“I’m really interested in your secret, Nathan,” Arthur said with a grin. “Care to share? If you do, I’ll, well, dial it down a bit. What do you say?”

  Nathan gritted his teeth, grabbing Zeryn’s shoulder. The two friends launched themselves forward in that instant.

  Zeryn didn’t hesitate to unleash Sword Brigade the moment they arrived. A terrifying flurry of continuous slashes carved through the space around Arthur. Nathan seized the lightning essence in his body, combining it with the Aspect Amplifier. He transformed into a blur, weaving around the defensive dome.

  Emrys’s mouth dripped with blood, her nose leaking two streams of red liquid. She didn’t utter a single word of complaint, continuing to maintain her defense.

  “Such a stubborn bunch.” Arthur shook his head. “I might need to give you all a little warning, don’t you think?”

  The young master of House Merinor raised his hand, making a gesture as if turning up the volume.

  That strange energy once again washed over everyone.

  From his peripheral vision, Nathan saw the soldiers’ techniques become increasingly chaotic. They couldn’t maintain the rhythm to keep their Aspect-infused attacks effective.

  Most terrifying was the effect on the Tier 1 soldiers. The armor or uniforms they wore disintegrated as if they had gone through centuries of decay. They didn’t hesitate, their minds still focused on providing support in any way they could. Then, the first strange signs appeared on their skin. Decay. Black spots, wrinkled skin, muscle loss. In less than a few minutes, they had aged into old men on the battlefield. Only the Tier 2s were still resisting the cursed affliction.

  “Keep… Attacking…” Lachlan’s voice boomed like thunder in his ears.

  Nathan bit his lip and obeyed, no matter how much despair their actions carried.

  The three of them fought until the dust swirled around them. The ground surrounding Arthur’s protective dome sank, forming a shallow crater. The air was filled with the buzzing of lightning and the clang of swords. Anyone who came near would be instantly killed.

  With a loud roar, Nathan and his companions simultaneously unleashed their strongest attacks from three different angles toward Arthur.

  The man of skin and bones behind the protective screen laughed heartily, scanning his surroundings before shouting, “Accelerate!”

  Right after, even Nathan couldn't resist the entropy. His Passive Skills hadn’t been broken, but he was combining too many unstable variables. Not only Berserker, but he had also incorporated an unperfected method: Aspect Amplifier. Separately, they weren’t affected, but the combination delivered another blow directly to his spirit world.

  His Core trembled as he lost control of his energy. The Aspect Amplifier fragment above the Lake of Stars exploded, shaking the most delicate part of a cultivator.

  He crashed to the ground on his knees, his hands braced in front of him. He couldn’t hold on any longer.

  Blood gushed from his mouth like a flood. His face turned pale in an instant. His eyes drooped, looking as if he could pass out at any moment. Somewhere, he knew Zeryn was calling his name, but all his ears registered were high-pitched whines.

  Blinking, he tried to stand. One hand snaked around his elbow, steadying him. Another arm simultaneously wrapped around his shoulder.

  In his vision, he saw PsiLink messages but couldn’t read them because they were blurred.

  It took a while for his vision to return.

  By now, Lachlan and Zeryn were on either side of him. Lachlan was panting on the left, his hands covered in sores. His face showed no signs of internal injury. On the other side, Zeryn wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. Nathan immediately offered him food for internal injuries, but Zeryn refused, signaling he had already taken some.

  Lachlan nodded at him, then at Zeryn. After that, the Major released his hand and stepped forward.

  Nathan quickly looked at the PsiLink message after establishing the Closed Connection Protocol, a communication method that only worked when users touched each other.

  Lachlan: Good job, both of you! We found Arthur’s weakness.

  Zeryn: Speed?

  Lachlan: So you knew?

  Zeryn: Anyone with eyes would know. So Arthur also knows.

  Lachlan: But he’s too arrogant to think we can counterattack.

  Zeryn: You did come prepared. Next time, at least let us know what you're doing.

  Lachlan: This was just a gamble. Nothing certain. However, I believe speed can solve almost everything.

  Connection Interrupted…!

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  #?#?: Is this Mr. Nathan Reed?

  Zeryn: Who are you?

  #?#?: I am Celene. I’m with The Amber Path Coalition right now.

  Zeryn: What? Where are you?

  Celene: There is no time. We have been waiting for this chance to interrupt you. The Amber Path will help you once you run. We will try to protect Mr. Nathan.

  Lachlan: Why?

  …

  Lachlan: Well, we got another backup plan.

  Zeryn: Another?

  Lachlan: There’s no time. Arthur’s weakness is that he has to pinpoint a target before he can execute his Entropy Aspect. I’ll attack him again. You and Nathan find an opportunity if it presents itself.

  Nathan registered the flood of information his two teammates had exchanged in just a few seconds. There was a map marking a location at the city's south gate that only he could access.

  The final action, when Arthur had to turn his body amidst the dust storm created by all three, had allowed [Improved Pattern Recognition] to complete the final piece of the puzzle. Lachlan, however, had predicted this from the beginning. His seemingly reckless attacks had all been in service of this moment.

  “Are you alright?” Zeryn asked, his eyes scanning him from top to bottom.

  “No, I’m not,” Nathan said, grimacing from the pain.

  “He’s fearsome, that Arthur.”

  “Yeah, I cannot deny that.”

  The dust cloud around them settled, revealing the surrounding scene. The three of them stood on the ground they had ravaged, now placing them just below the plateau where Arthur stood. The enemy’s gaze was as condescending as it could get.

  “How does it feel?” Arthur spread his arms wide. “Being the best of your generation, but having to compete with the greatest of all time.”

  “You? The greatest of all time?” Lachlan sneered. “More like the greatest self-absorbed asshole of all time.”

  Zeryn spoke to Nathan via PsiLink, “I have to admit, the bastard has a point. It’s the worst feeling, having to compete with him.”

  Nathan nodded lightly. He knew his own space for growth was still vast thanks to the system and his Omnipotential Aspect, but right now, he was truly facing one of the most terrifying individuals of this young generation.

  “You’re tired, Major Lachlan,” Arthur said calmly. “I can see it in your spirit wavelength. You slipped and let your thoughts out. You do feel it, don’t you? That dreadful feeling toward me.”

  Lachlan halted his advance, letting out a soft chuckle. The Major pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and lifted his head to look at his enemy. The image of a fearsome lion looking disdainfully at its prey was his answer.

  From a distance, Nathan couldn’t help but feel a sliver of admiration for Lachlan, not Arthur. The bastard who had once made his life miserable was now showing a rare vulnerability—a moment that, in Nathan’s view, was the culmination of long, weary, and dead-end days. Lachlan accepted the truth. Just like Nathan and Zeryn. Arthur Merinor was a monster.

  “I command light,” Lachlan said. “And there shall be light!”

  As soon as he finished speaking, a second sun seemed to appear on the battlefield. The girl who used the Light Aspect, Lachlan’s trusted subordinate, transformed into a brilliant white light that swelled from a small point.

  The entire area was illuminated. Everyone left on the battlefield had to shield their eyes from the blinding, unnatural light. Only the soldiers following Lachlan were prepared; they donned goggles and continued their advance. However, the battlefield was still primarily composed of Tier 2s who possessed spirit vision, so even with their eyes closed, they could still maneuver.

  Nathan didn’t resist, closing his eyes like everyone else. In his mind, a colorless picture formed. Objects with convex and concave surfaces carried a slightly different shade. His spirit world could follow his command to adapt to any color, but he preferred everything in grayscale rather than being dominated by warm colors.

  His spirit vision range wasn’t large, only able to observe a few meters ahead. Occupying his “radar” was the flickering presence of Lachlan. The energy fluctuations were simultaneously sent back to let him know the Major hadn’t weakened, but had become stronger. The speed of the lightning was even faster than before, with admirable precision.

  Having become quite familiar with the Lightning Aspect, he knew the difficulties that came with it. Using it too much could cause him to overshoot his target. Most importantly, one always had to remain calm amidst relying on the speed of this supernatural power. Because a little carelessness would lead to massive shocks in the body from stopping abruptly, not just in acceleration, but also in the blood vessels where mana circulated. Therefore, what Lachlan was displaying was proof of a master in action.

  Nathan also had to admire the depth of Lachlan’s plan. The light was certainly not a major obstacle for cultivators, especially a Tier 3 like Arthur who possessed a spirit vision range far greater than a Tier 2. The effect of the second sun was to block the recording devices around the city.

  Before, Lachlan’s or Nathan’s speed had already surpassed what a normal cultivator could react to. That was why the Lightning Aspect was partly welcomed by organizations and the community. But Arthur had never once missed their attacks, as if he had seen beforehand, or predicted the coordinates of all three—and that was while he was applying Entropy to hundreds of Caelindor soldiers.

  With this action, Lachlan would find more openings to attack Arthur.

  Emrys was forced to her knees, a testament to the pressure Lachlan was bringing. The explosions grew louder, signaling the increasing intensity of Lachlan’s attacks.

  The energy field Emrys radiated fluctuated more and more in Nathan’s senses. Lachlan’s plan was working.

  He clenched his fist, patting Zeryn’s shoulder. The two nodded in unison, their bodies lowering. Energy coursed through them. Nathan ignored the protest his body was screaming. He channeled mana into every corner of his body, essence burning, lightning crackling around him.

  Then, his body stiffened as he saw the smile hanging on Arthur Merinor’s lips. That gaunt face, those sunken eyes, the sparse hairline all twisted into an expression more terrifying than a demon’s.

  The sound of his opponent’s applause was like a bomb exploding in Nathan’s chest.

  “Magnificent!” Arthur screamed. “Fabulous! Amazing! You all have given me a performance I’ve always longed for. Only Adrian forced me to use my true strength. Including Xander. He truly has a sharp will, you know!”

  Nathan could feel Zeryn’s emotional wavelength fluctuate. For someone known for concealing their inner thoughts to react so visibly made Nathan unable to suppress the rising alarm bells.

  “You see,” Arthur said gleefully, “my power is still not perfect. After all, I still use mana to accelerate entropy. You can therefore use mana to resist this process. The Tier 2s haven't fallen yet because of this. And then there are you, the ones with speed, and invisibility.”

  Arthur pointed at each of the three as Emrys’s defensive layer grew more precarious. “So while I was imprisoned, exiled, forgotten, I thought a lot about this. How to make my Aspect stronger, more comprehensive. Unstoppable. Without relying on mana too much.”

  Zeryn turned to look at Nathan, his eyes wide with disbelief. Both knew what Arthur was referring to. Not because of intelligence, but based on a conversation between the two a long time ago.

  When you think about something hard enough, it materializes.

  Arthur was beaming, the light of joy seeming to rival the new sun shining just a short distance away.

  “Let me introduce you to my Intent!”