Dust billowed upward, shrouding the grand hall in a thick gray fog.
The Guardians froze, eyes narrowed, each one waiting for the moment their enemy would burst through the haze.
One second…
An explosion of energy—three Kronoran clones shot out of the dust, each one moving at blinding speed toward the nearest Guardian.
A heartbeat—impact.
Light erupted. Deep cracks splintered across the marble floor, as if the palace itself could no longer endure the power unleashed inside it.
"Damn it! Even though they're clones… their strength is the same!" Haegar roared, blocking and countering blows so strong they made the air vibrate.
Beside him, Viras fought like a madman—taking hit after hit without dodging once. His body was already covered in bruises, but with every strike, he grew faster. Meaner. Stronger.
"KRO-NO-RAN!!" he screamed, laughter tearing out of his throat, echoing like a beast's howl through the hall.
Another blow—Viras grabbed his opponent by the head and smashed their foreheads together with the force of a collapsing mountain. A sharp crack followed—the clone's skull began to fracture.
Meanwhile, Lamênt had already finished his fight. His intangible body made him the perfect counter to such enemies. Every attack passed harmlessly through him—until his own, precise, near-invisible counterstrikes shattered the clone's defenses.
But only one remained still—Kianir.
His eyes—one blue, one red—focused ahead, seeing what the others could not.
"They're only clones…" he whispered, then dashed forward, leaving behind a streak of silvery light.
Akito watched in awe.
"His speed… faster than Viras… He's from the new generation of Guardians, but his power's already on par with the old ones…"
One of Kianir's bowls floated into the air.
From it erupted a torrent of water, crashing into the dust cloud and sweeping it away.
Light poured into the hall—
And then they saw him.
Kronoran.
Standing motionless in the center of the room.
But he was no longer the same.
His body shimmered with unnatural energy.
His hair moved on its own, alive with power.
He had entered his Second Form.
Kianir stopped a few meters away.
"…No. Not this," he whispered.
The Kronoran clones dissolved, leaving behind faint sparks of fading light—like dying stars vanishing in a vacuum.
Every gaze turned toward him—the real Kronoran.
His eyes burned with a blinding gray light, like storms trapped within.
His long, silver-gray hair rose upward, twisting into sharp spirals—like the thorns of a giant metal rose, each motion cutting through the air itself.
His skin had turned ghostly pale, almost transparent, and the space around him warped:
no sound,
no scent,
only time—flowing forward and backward at once.
Beneath his feet, the marble floor shattered and reformed in an endless cycle of destruction and rebirth.
"W-what is… that aura?" Akito rasped, dropping to one knee. "I… can't breathe…"
"You're still human," Lumen said softly beside him. "That's why it's hard… Kronoran's pressure… it's enormous. Even… for me…"
Blood splashed from his lips, cutting off his words.
Drops fell onto the pristine marble below.
"…Damn. Forgot… about that…"
A moment later, Akito suddenly felt the air lighten.
As if the world had let him breathe again.
He gasped, drawing in air like a drowning man.
"I… I can breathe again… What… happened?"
"See? I told you it'd be fine," Lumen smiled weakly, wiping his mouth.
Even in pain, he still tried to encourage the others.
A burst of energy—
and Kronoran already had both Viras and Haegar in his grip, crushing their faces in his hands as though he meant to shatter their skulls.
He spun violently, hurling them in opposite directions like broken dolls.
A shockwave tore through the hall—dust, debris, marble cracking apart.
"Wh-what…?" Akito whispered. "Unbelievable… that speed… he's a monster…"
Kianir shouted:
"We must hold him! Until the Creator arrives! He's the only one who can—"
A dull impact—like thunder.
Kronoran was already behind him.
"Be quiet," he said coldly.
"The Creator's busy with my clone. I gave it more than half my power… so he'll be delayed."
"I have to help them!" Akito cried, stepping forward.
But Lumen blocked his path.
"No, Akito. Stay close. Don't interfere… not yet."
At that instant, Lamênt charged.
Five lightning-fast strikes with his hands, one with his leg—a blur of motion.
But his fists hit nothing but air.
Counterattack.
One swing. One hit.
Bones cracked.
Lamênt was sent flying, smashing through a pillar so hard it collapsed on itself.
"How… did he hit me through my intangibility?.." Lamênt thought as his body soared.
"Is his second form really that powerful?.."
"Is this… the end?.."
"Yes," came Kronoran's voice—right behind Akito.
"The Guardians have lost.
Now I will fulfill my purpose…
And you, Akito, will be the first to witness it."
He placed a hand on Akito's shoulder and tried to trigger a teleport.
But suddenly—
two pale blue arms wrapped around his body and yanked him backward.
Kianir's three bowls dropped low, unleashing torrents of water that pinned Kronoran's arms to his sides.
"Now!" Kianir shouted.
Haegar appeared right before Kronoran, his four arms wrapped in blazing red magma, glowing like molten metal.
He brought all four fists together into a single, devastating blow that slammed into Kronoran's torso.
The shockwave ripped through everything behind him, while Kronoran slid backward, leaving deep scorched trails across the marble.
The water shattered into droplets.
The ethereal arms vanished.
Kronoran raised his hands.
"Time to end this. I thought you were dead… but somehow, you survived."
Akito watched, his grip tightening on his blades.
"I should help… but… Lumen's words…"
Then—
Kronoran unleashed a wave of pure energy.
Everyone was thrown off their feet.
A flash—
and he was already in front of Haegar.
One hand grabbed his head.
The other pierced straight through it.
Blood erupted like a fountain.
"No…" Akito gasped. "He killed… a Guardian… just like that? How…?"
Haegar's body fell lifeless to the floor.
Kronoran slowly turned—his steps toward Viras heavy and deliberate.
But suddenly—
Two strikes hit his back.
He staggered forward.
A wound split open across his spine. Blood began to flow.
"How interesting…" Kronoran said without turning. "How did you survive?"
"Don't be afraid, Akito," said Lumen's soft voice.
"As long as I live—no one will die.
My ability… lets me protect anyone I choose.
But in return… it drains my life."
He wavered slightly, yet a gentle smile remained on his face.
"…But that doesn't matter."
[Noxveil]
Hey there, reader!
If you've made it this far, thank you so much. I'm writing this story in Russian and translating it into English — so I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Even one small comment gives me huge motivation 💬💙
Let me know who your favorite character is so far!