Author's Note: from now on, sacred energy will always be called "Holy Power," except from the perspective of a native of Frieren's world (or other), since Heiter will always call it "the goddess's magic."
.....
After activating Ashura mode, Sanguinius's mind split into three distinct entities.
One was focused on using weapons and "force," another on "magic," and the last on using "Holy Power."
Despite their autonomy, the three divided spirits all shared a common goal with the main spirit: to defeat the group facing them.
"He transformed into a monster??"
Frieren shook her head to refute Himmel's words, but it was Heiter who provided the explanation:
"He seems to have divided his essence himself... I can feel the goddess's magic split into three, and it's the same for his own magic."
Heiter was right, but he didn't understand the purpose behind such a maneuver.
'Why split into three and not completely?'
Frieren would have understood if Sanguinius had simply created clones, but this act of semi-splitting appeared strange to her.
"""It's time to end this now"""
Three voices overlapped, while a magical, sacred, and electric aura rose from Sanguinius's body.
An act that slightly surprised them.
During their confrontation up until now, he had only used the goddess's magic and his hand-to-hand combat skills, from their point of view.
Thus, magic or the imitation of "force" was bad news.
'Unlike my imitation of prana with Holy Power, my imitation of Force isn't so refined yet'
He hadn't yet reached the level of creating his own techniques, but he could imitate existing ones within a certain range.
After all, the concept of "force" is based on magnetism.
It manifests as electricity or lightning on its user or the target affected by it.
It allows controlling metal objects from a distance like classical magnetism, using principles of attraction and repulsion with metal as an anchor point.
By using basic lightning magic, it's easy to imitate the magnetic aspect of force because the magnetic effect of this magic is a side effect and not the main purpose.
Thus, this area filled with Aura's army of undead is favorable to him.
"What's happening?" asked Eisen, trying to hold onto an axe he had picked up from a corpse.
Yet, the force of attraction emitted by Sanguinius continued to slowly increase as the golden electricity emanating from him shone brighter and brighter.
"Frieren, stop him!!" shouted Himmel, who was struggling to keep his blade in hand, and immediately asked for the elf's help. But...
'Her eyes... it's like when she discovers new magic and wants to learn it.'
Himmel sighed in frustration before shouting again toward Frieren, who was carefully observing Sanguinius and the environment.
"Sorry, I... I'm going to try something, so buy me some time!!"
Himmel didn't really understand Frieren's intention, but he nodded without asking questions.
They had already lived together for so long that they no longer needed long discussions to understand each other.
Himmel smiled at Eisen, and the latter nodded in turn.
They stopped struggling against the force attracting their weapons and charged directly toward it at full speed.
"""A grave mistake"""
The two warriors didn't immediately understand Sanguinius's words, but the weapons floating around him began to glow with strange patterns before being propelled in their direction.
Himmel and Eisen had the reflex to drop their weapons, but it was already too late.
'I had to distract them with my floating weapons display, but my real targets were the metal in their clothes and armor.'
Heiter tried to react, but other spears adorned with the same strange patterns and wrapped in electricity rushed toward him and Frieren.
Faced with this danger, the priest had to make a choice: help Frieren, or Himmel and Eisen.
As an experienced priest, Heiter made the most logical decision in this situation.
'If I survive, I can heal them, and Frieren asked for some time to prepare something, so...'
He immediately created a barrier using his goddess's magic, as Sanguinius had predicted.
The word "mistake" wasn't addressed only to Himmel and Eisen, but also to Frieren.
She was the magical specialist of the group.
Even if Sanguinius used a different magical system, Frieren remained a genius capable of deciphering a passage from the Goddess's Scriptures and traveling through time thanks to it.
She had the ability or 'potential' to understand his runic magic, engraved on metals touched by his crude imitation of "Force."
'She must surely want to seal me like the demon Qual'
Yes, Sanguinius suspected Frieren had made this decision.
He couldn't remember any other magic used in this kind of situation that would require so much preparation apart from sealing magic.
This decision by Frieren resulted in the tragic outcome before her.
- boom
The swords and spears controlled by magnetic force reached Eisen and Himmel before exploding.
Since the metals on their bodies had served as anchor points for the "Force," their chances of surviving were very slim.
Among the spears projected toward Heiter, there were two that differed from the others.
Unfortunately, Heiter wasn't an expert in magic and didn't notice the unusual marks on these two spears.
After the explosion, a scene straight out of a horror movie occurred.
- throat
Heiter coughed up a huge amount of blood and unconsciously touched Sanguinius's arm, currently planted in his chest, but his grip was weak due to massive blood loss.
Without hesitation, Sanguinius threw the priest to the ground before observing the state of the group, except for Frieren.
Himmel and Eisen had literally been betrayed by their own equipment, their armor becoming anchor points for the "Force."
They were unconscious and severely burned due to the explosion caused by all the weapons from Aura's army, which had exploded on them.
"Have you given up?"
Sanguinius was surprised by Frieren's decision to stop using this magic, but it wasn't stupid.
If she forced herself to continue, she would die without fighting... at least from his point of view.
Sanguinius doesn't want to kill anyone, he just wants to fulfill the agreement with Khorne and nothing more.
That's why he spilled blood here.
"The bet.... it was a trick"
Despite pointing her scepter at him, Sanguinius wasn't threatened by her because he had gauged Frieren's current level compared to the manga.
'She must not have developed the black hole yet or that practical magic called "The Summit of Magic"'
"No... but I never mentioned that you would be in perfect shape after our spar, did I?"
At the mention of the word "spar," Frieren glanced at her companions who were dying or unconscious before starting to attack.
Unfortunately, she was too disadvantaged against Sanguinius.
Unlike mages of this world, Sanguinius's magic comes from another universe.
This situation hindered Frieren in her analysis of the spell to try to imitate or counter it, but also Sanguinius doesn't use much magic against her.
He limited himself to Holy Power and martial techniques to avoid indirectly strengthening her.
"Zoltraak!!"
Unlike the future Zoltraak, this one perfectly resembles Qual's spell and not a version specialized in demon elimination.
However, it wasn't enough against Sanguinius because he could avoid it and he was aware of the penetrating nature of the spell.
Thus, he never blocked or countered this spell with another.
-slash
In the end, the fight ended with Frieren pierced by a spear that emerged from the ground thanks to a teleportation rune.
"... When?"
"During the explosion against Heiter."
Heiter had managed to block Sanguinius's attack, but the latter had prepared two spears among those projected toward him.
One served to teleport Sanguinius himself in front of Heiter to take advantage of the weakening of his shield and deliver a fatal blow.
Of course, he also teleported the other spear into the ground.
This cunning act was hidden from Frieren's eyes and senses thanks to the explosion of weapons, caused by the rune engraved on them using "force"
'She was stronger than expected... if this fight had taken place in 80 years, then...'
Sanguinius could easily guess the result thanks to his knowledge of the manga.
Frieren was strong, the oldest in the group, but also the most experienced in magical combat.
Sanguinius had avoided using magic as much as possible because he knew of this elf's monstrous talent.
This situation was awkward and embarrassing for him.
Why?
For the simple reason that he had to think much more to defeat Frieren alone than to face the entire team... A strange situation.
He grabbed the elf by the hand in mid-flight before throwing her to the ground upon landing.
"... *Grr*... did I overdo it?" After deactivating his Fallen Ashura form, his mind underwent a flood of mental information from his alter egos.
He obtained their opinion on the use of "force" as well as on other energetic aspects, but also on his fighting style.
He had used this form for less than five minutes, but the burden was heavy enough to give him headaches.
[Congratulations, you have completed the quest named: Why just win? Show them despair.]
[The divine seat The Throne of Blood and Skulls is satisfied but frustrated by this fight because of the use of magic]
[The Throne of Blood and Skulls enjoyed the entertainment, but it thirsts even more for souls in this unknown universe.]
[The Throne of Blood and Skulls urges you to choose a chaos gift from those proposed on this list:]
[Name: Banner of Rage (rank C)]
[Category: item]
[Description: Contains the souls of Khorne's most bloodthirsty disciples and diffuses their emotions, increasing the blood appetite of those nearby.]
[Name: Berserker Glaive (rank C-)]
[Category: item]
[Description: Weapon possessed by a "Blood-Thirst" gone mad. It offers excellent protection but may not always aim at the desired enemy.]
[Name: Blessing of the "minor" Blood God (rank B)]
[Category: Passive skill]
[Description: Very weakened version of Khârn's blessing, offering good resistance to psychic attacks and the immaterium.]
[Warning: You will be bound to the Blood God if you accept this blessing.]
[Name: Warp Mutation (unknown rank)]
[Category: Passive skill?]
[Description: You can obtain a reasonable warp mutation related to the domain of the Throne of Blood and Skulls.]
....
There were many interesting options, but nothing really caught Sanguinius's attention, except for two chaos gifts.
"I'll take the warp mutation."
Yes, his interest had been drawn to the mutation and Khorne's blessing.
'It's just a shame that I can't take Khorne's blessing.'
He would no longer have to fear psykers, except the most powerful ones, but having the affection of a Chaos god is always risky.
Sanguinius knew that Khorne didn't care about good or evil, but he knew the twisted nature of the Chaos gods.
He preferred to choose the lesser evil.
[Please describe to The Throne of Blood and Skulls the mutation you desire.]
Several "reasonable" ideas emerged in Sanguinius's mind, but he opted for a proposal that common sense would have called madness.
'Yet, it's better to be able to decide one's own cross, isn't it?'
"Here is my request."
[Name: The Red Thirst Mute (rank C+ ~ unknown)]
[Category: curses]
[Description: The Blood Angels, a noble chapter of Space Marines, hide a heavy secret: a genetic curse that can explode at any moment on the battlefield.
Other info: This mutated version suppresses hallucinations, making it easier to control rage with enough discipline, and offers an overall strength gain from absorbed blood.]
[Warning: The Throne of Blood and Skulls may refuse this proposal or slightly adjust this skill.]
[The Throne of Blood and Skulls is surprised to hear about the Blood Angels in another universe.]
[The Throne of Blood and Skulls observes you with suspicion... then sketches a predatory smile.]
[The Throne of Blood and Skulls accepts your skill, but adds a final touch:]
[Name: The Red Thirst Mute (rank B ~ unknown)]
[Category: curses]
[Description: The Blood Angels, a noble chapter of Space Marines, hide a heavy secret: a genetic curse that can explode at any moment on the battlefield.
Other info: This mutated version suppresses hallucinations, making it easier to control rage with enough discipline, and offers an overall strength gain from absorbed blood.
Adjustment made by The Throne of Blood and Skulls:
The host of the curse will experience unequaled pleasure during bloody battles]
"Does he take me for that idiot Angron?"
Despite his complaints, Sanguinius immediately accepted the offer without hesitation.
This act could be perceived as stupid, but his case is different from that of a slave to anger like Angron or an ordinary Space Marine of the Blood Angels.
He can control this curse!!!
If he falls into combat addiction, then it will be purely voluntary.
[The divine seat The Throne of Blood and Skulls is satisfied with your decision.]
[The divine seat The Throne of Blood and Skulls proposes another quest to the false light of Baal.]
"No, the stream is over."
'Does he really think he can use the kite approach with me? Hell, I don't even obey my creator in heaven, so why would I work for a cosmic demon?'
Sanguinius couldn't help but cast a contemptuous look at the gratuitous massacres disguised as quests.
After this little confrontation with his former patron, Sanguinius looked at the unread notifications from the discussion group.
[Random Cadian soldier: Heretic!!!!]
[Leader of the gender equality sect (administrator): Scum, you hurt this cute elf loli for that damn demon loli!!]
[Random Cadian soldier: Servant of ruin, xeno bastard!!!]
....
The chat was literally engulfed by insulting messages from the "Random Cadian soldier" and Kazuma