As soon as Saruto opened his eyes, he activated the system screen and touched it. The tattoo on his arm began to glow and interact with the screen, revealing a staircase leading downwards. The echoes of Saruto's footsteps reverberated around him in Ethan. The dark walls, painted with ancient inscriptions, glowed with purple lines as he passed by. The system screen before him remained open, displaying:
[Auto-Healing: On]
[Gravity Level: x100]
He breathed slowly, his body drenched in sweat but unwavering, as if a hundred mountains were pressing down on him. Nevertheless, he pressed on, searching for the secret chamber described by the First Founder.
Finally, he stood before a massive stone gate, carved with intricate symbols, pulsating with a dim light. He reached out and pushed slowly, and the gate creaked open, revealing a majestic scene within.
In the center rose a massive tube, inside which lay a tall, reclining figure, its features obscured by a dark mist. The ends of the tube were connected by black chains that glowed intermittently.
But the moment Saruto entered, the tube suddenly shook, and a dense aura erupted—a wave of murderous intent, dormant for millennia, awakened to strike the place. The air compressed, the walls trembled, and Saruto himself felt his knees buckle.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with a dark purple light, and whispered between heavy breaths,
"This… this intent is even stronger than the Second Founder's murderous intent…!"
Yet, he didn't back down. He unleashed his own aura, and the room exploded with a black-purple light, their waves clashing in a battle.
Then, Saruto stepped forward, reached out, touched the tube, and the tattoo reacted with it, breaking the ancient seals. In the instant of liberation, the tube exploded, shards scattering in every direction, and a column of darkness rose.
From the smoke emerged a tall, naked man. He reached out and began to mold the darkness around him, forming a black-purple garment around his body. His hair was silver, shimmering like a cool flame, and his eyes burned with a deep crimson.
He laughed, a deep laugh that shook the room.
"Aha… so you are the one who freed me."
He raised his hand, and the shadows around him turned as if in obedience. Then, in a mocking tone, his gaze piercing Saruto, he added,
"My name is… Ethan. The First Founder's servant, and his unyielding sword."
He took a step forward, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. A sinister smile spread across his face.
"But… merely freeing the seals is not enough to earn my respect. If you think I will submit to you so easily, you are mistaken."
He raised his arms, and darkness spread behind him like black wings.
"Come, rising heir… show me if you can defeat me. And then… I will acknowledge you as my master."
Saruto stood, staring at him with eyes that gleamed with determination, and released his aura once more. The room was filled with darkness, as if they were about to engage in a small battle that might shatter the room itself.
Saruto and Ethan stood face to face in the center of the secret chamber. The dark aura emanating from the servant seemed to tear the walls apart, while Saruto clung to his concentration, carefully weighing his steps.
He suddenly raised his hand and said in a steady, decisive voice,
"We will not fight here… If we do, the place might collapse on top of us."
Ethan raised an eyebrow and smiled coolly, then crossed his arms.
"You're right. So… where do you suggest we fight, Heir?"
Saruto extended his fingers, placing them on his forehead. "Into the Time Chamber. There… we won't restrain ourselves."
Without further discussion, Ethan stepped forward, and Saruto placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder. In a flash, they were transported into the vast expanse of white space.
The Time Chamber… an endless world, without walls or a ceiling, like an empty planet stretching endlessly. There was only solid white ground and an eternal horizon.
The first thing that appeared before Saruto's eyes was the system screen glowing:
[Time Chamber Activated]
[Auto Heal: Activated]
[Gravity Level: x100]
He closed his eyes for a moment, then switched off the settings one by one until the light disappeared.
He turned to Ethan with a lopsided smile:
"Now… no restrictions, no healing, no increased gravity. Just pure combat."
Ethan chuckled, a dark laugh echoing in the infinite void:
"So you've mastered the Instant Transmission skill you invented, and you've also brought me into the chambers created by the original founder."
Then Ethan turned to Saruto in an instant, and the two vanished from their places.
Just one second, and then—BOOM!
Their fists met in mid-air, creating an explosion that shook the infinite void. A shockwave rose, as if a planet had exploded, and the air around them trembled.
The fight wasn't just a barrage of punches; It was a relentless escalation of power.
Each strike was more powerful than the last, each step heavier, each aura darker and more luminous.
Saruto unleashed a dark purple aura, his body encased in Level 2 armor, his dark purple hair billowing with force as he ascended to Level 3, his eyes ablaze with the dragon consciousness fused with his own.
Ethan's body seemed to boil with energy. In his hand, a massive scythe formed his fist.
Ethan laughed.
"Let me show you what it means to be the First Founder's right-hand man!"
Saruto responded with a defiant smile, drawing out his two swords, bound by chains, brandishing them like a dark tornado.
In an instant, they shot forth together—
Their swords slammed into Ethan's scythe.
Purple and black sparks exploded with each impact.
Strike upon strike, chain upon chain, and the boundless expanse reverberated with the sound of iron and destruction.
As the battle intensified, Saruto's consciousness merged with Void's, revealing the skill of shared consciousness.
His eyes and pulse synchronized with Void's spirit, and his voice echoed within him:
"Let's finish this together."
Ethan growled, his scythe's gleam intensifying:
"Show me your full power, or I'll crush you, Saruto!"
The moment of the great explosion arrived.
Saruto and Ethan unleashed their full force simultaneously.
Immense waves of darkness erupted, so much so that even the boundless chamber of time seemed to shrink beneath their fury.
The two emerged amidst a cloud of smoke and sparks.
Saruto was on his knees, breathing heavily, his body exhausted.
Ethan remained standing, his chest heaving, yet still proud.
The servant smiled as he looked at the heir:
"You haven't disappointed me… Dark Heir, no, Saruto."
Then he turned his back and added in a low voice,
"But the result is clear."
Saruto collapsed, unconscious.
But the Time Chamber didn't let him fall. The system screen lit up again:
[Auto-Heal: On]
His wounds began to close, his breathing became regular, and his body temperature returned.
He opened his eyes after a few moments to find himself lying on a white floor, while Ethan sat nearby, his eyes closed, as if waiting.
The servant spoke in a quiet voice, different from his previous tone:
"You have proven yourself… Heir. You have earned my respect. From now on, I am… at your service."
Saruto raised his head with difficulty, smiled, and his eyes shone with renewed determination.