In the world woven by Saruto, the two stood face to face, enveloped in a heavy silence broken only by the pulsating black aura emanating from the ground. Saruto raised his two swords, linked by chains, and swung them deftly around him, their gleams a dark flash, while Lucian, his eyes gleaming with the fervor of defiance, firmly grasped his icy spear. Simultaneously, they charged.
The clanking of the chains against the spears created deafening waves that shook the world, as if the earth itself were cracking beneath their feet. Each strike ignited sparks and unleashed a thunderous roar that filled the void. Lucian stepped back with confident strides, his eyes narrowing as he murmured, "The time has come…"
He unleashed his power all at once, and his hair transformed into icy white strands, his clothes into an imperial-style white robe, from which emanated a majestic icy aura that froze the air around him. His spear became a sacred, ice-covered blade, each movement leaving a white trail in the air. He smiled faintly. "This is the Emperor's power… Now, you won't escape me, Saruto."
He charged at him with overwhelming skill, his spear piercing the air, nearly sending Saruto reeling. But… instead of retreating, Saruto erupted in mocking, cruel, and bewildering laughter. Lucien's expression froze for a moment. "Why… are you laughing?!"
Saruto raised his head, his eyes flashing with a black and purple gleam, then his hair suddenly rose, activating his second-level Shadow Ascent skill, tinged with a dark brilliance. He pressed his aura with crushing force against Lucien, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. But despite the aura's pressure, Lucien stubbornly held his spear in front of him, sweat dripping from his brow, his teeth clenched. Saruto grinned derisively. "Armoring… Level One."
In an instant, his body was encased in a glowing black armor, its weight increasing with every passing second. Lucien's eyes widened in surprise as he gasped, "This skill... the one I used against Kaven, in the Prison of the Hobby."
The fight erupted again, faster and more violent than ever.
Saruto's chains slammed into Lucien's spear, each impact creating a whirlwind of air. Tiny explosions erupted from the force of their blows. They pulled apart, breathing heavily. Lucien raised his spear high, his voice echoing across the world: "This is the end for you... Frozen Moon!"
Behind him, a giant icy crescent formed, illuminating the black sky and unleashing energy on his spear. He hurled it at Saruto with frantic speed, freezing everything in its path. But Saruto... smiled. He dropped his swords, canceling their summons. "Fool!" Lucien cried out in panic. "Get out of my way!"
But Saruto didn't move. His spear slammed into him, and smoke and ice exploded, engulfing the area in a deadly chill. Lucien shuddered as he stared into the thick fog, his heart pounding with an unfamiliar fear. "It can't be... it's over..."
As the smoke cleared, a new form emerged. Saruto's hair had risen to Level 3, dark and streaked with glowing threads, and his body was encased in Level 2 armor, a deadly aura pressing down on every atom in the room.
Lucien felt his breath catch in the pressure. In an instant, Saruto vanished from his sight... only to reappear suddenly above him, his swords reshaped. A swift strike pierced Lucien's defenses, sending him crashing to the ground, leaving two craters in his throat. Saruto stood over him, his eyes cold and deadly, before speaking in a low voice: "You still have a long way to go... before you can even think about defeating me."
Before Lucien could reply, everything went black, and he lost consciousness. After a short while, Lucien slowly opened his eyes, the white light of the hospital filling his vision. He felt a weight on his body, as if every bone in his body had shattered, but he composed himself and sat up slightly on the bed. The first thing he saw was Saruto, sitting in the chair beside him, his eyes calm as if nothing had happened. In a hoarse voice, he asked Lucien, "What level of strength have you reached, really?"
Saruto chuckled softly, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "What you saw is nothing… I still have a long way to go to increase my power."
Lucien raised his eyebrows in surprise, then let out a heavy sigh and said sarcastically, "You fool… Isn't the power I've reached enough for you? You Luwins are truly deranged."
The conversation didn't last long, as the door opened and Star entered. Her steps were hesitant, her eyes searching for Saruto. When she spotted him, she took light steps toward him, but her gaze quickly fell on Lucien lying beside him. Confused, she turned and hurried out.
Saruto gave her a sharp look, as if he'd detected something odd about her behavior. He stood up immediately, ignoring the weariness that still lingered on his face. "Where are you going?" Lucien raised his voice slightly.
But Saruto didn't turn around. He walked towards the door. Before leaving, he turned to his friend and said, "I'll be back. I have something important to attend to. And another thing, two minutes have passed in the real world since we began training in my world."
Lucien's eyes widened in genuine surprise this time. "Two minutes?! Impossible… It felt like hours!"
Saruto smiled coldly as he left. "In my world… time moves much more slowly than in the outside world."
Then he disappeared with his quick steps, leaving Lucien stunned and speechless, his eyes fixed on the door his friend had just exited.