The smoke swirled and shifted in the night air, mingling with the faint glow of moonlight piercing through the drifting mist. The battlefield, once a lush and pristine mansion courtyard, now resembled the aftermath of a catastrophic war. Deep fissures tore through the ground, flames licked at shattered ruins, and pools of blood mingled with blackened debris.
Aron stood tall amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving as he steadied his breathing. His violet eyes glimmered with an unnatural, predatory light. Behind him, the remains of Duke Akresman's monstrous form twitched faintly, his barbed tail scraping weakly against the cracked stone.
A slow, rhythmic sound cut through the fading silence—
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
From the shadows, a figure emerged.
The newcomer's steps were deliberate, almost leisurely, yet each one seemed to carry an oppressive weight. His long crimson coat trailed behind him like flowing blood, and intricate black runes glowed faintly along his sleeves. His sharp, angular features were framed by dark hair, his expression calm, unreadable, yet carrying an undeniable air of superiority.
Aron's eyes narrowed instantly, recognition flashing across his face.
'What is he doing here?... Tch… guess I really need to kill them both now.'
He didn't move, didn't speak. His grip on the Shen Blades tightened ever so slightly as he began assessing the situation. This was no ordinary intruder. He knew exactly who this man was—and the kind of danger he represented.
The man finally stopped in front of the trembling form of Akresman.
Akresman's body shook uncontrollably. Despite his monstrous transformation, despite his towering frame, he was like a frightened child before the newcomer.
The stranger tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but filled with venom.
"Why did you reveal that form?" he asked softly, his tone deceptively gentle. "You weren't permitted to do so… Do you not want to live?"
The words were quiet, yet they struck harder than any physical blow.
A crushing pressure descended upon Akresman's shoulders. His knees buckled instantly, forcing him to the ground. His monstrous claws dug deep trenches into the cracked earth as he struggled to breathe, his barbed tail lashing wildly.
Thud!
He fell completely, his massive form trembling under the invisible weight. His crimson eyes flickered with terror, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, but no words emerged. His breath came in ragged gasps.
The newcomer crouched slightly, bringing his face closer to Akresman's. His calm expression twisted into a cold, mocking smile.
"Well," he murmured, "if you don't want to die… then don't ever use that form again in this city. Understood?"
Akresman's entire frame quaked. "Y-Yes… M-Master Cornwell…"
"Good," Cornwell Letros said smoothly, standing once more. "Now, leave. Crawl away if you must."
Akresman didn't hesitate. His monstrous form began to shrink and retract, bones cracking as his body returned to its original human shape. Without a word, he fled into the shadows, disappearing into the ruins.
Cornwell didn't even spare him a glance. His eyes, sharp and glinting like a predator's, turned toward Aron.
While Cornwell had been dealing with Akresman, Aron hadn't been idle. His mind raced as he studied the man before him.
'System,' he thought coldly, his gaze unblinking. 'Show me his stats. I need to know exactly what I'm dealing with here. I kind of forgot about him… Tsk, tsk.'
A familiar ding resonated in his mind as the translucent blue system screen appeared before him.
[ Name: Cornwell Letros ]
[ LVL: 30 ]
Stats:
STR: 233
AGL: 219
VIT: 598
STM: 201
INT: 223
LCK: 176
ENERGY: 8700 (New! Acquired after reaching Lvl.20)
Aron's pupils contracted as he read the numbers. His breath caught in his throat.
'What?! Why are his stats this high? He wasn't anywhere near this strong when I first fought him…'
A cold realization seeped into his mind. Cornwell hadn't just grown stronger—he had evolved into something far more dangerous than Aron had anticipated.
But Aron didn't panic. Instead, a dark grin spread across his face.
'System, put 80 stats each into my Strength and Agility, and 50 each into Vitality and Stamina,' he ordered swiftly.
[ Updated Stats ]
STR: 139 → 219 (+80)
AGL: 136 → 216 (+80)
VIT: 153 → 203 (+50)
STM: 134 → 184 (+50)
INT: 144
LCK: 94
Undisturbed stats points: 395 --> 135 (-260) ]
[ Warning: Please be cautious. Increasing stats too much at once can harm your own body. ]
The surge of power was immediate and overwhelming. Aron's body trembled violently as waves of energy coursed through his veins, threatening to tear him apart from the inside. His muscles bulged, his senses sharpened, and the world around him seemed to slow to a crawl.
His breathing steadied, his movements becoming smoother, lighter—as though invisible shackles had been shattered.
Cornwell's eyes narrowed. He felt the sudden spike in Aron's aura, like a volcano erupting right before his eyes.
"How…" Cornwell muttered, his tone incredulous, "…did you just get stronger all of a sudden?" His gaze sharpened, becoming predatory. "This is… quite interesting."
Aron stepped forward, his grin widening into something demonic.
"So," he said softly, his voice carrying through the smoky air, "you are the General of Nigoshin, I presume… Mr. Cornwell Letros."
The name struck like a lightning bolt.
Cornwell's face twisted, his pupils dilating. For a brief, unguarded moment, pure horror flashed across his features. But he quickly masked it with cold indifference, forcing his expression back to its usual calm.
"Well," he said slowly, his tone now colder than ice, "I won't ask how you know my name… or who told you." His hand clenched into a fist. "But know this—you will die here and now."
Cornwell stretched out his right hand, his palm open. Instantly, the air around him began to churn violently. Winds surged inward, swirling into a focused vortex as the temperature spiked.
Flames flickered to life, feeding on the whirling air until they formed a concentrated sphere of energy. The fiery orb condensed further, sharpening into a spear of pure destructive force.
"Flame Strike!" Cornwell roared, his voice echoing like thunder.
The spear shot forward with blinding speed, trailing a blazing tail that seared the air itself.
Aron didn't flinch. Instead, he smirked, muttering under his breath, "Well, well, well… I was waiting for this. Hahaha…"
With an explosive burst of strength, Aron stomped the ground and launched himself skyward. For a brief moment, his body seemed weightless, soaring high above the battlefield.
The spear tore through the space where he had been standing a heartbeat earlier, continuing on its path until it struck a massive tree deep within the mansion's ruined gardens.
The tree didn't just burn—it ceased to exist, reduced to ash in an instant.
Cornwell tilted his head upward, eyes locking on Aron's descending figure. A cold, sharp grin spread across his face.
"Predictable," he hissed.
With a flick of his wrist, three more flame spears materialized around him. They spun in a deadly formation, glowing with an even more intense heat.
"Die!" he snarled, launching all three spears at once.
Aron's grin widened.
He summoned the Shen Blades from his inventory in a flash of violet light. Gripping them tightly, he crossed the blades into an 'X' and swung with every ounce of his enhanced strength.
A black-and-purple crescent of energy erupted from his blades, cutting through the night sky. It hurtled toward the incoming spears like a living shadow.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!
The collision was apocalyptic.
A blinding explosion of fire and darkness erupted, consuming everything within a massive radius. The shockwave ripped outward, flattening what remained of the gardens and sending chunks of stone flying like meteorites.
Far Away — Sotten City Center
At the heart of Sotten City, a grand mansion stood proudly behind towering silver gates. Its spires gleamed beneath the moonlight, an image of elegance and power.
Inside, a woman sat on a levitating couch, sipping tea with an air of serene grace. Her long, flowing hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes glimmered with intelligence—and mischief.
Suddenly, the entire structure shuddered. The tea in her cup rippled violently, almost spilling.
The woman, Lasandra, narrowed her eyes and turned to gaze out the tall window to her right.
In the distance, a massive white flare of energy lit up the night sky from the eastern sector of the city.
Lasandra's lips curled into a smile, melodic and almost seductive.
"Well, well… It seems that fluctuation on the Trekson Wall wasn't just a coincidence after all."
She turned her head slightly toward the shadowy corner of the room, where a young man stood silently. He wore a crimson outfit marked with a distinctive crest around his neck.
"Iremos," she said softly, her voice carrying a strange power. "Go. Find out who is causing this chaos. If you encounter anyone suspicious… bring them to me."
The young man bowed deeply. "Yes, Miss Lasandra."
Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Lasandra leaned back on her floating couch, sipping her tea once more. A mischievous smile played across her lips as she whispered to herself:
"This will be… interesting."
Back to the Battlefield
The smoke gradually cleared, revealing the aftermath of the devastating clash.
Cornwell's eyes widened as he caught sight of Aron standing tall amidst the ruins, completely unharmed. His disbelief was palpable, etched across every line of his face.
"Impossible!" he shouted. "How are you still alive?! You should have been obliterated by that attack!"
Aron stepped forward slowly, his Shen Blades gleaming in the dim light. He said nothing, merely smirking as though Cornwell's outrage amused him.
Inwardly, however, his thoughts were sharp and calculating.
'That was too close,' he admitted silently. 'If not for the Shen Blades' hidden function absorbing some of that impact, I'd be nothing but ash right now.'
Cornwell's fury boiled over. With a guttural roar, he unleashed every ounce of his remaining energy. Red flames surged around him like a living inferno as he raised his arms high.
Above his head, a massive energy sword began to form. At first, it was the size of a normal blade, but it grew rapidly, expanding larger and larger as the swirling energy condensed.
The very air screamed under the strain. Cracks appeared in the ground, spreading outward like spiderwebs.
Cornwell panted heavily, sweat pouring down his face. "Huff… huff… DIE NOW, YOU MONSTER!"
With a final scream, he brought the sword down, releasing it toward Aron.
The colossal blade hurtled forward, tearing through space itself. Its sheer size and power made escape seem impossible.
But Aron didn't run.
He didn't flinch.
Instead, his grin widened into something truly terrifying.
"Hahaha… You're strong, Cornwell," he said, his tone almost admiring. "But you don't use that brain of yours well."
He raised his Shen Blades, their violet glow intensifying. His aura flared violently, swirling around him like a storm.
"Now," he hissed, his voice low and deadly, "let me show you how your own attack tastes."
And then Aron moved.
With a single, fluid motion, he swung his blades forward, channeling his power through them. A massive black-and-purple arc erupted, matching the size and ferocity of Cornwell's attack.
The two colossal forces collided midair.
The night sky lit up like a second sun.
_ _ _
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