Deep in the realm of hell, where flames danced on the walls like living creatures, Camellia sat in her vast room with its heavy crimson curtains. She was alone… the only sounds were the distant crackle of the fire and the pounding of her heart, a mixture of sorrow and rage. She stared at her reflection in the black mirror before her, her eyes blazing with a dark red light as she whispered to herself, "Saruto… why? Why must she choose between me and her?"
Her fingers trembled, and the room grew hot. A thick, demonic energy seeped from her body and swirled around her like a black, fiery vortex. Her emotions tossed about violently, sorrow turning to rage, rage to a hell of jealousy and possessiveness. Suddenly, she screamed, her voice echoing through the infernal palace: "I won't let anyone take Saruto from me! Never!"
The flames on the walls quivered, and the hidden earth trembled beneath her feet. But she gasped, placing a hand on her chest, trying to contain the energy that had unconsciously erupted from her. "What... what did I say?"
The red glint in her eyes gradually faded, and she began to regain her composure, but the energy still lingered in the air, a testament to the awakening of something long dormant within her.
At that moment, in the dark throne room, the Queen of Hell sat upon her throne, observing the scene through a faint sphere of energy swirling before her. She smiled faintly and said in a low voice, tinged with satisfaction, "She has begun... to awaken her demonic power."
From among the shadows that filled the hall, a mysterious figure emerged, shimmering with a soft golden aura that pierced the darkness. It was the King of Light himself, standing before her with a serene face and eyes that radiated a heavenly light. He said in a calm, measured voice, "Yes... the demonic energy has finally begun to stir."
The Queen of Hell gazed at him with a look full of hidden meaning, then, resting her hand on her chin, she asked, "And what about our other daughter? Did she awaken the sacred energy?"
The King of Light nodded slightly. "Yes," he replied, "I awakened her after Saruto left our palace that night."
A faint smile, a mixture of pride and cunning, spread across the Queen of Hell's face. "Excellent," she said, leaning back on her throne. "The plan is proceeding as intended."
The two kings' eyes met above the dancing flames of Hell, and in that moment, it seemed as though both worlds were preparing for an event that would turn everything upside down. In the heart of Saruto's own world, where the sky was an eternal black and the earth shimmered like a mirror of dark energy, Void and Lucian stood facing each other in a square that crackled beneath their combined power. The air burned with a dual aura: black flames emanating from Void, and blue ice swirled around Lucian like frozen stars.
Void raised his head, a faint smile playing on his lips as he said in a heavy voice, "Enough hesitation, Ice Heir... Show me what you've learned in our training!"
Lucian screamed, and a tremendous surge of energy erupted from his body, shaking the ground and freezing the air around him. In an instant, his features transformed; his hair turned silver like snowflakes, and his eyes shimmered like moonlight on ice. The Emperor's awakening had begun.
But Void did not back down. He closed his eyes for a moment, and a swirling aura of black, crimson light rose around him. His armor cracked under the force of the energy, and then his form shifted. His hair stretched out and turned white—it was the third level of Shadow Ascension, and his armor had evolved to the second level, pulsating with indescribable energy. He said in a deep, husky voice, "Now, let's see if you can keep up, Ice Heir..."
The two hurtled toward each other with invisible speed. Their weapons clashed: a spear encased in an icy aura against two swords linked by chains. Each impact unleashed a wave of energy that ripped through the space, tearing at the ground and creating swirling vortices of darkness and ice.
In a flash, Void broke through Lucien's defenses.
He vanished from in front of him only to reappear behind him, then delivered a devastating blow to his stomach, sending him sprawling forward and flying through the air.
Void continued his advance with heavy steps preceded by sparks of energy, suddenly appearing before the tumbling Lucien, poised to deliver the final blow. But as he was about to bring his swords down, Lucien smiled through the pain coursing through his body and whispered, "Now... I'll show you the fruits of my training."
He raised his head, his breathing becoming more regular. With each inhale and exhale, he released icy vapor that invaded the space around him, and the air grew heavy; even time itself seemed to slow down. "Breathe, ice..." he said in a voice as cold as frost.
The wind stopped, the sounds faded, and Saruto's world itself transformed into a frozen canvas. Everything moved with agonizing slowness, even Void, who felt his body grow heavier, and Lucian's speed begin to diminish.
But before Void could grasp what was happening, Lucian vanished in an icy flash, then reappeared behind him. Strikes rained down with astonishing speed, each one leaving a deep icy mark on Void's shield. Then Lucian took two steps back, raising his spear to the sky, a vortex of shimmering white energy forming above him. "Ice Moon!!!" he roared at the top of his lungs.
Lucian seemed to absorb energy from the frozen moon and charge it into his spear, while Void remained motionless. Once the energy was gathered, he hurled it at Void, and it struck directly, hurling him violently to the ground. The sky shook, dust billowed, and Void crashed to the ground, covered in ice.
Lucian landed on the ground, panting, sweat pouring from his brow despite the chill he had created himself. He looked up at the smoke spreading across the horizon and smiled, exhausted from the fight. "I... did it... I finally beat you, Void."
But before his joy could be complete, a deep voice rose from the dust, filled with mockery and dread: "Did you think... this was the end?"
The ground trembled, and the smoke dissipated to reveal Void standing in a deep crater, his body radiating immense energy, his eyes ablaze with a brilliant purple flame. He slowly raised his head toward Lucian, a cold smile spreading across his face as he said, "You forgot something, boy... a disciple cannot defeat his master."
Then he opened his palm, and his aura began to surge like a whirlwind of darkness. "Common consciousness!"
Lucien cried out as he tried to raise his spear again, but the energy pressure was unbearable. Void smiled a storm-like smile and said in a voice that shook the place, "You thought you had a beating? ... We've only just begun."