The training had been intense that morning. Sweat and heavy breathing filled the Guild's gym, but Ethan was still not satisfied. With the Blade of Chaos in hand, he lifted his gaze toward Ryan and Ryu, who were watching him curiously.
— Guys… — he said, a nearly arrogant gleam in his eyes. — Pay attention. I've learned a new technique, a variant of the Voindred Slash.
Ryu smirked.— Then show it already, man!
Before he could swing the blade, Darius appeared, imposing.— Hey, calm down, kids. — He raised his hand. — If this move is what I think it is, we need the right place. That sword wasn't made for any training room.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.— And where would that be?
Darius's smile was almost childish.— Come with me. I'll show you the room we use to test planet-buster attacks.
The three young men widened their eyes, while Zen Kagetsune, who had just entered, scratched the back of his neck.— Hm? What are you guys up to?
— Just follow us, Zen. — said Darius, already walking.
With no choice, the Phoenix Guild's vice-captain went along with the group.
The Underground Chamber
Descending dozens of meters beneath the Guild, they stopped before a colossal door of black metal. When it opened, Ryan, Ryu, and Ethan were left speechless.
The space before them looked like another planet. The air was dense, gravity pressed them down, and even the flow of time seemed distorted.
— This is insane… — muttered Ryu, struggling to keep his balance.
Darius spread his arms like a proud host.— It was built seventeen years ago, when Tyrus destroyed the city. The metals sustaining this chamber are from Nionderland, the same material as your Blade of Chaos, Ethan.
Ethan froze, absorbing each word.— Nionderland… it's been two years since I was there.
— This is the right place for you to understand your powers. Chaos, Light, Darkness, even the Reversum. — Darius grinned mischievously. — I'm a legend there myself. In fact… they even built me a statue.
Ryan and Ryu burst into laughter.— You've got to be kidding.
Darius pulled out his phone, showing them a picture: a massive statue of him as a young man, standing tall in Nionderland's central square.
— Sensei, how old were you here? — Ryan asked in disbelief.— Around sixteen. And yes, I was short. —
Ryu roared with laughter.— Just like Ryan!
— Hey! — Ryan protested. — I'm 1.72m! It's not my fault you looked like a titan at fifteen!
The group exploded with laughter. Then Darius clapped his hands. The ground shook, and an illusory scene appeared: an asteroid larger than Earth falling toward them.
— Time to train what you love most… raw power! Ethan, you're up first.
Ethan Stormbreak – Cataclysm of Infinity
Ethan closed his eyes, raising the Blade of Chaos. The sword began to vibrate, emitting a low hum, like cosmic gears grinding.
The blade attuned itself to the very fabric of reality. Invisible cracks split open in the air, like fractures in glass.
— Ultimate Technique… — Ethan whispered.
His eyes glowed with incandescent white. The whole space seemed to hold its breath.
— Cataclysm of Infinity – Final Rupture Slash!
The strike fell slowly, but when it did, reality shattered. The sky fractured in broken patterns, and a cosmic rift opened in utter silence.
The asteroid ceased to exist — not destroyed, not erased, just… nonexistent.
The impact echoed seconds later, a cosmic thunder that made even the air bend.
Exhausted, Ethan fell to his knees.— I… can't stand…
Ryan caught his shoulders.— Can you walk?
— Only if it's on your back… — Ethan muttered.
Ryu laughed.— What a move, man! But it's clear you can only pull it off once a day, huh?
Even while being carried, Ethan smiled.— I'll perfect it. Someday, I'll cut through infinity without collapsing afterward.
Darius applauded, pride glowing in his eyes.— Impressive. But now… I'll show you what true destruction looks like.
Darius Valtier – Final Aurora
The space trembled. Light bent toward Darius, as if even photons bowed to him.
In his right hand, a purple-white sphere appeared.— Light of Annihilation.
In his left, a calm golden sphere.— Light of Creation.
The contrast between destruction and rebirth distorted the entire chamber. Darius pressed his palms together, crushing the opposing concepts.
— Final Aurora!
A prismatic ray tore through the skies, simultaneously unmaking and remaking the asteroids. The world bathed in a cosmic aurora, flooding the chamber with celestial tones.
Ryan scribbled frantically in his notebook, while Ryu only muttered:— Dude… he's a monster.
Ryu Nox – Slash of the Blackened World
— My turn. — Ryu advanced, his black blade in hand.
The sword absorbed all surrounding light, twisting space. The slash opened a dark rift that devoured energy, matter, and even illusory techniques.
— Oh darkness… devour everything. Slash of the Blackened World!
The shadowy trail consumed dozens of asteroids at once.
Darius roared with laughter, clapping.— Bravo! That's how it's done, boy!
Zen Kagetsune – Absolute Predator
— And you, Zen? — Darius teased. — Just gonna stand there?
Zen crossed his arms.— My powers are tactical. They're not as useful here.
— Go on, try.
Sighing, Zen bit his thumb, tracing a seal on the ground.— Shadow Contract: Absolute Predator Mode!
His orange aura exploded, muscles pulsing, speed multiplied a hundredfold faster than light. In an instant, he dashed across the field, slicing asteroids into tiny fragments with his katana.
Ryan swallowed hard.— That speed is insane…
Ryan Valeborn – Absolute Nullification
His turn had come.
Ryan closed his eyes, channeling the Reversum. The air grew heavy, as if the universe itself rejected his existence.
— Reversum: Absolute Nullification!
In his palm, a vortex of Absolute Zero appeared. He unleashed it against the asteroids — and they were erased, reverted into primordial nothingness.
But the price was cruel. His body partially collapsed, bones creaking, muscles tearing. Ryan fell unconscious, drained down to his very soul.
Darius caught him in his arms.— If you use this more than once a day… you'll end up erasing yourself.
He carried him to his room, covering him with a cloak.— Inavy chose well. You're the key against Kairon.
The Midnight Hour
Ryan awoke in the middle of the night, exhausted, his body still aching. He stared at the ceiling, thinking:
"It's been ten months since I became a hero… Tomorrow is the big day. Hant… I'll destroy you, no matter the cost."
The Dawn of the Confrontation
November 25th, 7 p.m. The Hero Draft Arena was packed. Ryan, clad in the Phoenix mantle, walked alongside Ryu, Ethan, Dante, and Kane.
On the other side, Hant observed from the VIP balcony, flanked by Arcanis and the newly-promoted Bhor.
— Here we are… where it all began, and where it will all end. — said Hant.
Ryan shouted:— Leave Annie and Ron-sensei alone!
The villain smiled, stepping closer to Annie, who cried silently. Without hesitation, he drove his blade into her neck.
— NOOOOOOOOOOO! — Ryan's scream echoed.
Hant laughed maniacally.— I told you I would destroy you from within. It was her, wasn't it?
Ryan collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
…But then he opened his eyes, drenched in sweat.
He was in his bed. A dream.
He looked at the clock.7:00 AM, November 25th.
The big day had arrived.
[END OF CHAPTER 101]