[ #@&#& used My Domain skill]
[Your skills will be partially sealed]
[Resisting the #@&#& skill]
[Resisting unsuccessful due to level gap]
[Your skills:
Defy the Tower Law (Sealed)
The One Who Can Resurrect (Sealed)
Weapon Forging (Sealed)]
The messages flashed abruptly in front of Shiddharth, each one hitting him like a punch to the chest. Even with his overwhelming power, a sense of unease gripped him—his most formidable skills, the ones that had carried him across the Tower and beyond, were now sealed.
He looked up at his opponent, whose movements remained fluid, unbothered, and impossibly fast. Every swing of the sword cut the air like lightning, every step precise, every feint perfect. Despite the obvious gap in power, the man's relentless stamina and unfaltering speed made it clear: Shiddharth couldn't afford to falter for even a second. One misstep, and it could very well be the end.
Shiddharth's mind raced. I need another approach. I can't beat him through sheer force now. I need to make him slip.
A spark of strategy lit his mind. "Hey you, yes! You!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "For how long do you want to keep this childish display going? Aren't you curious who taught me this Urza technique, hmm? I met him in another world… a world that was being devoured by a massive hole in the sky!"
He could see the subtle reaction. The voice quivered ever so slightly, a flicker of frustration surfacing through its otherwise cold composure. Anger could make even the most disciplined fighter reckless—and Shiddharth intended to use it.
[ #@&#& used his power]
[Warning]
[Tower is resisting the #@&#& power]
[Resisting unsuccessful]
[ #@&#& has broken the Tower Law]
"You little ant! Now you will see my true anger!" the voice thundered. With that, the man's speed and power surged to an incomprehensible level. Shiddharth's eyes widened as he tried to keep up, his body trembling from the shock.
What the hell is this power? he thought. I thought I could bait him, but this… this isn't what I expected. Did my provocation just backfire?
Before he could recover, the next attack came like a meteor—his left hand was sent flying across the battlefield. Pain seared through him, but he forced himself to stay on his feet.
"Now… tell me! Who the hell taught you that technique?" the voice roared, crackling with fury.
"Hunn… I thought it might be somewhat… lethal," Shiddharth replied coolly, masking the strain with a casual tone.
The man's eyes glowed with fury. "Yes! Show me your power!" he screamed, his voice manic, almost addicted to seeing destruction. "More! Push yourself! Pull out every last ounce of strength!"
It was as if he were a power-hungry fiend, not concerned with Shiddharth's survival but intent on testing limits, observing whether the hunter could endure the onslaught.
Suddenly, a blinding light erupted from Shiddharth's side, radiating outward and obliterating everything in its path. Even with that immense surge, the opponent stood firm, singed but unbroken.
"Hunn… that was not even close to your limit," the man said, disappointment lacing his tone. "Let's finish this. I have no interest left after this display."
The next strike came faster, stronger, more precise. Shiddharth attempted to block, but his body screamed in protest—he wasn't at full capacity now. The blade barreled toward his head with lethal precision. But at that instant, a glowing, almost sentient form interposed itself.
Crack.
The Dragon Sword shattered into countless fragments, yet a portion of the handle remained intact. The sheer force of its resistance had prevented complete destruction.
"You've crossed the line." Kaun's voice thundered across the battlefield.
Kaun had intervened, a consequence of #@&@#& breaking the Tower's laws to impose his power. The rules, once violated, opened a loophole that allowed Kaun to step in.
"Why interfere? He's just a normal hunter. Why take such an interest?" the voice spat, anger mixing with disbelief.
"Because my CREATOR wants him," Kaun replied, calm yet commanding. "And as his follower, it is my duty to protect this product."
Fury flashed in the man's eyes. "Stop him!" he shouted, swinging his sword toward Kaun with all his might.
Kaun didn't flinch. A single motion—a flick of his finger—and the attack was neutralized. The counter struck the assailant with precise force, yet Kaun's gaze remained cold and measured.
"Not that one, you fool! The sword—the core is still intact. We cannot allow it to fall into the hands of someone so lowly!" the voice screamed, enraged beyond reason.
The man lunged at Shiddharth, intent on delivering a decisive blow, but before his attack landed, the hunter vanished into thin air, leaving only a ripple in space where he had stood.
"Where is he? Where the hell did you send him?!" the voice bellowed at Kaun, panic creeping in. "Have you forgotten our contract?!"
Kaun's expression remained unshaken, voice cold and deliberate. "The contract was valid until you broke the rules. You wanted a fight, not the ability to manipulate his fate. That was never part of the agreement."
"You dare speak to me like that?!" the voice roared, the air itself trembling with its fury.
"So what if I do?" Kaun said, arrogance radiating from him. "What are you going to do?"
A chill ran down the opponent's spine. He felt it immediately—the weight of two unseen eyes observing him, calculating, and judging. For the first time, he felt small, insignificant, and powerless. He couldn't bring himself to meet their gaze, and a creeping unease settled into his chest.
The battlefield, once dominated by raw power and speed, now pulsed with tense anticipation, as the balance of forces shifted subtly yet irrevocably.