Oregon launched himself at Null without a moment's hesitation.
He wanted to see how powerful a Stoneman made of pure spirit stone could be.
The result: devastation.
Oregon made a fist with one hand and brought it down like a sledgehammer.
Null nonchalantly allowed the fist to skid cleanly across his face as he prepared a counter attack.
He spun a little to perform a swift kick on Oregon's side.
The blow did not contain any excess power behind it as Null did not share his opponent's desire to fight to the death.
It still pushed Oregon away— not doing anything as he controlled the gravity to reorient himself— to which he stomped the air and attacked once more.
The following attacks proved insufficient to catch Null off guard to even scratch him.
Over time, Oregon's energy reserves were depleted until the point he was barely able to stand much less remain airborne.
'Fuck! How is he still so composed while I'm stumbling like an idiot?!'
It did not take much for him to realize Null was operating on another level.
He had copied his race only to use his own stone to beat him relentlessly.
'Stay calm, child. Notice how he's only as strong as you are. It's not working because you simply aren't sound in your mind.'
Terresa was spouting more motivating nonsense that Oregon barely picked up.
He did not need to breathe, so there was no heaving on his part.
Still, he was losing control of his body.
Eventually he would collapse and undergo a slumber to stabilize his form.
"Like hell you're gonna beat me," Oregon said weakly.
Involuntarily, his chest contracted.
'That's it! Slow and steady wins the race,' Terresa did not know how he did it, but he took his first breath.
'That's it?'
Oregon turned his head to the left and then to the right.
He did not feel much different, but the vibrations of his throat made him crave the serenity Terresa gave him.
Before he knew it, he was heaving and about to pass out.
He was all but unconscious when suddenly he attempted to draw in spirit energy.
Obviously, it did not suddenly happen, but as his consciousness wavered, it was like he was now able to sense things on a finer level.
'It's the vibrations! I finally figured it out!'
The vibrations resonated throughout his body causing his void stone to show another of its properties!
It was merely a drop in the bucket at first, but as he gradually maintained control over the process he drew in more and more spirit energy.
Compared to Null, he was severely lacking in the quantity he absorbed, but for him it was enough.
The spirit energy nourished his veins and mind causing him to stabilize his footing and look with clarity.
But it did not stop there.
His vibrations continued from his feet to the ground, shaking everything in their wake.
It was not like an earthquake, more like a wave of shaken up molecules.
Everything shook.
At the epicenter of it all, Oregon stood defiant.
He constructed another spear, only this time the blade was a pitch black metal.
The void metal was created as the void stone's molecules changed their structures into something more deadly.
The spear was not the only thing created as an illusory crown formed on his head.
It seemed intangible, yet it's existence was real without a doubt.
It was connected to his Stonehead and was made by the vibrations that made the air ripple.
The more the vibrations spread, the stronger they became and in turn powered Oregon.
'Is he about to comprehend a Universal Rule? Should I help? I can't really give insight since I've never had one.'
Null then looked for the only person he thought could help: Theef.
Catching his gaze, Theef stood up thanks to his Perception treasure countering the vibrations.
"What's so special about you?! Do you really think you would last a second if Null fought with all of his strength?!"
Roused from his daydreaming, Oregon heard the annoyance of the peanut gallery and almost snapped.
"I am the strongest Stoneman! Born with a Soul Stone and creator of the void stone, I surpassed all of Terresa's children with only five years of effort! I am more than special! I am Oregon! I could become something you'd fear if given even just another year!"
The vibrations grew more intense as his personality shone through and the illusory crown showed signs of forming.
"Me?! Fear you?! Haha! I'd sooner fear this boy next to me," Theef said gesturing towards Tino.
A bit of emotion slipped inside of Oregon's mind as his past life's crew members watched him.
His vibrations went deeper and deeper into the planet, so if his Universal Rule truly was manifesting it would be a powerful one.
Unbeknownst to them all however, an unknown presence was awakened by the vibrations.
'Terresa, what's all the shaking about,' an aged voice spoke to the planet's spirit.
'There's another special mineral I gave life to. He's fighting a strong outsider with strange abilities some even surpassing your own.'
'How long have I been out for?'
'Twenty years.'
A rumble like sigh came from the Stoneman and he thought, 'When will I be able to accomplish my goal?'
And with that, he traveled to the source of the vibration.
Meanwhile, Theef made his way to the ring and continued to berate Oregon.
"A year? Too bad! I don't give a shit about your potential! What can you do with your current power?"
Theef appeared to be far from a threat, but that was only because he was not looking to fight.
"I-I can still fight," Oregon was about to falter, but the vibrations soothed him and kept him stable.
Spirit energy was being absorbed practically subconsciously which bolstered his strength as well.
"Let me let you in on a little secret, Oregon. Just the amount of spirit energy that powers my ship dwarves your own by at least one hundred times."
He chose not to hold back.
To break Oregon down without throwing a single punch.
'Do not let him get to you, my child. You are on the verge of new strength!'
He knew she was right, but deep down he felt that Theef was telling the truth seeing as Null could absorb spirit energy and release it to turn into spirit stone.
"Scared? Aren't you the one who challenged Null? Don't give up just because you won't win! It's kill or be killed damn it!"
Oregon could not focus himself on the vibrations as he lost his conviction.
Luckily for him though, he was not alone.
A figure rose through the ground looking like the epitome of death.
A long, dark green scythe hung around his back.
The mineral that composed this Stoneman was so sinister that it had an aura of death emanating from it.
"You," he said monotonously to Oregon, "Fight me."