Chapter 344: The Beginning Of The End [VI]

’…Let’s do this.’

Step by step, he crept closer with soundless footsteps, hiding his very presence to the maximum.

The faint glow from the power cubes painted his face in flashes of gold and blue as he slipped behind a support column.

The cubes floated lazily above the floor, each one linked by thin streams of light, like veins carrying life through a body.

’They’re connected directly to him… good.’

Aestrea raised his hand.

Thin strings of energy, black and faintly silver, spread from his fingertips, crawling along the floor like snakes.

They wrapped around one of the glowing cubes, squeezing it until faint cracks began to show.

Crack… crack…

The light started to flicker. He moved fast, repeating it again and again. Five cubes, ten cubes, each one dimming, and the connection dissipating.

Clostro didn’t even notice at first.

The massive god was standing in the center of the chamber, a giant of a man with a deep red cloak that looked soaked in blood.

His eyes were hollow, and his body was covered in scars. A great sword rested against his shoulder, its blade humming softly with killing intent.

The God of Killing.

Even now, just looking at him made the air tighten around Aestrea’s lungs. The pressure was monstrous, like the whole world was bowing before him.

BOOOOM!

One of the cubes finally exploded.

Clostro’s head snapped to the side, his gaze dark and sharp.

“Hm?”

Aestrea quickly ducked behind a pillar, sealing his breath, but another explosion followed, then another.

The entire chamber started shaking as divine energy went wild, sparks of power dancing across the floor like lightning.

Clostro turned slowly, frowning.

“Who dares…?”

Aestrea stayed still.

The god’s killing intent filled the chamber like fire. Every cube, still glowing, began to pulse violently as if it were struggling to stay stable.

And then, Aestrea finally moved.

He dashed through the smoke, his body flickering in and out of sight as he leapt from one shattered cube to another, slicing through the glowing lines that connected them.

Fwip, fwip!

Each strike was clean, fast, and precise. Energy flared, wild and unstable, lighting up the room like a storm.

Clostro’s head turned, and finally, his eyes met Aestrea’s through the haze.

“You…?” His deep voice echoed like thunder.

“A rat?”

He pointed his sword at him lazily, not even putting strength into the motion. “You must have some courage to crawl into my den.”

Aestrea didn’t answer. Instead, he swung his sword, sending a sharp wave of dark-blue energy that cut through another cube, causing another explosion to erupt beside Clostro.

BOOOOM!

This one was close, so close that it knocked Clostro off balance for half a second. That was all Aestrea needed.

He appeared right in front of him, his sword already drawn back.

SWOOSH!

Clang!

Their blades met, sparks bursting between them. The impact cracked the ground, and both were pushed back several steps.

“You can block me?” Clostro blinked in complete surprise.

After all, in his eyes, Aestrea was a mere 3✯ True God, and gods at that level were measly ants in his eyes.

Aestrea didn’t respond, rushing forward again, his sword glowing faintly with icy light.

“『 ✯ Authority of Ice ✯ 』.”

Fwoooosh!

A trail of frost followed his movements, freezing the air itself. Clostro swung his sword in return, releasing a crescent of bloody-red energy that sliced through the frost like fire.

The two powers met in the middle.

BOOOOOM!

Aestrea slid backward, boots digging into the stone floor. The air burned against his skin, but Clostro wasn’t unharmed either.

Frost had spread across his left arm, biting into his flesh.

The god looked down at it, eyes narrowing.

“Interesting…”

He flexed his arm once, and the ice shattered.

“But still useless.”

He lunged forward this time, his speed explosive, his sword crashing down with killing intent so thick it made space crack.

CRAAAAK!

Aestrea twisted aside, barely dodging. The blow missed him by a breath and crushed the floor, leaving a deep scar that burned with red light.

He leapt back, swung his sword again, and a wave of ice erupted forward, sharp as blades.

Shhhhk!

Swip!

Clostro blocked them with one hand, the ice breaking against his divine energy.

“Is that all?” he mocked, his eyes burning with killing intent.

“I thought you were quite interesting, but it seems that you’re just another weak insect.”

Aestrea’s expression didn’t change.

’Good… he’s overconfident. That’s what I need.’

The ground beneath Clostro shimmered faintly, black threads creeping along the cracks in the stone.

He didn’t notice them yet.

Aestrea slowly raised his free hand, pressing his fingers together.

’Now.’

The threads shot up, wrapping around the god’s ankles and wrists, glowing faintly.

“What the—?” Clostro’s eyes widened

Aestrea swung his sword upward, sending a massive blade of blue light straight toward his chest.

The explosion shook the whole chamber.

BOOOOOOM!

When the smoke cleared, Clostro was standing, but his armor was cracked, and faint blood trailed down his mouth.

He looked down at Aestrea, his expression colder now, the mockery gone.

“You’re… stronger than I thought.”

Instantly, Clostro’s blade shifted slightly as the air trembled.

THRUUUM!

A heavy, suffocating pressure began to fill the chamber.

The very light seemed to fade, replaced by a deep red glow that poured from his body like a storm of blood.

“『✯ Authority of Killing ✯』”

BOOOOM!

The ground shattered under him as pure killing intent erupted outward.

Every inch of the walls cracked, and the divine cubes left intact shattered into pieces.

The entire chamber howled with a noise that felt alive, a scream made of chaos and bloodlust.

Aestrea gritted his teeth. His sword vibrated in his grip as that suffocating aura crashed against him like a tidal wave.

The difference was clear.

Clostro’s power wasn’t just greater than his; it was fucking monstrous. His mere presence tore through Aestrea’s defenses, forcing him to take a step back.

“Ah…” Clostro’s voice came out calm, almost disappointed. “Now I see it clearly. You’re strong, yes… but not strong enough to even reach me.”

He moved.

And Aestrea didn’t even see it.

One moment Clostro was in front of him, the next…

SLAAAAAASH!

Blood splattered across the floor. Aestrea was sent flying, crashing into the wall so hard it cracked behind him.

His eyes widened. He had blocked, but even so, the sheer weight of the strike had almost shattered his arm.

Clostro appeared again, right in front of him, his expression completely emotionless.

“Too slow.”

Another slash came, faster than before.

CRAAASH!

Aestrea barely managed to roll aside, the blow carving through the wall where his head had been.

He twisted on his heel and countered in a single breath.

“Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art…”

『 First Move! (✦ Ice Lotus Bloom ✦) 』

Fwoooosh!

A blue lotus-shaped light burst from his sword, spinning upward before blooming into dozens of icy petals. They shot toward Clostro like spears of frost.

But Clostro only raised his sword lazily and cut once.

BOOOOM!

The petals shattered, frost scattering like dust.

Aestrea was already gone; he appeared above, bringing his sword down with both hands.

『 Second Move! (✦ Ice Lotus Barrage ✦) 』

Fwip!

Fwip!

Dozens of strikes fell in an instant, ice trails glowing with sharp blue light. Each swing was aimed with precision, each one heavy with divine will.

Clostro blocked all of them with one hand, his red aura screaming with every collision.

Sparks of red and blue rained around them as the chamber’s temperature split between freezing cold and burning heat.

“Hmph,” Clostro scoffed. “Pretty lights, but still just lights.”

He moved even faster than before, and before Aestrea could blink, Clostro’s sword was at his neck.

But, just at that moment, Aestrea’s eyes flashed.

『 Third Move! (✦ Moonlight’s One Flash ✦) 』

FWOOOM!

A blinding streak of light shot from his sword, faster than sound. It sliced through Clostro’s shoulder before the god even realized he’d been hit.

Clostro staggered back, a faint cut dripping golden blood.

For a moment, he looked completely stunned as he touched the small wound on his body, and then looked at Aestrea with surprise.

“So you can hurt me.”

He raised his sword again. The red aura thickened, forming a gigantic phantom of blood behind him. It let out a silent, eerie scream.

The ground shook.

Aestrea felt the energy crawl through his bones, his body nearly breaking under the sheer divine pressure.

Still, he held firm.

“Then let’s keep going! Let me see if you have anything more interesting to show me!” he exclaimed excitedly.

Meanwhile, Aestrea took a breath and lowered his sword slightly. Frost gathered around his feet, swirling upward into a white storm.

『 Fourth Move! (✯ Lunar Collapse ✯) 』

BOOOOOM!

The air exploded as a massive surge of silver-blue light formed behind him. The energy condensed into a shining crescent, spinning wildly before crashing forward.

Clostro roared, swinging his sword upward.

Their powers collided.

Red and blue lights merged, exploding into pure white. The entire chamber quaked, walls ripping apart.

And when the dust cleared, both figures were still standing, though Clostro’s armor now had visible cracks, and he surprisingly had blood dripping from his mouth

His smile had also faded slightly.

“Haaah… hagh…”

Aestrea, panting, lifted his sword again, aura flaring even stronger. Frost laced his shoulders and hair like pale fire.

’…Fucking hell… using my sword art continuously to make sure that he doesn’t move is fucking tiresome.’

Clostro wiped his mouth, then started laughing softly.

“So that’s your true strength…” He looked down at his trembling hands and smirked faintly. “Interesting. I thought I’d be bored tonight.”

He stretched his arm slighly, before his eyes narrowed slighly.

“Now that I have accessed your power… It’s time for me to take this seriously.”

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The remnants of the divine cubes suddenly integrated back once again, and then, Clostro’s aura kept increasing, going from its unsealed state to his peak form.

At this, Aestrea rolled his shoulder before grabbing [Midnight] tightly.

『 ✯ Moon Mark ✯ 』

Swish…

Both of his eyes were marked by crescent moons, one with a milky white color, and another with an ink color.

And then, his power also skyrocketed to a complete silver color, like a beam of energy to match Clostro’s rising aura.

At that moment, Clostro’s smile widened even more in excitement as they saw the equally strong aura rising towards the sky.

Thruuum!

The air trembled as countless space cracks stretched around them, and the ground was practically shaking, causing dust to rise.

And then, as both of them grabbed their weapons.

CRAAACKLEEE!

They shot towards each other at once.

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