Ghost and Jawad moved like streaks across the sky, heading straight toward Moon Palace.
Behind them, Austin chased—but something was wrong.
Their presence… didn't align with reality.
It felt distorted. Out of sync.
Like they existed on a higher plane.
"Wait—!"
Austin pushed forward, activating his shadow movement, but within seconds…
They disappeared.
No aura. No trace.
"…I lost them."
For a moment, he stood still.
Then moved again.
A strange forest came into view.
Buildings surrounded it—people living normal lives, unaware of what was coming.
And at the center…
Moon Palace.
A massive structure, layered with dense protective barriers.
Then—
The sky split open.
Two auras descended.
One—cold and burning at the same time.
Blue and orange.
Ice… and fire.
Ghost.
Behind him—
A storm of thunder.
Jawad.
Not ordinary lightning.
This was divine thunder—heavy, violent, shaking the air itself.
Jawad hovered silently behind Ghost.
Ghost spoke without turning.
"…You're still here."
Jawad smirked faintly.
"Where else would I be?"
No more words were needed.
Their bond was clear.
Ghost raised his hand.
His energy surged.
He carried five core abilities:
Frost Dominion – Absolute freezing control Flame Core – Internal destructive fire energy Phantom Shift – Movement beyond perception Soul Pressure – Aura that crushes weaker beings Ice Construct Creation – Formation of massive ice structures
And now…
Both his ice and fire were evolving together—unstable, but terrifying.
A massive ice spike formed in the sky.
Larger than the palace itself.
Ghost launched it.
BOOM!
It slammed into the barrier.
Cracks spread—but it held.
Inside—
Elders appeared.
"You dare attack Moon Palace?" one shouted.
CRACK.
The spike pierced through.
The barrier shattered.
Silence.
"…Where is she?" Ghost asked coldly.
"Who?" an elder replied.
Ghost released his aura.
Freezing pressure exploded outward.
All A-rank and below froze instantly.
"…The girl you took."
The elders' expressions changed.
They understood.
Behind them—
More figures appeared.
Total: Eight S-rank elders.
Battle Begins
Jawad stepped forward.
Thunder roared across the sky.
"I'll handle the rest."
Ghost didn't stop him.
Because Jawad wasn't just strong—
He was someone who would fight to the end for him.
War of Powers
The battlefield erupted.
Jawad's thunder crashed like judgment from the sky.
Every strike tore through enemies.
He fought multiple opponents at once—even S-rank.
Meanwhile—
Ghost attacked the elders.
Ice and fire moved together.
Cold that froze space.
Flames that burned through it.
Austin arrived.
And froze.
"This… level…"
But he joined anyway.
Austin Joins
"Shadow Domain."
Darkness spread.
Shadows rose.
Spikes. Control. Bullets.
Everything.
He fought alongside Ghost.
But even then—
The elders were overwhelming.
Austin pushed harder.
His skills sharpened mid-battle.
He was evolving.
But still—
Ghost stood above all.
After a brutal fight—
Ghost broke through.
Reached the core.
And destroyed it.
The palace began collapsing.
Scientists ran.
Some escaped.
Some died.
Inside—
He found her.
The Girl
She lay there.
Barely alive.
Her breath fading.
Ghost walked slowly.
For the first time—
His hands trembled.
"…Too late?"
He lifted her gently.
Behind him—
Mutated elders appeared.
Their bodies twisted.
Monstrous.
Experiments.
They attacked.
Ghost's Rage
Ghost knelt.
"…You did this."
Silence.
Then—
All ice vanished.
Fire exploded.
His Flame Core went wild.
Uncontrolled.
Violent.
He stood.
And slaughtered them.
Brutally.
Without technique.
Without restraint.
Jawad watched from afar.
"…He's losing control."
Everything fell silent.
Ghost returned to the girl.
She was dying.
Austin stood behind, watching.
Then—
Something changed.
Heart of Ice and Fire
From Austin's inventory—
The heart began to beat.
It flew out.
Toward Ghost.
Before anyone could react—
It entered his body.
BOOM.
Lightning struck the sky—but not his power.
Jawad's thunder reacted instinctively.
A staircase formed in the sky.
At the top—
A throne.
Ghost began walking.
Each step heavy.
His body breaking.
But the heart—
Was healing him.
Rebuilding him.
The Throne of Balance
He reached the top.
Sat.
His body transformed—
Half ice.
Half fire.
Perfect balance.
His aura became overwhelming.
He looked at the girl.
"…You won't die."
He raised his hand.
A coffin of ice formed.
Gentle.
Precise.
It sealed her.
Time froze around her.
She would live.
Until he found a cure.
Austin stood below.
"…What have you become…"
Jawad looked up.
Silent.
For the first time—
Even he had no words.
Because now—
Ghost wasn't just powerful.
He was something far beyond that.
— End of Chapter 16 —
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