Aside from their mana cores and wills, the Aeonians could utilize the mana in the atmosphere at any given moment.
Their power manifested through a spectrum of colors, each representing a different stage of control and strength.
As they advanced through these stages, they harnessed greater power by refining their mana control and boosting their capabilities.
In the first stage, their skin glowed with a serene blue. This initial stage marked their baseline power, where Aeonians had solid control over the mana in the air.
At this stage, their focus was on enhancing their outer body—muscles, bones, and skin—granting them heightened physical abilities and resilience.
Their mana flowed through these external structures, fortifying them against physical harm and enhancing their strength and agility.
In the second stage, their skin shifted to a vibrant green. Here, their control over mana was enhanced, allowing them to strengthen not only their outer body but also their internal organs.
The Aeonians at this stage could channel mana to vitalize their heart, lungs, and other organs, increasing their overall vitality and endurance.
Their focus was on refining their mana pathways to support both external and internal fortifications, ensuring greater physical prowess and longevity.
As they moved further, their skin turned a radiant yellow. This stage brought a significant increase in power as they began to infuse their very veins and circulatory system with mana.
Aeonians could manipulate their mana to achieve exceptional speed and stamina, optimizing the flow of energy throughout their bodies.
Their focus was on enhancing their bloodstream, ensuring that mana was efficiently distributed to all parts of their body, resulting in peak performance and rapid recovery.
At the next stage, their skin blazed with a fiery red. This stage was where most Aeonians could reach in their whole lives before stopping, neither having enough talent to go further.
In this stage, Aeonians could unleash devastating force and abilities. Their control over mana reached its zenith, allowing them to perform extraordinary feats. Their focus was on channeling vast amounts of mana with precision, achieving unparalleled destructive capabilities.
Lastly, there was white. This was a stage so profound that only a select few could reach it.
When an Aeonian's skin turned a blinding white, they had entered the Luminous Apex. This stage signified a great level of power, embodying both purity and brilliance.
The Aeonian's control over mana was so refined that they could achieve near divine feats, manipulating energy with great precision and unleashing unparalleled force.
However, the power one could unleash was completely dependent on how powerful said person was in the first place.
Achieving this stage required not only an immense amount of mana but also exceptional intelligence and insight. The sheer concentration and mental acuity needed to maintain this form made it an elusive peak of Aeonian power.
To attain the White stage, an Aeonian needed a vast reservoir of mana and extraordinary comprehension skills, an amount that Ae'ark was still far from achieving.
The round ball had been used for just this purpose. Ae'ark, in a moment of desperation, had simply used a mana ball to amplify his power.
This artifact provided a temporary yet significant boost to his mana and intelligence, enabling him to tap into the Luminous Apex.
'I have just one minute,' Ae'ark's thoughts firmed.
The clashes were titanic, completely unlike before.
Atticus's figure remained unseen, moving in streaks of black below and red above, while Ae'ark moved in a streak of white.
Their hands moved at mind-numbing speed, clashing, clashing, and clashing once again. Each clash unleashed a shockwave so powerful that skyscrapers were blown away, craters forming and increasing in size and depth with them in the middle.
Katana blade met spear tip in a cataclysmic force, again and again, red filling one side and white on the other, neither giving an inch.
Atticus's movements grew increasingly powerful, his suit absorbing the shockwaves from the clashes and fueling his momentum. Yet, Ae'ark matched his every increase in strength, his gaze firm and unwavering.
The city trembled under their might. Every blow sent ripples through the air, tearing apart the terrain. Their forms blurred, a storm of red and white, a dance of destruction and power.
However, they both knew deep down that they were currently only on borrowed power and the clock was ticking fast. They had to end it.
Atticus and Ae'ark's katana and spear erupted in crimson and white at the same time, their auras shooting up into the sky.
The atmosphere sundered, and the earth quaked as they both stomped forward in unison, katana raised high and spear pointed forward.
Their eyes blazed with determination as they both erupted, katana blade descending and spear thrusting out.
Each released sonic booms as they cut through the air, appearing inches apart.
Just as it seemed they would collide and unleash a force of cataclysmic proportions, two figures suddenly appeared, each one floating suspended behind Atticus and Ae'ark.
As though it had been an illusion, both their attacks fizzled out, tendrils of lightning and a palpable aura wrapping both figures of Atticus and Ae'ark respectively.
Almost instantly, Atticus lost all control over his body, the suit's will finally acting on him. At the same time, Ae'ark's aura abruptly got snuffed out, his body enveloped by intense weakness.
"This battle is over,"
Magnus's words traveled far and wide, entering the ears of every single person watching the battle.
At this point and due to the intense clashes, the millions of inhabitants of the city had been watching.
But unfortunately, only the master ranks could actually make sense of what was going on and as they saw how young the people fighting were, each couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
They had caused this much damage? It was completely insane!
A second passed and they each saw the state of their city, however, neither of them uttered anything. The scene of the clouds and lightning was still fresh in their heads.
The battlefield became completely silent, each spectator trying to comprehend the results.
Only one thing played in everyone's mind:
Who the hell won!??