After calling out Lucan, there was an eerie silence that followed.

  Then suddenly—

  A crack opened in the void.

  It tore through space like a blade across fabric, thin and sharp. From within it, a figure slowly stepped out, one foot emerging into the void that had just witnessed Aeris erase one of his commanders without effort.

  Lucan.

  He wore a long, black-and-crimson coat, the high collar accentuating his regal yet dangerous presence. The coat was open at the front, revealing segmented armor beneath, fitting him like a second skin. Matte black with subtle red undertones shimmered faintly beneath the distant, dying stars. Loose black pants tucked neatly into sturdy armored boots completed his attire.

  He strode forward calmly, hands at ease, as if he was taking a casual walk rather than confronting a deadly enemy.

  His face appeared youthful—twenty-five, maybe thirty—but his eyes held a coldness, an ancient indifference that suggested centuries of experience. His deep red hair, nearly black in some places, fell just above his shoulders, the ends fading into streaks of white. A neatly trimmed goatee framed his sharp jawline.

  Lucan didn't speak immediately.

  Instead, he studied Aeris quietly as space itself seemed to ripple subtly, adjusting to his overwhelming presence.

  Then, a slow, mocking applause broke the silence.

  "Clap, clap, clap."

  "Congratulations," Lucan said, smiling slightly. "I must admit, you surprised me. I never imagined you'd become this strong."

  Aeris remained silent, her golden eyes fixed on him, cold and unblinking. Her body was tense, her stance ready for immediate battle.

  Lucan chuckled lightly. "Why are you in such a rush? Shouldn't we talk first? Perhaps about your husband, Theren? What do you think, Empress Aeris Dewglen?"

  "Keep my husband's name out of your mouth!" Aeris shouted fiercely, golden energy erupting violently from her body.

  The shockwave surged outward, forcing Lucan to take a small step backward, his smile briefly faltering. Stars flickered unsteadily, and distant planets shuddered under the oppressive force. The fabric of space itself fractured slightly, cracks momentarily forming and resealing.

  "I have nothing to say to you," Aeris said coldly, her voice unwavering. "Prepare yourself—I'm coming."

  Without another word, she shifted her body lower, her limbs tensing. One leg extended far behind her, the other bent sharply under her, anchoring her weight. Her torso leaned forward, shoulders square, and both arms stretched out—one coiled slightly back, fingers curled like claws, the other reaching forward, palm open as if already reaching for his throat.

  Shit… Her cultivation is just at the early stage of the False God Realm. How is she radiating energy equal to a peak-stage False God? Lucan thought, narrowing his eyes under her crushing pressure.

  He tilted his head, cracking his neck sharply, and rolled his shoulders to warm up. His body remained loose, yet perfectly poised.

  "I suppose I'll have to take you seriously," he muttered, eyes locked onto Aeris. "You seem as strong as I am…"

  Then he gave a faint smirk.

  "So if you really want to fight… let’s—"

  Before he could utter another word, Aeris sprang into action.

  One second she was a hundred meters away—the next, she appeared directly before him, her body snapping forward like a loaded spring. One leg trailed behind, her fist pulled back, ready to strike. Behind her, the void cracked violently, a thunderous explosion echoing as space itself warped under the force of her movement.

  Lucan barely managed to raise both forearms to block—

  BOOOOOM!

  Their collision unleashed a shockwave that rippled through space. Nearby stars flickered chaotically, distant planets cracked and trembled, some even knocked from their orbits.

  Lucan gritted his teeth, sliding back mid-air.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Before he could recover, Aeris shifted low under his guard, then twisted her hips and unleashed a powerful straight punch to his midsection.

  CRACK!!!

  Lucan felt his body fold sharply under the blow, pain exploding through his chest.

  "Ghh—ARGHH!"

  He launched backward uncontrollably, tearing through space like a projectile. He crashed straight through a nearby planet, obliterating its core effortlessly. Debris and molten rock exploded outward, but his momentum carried him forward relentlessly.

  Another planet loomed ahead—

  KRAAM!

  Lucan slammed into its surface, causing the planet to tremble violently. Massive fissures spread out from the impact, volcanoes erupting furiously. Lava sprayed high into the atmosphere as the unstable world shook beneath his fallen body.

  Lucan groaned, struggling to rise. Blood dripped from his mouth, trickling slowly down his chin. His breathing was ragged, eyes filled with fury and disbelief.

  Then suddenly, Aeris appeared right in front of him, her golden eyes icy and emotionless.

  With a roar, Lucan surged forward, red energy blazing from his fists. Aeris blocked low, countered high, and the two erupted into a furious exchange—striking, dodging, parrying at blinding speeds, carving trails of destruction across the scorched terrain.

  Lucan roared, throwing a brutal overhead strike that Aeris narrowly sidestepped. She retaliated with a sweeping arc of her arm, crashing into his side and sending him tumbling across the molten terrain.

  As he rolled to a stop, dust rising around him, Aeris stepped back slightly and stared at him.

  "Stand up," she said quietly. "I know that's nowhere near enough to finish you."

  Lucan groaned, pressing one hand to the ground, then rose slowly to his feet.

  He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes sharp, glowing faintly.

  His face shifted—gritting his teeth, enraged.

  What remained of his coat and armor fell in ragged pieces. His torso was bare now, riddled with bruises and scorch marks. His pants were nearly shredded, and his entire body trembled from the accumulated blows.

  But then—

  The wounds began to vanish.

  Bruises faded, skin mended, muscle realigned.

  And in seconds, his clothes reformed in a flash of aura—his long black and crimson coat returning over his body, arcane seams glowing faintly. The segmented armor reformed over his chest.

  Then, with a fierce shout, Lucan unleashed an immense burst of aura.

  BOOOOOM!!!

  An immense aura burst from him like a storm. The entire planet trembled under its pressure. Volcanoes erupted around them, lava bursting skyward as the sky darkened and the crust beneath cracked violently.

  The ground shattered. The air bent. Lightning forked across the red horizon.

  And then—

  Lucan and Aeris clashed again.

  From a distance, it looked like pure light crashing through the land. Blinding streaks—white, gold, red—raced across the planet’s surface in a wild dance. Every impact shattered mountains. Every movement tore through the terrain.

  The battle had become an abstract of motion.

  Then zooming in—

  FISTS COLLIDED.

  Aeris and Lucan slammed into each other with enough force to warp the atmosphere. The moment their knuckles connected—

  KRA-KOOOOOOM!!!!

  A column of light exploded outward like a pillar.

  The shockwave spread through the planet. Cracks split across the surface in all directions, lines of destruction racing outward like spiderweb.

  And then—

  The planet broke.

  It split clean down the center, fragmenting violently, chunks of its core erupting into space as the shockwave tore it apart from the inside. Molten debris scattered into the void.

  In the middle of it all, surrounded by the chaos and fire of an exploding world—

  Aeris and Lucan hovered facing each other amidst the destruction ongoing.

  Eyes locked.

  Then Lucan extended his hand to the left.

  A faint ripple tore through space, and from the distortion, a massive sword slowly emerged. The blade was thick, almost the size of his torso, with a wide flat edge and deep angular ridges cut into the sides. Its heavy shape and strange symmetry gave it a sense of brutality.

  Lucan grabbed the hilt with one hand and pulled it out completely.

  “Did you have fun punching me when I didn’t use my ability?” he said with a faint smile.

  He raised the sword in front of him, gripping it with both hands, the wide blade resting upright between them.

  "The real fight begins now," he continued, eyes coldly fixed on her. "Are you ready, Empress Aeris?"

  Aeris didn’t respond. She stayed still, serious, eyes tracking his every move. She was focused—trying to anticipate what Lucan might do. She still had no information on his weapon or abilities, and she didn’t want to be taken by surprise.

  Then she heard him speak again.

  "I am the son of the Chosen One. The universe follows my whims. Every strike I make must succeed."

  He raised his sword slowly.

  "No—the strike is destined to land."

  His voice dropped sharply.

  "Fated Slash."

  She saw him move his arms, preparing to swing. Without hesitation, she leapt back and retreated across the void in a golden blur. In an instant, she had placed light years between them.

  But Lucan didn’t follow her to strike.

  He just smiled.

  And he slashed diagonally across the air, striking nothing.

  Aeris paused. Her eyes narrowed.

  Why is he swinging like I’m still there?

  Then suddenly—

  Slash!!

  “Arrrghhh!”

  A deep wound split open across her chest, diagonally from her collarbone to her side. The shape of the gash mirrored the sword—wide, harsh, and sharp-edged. Blood sprayed from the wound as she stumbled back and dropped to one knee, breathing hard.

  What just happened?!

  She looked at Lucan, still smiling, sword resting against his shoulder.

  How did he still hit me… despite the distance between us l didn’t even see any sword energy to dodge.

  “My Fated Slash,” Lucan said, “is like the name suggests—fated. Every time I swing this sword at you… even if you dodge, block, or run… the outcome is fixed.”

  He spread his arms, blade in one hand.

  “Now what will you do, Empress? However you react, the moment I strike… the slash will always land.”

  Aeris stood slowly. The wound on her chest began to close as golden energy shimmered over her body.

  She looked at Lucan in silence.

  If what he said is true… then he has surely mastered causality to a level where the outcome of every strike he takes

  is fixed .

  But there must be a solution… something.

  Her eyes narrowed.

  I just have to find it.