CHAPTER — THE FIFTH GATE OF HEAVEN
The Emerald Inferno was dying.
The colossal emerald sun had shattered across the black heavens, sending rivers of green fire through the endless darkness. Mountains of obsidian collapsed one after another. The ground trembled beneath the force of the battle.
At the center of the destruction stood JOSÈ THOMAS.
His coat was almost completely destroyed.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
His breathing was heavy.
But his green eyes remained fixed on the figure standing several hundred meters away.
DAMIAN JACKSON.
Damian was barely recognizable.
His clothes hung in torn pieces from his body. His arms were covered in burns, and blood dripped from his fingertips.
Yet he was still standing.
Josè narrowed his eyes.
"You survived the Emerald Apocalypse."
Damian slowly lifted his head.
"I told you…"
He clenched his fist.
"I don't know how to stay down."
Josè smiled.
"Then I'll put you down myself."
Damian's expression suddenly changed.
The darkness surrounding him disappeared.
For the first time since the battle began, Damian became completely still.
No dark energy.
No aura.
No movement.
Nothing.
Josè frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Damian closed his eyes.
"I've been fighting you with everything I had."
He slowly placed two fingers against his chest.
"But I finally realized something."
The ground beneath Damian cracked.
"I was never using my real power."
Josè's eyes widened.
A faint golden light appeared beneath Damian's skin.
Then another.
And another.
Ancient symbols began appearing across his arms, chest, and face.
Josè took a step backward.
"What is that?"
Damian opened his eyes.
They were no longer completely human.
His pupils had become brilliant golden rings.
"My ancestors called it a forbidden state."
The golden aura expanded.
"A power that wasn't meant for humans."
Damian raised his hand toward the heavens.
"But I don't care anymore."
His voice became deeper.
"Because if I don't use it…"
He looked directly at Josè.
"…I'll die."
The entire Emerald Inferno suddenly became silent.
Then Damian shouted—
"FIFTH GATE OF HEAVEN!"
---
THE FIFTH GATE
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic pillar of golden energy erupted from Damian and pierced through the black sky.
The remaining green clouds were blown apart.
The rivers of emerald fire were pushed backward.
Even Josè's Sovereign Realm reacted to Damian's transformation.
Five enormous golden gates appeared behind Damian.
The first gate opened.
BOOM.
The second.
BOOM.
The third.
BOOM.
The fourth.
BOOOOOOM!
Then the fifth gate began opening.
Josè felt something he hadn't felt throughout the entire battle.
Fear.
The fifth gate opened completely.
FIFTH GATE OF HEAVEN — CELESTIAL ASCENSION
Damian's body transformed.
Golden markings covered his skin.
His hair rose into the air.
A massive halo appeared behind his head.
Two enormous wings made from pure golden energy spread from his back.
His wounds began closing.
His broken bones repaired themselves.
His entire body radiated overwhelming power.
Damian slowly opened his hands.
Golden lightning danced between his fingers.
"The Fifth Gate…"
He looked toward Josè.
"…allows me to borrow the power of Heaven itself."
Josè stared at him.
Then he laughed.
"You think becoming some kind of angel is going to defeat me?"
Damian smiled.
"No."
He disappeared.
"I know it will."
---
THE FIRST STRIKE
Josè barely had time to react.
BOOOOOOM!
Damian's fist slammed into his face.
Josè was launched through the air.
He crashed into an obsidian mountain.
KRAAAACK!
Before he could recover—
Damian appeared above him.
HEAVEN'S DESCENT!
A golden kick smashed Josè into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire mountain collapsed.
Josè emerged from the crater.
Blood poured from his mouth.
He looked upward.
Damian was floating above him.
Josè's eyes narrowed.
"That speed…"
Damian vanished again.
Josè turned.
Too late.
BAM!
A punch struck his ribs.
BAM!
Another hit his jaw.
CRACK!
A knee struck his stomach.
Damian moved so quickly that dozens of golden afterimages appeared around Josè.
Each one attacked simultaneously.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Josè was overwhelmed.
For the first time, the Sovereign Realm's owner couldn't follow his opponent's movements.
Damian appeared directly in front of him.
"It's over."
His fist glowed with golden energy.
HEAVEN BREAKER!
Josè crossed his arms.
The punch connected.
KABOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion tore across the realm.
Josè flew backward for kilometers.
He finally stopped himself by driving his feet into the ground.
The black earth split behind him.
Josè looked at his trembling hands.
Then he smiled.
"So…"
Green flames began rising from his body.
"You finally became interesting."
---
THE EMERALD FLAME EMPEROR
Josè lowered his head.
The green fire surrounding him suddenly disappeared.
Damian watched carefully.
"What are you doing?"
Josè didn't answer.
His heart began beating.
THUMP.
The entire realm shook.
THUMP.
The rivers of green fire rose into the air.
THUMP.
Every remaining flame in the Emerald Inferno began moving toward Josè.
Damian's golden eyes widened.
"No…"
Josè's body began changing.
Green flames covered his legs.
Then his arms.
Then his chest.
Two enormous wings of emerald fire erupted from his back.
A crown made from pure green flame formed above his head.
His eyes became brilliant emerald.
Black markings appeared across his body like ancient royal symbols.
In his right hand, an enormous sword formed from compressed green fire.
The sword was so large that its tip dragged across the ground.
Josè slowly lifted his head.
ULTIMATE FORM
EMERALD FLAME EMPEROR
The entire Sovereign Realm bowed to him.
The mountains stopped collapsing.
The rivers of fire began flowing toward him.
The remaining fragments of the emerald sun gathered behind his back.
Josè looked like a king standing at the center of an inferno.
Damian clenched his fists.
"You had another form?"
Josè raised his sword.
"I never needed it."
Green fire exploded from his body.
"But you forced me to use it."
---
HEAVEN VS. INFERNO
Damian spread his golden wings.
Josè spread his emerald wings.
For several seconds, they stared at each other.
Then both disappeared.
BOOOOOOM!
Their fists collided in midair.
Golden lightning and green fire exploded outward.
Damian attacked again.
Josè blocked.
Josè swung his flaming sword.
Damian dodged.
The sword sliced through a mountain behind him.
SHIIIIING!
The entire mountain melted.
Damian appeared behind Josè.
HEAVENLY FIST!
Josè turned.
His flaming sword blocked the attack.
The impact created a shockwave that traveled through the entire Sovereign Realm.
Damian grinned.
"You're stronger."
Josè smiled.
"So are you."
They attacked simultaneously.
Golden energy.
Emerald fire.
Darkness.
Lightning.
The battlefield became a storm of destruction.
---
FIFTH GATE: CELESTIAL SPEED
Damian folded his wings.
His body became surrounded by golden rings.
"Let's see if you can keep up."
He vanished.
Josè looked around.
Nothing.
Then—
BOOM!
Damian struck from above.
Josè blocked.
Another attack.
BOOM!
Another.
BOOM!
Another.
BOOM!
Damian attacked from every direction.
Josè was forced backward.
Damian suddenly appeared directly in front of him.
"Five hundred strikes."
His fists became golden blurs.
CELESTIAL METEOR FIST!
Hundreds of punches struck Josè in seconds.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Josè's body was pushed backward.
But then—
He smiled.
Damian stopped.
"What?"
Josè's body began releasing green flames from every wound.
"You're fast."
The flames grew.
"But you forgot something."
Josè raised his sword.
LAW OF CONSUMPTION.
Every green flame within the realm began moving toward Damian.
Damian's golden aura started flickering.
His eyes widened.
"You're absorbing my energy?"
Josè swung his sword.
"Exactly."
EMERALD VOID SLASH!
A gigantic crescent of green fire traveled across the battlefield.
Damian crossed his arms.
HEAVEN'S SHIELD!
A golden barrier appeared.
The green slash struck.
KRAAAAAAAAAASH!
Damian was pushed backward.
His golden shield cracked.
Then shattered.
The attack struck his chest.
BOOOOOOM!
Damian crashed into the ground.
---
THE FIFTH GATE'S SECRET
Damian remained motionless.
Josè lowered his sword.
"It's over."
Silence.
Then Damian's fingers moved.
Josè's eyes widened.
Damian slowly stood.
Blood covered his face.
His golden wings were damaged.
But his aura was growing.
Josè stared.
"Why is your power increasing?"
Damian laughed.
"Because…"
The five golden gates behind him began spinning.
"…you still haven't figured out the real purpose of the Fifth Gate."
The five gates merged into one enormous golden symbol.
Damian raised both hands.
"The first four gates give me power."
His golden aura expanded.
"But the Fifth Gate…"
His eyes became completely golden.
"…gives me authority."
The sky opened.
A massive golden eye appeared above Damian.
Josè looked upward.
"What the hell is that?"
Damian pointed at Josè.
HEAVEN'S DECREE.
The golden eye released a beam of pure celestial energy.
Josè raised his sword.
The beam struck.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Green fire exploded everywhere.
Josè screamed as his body was pushed backward.
The golden energy began suppressing his flames.
His emerald crown flickered.
Damian continued.
"Kneel."
The pressure increased.
Josè's knees began bending.
"Your realm…"
The ground beneath Josè cracked.
"…belongs to you."
Damian's eyes burned.
"But Heaven…"
He raised his hand.
"…belongs to me."
---
THE EMPEROR REFUSES TO KNEEL
Josè's hands trembled.
His sword was embedded in the ground.
His entire body was being crushed by Damian's celestial authority.
But then he began laughing.
Damian frowned.
"What are you laughing at?"
Josè slowly raised his head.
"You made another mistake."
His emerald eyes burned brighter.
"You think this realm belongs to me?"
The green flames around him exploded.
"No."
Josè pulled his sword from the ground.
"I AM THE REALM."
The entire Emerald Inferno responded.
The mountains erupted.
The rivers of fire exploded upward.
The emerald sun reappeared.
Every flame in the dimension turned toward Josè.
Damian's expression changed.
Josè lifted his sword toward the heavens.
THIRD LAW — REBIRTH.
His body disappeared into green fire.
Damian's eyes widened.
"Where did he—?"
A massive emerald hand erupted from the ground.
Damian jumped.
Another emerged.
Then another.
Hundreds of green hands reached toward him.
Damian destroyed them with golden lightning.
But more appeared.
Josè's voice echoed through the realm.
"You cannot defeat something…"
The flames began forming an enormous figure.
"…that can be reborn from its own destruction."
A colossal green silhouette emerged behind Damian.
It was Josè.
But it was thousands of times larger.
Damian looked upward.
Josè's giant flaming form raised its sword.
EMERALD EMPEROR'S JUDGMENT!
The sword descended.
Damian crossed both arms.
FIFTH GATE — HEAVEN'S FINAL BARRIER!
Golden energy erupted around him.
The green sword struck.
KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Emerald Inferno disappeared beneath the collision.
For several seconds, there was nothing.
No sound.
No movement.
Only white light.
---
THE FINAL CLASH
When the explosion cleared, Damian was on one knee.
His golden wings were almost gone.
The Fifth Gate flickered behind him.
Josè stood opposite him.
His emerald armor was cracked.
One wing had disappeared.
Both warriors were exhausted.
Damian slowly stood.
Josè raised his sword.
Damian raised his fist.
Neither spoke.
Then Damian smiled.
Josè smiled back.
They knew.
There was only one attack left.
Damian gathered every remaining fragment of celestial energy.
The five gates behind him shattered one by one.
FIRST GATE—
SECOND—
THIRD—
FOURTH—
Then the Fifth Gate began collapsing.
Damian screamed.
"ALL OF HEAVEN…"
Golden energy gathered into his fist.
"…GIVE ME EVERYTHING!"
FIFTH GATE: HEAVEN'S LAST STAR!
At the same moment, Josè raised his flaming sword.
Every remaining flame in the Emerald Inferno entered his body.
His emerald crown became brighter.
His wings expanded.
The broken realm began shaking violently.
Josè whispered:
«"Emerald Inferno…"»
The entire dimension responded.
«"FINAL JUDGMENT."»
A gigantic emerald dragon formed around Josè.
Its body stretched across the sky.
Its jaws opened.
Damian charged.
Josè charged.
Golden Heaven collided with Emerald Inferno.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion was beyond anything either warrior had created before.
The Sovereign Realm cracked.
Space itself began breaking.
Golden lightning tore through the sky.
Green fire consumed the ground.
The two warriors were caught at the center.
Damian's fist struck Josè's chest.
Josè's flaming sword struck Damian's shoulder.
Neither stopped.
Damian screamed.
Josè roared.
Their powers collided again.
And again.
And again.
Until—
CRACK.
The Fifth Gate shattered.
CRACK.
The Emerald Crown shattered.
Both warriors froze.
Then the entire realm exploded.
---
AFTERMATH
Silence.
The Emerald Inferno was gone.
The black mountains had disappeared.
The rivers of green fire were extinguished.
The emerald sun had vanished.
Only a massive crater remained.
At the center of it lay Damian.
His golden aura was gone.
His wings had disappeared.
His body was motionless.
Several meters away lay Josè.
His ultimate form was gone.
His green flames had almost completely disappeared.
Neither moved.
Seconds passed.
Then Damian's hand twitched.
Josè's eyes opened.
They both looked toward each other.
Damian laughed weakly.
"You're… still alive?"
Josè slowly smiled.
"So are you."
Damian tried to stand.
His legs failed.
Josè attempted the same.
He fell back onto the ground.
For the first time, neither warrior had enough strength to continue.
THE BATTLE OF HEAVEN AND EMERALD INFERNO HAD ENDED.
BUT THE AGE OF THE SOVEREIGN REALMS HAD ONLY JUST BEGUN.