Chapter 430: The Grim Reaper Falls
(Third Person POV)
"Take this!!" Gajeel shouted as he lunged at Bloodman
He struck the Shield straight in the face, reeling him back. The force of the blow was powerful enough to shatter Bloodman's mask and blow his hood away, revealing his full face, his mouth pouring blood out.
"Kah!" Bloodman exclaimed as he straightened up, "Thou art a fool!!"
The Reaper was well aware of the Iron Dragon's spike in magic power, physical power, and defensive capabilities; his iron scales were tougher than usual.
He swung his arm at Gajeel, who dodged the invisible slice from the Shield's Curse, jumping in the air and rearing his arm back.
"Fool?" Gajeel said, "Says the one who's about to lose!!"
"God-Steel Dragon's Spear!!!"
He swung his arm forward and shot a massive obsidian black spear from his arm straight at Bloodman, piercing the Shield with tremendous speed. The attack was so fast that Bloodman couldn't react to it in time, only partially turning his body intangible and taking considerable damage.
As the spear retracted, Bloodman staggered back, coughing blood up.
"Tis is but a scratch.." He growled as a bright white dot appeared on his forehead, "But nonetheless, the Third Seal is unleashed."
As Gajeel landed on the ground, Bloodman's body erupted with a dark purple and red miasma. Gajeel felt an ominous feeling coming from the eruption of miasma and noticed that the ground was cracking and rotting as it shook violently.
"What the..." Gajeel said as he readied himself
He then saw that Bloodman's body had changed, appearing more demon-like and surrounded by a poisonous mist. His eyes had dark red irises and purple pupils that pierced right through the Iron Dragon.
"With tis, thine fate is sealed." Bloodman's voice distorted, "Mine power to command death is absolute. How can thee survive such power? Even thine new form will stand no match."
Gajeel lunged at him, throwing a punch that was easily caught by the Etherious. The force of the impact caused a powerful shockwave.
"Tch!" Gajeel growled
Bloodman then pushed him off with a shockwave that erupted from the palm of his hand, staggering Gajeel completely as he reeled back.
"Inferno!!!"
Gajeel was suddenly engulfed in a massive torrent of flames that erupted from Bloodman's vicinity. This was the Curse of Tempester, one of Tartaros's Nine Demon Gates. Bloodman was capable of using the majority of the Curses wielded by Zeref's Etherious, with the exception of E.N.D. and Erigor.
"What the!" Gajeel said as he covered his face, "Flames?"
Bloodman raised his arms, "The power of Calamity." He announced, "Thou shall feel it's true terror."
He then flicked his wrists.
"Cyclone"
The flames dispersed as a massive cyclone erupted in its place, hitting Gajeel hard. Due to Gajeel's powerful defenses, the attacks were merely keeping him in place rather than damaging him. Bloodman became aware of this right away and was bothered by this fact.
"Hmph." Bloodman said as he released an immense miasma of his mist, "I shall finish thee with my ultimate power of Death."
Suddenly, the ground began to corrupt itself, the snow melting and the grass underneath withering as the trees surrounding them did the same. Bloodman raised his arms the ground beneath him turned into countless skulls, similar to the ones he used during his Second Seal.
Gajeel was able to get out of the cyclone that was cast upon him and managed to step on the skull.
"Not this again.." Gajeel said, "I have to finish him with this next blow.....whatever this is, it sounds, looks, and feels bad..."
Gajeel then looked at Bloodman who swung his arms towards him, a massive torrent of skulls engulfed in a dark miasma began to swirl towards him.
"Thou shall not be able to escape Death!!" The Etherious exclaimed, "Mine power will send you to the netherworld and your fate will be sealed!!"
Gajeel felt the entire ground erupt with skulls as he was surrounded by a massive amount of miasma of poisonous mist.
"Over Skelter!!!"
The skulls began to home in and swirl around Gajeel who tried to fight them off. Even he knew that these were much more powerful and dangerous than the previous ones that were used against him already.
"Shit!" Gajeel said as he looked at Bloodman, "I have only one shot at this..."
As he was encased in the massive swirl of skulls, Gajeel began to charge up his magic power.
"Thine power is futile." Bloodman announced, "Mine Curse is absolute. Not even Mard Geer and his band of Demons can stand up to me. Mine power is the Greatest Curse!!"
As Gajeel was pushed by a volley of skulls, their miasma attempting to corrupt his steel scales, the Iron Dragon clapped his hands, charging an immense amount of magic power.
"It's now or never." Gajeel said, "He's wide open....I have to attack right through his attack...I can do it....with Jason's steel....this power....it's really possible...this isn't just the power of a Dragon Slayer....no...this is God Slayer magic as well!!!"
Suddenly, a massive aura erupted from Gajeel's body, pushing the majority of the skulls away as he raised his clapped hands up, forming a massive sword that glowed brightly.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: "
Bloodman widened his eyes, "This power..no....it can't be..." He said while gritting his teeth, "No, he cannot do anything, it's only a matter of time before mine attack takes full effect..."
Gajeel narrowed his eyes, looking straight at Bloodman through a gap in the skulls, "All of my power, in this attack!!" He growled, "Everything in me, I shall use it to kill you!!!"
Suddenly, a massive sword broke through the top of the swirl of skulls, surprising Bloodman as he felt an immense magic power. He was shocked at the length of the sword, it reached all the way up into the sky, like a massive obelisk that signaled the power of the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"Karma God: Steel Dragon's Divine Sword!!!!"
Gajeel swung the sword down with tremendous power and speed. It was so fast that Bloodman couldn't react to it, the attack so powerful that it caused a massive shockwave that parted the sea of swirling death skulls that he had summoned.
The sword strike was so massive that it even reached the main battlefield, splitting the ground completely and causing a powerful shockwave. Hundreds of meters from this fight, the Alvarez Soldiers that were fighting the main force were caught up in the attack as well.
"Wha?" Bloodman said surprised, "This power...."
His body then exploded with blood, a massive red line that ran down him vertically. His body slowly separated as his eyes were widened with shock.
Gajeel watched as Bloodman's split body collapsed to the ground, corroding on itself. He had reverted himself to his default form, the attack taking so much power that his God Steel Dragon mode was deactivated.
"Shit...." Gajeel panted, "I did it...."
Despite this, the skulls around continued to swirl and close in on him, constricting him like a python.
"W-What?!" He said with shock, "It didn't stop this spell??? Shit!!!!"
The Over Skelter attack was an absolute attack from Bloodman; even in his death, the attack will not stop until it's target is disposed of. Gajeel was only able to delay it enough to get off his final attack and finish the Shield off.
Gajeel scowled, "Shit!!!" He growled, "Fuck!!! This is bad!!! I got him and all but fuck!!! Am I going to die!!!!"
As the skulls encased him completely, they began to glow brightly, signaling their final stage in sealing and killing him off. There was nothing he could do, the attack had depleted his magic power and he was sure the others were busy in fighting. He couldn't help but get an overwhelming sense of dread; his death as imminent.
Gajeel closed his eyes, "Damn.." He said quietly, "So this is it....I....haven't gotten to tell her my true feelings....."
Suddenly, a bright white projectile struck at the massive swirl of skulls, piercing through and hitting Gajeel straight in the chest. As soon as it connected, Gajeel's body glowed bright white and emitted a serious scorching light of Holy Magic.
"What?!" He exclaimed, "My body....it's burning....but in a good way!!"
"Lumina: Sky's Miracle"
An explosion of white light erupted from Gajeel's body, completely burning off the skulls and sending them flying as Gajeel's body collapsed to the ground. Everything around him was beginning to get burnt off, the corruption of Bloodman's Curse being undone.
Gajeel looked up to see in the far distance, Jason standing with a gun aimed at him. He had a serious look on his face as he lowered the gun and turned around, giving his back to him and walking away.
Gajeel looked at this as the light from his body died down.
"I see..." He said with a frown,
"That's how it is..."