The situation felt surreal.
It was just a single word— one Carius had heard countless times in this new world.
For the masses, witnessing the formation of a domain was a rare, awe inspiring event, but Carius was not one of the masses.
Due to his race's abilities and his father's training, he had seen domains of all shapes and sizes formed by those of his race. He had watched, studied, and analyzed them, all to awaken his own domain faster.
But now, even though he had experienced domains countless times, something felt different. Something felt wrong.
A person he considered nothing more than an insect had spoken a single word, and yet he felt fear.
Fear?
The grip on his sword tightened as he steadied himself within the water filled dome. Space wrapped around him and his alternate self, shielding them from the crushing waves as they hovered high in the dome. Both versions of Carius watched, their expressions cold but wary, as they observed the chaos unfolding.
A beam of blue pierced the sky, striking the golden dome above before it unfurled, spreading across the entire dome.
The air grew heavy, the intense energy radiating from the beam creating a pressure so dense it felt like a vice.
And at the center of it all stood a figure, eyes burning with an electric blue. An overwhelming killing intent blanketed the space— palpable, suffocating.
Both Carius figures narrowed their eyes.
They had to attack now!
Both Carius figures came to the same conclusion simultaneously. He was clearly undergoing a transformation, and Carius was proud but not foolish. He knew he was at a disadvantage. Allowing him to finish his transformation would be a great mistake.
The space around them warped, and just as Carius was about to move, he suddenly felt space tighten around him.
The water pressure!?
The water pressure inside the dome had increased manifold, immobilizing both versions of Carius. They couldn't move properly even if they wanted to.
'He got us.'
Carius seethed. The entire dome was filled with water, making it Atticus's dominion. If the water pressure and intense gales weren't so concentrated, he might have been able to teleport to Atticus.
But as it was, attempting to warp through the water currents would shred him instantly.
'45 seconds.'
Carius thought grimly. The golden dome had a time limit. After exactly one minute, it would vanish, and the water would dissipate. He just had to hold out until then.
The power of Atticus's domain surged back to him, the water that filled the dome coiling, rippling, and bending to his will.
As it fused with him, Atticus's form began to transform.
His hair flowed backward, merging with the water, taking on the appearance of dark, swirling currents. His skin turned translucent, like the surface of a deep ocean. Veins glowed beneath, illuminated in bright blue, as though pure energy coursed through him.
Water swirled around his limbs, shrouding them in mist and liquid force. His eyes, now like twin whirlpools, pulsed with untamed power, their intensity enough to chill anyone who met his gaze.
The people of the human domain erupted into intense cheers. But beneath the excitement, their shock was apparent.
They knew their apex was incredibly strong, but they had never imagined his power was at the level of forming a domain. At this point, to most of the citizens, he was an untouchable.
So many shocking events had unfolded, but none brought as much joy as they did to the Ravensteins. Many couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect seeing the water element wielded in such a profound manner.
The reaction from the Dimensari was one of utter disbelief. Unlike Carius, who hadn't bothered learning about the humans, the other Dimensari paragons knew the human power system well enough, though they considered it inferior. However, in this situation, it was clear who held the advantage.
Azrakan shot a panicked look at Eletrantron, but the latter's aura had already shifted.
Eletrantron had been attempting to regain control over the nexus world, but now it was a matter of life and death. They could not afford to lose their apex.
Eletrantron's aura darkened as an intense black energy erupted from him, blanketing the entire space. The coliseum instantly quieted as all eyes turned towards him.
"Stand back," he commanded.
Eletantron's eyes ignited in a deep black hue as a sword materialized from his aura, wrapping around his arm. He plummeted from the skies, striking the point where all the apexes had gone through earlier. An intense shockwave rippled throughout the coliseum.
The gazes of each of the other races' paragons narrowed, their eyes turning into pinpricks as they comprehended the situation.
Eletrantron had been holding back!
In an instant, the Dimensari paragons gathered around him, their gazes firm. They exchanged no words, but their eyes conveyed everything.
Once again, the tension in the coliseum reached its peak.
…
"Water Domain Fusion."
The first time Atticus had visited Freya's grave and broken down, he had almost formed his water domain. That connection had been enough to make him attempt it a second time and succeed.
The only problem was energy. Atticus didn't want to end up exhausted for days just to win a single fight, especially knowing this wasn't his final battle. This was where Oberon had come in.
The man had identified the problem and offered a solution— runes. It was a solution Atticus happily accepted, one he didn't hesitate to use when the opportunity arose. The formation of the dome covering them was the perfect chance.
A chance he was going to utilize fully.
Atticus's eyes locked onto the true Carius through the swirling mass of high pressure water. Every single one of his injuries had healed, and his fatigue had vanished.
The world around them seemed to slow as the pressure of the water intensified, shrinking the space around them.
Atticus could hear the rapid pounding of Carius's heart. But he didn't care.
In an instant, Atticus vanished.