The barren plain fell silent once more.
The wind swept gently across the open land, carrying loose blades of grass across the battlefield as Darius and Var continued to face one another. Around them, the members of the Black Sun Syndicate watched in complete silence, eager to see how the battle would unfold.
Darius exhaled slowly.
The darkness surrounding his body gradually faded away.
The chains receded into his back.
His purple eyes returned to normal.
He had disabled Shadow Embodiment.
Var noticed the change immediately.
A faint smile appeared on the Magic Swordsman's face, but he remained where he was, patiently waiting.
Darius took another deep breath.
This time, instead of reaching for his element—
He reached inward. His Soul Power quietly flowed through his body.
As the invisible current spread throughout his being, a memory surfaced in his mind.
Headmistress Seraphina's voice echoed clearly.
"Normally, Soul Power cannot be consciously used until one reaches the rank of High God."
At the time, it had sounded like an absolute rule.
But things were different now.
They were no longer on Planet Nohr.
The constant suppression imposed by the lower realm no longer restrained their souls.
Here, within the Land of the Sun People, they were free to draw upon Soul Power despite being Mid-Level Deities.
Darius, a High Exarch whose existence defied ordinary classifications, stood on that very threshold.
His breathing steadied. Then the world changed.
The truth behind existence unfolded before his eyes.
He could see the invisible structure of Var's magic barrier.
Every strand of magical energy, layer and connection.
His gaze narrowed.
"The barrier…"
He looked carefully.
"The ground…"
His eyes shifted toward the staff resting in Var's right hand.
"…and the staff."
He quietly muttered to himself,
"There's nothing but open land… no shadow to go in."
For a brief moment, he fell silent.
Then an idea appeared a smile spread across his face.
He stepped forward once.
Instantly, his body dissolved into darkness.
It scattered into the wind and vanished completely.
Var smiled.
"So you changed your tactics again."
Darius entered the Shadow Realm.
The endless world of darkness stretched around him as he moved silently beyond the perception of the physical world.
Far beyond Var's senses.
Far beyond his line of sight.
Then a shadow portal silently opened high above the battlefield.
Darius dropped through it.
Boom! He landed firmly on both feet.
The impact shattered the ground beneath him.
Chunks of earth erupted into the air.
Var immediately leapt upward to avoid the collapsing terrain.
The instant he rose Darius smiled.
"Chains of Shadow."
Dozens of massive black chains erupted from the earth.
Instead of targeting Var directly they wrapped themselves tightly around the glowing barrier surrounding him.
The chains constricted.
Crack.
Tiny fractures spread across the barrier.
Var's golden eyes brightened.
"Higher Authority?"
The chains surged inward once more, attempting to seize him.
Var calmly raised his staff.
"Gravity."
An overwhelming force crashed downward.
The earth beneath Darius buckled as gravity multiplied around him, threatening to crush him into the ground.
But before the force could fully take hold—
His body dissolved into darkness.
He entered the Shadow Realm once again.
The crushing gravity struck empty space.
A moment later Another shadow portal opened behind Var.
Darius stepped out effortlessly.
Var smiled.
"Smart."
Darius returned the smile.
"All shadows are mine."
The shadow beneath Var's feet suddenly rose from the ground.
It took shape.
Perfectly mirroring Var himself.
At the same instant, Darius dashed through the air at immeasurable speed.
He raised his leg high above his head.
Then brought it crashing downward in a devastating axe kick.
Var reacted instantly. He raised his staff.
Boom!
The kick collided against it. Before either of them could separate—
Var's own shadow moved.
It leapt into the air. Grabbing his foot.
The shadow twisted its body and hurled Var toward the ground.
Var descended rapidly.
Yet just before his feet touched the earth he stopped. His body floated several inches above the ground.
The Magic Swordsman looked toward the living shadow with clear interest.
"So when you control a shadow…"
He studied it carefully.
"…it possesses the strength of the original body…"
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"…and the endurance of darkness itself…which is infinite?"
Darius nodded.
"Yes."
A faint grin crossed his face.
"I found that out a bit too long after I controlled it."
Without warning..The shadow lunged.
It rushed toward Var at immeasurable speed.
Var smiled.
"I like it."
He calmly lifted one hand.
"Erasure."
An invisible wave spread outward.
It swept across the battlefield without making a sound.
Everything it touched disappeared.
The shadow never even had time to react. It was erased completely.
Silence returned. Var lowered his hand. He looked toward Darius with approval.
"Good. You possess excellent combat IQ. Your tactics are impressive and you adapt remarkably well."
Darius listened quietly.
Var continued.
"When you destroyed the ground because of the magic circle…"
He smiled.
"That was a good move."
He gently lifted his staff.
"Not because the ground was the weakness of my magic barrier."
He tapped the staff lightly.
"My staff was. It remained in my right hand the entire time."
Darius' eyes widened slightly.
Var nodded.
"Your decision was still correct. When you destroyed the ground…you forced me into the air."
He smiled warmly.
"Exactly where you wanted me. That gave you the opportunity to break my barrier. For that brief moment…The battle belonged to you."
He paused before adding,
"The only reason I escaped unscathed was because of my mastery of Soul Power, my experience…and my magic."
Darius smiled respectfully.
"Thank you for your enlightenment, Instructor Var."
Var returned the smile.
"It's all good."
Darius lowered his gaze toward his hands.
"When Headmistress Seraphina tested our Soul Power…"
He flexed his fingers thoughtfully.
"Mine was Visitor of Darkness."
He looked back at Var.
"It allowed me to do many things with darkness…like using it as a portal."
Var nodded.
"Soul Power naturally merges with your element."
He folded his arms.
"In fact…It already has. You simply aren't aware of it yet."
Rein scratched the back of his head.
"The more I understand Soul Power…the more questions I have to ask."
Eryndor smiled faintly.
"We'll have to use it naturally before we ascend."
Kaelus nodded in agreement.
"Yeah…"
Var chuckled softly.
"Don't worry."
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"David will have fun with you guys."
Alucard let out a slow sigh.
"…That doesn't sound nice."
Isly smiled brightly.
"I'm excited either way."
Beside her, Tina simply smiled as the wind drifted quietly across the endless plain, carrying with it the anticipation of the lessons still waiting ahead.