Xekar released a deep, measured breath as he stood tall before Darius. The air around them seemed to thrum with tension, charged with energy neither of them had fully revealed yet. Darius's aura was different from usual, serious, focused, unwavering. There was a weight in his presence, a silent warning that anyone who dared harm those he cared about would face his full wrath. His eyes locked onto Xekar with cold determination, and nothing else mattered in that moment. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the liquor bottle, tilting them back and drinking every last drop.
Xekar's expression twisted into a smirk. "Don't get ahead of yourself just because you were able to pull off some decent trick," he said, his voice calm but laced with menace. "You can never defeat me. Your end is already in my hands." There was no hesitation in his tone, no doubt.
Darius responded with no words. Instead, he moved straight toward Xekar, swinging his shovel with precise force. Each strike carried not only strength but the weight of his anger, his determination, and his unwavering focus. Sparks flew from the collision as Xekar raised his hands, which were now covered in incredibly hard scales, clashing against Darius's shovel. The sound of metal against stone, or perhaps bone against metal, rang through the ruins. Each blow shook the ground beneath them, sending small fragments of debris skittering across the battlefield. Their movements were a deadly dance of strength and skill, the clash of wills just as intense as the clash of physical might.
After a series of rapid exchanges, Xekar grew five tails, each one unlike the other. Every tail had sharp edges running along its length, designed for maximum damage. One ended in a sword, another in an axe, the third a spiked mace, the fourth a massive hammer, and the fifth a deadly trident. Each tail moved independently, sweeping, striking, and stabbing across the battlefield. The tails elongated, stretching far enough to cover almost the entire area, keeping Darius constantly on the defensive. From a distance, Xekar could continue striking relentlessly, forcing Darius to leap, dodge, and counter without pause.
Darius moved with a calculated fluidity. He jumped here, rolled there, and adjusted his stance, using his shovel to deflect the blows aimed at him. Every strike, every swing, he met with skill honed from countless battles. Soon, he closed the distance between himself and Xekar. Planting the shovel firmly into the ground, he activated his next move. "Flare Fury!" he shouted. The ground beneath him trembled as molten lava erupted in a pillar directly beneath Xekar, shooting upward with fiery intensity. The molten column pierced through the demon's chest, forcing him downward with a harsh, guttural cough. A hole opened through the middle of Xekar's torso, but the flesh and body slowly began to stretch inward, regenerating. Each moment of regeneration seemed to frustrate Xekar further. His eyes blazed with confusion and anger. "How is he able to compete with me? This makes no sense," he muttered to himself, disbelief lacing his tone.
Xekar didn't wait. He dug his tails into the ground, vanishing them momentarily beneath the surface, only to raise them suddenly and unpredictably to strike Darius from below. One tail grazed Darius's cheek, leaving a thin mark, but it was nothing more than that. Darius's movements were precise, anticipating each tail's appearance. After a few more dodges, he prepared for a counterattack. As the tails reappeared from the ground, he dug his shovel into one of them at the moment of its emergence. Using his feet to add extra force, he pushed the shovel deeper into the tail's body. After a few measured efforts, he tore one tail completely from Xekar's body.
Xekar froze, his eyes wide with shock and rage. "Just who are you…? You should not be able to do such a thing," he hissed, his voice filled with incredulity and fury. Darius met his gaze, calm and unwavering. "But I can," he said simply, his voice carrying the weight of certainty and defiance.
The demon's expression darkened. "I cannot let you live. You are an obstacle to his plans. I shall end you here," Xekar said, his voice now layered with pure rage. Dark energy began to radiate from his body, twisting and pulsing as it spread. His corrupted energy grew dense and heavy, moving over his body like a living shadow. The darkness enveloped him entirely, shifting and reshaping his form, growing larger and deadlier with every passing moment.
Darius's stance did not falter. He raised his finger slowly. "So be it… The Sun," he said. The ground beneath him trembled violently. Rocks and debris began to levitate, hovering in the air as if drawn by an invisible force. The stones glowed first yellow, then deep orange, radiating heat that could be felt across the battlefield. Flames began to lick at the air itself, warm and intense, wrapping the ruins in an oppressive, yet invigorating heat. The energy was pure, solar power, concentrated and controlled by Darius alone.
From the sidelines, Alex's eyes widened. "Finally… I am able to witness his true strength," he said, awe evident in his tone. Clara turned to him, her face pale. "Who exactly is he? Is that… what I think it is?" Alex's voice dropped, calm but reverent. "He is one of the strongest men in the world. For reasons unknown, he settled here in Ula and stopped using his full power. Before, he used to travel across the lands, completing only the highest ranked quests. He is… Darius. Known as the man who carries the Sun. The Burning Titan."
Xekar growled in frustration. "Not bad, but your end is inevitable. I shall put down those flames," he said, attempting to suppress Darius's power with sheer will. Darius, however, remained calm. He pulled a cigar from his pocket, using the energy of his Sun to light it. Taking a single drag, he exhaled slowly, smoke curling into the heated air. "Or I will be the one burning all your darkness," he said, voice steady and resolute. There was no doubt now only the fight remained.
Darius concentrated, gathering heat in front of his palms. The energy swirled, bright and intense, growing in size and strength. "Horizon Break!" he shouted. Five beams of concentrated solar energy shot forward, merging into one colossal, blinding beam. Xekar gathered corrupted energy around his entire body, forming a dark, dense aura. "Oblivion Crash!" he roared, unleashing a concentrated stream of darkness from his mouth in a devastating, straight-forward burst.
The two forces collided at the center of the battlefield, shaking the ruins to their very foundations. The impact sent debris flying, rocks splintering into dust, and a shockwave tearing through the remaining structures. A blinding explosion erupted, the bright light of the sun clashing violently with the consuming darkness of corrupted energy. The sound was deafening, a roar of energy that seemed to shake the air itself. Smoke, dust, and flashes of light engulfed the battlefield, swirling in chaotic patterns as the two powers warred against each other.
In the midst of the chaos, the outcome remained unclear. The light and darkness tore at the ruins, the air thick with energy, heat, and tension. Who would remain standing when the smoke cleared? That question hung over the battlefield, unanswered, as the forces of Sun and Darkness collided with unstoppable intensity.