The city was cloaked in darkness, its silence heavier than any clamor. Novan, Des, and Ban stood tensely at the arena, their eyes fixed on the shadow before them—a figure not just an enemy, but the embodiment of a power beyond anything they had ever known.
Novan remembered the café, the mysterious old man they had met days ago… suddenly, the truth dawned on him:
"This… is Mortis!" he whispered, his heart pounding wildly.
Mortis, wielder of the cosmic ability Arkon, stood firm, every step shaking the ground with supernatural physical power. This was no psychic ability, but a system entirely different from the mental powers Novan and his team had trained to master.
Morgan, observing intently, felt the weight of the atmosphere and spoke calmly yet clearly for everyone:
"Arkon… absolute physical power that surpasses mental control or emotional manipulation. Whatever psychic abilities could do, Mortis surpasses them physically. In this world, cosmic power determines who can withstand whom."
Despite all his psychic strength, Morath attacked relentlessly, attempting telepathy and emotional manipulation, but every effort was futile.
Novan whispered to himself:
"This… is no ordinary opponent… it's the end of everything we knew."
Mortis smiled a deadly smile, then launched his assault. Every strike was agonizing, every movement instilled genuine terror in everyone—not just physical shock.
Morgan warned the team:
"Respect Arkon's level… never underestimate it. Every strike is not mere power, but a will made flesh."
Amidst the fight, discussions pierced the tension:
Novan: "How can his body possess such strength? Everything seems powerless against him!"
Ban: "Our psychic training… wasn't enough. We need to think differently."
Des, breathing heavily: "But we cannot retreat… all we lost to Morath cannot have been in vain."
Morath tried to resist but gradually collapsed under Mortis's relentless blows. Drou struck him repeatedly, and with every hit Mortis intoned:
"All who were killed… all who fell before you, their strength now feeds me. Every challenge, every arrogance, returns to you. And I… no one can stand against my physical will."
Morath shuddered, losing consciousness, yet struggled to fight back:
"No… no… this cannot be!"
Finally, Mortis raised his hand, whispering with authoritative resonance:
"And this… is my ultimate power… Silence of Eternity."
Suddenly, Morath vanished completely, leaving only drifting dust, as if the world had paused for a moment.
Iris, watching from afar, turned and fled, her eyes ablaze with determination and rage:
"I swear I will avenge my brother… I will not forget this day."
The dawn began to break, its rays creeping across the arena, the city gradually returning to life. Yet the immense shadow of Mortis remained, standing at the center, his body radiating power, a true champion before all who beheld him.
Novan, Des, and Ban felt awe—not just from Mortis's strength, but from the new reality revealed to them: psychic power, no matter how great, can only truly challenge when combined with absolute physical will.
Morgan finally spoke in a calm voice:
"Remember this day… Arkon is not just a power, it's an entirely different system from anything you've known… and this makes the next confrontation with Iris or any of the higher ranks far more daunting than you can imagine."
The air was thick, shadows shifting, hearts pounding with dread, as Mortis stood as the symbol of absolute cosmic power, and the dawn announced the beginning of a new world where anything could be possible.