Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 509: Fighting with Gods

The sound of combat came for a second, and then the world swirled, a vortex of colors and light.

All Max could think of was taking a deep breath.

[ Negate Death Blow - Activated ]

[ Cooldown Reset ]

A rush of power flowed through hi,m and Max felt pain as magical energy washed over him.

Bob took over, flying him upward and away from the trio that created a ravine a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide in a second.

MAX!

Go! I’m okay! Get the others and be safe!

Beneath him, the true power of the gods played out, and Max felt so small, watching Phaius and Ockrim attack Thuyja simultaneously.

Each swing of their weapon destroyed hundreds of yards of ground, yet the other god seemed unfazed when an attack connected.

His speed was fast and yet all three of them were faster.

They’re going to destroy this place… possibly even the capital. What can we do?!

Max said a small prayer as the trio moved away from the city for a while, zig-zagging and removing a forest of trees that had been hundreds of years old in the blink of an eye.

We must announce our presence, but I shall handle all the spells. Be ready.

[ All Cooldowns Reset ]

Bob flew them closer, chasing the warring gods as the planet paid the price of their actions.

“STOP!”

His voice did nothing to stand out above the battle's din, and even when he used the crystal he had been given, none of the gods noticed him.

We’ll have to get closer… I’ll… have to fight.

You will die again… I should be able to reset the cooldown in time but know she can easily kill us. Even with all your skills… I doubt it will do anything.

The pain of what he was witnessing from above made Max not care. Part of him appreciated the fact that Ockrim and Phaius had come when they did.

If it wasn’t for them, there was no telling what Thuyja might have done to him or the ones he loves.

What’s another death or twenty? Can you handle that loss of power?

A chuckle came from Bob.

Savantus gave me more than you can imagine and I have no doubt those three skills will provide vast amounts. I shall be fine. Come let us go join the battle.

[ Ultimate Form ]

[ Berserker ]

[ Haste ]

Max flew across the sky like a bolt of lightning, his weapon and body growing as the power of his ability kicked in.

In the improved state, he could follow the battle and the strikes, seeing a small opening that came and took it.

[ Harden Body ]

[ Armored Warrior ]

[ Bulwark ]

[ Demonic Teleportation ]

[ Blink ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Ghost Strike ]

[ Rampage ]

His spear thrust forward, and Thuyja’s body twisted as the tip of his blade touched her exposed side.

The goddess had shifted as he appeared, the fake strike having sent her out of position as the real one struck rapidly.

It did no damage he could sense, but a power flow came from her before Phaius and Ockrim’s attacks connected the next moment.

Thuyja was sent backward, the ground she slid on creating a furrow like a farmer for over a hundred yards.

“Don’t!” Ockrim snapped. “You can’t–”

A shield appeared before Max as the dwarven god protected him, hundreds of attacks bouncing off the metal in a moment.

“THUYJA! Stop this madness!” Phaius shouted as he took position next to Ockrim. “I’ve already sent the notification. You know what is coming!”

A primal roar that washed over him almost made Max fall to his knees.

“HE OWES ME!”

“Then collect the price when the time is allowed!” Ockrim bellowed. “For now, leave and do not return for a hundred years, or we shall rid this world of your claim!”

“You can’t! I am stronger!” the goddess shouted back.

Max couldn’t believe the sound that came next. Both men looked at one another and then started to chuckle.

“No… no you are not,” Phaius said as he relaxed slightly. “This mistake… You have cost yourself so much, and trust me when I say this… Wekime is watching. They’re all watching.”

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Standing between the shields, Max saw Thuyja shake at those last words.

Her mouth moved, yet no reply came as she slammed her staff into the ground.

Seconds passed as the wind blew, and for a moment, the sound of it was all that Max heard.

“You, Max Hoste,” Thuyja bellowed as she pointed her staff at him. “I’m coming for you. Pray you do not pass the tower.”

A boom of thunder came as the ground shook, and a portal appeared.

“One hundred years!” Ockrim shouted. “Do not test me!”

She made gestures Max hadn’t seen before, but he didn’t doubt that it wasn’t nice, and both men scoffed.

“I’ll be waiting, Max.”

Having spoken those words, the elven goddess stepped back into the glowing purple portal and vanished.

It took a few seconds before both gods turned and looked at him.

“You have grown,” Ockrim said with a wink. “But you’re still causing problems it appears.”

“Would there be any other way?” Max asked. “I guess this is what you meant by Seth Pendal causing problems?”

Phaius started to chuckle, and then, when he and the dwarven god exchanged glances, they laughed.

“Every tower climber… were we like this?”

“You probably were,” Ockrim replied. “I was a good one.”

The tense moment before seemed to vanish, and then the armor and weapons disappeared, replaced by their flowing clothes.

“You should be safe for a while,” Phaius said as he looked up at Max. “Thuyja made a mistake that is going to cost her greatly. The system… they will punish her.”

“For attacking me?”

Both gods nodded.

“Rules, Max, rules. We are bound by them. Unless you come and start the fight, we are not allowed to intervene. To do so… is to break rules. There are times when gods can fight, but that is for another discussion. Perhaps when you finish the tower.”

“Which needs to be done soon,” Ockrim added. “You are drawing too much attention being what you are, and while I don’t expect any other god to make a move… a wise dwarf will tell you that moss eventually gathers on sitting stone.”

A groan came from Phaius, who rubbed his eyes. “Those damn dwarven sayings…”

Chuckling, Ockrim shrugged and patted Max’s arm as his ultimate form was dismissed.

“You’ve done well, boy. Dagon speaks highly of you, and the fact that you managed to defeat Savantus alone is a testament to your strength. Tell me, how did you escape the domain?”

The gaze both gods gave him left no doubt that neither had believed he was strong enough to do so.

“I attempted to travel to another spot on this world, it–”

“Conflicted with the domain,” Phaius said, interrupting him. “Still… for it to actually destroy it…”

“Well I also used Spell Burst to try and overcome the struggle,” Max replied.

“Spell Burst? On a travel spell?” Ockrim asked before chuckling. “That’s… ingenious and crazy. I never even considered that possibility.”

“It’s because it’s not an attack… except in a moment like that,” Phaius stated. “Still… Savantus wasn’t weak. Surely it couldn’t have been that easy?”

“Oh, it wasn’t,” Max said as he prepared to tell the story.

And then it hit him what was missing.

Summoning his dimensional vault made both gods back up, but each grunted as Tanila rushed out, falling into Max’s open arms.

“You’re ok!”

“I am… they came and saved me.”

‎ Wiping the smudges and tears from her face, Tanila saw the two gods smiling at her and quickly regained her composure. She stood tall before bowing.

“Thank you for saving him. He means more to me than you might know.”

Neither god said a word, and Max could see where they were looking.

“It’s mine,” he said as the two gods stared a few seconds longer.

“An elf and a human… that must really piss her off,” Ockrim stated as he grinned.

“I can only imagine,” Phaius laughed. “How far along are you?”

“Halfway? I’m not sure,” Tanila replied. “With humans, you breed so fast and we elves…”

“She’s right! You breed like rabbits compared to elves and dwarves!” howled the dwarven god. “Only a goblin gives you a run for your money!”

Groaning, Phaius gave his ally a gentle shove. “We both know other races breed far faster than humans. Still… I must say… this changes so many things.”

“How so?” Max asked.

“A baby… from two tower climbers, this far along in the tower… I…” Phaius paused and his brow furled.

“What is it?” Ockrim asked. “Surely you can’t…”

Both gods' eyes widened, and they almost simultaneously reached up and stroked their chins or beards.

“That… will be something I haven’t heard of in over forty thousand years,” the dwarven god said slowly. “Can you imagine…”

“Uh, what are you two talking about?” Max asked.

Both gods regained their composure and made different facial expressions for a moment.

“A child does not often survive the climbing of a tower. It has happened,” Phaius replied. “Dwarves and some other races are heartier, and their women are stronger. Many have been pregnant while climbing and given birth to children who are stronger and often taller than the rest of their kind. Very few have ever been past the thirtieth floor in the tower…”

“He’s right,” Ockrim said as he puffed out his chest. “There are many different gods for dwarves and each of us has one specific quality. All dwarves are known for their constitution. But back to the point at hand, when someone is pregnant and carrying their child while fighting in the tower, a small portion of that power is transferred to the child.

“Long ago, some had figured that out and tried to make stronger children but the problem was and is, only certain classes can stay safe and still help their party. Healers, mages, archers, and a few other classes on other worlds face less risk than a melee class.

“Still if you have this child… after you complete the tower…”

Max felt Tanila squeeze his hand as they waited for the dwarven god to finish.

“Your child would be… a child of a god. A true child of a god.”

“A child of gods,” Phaius said. “Something that hasn’t happened in so long, most don’t believe it is anything more than a myth. If word of this gets out… You will find yourselves… the focus of many things.”

“So what? Do we not complete the tower?” Tanila asked. “Is the risk that great?”

Ockrim sighed as he smiled at her.

“I wish we could answer that in a way that would make everything better but the truth is, you two will never not be at risk. Those with power find themselves always under attack by those who want it. Some attack head-on, while others lay traps and plans, attempting to take it by subterfuge. You two only have one option and that is to keep moving forward. The only safe spot comes for a brief moment after you defeat the tower and then–”

Ockrim started to gag, his mouth open and no words coming.

“You can’t talk about that,” Phaius teased, wagging a finger at the dwarf. “Now then, we’ve been talking and I still want to hear about how this fight took place. And you know as well as I do, we need to leave here and check in. I do not doubt that we will be called to testify soon.”

A grunt from the dwarven god and a nod was his only reply.

“So then, Max. Tell us, how did you defeat Savantus?”

‎