Ronan's response to the void tendrils was immediate and instinctive – a massive eruption of Power Stone energy that blazed outward from the Universal Weapon like a cosmic wildfire. Purple radiance filled what remained of the command chamber as he attempted to burn away the ethereal appendages that threatened to tear his most precious possession from his grasp.
But Marcus's laughter echoed through the devastation, carrying the kind of amusement that came from watching an opponent make a critical tactical error.
"Energy is just food for the void," Marcus observed with obvious satisfaction. "You might as well be trying to drown a fish."
The purple energy that should have dispersed or destroyed the void tendrils instead fed them, each strand of cosmic force being absorbed and converted into additional mass and strength. The ethereal appendages grew visibly thicker as they drank in the Power Stone's radiations, their translucent forms taking on a faint purple tinge that spoke of enhanced capabilities.
Ronan watched in growing horror as his defensive blast backfired spectacularly. The tendrils that had been merely annoying were now significantly more substantial, their grip on his weapon tightening with strength that even his cosmic enhancement couldn't easily overcome.
"Impossible," he breathed, staring at void constructs that were now pulsing with stolen Power Stone energy. "The cosmic forces should be beyond your ability to control."
"Should be," Marcus agreed cheerfully, raising his hand as void energy coalesced into a familiar configuration. "But then, I've never been particularly concerned with what should be possible."
The energy blade that formed in his grip was unlike any weapon Ronan had encountered before. Where conventional plasma swords or energy constructs relied on contained fields and focusing crystals, this weapon seemed to be carved from the fundamental forces that existed between realities. The addition of absorbed Power Stone energy gave it a lavender hue that made the surrounding space itself appear to bend and twist in response to its presence.
"Word of Truth," Marcus intoned, and the blade's intensity increased dramatically.
The technique was more than just a weapon enhancement – it was a declaration of intent backed by cosmic authority. The energy blade began to emit harmonics that suggested it was cutting through more than just physical matter, slicing into the underlying structure of space-time itself.
"Let's continue where we left off twenty years ago," Marcus continued, his voice carrying the weight of old grudges and unfinished business. "Though I suspect you've forgotten how that encounter ended."
He moved the blade in a casual arc, and reality seemed to part along its path. The distortion effect was visible to the naked eye, space itself appearing to stretch and warp as forces beyond normal physics were brought to bear on the fabric of existence.
"Fascinating," Marcus murmured, studying the spatial distortions with scientific interest. "Still not quite sufficient to actually sever dimensional barriers. I suppose I'll need to use a final empowerment rather than this basic version if I want to achieve true space-cutting effects."
The casual discussion of reality-altering techniques while engaged in mortal combat was somehow more unsettling than any dramatic threat could have been. Marcus was treating this confrontation as a learning experience rather than a life-or-death struggle.
Looking up from his weapon analysis, Marcus noted that Ronan was still struggling with the enhanced void tendrils. The Accuser's strength had been significantly augmented by the Power Stone, but the tendrils had been equally enhanced by absorbing cosmic energies, creating a stalemate that favored neither side.
Time to change the tactical situation.
Fragments of void energy began separating from Marcus's frame, floating upward like droplets of liquid darkness before reshaping themselves into additional tendrils. These new constructs launched themselves at Ronan from multiple angles, seeking to wrap around his torso and limbs while the original tendrils maintained their grip on his weapon.
"Lost Skill: Grasp of Lohk," Marcus announced with the formal tone of someone executing a well-practiced technique.
The coordinated assault forced Ronan to make a desperate choice. With void constructs attacking from all directions, he triggered another massive energy discharge from the Universal Weapon, the purple radiance washing over everything within fifty meters as he fought to break free from the ethereal restraints.
The gambit succeeded in dispersing the newer tendrils, but at a cost. The energy expenditure was enormous, and the void constructs that survived the blast were now even more substantial than before. Each defensive action was making his ultimate defeat more inevitable.
Ronan broke free from the immediate entanglement and retreated to a more open section of the damaged bridge, where the lack of cover would prevent Marcus from using the environment to his advantage. It was sound tactical thinking, but it also put him exactly where Marcus wanted him.
"Lost Skill: Deny," Marcus said, raising his free hand toward the retreating Accuser.
Void energy condensed at his fingertip with impossible density, the lavender radiance so intense that it left afterimages burned into anyone looking directly at it. When the beam erupted from his position, it carried enough concentrated force to punch through planetary crusts.
Ronan's response was equally dramatic. The Universal Weapon struck the deck plating with ringing impact, and a barrier of pure Power Stone energy materialized between him and the approaching void beam. The cosmic forces contained within the shield represented energies sufficient to power entire star systems.
The collision between void-enhanced denial and Power Stone barriers created an explosion that would have been visible from orbit. Both attacks carried fragments of the same cosmic forces, creating a resonance effect that amplified the destruction far beyond what either technique should have achieved individually.
When the energy discharge finally dissipated, both combatants were still standing despite the devastation around them. The stalemate was becoming frustrating for both parties, though for very different reasons.
Marcus shifted tactics once again, abandoning ranged combat in favor of direct confrontation. He crossed the intervening distance in a single bound, the energy blade in his hand blazing with enhanced intensity as he brought it down in a perfect arc designed to cleave through both weapon and wielder.
The strike should have ended the battle instantly. The void-enhanced energy blade carried enough cutting power to slice through conventional matter like it wasn't there, and the addition of Power Stone energies should have made it capable of severing even cosmic-level defenses.
But Ronan's enhanced reflexes proved sufficient to interpose the Universal Weapon between himself and the descending blade. The cosmic artifact's defensive capabilities had been significantly enhanced by direct contact with the Power Stone, creating a barrier that could withstand even reality-cutting attacks.
Clang.
The sound of the collision was unlike anything either warrior had heard before – not the metallic ring of conventional weapons meeting, but something deeper and more fundamental. It was the sound of cosmic forces in direct opposition, each trying to impose its will on the underlying structure of reality itself.
Both combatants were thrown backward by the impact, their respective enhancement systems struggling to compensate for energies that exceeded normal design parameters. Emergency systems throughout the Dark Aster began triggering as the ship's hull registered stress levels that threatened complete structural failure.
"Impressive," Marcus admitted, steadying himself with obvious effort. "You've improved significantly since our last encounter. The Power Stone has given you capabilities I didn't expect."
But even as he spoke, Marcus could see that the prolonged engagement was taking its toll on his weapon. The energy blade was flickering now, its cohesion becoming unstable as it struggled to contain forces that were pushing it beyond its design limitations.
"Wide-Winged Blade," he announced, executing one of his most devastating techniques.
The energy blade multiplied and expanded, creating what appeared to be enormous wings composed of countless overlapping sword projections. Each individual blade carried the same reality-cutting potential as the original, and together they formed a barrier of pure destruction that swept toward Ronan with unstoppable force.
Ronan's counter was equally spectacular. The Universal Weapon discharged its full power in a concentrated beam that could have carved through continental plates. Purple energy filled the entire command chamber as cosmic forces were unleashed without restraint or consideration for collateral damage.
The two attacks met in the center of the space between them, and for a moment it seemed as though the outcome was uncertain. The energy beam was massive and incredibly destructive, but the blade-wing construction was deflecting it, splitting the cosmic torrent into dozens of smaller streams that scattered harmlessly in all directions.
Ronan increased his power output, pouring more and more Power Stone energy into the attack as he sought to overwhelm Marcus's defenses through sheer overwhelming force. The beam grew brighter and more intense, its purple radiance so brilliant that it was painful to look at directly.
"As expected of an Infinity Stone focused on pure power," Marcus said with obvious admiration, even as his blade-wings worked frantically to contain the cosmic assault. "This level of sustained energy output is genuinely impressive."
The defensive technique was holding, but barely. Marcus could feel his weapon system straining under the constant bombardment, the individual blade projections beginning to destabilize as they absorbed punishment far beyond their intended parameters.
When Ronan's attack finally exhausted itself, both warriors stood among the wreckage breathing heavily from their exertions. But something had changed during the exchange.
Marcus looked down at his hand with genuine sorrow. The energy blade that had been his constant companion through countless battles across multiple realities was beginning to crumble. The weapon that had carved through dimensional barriers and sliced apart cosmic entities was finally reaching the limits of its endurance.
Fragments of crystallized void energy fell from his grip like tears of solidified darkness, each piece representing years of accumulated experience and hard-won victories. The blade had been more than just a tool – it had been an extension of his will, a focus for abilities that operated beyond normal understanding.
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