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96.99% The Eminence of a True Monarch of the Shadows / Chapter 257: Chapter 256

Chapter 257: Chapter 256

[Third Person's PoV] 

"It seems you've finally lost it, Ashborn," Antares sneered.

Cid placed a hand near his face, shaking his head as he chuckled. "This is the first time an opponent hasn't died in one hit from me. I'm relishing the fact that you can actually take a beating. So try not to die too quickly—keep struggling for my amusement."

Hate flashed across Antares' face as he trembled with fury. "For your own... amusement?" he repeated slowly, his voice shaking as he fought to contain the rage threatening to explode.

Cid took a step in the empty air and vanished. In an instant, he reappeared before Antares, a wide, manic grin on his face, his fist cocked back.

His fist gleamed black with Armament Haki, the color shifting as Conqueror's Haki crackled around it in a deep purple aura.

With a devastating strike, Cid's fist slammed into Antares' chest. The dragon's armored scales shattered under the impact, caving inward from the sheer force. The energy within Cid's strike surged into Antares' body, causing his lungs and heart to rupture and explode from the inside out.

Blood erupted from Antares' mouth, his ears, nose, and eyes leaking crimson. For a fleeting moment, he saw the eerie image of a skull looming behind him, ready to devour his soul. Then, Cid's voice echoed in his ears.

"Yes, my amusement."

BOOOOOOOM!

Antares broke through the sound barrier, his body a blur as he was sent hurtling through the air at breakneck speed.

Cid appeared above him, effortlessly keeping pace. With a cruel smirk, he raised his boot and slammed it down onto Antares' already-collapsed chest.

Antares crashed into the ground, an explosion of sand erupting upon impact. As the dust settled, his battered form was revealed—disheveled, but still burning with hatred.

His hand shot forward, gripping Cid's leg tightly. Sparks crackled at the point of contact as Antares' claws tried to dig into him, but Cid's Armament Haki held firm, preventing any penetration.

Yet, Antares was still a dragon—his raw strength far beyond any human's.

With a snarl, he lifted Cid's leg from his chest and roared, "I'll kill you, you bastard!"

With a powerful heave, he hurled Cid away before propelling himself from the ground with an explosive force. His narrowed eyes locked onto his opponent, flames seething at the edges of his mouth.

In a flash, he appeared before Cid, his claws igniting with blistering heat, distorting the air around them. With a deafening roar, he slashed at Cid.

Cid barely evaded, a red glint flashing in his eyes.

Antares thrust out his hand, and his sword flew through the air toward him. The moment it reached his grip, he roared once more—his blade erupting into flames. With all his monstrous strength, he swung.

Cid's arms gleamed with Armament Haki as he deflected the strike, redirecting the blade past his body. Where the sword struck, massive plumes of fire erupted from the ground, reaching unseen heights.

Then, Cid activated his God Rune.

Time itself froze around him. Ethereal markings illuminated his body as Antares came to a complete halt, his blade mid-swing.

Seizing the opportunity, Cid unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, each impact booming like cannon fire.

Yet, to his surprise, Antares' dragon eyes still followed his movements.

Then, without warning, a titanic aura of destruction erupted from Antares' motionless form, shattering Cid's control over time.

As the overwhelming energy surged, Antares' wounds began to mend—his ruptured heart and lungs regenerating in mere moments, his body restoring itself to peak condition.

He exhaled, smoke and embers escaping his lips, his gaze locked onto Cid.

"It seems you've picked up a few nice tricks along the way, Ashborn!" Antares bellowed before puffing out his chest. Flames flickered at the corners of his mouth, the air around him warping with heat.

Cid's eyes gleamed with a red glint, a clear sign of his Observation Haki at work. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured his slime sword, raising it toward the sky while his free hand supported his sword arm.

Channeling both Armament and Conqueror's Haki into his blade, Cid infused it further with his powers of Shadow and Death. He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as black flower petals began to drift from his sword.

[Death's Serenade]

Antares unleashed a spiraling breath attack of fire and destruction, a raging inferno tearing through the battlefield. The very sand split apart, the ground turning a blistering red under the intense heat.

Meanwhile, Cid moved with an effortless grace, swinging his sword downward in a precise arc. A crescent-shaped slash of black energy shot forward, trailing black rose petals in its wake.

The two attacks collided at the center of their battlefield.

Destruction and Death clashed

.

The very space around them trembled, unable to withstand the pressure. Cracks formed in the fabric of reality, splintering outward from the point of impact. Then—

Shatter!

Space itself fractured like glass, shards of reality falling away to reveal the shining, multicolored cosmos beyond.

As neither force could overpower the other, they began to meld, swirling chaotically—before erupting into a massive mushroom cloud of purple and red energy.

The battlefield echoed with the sound of glass breaking, reality itself groaning under the strain. Amid the chaos, the drifting flower petals ignited, burning with red flames as they fell.

Antares blinked.

And in that instant—

Cid appeared before him, sword in both hands, moving past him in a single, fluid motion.

A flawless slash.

Elegant. Precise. Beautiful.

Cid slowly sheathed his sword into its slime-forged scabbard, black rose petals swirling from the exposed blade.

Then—

Clink.

Blood erupted like a fountain, gushing uncontrollably from a single thin line across Antares' torso.

He staggered backward, disbelief etched onto his face, before his footing slipped—

And he fell.

Right through the exposed tear in space created by their clash.

As he tumbled through the void, drifting amidst the stars, Antares pressed a trembling hand to his gaping wound. He could feel it—

Death.

The energy of Death was crawling through him, seeping into his body, tainting his very being.

These wounds…

They would never heal.

Cid's attack had forced him to witness an impossibility—something he refused to acknowledge.

For the first time—

Cid's blade had made him see his own death. His own mortality. 

As Antares floated between the glimmering stars, his face twisted in a maelstrom of emotions—fear, embarrassment, and unbridled fury.

Then, his aura of destruction exploded outward, shaking the very cosmos. Distant stars caught in the shockwave erupted, going supernova as his power consumed them.

"I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS OUTCOME!!!"

Antares' body began to change.

A transformation.

His Dragonification surged forth—his body expanding, his form shifting to a massive, towering beast.

He dropped onto all fours, his neck stretching, scales cascading over his entire body. Massive wings erupted from his back, spreading wide like an eclipse. His tail grew longer, thicker—his very body pulsing with destructive energy.

Flames and raw destruction coursed through the cracks of his scales, glowing ominously.

Yet—

Even now, across his colossal form, a single thin slash remained.

A scar.

Blood oozed from the wound like molten magma, refusing to heal, a permanent reminder of Cid's attack.

"ROOOOOAAAAARRRRRR!!!"

Antares unleashed a guttural, world-shaking roar, the sheer force of it fracturing space itself.

And then—

Cid appeared.

He walked effortlessly through the void of space, as if it were solid ground. One hand rested on his sword, the other lazily picking at his ear.

"No need to cry, big baby. I hear you loud and clear," he said, blowing on his pinky. "Lucky for you, I have plenty of experience putting cranky babies to sleep."


Chapter 258: Chapter 257

[Third Person's PoV] 

Igris was a blur as he moved across the battlefield, his cape billowing behind him as he remained in constant motion.

He swung his massive sword, slashing through the air in a flurry of diagonal arcs. In an instant, a towering demonic figure erupted into a shower of blood, its body shredded into countless pieces. But by the time the remnants hit the ground, Igris was already gone.

With a sudden shift, he gripped his sword with both hands, arcs of lightning crackling frantically along its blade. With a massive swing, an electric shockwave burst from him, splitting and scorching the battlefield. Monstrous demons and towering giants were bisected in a single stroke, their severed halves collapsing lifelessly.

The ground behind him caved in as he blitzed forward, his feet a blur as he weaved through the battlefield. He stayed low, his form nearly indistinguishable as his blade carved through the monstrous entities in rapid, blinding arcs.

Then, just as Zeta vanished into the shadows to evade an attack, Igris skidded to a stop—appearing beside Tarnak, the Monarch of the Iron Body. Without hesitation, he swung his sword diagonally across Tarnak's exposed frame. Sparks erupted like a grindstone meeting steel, and Tarnak was sent hurtling through the air from the sheer force of the strike. His body smashed through the ground, skipping across the battlefield like a meteor, carving deep trenches and obliterating ruined structures in his path. Finally, he crashed beneath a massive 50-story building, the structure collapsing in on itself and burying him under tons of rubble.

"I had it under control, Teacher," Zeta said coolly as she emerged from the shadows.

"Sure you did," Igris replied sarcastically. "Because your plan wasn't to wear him down until his defenses weakened or anything."

Zeta pouted. "It's an effective strategy."

"Sure—if we weren't dealing with a Monarch. Your plan would've taken too long, and you would've worn yourself out instead. Let me assist you." Igris leaned forward.

The mountain of rubble suddenly exploded outward. A green aura surrounded Tarnak as he rose, dusting himself off. A faint white line marred his shining body—a testament to the power of Igris's strike. He scoffed.

"As expected from one of Ashborn's most beloved soldiers."

"You honor me with your words," Igris said coldly. "May they be your last."

He charged forward.

Zeta followed beside him, running on all fours, her mana surging through her body, amplifying her strength to its peak. Her fists shimmered with metal magic divinity, ready to strike.

Tarnak scoffed, then blasted forward to meet them, his expression set with determination

.

Igris swung his sword, his purple eyes glowing beneath his helm. At the same time, Zeta spun through the air, a whirling force of destruction.

Tarnak raised both hands—blocking Igris's sword with one and catching Zeta's glowing metal fist with the other.

He gritted his teeth, astonished by the sheer pressure. Their combined assault forced his body to creak under the strain. The shockwave from their clash shattered the ground beneath them, sending waves of debris flying into the air.

'Seriously? What monstrous…' Tarnak thought with a heavy groan.

Meanwhile, across the battlefield…

Beru weaved through the air just above the ground, ripping off heads with his bare claws. A blur of black and purple, he was a whirlwind of destruction—wherever he passed, demonic beings erupted in fountains of blood.

"KEKEKEKEKE!!!" Beru cackled, twirling between enemies with manic glee. "I'LL GAIN THE MOST CONTRIBUTION AND PROVE TO OUR LORD THAT I'M HIS MOST USEFUL SHADOW!"

He suddenly shot upward, weaving effortlessly through the burning torrents of dragon fire. His target was an Ancient Dragon, raining devastation upon Cid's shadows.

Flapping his wings with a burst of mana, Beru's form stretched into a blur. He thrust his claws forward, tearing through the dragon's scales, and emerged from the other side—clutching a massive, still-beating heart in his talons. With a triumphant screech, he shredded it apart mid-air.

Before he could celebrate, a stray black-red magic shot struck him, knocking him off course. Growling, he snapped his head toward the source—Gamma, locked in battle with Yogumunt, the Monarch of Transfiguration.

Yogumunt unleashed a wave of pure magical energy toward Gamma.

In a flash, Beru dropped down in front of her, landing on one knee with enough force to crater the ground. But before he could rise, he was suddenly slammed face-first into the dirt by one of Gamma's gravity spells.

"Sorry!" Gamma yelped, quickly lifting the spell. "But it's not my fault, Mr. Beru!"

Beru rose slowly, his glare freezing her in place.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Yogumunt. "Kekeke… If I help take down a Monarch alongside my Lord's mistress, my contribution will be at an all-time high." He shot another sharp glare at Gamma. "Don't be clumsy."

"It's not like I can just turn it on and off," she pouted.

Beru cracked his claws, his wings twitching with excitement.

"Then try not to get in my way."

Massive roses, each the size of two-story buildings, erupted from the blood-soaked battlefield. From the center of each blooming flower, scorching beams of light burst forth, searing the air.

Alpha stood amidst the towering flora, commanding the very ground itself. As more plants unfurled their petals, she remained in constant motion.

Crouching low, she darted forward, her slime sword gleaming in one hand. In the other, golden-white flames materialized, crackling with the fury of the sun. She ran her flaming hand along the blade, igniting it in a radiant blaze.

Spinning gracefully, she cleaved through the ranks of the Monarch's forces. Each demon she struck was bisected with perfect precision—burning fissures glowing along their bodies before they combusted into ash.

Her dragon-like eyes narrowed as she spotted a towering giant clutching two Shadow Garden members in its massive hands. With a sudden burst of power, she propelled herself forward, the ground shattering beneath her takeoff.

In a fluid motion, she lashed out, extending her flaming blade like a whip. A searing arc slashed through one of the giant's wrists, then the other. The monster bellowed in agony, staring at the smoldering stumps where its hands had been.

Alpha kicked off the air itself, using Geppo to ascend higher than the giant's head. Flipping midair, she spun like a golden firestorm, her sword humming with the faint sound of a lightsaber.

Then, with all her force, she swung downward.

A colossal slash carved through the giant's body. A moment later, the massive creature split perfectly in half, its severed form collapsing in opposite directions. Even before it hit the ground, Alpha could see the deep, flawless crevice she had created with a single strike.

She plummeted toward the battlefield, sword aimed downward. As it pierced the ground, cracks radiated outward in a massive radius, followed by a fiery eruption of her sun-infused flames.

Ash filled the air around her, the earth beneath her feet glowing a blistering red. Then, with a flash of gold and white, she vanished, sensing the presence of a Monarch nearby.

She wasn't the only one.

As she sped forward, she spotted Epsilon soaring on her axe-guitar, weaving through the sky toward a towering giant that was hurling meteoric boulders across the battlefield.

Epsilon swung her weapon in elegant arcs, slicing the incoming projectiles into neat cubes. "Feeling his energy—this isn't going to be easy. We'll have to work together to take him down."

"You're not wrong," a voice replied above them.

Startled, they glanced up to see Bellion descending to join them.

He flew alongside them, his expression grim. "It took all the Rulers—plus Ashborn himself—just to subdue Legia, the Monarch of Beginning, King of the Giants. And even then, all they could do was imprison him."

"Then I guess if we want to finish this quickly, I'd better join in too." Another voice chimed in.

Eta appeared beside Epsilon, lazily floating on her pillow. "The sooner we deal with this, the sooner I get to nap."

Bellion nodded, eyes sharp. "I fought Legia before, as part of my Lord's army. Stick to my lead."

With that, he surged forward, wings slicing through the air as they prepared to engage the towering giant.


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