Chapter 23:TOTAL IMPACT
The air trembled beneath the crimson sky of Hoein. Dust rose from shattered stone, and the scent of burning lives clung to the wind.
Aashin stood trembling, eyes wide with fury and desperation. His voice shook the earth beneath him.
"What happened to you?! Answer me! My men—my comrades—I'm giving everything I have left!"
Across the broken battlefield, Goyota Shinge wiped blood from his brow. His breathing was ragged, his aura unstable.
"These demons are nothing but filth," Goyota growled.
Citizens of Hoein watched from afar, terrified.
"What a beautiful sunset..." someone whispered, moments before panic broke. "Wait—who is that?!"
Aashin raised his arm. His voice echoed like thunder.
"Total Impact."
In an instant, every structure in a wide radius crumbled. The shockwave disintegrated walls, ruptured the earth, and threw bodies like scattered leaves.
7,953,838 civilians dead.
53,843 soldiers gone.
37,457 royal guards wiped out.
Hoein was erased.
Goyota staggered, blood dripping from his forehead.
"Such destructive force... even my skull is shaking. And my time—only 39 hours left."
Aashin's expression hardened.
"I told you, 450 years ago—when we meet again as equals, we end each other. No running. No armies. Just us."
Goyota lifted his stance. "Then let's end this. Big Bang Shot!"
A blazing blast shot forward.
Aashin twisted his fingers. "Demonic Art: Night Flash."
Their strikes collided—shockwaves ripping through the broken ground.
Goyota swung.
"Hook Kick!" Twice, fast—
Aashin slipped both strikes with precision.
Goyota's voice cracked. "My dream... has always been the same. To protect the ones who once protected me. To stand with my people. Even you, Aashin—once, you were like that too. But you're surrounded by monsters."
Aashin's eyes dimmed.
"No. You are the one who chose the wrong side. If I had stayed with you—my master would've killed me. I had no choice."
Goyota gritted his teeth. "So... this is blackmail?"
Aashin didn't respond. He only smirked.
But inside, he whispered to himself:
My stamina has returned...
He rushed.
"You got distracted! TOTAL IMPACT!"
The blast struck Goyota directly.
His lungs burned. His flames flickered.
"What... was that?! Even my internal fire is shaking..." Goyota coughed. "I'm Flameborn. That should be impossible."
Aashin followed through.
"Black Kuawndo!"
Goyota screamed. The slash tore through him.
Then—
"Demonic Art: Waterfall in Fire!"
The ground liquefied into vapor and blue flame.
Goyota steadied himself.
"Then... I use my last resort. Phoenix. Let's do this."
Above him, wings of burning gold erupted.
The legendary Casian Phoenix descended.
A rare pact. A mythical companion.
Aashin's eyes widened.
"A Casian Phoenix... legendary... you actually—"
Goyota rose upon Phoenix's back.
"I can't use magic here, but he can. And now I don't waste energy flying. Phoenix—Guardial Splash!"
A massive burst of divine flame surged forward.
Aashin staggered.
"If this continues... I lose."
But then—Aashin remembered.
He only has 38 hours left before reincarnation resets him. I just have to survive.
Aashin smiled.
"Time Acceleration. ×100."
Goyota smirked back.
"Time Slow. ×1000." Flameborn energy warped reality.
Aashin growled.
"Demonic Art: Ashes of the Leaves!"
Goyota analyzed him. His gaze sharpened.
"He's protecting his eyes... if I target them—it's over. Phoenix! Spiral flight—right, left, up, down—NOW!"
Phoenix screeched.
"Chiraaaah!"
Aashin clenched his fist.
"TOTAL IMPACT!"
Goyota shouted:
"Last piece of the puzzle—blocked field of vision!"
Aashin gasped.
"I... I can't see—"
Goyota whispered:
"Goodbye."
But Aashin vanished.
"Teleport."
Silence.
The battlefield emptied.
Goyota glared into the fading horizon.
"He ran... but next time... only one of us leaves alive."
To be continued...