The Gods Decree - Chapter 260 Oh What A Taggled Web We Weave

Nb: Error made in previous chapters with the gold piece. Two should have been selected not one. Therefore please reread the last chapters or simply note that Rita selected one also.

Plop!

Zenki fell to the ground as blood oozed from his mouth-Defeated.

The onlookers in the ten of thousands were first silent before exploding into excited cheers. This was what they came to see, battles with twists and turns that left them on the edge of their seats. Who knew that Niesha would have been the victor in battle with how things had initially played out?

While they excitedly shouted for more, in the visitors stand her four clan elders were taken aback by something else,

“Was that ancestor Yuroka’s fourth stance which she used?” The only female of the four a greying middle-aged woman inquired a bit frightened by what she witnessed. While scratching his gray beard a slender old man responded, “There is no mistaking it. To think she has learned the fourth stance at such a young age.”

This was quite intriguing to the four as within the Oregi clan there has only been one ancestor in its history to have become anything of worth within the lord realm. This ancestor was known as Yuroka. In his legacy, he defied the odds by becoming a peak lord realm. One of his greatest achievements was creating an original killing art that contained six stances.

Before dying he carved all six stances into the ancestorial hall for all to study. Hoping that one of the future generations of the clan would learn it, thereby continuing his legacy. However, it was challenging for all who studied the carvings with each move being even more tedious than the next. So far even their most powerful member within the clan, their leader has been stuck at the fifth stance for decades with no prospect of further progressing. Oddly this was widely accepted as successful.

Yet Niesha had already attained from what they have seen, mastery over the fourth stance at only twenty. This was quite frightening, with her growth rate,her potential was far more than the clan could have predicted.

Excitedly the most senior of the elders, a graying man with silver cane uttered, “We must report this immediately. It was indeed the right move sending her to the Dark Abylis Sect. Her growth perhaps would have stagnated within the clan.”

While the elder discussed what had unfolded, the one in question Niesha had once more regained her lotus stance. Her competition now became a bit wary, who could wrong them based on what they had seen? It was quite evident she had expended the bare minimum qi while dispatching of Zenki.

The most worried was Cedra who had previously seen her way cruising into the semis, now she became slightly more grounded. A realization dawned upon her that perhaps Niesha was by no means inferior. She continued to stare at Niesha but as before, Niesha’s eyes remained closed as she calmed her mind once more preparing herself for the next battle.

With the completion of the first battle, it was now time for Talle and Aaron to arrive upon the huge platform. Menacingly Talle simply somersaulted from where he stood slightly cracking the ground below him. A large battle-ax could be seen in his hand as he stood annoyed while waiting on the lackluster Aaron.

When Aaron finally made his way to the middle he had two curved long daggers in his hands. With the commencement of their battle, the two daggers froze with frost engulfing their curves-

Boom! -Aaron’s qi ignited

knowing fully well he had to give it his all, he slashed viciously towards the bored-looking Talle who stood in place. With each slash of Aaron’s blade, the air froze sending razorblade-like attack capable of shredding the most robust tree into meddlesome splinters.

Yet he became aggrieved when Talle simply dodged multiple times to the opposing side of the attacks before a smirk was seen on his faces. When finally ignited his qi, Talle’s feet twisted and the last thing Aaron saw before collapsing was the hilt of an ax smashing against his sternum.

Blop! – He collapses unconscious to the hardened platform floor puking blood.

“Weakling.” Uttered Talle, yet he did not only state those words to Aaron on the ground, but all his other competitors who watch on. Basically he was saying that with the absence of the half-step lord’s presence, there was simply no one of worth left to challenge him.

Of course, this would garner some contempt from his fellow participants who felt there was no need for such words. There was not one amongst them who wasn’t arrogant, yet there was an unwritten rule, that once you have arrived at this stage it clearly proved that you were indeed capable.

They thought it quite ironic Talle’s sudden shift in persona. In the previous years, he was so quiet daring not to speak too loud, fearing Jason, Shinoda, and Bartholemu. Now it seems as though he has never tasted defeat in his life.

“Interesting, I’ll enjoy playing with you.” The awkward Rita adjusted her glasses as she responded in delight. However, the confident Talle paid her no heed having suspicious something was off with her entirely.

Hearing the back and forth was exactly what the audience enjoyed, they liked hearing banter as though watching a good skit.

The next battle to follow was against seasoned veteran Davos and the newcomer Aria. Davos was the evident favorite and true to form he won with some ease joining Talle as two of the definite semi-finalist. Then it was Athea of squad Jason against Rita, of course, Athea was the favorite for most to take the victory.

BOOOM! Athea summoned a large cylindrical barrel approximately twelve feet in height and radius of four feet.

With the summons, the barrel exploded and water filled the circular platform. This was surprising to Rita who found that no matter where she went the water was at least at the height of her ankles. Soon the water became freezing as a now serious, Rita looked on to see that she was now trapped in solid ice.

Acalm and collected Athea spoke while ice rose on the struggling Rita freezing her in place,

“I’m a planner you see. For each competitor that I had a possibility of facing there were contingencies put in the place. You were the most challenging, so I wracked my brain for the past week to see how someone with your peculiar fighting style could be defeated. Then it became clear, by neutralizing your batons and any close combat you are basically a lion without teeth.”

She was no fool, having witnessed Rita’s battles from the previous years. It was best not to have any form of close contact with her or the two black batons. Though shivering Rita smiled, who knew that Athea would be such a worthy adversary. Yet she took off her glasses which had become foggy with the freezing temperatures. Then proceeded to warm it with her breath before once more placing it above her nose.

“Well played, however quite misguided.” Responded Rita as two black batons were summoned to her hands. She then hurriedly flung the two batons toward Athea who was quite startled by her actions. What could she possibly be trying to accomplish by throwing such weapons?

They were blunt objects, not weapons suited for throwing such as daggers and shurikens. Still, she took all precautions with the ring being frozen into ice this was her perfect battlegrounds. The aforementioned excited May in the stands who for a second wished she could have engaged in a battle with this Athea.

“Her mastery as a water elemental is quite good, to say the least.” Engrossed in what she was witnessing May mentioned to Taf. He watched on but something told him this Rita had more under her sleeves. There must be some reason she threw the batons the way she did.

Sensing this he uttered to May, “Somehow I think she is playing into the hands of Rita.” May too had her suspicious but deep down she somewhat was hoping for a victor from Althea. Perhaps it stemmed from her dislike of Rita or it simply had to do with them being fellow water elementals.

Coincidentally while the two spoke Athea wove the ice around her in order to seal the batons in place. If she were to trap them the battle would definitely be won. Yet startling the baton as though with a mind of their own wove through her attacks.

“What the heck!” She shouted when looking at Rita who was now frozen to her waist. Yet her hands wove as though she was a puppeteer. That was when Athea finally saw thin thread-like lines connect the batons to her fingertips.

With a grin, the quirky Rita then somehow ignited the threads turning them glowing black for all to see as the batons now burst through the air.

Hrmph! Sneered Athea.

There was by no means she would give up on the upper hand. Previously she was waiting until the ice eventually froze Rita but perhaps the quicker she ended it the better.

Hurriedly Athea drew for her weapon which was a long spear covered in a blue coating. While dodging the batons not wanting them to touch her skin whatsoever she slowly got accustom to their speed and movements. Thus she continued evading the batons waiting for a moment whereby the spear could be thrown in a bid to wound one of Rita’s arm.

Clatter! The batons suddenly fell to the surprise of Althea.

She then hurriedly looked atRita and her hands were now frozen. It seemed the ice had finally done its job and she had now lost the ability to control the batons with her threads. Thus Athea sighed in relief, this was quite an odd battle. Yet when she expected the crowds to cheer in victory there as only silence.

Instinctively Athea turned her body fearing the batons were once more reanimated but they remained on the floor. It was then she had a wry feeling overwhelm her and when looking up she saw hundred of black threads hung above her.

Frighten she attempted to ignite her Qi but the thread only fell all around her before violently intertwining around her body like binding wire. With each touch of the black wire on her ligaments, she found herself becoming paralyzed.

Helplessly she slowly turned her head which was the only part of her body left with mobility. There was a need to see how she had still lost to an enemy who was clearly defeated. Her attention then turned to Rita whose teeth gritted the thread-like wire in place as she squeezed.

It then became clear to Althea, there were just some people who could not be plotted against. Finally,though deject Althea could only motionlessly lay on the floor with tears in her eyes. Defeated.

Unedited Version

To be continued…

Please go to to read the latest chapters for free