4th Day of 3rd Water Cycle[1], 1999 g.c.
In a realm of surreal serenity, an orchard garden stretched endlessly, its perfect symmetry almost oppressive. Fruit-laden trees of every imaginable variety stood in precise rows, their branches burdened with pears, plums, apples, grapefruits, and avocados that gleamed unnaturally, as if daring to be plucked. The air hummed with an unnatural stillness, a symphony of calm that felt curated, controlled—an illusion of peace in a place where nothing ever truly moved. Overhead, a white neutron star lingered in a forever zenith, its radiance bathing the garden in a pale, eternal noon against a bright golden sky. At the center of this tranquil domain sat Luda, his posture tense, a stark contrast to the garden's calm.
As the prince stirred, confusion twisted his features, his sharp gaze darting across the alien terrain. His eyes swept across the immaculate rows of trees and flawless soil, the perfection of it all setting his teeth on edge. It was unlike any place he had ever seen, yet something about it exuded an eerie sense of belonging. The scents of cool, refreshing mint intertwined with the sweet tang of ripe fruits, teasing his senses and coaxing a brief moment of relaxation. Luda's shoulders slackened slightly before the memory struck him like a thunderbolt.
His fists clenched, and he drove one into the earth beneath him. "Damn it! Is this death?"
His voice trembled with a mix of anger and disbelief as his mind replayed the piercing sensation of Taurus's horn driving into his back. The very thought made his breath quicken, his pulse hammering in his ears.
He clutched the grass, grounding himself. "I can't die now," he growled through gritted teeth. "My mother is counting on me to return stronger—to carry the weight of our people. I can't fail her. I won't."
The cool scent of mint cut through his rising panic, mingling with the sweetness in the air. Luda's eyes snapped to the sky, where the neutron star's pale light pulsed like a heartbeat, its relentless rhythm feeding the gnawing unrest in his chest. As the image burned into his mind, another thought took root: Xiro and the Wolfpak. Their faces flashed before him, vivid and urgent.
"And I can't leave that idiot to keep getting further than me in power." His voice dropped to a murmur, his frustration folding into something more complex—a grudging admiration hidden beneath competitive fury. "He's going to be an important piece for my plans. There is no better rival."
But as he spoke, something stirred deep in his core, a hunger so primal and raw it churned in his gut like molten steel. He recognized it instantly—the same gnawing envy he'd felt after losing to Xiro. It burned hotter now, an unyielding desire for more.
"I want his type of power," Luda muttered, his voice dripping with venom, the hunger in his chest coiling tighter with every word. His knuckles whitened as his fists clenched. "I've put in the work. I've earned it." His tone carried a sharp edge, bitterness laced into each syllable.
The memories of his relentless pursuit of Xiro resurfaced unbidden, stoking the flames of resentment. "Now that I think about it, I've been chasing Xi since I got to Velonica." He shook his head, his lips curling into a sneer. "Honestly, I'm sick of it."
With a sudden jolt of determination, Luda shot to his feet. "I don't have the luxury of dying!" he bellowed, the sheer force of his shout slicing through the still, eternal atmosphere of the garden. The silence that followed was deafening.
Then, breaking through the void, a majestic voice echoed, steady and powerful: "Activating sub-skill of [Ready to Die: Things Done Changed]. Revival of the young prince has begun."
Luda froze, his head whipping around in search of the voice. Yet the garden remained undisturbed, its serenity unbroken. His breath hitched as he whispered, "Huh? Who did that regal-sounding voice belong to?"
Silence answered him. He ran a hand through his hair, his gloveless fingers tracing the familiar grooves of his cornrows. Then he paused; the words echoing in his mind.
"Wait... Xiro always talked about his V-Skills speaking to him. Was the voice I just heard... my [Empyreal King: Ra]? Is this my subconscious?"
His gaze swept across the orchard once more. The abundance of his favorite fruits and the unparalleled serenity began to take on a new significance. It clicked—the garden was no external space. It existed within him, an extension of his essence. The eerie peace, the intoxicating sense of comfort—it was his soul made manifest.
"This... this is inside me," Luda murmured, awe flickering in his voice before being swallowed by unease. "I'm within a space that exists somewhere in my soul." The eerie peace that had initially felt soothing now struck him as calculated, purposeful.
The regal voice's proclamation returned to his thoughts. Revival. A second chance. But the hunger within him, that gnawing greed, flared again. He wasn't satisfied with just survival. He wanted strength—more power than he'd ever imagined.
"Well, according to the voice, I'm about to get a second chance at that Trapper," Luda mused, his tone sharpening. He clenched his fists, the familiar green glow of his mana flickering in his ethereal form. "But that's not enough. I want more power. For the future of my people... I need limitless power."
His hand ran across his head again before he wiped the back of his neck. The emerald glow that once adorned his gaze had been replaced by a vivid amber, his cat-like irises glowing faintly in the low light.
"It's not uncommon for Godwalkers to chase strength," he said, his voice almost philosophical as if reasoning with himself. "We're naturally worshipped and considered the closest to 'The Heavens on Gaia.'" His fists clenched tighter as he looked at his ethereal form. "Godwalkers are supposed to stand at the apex of existence—not just as warriors but as pillars of influence."
His eyes traced the jagged damage scarring his spiritual body. "And I'm supposed to stand as a Great among them?" he spat, anger curling his lip. "Are you serious?! I've poured everything into this—blood, sweat, and tears—and I'm still being outclassed?"
A roar of frustration erupted from him, his green mana surging around him in an uncontrolled blaze. The orchard seemed to pulse in response, the tranquility trembling beneath the weight of his fury. He turned back toward the neutron star, its light unwavering in its brilliance.
"If you're the ultimate blessing," he growled, "then grant me what I need to claim what's mine. I deserve it all!"
The words carried the full weight of his emotions, reverberating through the space like a declaration of war. Sweat beaded on his forehead, vanishing the moment it appeared, leaving him trembling from the raw energy of his outburst. Silence followed, thick and suffocating.
Then, without warning, the vibrations intensified, racing through his core. Before him, a glowing menu materialized, ethereal and radiant: «Awaken Sonata Soul Core» [Yes/No].
Luda stared at it, his pulse quickening. "What is happening? Is this for the revival... no. It may be different. Sonata... Core...?" His voice trailed off as memories surfaced—Taurus's words during their clash. His eyes burned with realization. "This could be the power Xiro awakened."
His lips curved into a knowing grin. "Then it's a no-brainer. Select yes."
As his ethereal finger hovered over the option, the voice of the Prime Realm System returned, steady and emotionless: «Activating Sonata's unique skill [Dominus Avaritiae]»
A kinetic pulse exploded through Luda's spiritual form, energy surging in waves that made his mana flare with untamed intensity. The hunger inside him sharpened; refined into a singular, driving focus.
"Of course, I was right," Luda muttered, his voice carrying a note of triumph as he studied his glowing, pulsating form. The green of his mana twisted, streaked with gold that shimmered like molten ambition—a vivid manifestation of the greed now consuming him.
The Prime Realm System spoke again, its tone final and absolute: «Accepting the request of [Empyreal King: Ra], installing...»
Back in the Mortal Realm, the area that had once been known as Goblin Cave was now an unrecognizable scar on the landscape. Ravaged terrain stretched for miles in every direction, the ground torn apart and pocked with craters. Trees that once stood tall now lay splintered and charred, their remnants scattered like matchsticks. The air was thick with the acrid tang of hellfire, its eerie white smoke curling upward like ghostly fingers, muted only by the oppressive weight of the mana signatures permeating the area. My own suffocating presence clashed with the blazing aura of the Taurus herd, their gold and black armor shimmering with an unearthly radiance. Their white fur seemed to glow with spectral light, and the sheer number of black wings against the dimming sky created a foreboding atmosphere. You would have thought there was a murder nearby.
My newly grown mana-conscripted wolf ears twitched involuntarily, picking up every faint sound as they adjusted to the heavy silence. The sensation of Divine Bio Mana coursing through me was electrifying; a potent cocktail of power that surged with each beat of my heart. Strength, speed, and defense were soaring higher by the passing seconds. My claws flexed, my tail flicked, and my teeth clenched as anticipation built like a storm ready to break. I felt untouchable, a predator primed to strike. Invincible. Not my normal confidence; it was certainty. That oversized cow didn't stand a chance.
With another flick of my mana-forged tail, I shifted my stance, my three eyes scanning the battlefield. My vision sharpened to an inhuman degree, capturing every small detail, every movement, and every flaw in the defenses of the forty-two Taurus before me. In the count of an attosecond, the openings revealed themselves, laid bare by the combined precision of my instincts and heightened perception. The path to victory was already there.
Moving faster than any magical eye could follow, I disappeared from sight, my body a blur that even light struggled to keep up with. Each step was a silent kill. I reappeared momentarily with each lethal strike before vanishing again, slicing through the herd like a blade through silk. My Red Queen hummed with destructive intent, its edge cutting through armor and flesh alike. In truth, the battles were fleeting—no more than a second for each opponent. Yet in the span of that time, every movement, every attack was deliberate and precise. When slowed to a Planck second, you would see a mini-battle taking place before finishing each duel with a vertical swing of my sword. Blood sprayed the air in silver arcs, painting the ground and misting the battlefield in a metallic haze. By the time the herd realized what was happening, their numbers had been halved. My movements left behind afterimages that flickered like ghostly remnants in the dim morning light, creating the illusion of a spectral dancer weaving through the herd.
One by one, the Taurus fell in rhythm with the ticking seconds. Their deaths were so perfectly timed that the battlefield became a grim clock counting down. At the forty-second mark, only two remained. Their angelic faces twisted with frustration and fury as they watched their comrades fall. The last one summoned a spiritual shield just as I aimed a decapitating strike at his head. The clash of my blade against his defense sent an explosive shockwave rippling through the air. The remaining hellfire, still smoldering from Alex's earlier attack, was extinguished in the blast. The force rippled outward, carving new scars into the already ravaged land.
"What is this?" Taurus snarled, his voice dripping with hatred as his shield was held against my blade. "You think you've reached supreme power? Don't flatter yourself, Devil. You're a dying flame, and I'll snuff you out before you even realize it." His sinister smirk revealed sharpened teeth, a cruel mockery of confidence as he pushed against my attack.
Normally, I'd have a quip ready to cut him down with words before I did it with my sword, but this wasn't the time. Talking wasted seconds I didn't have. Instead, I drew on Luda's earlier strategy and Taurus's own tactics, formulating a relentless assault. Channeling a potent mix of Yin Mana and Divinity Mana, I felt a refreshing burst of energy akin to stepping into an oasis during a desert's heat. I ignored the warning signs of my deteriorating Soul Core, the chipping edges causing a searing heat that defied entropy. My focus was singular—Taurus's death.
Fifty orbs of glowing mana took form, shimmering as they transformed into wolf-shaped doppelgangers. Each was a reflection of me, wielding their own Red Queen, and each ready to unleash devastation.
"Yin Mana Arts: Clone Creation," I thought, sending them charging toward Taurus in a coordinated onslaught.
Taurus reacted quickly, propelling himself backward in an attempt to evade the oncoming pack. But no matter how quick he moved, the clones were faster, their blades tearing through the air with surgical precision. The sound of steel cleaving through reality was deafening, each swing carving through the fabric of space itself. His shield faltered under the relentless barrage, cracks spreading like spiderwebs as each strike landed with unrelenting force. Cuts and slashes began to mar his once-pristine armor and white fur, his expression betraying a flicker of panic.
Desperation seeped into Taurus's actions. With a thunderous roar, he released a burst of holy energy, casting [Divinity Mana Arts: Winds of Eden] to buy himself breathing room. The golden gale rushed forward, tearing apart the ground in its path. But my clones didn't flinch. Each one absorbed the attack calmly, their forms pulsating with renewed power.
"[Energy Devour]," they echoed in unison, draining the spell like it was nothing more than a light snack.
As the last of the Winds of Eden dissipated, I leaped into the air, flipping above the fray as energy gathered along the blade of my Red Queen.
"Heavenly Crescent Blade: Midnight's Edge!" I roared, descending with devastating force.
The Midnight's Edge wasn't just a technique—it was a weaponized phenomenon. The blade became enveloped in antimatter, a molecule-dividing coat that disintegrated everything. Anti-Mana, the affinity behind this technique, was a force of absolute destruction; annihilating any matter or mana it touched while unleashing devastating energy in the process. Stabilizing it was nearly impossible, and wielding it was lethal for anyone without complete control. This was its first true test in battle, and it didn't disappoint.
Taurus raised his [Shield of Venus]—a heart-shaped barrier of pure Divinity Mana and spiritons—but the collision between antimatter and divine energy birthed a singularity. For a brief moment, time seemed to bend, the battlefield consumed by a gravitational pull that drew in everything nearby. The black hole collapsed in on itself with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves rippling outward. Trees were obliterated, rocks pulverized, and any innocent creatures caught in the blast were annihilated.
The shockwave's force extended for hundreds of miles, its winds slamming into the far-distant barrier of Talasi's defenses. The multi-layered protection held, but just barely. The townsfolk watched in awe and fear as the barrier shimmered under the strain, the sheer power of the battle sparking rumors and speculation among them. They whispered of demon lords and heroes, their imaginations running wild as they tried to comprehend the devastation taking place beyond their homes.
Each moment was a testament to the chaos and destruction accompanying my forced transformation. And as the dust settled, I knew the fight wasn't over.
The devastation left in the aftermath of our clash was unparalleled. Half of the once-vast expanse of the nearby Janell Forest, with its towering dark oaks and teeming wildlife, had been annihilated, reduced to an unrecognizable wasteland. Trees lay shattered like splintered bones, their trunks flung across the blackened landscape. The ground was carved into jagged scars that stretched for miles as if the planet itself had tried to claw away from the chaos. Where there had once been small villages nestled within the forest's edge, left nothing to remain but ashen craters and faint echoes of what used to be. Entire ecosystems had been wiped out in an instant, the delicate balance of nature crushed beneath the sheer force of unleashed energy.
Dust and debris came rushing back in an uncontrollable flood as the air was sucked toward the void left by the singularity. It roared like a gale, swirling into the emptiness, trying to fill the absence left in time and space. I coughed as I inhaled the choking grit of charred earth and splintered wood, but even that sensation felt muted, as if my senses were struggling to process the devastation surrounding me. The acrid scent of burning lingered faintly beneath the oppressive blanket of energy still hanging in the air, though it felt distant, almost unreal.
The force had flung back my clones, their forms flickering like unstable shadows as they scrambled to regain balance. One by one, they steadied themselves, adjusting their stances against the trembling earth. Without hesitation, I reached out and transmuted them back into Yin Mana orbs, their shapes collapsing inward like waves retreating from the shore. Each orb glimmered with a soft, shadow hue before being absorbed into my palm. The energy swirled in my hand, molten and wild, its intensity threatening to overwhelm my control.
Forcing myself to focus, I began compressing the power, melding it into something far more dangerous. The fusion of crimson and ultra-blue Devil Mana took form in my hands, spinning with chaotic ferocity as volatile black lightning crackled along its surface. The sphere was dense, barely the size of an apple, but it radiated a destructive pressure that warped the space around it. My muscles tensed as I cupped the unstable energy between my palms, positioning it near my right ribcage in a familiar pose I borrowed from Son Goku. The weight of its power pressed against my bones, but I held firm.
"Star Breaker!" I roared, the words echoing across the broken battlefield.
Pushing forward, I launched the attack. The small sphere exploded into a horizontal beam of pure destruction, a dazzling torrent of Devil Mana laced with streaks of noir-colored lightning. The air around it hissed and crackled, distorting under the immense heat and pressure. The beam roared forward, carving a molten trench into the earth as it surged toward Taurus, who stood defiant in its path.
Despair flickered in his glossy rectangular eyes, but he held his ground, tucking his head behind that shimmering shield—the same construct of spiritons coated in Divinity Mana so radiant, that it seemed unbreakable. The beam collided with his defense, and for a fleeting moment, the battlefield seemed to pause.
Then the next explosion came.
The impact ignited another cataclysm that engulfed the entire battlefield in a blinding light. A mushroom-shaped cloud rose from the epicenter, its fiery tendrils clawing at the heavens. The roar of the blast was deafening, drowning out every other sound as it swept across the land. The air itself seemed to scream, fried by the intensity of the heat. The ground trembled violently beneath me, sending shockwaves rippling outward that could be felt from continents away.
The sheer force of the attack had scarred the planet, leaving an earthquake that rattled across oceans and shook civilizations. I later learned that stories of the event spread like wildfire—whispers of a godlike battle that had reshaped the land.
I stood amidst the destruction, surveying the irreversible damage I'd wrought. Trees, homes, beasts, spirits, and life itself had been obliterated, leaving behind only silence and ruin. Did I care? Not in the slightest. Taurus had to die, and I didn't have time to hesitate. My survival demanded his end, and I wasn't about to waste what little time I had left.
Inhaling deeply, I tasted the static-laden heat that hung thick in the air, tinged with the bitter aftertaste of annihilation. My body trembled, overstimulated from the surging mana and the rapid expansion of my strength. Divinity Mana coursed through me like a wildfire, pouring out of the cracks in my Soul Core as it threatened to split apart entirely. My vision blurred for a moment, the edges of the world dissolving into faint streaks of light before I shook it off.
I could still feel Taurus's presence, though it was faint and riddled with weakness. His mana signature pulsed erratically, like a dying heartbeat. He was alive—but barely. His spirit had taken a beating so severe that even his divine resilience couldn't mask the strain.
"Twenty-four seconds," I muttered, shaking my head to clear it. "That's all I've got before my shit completely disintegrates. Let's make sure it ends here."
I steadied my stance, the fractured terrain beneath my feet groaning in protest as I prepared for the final blow.
The Red Queen materialized in my hand with a crackle of energy, spiritons weaving together to form the long, gleaming ōdachi in a flourish of brilliance. The blade shimmered with an otherworldly crimson hue, its edge almost appearing to ripple like liquid moonlight. I tightened my grip, its weight both familiar and empowering as I exhaled sharply through my nostrils, steadying myself for the blow.
I stepped forward, planting my feet firmly in the shifting debris, every muscle in my body aligning with the intent to cleave through Taurus's position. The thick dust cloud ahead rippled with tension, obscuring the battlefield, but I didn't need my eyes to find him. His damaged mana signature burned like a beacon to my senses. My arms rose, ready to strike, the edge of the blade crackling with latent mana.
But just as I began the downward arc, a sudden twitch in Taurus's presence disrupted my focus. It wasn't just a shift—it was something unnatural, something wrong. The moment stretched into eternity as a spike of spiritual pain stabbed through me, sharp and invasive, forcing me to pause. I grimaced but tightened my grip, ignoring the pain and returning to my attack.
In one fluid motion, I launched [Crescent Moon Blade: Dividing Lunar Eclipse]. A modified version of the technique taught to me by Mom. My upgraded combat art could cut through the very concepts of phenomena. The swing moved through the air like silk, my blade carving an arc that extended beyond physical reality. For two heartbeats, nothing happened, the silence deafening as the world seemed to hold its breath. Slowly, space itself unraveled once more in the wake of my strike, reality-bending and splitting as a crescent of distorted energy surged forward.
The air tore apart in its path, drawing debris and energy into its gravitational pull before it collided with the center of the dust cloud. Taurus stood there, his body frozen in disbelief as an invisible line appeared down his form. He didn't move, didn't breathe, as though the sheer precision of the strike had stolen the moment from him. As the attack finished, the battlefield exploded into chaos, the spatial distortion reknitting itself in a violent burst of light and sound.
But something was wrong. That wasn't the real Taurus. I had fought too many of his clones not to recognize this trick. My instincts screamed just as [Future Sense] activated, a flood of knowledge warning me of a surprise attack from below. This was my chance. I could turn his ambush against him and finish the fight with a direct strike to his Soul Core.
Before I could act, agony overwhelmed me. It was a pain unlike anything I had ever experienced; not even death itself could compare. My muscles locked, my body refusing to move as the sensation ripped through me like jagged shards of glass. It wasn't physical—it was all spiritual, tearing at the very essence of my being. I wanted to scream, but the pain rendered even that impossible.
From within, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] spoke, his voice calm yet tinged with urgency. "Even with ten seconds left, your Soul Core has already reached its durability limit due to the stress the Divinity Mana is causing. I suggest we release the skill now."
I couldn't respond. My focus was shattered, my body unresponsive as I felt the ground beneath me shift. Taurus's next move came like a freight train. A massive spire of jagged earth erupted beneath me, striking with precise brutality. The impact hit my solar plexus, sending me hurtling skyward. As I broke through the upper atmosphere at Mach speeds, my body ignited in flames, the friction scorching trails into the stratosphere. The searing pain internally blurred my senses as I struggled to hold on to my consciousness.
Through the haze, [Midnight Star: Belial] growled, his voice dripping with irritation. "We don't have time for you to bitch and give up. We are too close to victory. Finish the fight."
Below, the remnants of the clone I had cut were dissolving into mist, revealing the real Taurus emerging from the earth. He stood tall, his mana signature radiating power as he prepared his next move. With deliberate focus, he began casting a Mana Art, summoning a cube of pulsating cobalt and hunter-green Divinity Mana.
Taurus sneered, his voice cutting through the sky like a blade. "If Goddess Laniakea allowed the destruction of this planet, I would have erased it from the galaxy. But since you're airborne, I can use this instead."
The cube hovered above him, its surface shimmering with unrestrained energy. Seven silver rings materialized around it, orbiting the construct with methodical precision. Concentrated mana bled into the air, thick and oppressive as the rings began to rotate.
I had finally stopped ascending, gravity beginning to reclaim me as I hovered briefly in the stratosphere. The agony coursing through my body was unrelenting, every nerve screaming for release. I could feel my Soul Core fracturing under the strain of the Divine Bio Mana I was producing.
Tsukuyomi's voice broke through the haze. "Master, you have eight seconds before your Soul Core will be too damaged to recover from."
Belial snarled, his tone almost mocking. "If you don't defeat Taurus, everyone stored in your [Shadow Storage] will die along with you. Conquer the pain and get back into the fight!"
On the ground, Taurus's Mana Art reached completion. The seven rings stabilized, aligning their openings toward me with deadly precision. Bright light emanated from the portals within, each one channeling vast amounts of holy energy from the Heavens. The beams converged into a single, devastating pillar of pure Omnis Mana, racing toward me with destructive intent.
"Omnis Mana Arts: May Showers!" Taurus roared, his voice a proclamation of my impending end.
The beam tore through the sky, its intensity shaking the atmosphere. My instincts screamed at me to move, but my spirit was still reeling from the pain. [Adaptive Predator] was beginning to suppress the agony, but it was too slow. My vision flickered as darkness encroached on my consciousness, slipping it further away.
Tsukuyomi's voice carried a note of concern, something I had rarely heard before. "Warning! The incoming attack will breach our Barrier defe…"
His voice faded as I fell into the void of unconsciousness. The world around me disappeared, replaced by an endless black expanse. It was eerily familiar, a peace I had once felt in the moments before meeting Omnia. Omnia... Her name surfaced in my mind, a fleeting thought amidst the darkness.
"...Looks like I failed her... and myself..." My thoughts drifted, resignation settling in. "...I guess I can finally re—"
Belial's voice cut through the void like a blade.
"I can't believe my boss, my owner, is this much of a weak-ass bitch! Giving up already? After all that big talk and false pride? You make me sick! You deserve this meaningless death… just like you did back on Earth."
At that moment, time froze. The air around me, the distant howl of energy tearing through the atmosphere, even the desperate screaming of my fractured soul—all of it became muted. It was as if my mind had been yanked from my body, thrown into a vacuum where the only sound was my own thoughts. And those thoughts? They were loud, raw, and drenched in fury.
That voice, that sneering voice in my head, dared to mock me. Dared to belittle me.
"[Mental Ignorance] activated."
I thought back to all the times I lost my cool—the brawls after my shows, the crashouts, the reckless fights that left me bruised but never broken. It was always the same reason. My pride. My ego. Fragile? Maybe. But it was mine. And no one—not Taurus, Belial, or even my very own doubts—had the right to touch it.
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I AM?!" The words tore from my throat like a battle cry, my voice ripping through the stillness as I revived to life. "YOU GOT ME FUCKED UP!!"
Reality slammed back into focus as I forcefully numbed any physical pain. The blinding light of Taurus's attack bore down on me, a spiraling pillar of Omnis Mana designed to erase my existence. My body, as if acting on pure instinct, yanked forward. My arm shot out, and with a roar of defiance, I activated [Energy Devour].
The moment my palm connected with the beam, it was like stiff-arming a collapsing skyscraper. The sheer force halted my descent instantly, my body locking in place as the pillar of divine energy funneled into me. My pocket dimension expanded to accept the onslaught, swallowing the beam whole, but this was different from the previous Divinity Mana.
While Divinity Mana was close to being untouched, Omnis Mana was pure. Omnis Mana was alive. Each particle was a fragment of creation itself, stars condensed into quarks, each radiating nuclear fusion so intense that it made my body convulse. It felt like galaxies were being born within me. Goosebumps rippled across my skin as if my cells were screaming, overloading from the overwhelming sensation. The cold bite of the energy clashed with the searing pain of my soul fracturing under the strain, creating a cocktail of agony that would've crumbled any other man.
But I wasn't any other man. I was the Devil of Velonica.
I planted my other hand behind me, bracing against the force. My anger and pride burned hotter than the pain, an indomitable storm that roared louder than the explosion building within. My glare locked onto Taurus far below, his form a speck in the chaos. He had to see me. He had to know.
He had to fear me.
A primal roar erupted from my chest, shaking the air itself. The detonation came a second later, a thunderous boom that shattered the sky. The tail end of the attack imploded as I forced it out of existence, and the resulting shockwave ripped through the atmosphere. Entire villages across Velonica were obliterated, their structures crumbling like sandcastles against a tsunami. Fires blazed across the land, and the cries of the innocent were lost beneath the howling winds.
For a brief, haunting moment, silence blanketed the world. Then, three hundred miles above the ground, a gigantic mushroom cloud began to rise—a massive, white plume that eclipsed the sun, casting the battlefield in a pale, ghostly light. The smell of scorched earth and ash filled the air, mingling with a metallic tang of ozone and lingering radiation. The heat was suffocating, pressing down like an invisible hand.
From the base of the cloud, my body emerged. I was falling—unconscious, powerless, my form reverting back to normal as [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] forcibly ended the Trance form to prevent my Soul Core from shattering entirely. Even with [Limitless Stamina], my mind had reached its breaking point. Everything faded into black as gravity reclaimed me, pulling me toward Gaia like a lifeless comet.
Taurus stood below, panting heavily. His aura flickered with exhaustion. "Hfft. Damned devil," he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "That ability to grow in power so rapidly is... beyond dangerous. I have to inform The Elohim about these Sonata Cores. But first..."
He extended his hand, summoning his double-bladed glaive. Spiritons swirled around his palm, solidifying into the weapon's slender, wicked form. He studied my trajectory, his eyes narrowing as he calculated the perfect strike.
"I must annihilate his Sonata Core," he said with grim determination. "Attempting to cultivate it for consumption might lead to his survival. That's a risk I can't take."
With a mighty heave, he hurled the glaive. It shot upward like a bullet, cutting through the air with a shrill whistle. Its aim was precise, targeting the center of my chest, where my Soul Core lay vulnerable.
But before it could reach me, another force intervened. A brilliant and razor-edged tomahawk of Divinity Mana slammed into the glaive, deflecting it with a burst of radiant energy. The collision created a dazzling explosion, momentarily blinding Taurus and obscuring his view of my body.
Out of nowhere, a familiar presence surged through the chaos. Young arms caught me just before I collided with the ground, cradling my limp form with care. A voice, rich with warmth and teasing exasperation, cut through the haze.
"Xi," Luda said, his tone laced with both relief and irritation, "I know damn well you're not trying to die on me twice in one morning. I'll never let you live this down."
The winds of devastation still carried the echoes of our struggle as Luda carefully descended, his boots crunching against the scarred terrain. He cradled me like a lifeless doll, my limbs limp and my divine energy all but extinguished. His arrival couldn't have been more perfectly timed, yet something about him felt… different. His emerald-green eyes, glowing faintly in the chaos, held a new fire—one tempered by determination and sharpened by necessity. Even as the tension pressed on him, his gaze flicked toward me, checking for signs of life. A subtle nod confirmed I was still breathing, and he shifted his attention back to the winged beast standing before him.
Luda's body bore the marks of his earlier battle—a web of scratches and burns stretched across his skin and jacket—but his stance radiated defiance. He straightened, flexing his fingers into a tight fist, and flashed a lopsided grin at the looming threat. The air between them crackled, both literal and figurative sparks flying as the celestial prince prepared to stand against the towering form of Taurus.
"Ever since meeting that Oni," Luda began, his voice steady yet laced with an edge of raw emotion, "I've been introduced to a new path of power. And new knowledge—things that don't exist in this world." His lips curled further as he pointed toward me. "He's too important to my plans for you to kill."
Taurus tilted his massive head, one ear flicking in mild amusement, though his rectangular eyes betrayed caution. He seemed almost puzzled for a moment, his earlier confidence faltering as he realized he hadn't detected Luda's approach. The Prince had slipped past his senses—a feat few could achieve. But then Taurus's smirk returned, sharp and venomous, as he flexed his wings.
"It matters none to me," Taurus rumbled, his voice reverberating like a distant storm. "You'll both be departing the living world soon enough."
"Not before one more game of cow tipping," Luda shot back, flashing a cheeky grin.
The quip hung in the air for a heartbeat before a sudden shift in mana density swept across the battlefield. A cascade of golden portals blinked into existence behind Luda, forming an expansive wall that seemed to stretch into eternity. Each portal glimmered with Divinity Mana, its raw potency searing into the atmosphere and producing a radiance so intense it drowned out the dim morning light. From these celestial gateways, countless ethereal spears emerged, their sharpened tips glowing with the fiery brilliance of miniature suns. The ground beneath Luda cracked and trembled as if in submission to the sheer force of his combat art.
Taurus's composure cracked. Beads of sweat dotted his brow as he surveyed the armada of divine weaponry now aimed at him. His tail flicked erratically, betraying his unease.
"What's this?" Taurus muttered, his voice strained. "Did your Sonata Core awaken? How are you able to use Divinity Mana? You shouldn't even be able to sustain the divine pressure!"
"If you think I'm sharing anything with the opposition, you've got a lot to learn," Luda retorted, his tone icy.
The bull's unease grew into visible agitation. Gone was the smug confidence he'd carried throughout most of the fight; instead, there was a restless, cornered animal. His eyes darted from the glowing spears to Luda's unyielding stance, weighing his options. Snarling, he summoned his weapons once more, his cracked shield and gleaming glaive materializing in his hands as his wings beat a warning rhythm. The Divinity Mana flowing into his weapons crackled like a violent inferno, a desperate bid to match Luda's overwhelming display. The angel knew Luda's skill [The Fated Hero] would make each hit lethal. He couldn't risk a direct attack.
But before either could unleash their devastating attacks, a single white feather drifted lazily through the air between them. Its descent was slow, deliberate, and unnatural. Time itself seemed to pause as it landed lightly on the scorched ground.
Luda stiffened, his sharp senses catching the overwhelming mana signature accompanying the feather. Taurus, however, froze in recognition. His wide eyes betrayed his rising dread as a shadow flickered into existence.
In the blink of an eye, a tall man stood between them. His fair skin seemed to glow faintly under the battered light, and his sand-brown hair was neatly combed back, save for the braids in his mustache that swayed in the wind. Round glasses framed his sharp cobalt eyes, which held a dispassionate curiosity. At his side, a grimoire pulsed faintly with ancient energy, its cover adorned with symbols that seemed to shift and shimmer.
"Orion!" Taurus snarled, his voice cracking with unfiltered frustration. "What are you doing here?"
Orion's expression remained neutral, but the oppressive weight of his mana silenced the battlefield. He looked around at the devastation—the shattered terrain, the molten craters, and the magisteel throne glinting ominously in the distance—before finally addressing the heavenly bull.
"I wondered where you had wandered off to," Orion said calmly, his voice like a winter's breeze. "You know you're forbidden from interacting with Velonica. The rapture of this land is sealed by fate. It cannot be ignited early. You are ordered to return to the Sycamore Tree."
Taurus's jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly. "I was here at the behest of a request," he began, his tone defensive. "I didn't expect to encounter the Devil of Velonica, nor Braye's Star Lion. But I cannot leave them alive—they're too dangerous! Their Sonata Cores—"
"Are none of your concern," Orion interrupted, his tone dropping to a cold, authoritative growl. "You were not asked to leave, Taurus. You were ordered."
The air shifted as Orion's magical pressure spiked, a suffocating force that dwarfed anything we had encountered so far. Even unconscious, I felt the weight of his presence, like the universe itself was pressing down on me. The sheer disparity in power was staggering, and I realized just how far removed I was from these beings.
Taurus, visibly shaken, tried to compose himself, but his trembling hands betrayed him. He knew he was outmatched, and worse, humiliated. "You'll regret this," he spat. "That batch of Sonata Cores is too dangerous to leave unchecked."
Orion smirked, a chilling, condescending expression that made Taurus recoil. "That's above your pay grade," he said simply.
With a flick of his wrist, Orion summoned a hexagonal portal, its milky-white surface rippling like liquid glass. Taurus hesitated, glaring at us one last time before his form shifted back to its original green hue. Dispersing his weapons, he stepped into the portal, vanishing without another word.
As the portal closed behind him, Orion turned to Luda, his expression softening slightly. "Tell her I've upheld my end of the bargain," he said, tossing the grimoire toward Luda. The book landed with a resonant thud, pulsing gently with mystical energy. "And remind her—it would be wise not to interfere with me this Stellar Kingdom Cycle."
Before Luda could respond, Orion stepped through the portal, his form dissolving into the ether. The battlefield fell silent, the portal's ripples fading until there was nothing left but floating feathers and the faint hum of residual mana.
Luda, still poised for battle, finally released his hold on the massive armada of spears. They disappeared in a cascade of golden light, leaving the prince standing amidst the wreckage with an expression of weary determination. He approached the fallen grimoire cautiously, his fingers tracing the ancient script on its cover.
"Fate's Dia…" he murmured, but the sound of my coughing cut off his words.
"Xiro?!"
Luda dropped his attention and rushed to my side, relief and urgency mingling in his voice as I sputtered back to consciousness. The fight was over—for now—but the questions it left behind loomed larger than ever. We still had a labyrinth to conquer and a world of dangers ahead, and I knew this was still only the beginning.
[End of Chapter]
[1] November on Earth.