The battle of the Gods is not just a fight; it is an art. As a God of Steel, he possessed divine-level combat techniques that a mortal, no matter how many years they trained, could never glimpse a fraction of. Yet, the more he fought, the more dismayed Vishnu became. Not gaining an advantage was equivalent to being at a disadvantage. Merely being stalemated by a Fool already demonstrated the youth's extraordinary nature and the God's own weakness.
Luo Guang, however, was not satisfied. Failing to gain an advantage was a disadvantage. His combat skills, gained through training and brawling, were still inferior to the God's innate martial prowess.
But Luo Guang didn't blindly use his weakness against Vishnu's strength. He used the Aiz (Demon-Slaying Holy Sword)'s sturdiness and his technique to close the distance, then suddenly extended a golden dragon fang from a jade-green orb on his armor. The Red Dragon Emperor's teeth could tear apart all things; even a God's flesh could be sliced open like tofu.
Vishnu's arm muscle was slashed open. Blood gushed out like a spring, continuously dripping onto the ground of New Delhi. But this was far from over.
Vishnu swung his saber at the dragon fang, but from another orb on the Red Dragon Emperor's armor, a dragon hand covered in ochre-red scales shot out. It grabbed Vishnu's wrist, temporarily restraining him. As Vishnu struggled, several more dragon hands grabbed his body. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Guang used the Aiz to sever Vishnu's right arm.
"Aah! Aah!"
Even a God felt pain. The amputation of his arm made Vishnu scream. However, the God's will only grew stronger. Vishnu summoned flames again, intending to burn Luo Guang to ashes. But Luo Guang's body erupted with an even more violent aura, rendering Vishnu's current avatar useless.
Then, something that surprised Vishnu even more occurred. A dragon-like maw appeared where the humanoid face of the armor was. Vishnu was caught completely off guard, and the metal teeth bit into his neck. Flesh and body instantly separated, spilling more divine blood.
"Ah..." Vishnu screamed again.
He knew that if he continued like this, he would surely die. He hurriedly chanted a Kotodama (Spirit Word): "Narasimha (Man-Lion Avatar), grant me unparalleled might! No enemy can defeat me! Every enemy shall die by my claws!"
Vishnu's body rapidly transformed. He discarded his shield, and his formerly human arms became lion's claws. Surging Juryoku agitated the atmosphere. The claws, encased in a terrifying aura, swiped at Luo Guang.
Luo Guang defended with a single arm but was repelled. His body flew backward for dozens of meters before stopping.
"Oh? An authority that enhances power?" Luo Guang raised an eyebrow.
Following his will, the jade-green orb flashed, and a mechanical voice rang out:
"Boost!"
In less than a tenth of a second, it sounded again:
"Boost!"
"Boost!"
The mechanical voice sounded ten times in a single second. Luo Guang felt the explosive power within him and counterattacked without hesitation.
"It's useless, you weak Fool! You gained the upper hand initially due to my underestimation, but now that I'm serious, the gap between us can no longer be bridged," Vishnu declared with a booming voice as he saw Luo Guang charge again.
Then, his eyes widened. He had suddenly lost sight of Luo Guang. Even though it was only for an instant, it was enough to make the alarm bells ring violently. The next second, Vishnu, without thinking, raised his lion's claw and slashed behind him. The air was shredded, and the resulting shockwave tore apart dozens of buildings in the distance.
Yet, Luo Guang blocked his arm with just a single forearm. Even the God, at this moment, harbored an incredibly absurd thought: How is this possible?!
Vishnu clenched his teeth, immensely enraged by the offense to his majesty and dignity. An overwhelming aura, centered on himself, spread in all directions. However, this aura was blocked by a layer of hardened ice before it could touch Luo Guang's body. Although the ice shattered instantly, it bought enough time.
"Boost!"
CRACK!
Luo Guang suddenly exerted force on the arm holding the Man-Lion's claw. Despite the lion's claws, Vishnu's body stumbled. Luo Guang seized this fleeting opportunity and thrust the Aiz in his other hand forward. He felt powerful resistance, but the Red Dragon Emperor's penetration attribute played a huge role at this moment. Like puncturing a diaphragm, the Aiz pierced through Vishnu's heart.
If it were just this, it would be far from enough. But then, a scorching flame flowed from Luo Guang's body, through the Aiz, and into Vishnu's body. The ultimate fire, capable of incinerating all things, immediately turned Vishnu into a man of fire. Once ignited, this flame would absolutely not extinguish unless countered by an equal or stronger force.
Under normal circumstances, Vishnu could resist the flames, but after his battle with Rahu and the injuries inflicted by Luo Guang, his Juryoku was heavily depleted. Furthermore, Luo Guang's strength after activating the Juggernaut Drive was formidable. Of course, even without the prior exhaustion from Rahu, Luo Guang could have taken down Vishnu by himself; it would have simply taken more time.
Vishnu struggled fiercely, but he was at the end of his rope. The flames consumed his physical body, signaling Vishnu's departure. Just before Vishnu vanished, he seemed to say something, but Luo Guang paid no attention. It was nothing more than a curse or a blessing from a God, along with praise for his bravery and strength. Luo Guang did not need a God's evaluation.
After killing Vishnu, he immediately focused on Rahu, who had remained observing the fight without intervening.
Seeing Luo Guang look at him, Rahu's mountain-like body shook with the vibrations in his chest. "I disdain to interfere and sneak-attack during your struggle, but I never expected a brat like you to defeat my nemesis in the form of a Fool. I, Rahu, acknowledge your courage, and next... you must be targeting me, right?" Rahu's voice rumbled like thunder.
But Luo Guang was unaffected. His expression, hidden behind the mask, was unreadable. A voice, calm to the extreme, replied:
"Fool? I don't like that title."
"Oh? Then tell me who you are?"
"A foolish question. Would you ask the sun if it is the sun?"
"Very interesting. You are clearly not a Demon King, yet how do you possess the power to defeat Vishnu?"
"That question is equally foolish. Would you ask the sun why it shines?"
Luo Guang slightly lowered his stance. Rahu was momentarily stunned. In that moment, he could only feel the intense confidence radiating from the man before him. It was a confidence as unmoving as the sun itself.