Chapter 241: Chapter 241 : End of the duel and Acknowledgement (2) final

Ethan and Ignis did not waste the opening.

The phoenix spread its wings wide, the golden fire swirling into a blinding storm. Its divine eyes gleamed with killing intent as it released a deafening cry. A torrent of flames burst from its beak, a sea of molten gold descending upon Veythron.

At the same time, Ethan roared, his sword glowing with divine radiance.

“Dawnbreaker Judgement, Fifth Form: Strike of Judgement!”

Blades of light exploded from his swing—dozens, then hundreds—each one sharper before. The slashes ripped through the air and pierced through Veythron’s thick, magma-lined scales. Blood like liquid fire gushed from the wounds, splattering across the sky.

Veytharion’s colossal roar shook the very fabric of the dimension, echoing like the death cry of an ancient god. His molten eyes dimmed, its body dissolving into countless motes of fading light.

And then—it was gone.

Returned to the spirit realm.

Alden’s body trembled as he stared at the empty sky where Veytharion once hovered.

His knuckles turned white around the hilt of his sword.

His expression didn’t change—but the quiet fury leaking from him said everything.

He muttered under his breath, “Again… got protected by someone else.”

His eyes, hollow yet burning, stared at nothing. His pride was splintering, and his rage was leaking out like venom.

Ethan, seeing his chance, vanished in a blur of golden light—his sword aimed straight for Alden’s head. The divine aura around him flared brighter than ever, a killing blow seconds away.

Alex watched it all unfold from a distance, tilting his head slightly.

’Looks like that’s his limit,’ he thought with a faint grin.

But then—something changed.

A low rumble echoed through the battlefield as black flames erupted around Alden’s body. They didn’t just burn—they howled, alive and feral, wrapping around him like a cloak of chaos.

Ethan’s sword was an inch away from Alden’s neck when the black inferno exploded outward.

Alden’s voice tore through the sky, ragged yet powerful, like a beast cornered for too long.

“Manifest Dominion of Chaos!”

The world itself seemed to split apart.

Half of Ethan’s radiant domain was instantly swallowed by chaotic black fire. The once-bright marble ground cracked, turning to ash.

The sky fractured, one half bathed in divine light, the other drowned in shadow.

Black flames devoured the air itself. Every spark they touched turned to dust.

Ethan screamed as the flames engulfed him. The light of his wings vanished in seconds, and his divine aura disintegrated like smoke.

His flesh burned, his bones melted, every piece of him reduced to nothingness.

When the chaos settled, Ethan was gone.

Alden dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, sweat and blood running down his face. His body shook violently as he struggled to remain conscious.

Alex appeared before him in an instant, lowering his sword casually.

“Wow… even you,” he said with a crooked smile. “I have to say—you guys have surpassed my expectations. You’re stronger than I thought. Now even you can manifest a dimension of your own.”

Alden coughed, barely able to speak. His breathing was heavy, each word a struggle.

“It’s… your turn next.”

Alex blinked—and then burst out laughing.

“You think it’s over?” he said, gesturing around. “Look carefully, Alden. Both your and Ethan’s domains are still clashing, fighting for dominance. And that spirit beast of his—still soaring in the sky.”

Alden froze, his breath hitching as realization dawned.

’No way… that can’t be…’

Alex tilted his head. “Correct. He’s not eliminated yet.”

The air around them shimmered. Suddenly, a body began forming just a few feet away—flames spiraling upward, taking shape.

Alden’s eyes widened in horror. “Impossible! I destroyed everything! How could he still be alive!?”

Alex chuckled. “Oh, you did destroy his body, alright. Every part of it. But that guy’s clever. He spread his hair across this entire domain—each strand a seed of regeneration. Unless you destroy every single one…”

He leaned forward slightly, voice dripping with mockery. “…he’ll just keep coming back.”

Alden swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his chin.

’What a broken ability… He’s literally immortal.’

Alex sighed, raising his sword lazily.

“But now I’m getting bored. Let’s finish this.”

In the blink of an eye, he vanished.

He reappeared high above, directly over Ignis—the phoenix was still soaring high in the sky trying to recover it’s lost strength.

[ Heavy Strike — Activated. Amplifying host’s strength 100x. ]

Lightning crackled around his sword, spiraling like serpents of death.

Alex’s voice came out cold and calm.

“Astral Void Rend, First Form: Void Step.”

The world blurred.

In a single motion too fast for the eye to follow, he cut Ignis cleanly in half. The phoenix’s body disintegrated into radiant motes of light and vanished, returning to the Spirit Realm.

Alex didn’t stop there. His sword hummed violently as he muttered,

“Fifth Form: Dimensional Sever.”

A blinding slash tore across the entire battlefield, cutting through both Ethan’s and Alden’s domains.

The two dimensions shattered like glass, collapsing in on themselves, devoured by a rift of void energy.

The world returned to normal.

Alden stared in disbelief, his jaw slack.

’He… destroyed two dimensions in a single attack… What kind of monster has he become?’

But before despair could sink in, Alden’s eyes blazed with defiance.

“I will not be outdone by you!”

Black flames erupted once again from his body, spreading like a flood. They scorched the ground, incinerating every single hair Ethan had left behind.

From above, Alex’s body surged with darkness and lightning. The air screamed as the twin energies intertwined—lightning tearing through space, darkness devouring what remained. Ethan’s regenerating body was torn apart, consumed piece by piece until nothing was left.

Silence.

Then, a mechanical voice rang through the air in th coliseum.

[ Ethan Williams has been eliminated. ]

Alex landed on the ground, his boots cracking the scorched earth beneath him. He looked at Alden, who was barely standing, and grinned before punching him squarely in the gut.

“You bastard I didn’t need your help.”

—–

Alden crashed to the ground, dust scattering in every direction. For a moment, the arena was silent except for his ragged breathing. Then, gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand again—his legs trembling, his wounds still half-healed.

He clenched his fist and threw a punch straight at Alex’s chest.

The impact cracked through the air, and Alex, instead of dodging, took it head-on, letting it land. He didn’t even flinch.

Alden smirked faintly, saying, “Right back at you. I could’ve eliminated him alone.”

Alex looked down at him, the corner of his mouth twitching. Then both of their gazes locked. For a brief, strange moment, they grinned—two battle-crazed warriors acknowledging each other’s strength.

But the moment didn’t last.

Without warning, Alden turned and started limping away, heading toward the far edge of the battlefield. His movements were slow, unsteady, but his expression carried grim determination.

Alex tilted his head.

’What the hell is he trying to do?’

Before he could act, his system’s voice echoed sharply in his head.

[ I don’t know, but he’s definitely scheming something. You should stop him immediately. ]

Alex’s expression hardened. In an instant, his figure blurred.

A slash of light followed—and Alden’s legs were gone. He fell face-first into the dirt, blood splattering around him.

Alex landed beside him, sword still humming with darkness.

He looked down coldly. “What were you trying to do, Alden?”

Alden didn’t answer. Instead, he grinned through the pain, his blood-stained teeth glinting as he whispered, “I knew it. You’re too arrogant to finish it in a single strike.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

Alden’s smirk widened into a feral smile. “And now… you’re standing exactly where I predicted. It’s my win.”

Before Alex could react, Alden slammed his palm against the ground.

The runes carved into his burned hands glowed violently, pulsing with black light.

A moment later, the ground beneath Alex erupted.

Columns of black fire burst upward, engulfing him completely. The flames howled like living beasts, wrapping around Alex’s body with chaotic hunger.

“Ah—shit!” Alex shouted as the inferno swallowed him whole. “Fuck, this is unbearable!”

The air shimmered with heat. The smell of burning flesh filled the arena.

Alden’s laughter echoed through the devastation—wild, broken, triumphant.

“Now I’ve finally got you!” he shouted, voice cracking with madness. “These flames can only be extinguished by my will! Unless I say the words, they’ll never die out! They’ll burn as long as their target exists!”

He collapsed backward, panting, blood running down his chin.

“Your arrogance… is your downfall.”

The black flames roared higher, the heat growing so intense that even the edges of the coliseum began to melt. Alden watched, exhausted but satisfied.

’Finally…’ he thought, closing his eyes. ’Finally, I’ve done it. I’ve beaten them. Both of those monsters… gone.’

He lay there, motionless, breathing in the faint metallic scent of victory. But as the seconds dragged on, a thought began to creep into his mind.

’Wait…’ he frowned weakly. ’Why isn’t there an announcement yet?’

His eyes snapped open.

’No… it can’t be…’

He turned his head toward Alex’s burning figure—and his heart dropped.

The flames… were fading.

One by one, the black tendrils of chaos fire vanished, dissolving into harmless smoke.

Alden’s eyes widened in horror. “No… no, this can’t be happening! How could my flames… how could they not be burning him!?”

The last of the fire disappeared—and through the dissipating smoke, a silhouette stood tall.

Alden barely had time to blink before that figure vanished in a blur.

Then—silence.

A single clean slash echoed through the air.

Alden’s head separated from his body. His lifeless form disintegrated into glowing motes of light, scattering into the air like dying stars.

A mechanical voice echoed in the sky.

{ Alden von crestvale has been eliminated }

A notification appeared in front of Alex’s eyes:

[ Your Physique has adapted to the Flames of Chaos that can never be extinguished. Trying too analyse them further….]

Alex exhaled heavily, his body steaming. The last flickers of black fire faded from his skin.

“Damn bastard almost got me,” he muttered, catching his breath.

Then he froze.

Looking down, his eyes widened slightly. His clothes was gone his mask—burned away entirely by Alden’s chaotic flames. The last of the smoke cleared, revealing nothing but ash and bare skin.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me,” Alex muttered.

The audience, silent in awe until now, collectively gasped as alex was standing buck naked.

——

A/N:

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