, blocking Kishin's attack at the very last second.
"Hmph, I wanna face Shiishii, but I'll have to get those two out of the way first!" I blasted forward.
I observed the fighting style of Shiishii as blocks and avoids Haydes and Hideaki's strikes. All of that changed when he locked eyes with me. He suddenly began to go on the attack, blocking multiple, devastating haymakers from both of them. Then, he kicked Haydes in the stomach, knocking him into Kishin in the blink of an eye. Then he blocked a hook from Hideaki's left hand. Raising his back leg up, Shiishii kicked Hideaki in the face with the bottom of his shoe as he leaned forward. Hideaki flew back a bit, floating in slow motion all the while. Shiishii flanked his six in rapid fashion, rotating like a wild tornado before releasing a nasty, backwards roundhouse kick. The force blew Hideaki into ZeeShift successfully interrupting their battle as well.
"Come get some, ZeeArc!" Shiishii entered the Wing Chun stance, taunting me to come forth.
"With pleasure, Shiishii!" I entered my signature Muay Thai stance, preparing myself for an all out brawl.
"GO!" We both shouted as we blitzed the other. My elbow broke through into his jaw, while his rapid jab made my face blow inwards, and my head go backwards. He pushed past my elbow, successfully pushing me back in the process. A storm of rapid, circular jabs came my way, forcing me to bring about my guard. My feet dragged across the floor as he kept his pace going. I steeled myself further and threw a knee to interrupt him, he managed to block it with his foot. He pushed my leg back down, throwing a strong elbow I managed to block with my forearm. I attempted to counter with two swift hooks, but that was to no avail. He dodged both, countering with a stiff finger jab that quickly turned into a smooth, one-inch punch. I easily flew back a few miles in distance.
"Tch! His martial arts is really good!!" I stated, stopping my momentum just in the knick of time.
"Heh, you left yourself wide open, big bro!" ZeeShift flanked my six while I was distracted.
"Oh, you little, cheeky BRAT!!" I vanished as ZeeShift took a swing at me.
Shiishii purposely rammed his foot into the knuckles of ZeeShift's fist. Creating friction using his essence so that it may cause a mighty explosion. We were all engulfed by it's force and magnitude, running out of the dust, suds, and smoke all the while. Kishin came out defending attacks from Haydes and ZeeShift, chasing after Shiishii all the while. Shiishii and I on the other hand, watched as Hideaki came after us with a small army of skeletons. We dashed at rapids speeds, our legs and feet almost looks like wheels with how fast our high cadences pushed them. Hideaki kept pace, sending skeletons our way as distractions. We blew them all away using storms created by the waves of our hands. Shiishii created a death storm that took control of the skeletons whilst I annihilated them with acute accuracy. The many explosions that occurred obscured our vision, forcing us to rely on our Mental Zenchi for better awareness.
"I'm coming for ya!!" Hideaki shouted, bringing out a large scythe as his weapon.
"Huh, hey Zenki, myou didn't give him my gift to myou, didja?" Zigorim asked.
He stared at Zenki from the side of his head. Zenki stood there, stoic in his stance as he ignores Zigorim. Even as Zigorim pressed his fucking eyeballs on the cheek of Zenki 's face.
"Mrrrhm!!" Zenki grunted loudly.
"Myour silence speaks loudly, Zenki." Zigorim backed off, facing us as he smiles like a clown. Zenki couldn't help but show the annoyance in his face.
Shiishii laughed audaciously as he conjured up his own scythe. He told us all that it was one that he created as a husk for something even more grand. His and Hiseaki's actual Death Scythes were still being created by Ladies Betsalynn, Scarge, and Lords Timone and Theodore. These are important weapons after all, and they take careful, maticulous planning to get done. So what we see now are nothing more than stand-ins, yet... Their power is nothing to scoff at!
"Oh crap... I'll need my fan after all! Fan of Annihilation... Come FORTH!!" I summoned a weapon that was handed down to my brother and I from our parents before us. They've had they're own models redone and gave us the old ones as presents for getting into Combattiumn's Annihilo-Sect.
"Isn't that..." Lord Zigerrott was baffled by the weapon I conjured up.
"Yes, that's the fan that Lord ZeeNihilo Zeefist once used throughout countless battles." Zenki explained.
"How interesting." Chinlee states.
Shiishii and Hideaki clashed weapons head on. Creating storms as they crossed this boundless and lush battlefield. I attempted to go after them, but Haydes grabbed me with his wolf tail and attempted to pull me in. He held some sort of flame shaped, greatsword in his hands. It emitted such dark essence that it made all of the hair on my body stand up. Kishin and ZeeShift ran after Shiishii and Hideaki, blasting them with long distance bombardments.
"Tuh, I see how it is." Shiishii twirled his scythe to throw Hideaki off balance. He then rushed towards the the two chasing after them with extreme speed.
"Oh naaaah, is he really coming at ME with speed as a weapon!?" Kishin was perplexed.
He burst forth with own full speed rush, rocketing towards Shiishii with speeds well beyond light. He pulled out a katana as they approached one another. Slashing as they cross the other's path. The ground tire asunder as it turned into cubes of various sizes. It shook and stirred as waves of debris formed from between the cubes of earth. Everything flew up, bursting with lightning going in every direction.
"Mhm... What the hell is this? A fight from the Naruto verse?! You watch the rest of that verse's history, by the way, Gorim?" Zenki raised an eyebrow as he observed our battle.
"Yeah, the interdimensional connection at the assassin's base sucks, so it took so time." Zigorim replied.
"Eh, I just read it in manga format. Easier to learn their history that way." Zigerrott added.
Everyone else rolled their eyes as if to try and ignore his words. Guess even the gods hate manga readers, Heh!
They all watched as Shiishii sprinted past my brother and Haydes, smashing his scythe's blade into the face of my fan. The force cracked the ground for miles around us.
"Pretty violent essence you've been using, Shiishii!" I smirked at him as our weapons rattled and shook.
"Well duh, I use the most heinous kind of death essence known!" Shiishii answered.
His scythe sunk down further, dwelling into a depth of darkness used by Shiishii. The rift that held the depth of darkness has teeth that scraped against his blade as its pulled out. Igniting the whole thing like a gas mine, engulfing and blowing me away as it does. I was able to gain my footing soon after, but that only helped me witness what was coming next. Shiishii twirled his heavy scythe effortlessly, creating gigantic crescent blades made of death essence every time he swung his arm. I smirked as they came, grilling my fan tightly while I block each and every strike flying my way. Using the momentum they carry as a way to sway my body into advantageous positions. Ending that volley with a mad twirl as another crescent knocked my fan back. My body came out of the twirl pressing forward with a heavy swing of my right arm. The fan created a tornado of Annihilation that blew the rest of his glass away. Creating a large crater beneath us.
On the other side of things, Haydes fought with Hideaki while Kishin fought with ZeeShift. The entire realm shook, but not nearly as much as when people like Zenki and his twin brother Morzick fight here. But still more than enough to amaze our proctors. We fought for at least thirty minutes before being stopped. Luckily we were, because we were all about to burst into our Clan Forms within the next few moments.
"Eh, that was a good match, eh ZeeArc?" Shiishii held out his hand, but I could tell he was looking down on my skills.
"Tch, don't look down on me, Shii!" I smacked his hand out of the way, throwing a jab just after. He grabbed it, flipping me over his shoulder soon after.
"Nah, I wasn't... but now I am, Arcy." He winked at me before walking away.
"If we're done here, I have a meeting with my dad I just attend to. See ya around... Arcy!" He vanished before anyone could get a word out.
"You alright, big bro?" ZeeShift lifted me off the ground as the members of our faction approached us.
"That was quite the display, godlings. We have already made our decision, and you're in!" Zenki shook our hands, welcoming us as the newest members.
A few dozen centuries would go by and I'd come to cross paths with Shiishii Senkozen countless times after this. Each time, he would antagonize me as a rimender of the day we met. Repeatedly egging me on until the day I got to actually sit down and get ti know him. We traded stories of our past, gaining a perspective on the other like never before. Sharing drinks while he and his brothers introduced me to something known as, Divikeef. It made my mind and body so light, so positive that it felt as though I was floating metaphorically. It truly helped in opening my mind to the ways of Shiishii, and his mind to the ways of ZeeArc.
"It's good to know you're not just some dickhead, Shii!" I shouted whilst spilling my drink everywhere.
"Tuh, nah. I'm just someone who likes to walk on the edge of everything. Even my relationship with others has to be an edge walker somewhere within the friendship for me to know they're truly for me, ya know?" Shiishii explained. He was barely affected by all the drinking and smoking we've been doing. It was nothing more than a cool buzz for him, an enjoyable one at best. Kishin on the other hand seemed as though he wasn't affected at all. He said his rapid metabolism made it so, and honestly... That makes perfect sense.
"Hm... I can dig that. Gotta make sure they can tolerate all of who you like to show when being yourself. If not, why are they even there in the first place, invading your precious bubble. Am I right?" ZeeShift states.
His face was red as I don't know what, showing clear signs that my little bro was gone out of his mind.
"That was deep, but uh... You're drunk as fuck, aren't you, Shifta?" Kishin asked.
"Why even ask, you know he is!" Haydes guzzled down an entire liter of Gaia Tears as if he had just gone through the toughest breakup of his life. But then again, that's been his vibe for the last two hundred years. Some say he's plotting against someone he's close to. Honestly, I just think the guy is highly misunderstood, truly so.
We all laughed and joked around for hours that day. It was a day that would spark new bonds, bonds that would lead to other connections. Connections with overwhelming people, speaking of which... I had just mentioned Haydes drinking Gaia Tears earlier on. Yeah, that's the perfect reminder for one of the most memorable days I've ever lived. A fateful day that would turn the clock of my own fate into a tunnel leading straight for my own fate. One that would heavily affect the very Omniverse around us. One piece of fate of the grand total few who play a role in this pie we call a story. Yes, something so great, so magnificent... and it all started when I met the one, very specific goddess. Just two hundred years before a terrible event that would involve all of us that took hand in that sparring match.
"So... Who have you brought me here to meet, big sis Nastasia?"
"Heh, all this life around you within this clan, and you're asking that? This is Gaia-Minettia... what other deities could we possibly be meeting?" ZeeNastasia rubbed the top of my head vigorously. I'm six seven, and a half, yet... I'm still on able to stand up to the bottom of her breasts. Elder Deities from the Era of Chaos are fucking giants.
"Welcome to our wonderful home of Gaia-Minettia, the Deities of Life Clan. The chidren of Gaia have come greet you both as you enter our grand, central palace." A goddess known as The Professor greeted the both of us using her bountiful essence.
"Well would you look at that... It's said to be very rare for all seven of the Children of Gaia to be together." Big Sis smiled as she bowed before them. I followed her lead without so much as skipping a beat.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both, Lady ZeeNastasia, young Lord ZeeArc. I am Fluorescent-Amadeus Senkozen, Gaia of Fire." Amadeus bowed to us before joining his other siblings at the side of the palace stairs. They were lined up to introduce the final two, and oldest of the Gaia siblings.
"So you've finally made it here, ZeeNastasiaaaa... good."
"Indeed, and I finally get to meet the younger brother ZeeNanasa and Shiishii speak so highly of." Another voice rang out from a further point back than the first. My sister grabbed my shoulder as she pulled me forward.
"Allow me to introduce you, baby brother. These two are Ladies Florescent-Clarissa and Gaia Senkozen II... in the flesh." My sister pointed to the two mighty goddesses standing before me. The younger of the two glared at me with warm, yet cold and analyzing eyes. Smirking as she began to make her way down the stairs.
"Hmph... It's a pleasure to meet you...
Young ZeeArc."