"Die—!"
Mars raised his divine sword, roaring as he prepared to strike.
Lucius gripped his light sword, forged from divine energy akin to Mars's, his gaze heavy.
His newly formed ability was forcibly activated, draining his magical energy like a breached dam.
"With the cause, comes the effect—" Lucius fixed his eyes on Mars's neck, speaking slowly.
The next moment.
As Mars gathered his full strength to cleave downward.
Lucius had already gripped his sword, poised to strike.
The cause was set.
So—
No need for the process.
Straight to the result—
Mars suddenly felt a searing pain in his neck.
His head flew off, divine blood spraying.
"What?"
His severed head, still conscious, widened its eyes, unable to comprehend what had happened.
Moments ago, he was about to cut his enemy in two.
Why, in an instant, had he been beheaded?
"Impossible! Impossible!"
The war god's head roared, unable to accept the reality.
"Why! How could this be! It's impossible!"
Lucius's hand trembled as he slowly withdrew his sword from Mars's neck, stepping back with effort.
The next moment, the war god's towering headless body collapsed like a falling pillar, hitting the ground with a thud.
At the same time, with a clang, Lucius's hand slackened, his sword dropping and dissipating.
"Mars, you've lost!" Lucius gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse.
"The power of causality?" The demon in the bottle let out a startled gasp.
Lucius didn't respond.
What he'd just used was the ability brewing within him since absorbing the beast tooth artifact.
The power to link cause and effect directly.
Every cause has an effect, but between them lies the process.
This ability let him achieve the "cause" And leap straight to the "effect."
Holding a sword capable of piercing Mars's divine aura, striking the pose to attack—this was the cause.
Swinging the sword at Mars's neck—this was the process.
Severing Mars's head—this was the result.
But with this ability, once Lucius established the cause, he skipped the process, arriving at the "effect."
Since the "process" never occurred, Mars couldn't interrupt the attack.
Such a potent ability came with significant limitations.
The greater the time or space spanned in the "process," Or the more complex the actions, the more magic it consumed.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! What is this power!" Mars's eyes bulged, his severed head roaring as it floated, trying to rejoin its headless body.
His body struggled, attempting to rise shakily.
A human would have died from such a wound, but under divine possession, he retained vitality!
"You've already lost—"
Having reached this point, Lucius wouldn't give Mars a chance to turn the tables!
His newly formed ability, used once, seemed unusable again for now.
His magical energy was nearly depleted.
"Stop struggling and embarrassing yourself!"
Lucius gritted his teeth, stepping forward to stomp Mars's headless body back to the ground!
Squeezing out the last of his magic, he conjured another white light sword and drove it through Mars's head, pinning it to the ground!
"Stay down!"
Feeling the surging power in Mars's body and head, Lucius steeled himself, drawing all of it into his own body!
"Aaagh—!" Sensing his power draining, Mars roared, struggling fiercely.
But Lucius gave him no chance!
He kept one foot on the body, one hand pinning the head with the sword.
As he absorbed the power, his magic reserves began to replenish.
Without regard for waste, he summoned several more light swords in his free hand!
With no respect for his foe, he plunged the newly formed swords into Mars's body and head!
Finally, facing the still-thrashing head, he gathered all his strength and stomped down hard!
"Evil wolf—"
"Like hell!"
Boom!
The war god's struggling head was crushed underfoot!
Mars's body went still.
But—
A phrase flashed through Lucius's mind: Even headless, the warrior's spirit endures!
"Damn it!" Lucius cursed. He wouldn't give Mars, the first enemy to truly threaten his life, a single chance!
Losing a head didn't guarantee Mars wouldn't rise, fighting with makeshift eyes and mouth, wielding the Sword of Mars!
With that thought, Lucius conjured a massive sword with his magic, raising it with all his might!
Sensing the threat, Mars's headless body thrashed, nearly throwing Lucius off!
"I knew you'd pull this crap!"
Cursing, Lucius brought the giant sword down, cleaving the headless body into pieces!
His magic turned to flames, incinerating the remains completely!
Then, he seized the Sword of Mars, swiftly absorbing its divine power.
Deprived of its energy, the sword began to decay, rust covering it in seconds.
"Huff, huff." Exhausted, Lucius leaned on his sword for support, barely staying upright.
But—
"I think it's time you let me out of this seal."
The demon's tone was subtly teasing.
"What?" Lucius froze.
A thunderous roar erupted.
"Evil wolf! You've gone too far!"
A crimson-gold beam slammed into Lucius, sending him flying.
Countless golden motes of light rose from across Rome and beyond, converging above the temple.
Unlike the earlier possession.
The Heretic Mars had fully manifested!
***
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