The blood-red gravitational waves pressed down relentlessly on the dome.
Selena gritted her teeth and endured a weight that felt like it was about to crush her. The water dome shook violently but didn't collapse.
"I can't attack that bastard. Selena, how am I going to get in there?" Julian growled, clenching his fists tightly.
"Muscle brain!" Selena snapped. "If you get out of this water dome, your bones will be the first to shatter. My water sphere won't last long under that much pressure."
Nolan felt his dark mana surge even more wildly. Violent tremors rippled around them. Selena's water dome was shaking violently as if it could collapse at any moment.
"Julian," Nolan said firmly. "Cover your body with Titan Aura, and then reinforce it with the water sphere. Selena, once we get out, protect yourself and get as far away as possible."
Nolan's healing was complete. The mana sphere he had swallowed was beginning to take full effect. He knew his time was limited—one hour, no more.
"Nolan, how are you?" Selena asked quickly. "That gravitational pressure—"
"No need," Nolan interrupted curtly. Just two words, said with a straight face.
Selena remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. She immediately covered Julian's body, clad in a red Titan Aura, with an additional layer of water spheres. This protection could withstand some of the gravitational pressure.
The next instant, the main water dome shattered, but just in time.
Selena quickly formed a new water sphere to shield herself and retreated as far as possible from the gravitational wave, staying well within its five-meter range from the center of the pressure.
Nolan stepped forward.
The gravitational pressure slammed into his body like a giant hammer, despite his entire body being enveloped in a pitch-black dark mana aura. However, the surge of aura was too great to completely suppress.
Currently, Nolan was at the level of a Sequence 5 Sentinel Saint.
The mana energy spheres forced him to power up to this level—a temporary power that would only last an hour.
Still, Nolan was clear about one thing.
That man was still much stronger.
In midair, the gravity wielder slowly moved his arms and neck, as if doing a light warm-up. A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Interesting," he said with a grin. "You deserve to know my name: Charlie Sheer. Ultimate Sentinel Sequence 7, Fighter Path, Gravity User."
He paused, then continued with a deepening smirk.
"I have no qualms about saying that my hobby is seeking pleasure for our Lady."
"What pleasure?" Julian growled angrily. "You're nothing but a murderous maniac, collaborating with the Daemon race!"
Nolan didn't want Julian and Selena to get any more involved, especially after seeing how badly Julian was injured by just one attack. However, before he could react, Selena—who was farthest away, right behind Charlie, who was still sliding toward the ground—acted first.
She fired her water ball, striking the man in the back.
"You bastard!" Charlie growled angrily.
He swung his arm roughly. A chunk of earth rose and hurtled toward Selena. Instinctively, the girl jumped to the side and landed in the snow with a swift roll just before the chunk of earth hit where she had been standing.
Nolan focused. If there was one way to stop Charlie, it was to trap him in his own element. His hands moved quickly, and the Hexagonal Chain shot out of his grasp.
However, before the chain reached its target, Charlie suddenly roared. A roar of rage shook the air.
A massive gravitational wave exploded from his body and pressed directly down on Nolan. Nolan's body reeled in the air, but the protective shield he had activated earlier withstood the pressure, albeit with difficulty.
A dense red mana aura enveloped Charlie's entire body, forming a thick layer that resembled clothing. The pressure radiating from the aura made the air feel heavy, as if the space around them was being squeezed.
"Brat," Charlie said with a cruel smile. "Do you really want to play with me? I accept your challenge."
He stretched out both hands in front of him.
"Aura of the Suppressing King."
In an instant—
—his movement disappeared from view.
Under the pressure of the Suppressing King's Aura, Nolan moved so quickly that the distance between them seemed to fold. By the time Charlie realized it, Nolan was right behind him.
Slash!
The Eclipse Cleave shot out, followed by a swing of the blade that struck Charlie's back. The gravitational aura surrounding the man's body trembled violently.
Charlie jerked back, his eyes widening as pain radiated from his shoulder.
"What...?" he muttered, instinctively pressing his hand against the cut on his shoulder. "How could that bastard hurt me?"
Nolan felt the throbbing pain in his head that had not yet completely subsided. But strangely, his mind felt blank—calm—without the slightest hesitation.
His body moved with sharp instinct.
He attacked again.
The Eclipse Cleaves came in a flurry, far more terrifying this time. The slashes of the dark aura shattered the gravitational waves pressing down on the surroundings. The ground and air trembled as the previously oppressive pressure began to break apart.
Charlie chose to approach.
A fist enveloped in a red, gravity-like aura charged toward Nolan. However, he leaped upward before the attack could reach him. The fist struck only empty air.
Charlie didn't stop there.
"Gravity Sphere Aura."
A dense red aura condensed in his palm, forming a medium-sized sphere. The sphere pulsed, then shot forward. As it passed, a section of the forest in its path vanished as if obliterated by the void.
Nolan quickly dodged. But his brow furrowed when he saw the impact—the ground and trees disappeared without a trace.
"Boy," Charlie said with a lopsided smile, his fists clenched tightly. "You won't be able to avoid the Gravity Sphere Aura. Once you touch it, your body will vanish instantly."
The aura condensed again, forming a much larger sphere this time. Its red hue deepened as it hurtled toward Nolan.
Eclipse Cleave shot out to block it—
But the slash was swallowed up by the gravity sphere without a trace.
Nolan didn't stop.
He raised his sword, and a dark aura swirled and condensed around the blade.
"—"
His sword swung.
[Black Moon – Void Disc]
A black disc formed in midair and began spinning at an astonishing speed. The Void Disc shot straight out and sliced the Gravity Aura Ball in half with ease.
Boom!
The gravity ball exploded, but the explosion collapsed in on itself, devastating nothing around it.