…
The hundred-plus elite stormtroopers who had remained behind kept their eyes firmly fixed on Darth Vader's retreating back.
Their bodies leaned slightly forward, as if yearning to follow him into the Imperial Core Hall.
However, without new orders from Vader, they could only suppress the urge and continue to stand by.
Discipline and loyalty had long been etched into their very bones. Even if their hearts burned with a desire to fight, they dared not overstep their bounds.
Still, they all understood clearly: the battle ahead was no longer theirs to join.
The confrontation between Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader was a clash between Force wielders, a realm mortals could not set foot in.
They, with their mundane flesh, didn't even qualify to assist. Their weapons and armor, in the face of the Force, were but fragile toys.
They watched as Darth Vader's figure gradually vanished into the darkness, like a god walking onto the battlefield of fate.
Beneath their helmets, their expressions were filled with reverence and anticipation, as if "witnessing" a duel destined to be recorded in the annals of history.
Meanwhile, on Vader's side, he had already reached the end of the skybridge.
The red blade of his lightsaber flickered with a dangerous glow in the darkness, as if lighting his path forward—toward the final confrontation with Palpatine. This battle would decide the fate of the Galactic Empire.
Step, step.
Darth Vader's footsteps echoed at the end of the empty corridor, where the doors had long been open, silently welcoming his arrival.
Vader did not hesitate. He stepped forward, entering the even darker Core Hall.
The decor here stood in stark contrast to the palaces of the Human Empire.
There were no ornate murals recording human history, no gold-gilded tiles or jeweled columns, not even a trace of luxury.
The hall was cold and austere, like a metallic prison. At first glance, the Emperor of the Galactic Empire appeared far more "frugal" than the Emperor of the Human Empire—almost to the point of being miserly.
However, this outward appearance concealed a deeper truth.
As the Human Empire's central structure, every inch of their palace was carefully designed to exude grandeur, power, and prosperity.
But the Galactic Empire, despite its immense surface strength, had long been rotted from within by corruption and greed.
The Empire's resources were siphoned off layer by layer, eventually ending up in the hands of a privileged few. Very little was left for actual imperial development.
More importantly, Sheev Palpatine's ambitions extended far beyond the empire itself.
His ultimate goal was not prosperity—but immortality. During his reign, Palpatine carried out countless inhumane experiments, sacrificing untold lives in his quest to prolong his own.
Palpatine's focus had always been on himself. Whether the palace matched other civilizations in splendor was of no concern to him.
To Palpatine, this hall was simply a tool—a stage upon which to pursue his ambition.
Hoo... hoo...
Vader's breathing echoed through the hall like a beast poised to strike. His masked gaze swept across every corner of the chamber before locking onto the throne.
There, a figure cloaked in black sat silently, merged with the shadows.
A pale face lay hidden beneath the deep hood, with only a pair of cold, gleaming eyes faintly visible. It was none other than the Emperor of the Galactic Empire—
Sheev Palpatine.
The Emperor sat as if unmoved by the world, everything seemingly under his control.
But a closer look revealed the flicker of shock and unease in those beast-like eyes.
His gaze, too, was fixed on Darth Vader—unable to believe his former apprentice dared to approach him so boldly.
Palpatine's fingers trembled slightly. Though he tried to conceal it, the unease bled through in every subtle motion.
Vader's steps were steady and unhurried, the red blade of his lightsaber glowing ever brighter in the dim hall.
When he stopped at the center of the chamber, the hum of the blade grew sharper—announcing the imminent duel.
His cold voice echoed from behind the mask, laced with restrained fury: "Master, your empire is crumbling, and your throne… will become your tomb."
At those words, Sheev Palpatine slowly lifted his head, the cold light in his hooded eyes intensifying.
His voice was hoarse, tinged with mocking derision—an attempt to conceal the trembling within: "Ah, Vader, my apprentice. You've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you—waiting for you to realize your power, to understand your true destiny."
"My destiny?" Vader's reply dripped with scorn. The red glow of his lightsaber reflected off his mask like burning flame. "You twisted my destiny long ago. But now, it all ends—your rule, your lies, your empire—all end with your death."
"Heh." Palpatine chuckled, his voice as slick as a serpent. "You truly believe you alone can shake my throne? You are nothing more than a piece on my board! Your power, your rage—even your betrayal—were all part of my design."
Vader tightened his grip on the lightsaber hilt and stepped forward again, each step pressing against Palpatine's nerves, exuding unstoppable might.
His voice, cold as ice, rang out once more: "Your design? Your design is obsolete, Master. Your empire is in pieces, your army has turned on you, and I—will end it all with my own hands."
Palpatine slowly rose to his feet, his black robe unfurling like a shadow that devoured all light. "End it? No, Vader. You're wrong. This is not the end… but the beginning. Heh… Your anger, your ambition—they are the source of the Dark Side. You think you're rebelling against me, but in truth, you're fulfilling the destiny I gave you."
Buzz—!
The lightsaber's hum grew sharper, and Vader's tone became resolute: "My destiny is mine to command—not yours. Today, I will wash away everything you've done to me—with your blood."
A sinister gleam flashed in Palpatine's eyes. He raised his hands, arcs of Force lightning dancing across his fingers like venomous snakes, ready to strike. He sneered: "Then come, my apprentice. Show me if you are truly strong enough to challenge your master."
As his voice fell, Vader launched the first strike—his figure a black streak, the red blade slicing toward Palpatine's throat.
But Palpatine reacted instantly, hurling Force lightning like vipers. Vader twisted aside to avoid the blast.
BOOM—!
The lightning scorched the wall, leaving a charred crater.
Vader slashed again, the lightsaber cutting downward with crushing force.
"Hah!"
Palpatine sneered and raised both hands, forming a Force barrier that blocked the blow.
The clash of power sent out a wave of invisible shock, making the metal walls hum and tremble.
"Your strength is still lacking, Vader!" Palpatine mocked, flicking his fingers to send another powerful lightning arc straight at Vader's chest.
Crackle—!
Vader swung his lightsaber, dissipating the bolt, though the impact forced him back several steps.
Beneath the helmet, his eyes burned with fury, and his breathing grew heavier.
He leapt into the air, drawing a red arc mid-flight, aiming for Palpatine's side.
Palpatine evaded like a specter, his black robes swirling like a shadow, then raised his hand again—attempting to crush Vader's throat with an invisible Force grip.
But Vader was ready.
His own Force shield deflected the strike, and he counterattacked with a flurry of saber strikes, relentless as a storm, driving Palpatine into retreat.
"You think you can win, Vader?"
Palpatine's voice now brimmed with madness. Clapping his hands together, he conjured a greater Force storm.
Waves of lightning surged toward Vader, trying to consume him, but he danced through the arcs.
"Today, you will pay for your arrogance!"
"Not impressed!"
Power clashed again, the entire hall shaking.
Fire and lightning entwined, and in this chaos, the duel between master and apprentice reached its peak.
Seeing that he couldn't finish Vader quickly, Palpatine flicked his right hand—an ornate dark-gold lightsaber slid from his sleeve.
The crimson blade extended and clashed with Vader's, sparks flying.
"You think you can change your fate, Vader?" Palpatine taunted, his attacks growing more ferocious.
Lightsabers and lightning intertwined, forcing Vader to yield ground. Every strike he delivered was parried, but Palpatine's counters came fast and brutal.
BOOM—!
Palpatine smashed down with his saber. Vader blocked, but the impact forced him back again, the metal floor beneath him warping under the pressure.
Then Palpatine suddenly vanished—teleported—his crimson blade lunging straight for Vader's chest.
"Your power, your everything… is a pathetic joke."
Confident in his impending victory, Palpatine flicked his fingers again, sending a final arc of Force lightning at Vader's mask, seeking to end it all.
But in that split-second—
BZZZ—!
A strange energy erupted from within Vader's body. His form was cloaked in a dim crimson aura.
It resembled flame—but carried an indescribable essence of "chaos."
??!!
Palpatine's pupils shrank. His attack faltered. His voice shook in disbelief: "What is this power? What… what kind of being has touched you?!"
Vader did not reply. It was as if some ancient, unfathomable force had awakened within him.
He crouched and leapt—performing an exaggerated forward flip—and brought his lightsaber crashing down with overwhelming force.
BUZZ—!!
Palpatine raised his saber to block, but now it was he who was driven backward by Vader's strength.
The Emperor of the Galactic Empire could only barely defend. Confusion and shock filled his eyes.
He had never witnessed this kind of power before. That crimson glow…
No.
That terrifying energy came from another universe, another dimension—infused with unknowable chaos and destruction.
BOOM—CLANG!
Vader's strikes were like a rain of crimson light. At last, Palpatine's saber was knocked from his grasp, clattering into a corner.
He stumbled back, his dark robe in disarray, the eerie red light revealing his desperation. Losing balance, he fell hard onto the floor.
"You… what have you done?!"
Palpatine struggled to prop himself up. Panic and disbelief danced in his hooded eyes, unable to comprehend what had happened.
His gaze locked onto Vader, desperate for an answer beneath the cold mask.
…
Vader said nothing. He stood silently, lightsaber raised high, his silhouette towering over Palpatine like an immovable mountain.
And the balance of this duel had completely shifted the moment that crimson energy consumed Vader.
"No… no! You can't do this!"
Seeing the strange blade about to fall upon his neck, Palpatine cried out, trying one last time to shake Vader's resolve.
"Child! Do you know what kind of being you're making a deal with?! You are the Chosen One, the one destined to bring balance to the Force! You… you would betray your fate?! You—"
Buzz~—SZZZ!
But Palpatine's words were cut short—the blade fell.
The lightsaber sliced cleanly through his neck. Head and body parted in an instant. The shrouded figure collapsed lifelessly to the metal floor.
No————!!
At the same time, a faint, piercing scream echoed through the Core Hall—as if Palpatine's soul had been devoured by the unknown being that had empowered Vader.
"My destiny is mine to command."
Only after confirming Sheev Palpatine was truly dead did Vader speak again through the mask.
Buzz~—crack!
He then deactivated the lightsaber, its strange red glow vanishing, and returned the hilt to his belt. Silence returned to the hall.
Now, only Palpatine's corpse remained—lying still on the floor, as if proclaiming the end of an era.
------------------
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