Groook!
A horn started sprouting from Lina's head. It looked goat-like, curving backward and giving her a strong, primal, beast-like vibe.
'Is that…' Gray was momentarily shocked but quickly regained his composure. He realized it was part of her power, so he cleared his mind and struck at the masked man.
Swing!
The masked man felt the force of his sword and clashed against it.
Clang! Clang! Ciiing!
After a couple of strikes, Gray said, "Let's end this."
Hearing his desperate tone, the masked man laughed.
Then Gray stepped back and prepared for one last strike. The masked man did the same.
Crack!
The masked man unleashed his full power, ready to end it. But just then, he was puzzled by Gray's actions.
Gray channeled some of his Aura into his leg and leapt high into the sky.
'What is he thinking?' It was a foolish move. While in midair, he was vulnerable.
The masked man couldn't understand why he would do such a stupid thing, until he saw Gray preparing for a sword technique.
Shooo
A small black hole–type vortex was forming in front of Gray, and it was sucking in the eerie Abyssal energy that was surrounding him.
Ding'
[ Activating 'The Sunless sword art' ]
In the Ashborn isolation chamber, Gray had gotten many skills and Authorities after contracting with Julius von Legolant.
One of them was this sword technique.
It was a powerful technique that concentrated all his Abyssal energy into a single point, creating a black hole, and with a precise thrust it unleashes devastating destruction.
As it was a powerful sword technique, Gray had to jump high above so he could strike it downward. Otherwise, it might harm Lina and the Left Guardian's disciple.
And the most interesting thing about this sword technique was that it was created by Gray's future descendant.
He is the man Julius von Legolant had been waiting for, and the man who would destroy this whole solar system just by tapping into the Abyssal energy for the first time
Moreover, like Julius, there were many Demi-Gods. But that man would not be a Demi-God, but a real God.... the God that had been forgotten, The Primordial Being
Aether Von Noctvain
"Aether…." Gray murmured with a proud smile. That godly being would be born in his bloodline.
Then, he held his A-rank treasured sword tightly. The sword had already started to crack, as it wasn't able to handle the Abyssal energy. But all Gray needed was a single thrust.
However, the technique needed time to fully prepare. The masked man realized this and decided to strike Gray before he could unleash it.
Just then, Gray sent a voice transmission to Lina, who was waiting for his signal with horn on her head.
- Cast your Magic Nullification.
At his order, Lina nodded, and her horn started radiating dark mana as she cast her Magic Nullification at the masked man.
The masked man was about to strike at Gray, but his Aura abruptly vanished.
Confused, he glared at Lina in anger.
"That bitch!"
He deduced it was her doing, as she was pointing her hands toward him and had a pained expression.
The masked man gritted his teeth in frustration. the distance was far from him, so he couldn't kill her or throw his daggers.
Right at that moment, the masked man flinched, sensing something ominous above.
"What is…!!!" As soon as he looked up, his face turned pale with fear. Beads of sweat poured from his face as he gasp for air.
"This… im… impossible…" His eyes were shaking violently. Only one thought roamed in his head: I'll die.
The reason for his fear was that the eerie dark energy that was surrounding Gray had engulfed the sky, and there was no sun. The darkness had swallowed the sun, causing an eclipse.
Moreover, Gray was floating in the middle of the eclipse, and his black eyes and hair had turned crimson.
From the masked man's perspective, he looked like a demonic being.
This phenomenon was caused by Gray's Sunless Sword Art, which literally meant no light.
Right then, Gray shouted, "Take them to safety!"
At his shout, an unidentified masked man appeared behind Lina and the Left Guardian's disciple.
Shiii
Unlike the masked man's cloth mask that assassins use, this person's mask was a hard, full-face cover.
Lina and the Left Guardian's disciple turned to the unidentified masked man, but before they could do anything, he grabbed both of them and ran away from the battlefield.
Seeing this Gray smiled inwardly before thrusting his sword at the black vortex in front of him.
Ding'
[The Sunless Sword Art First Form: Everlasting Darkness]
As soon as his sword touched the black vortex, a massive torrent of Abyssal energy spiked and poured down on the masked man, who had just regained his Aura after Lina was taken out by that unidentified masked man. But it was too late for him to even react.
Kra! Boom!
With a huge shockwave, a massive explosion occurred. The surrounding trees were blown away by the shockwave, leaving a massive hole in the ground.
As a result, The masked man's body was turned to ashes.
Meanwhile, the unidentified masked man who had taken Lina and the Left Guardian's disciple far away was captivated by the sword art. He was dazed and perhaps close to gaining enlightenment.
Lina and the Left Guardian's disciple were also speechless. Lina was questioning how Gray could display such destruction. And, the Left Guardian's disciple was recalling his conversation about Gray with his master, the Left Guardian.
Slowly, the dark energy began to fade, and the sky started to clear. The sun came into view and tore through the darkness.
The A-rank treasured sword Gray had used turned to dust as it fell to the ground. As expected, it wasn't able to withstand the overwhelming Abyssal energy and the Sunless Sword Art.
Although the strike was a success, it took a great toll on Gray. As a result Gray crashed into the ground.
Thud!