Chapter 14: The Last Artifact
Abomination staggered out from the ruins, its roar like thunder shaking the battlefield.
Xi Nian didn't waver. Instead, he calmly looked at the furious creature. The shield in his left hand gleamed faintly with golden light, the silver crown rested elegantly in his right hand, and on his wrists, the divine bracelets shimmered faintly.
Three artifacts, all revealed in battle.
Abomination's eye, already bloodied, was full of rage and humiliation. It had been suppressed not by brute force, but by the strange equipment of a mere teenager.
But Xi Nian knew, even with these artifacts, he still wasn't at full strength.
There was one last item.
His eyes shifted slightly to the ground behind Abomination—embedded in the shattered street, half-buried, the vintage sword still awaited its master.
Xi Nian inhaled deeply. His silver pupils reflected the sword's faint glow.
The shield could block, the crown could kill, the bracelets could defend and unleash divine energy… yet none of these could end the fight directly.
Only the sword carried the power of true destruction.
"Alright…" Xi Nian murmured. "It's time."
As Abomination pounded the ground and charged again, Xi Nian threw the crown with precision. The silver streak arced through the air, grazing Abomination's cheek and forcing it to flinch.
In that split second, Xi Nian dashed forward. His boots cracked the ground with every step, his shield raised to intercept Abomination's fist. The impact thundered like a cannon, but this time, Xi Nian didn't stop.
He slid past Abomination's side. His hand reached out.
Fingers wrapped around the ancient sword's hilt.
Boom—!
The instant he gripped it, the entire battlefield trembled. Divine radiance erupted, surging into the night sky, illuminating the streets as if dawn had broken.
The sword pulsed with a heartbeat, as though alive, resonating with Xi Nian's own breath.
Abomination froze mid-motion, sensing an unknown dread. Its instincts screamed danger louder than ever before.
"Come on then!" Xi Nian roared.
The crown flew back into his other hand. Shield in one arm, crown in the other, bracelets gleaming, and the divine sword now in his grasp—Xi Nian stood like a young god of war descended upon Earth.
The divine aura poured off him, pressing down on everything nearby. Even Abomination, who moments ago fought recklessly, hesitated with unease.
The soldiers watching from the distance were dumbfounded.
"That… is that even human…?" someone whispered.
Xi Nian raised the sword, feeling its heavy yet balanced weight. Power coursed through his veins, synchronized with the artifact.
"This is the last piece," he whispered to himself. "Now… let's end it."
Facing the charging Abomination once more, Xi Nian lifted the sword high.
The battlefield fell silent, as if the entire world held its breath, waiting for the strike.
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