Ascension of the Nephilim

The two abilities of the Temple would significantly improve their survival in this battle. 

Kyros was adamant about trying it out!

"Everyone! We will be charging ahead! I'll use a weaker version of the attack I did earlier to make a gap. In the enemies charge. Knights, Servants. Use that time to reorganize your arrangement. Await my father and mother's awakening, and they will lead your team. Destiny has determined that we should die. But we are all Challengers! Fate Challengers! Arise and challenge the destiny that we are supposed to face! We will survive this tribulation and become stronger!" Kyros ordered.

"Yes!" Everyone roared.

Seeing the high morale of the group, Kyros called out to his offensive team.

"Let's go!" Kyros flew ahead.

The team followed as well.

[Time Haste] was activated, and Kyros zoomed with great speed into the deep layers of the battle.

The uncontrolled shadow army only had the desire to attack and kill. And as Kyros's flight was low, many of the soldiers in that army made their attacks.

Kyros flew deeper into the army of darkness and was evading the attacks that the archers and mages did. After reaching a certain distance, Kyros activated [Skotos Eis Phos].

FLASH!

The light exploded out. It wasn't as thick as the attacks before, as Kyros was now able to estimate and attack the shadows that would not disintegrate their body.

The howls of pain could be heard as the flash disappeared.

Kyros felt a strange power source rushing in him. Nearly half of what he lost in terms of magic energy was recovered from that attack.

"Oh? And here I thought it was able to heal me completely." Kyros frowned.

But then...

"What? This power?" Aron felt it. It was small, but it allowed him to feel a similar sensation when the Temple would absorb and disperse a slain foe's life and death essence.

"Oh? So it's a group thing? Then this should work!" Kyros smiled. 

Suddenly, the Temple absorbed the dispersing shadows as the souls and shadow energy was being sucked back to the Temple.

The knights were stunned at what they saw. The Temple immediately began to absorb the energy, and the Temple's light was faintly growing brighter. 

"Amazing! That's the skill of the Temple?! Now we don't have to carry the corpses inside manually!" Mezal was amazed.

"It only works in this place where the Temple is. It was locked, and Fate only enabled it when we fought and killed a Commander. When we go beyond the portal, I doubt our kills will be immediately sent to the Temple. I'd have to rely on my Nephilim Storage Space. I also set the Temple to absorb the life of these shadows. A great percentage of the absorbed will be used to fuel the Holy powers of the Temple and will be slowly increasing the experience of everyone. The Temple will balance the levels first."

"Good. I approve of that arrangement. That way, everyone will grow stronger together and have an equal level. We can then identify if there are any notable fighters among them. What's the second skill?" Mezal asked.

"What was that strange power? I felt a small amount of my magic restored?" Demerus asked.

"Let's go and kill. You'll find out. All of you." Kyros smiled as he dove immediately to the armies and began to fight.

Slash! Slash!

The simple attacks of Kyros that were pushing through the ranks of shadow creatures and began to slash and kill everyone as he zoomed by.

But as Kyros killed, he could tell that the group couldn't sense it as the energy he was absorbing felt greater.

"Follow me!"

Kyros used his sword, and the Balefire energy was able to cut through most of the shadow force. Once it was sliced through, the power of the Blood Sword began to quickly drain the energy of the shadows. With True Cut aiding a bit of it, the sword easily cut through.

Seeing Kyros's fast movements, the rest followed.

The expense of Force and Magic was great, but Kyros intentionally did that for him to push through quickly and kill so that everyone could sense it.

"I feel something strange..."

"Everyone! Start killing as we push ahead! It's ok if you go a little wild." Kyros instructed.

The Champions didn't use ranged magic but used their scepters to attack as it was able to emit an elemental attack with very little magic fueling it.

SMASH! SLASH! FWIP!

Everyone began to charge through the armies and fought as they flew aster. The group was killing whoever they could as they moved.

And then, strange energy was fueling them.

"What?! My magic? It's recovering!" Demerus noticed it first.

"Not just Magic, Force as well!" Aron laughed.

"It's not only those two. The Myster Experience System... The Temple has bestowed on us to receive a very small amount of life and death energy. In short, although it's slower compared to offering it to the Temple, we can level up as we kill!" Kyros laughed. 

The name itself hinted that the Temple was finally harnessing the real power of Kyros. Mysterion was hidden in Myster, but since Kyros was someone who could turn Darkness to Light, it meant he was able to feel the power and life of the Dark Dependent and those who cultivate Light energy.

"What?!" The Champions were startled at the declaration.

Immediately, they began to kill as fast as they could.

"Hey! Focus! We are not supposed to wipe out this army! Save your strength! The gains are too slow! You guys have to be economical! We need to find that balance where we all are fighting and advancing and that the expense is never above our gains! Think like Asians in an all-you-can-eat buffet! Our gains have to be more than the cost!" Kyros cursed as everyone began to fight wildly.

The group continued to attack the armies. The Emberdon Champions revealed their skill in fighting at close-ranged as combat and were easily plowing through the army.

The Champions and the Steele family would have been wasting stamina and energy as they pushed through the endless horde, but with the sharing effect of their power, the group was able to fight fast and cut through.

The surviving shadows all raced towards the Temple in their wild state. But with a weakened, and disorganized rank, it was easy for the knights to fight.

Mechiel continued to recount all that they had seen to Branze.

"And it's been an hour since they left?" Branze asked.

"Yes." Mechiel nodded.

"Still. It was quite careless of my son to spill the beans. But I guess there is more romance to him winning you if you could potentially be a backstabbing enemy. No offense." 

"Erm... Right." Mechiel nodded.

Branze then moved to the front lines.

"Everyone. Organize yourself! We will be preparing to charge through!" Branze suddenly ordered.

"What?" The Coven was surprised at Branze's declaration.

"But... Lord Branze. Lord Kyros told us to defend."

"That's not the case. Kyros left so that you all could grow. Hunter, have there been more people who have awakened our Fate Challenger?" Branze asked.

Hunter was infighting in his position.

"Yes! Gojirrah and Reptilia also awakened it."

"Good. Kyros left us here so we could all level up. As proof of it, all the Champions and Commanders they sent here has been absorbed immediately, correct?"

"Yes! That's right!" Scarlet answered. She had noticed it for some time.

"I understand now!" Diana finally realized.

"That's right. The purpose of our molding was to make us an offensive army that could push through these hordes. Therefore, from here on out, we will be forcing an offensive attack!" Branze issued a decree and began to take charge of the battle.

Going back to the time when Kyros and his team finally emerged out of the portal...

The moment they did, Kyros felt a powerful threat. 

"Defend!" Kyros shouted, and immediately, Kyros activated [Skotos Eis Phos].

BOOM!

A massive, rocky claw smashed down on them.

The strike was so fast, and only Kyros and Puff were able to act on time to defend and rose to attack the claw that was falling on them.

Despite the last-minute defenses of everyone, the massive attack still pushed down.

Mezal coughed up blood as he dove forward to protect the Emberdons. But even his defenses failed, and the Wall he created was destroyed.

The Emeberdons took the quick gap before Mezal's wall fell and pulled Mezal out of the massive claw until the massive claw crashed down.

SLASH!

Only one person could move and pulled Martha out of harm's way when the attack fell. He made a powerful slash as he knew another attack from the claw would follow.

The slash cut through but didn't make a deep wound as it barely penetrated the shell of the claw.

"Kyros!" Martha cried in worry.

"He's ok. That's one good dragon." Aron answered.

Under the massive claw was Puff, who did its best to bear the weight of the attack.

Kyros was under him, but he had blood leaking out of his body.

"Die." The loud and deep voice of the massive enemy echoed.

BOOM!

A Force Energy exploded out.

After the explosion, the massive claw took the large archway where the portal was. With great force, the claw pulled the portal and threw it at the back.

"What a genius." Kyros appeared. Before the boom, Martha opened the portal, and the Kyros and the dragon moved in to escape.

The portal crashed in a far-off distance.

The attack killed a lot of shadow creatures. But when the attack came, all of the shadow creatures retreated.

The massive claw suddenly shrunk, and soon, the figure of a tall man who stood like a human but had to large crab-like claws as hand stood up. His face was like a man, but his skin looked like the shell of a crab.

"Greetings, Fate Champions. With your attack, I know that you can recover and heal by killing my shadows. A vampire, I presume?" The Crab Commander glanced at Martha.

"Regardless, it would be unwise to fight you with my Champions. So my Champions will go ahead and push through the Temple. After that, I will fight all of you, alone." The Crab Commander laughed.

"Kyros..." Mezal frowned.

"I know. This Commander is a powerful warrior. I can't gauge it. But he's a strong champion that has our Fate Challenger!"

I commend the Sword Expert for that attack. I sense that you have the Path of Combat that is even above mine. You will be a delicious morsel for me." The Crab Commander glanced at Aron.