A pillar of blinding white light erupted from Atticus, tearing upward into the void above. The energy swirled, crackling violently before being absorbed back into his body.
BOOM.
The sound ripped through the space as Atticus became a streak of lightning, his thoughts splitting as the air currents gathering around him in formless waves.
His form blurred, his movements incomprehensible.
Lightning crackled with each shift, and air spiraled around him, compressing and expanding with each motion, filling the atmosphere with sharp bursts of energy.
The combined forces of air and lightning tore the atmosphere apart. The air currents sharpened his strikes, while the lightning amplified their destructive force.
In an instant, he was upon the figure.
Thousands of slashes tore through the air, every strike infused with the dual forces of air and lightning. Sonic booms erupted with each cut, the compressed air parting violently under the weight of his speed.
The slashes converged, forming a massive crimson arc charged with blinding electricity and razor-sharp wind. It tore through the space itself, racing toward the figure.
But the man didn't flinch.
With a faint smile, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The crimson arc vanished.
Gone.
Atticus's eyes widened in shock. His mind raced, processing what had just happened.
The Dimensari… space manipulation.
'He teleported it.'
The crimson arc reappeared far in the distance, detonating with catastrophic force.
BOOM.
The explosion lit up the dark expanse, shaking the very foundation of the space. The force sent a blast of wind rushing back toward him, carrying the heat and power of the unleashed energy.
But the man didn't even glance at the destruction behind him.
With a faint smile, he raised his head slightly.
"Intriguing," the man said, his voice calm yet amused.
Atticus's instincts took over. His body moved on its own. He flickered again, faster, lightning itself, unbound and untamed.
His form dispersed, splitting into multiple streaks of crackling energy that zipped through the void. Each streak left a trail of crimson arcs in its wake, multiplying with blinding speed.
"Echo Strike," Atticus's cold voice echoed through the space.
The arcs multiplied. Thousands of crimson slashes materialized in the air, each a fraction of the original's power but no less devastating. They converged, forming a web of destruction around the man.
The figure's eyes flickered with surprise. He raised his hand to snap his fingers again but paused. A smile tugged at his lips.
"Impressive."
Each crimson slash was coated in space molecules, forcing the man to wrestle for control of the space when he tried to teleport them.
The man tilted his head to the side, marveling at Atticus's ingenuity. To think a human could have such affinity for the space element… a human from an unranked world nonetheless.
'As expected from his offspring.'
The attacks landed.
BOOM!
Dust and shockwaves exploded outward, shaking the entire space. The smooth floor cracked under the force, and the stars above flickered violently.
Atticus stood still, having put some distance between himself and the man. His katana was in hand, eyes narrowed.
"Did I get him?" he muttered.
Ozeroth snorted in his mind. 'You just had to jinx it.'
The dust cleared.
The air turned oppressive. Suffocating.
Atticus's eyes landed on the figure.
He stood in the same place, unharmed. Not a flicker of damage marred his form.
But something had changed.
His aura had become monstrous.
Atticus felt it all at once, the lethality of the Vampyros, the void of the Nullites, the brightness of the Evolari, the fire of the dragons, the regeneration of the Regenerari. Every race's power swirled around the man, their energies converging into one overwhelming force.
The man's eyes glowed blood red, and claws glinting like black steel extended from his fingers. The space molecules churned violently around him. The stars above dimmed, and the floor beneath warped under the sheer weight of his power.
The man smiled faintly. "You've proven resourceful, but this is only the beginning."
Atticus's grip on his katana tightened.
The man disappeared.
Atticus barely had time to react as the figure reappeared beside him, his razor-sharp claws striking with blinding speed.
CLANG!
The clash sent sparks flying, the sheer force of the collision reverberating through the hall.
Atticus' muscles strained, his teeth gritted as he held his ground against the man's overwhelming strength. The polished floor beneath his feet cracked, unable to withstand the pressure.
With a powerful shove, the man pushed forward, sending Atticus shooting backward like a bolt.
He streaked across the hall with blinding speed, his body skimming the surface of the floor before twisting mid-air to regain his footing. His katana hummed with energy as he landed, skidding to a halt.
In that moment, his exo-suit activated.
The dark, gleaming armor enveloped him, locking into place with mechanical precision. Energy surged through his body, mana and spiritual energy swirling together in perfect harmony.
His speed peaked, his movements sharper and more fluid. Power coursed through him like a storm, and for the first time in the fight, Atticus felt a glimmer of control.
His crimson eyes locked on the man.
Move. Attack. Now.
Just as he prepared to strike, the man raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The energy around Atticus stilled.
The swirling spiritual energy that fueled his strength vanished, snuffed out in an instant.
The man's voice rumbled. "You will prove yourself as an Eldoralthian should, without crutches."
Atticus's thoughts dropped. 'I can't use the spiritual element.'
'What an annoying old man,' Ozeroth muttered in his head, his tone filled with irritation.
Atticus's expression darkened, but he didn't hesitate. He adjusted, refocused. There was no time to dwell, he was in battle. If he couldn't use the spiritual element, he would rely on mana.
His power surged, his katana gleaming as mana flooded his body.
The man smiled faintly, as though pleased, and then, they moved.
They clashed.
The air screamed as they met in the center of the hall.
The man moved effortlessly, chaining attacks with powers from every race. Space distorted, blood-red spears materialized, firestorms raged, and illusions blurred reality.
Atticus countered with everything he had. Lightning surged through his body as he danced between attacks, ice formed barriers, fire burned through the illusions, and his katana slashed through the distortions of space.
The air cracked with each collision. The ground shattered beneath their feet.
Atticus's speed was blinding. His movements were calculated, sharp, every strike aiming for the slightest opening.
The man's power, however, was overwhelming, primal. His mastery of countless abilities made him unpredictable.
Fire erupted from his claws, forcing Atticus to sidestep. Space bent around the figure, warping Atticus's perception and forcing him to rely purely on instinct.
Atticus could also use most of these abilities, but compared to this ancient being, he seemed like a child just learning to walk.
Regardless, Atticus pushed harder, channeling the full force of his elements. The wind howled around him, amplifying his speed, while lightning surged through his katana, every strike leaving trails of crackling energy.
Atticus's eyes sharpened. Adapt. Overcome. Those words sang in his head like a mantra.
The clash continued, each strike faster, harder, more desperate.