NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 44: Extension of the territory
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The battle raged on, nearly two hours had passed. Despite losing his eye, Akira fought even more fiercely, thanks to the demonic energy that had allowed him to stand his ground against the patriarch's transformation.
"I see that you refuse God's judgment," the patriarch said, dodging an attack from Akira.
Akira did not reply, focused on his battle. When he suddenly took some distance. Akira then pointed his sword towards the patriarch and whispered, "In reverse technique: Black Hole".
Suddenly, a mass of energy formed a few meters away from the patriarch. Sensing the danger, the latter quickly stepped back. From where he stood, space seemed to twist, as if pulled by something. Everything nearby was suddenly sucked in, disappearing without a trace.
The patriarch observed this frightening phenomenon, when suddenly a silhouette stealthily emerged from Akira's shadow. Attacking him by surprise in his blind spot, Akira turned around quickly and grabbed him by the neck, breaking it. But this moment of inattention cost him dearly, as at the same time, the patriarch appeared in front of him. He placed his hand on Akira's stomach and uttered:
"Celestial Destruction"
Akira took the attack head-on and spat out a gush of blood before being propelled backwards, hitting a building.
A few seconds passed, then a minute, two minutes. Silence fell before being broken by falling debris. In the midst of it all, Akira barely stood on his feet, with a fist-sized hole in his stomach. Leaning on his sword, Akira spat blood.
"Look at yourself! So pathetic," said the patriarch. "Why not just die and be done with it?"
"I will die," Akira said, pausing. "Of course I will die, but it will be when I decide," he added with a smile, revealing his white teeth stained with blood.
"Then I will end this miserable life of yours," replied the patriarch, starting to walk slowly towards Akira.
Planting his sword in the ground, Akira raised his right hand with difficulty and placed his index finger on the middle finger. Slowly, scales began to cover his body, until he was completely covered, leaving only his abs bare. His arm, neck, and part of his face also transformed, his right eye becoming that of a reptile, more precisely a dragon. As he opened his mouth, he sighed and whispered:
"Extension of the territory: Unlimited void".
Suddenly, a dome formed, enclosing the patriarch and Akira. In this domain, a reptilian eye stood high in the sky, and a miasma fell from the sky, while blood formed a river under their feet.
"So you were hiding one last card," said the patriarch, observing the scene. "The aura it emits is truly sinister," he added. "So this will be your final attack?"
Akira did not reply. He gripped his sword, got into position, raised his sword above his head, closed his eyes, and whispered:
"Void slash," slowly lowering his sword until the tip touched the ground.
The patriarch widened his eyes, but it was already too late. He received the invisible attack head-on, without any reaction.
"Consider yourself lucky to be the first to receive my void slash," said Akira arrogantly, before falling on his back.
The silence was heavy on the devastated battlefield. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the tall grass tinged with red could be heard. Akira lay on the ground. Two gaping wounds marked his left side and stomach, releasing a continuous flow of blood that formed a scarlet pool around him.
His right eye, now half-closed, veiled by pain and exhaustion. His breathing was labored, each inhale causing a sinister gurgle in his chest. With each exhale, strands of blood escaped from the corners of his lips, tracing crimson streaks on his deathly pale face.
The sky above him was a clear blue, dotted with a few fluffy clouds drifting peacefully, indifferent to the drama unfolding below. Akira gazed at this azure expanse, his thoughts wandering.
"I'm sorry," he murmured in a barely audible voice, his words almost lost in the wind. His eyes remained fixed on the sky, as if seeking a final absolution. "I would have loved to see you again, master..."
A violent fit of coughing shook him, spraying droplets of blood that briefly sparkled in the sunlight before landing on his face. After what seemed like an eternity, he caught his breath and continued, his voice even weaker than before.
"Kaguya !!" The name echoed like a desperate prayer, laden with regrets and unfulfilled promises.
Another wave of blood rose in his throat, and he coughed violently, his entire body convulsing with the effort. The red liquid flowed continuously from his mouth, while his features contorted with pain.
"Ahhh, I'm tired," Akira murmured, a strange smile forming on his bloodied lips. "I'd like to rest for a moment..."
His half-closed eyes began to close gradually. The eyelids lowered slowly, inexorably, until they were completely shut. The smile remained frozen on his face, a final expression of defiance in the face of death itself.
The ensuing silence was deafening. Where just moments before the harsh sound of his breathing echoed, there was now only emptiness. Akira's body, vibrating with life just seconds ago, now lay motionless, all traces of existence having left him.
This heavy silence was shattered by Otsutsuki's trembling voice as he watched the scene.
"H-He's dead," he murmured, his words seeming to resonate like thunder in the still atmosphere.
Those simple words had a catalyzing effect. As if an invisible dam had just burst, the realization of what had just occurred struck all the fighters present. One by one, then by the dozens, cries of victory rose on the battlefield. Warriors raised their weapons to the sky, celebrating the fall of the man they considered their greatest enemy.
But their euphoria was short-lived.
The patriarch, who until then had stood tall and proud, seemingly having gone through the battle unscathed, was suddenly seized by a violent spasm. A gush of blood erupted from his mouth, splashing the ground at his feet. His previously impassive face contorted with pain as an invisible wound, previously unseen, revealed itself in all its horror.
A deep gash ran from his collarbone down to his abdomen. His stomach, exposed through the gaping wound, was completely lacerated and bathed in his own blood. The wound seemed to pulsate with malevolent energy, as if each heartbeat of the patriarch only served to enlarge it further.
His legs gave way under his weight, and he fell heavily to one knee. His trembling hand instinctively reached for the golden eye embedded in his forehead.
"Akira, you bastard," he spat through clenched teeth, rage and pain mixing in his voice. "You haven't just injured me physically, but the very essence of my soul..."
His gaze shifted to Akira's lifeless body, and for the first time in centuries, a glimmer of fear crossed his eyes. The elders, witnesses to the scene, immediately reacted at the sight of their wounded leader.
"Patriarch!" they cried in unison, rushing to him as one.
They quickly surrounded him, their hands reaching out to support him and help him stand. The patriarch accepted their help, his legs trembling with the effort as he tried to regain his former imposing stance.
Once standing, albeit unsteadily, he regained a semblance of control over the situation. "Put the body of this traitor in a safe place," he ordered in a voice that tried to sound authoritative despite his obvious weakness.
But as the group was about to turn away to carry out this order, something happened.
An explosion of energy suddenly burst from Akira's body, so powerful that it pushed back all those nearby. Waves of raw power emanated from his inert form, creating ripples in the air.
Under the horrified gaze of the spectators, Akira's body began to rise, as if manipulated by invisible strings. He slowly ascended from the ground, his limp limbs dangling in the air, until his body was completely engulfed by the ever-growing torrent of energy.
"Damn it," grunted one of the elders, his voice betraying his frustration and fear. "Why can't he just die and disappear?"