"So… you really did it."
As the words of the Dragon Emperor echoed in the hall, a thunderous effect permeated everything that remained in the desecrated vicinity.
Nothing but corpses and devastation surrounded Rey as he cast his gaze on the Emperor.
Instinctively, his Appraisal kicked in.
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Name: K'arba'diel
- Race: Dragon Royal (Transcendent)
- Class: Dragon Emperor (SS-Tier)
- Level: 999 (Max)
- Life Force: 999,999
- Mana Level: 999,9999
- Combat Ability: 999,999
- Stat Points: 0
- Skills (Exclusive): [Reset]
- Skills (Non-Exclusive): [World Destruction]. [All Magic]. [Perfect Domain]. [Complete Dominion]. [Evil Personified].
- Alignment: Chaotic Evil
[Additional Information]
The destroyer of the world, and herald of the will of chaos. He is the ultimate enemy of H'Trae, and the absolute deity of the Dragons.
Destroy this vile entity and restore balance to the world.
[End Of Information]
Just like The Oracle, he was a Transcended being who had reached the very limits of power allowed by the world.
There was no way anyone could defeat such a being.
Unless—
"Shut up!"
The air crackled with unrelenting energy as Rey hurtled toward the towering spire where the Dragon Emperor K'arba'diel sat.
His cold eyes locked onto his prey—a being so vile and powerful that the world itself trembled in his presence. The ruinous aftermath of Rey's earlier carnage had left the capital in flames, but none of that mattered now.
Only the destruction of this ultimate foe did.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~
As Rey landed on the shattered remains of the imperial platform, the sheer presence of K'arba'diel hit him like a tidal wave.
The Dragon Emperor was an imposing figure, his body radiating dark crimson light, with scales as thick as the strongest steel. He sat atop a throne of molten gold, lazily twirling a clawed finger.
His eyes—deep pools of chaos—bored into Rey's, filled with amusement rather than concern.
"Ah," K'arba'diel rumbled, his voice like an avalanche crashing through a canyon. "The little whelp who thinks he can challenge the world itself. Tell me, Singularity, what does it feel like to grasp at power that is far beyond your reach?"
Rey didn't answer.
He raised his hand, dark energy coalescing around his fingers.
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a devastating wave of destruction that tore through the platform, heading straight for K'arba'diel.
~WHUUUUUUUUMMMM!!!~
The Dragon Emperor didn't flinch. Instead, he raised one finger, and the energy dissipated as if it had never existed.
~Fshuuuuu…~
"How quaint," K'arba'diel said, standing to his full height.
His presence expanded, suffocating, as if the weight of the world rested on Rey's shoulders.
"But I am feeling charitable. Allow me to show you what true power looks like."
With a snap of his claws, K'arba'diel invoked [World Destruction].
The ground beneath them shattered, splitting apart like glass. Massive fissures tore through the capital, swallowing entire districts into the abyss.
Buildings crumbled, their remains erupting into the sky as shockwaves rippled outward.
~VWUUUUUUUUSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!~
Flames engulfed the landscape, their heat so intense that the air itself seemed to scream in agony.
Rey braced himself, his feet digging into the fragmented ground as he resisted the sheer force of the Dragon Emperor's attack.
He retaliated by summoning an enormous sphere of energy, pulsing with dark and crimson hues, and hurled it forward. The sphere collided with K'arba'diel, triggering an explosion that illuminated the capital in blinding light.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~
When the smoke cleared, K'arba'diel remained unscathed. He brushed imaginary dust from his shoulder, smirking.
"Pathetic. You'll have to do better than that."
Rey surged forward, his body a blur as he closed the distance between them in an instant.
~WHOOSH!~
His fist, cloaked in raw energy, slammed into K'arba'diel's chest.
The impact sent shockwaves through the air, shattering what little remained of the imperial platform.
Yet K'arba'diel didn't budge.
He caught Rey's wrist effortlessly, his grin widening.
"You have spirit. I'll grant you that," he sneered. "But spirit alone won't save you."
K'arba'diel swung his free hand, summoning a blade of pure chaos. It carved through the air with a high-pitched hum, aiming straight for Rey's neck. Rey twisted his body, narrowly evading the strike, and retaliated with a counterattack—an energy-infused kick aimed at the Dragon Emperor's head.
The kick landed, forcing K'arba'diel to step back. It was the first sign of vulnerability, but rather than frustration, the Dragon Emperor let out a deep, resonant laugh.
"Good! You're not completely worthless after all."
The battle escalated, each exchange more catastrophic than the last. Rey unleashed a barrage of attacks, his energy transforming into countless forms—blades, spears, waves of destruction—but K'arba'diel countered each one with ease.
His [All Magic] allowed him to summon barriers, manipulate elements, and even reverse Rey's attacks mid-flight.
Even as Rey summoned seemingly infinite golden blades through his [Divine Weapon Creation], none of them were of any use.
[World Destruction] got rid of everything in a flash.
~RUMBLE!~
K'arba'diel clapped his hands, and the sky darkened. Explore more stories with empire
Lightning bolts as thick as tree trunks rained down, targeting Rey with pinpoint accuracy. Rey dodged and deflected them with practiced precision, but each strike left craters in the already devastated landscape.
The once-thriving capital had become a wasteland, its ruins glowing with residual energy.
Rey's frustration mounted.
He called upon every ounce of power he had, his bright golden aura flaring brighter and more volatile. His next attack was a culmination of his might—a massive energy beam that roared toward K'arba'diel, tearing apart the earth and sky in its wake.
[Perfect Divine Ray]
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!~
The Dragon Emperor didn't move.
He extended his hand, and the beam stopped mere inches from his palm. With a flick of his wrist, he redirected it, sending it spiraling into the horizon where it detonated, obliterating an entire mountain range.
No, even more than that.
"Do you see now?" K'arba'diel said, his voice dripping with condescension. "You're nothing but a child playing with fire. And I am the inferno."
He activated [Perfect Domain], enveloping the battlefield in a sphere of absolute control.
Within this domain, reality bent to his will. The air thickened, turning into an invisible prison that restricted Rey's movements. The ground rose and fell at K'arba'diel's command, forming spikes and chasms to trap his opponent.
Rey struggled against the domain's oppressive force, his body screaming in protest.
He summoned his energy to break free, shattering the immediate area around him, but it was clear he was outmatched.
K'arba'diel's smirk grew wider as he watched Rey's defiance.
"You fight well, mortal," the Dragon Emperor said, "but you're fighting a losing battle."
K'arba'diel raised his hand, and the domain's energy converged into a singular point—a sphere of chaos that pulsed with unimaginable power. He launched it at Rey, the attack tearing through the fabric of reality itself.
Rey countered with his own energy, the collision resulting in an explosion that could be seen from the farthest reaches of the kingdom.
The damage engulfed everything in the capital, turning it to ash.
Or… almost.
When the dust settled, K'arba'diel stood tall, untouched. Rey, bloodied but unbroken, glared at him with unwavering determination.
"Impressive," K'arba'diel admitted, clapping mockingly. "You've managed to entertain me longer than I expected. But this game is over."
The Dragon Emperor smiled.
Then, he spoke.
"[Reset]."
Reality unraveled and rewove itself in an instant.
The ruins of the capital restored themselves as if nothing had happened. Buildings reformed, the ground healed, and the skies cleared. Those who had perished in the battle, including the Dragon Lords, reappeared, alive and unharmed.
Even Rey's injuries vanished, though the exhaustion remained etched into his being.
K'arba'diel descended from his throne, his grin wicked and triumphant. "Do you see now, human? Everything you've done… all your efforts… meaningless. I am the arbiter of this world. I am its singular end."
He stepped closer, his towering form casting a shadow over Rey. Leaning down, he locked eyes with his opponent, his grin widening to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.
"As long as I can reset this world, or anything I please, none of your actions have any consequence."
That wasn't all.
"You must have seen my Status Window, so you also noticed the Skill [Evil Personified]."
It was a Passive Skill with a devastating consequence.
"As long as I exist in this world, I can not be killed." Kar'ba'diel spoke. "I can not die, and I can not lose—not to the likes of you."
In the end, there was nothing that Rey could do to stop him.
"What will you do now?"
Rey was silent for a moment as he watched the Dragon Emperor.
His eyes were calm, completely void of any emotion. Rather tha grit his teeth or clench his fist in rage and agony at the inconsequentiality of his actions, he remained still.
Then, he parted his lips to speak.
"[Reset]."
In an instant, the world around them changed again and it became a ruinous landscape yet again.
"What?!" The Dragon Emperor's eyes widened. "Did you just—?!"
"[World Destruction]."
In an instant, a slash that seemingly tore the fabric of the world apart sliced through the air and ripped through the Dragon Emperor's arm.
~SPLOOOOSH!~
His dark blood instantly gushed out, raining upon the devastated landscape that was the Empire's Capital.
At this point, the Dragon Emperor's confident smile vanished.
Worry replaced his excitement.
"What are you—?!"
"There is no need to ask questions…" Rey interrupted him, raising his hand for the decisive blow.
"You'll soon be dead."