My friends and I could only observe as Baek readied himself to confront Indikar, the formidable Voidshade. Fully aware of our own inadequacy in facing this powerful adversary, we stepped back, creating distance and placing our hopes on Baek for the impending battle.
With an ethereal white dagger tinged with shades of purple in his hand, Indikar charged towards Baek with such incredible speed that it blurred before our eyes. It appeared as if he was effortlessly gliding through the air. In contrast, Baek remained motionless, silently observing his opponent’s approach.
Indikar thrust his dagger towards Baek’s stomach, but just as it was about to make contact, it encountered nothing but empty space. Baek had swiftly shifted his posture at the last moment, displaying inhuman agility. Undeterred, Indikar swiftly readjusted his aim, attempting to strike again, but once more, the dagger struck empty air as Baek simultaneously evaded the attack. Without hesitation, Indikar leaped backward, creating distance between himself and his adversary.
"I had intended to go straight for the kill, but it seems I made a miscalculation," Indikar remarked in a calm voice, exuding an aura of confidence.
Simultaneously, his aura transformed into a more ferocious presence. Indigo-coloured feathers materialised around Indikar, emitting an otherworldly light. There were several dozen of them floating gracefully around him. Each feather emitted an aura of malevolence.
"Bahahaah! There will be many more miscalculations!" Baek exclaimed, laughing even in the midst of this serious situation. However, there was a calm seriousness underlying his demeanour.
Suddenly, Baek’s body began to glow, his pale skin radiating like a luminous lamp. A gentle hum accompanied the radiance, enveloping him in a vibrant light.
Indikar wasted no time and accelerated towards Baek with even greater speed than before. The feathers that had been floating around Indikar moved in perfect synchrony with his movements, as if they were an extension of his body.
This time, Baek didn’t remain stationary. He too dashed towards Indikar, his body glowing and resembling a luminous firefly in motion.
A thunderous clash reverberated through the eternal night realm as these two formidable beings collided. Indikar repeatedly thrust his dagger, but Baek skillfully evaded each attack. Suddenly, one of the floating feathers shot towards Baek at supersonic speed, resembling a bullet more than a feather. Even with Baek’s swift movements, it seemed impossible to dodge.
However, my assumption proved to be incorrect as Baek’s body started radiating an even fiercer glow, emitting a stronger radiance. Surprisingly, as the feather was about to pierce through Baek, instead of penetrating his body, it landed harmlessly on the ground. Baek’s movements were so swift that it appeared as if the feather had passed through him, as if his body were invisible.
The feather began to glow and exploded upon impact with the ground. Though the explosion was small and soundless, the area it covered turned purple, and a purplish acid emerged and slowly spread in all directions.
"Ahahaha!" Baek let out a laugh with each nimble movement, evading Indikar’s relentless attacks. Beads of sweat covered Baek’s entire body, a clear sign of his exertion. He shifted his legs, arms, and torso in a rhythmic manner, as if there were a dance to his movements.
"He's dancing," Kei whispered in a hushed voice as he observed the battle.
"You’re right. This is his unique fighting style. He incorporates dance into his battles, using the rhythm of his movements to dodge even the swiftest of attacks. He possesses the Blessing of Ethereal Levity, granting him the ability to become incredibly light as a feather while retaining his power. The glowing effect on his body is a manifestation of that blessing," Celina explained.
"This blessing perfectly complements his fighting style, allowing him to perform manoeuvres that no one else can, as he has complete control over the weight of his body," she added.
I am fascinated by this revelation. So, this was one of the powers of the Ninth Herald.
As Baek gracefully evaded each of Indikar’s attacks, frustration began to seep into the latter’s demeanor. Suddenly, Indikar manifested an abundance of feathers, suffocating Baek’s manoeuvring space. No matter how he evaded one feather, another would brush against him, dispersing the venomous acid contained within them throughout his body.
Baek, astutely aware of this peril, underwent a palpable transformation as his aura shifted from calm to fierce. With each dodge, Baek’s hand swiftly ascended, rotating vertically as if priming for a powerful chop. However, instead of striking a physical target, Baek executed a lightning-fast downward chop, unleashing a thunderous crash on Indikar from above. The resulting lightning strike engulfed the area in a shroud of smoke.
Once the smoke dispersed, we witnessed Indikar bearing minor injuries, his once white hair now tainted with streaks of black, evidence of the thunder’s impact. Indikar had barely evaded the attack, minimising the damage it could inflict.
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Baek’s body glistened with sweat as he struggled for breath, gasping for air.
"Elsie," I heard myself say, realisation colouring my voice, "he’s weaving thunder..."
"He has delved into the third and final phase of sol-weaving. Thunder has become an extension of his being. In the earlier phases, we could merely influence our own manifested nexus, but in this ultimate phase, one can even manipulate the surrounding nexus," Celina interjected, her gaze shifting towards the sky.
Foreboding dark clouds loomed overhead, stretching endlessly.
"Thus, he can harness the natural thunder present in the atmosphere rather than solely manifesting his own," Kei chimed in, further enlightening us.
While we discussed this revelation, my attention was drawn back to the ongoing battle.
"Herald, I recognise your strength. Why not join us? Together, we could conquer the world!" Indikar proposed, extending an invitation.
"I appreciate the offer, truly, but I have a duty—a duty to protect humanity!" Baek declared resolutely, leaving no room for negotiation.
Baek’s body was covered in perspiration, pushing him to the brink of exhaustion. However, my thoughts were interrupted by a peculiar occurrence. Thunder descended upon Baek, crashing onto his body with a resounding noise that threatened to rupture our eardrums.
Why is he attacking himself?" Elsie began to question, but her inquiry was swiftly answered as Baek emerged from the dissipating smoke unscathed, brimming with renewed vigour.
"Only a third-phase sol-weaver can convert the nexus into sol, just as you can convert sol into your nexus," Celina elucidated.
"So, Baek transformed the ambient thunder in the atmosphere into sol, replenishing his energy," Kei realised.
The once-dark clouds above had now diminished in number, indicating that Baek had drawn considerable power from them.
In an instant, the air surrounding Baek pulsated, and lightning materialised, encasing him in a protective armour that spanned from head to toe.
"Haha! It’s time to take this seriously!" Baek proclaimed.
My attention shifted to Indikar, who was undergoing a profound transformation. His humanoid form gradually melded and merged with the air until it vanished entirely, leaving behind a swirling violet mist akin to a colossal tornado. The mist exuded a toxic aura, and two prominent white orbs appeared as eyes amidst the vortex.
"Come at me!" A voice erupted from the swirling mist.
The atmosphere crackled with electric intensity as Baek, his body enveloped in a vibrant cascade of lightning, engaged in a fierce battle against Indikar, now transformed into a swirling mist.
Baek’s movements were a mesmerising display of agility and precision, akin to a graceful dance, as he effortlessly dodged each of Indikar’s attempts to strike him. With every nimble step, Baek unleashed bolts of lightning towards his opponent, the sheer power and brilliance of his attacks illuminating the battlefield.
However, Indikar proved to be a formidable adversary, defying the laws of solidity by morphing and dispersing within his mist-like form. Like a phantom, he skillfully evaded the thunderous onslaught, reforming just in time to evade the crackling bolts that were aimed at him.
The fluidity of his movements was mesmerising to behold, as if he possessed an inherent understanding of the chaotic nature of lightning and its unpredictable paths.
The clash between Baek’s lightning-infused dance and Indikar’s ethereal mist form created a mesmerising spectacle, with the battlefield serving as their stage. The air crackled with energy, illuminated by the dazzling flashes of lightning and the pulsating glow of Baek’s electrified presence. It was a symphony of power and finesse as each combatant pushed their limits to gain the upper hand.
Minutes passed, but the intensity of the battle showed no signs of waning. The exchange of lightning and mist continued unabated, their movements becoming increasingly intricate and calculated. Yet, despite their relentless assault, neither Baek nor Indikar could gain a decisive advantage over the other.
The clash reached a break, culminating in a brief respite as both combatants backed away, their breathing heavy and their bodies drenched in perspiration.
"Prepare for your ultimate downfall, Herald!" Indikar’s voice reverberated through the air, resonating with a mixture of triumph and menace. The swirling mist that comprised his form began to undergo a profound metamorphosis, expanding and shifting into various monstrous shapes. As the mist solidified, it transformed into a colossal serpent-like creature, its massive body coiling with ominous power.
The enormous mist serpent took on a truly awe-inspiring appearance. Its sinuous form undulated with an otherworldly grace, as if each scale and contour were crafted from swirling nebulae.
Shades of violet and indigo danced along its serpentine body, radiating an ethereal glow that seemed to illuminate the surrounding darkness. Glittering crimson eyes pierced through the mist, burning with a menacing intensity that instilled a sense of dread in all who beheld them. The sheer size of the serpent was staggering, stretching out like a behemoth, its coils seemingly capable of encircling the entire battlefield.
Meanwhile, Baek seized the moment, raising his hand skyward with a commanding gesture. As if in response, the once brooding dark clouds overhead rumbled with increasing intensity. Gathering their power, the clouds relinquished their hold on the sky, channelling their energy towards Baek.
In a mesmerising display of elemental prowess, the clouds dissipated, coalescing into a colossal bolt of thunder within Baek’s outstretched hand. The thunderbolt grew in size, crackling with a potent electrical charge that mirrored the magnitude of the mist serpent before him.
With resolute determination, Baek propelled himself into the air, defying gravity as he soared towards the heavens. The thunderbolt, held firmly in his grasp, arced with an otherworldly radiance, illuminating the surrounding battlefield. Simultaneously, the mist serpent, its transformation complete, surged forward with ferocious velocity, driven by the malevolence that fueled Indikar’s every move.
The collision between the thunderbolt and the mist serpent unleashed a cataclysmic force that engulfed the entire area in blinding brilliance. The sheer magnitude of the impact resonated with seismic force, causing the very earth beneath my feet to tremble.
The intense white light pierced through my vision, overwhelming my senses. As the ground quaked beneath me, I was compelled to descend, falling to my knees under the weight of the immense power unleashed in that final, climactic clash.