Monarch

|Gary|

I narrowly evaded Agrona's thunderous fist, swiftly countering by driving my knee into his arm.

'His body is unnaturally sturdy,' I thought, deciding to create some distance between us.

A relentless barrage of attacks, originating from various mediums, sought to overwhelm me.

[Ultra Instinct]

Activating that state once again, I effortlessly reacted, neutralizing all incoming assaults. However, Agrona's strength was staggering.

At <SSS+ > rank, he was toying with me. Yet, the intensity of his attacks was escalating, and my demise loomed without a viable response.

How does one prevail against an adversary of superior rank?

Technique. Rank merely reflected the quantity of mana and aether at one's disposal, not how efficiently it was utilized. It measured raw strength.

Despite the considerable gap between Agrona and me, my techniques surpassed his.

'This might just work,' I pondered as I unfurled [Sword Domain].

But not just the conventional [Sword Domain].

[Recoilless Sword Domain], channeling all energy into singular points and delivering them through the spatial tapestry with such precision and power that it approached instantaneous execution.

Its potency was further elevated by the acceleration granted by [Ultra Instinct].

These were two realizations I gleaned from my quest to surpass the pinnacle of my past life and ascend to godhood.

The primary challenge in this clash was Agrona's gravity magic, especially when interwoven with aether motes, which could distort space and even deflect my recoilless attacks. It was a spell I hadn't anticipated, adding an intriguing layer to our battle.

[Fourth movement of the Keiki Style: Recoilless World Splitter]

The ultimate goal of swordsmanship is to cleanly sever through everything, even abstract concepts like space or gravity. The gravitational waves, entwined with mana particles around Agrona, collided with my sword.

I didn't overpower them.

I sliced through them flawlessly.

The tumultuous waves of gravity yielded to the precision of my swordsmanship.

A swing of my blade severed one of Agrona's antlers, his face a canvas of astonishment.

"Don't underestimate the reach of my sword," I declared. My aether core spun with its utmost capacity.

A dangerous smile crept across Agrona's face as he applauded.

Instinctively, I moved, dodging imperceptible attacks that manipulated the fabric of space. However, he wasn't assaulting from beyond our dimensions, allowing me to evade.

[First movement of the Keiki Style: Recoilless Quick Slash]

My sword cleaved through space, carving a one-dimensional path and opening a hole in Agrona's shoulder.

Despite the apparent turn of the battle, he displayed no concern.

It was disconcerting, to say the least.

'What is he scheming?' I pondered.

"You possess formidable strength, Gary Whiteborn," he remarked stoically, "Yet, there exists a fundamental distinction between us."

In an instant, the space between us collapsed. No, he obliterated it, employing his gravity magic.

His fists shot out, each blow carrying the weight of a planet due to the immense gravity he infused into them.

I manoeuvred my body skilfully, evading his assaults while countering with recoilless strikes.

However, I soon realized that even with [Ultra Instinct], dodging the attacks of someone swifter than me indefinitely was a futile endeavour.

My counterattacks inflicted damage, but before long, he began landing hits on me. Dusk had transformed into its armour form, offering some defense in this close-quarters struggle.

Yet, each of his punches felt like it was shattering my body, even through the protection of Dusk.

'I'm losing this war of attrition!' I acknowledged as the relentless exchange persisted.

Agrona lacked recoilless or ultra instinct, but he was a monstrous force, surpassing me in both strength and speed.

In this state, I couldn't emerge victorious against him.

Agrona's fist lunged toward my abdomen, leaving me with no room to dodge. In response, I countered with a recoilless kick, but instead of pushing him back, I found myself being forced backward.

Seizing the opportunity, I unleashed a barrage of mana spells and strategically retreated, transforming Dusk back into her sword form.

"Gary Whiteborn, surrender," Agrona insisted as he closed in, "The disparity in our raw stats is insurmountable."

"Is it?" I chuckled.

Standing tall, I extended my fist and extracted two fingers, plunging them into my chest. I could feel the intricate network of channels and veins, linking my heart and aether core.

Since reaching the integration stage, my mana core had vanished, allowing me to employ this technique.

Thump!

[Ignition]

Flames engulfed the channels and veins coursing with mana particles, blood, and aether motes throughout my body.

I wasn't subjecting myself to a painful demise. Instead, I harnessed the flames to intensify, artificially elevating my rank.

"Quasi-<SSS+ > rank, huh," I muttered, "A one-rank leap."

Naturally, this boost was exceedingly temporary. I lacked the reserves of a quasi-<SSS+ > rank, depleting my resources at a significantly accelerated rate.

'About ten minutes? Or maybe just five...' I estimated the duration I could sustain [Ignition] against Agrona.

This was the most audacious self-buff spell, a technique that consumed the body for enhanced output. If Kathyln were aware of it, she would undoubtedly disapprove.

'I never anticipated needing this,' I reflected, 'I believed I could handle any Legacy without much difficulty. Yet, Agrona's unforeseen transformation has turned him into a formidable adversary.'

Ignition coursed through me, a perilous dance with death palpable with every breath. Yet, a smile graced my face.

My body wavered, nearly succumbing to a fall before I caught myself. Digging my right foot into the ground, I propelled forward with explosive speed.

Is teleportation swifter than mere movement?

In most instances, yes. But what if covering the distance with one's own speed surpassed the creation of a spatium bridge?

In that scenario, speed triumphs over teleportation.

And that was precisely what unfolded now.

Fueled by [Ignition], my velocity surpassed the formation of a spatium bridge.

Teleportation was unnecessary.

In the blink of an eye, I materialized before Agrona, whose countenance was veiled in shock. My sword, empowered by recoilless, struck him in a singular point, carving a deep gash from which golden ichor flowed.

Agrona swiftly recalculated, retreating and concentrating on fending off my assaults, biding his time for my impending exhaustion.

Amidst the swirling flames of destruction, I harnessed their power to slice through the undulating waves of gravity and shields of warped space. The tide had turned, and I was now driving him backward.

Fueled by ultra instinct and ignition, my speed eclipsed his, and the addition of recoilless endowed me with greater strength.

I was superior.

I was the victor.

With relentless determination, I pressed forward, compelling Agrona to sacrifice various limbs. Each strike seemed like it would be the decisive blow, yet he deftly defended against every assault.

"Die, Agrona!" I declared, unleashing the [Sixth Movement of the Keiki Style] at close range.

The strike connected.

He should be dead.

However, instead of the expected silence of victory, the echo of applause reached my ears.

A chill ran down my spine.

Turning around, my gaze fell upon two additional Agronas.

"Gary Whiteborn, truly remarkable," they chimed in unison.

My eyes swiftly scrutinized their forms, and the truth dawned on me—perfect clones.

The air thickened with tension as the gravity of the situation became apparent. This wasn't merely a battle; it was a calculated trap, and I had walked right into it.

This situation was spiraling out of control, and the uncertainty of what awaited me with these clones added an extra layer of suspense to the already intense confrontation.

"Crazy bastard," I muttered under my breath as I sensed the dwindling flames of [Ignition].

Once more, I stabbed my fingers into my chest, encountering an unexpected resistance. Doubts swirled within me. Could I truly proceed with this reckless decision? My instincts rebelled against my conscious choice, warning me of the potential consequences. The specter of death loomed over me, and I couldn't deny that this decision might lead me to my demise.

'But if I continue like this, death is inevitable.'

I maintained a facade of calm and composure in my thoughts. The reality was clear—if I persisted in battling Agrona in my current state, death awaited me. In that case, I chose to wager and burn my life until its limits. Even if it meant stepping into the perilous boundary between life and death, I embraced it as long as I could survive, as long as I could vanquish Agrona...

Craaack.

Without a hint of hesitation, my formidable fingers pierced the skin.

Thump!

Another resounding thump echoed, my heart accelerating its rhythm. It pulsated with such fervor that it seemed on the verge of bursting, causing my body to rise and fall with each breath.

My mind went blank; it was an inevitable consequence. I delved into uncharted territory, attempting something I had never even considered before. The simultaneous use of Realmheart, Ultra Instinct, and Ignition already imposed a colossal burden on my body.

Yet, as if those burdens weren't weighty enough, I dared to stoke the flames further, urging my heart, aether core and mana channels to surge, adding extra fuel to the already blazing inferno.