The argument between Atak and Gross rapidly deteriorated.
Had Gross possessed a temperament closer to Atak's, the two might have examined the corpse first, searching for residual reiatsu traces or irregular wounds before escalating.
But Gross was notoriously possessive and territorial. He showed no intention of allowing Atak time to think.
"Gross… it seems you came here looking for a fight," Atak said coldly, irritation finally surfacing. Being repeatedly slandered had worn down his restraint.
Though he understood he was disadvantaged against Gross's corrosive domain tactics, he still possessed trump cards. At the very least, he could not retreat without losing face.
"A fight?" Gross's voice sharpened like corroding acid. "If you don't explain what happened today, I will tear your mask off myself."
Gross's rage ran deeper than the present conflict.
Most of his alliance's offensive sub-lords had marched south to seize territory abandoned by Gatmont, leaving him — a defense-oriented lord — to guard their holdings.
He could not hunt resources freely within allied lands.
Nor could he easily expand outward.
Though promised a share of spoils, Gross knew well that leftovers rarely contained quality prey.
He suspected betrayal.
He endured it only because his abilities limited his mobility.
Days earlier, clashes between his subordinates and Atak's had already caused casualties.
Now the conflict had erupted again.
Gross had no intention of backing down.
If he could not win territory…
he would at least knock out one of Atak's teeth.
Pride vs Fury
"Then I'll grant your wish," Atak replied.
Silver-gray reiatsu surged skyward.
His forearms expanded and hardened, reshaping into enormous ram-headed war maces formed from condensed spiritual pressure and bone armor.
From afar, Sombravida observed and shook his head.
"No wonder they call Atak an incomplete assassin," he murmured.
He possessed speed.
Explosive power.
Burst capability.
Yet lacked a true killing implement.
If those weapons were blades, he would be terrifying.
But blunt force required overwhelming reiatsu superiority to guarantee lethality.
His talents were misallocated.
Still, Atak's spiritual pressure had reached the upper threshold of mid-tier Adjuchas.
That alone made him dangerous.
Gross Activates His Domain
Gross answered in kind.
Yellow-green reiatsu surged outward.
Trees blackened and collapsed as corrosive mist spread across the battlefield.
The ground liquefied into sludge saturated with acid spiritual particles.
His subordinates withdrew rapidly to avoid the domain's corrosion radius.
"A duel between lords…" Sombravida's eyes gleamed.
He had expected tension.
He had not expected this.
"Fight," he whispered.
"Let me see what falls."
Opening Exchange
The battle began.
Though Gross's acid mist saturated the battlefield, Atak's dense reiatsu shielded his hierro-like skin from immediate corrosion.
BOOM!
The first collision resounded like thunder.
Gross's lower body dissolved into writhing tentacles formed from corrosive spiritual matter.
When Atak's mace struck, tentacles shattered — but instantly regenerated from the sludge domain beneath.
As long as the domain persisted, Gross possessed effectively limitless appendages.
Atak withdrew after the initial exchange, washing corrosive residue from his body with spiritual pressure.
"You're retreating already?!" Gross advanced, tentacles whipping forward.
Yet he dared not pursue recklessly.
His domain did not travel with him — it had to reform beneath him.
Leaving its radius risked vulnerability.
Burst vs Territory
Atak understood the limitation.
Before Gross's domain fully reformed—
he fired a Cero.
A brilliant silver beam erupted forward.
Gross blocked with tentacles, but the blast severed multiple appendages and grazed his forehead.
He twisted away just in time to avoid direct impact.
Cold dread flickered through him.
Atak's Burst Mechanic
Atak's ability allowed simultaneous enhancement of:
speed
strength
reiatsu output
But at a cost.
The stronger the burst…
the deeper the subsequent weakness.
That Cero had consumed nearly double his normal output.
For the next minute:
reiatsu output would drop
stamina efficiency would decline
mobility would slow
Not crippling — but noticeable.
Fortunately, his pressure would gradually recover.
Otherwise, he would be forced to retreat after every exchange.
Gross Counterattacks
Gross understood this weakness.
The instant he dodged, he lunged forward, tentacles striking with corrosive force.
The ground where Atak stood dissolved into smoking sludge.
Atak had already moved.
But only half his previous distance.
The weakness phase was evident.
Moments later, his spiritual pressure began recovering.
Gross halted pursuit, allowing his domain to reform.
He would not gamble outside his advantage zone.
Sombravida's Assessment
Sombravida watched silently from concealment.
Atak's full burst could reach five times baseline output for roughly thirty seconds — approaching high-tier Adjuchas levels.
But if Gross evaded during that window, Atak would collapse into dangerous weakness.
Gross knew this.
Atak dared not gamble.
Sombravida remained patient.
The longer they fought…
the better.
Stalemate Returns
As Atak recovered, he resumed offense.
Gross's domain reformed.
The stalemate resumed.
This time Atak changed tactics.
He unleashed a volley of Bala-like Hollow bullets, forcing Gross to deploy tentacles defensively.
Then he closed distance.
Sixteen tentacles rose simultaneously, intercepting the twin maces.
Shockwaves rippled outward.
The battle settled into equilibrium.
But both reiatsu reserves were declining.
If sustained, both lords would weaken.
Sombravida's eyes narrowed.
Perfect.
Attempted Negotiation
After several exchanges, Gross spoke sharply:
"Atak. Leave three sub-class subordinates as compensation. We end this here."
He recognized the danger.
If the duel escalated, total battle would follow.
Atak's faction needed manpower desperately.
He could not afford such losses.
"Dream on."
Atak fired another Cero.
War Ignites
Gross's patience snapped.
"Then don't blame me for what follows."
"Men — attack."
Dozens of Adjuchas surged forward.
Atak's mask twisted into a thin smile.
"Formation!"
His subordinates advanced in coordinated ranks.
Reiatsu exploded skyward.
Shockwaves flattened trees.
Wind blasted debris across the battlefield.
Within a kilometer radius:
Gillian scattered in panic
lesser Hollows fled blindly
some were crushed by the pressure storm
Sombravida felt the chaotic reiatsu even from over a thousand meters away.
The air itself trembled.
The clash between two lord factions had begun.
And the Central Forest moved one step closer to total war.
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