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Sabaki vanished, and the moment I caught his signature, a single backhand struck me, sending me off the Hyperworld.
I steadied myself mid-fall, forcing my balance back under control, but before I could react further, my vision was swallowed by blue.
'An azure beam.'
I recognised it instantly, the light cutting through everything as it surged towards me.
'I don't want to keep using Void Eater. I'll have to find another way out. Since he's converting all the energy to azure energy, it's still energy so I can wield it.'
'Harnessing more than two Fragments throws you into the 2ND STEP: RESONANCE. However, the more you rely on them, the more backlash.'
I ignored White's words, raising my hand and the conversion was completed in an instant as the azure beam was converted to a darkish silver beam now heading back at Sabaki.
He swung his sword to fight back but nothing happened.
'All the energy making up the beam is completely under my control, you can't do anything to them.'
Azure, star, magical, dark, light, elemental energy are all the same thing to me. Just energy with different names.
The beam spread and engulfed the space releasing a darkish silver explosion.
"You can't wield Energy as I do. This is a fight you're going to lose."
"Is that so?"
He asked and a gong reverberated the damage taken was reversed to the sinner in other words, me. But I'm sure he knew better that my attack won't work on me. The darkish silver destructive energy neutralised itself before me, unable to resist.
'I hate to admit it but, I'll have to use Grace.'
Sabaki, whose outfit was torn, didn't want to drag this further.
A lesser like Antares should've been defeated a long time ago.
'That's what he thought. I can hear it but I'll pretend I don't and fight naturally.'
'Supreme Art: God's Grace… activate. God's Wrath.'
A faint azure aura bled from his body as the Supreme Art took hold, the space around him tightening under its presence.
I stood my ground. I may be all-powerful, but I braced myself for this unknown force all the same.
He lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant, his fist tearing through reality itself as it came straight for me, intent on ending it in a single strike.
I crossed my arms to block, but the sheer weight behind his blow was unnaturally disturbing even for me.
Normally, one would have to annihilate every cosmic layer surrounding me just to make contact... yet he bypassed them all as if they never existed.
His punch tore through the stars encasing me, obliterated the barriers of reality itself, and crashed into my core. The impact detonated like a celestial hammer and I was sent hurtling across the void, powerless to resist.
'What happened to 'unbound by physical constraints'?'
I inquired, demanding answers form White.
'As long as you have a physical body, it'll apply. As for Sabaki, his brute strength is highly superior to yours and thus can ignore your durability and defences landing a clean blow.'
I twisted mid-air, but another punch was already closing in on my face. I knew better than to block something like that, so I shifted to deflect it instead.
The moment my hand met his strike, the weight behind it surged through me, far heavier than expected, forcing my arm back despite the effort.
A second blow followed. I ducked under it, but his knee drove up and connected with my forehead, launching me skyward once again.
'He is strong… but not enough to draw blood from my bare skin.'
I noted, steadying myself as I locked onto him again.
I charged straight at him, my gaze cutting deeper, past his form and into the very foundation of his existence. From there, everything began to unravel before me.
'He has an anchor sustaining him… and that anchor is..'
'The Star God.'
White finished.
'Normally, Stars cannot truly perish. He holds their immortality, yet history shows he has never once revived a fallen Star.'
'So?'
'So their fate rests with them. If they cannot survive, then that is the end of it.'
'I see… then immortality alone will not be enough. I need something more.'
I pushed deeper into the structure of his being, but he was already upon me, and I met him head-on. He threw a sharp jab, and in that instant, I tampered with the Fragments, weakening the integrity of his arm just enough.
I caught it. The moment our contact held, information flooded in. I processed it instantly, breaking it down, replicating his physical strength and redirecting it into my own body. Power surged into my right arm as I drew it back and drove a solid punch straight into him.
The force was so immense that, as he was sent hurtling away, his left arm tore free, still clenched in my grip.
'His source of power, the Supreme Art, is still linked from the top.'
I said, looking up.
'Yes, it's strengthening his body overall. But from the way it's wrapped around his Essereos, it's not his real physical strength.'
'So he's getting a boost from the Supreme Art and it's coming from the Creator? Supreme Art, I've never heard anything about them.'
'Exactly.'
'Well, let's see if I can tamper with the codes.'
And just as I was about to begin, the foreign material masked its presence.
The information I've replicated about the Supreme Art also hides itself and despite being within me, I can't sense it. Umbryss & Clarivide disobey me, sealing Arcanocysts & Codexons hiding everything about Supreme Art. This can only mean one thing...
'The Star God is interfering.'
'No. The Art is sentient and I'm sure you know what this means right?'
"Yeah, it's powered by something beyond Energy, Ether."
I turned to face Sabaki.
His body burned with his aura, heat rolling off him as his arm restored itself completely, as though the damage had never happened.
"No one has ever laid a hand on me… except Lord Acamar."
"You are into men?"
I asked, my expression deliberately dull.
"If so, you really are missing out on the better half."
"Blasphemy."
The word came sharp, and his aura flared violently in response. It surged outward with enough force to make me brace, raising my guard as it pressed against me.
'Warning, this...'
The message never finished as his fist landed.
A punch crashed into me, knocking the thought clean out of my head. My vision went white as my body gave way, consciousness slipping for a moment before I forced it back through Neosis.
'That's smart. Severing your conscious before the attack."
I steadied myself just as Sabaki came again, his speed beyond sight.
'Which Filament should I sever to..'
Another strike slammed into me from the side, the impact ringing through my body, only just held back by the dark-silver armour.
'At least it's durable enough.'
I drew in a slow breath and closed my eyes, letting everything else fall away. Sabaki moved around me in rapid circles, distorting the space, disrupting the flow of Energy itself.
'I've transcended the realm of Energy. I can do better than this.'
He struck from behind. My eyes opened mid attack.
I turned at the exact moment his fist arrived, meeting it head-on with mine as our blows collided.
The moment our fists collided, our arms were destroyed instantaneously. His eyes widened and I smiled, my left fist cloaked in Silver Dust which was no longer pure silver but was gaining more light.
My fist connected and I felt the bones of his neck breaking before he flew off.
'Silver Dust wasn't Energy entirely, it was Ether particulates. I'm growing.'
I noted before the particles dispersed, my arm had long healed without my thought.
"I can push harder."
Up ahead, Sabaki, who was in the rubble of a crumbling planet, began laughing. Without any movement or teleportation, he appeared mid-air facing me.
"Now this is what I call a true Judgement. Never has a sinner fought back in my presence but you.....you, Antares. You are special...."
I watched intently as his artificial boost faded and an uprise was forming within him.
'Bad, extremely bad. Retreat.'
White warned but I'm stubborn so I stood my ground.
"I've accumulated your offence level with Judgement. Now prepare for Grace."
In that instant, a sound like something overflowing and converging into a single point echoed through the air.
Through Etherium, I saw the Energy itself being called upon to that single spot charging his attack.
'Return to Azyrion, Antares can be dealt with later.'
Through Neosis & Etherium, I was able to read the message he received telepathically. In response, I felt the chills as I turned towards the deadly murderous intent that suddenly appeared in the distance.
'T..this presence...'
'An OG from the Dark Stars is making their move. Escape now, you don't have what it takes to handle this charge.'
'Watch me.'
I turned, the sweat on my forehead evaporating immediately.
"I'll deliver Judgement and take care of that rebellious bastard."
Sabaki answered to the person who communicated with him.
'I'd suggest you save those Grace Beams for Mors. You are free to ignore. But in doing so, you'll regret it.'
He told him again. Now that I listened attentively, I've heard that voice onec.
'Mors, who's that?'
I asked the migh-omniscient White.
'The Death Knight, one of the oldest & strongest Dark Star. They played a crucial role in subduing Belenos and taking down the Star Dragon during the Rebellion.'
'Do you think Sabaki can...'
'No odds exist to favour him.'
It replied immediately, sealing off the probability of Sabaki wining that confrontation. If it's impossible, why send him to fight someone they can't defeat? The question lingered but I didn't press on the matter.
"Good."
I reassured myself, turning to face the Grace Beam Sabaki that was charging.
"Taste Judgement..."
"Taste Judgement, Grace Beam."
He flinched as I finished off the name of his attack. He ignored it and let it loose.
I stood still without any countermeasures in my head and waited for the beam. And that very instant, it disappeared along with Sabaki.
"A forced teleportation. Someone couldn't allow him to waste the Grace Beam on me.'
I noted.
"I have saved you twice, Antares. I guess I owe you two."
The familiar voice resounded in the air. And I was right, I've heard that voice before. When Sabaki came for me in the Cardinal World. It's him, the Supreme Star.
"It's one, actually. I knew you would intervene at this moment so that'll cancel out. By the way, I wonder how I'll make it up to you."
I raised a finger to my chin, faking deep thoughts.
"Just follow your scripts for now. When it's time, I'll let you know."
He said and his voice died off.
'You let Sabaki escape, why?'
'Exactly Papa, you had what it takes to handle him.'
White and Void Eater complained.
"The answer is simple, he has to contribute to the war too. While I can best his vessel in a 1:5 chance, I also need someone to take care of Mors. He's needed so let him be."
'He'll come after you, you know.'
"That's if he's able to handle Mors and if he does and still chooses to attack me, my win ratio will be 100:10."
'New numbers?'
'You're so overconfident.'
White signed.
"Hmm, explain to me, White."
I flapped my wings and flew towards Solaria.
'What am I, a teacher?'
It asked.
'These are just his rough estimates but... Sabaki's vessel is currently 5, and assuming an Omni with their True Body will be 10, the maximum the vessel can take will be 5.'
'So our delusional Papa here is saying he'll be ten times stronger than him.'
'I'm glad the dummy knows his father is delusional.-
'Who are you calling dummy, dummy?'
They quarrelled and I found it amusing to laugh.
"As White stated, it's a rough estimate but I'll be beyond that. It'll probably be 100000000000000:1 in the real sense. With his True Body."
'Papa really needs help.'
Void Eater said, after all, how can I defeat an Omni. I laughed harder, my voice echoing in the Hyper Space as I made my way to Solaria.
On my way to the other side, someone bypassed my senses and contacted me. Actually, I left it unprotected so I can receive emergency messages.
'Antares... are you there?'
She asked and I immediately recognised her voice but it was somewhat different.
'Lady Elara?'
'No. This is the Goddess of Creation, Erekayla.'
'OH...so...'
'Yeah, Elara was defeated. But we have something much bigger to worry about.'
"Okay. I'm listening."
'With her dying breath, Magisa was able to relay some useful information to Errai who is currently with Zhou.'
"Magisa? You mean Errai's twin sister, Magi?'
'Yes. Phoenix used her essence against her and now, he's attempting to resurrect the Goddess of Destruction within your wife, Towa.'
Hearing her name, I froze immediately, my eyes widened, my body burning up with rage.
"What does this have to do with Magisa?"
I asked, my perfect form slowly making it's way back to clear this side task.
'Absolutely nothing. She was just a candidate who could potentially with fragments of the Art of Destruction while I chose Errai to take the Art of Creation.'
"And where's Towa?"
'I don't know precisely, but I have the coordinates to get us somewhere closer.'
'Acquiring both Arts of Creation and Destruction is needed to complete STEP 3: EQUILIBRIUM.'
White relayed to me alone, blocking off Void Eater and Erekayla.
'You can explain that later, I need to save her immediately.'
I told him. As much as I want to cultivate Ether, saving Towa has more priorities.
"O Goddess of Creation, please lead the way."
A portal materialised and I flew straight.
'These are just STEPS designed to produce what you're looking for. In 5TH STEP: APOTHEOSIS, which is Ether itself, needs certain conditions that you must fulfil. You can't jump from STEP 2 the 5.'
I kept White's explanations at the back of my head.
(NOTE, 1ST STEP for cultivation hierarchy & STEP 1 for process and instructions. Take note.)
"O Goddess of Creation, why aren't you taking a material body?"
I asked, multitasking, keeping both White and Erekayla company.
'I don't belong here. My presence alone can end the lower Layers in an instant. But, when we reach her Domain, I'll be able to take the form without destroying anything. Besides, her realm is built on chaos, there's nothing left to destroy.'
She explained and an iridescent orb materialised next to me.
"I'll keep it here for now."
It hummed as it spoke
"Where are you heading to?"
"To find my wife obviously. I have no interest in the war."
"Luckily, the coordinates Magisa provided have something to do with the Goddess of Destruction's resurrection."
"Lead the way then."
Without wasting any time, we made our way into the Abyss.
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To be continued...