Sweat dripped from his brow as he struggled to maintain his composure.
Charybdis, meanwhile, recovered from his earlier wound.
His winds grew stronger, forming razor-sharp gusts that sliced through Jack’s remaining forces.
The undead were helpless cut down like paper sheets put inside shredder.
The tornado he summoned enveloped Jack.
He was lifted into the air and slammed him against the ground with bone-crushing force.
Jagaan broke free from the undead colossus with a roar.
The debuff Jack used to weaken it disappeared and Jagaan’s strength returned.
The Sovereign charged again, this time trampling over Jack’s remaining minions with ease.
Jack staggered to his feet, breathing heavily.
The legion of undead was in tatters, and his own energy was rapidly depleting.
Charybdis tilted his faceless head mockingly.
“You were doing so well,” the Sovereign grinned. “Why did you stop?”
Jack clenched his fists and glared at them.
Without warning, he slammed his hand into the ground.
Black lightning – mimicked lightning created from shadow elementals – crackled outward in chaotic arcs.
The earth trembled as skeletal hands erupted from the soil.
Spectral Soldiers—ghostly, armored warriors wreathed in necrotic energy—rose to form a phalanx around him.
Each specter carried ethereal weapons and shields that hummed with condensed dark elementals.
“Cute. Let’s break them.”
Charybdis laughed.
The Sovereign of Winds launched razor-sharp air blades toward Jack and his spectral army.
Jack raised his hand, and a mimicked Lightning Barrier surged into existence.
The dome of crackling black lightning absorbed the wind attacks and sent bolts of energy lashing back at Charybdis.
“This might be a bit out of my league,” Jack smiled grimly as he fought against the three S-rank Sovereigns.
…
Neo and Apollo stood against each other.
Their aura flared, clashing like wild beasts.
Just when Neo thought Apollo had no more tricks, Apollo’s eyes started to glow, and cracks appeared on his skin.
Light seeped out from the cracks.
“…!?”
Neo jumped back.
His instincts screamed at him, telling him to run.
“Crazy fucker, what are you doing? You’ll kill yourself,” Neo said through clenched jaws.
“Divine Transformation…” Apollo answered with hazy eyes and hollow voice.
The glow from his body intensified, and the cracks on his skin widened.
Searing heat that distorted the air flared around him.
He forcefully increased his synchronization with his Spirit.
Neo’s face contorted.
He recognized the technique and its suicidal risks.
Divine Transformation.
True Technique Name: Spirit Fusion.
The technique could be used by reaching a 100% synchronization with one’s Spirit.
It allowed the user to unleash their Spirit’s full power and use those powers.
Divine Transformation boosted the user’s strength by multiple folds.
But Apollo wasn’t waiting for natural synchronization.
He was forcing it.
Such recklessness would kill him before the technique activated.
Even if he survived its activation, he would die soon after.
“You’ll die just to stop me!?”
“Yes.”
Apollo’s answer was calm, resolute.
Neo’s face contorted.
He understood he couldn’t change Apollo’s mind.
Before he could attack Apollo, a powerful shockwave erupted from Apollo, as if he were a supernova.
The force of the blast threw Neo’s body backward.
His back slammed against a tree that shattered upon impact.
When the light enveloping Apollo dimmed, his appearance had changed.
Apollo looked like an ancient god who descended upon the battlefield.
His body glowed with a white radiance and golden cracks flowing like molten rivers appeared over his porcelain-white skin. Read new chapters at empire
His hair floated as if they were weightless, pure gold and radiant.
His eyes were pools of burning light, devoid of pupils.
Arcs of divine energy danced like playful serpents around him.
The heat around Apollo grew unbearable.
Flames danced next to his steps as he advanced, each step melting the earth beneath him.
Apollo raised his hand, and orbs of lights materialized behind him.
Beams of light shot out from them and landed on Neo’s body.
Neo gritted his teeth.
His skin was charred and his body began to melt away.
His movements slowed.
Even if he could ignore heat and pain, Holy, Life and Light Elementals were a different matter altogether.
“Neo, give up. Your body won’t hold out for long,” Apollo said.
Neo had to use Obitus as a support to keep standing.
Smoke rose from his battered body.
His breaths came out in ragged gasps.
Yet, even as his body burned, he remained calm.
“You think… this is enough to stop me?”
Darkness surged from Neo’s body, spreading like a tidal wave and extinguishing the flames around him.
The oppressive heat lessened as the Darkness consumed it.
Neo activated blessing.
During the past few days, he had confirmed that even if he couldn’t create Death, his blessing worked as it was supposed to.
Endless strength surged within his limbs.
But he didn’t stop there and activated the third stage of his blessing.
Regeneration.
His injuries began to heal at an impossible rate—his burnt skin repaired itself, his breathing steadied.
The hand he had lost in the battle against Kane and the finger he gave to Jack grew back in a matter of moments.
Apollo’s eyes widened as he sensed the massive surge in Neo’s strength.
The ground beneath Neo cracked from the sheer force of his aura.
Neo stood tall, his body restored, exuding a terrifying presence.
“You’re not the only one with a trump card.” he said.
Apollo launched another attack, sending a barrage of weapons made from Light elementals hurtling toward Neo.
But the Darkness around Neo condensed into a shield, absorbing the projectiles with ease. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Neo dashed forward, far faster than before.
He swung his blade, coated in dark energy, meeting Apollo’s glowing fist mid-strike.
The impact shook the battlefield, creating a shockwave that tore through the forest, uprooting trees and extinguishing smaller flames.
They exchanged hundreds of attacks each second.
Each time Apollo landed a hit, Neo’s blessing healed the wounds within seconds.
Neo seemed to have the upper hand.
But he knew it was the opposite.
‘I need to hurry.’
The Sunshine shining above increased Apollo’s strength with each passing second.