★1
THIRD POV
The Demon Lord Guy Crimson was sitting comfortably on his throne as he sensed an unfamiliar presence in his castle.
<
Footsteps echoed down the long corridor leading to the main hall. Unhurried, yet carrying a weight that pressed on every soul present. Guy and his Demons turned their attention toward the sound, curiosity and unease flickering across their faces.
Then, without warning, every Demon in the hall collapsed, their bodies trembling, eyes wide, as if crushed beneath an unseen will. No one understood what was happening, but the truth was clear, this was bad.
Guy, however, only smiled. He didn't move, his crimson eyes remained fixed on the great doors at the end of the hall.
The footsteps grew louder... heavier... closer, each one reverberating like a heartbeat through the hall's foundations.
And then, without transition, an individual appeared before the door as though space had obeyed his will. He walked forward calmly, every motion unchallenged, as if the place itself belonged to him.
<
The figure stepped fully into view, a boy, or so he appeared, no older than fifteenth. His attire was immaculate: flowing white and gold robes that shimmered faintly with an ethereal lustre. Short white hair framed a face and golden eyes that seemed to see through reality itself.
He halted in the middle of the grand hallway, his gaze fixed unwaveringly ahead. The silence that followed was suffocating.
Then, in a voice cold and detached, he spoke.
"You... you're Red, am I right?"
There was no emotion only the weight of absolute certainty behind his words, and the blank expression of one who no longer needed to feel.
"Hmm, we aren't expecting visitors, are we, Rain?"
Guy gave him a cold shoulder, asking the blue-haired maid standing behind him.
"I'm afraid not, my Lord. This is an intruder."
The blue-haired demon replied.
Guy shifted his gaze towards him and spoke
"Yes, I am Red, but that name is long gone."
"Well, whatever, I don't care. I'll get straight to business."
"And what should it be? Let me guess, it has something to do with me?"
"Yes, it does... fight me, Red."
The boy's words hung in the air like a blade, sharp and dangerous. For a heartbeat, the entire hall fell silent.
Then, breaking that silence, Guy burst into laughter a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the chamber, equal parts amusement and menace.
"Interesting. Most who speak to me like that don't live long enough to regret it."
He said, smirking, crimson eyes glinting with intrigue.
Yet the boy remained calm and unbothered, his golden eyes never wavering. The laughter faded, but the air still thrummed with the unseen power coiling between them.
"I must say you are strong, but you barely exist in my presence."
He replied with a stern expression.
"Don't make excuses. Just accept it and prove your worth."
"Well, I'll consider that if you beat these two."
Rain and Misery stood side by side at the heart of the hall, facing the intruder.
"Hmm."
Rain and Misery stood shoulder to shoulder at the centre of the hall, their presence dark and commanding as they faced the lone intruder.
"Hmm."
Barely a sound, more like an idle thought escaping his lips.
Rain's eyes narrowed, irritation flaring.
"Don't 'hmm' me! You think you can win just because you took down my men?"
She snapped.
Beside her, Misery remained quiet, watchful, his gaze unreadable. But what truly ignited Rain's fury was the boy's lack of response, no words, no movement, not even acknowledgement. His indifference burned worse than any insult.
With a sharp glare, she barked, her voice echoing across the hall as her aura exploded outward, a storm of demonic energy surging violently.
"You'll pay for making me talk to myself!"
"One hundred... and twenty seconds."
The boy's voice was flat. Above them, a vast clock materialised, its face swallowing the hall in shadow and light.
(Not 120 but 100 and 20.)
"Mark these as the given time. It will not be exceeded. Only Red and I will remain living in this hall."
Rain's face twisted with fury.
"Don't get cocky, you bastard!"
She roared, launching her attack.
"Eat this, Nuclear Cannon!"
The instant her assault left her, the clock began to tick.
Dark flames roared to life, summoned with unbridled force, and engulfed the intruder before he could even react. The heat and energy erupted in a cataclysmic explosion, shaking the very foundations of the castle, throwing debris in all directions.
But then... something unexpected happened. When the smoke cleared, the boy stood completely unscathed. Not a single on his robes, not a flicker of pain in his golden eyes. The explosion had touched nothing that truly mattered.
<
"Don't get full of yourself. Misery, let's use that."
She suggested.
"It's too dangerous, but we'll win for sure. Guy sama, permission to use our combined magic."
"I normally won't grant it, but let's see how much he is capable of. Permission granted."
The maids lifted their palms in perfect unison, voices ringing out as one.
"Nihilistic Banish!"
A torrent of hellish energy surged forth, a black conflagration that devoured everything in its path. The intruder did not move. His arrogance, his calm disregard was his undoing. The energy consumed him utterly, nullifying his existence until nothing remained.
Rain crossed her arms, a smirk curling on her lips.
"Hmm. He was all talk. One hundred twenty seconds, my ass."
"What a waste if that's all he's capable of. You guys did w..."
Guy froze, a frown creasing his face. Something strange was happening, the space where the intruder had vanished began to crack. From the rift spilt a rainbow glow, refracting across the hall.
And then, as if nothing had ever occurred, the intruder reappeared, standing calm and unscathed.
"97... 98... 99..."
He murmured.
Guy's eyes snapped to the clock, its hand creeping toward 100 seconds with relentless precision.
"Now... twenty seconds left."
Rain and Misery exchanged glances, disbelief etched on their faces.
How could anyone survive a direct hit from Nihility Magic? The question hung heavy in the hall, unanswered and terrifying
<
"Magic Bullet."
Rain used attacks, and Misery pulled out a short dagger. They attacked simultaneously but were frozen instantly, their bodies solidifying. Rain and Misery's statues remained suspended in the air.
"19,20. As I said, after 120 seconds, only two of us will be living in this hall."
The boy calmly stated.
"Something's not right... You are amazing right from the start and effortlessly defeated these guys. I don't know what happened or what Skills you used, but I'll play with you if that's what you want."
Guy rose from his icy throne, each movement deliberate, radiating authority and restrained fury. His crimson eyes locked on the boy.
Dumbfounded, he asked, voice low but sharp.
"Skills... what's that?"
"Eh?"
<
"If you don't know what Skills are, then you must be an otherworldly being."
"You got that right. We don't use Skills but Nova Arts."
"Nova Arts?"
"Yes. If you use Skills, we use Nova Arts, I suppose."
"Hmm, well, before we begin, would you mind explaining what just happened?"
Guy asked in amazement.
"Fine. I used Mega Art: Wyrd Shaper to rewrite my fate, no matter what happens, I'll resurrect automatically after 100 seconds. As for the maids, I invoked Mega Art: Aegis. This time, along with ordering Deva to protect me, I also reported exactly what would happen to anyone who attacked. They took the bait and the Art activated."
Guy hid his amusement with a question.
"Fate manipulation, huh. You said Nova Art, and now you've mentioned Mega Art?"
"Think of them as advanced Nova Arts."
"Oh, I get it...but still, how can such powers exist? They really exist as strong beings beyond this World. Don't get too confident with your puny Mega Arts as they're no match for my Ultimate Skills."
"Interesting. Just like Mega Arts are advanced Nova Arts, Ultimate Skills are advanced skills, am I right?"
"Not too accurate, but that's on point."
"I see then; this fight is inevitable."
"Hmm, you can't beat me, just know that."
Guy straightened, his presence dominating the space around him. Due to their height difference, he naturally looked down on the boy, his crimson eyes narrowing with a mixture of pride and challenge.
"Don't think I'll let a child like you get away with that."
He said, voice echoing through the hall like a war drum.
But the boy remained still, calm, unshaken by the intimidation, his golden eyes meeting Guy's without a hint of fear.
"I've never lost. And today will be no exception."
He said pride bristling like armour.
"Allow me to change the battlefield. I don't want to destroy your castle."
"Feel free."
The intruder closed his eyes. And his World answered. In an instant the hall dissolved, ice and stone folding like paper, and they were thrown into a strange new cosmos.
The universe here was wrong: bereft of the patterns that cradle life. There were no stars, no spirals of galaxies, nothing but a single, vast planet suspended in black. No celestial bodies dotted the void; an unknown, unplaceable light bled across the horizon, painting impossible shadows.
Guy's mouth tightened as he took it in.
"This world... is strange."
He muttered, eyes scanning the alien skyline.
"Don't get the wrong idea,"
The boy said, voice cool and steady.
"I'd be a coward if I needed traps to win."
"This is nothing compared to the Underworld."
He scoffed.
"Are you ready?"
The boy asked.
"Mind if I ask your name before we begin?"
"I am a Star.
He replied calmly.
"And my name is Antar
"A Star? Well, I'd like to hear more after this battle, Antares."
"How about this, if you win I'll answer all your questions?"
Antares' suggestion made Guy chuckle.
"You'd better keep that in mind, because you're about to taste defeat for the first time, kiddo."
And so the fierce battle started.
Closing the distance, the two clashed, trading pure punches, kicks, and blocks with a speed and precision that defied the very nature of this strange universe where such concepts had long been transcended. The air itself seemed to shatter with each strike.
Antares delivered a brutal uppercut, sending Guy hurtling away from the planet's surface. But as Guy spun through the void, Antares was already there, waiting to land the next blow.
In response, Guy activated an invisible barrier, deflecting Antares' strike. Yet with a surge of sheer will, he shattered his own defence, striking back with precision. The hit landed, forcing Antares to stagger, the tables had turned.
Now, Guy pressed the advantage, pummeling Antares with a relentless flurry of blows, each strike carrying the weight of his experience and mastery. The battlefield, already alien and unstable, quaked under the ferocity of their combat.
In an instant, he broke the barrage teleporting above him and knocking Antares down to the same planet with both hands. However, Antares did hit the ground. Two portals appeared mid-air and on the ground, the former sucking him in and he appeared through the latter, arms crossed and eyes closed, he summoned.
"Come, Divine Gates of Babylon."
Countless blue portals opened behind him, each housing a unique weapon. They fired at once heading towards Guy who was descending like a comet. Noticing the divine weapons approaching him, he stopped mid-air and spread his palm.
"Nullify all, Void Flare."
A black spherical flame emerged, absorbing all the swords and spares as if they were pebbles.
"Seriously?"
Antares was surprised.
"Answer the call of a Supreme Being, Claíomh Solais!"
Antares exclaimed and a sword made of white light materialised in his right hand. Its blade is a solidified light emitting the same white light and its hilt is a mixture of white and gold foreign metal.
Tightening the grip with both hands, he swung.
"Purify all darkness."
He swung the sword downward, unleashing an arc of pure light that cleaved through the black flames, reducing the fireball to drifting shards of luminescence. To his right, Guy materialised, gripping a strange black blade-the Genesis-grade weapon, Asura. He attacked with incredible speed, but Antares is also a skilled swords-Star, and with the Sword of Light, he easily parries all of Guy's attacks. Their swords collided, sending sparks of light flying around.
Noticing something, Antares jumped backwards creating a distance between them. Looking down to his right hand, the Sword of Light, Claíomh Solais was fading.
"Still not strong enough to wield it for an extended period of time. Looks like I've lost the swordplay but.."
He stood straight and closed his eyes. The moment he opened them, he released an immense aura, destroying half of the planet and the universe on his side.
"Show me your Skills... Red!"
He demanded, and Guy smirks.
"Come get them."
He returned the favour, unleashing his own power, and the sheer force of their auras tore the universe asunder. Suspended midair, the two radiated an overwhelming intensity, his aura menacing dark grey, Guy's a blazing red.
"Looks like we destroyed your battlefield."
Guy stated, his gaze fixed on this kid.
"Indeed, our aura just destroyed a whole universe, but look around you."
Antares remained unmoved, his expression blank. With a subtle gesture of his hand, the space around them responded.
Countless, perhaps infinite universes began to scatter across the surrounding darkness, each one flickering, spinning in its respective orbit. Galaxies, stars, and entire worlds hung like suspended jewels in a void that stretched beyond comprehension.
The scale was impossible. Even in this already alien World, the sheer magnitude of what Antares commanded redefined existence itself. The battlefield was no longer a planet, it was a multiversal arena, and he had just turned the very cosmos into his weapon.
"You created this in an instant?"
Amazed, he asked.
"No. This is part of my World. So worry not, we have a lot to destroy."
Guy was surprised to hear that.
"Heh, you created such and still have enough to fight. You're extraordinary."
"Like I said, this World existed long before I arrived in your World."
Guy was even more astonished.
"How can such a being exist?"
"Creation is nothing more than child's play for us. Besides, I lack destructive powers. Remember, if you win I'll answer all your questions."'
"I know, ok, let's continue."
His aura dissipated, and Antares made the first move, darting forward with a jab. Guy crossed both arms, taking the punch; the impact sent Guy flying to a nearby universe. Without giving him any space, Antares cloaks his fist with his aura, throwing a barrage of punches.
Guy was forced onto the defence; each punch was backed by a shock wave, destroying all in their path planets, stars, and other celestial bodies within its path. Unable to escape, Guy found a way to counter.
"Mist."
He whispered.
Unbeknownst to his attacker who kept unleashing deadly punches, Antares was caught off guard by a purplish mist, which smacked him off, but.
"Sorry, but Mega Art: Phylax protects me from unexpected attacks."
He stood nonchalantly, eyes closed, as a purplish mist swirled around a translucent barrier, the air itself trembling under its subtle power.
"Death Streak."
Black flames coalesced on his fist, and with his unmatched speed, he appeared behind Antares, landing a successful hit releasing a huge explosion of black light. Antares can be seen flying off the planet, his eyes widened in shock.
<
Looking up, he saw his opponent waiting for him, his right hand raised.
"Calamity Claw."
<<...his skills can actually damage me?>>
Antares was shocked by this unforeseen sudden change.
He was expecting an attack which never landed, or so he thought. He got an unusual feeling looking down at his chest a claw mark was spotted. The corrosive virus spreading around his body.
"You didn't see it coming, did you? Calamity Claw is invisible so you can't see it nor can it be sensed. It can be blocked though, but it looks like you took heavy damage from Death Streak, so I used that to my advantage. The virus will eat you up."
Guy said, securing his victory.
"Interesting, I need more."
He closed his eyes as the virus spread further, burning his cloak along with his body.
"Mega Art: Reverse Fate."
He uttered, and his body began radiating light. It got so bright it looked like a source of light in the darkness. As the light faded, Antares stood still, arms folded, completely unscathed, but his cloak was gone.
"I never thought I'd take such damage, my actual Body is unharmed though."
He said clenching his fist.
"It'll be no fun if you die from such a lowly attack."
"I know right. Looks like I've let my guard down. I won't say they are even but my Arts are keeping up to your Skills."
"You think so? I haven't used my Ultimate Skills."
"I've mastered over hundreds of Mega Arts & I barely used five. Let's give it all shall we?"
"Hmm, bring it all."
Guy accepted with a smirk. Antares spread his palm towards Guy.
"Ultra Ray."
Rays at incredible speed too fast to detect pierce Guy, he didn't take much damage, though. He took a step back, and Antares closed the distance in an instant, appearing directly before him. The moment their presence met, an immense pressure yanked him from the vastness of the universe down to the surface of a planet. It happened too quickly for him to react. As Guy descended, visible against the sky, Antares surged upward, sword in hand, ready to strike.
Despite Guy's quick response to activating multiple different barriers at once, a single strike cut through all the barriers cutting his left arm, which he used to block his face. He leaps backwards, but his opponent is already waiting for him. His fist was warped in darkness, and a single punch was all he needed to send Guy piercing the planet appearing on the other side. As the latter popped up, an attack was already waiting for him.
"Mega Art: Solar Flare."
Solar energy at its peak ignited, releasing an orange-like brilliance wiping out the galaxies nearby.
Antares was floating in space waiting. Suddenly, a dark sphere appeared before him. It opened and Guy was standing unharmed, smiling. He calmly walked out and faced his opponent.
<
<
Both have questions that need to be answered, that's after this fight, of course. Antares surged forward, throwing a jab with blinding speed, his motion slicing through the scattered multiversal backdrop.
But Guy was ready. With calm precision, he caught the strike effortlessly, his hand meeting Antares' in perfect alignment.
Before Antares could retract, Guy countered with a brutal uppercut, the force rippling through the very fabric of the infinite universes around them.
[Unique Skill: Defender, acquisition successful.]
<
He didn't anticipate any of what's happening.
[Unique Skill: Mirror, acquired successfully.]
Antares hurtled deep into a distant galaxy, ignoring the whispers that sought to distract him. His location is strange, an isolated solar system, a lone star and its solitary planet suspended in space.
He crashed into the star, ignoring the fireballs raining down upon him, each one scorching with untamed energy.
"Dark Nova: Black Hole."
He countered without paying them a glance. With the incantation, a black hole erupted, swallowing the falling fireballs, and the lone star itself into an abyss of inescapable gravity, hurtling toward Guy.
"Be the opposite... White Hole."
He snapped, and a white hole materialised behind Guy. But instead of repelling, it pulled, anchoring Guy into place, pinning him amidst the spiralling chaos of collapsing and emerging matter.
The two forces collided, their rings of cosmic power clashing and the resulting explosion consumed half the universe, tearing through galaxies and stars.
Antares rose slowly, only to find Guy already upon him.
Guy appeared behind him, aiming for a surprise strike, but Antares' reaction was flawless, perfectly timed and precise. With ease, he deflected the incoming punch, the clash echoing through the fractured universe around them.
They traded a storm of blows and kicks, each strike tearing at the remnants of the shattered solar system. Antares backed away, then surged forward at blinding speed, intent on overwhelming Guy.
But Guy countered, pushing him down again, sending him plummeting into the remains of the half-destroyed planet.
In a blink, Antares recovered, launching a kick aimed directly at Guy, only to feel a suffocating paralysis. His body froze, and the very space around him seemed to grind to a halt, leaving him utterly immobilised in the heart of the chaos.
<
Noticing his surprised face, Guy attacked.
"Disintegration."
The Star was encircled by layers of magic circles that exploded with light, returning him to the half-planet. His mind rang, and the world was slowly getting suspended again he got up and turned, wondering what might have happened.
"This is the end...Infernal Arrow."
Guy who's immune to the phenomenon attacked, releasing a jet black scorching arrow glazing downward.
<
-
-
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"Oh, so you thought. Supreme Gate!"
With a sharp snap of his fingers, he summoned a colossal golden gate, its frame shimmering with divine authority. The Infernal Arrow faded into light in the presence of the Supreme Gate, its power dimmed before the overwhelming force.
As the gate swung open, a golden magic circle formed, glowing with raw, concentrated energy.
<
Guy's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting him to move in the Suspended World.
"Divine Cannon!"
A massive orb of pure Star energy erupted from the circle, radiating with incomprehensible power. Guy, seizing the opportunity, opened a portal, sending the cannonball hurtling toward an unidentified destination.
The portal sealed behind it with a snap, but a crack split the surrounding space, and the energy sphere reappeared instantly, striking with devastating force. Guy was blown out of the half-destroyed universe, the impact sending shockwaves through the fractured cosmos and leaving him staggering in the void.
<
Lost in thought, Guy's focus sharpened as a sound of impossibly rapid rotation cut through the void, faster than anything imaginable.
A brilliant blue light pierced the darkness, emanating from a sphere spinning uncontrollably in his hands. His fingers were infused with Star energy, the celestial force acting as both lubricant and anchor, ensuring the sphere remained firmly in his grasp despite its chaotic spin.
"Pulsar Ray!"
With a swift motion, he aimed the glowing orb at Guy and unleashed a searing blue ray. The Star energy detonated across the cosmos, annihilating countless universes, carving a void into the very fabric of the World that housed infinite realities.
For a fleeting, almost sacred moment, silence reigned across the World, an oppressive stillness that spoke of the scale of destruction just wrought.
"Ha-ha... I was fast... but not fast enough."
He had survived, yet the cost was evident. Pain and strain flickered across his features, an unspoken toll of the devastation he'd endured.
"I... lost an arm, though."
Almost instantly, his left arm regenerated, stitching itself back into form in the blink of an eye, flesh and energy merging seamlessly.
"A direct hit would've been very damaging."
He added.
<
"
I'm truly surprised. How did you survive?"
Antares spoke, amusement lacing his tone, though his expression betrayed a hint of tension. Guy merely smiled before responding.
"It's simple, I used my Ultimate Skill: Gabriel."
"Ultimate Skills, huh? Finally, guess they're on par with Mega Arts."
"Interesting, I must win as I am interested in your kind, you in particular."
"I won't lose not today..."
After the short conversation, silence fell throughout the world. Neither is attempting to make the first move.
"You know, I've never fought like this, but I'd say I am tired of exchanging punches and magical attacks. Are you thinking what I am thinking? "
The apathetic kid asked.
"I've fought harder and longer than this, but I must say today's own is interesting without a doubt. What are you thinking, by the way?
"An all-out single attack. Yours v mine, we clash. Last man standing wins, dead or alive."
"I had that in mind actually. I'm down, let's end this."
Antares raised his right palm and a transparent ball-like vessel appeared.
"Neutron."
"Remember, gather all your arsenal in this single blow."
He added.
"I know."
Guy crossed his arms and he flew higher than usual. The space behind him cracked and tore open. A huge eye-like figure emerging from a rift accompanied by hand-like figures.
Antares poured his aura, his previous Arts and many more that he didn't put into the Neutron. The vessel kept increasing as he added his Arts to it. The entire World was bathed in two lights: reddish red from Guy's eye and white from Antares' vessel.
"I'm done here."
"So am I."
"Mine is a two-phase attack."
<
"Mine is one and that won't mean I'll lose"
"Red, can we be friends after this?"
Antares asked sincerely.
"People call me Guy Crimson, but I'll make an exception for you. Call me Red if you wish. And by the way, we're already friends."
He replied warmly.
"I see.I'm the same old star Antares. Feel free to make a name for me."
"Hmmm, how about Asteri?"
Antares or rather Asteri's eyes widen.
"Asteri, huh? Not bad."
<
"I can't hold much longer."
<
<>
"Just fire it already."
"Fine then...Hyper Ray "
The enormous ball of white light moved towards Guy, despite its size it was fast. Asteri snapped his finger making the vessel release a single ray of light.
"Hellish Catastrophe."
The huge eye directly charged towards the Hyper Ray. They clashed igniting a catastrophic explosion that grew larger by the second, its destruction spreading beyond reach.
To be continued...