Capítulo 283: Resurgence III
Nero's obliterated arm knitted itself back together with an unnatural swiftness, a testament to the Immortal-rank strength that pulsed through his body. His glare locked onto Cassius, whose crimson eyes gleamed with amusement, as though the vampire prince found this confrontation nothing more than an entertaining diversion.
But I knew the truth.
Nero wasn't Cassius's match.
And, with the gap in their power so vast, there was no one here who could stand beside Nero to tip the scales. The rest of us could only watch, tension crackling in the air, as Nero launched himself at Cassius in a blur of motion.
Their battle began with an intensity that made my chest tighten. Even with my honed senses, keeping track of the two Immortal-rankers was a challenge. Nero moved like a tempest, multitasking with a precision that seemed impossible, casting multiple 7-circle spells in tandem. Auxiliary enchantments bolstered his movements, offensive spells surged toward Cassius, and defensive barriers shimmered to shield him from counterattacks—all executed seamlessly as he pressed the attack.
Cassius met him with unrelenting grace. His body glowed with a sheen of blood astral energy that seemed alive, adapting and countering every spell Nero hurled. His movements were economical yet devastatingly effective, and the lances of blood he conjured whirled around him like sentient predators, intercepting Nero's assaults with ease. It was clear that Cassius was only toying with Nero—testing him, gauging his limits.
This was just the surface of their capabilities, but even so, Nero was already being pushed back, each exchange widening the gulf between their strengths.
Then the battle escalated.
Cassius's smirk faded, and Nero's jaw tightened. The room seemed to pulse with an unseen force as both fighters activated their Domains.
Domains—the defining power of Immortal-rankers. They were the manifestation of a warrior's soul, born from the second body metamorphosis that transformed them into beings who could shape reality itself. To wield a Domain was to claim absolute authority over a concept, bending the laws of the world within its confines.
Cassius's Domain was a Fist Domain, but it was no ordinary one. His intent and concept were razor-sharp, an overwhelming force that seemed to cut through the very fabric of existence. The space around him shimmered and fractured, as though the world itself recoiled from the sheer authority of him. Each movement of his fists within the Domain felt inevitable, as though defying it was to defy fate itself.
Nero's Domain, in contrast, was an expansive Magic Domain. It surged with the power of countless spell forms, an intricate lattice of arcane patterns that pulsed with destructive energy. Within its bounds, his control over mana was absolute—spells that would normally require complex casting were instantaneous, their power magnified a manyfold. It was a realm of pure arcane supremacy, a counter to the suffocating lethality of Cassius's fists.
But even Domains, for all their majesty, weren't created equal.
Nero's Magic Domain was versatile, flooding the space with spell constructs and protective barriers that shimmered like stars. Yet, every time his magic clashed with the razor precision of Cassius's Fist Domain, the difference in their power became stark. Nero's spells were dissected, his barriers sliced apart with unnerving ease. Cassius advanced, his steps deliberate, every movement within his Domain like the inevitable swing of an executioner's axe.
Blood astral energy surged, and the two Domains clashed with a ferocity that sent shockwaves rippling through the space around us. The ground beneath their feet cracked and split, unable to withstand the titanic forces at play. Nero gritted his teeth, his expression a mix of determination and frustration as he poured more mana into his spells, his Magic Domain flaring brighter.
Cassius, on the other hand, seemed almost serene, his crimson eyes glowing with an unsettling calm as his fist carved through the brilliance of Nero's magic. His Domain didn't just overpower Nero's—it suppressed him, the sheer authority of his intent pressing down like a weight that could not be ignored.
I clenched my fists as I watched. This wasn't a battle. It was a slow, methodical unraveling. Cassius wasn't just fighting Nero—he was dismantling him, piece by piece, with a terrifying elegance that spoke to the centuries of experience behind his movements.
And as much as I wanted to intervene, I knew that stepping into a battle of Domains was suicide. Here, in this realm of gods, mortals like me could only bear witness.
And as the battle raged on, the disparity between the two warriors became more and more apparent.
Nero fought valiantly, his movements precise and his spells relentless, but the toll was undeniable. Injuries began to pile up. Limbs were severed, flesh torn asunder, and though his Immortal-rank body regenerated swiftly, the pain and effort were taking their toll. Each time he was struck down, he rose again, battered but unyielding.
Cassius, by contrast, seemed almost untouched by the chaos he orchestrated. Though his pale skin bore a few shallow cuts and his breathing grew heavier, it was nothing compared to the relentless dismantling Nero endured. The vampire prince was like an artist at work, his every stroke calculated and precise, dismantling Nero piece by piece.
"Can he win?" Rachel asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She clung to my arm, her body trembling from exhaustion. She had poured every ounce of her mana into healing me, her light magic flickering weakly now like the dying embers of a once-roaring fire. Her breath was shallow, and her sapphire eyes, usually so sharp, were dulled by fatigue.
I glanced at her, at the desperation etched into her features, and felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't noticed the full extent of the Domain battle, and I knew it wasn't fair to keep her in the dark. But the truth was a heavy burden.
"I don't think so," I admitted quietly.
As if to punctuate my words, the clash of their Domains ended in a resounding crescendo. The air seemed to shatter as both Nero's Magic Domain and Cassius's Fist Domain collapsed under the weight of their conflict. The residual force from the collision sent a shockwave through the room, rattling the very foundation beneath our feet.
My gaze snapped to Nero just in time to see him disintegrate again. Cassius's fist, gleaming with blood astral energy, sliced through him with terrifying ease, leaving nothing but scattering fragments of mana where Nero had stood.
I knew Nero would regenerate. His Immortal-rank body had proven its resilience time and again. But the reprieve would be brief. Too brief.
Because Cassius was already moving.
His figure blurred, a streak of crimson cutting through the battlefield with unrelenting purpose. And his purpose was me.
The glint of his astral energy was the only warning I had.
They say that moments before death, time slows, as though the universe itself grants you one final mercy to reflect, to act, to beg. That was what it felt like now. Each second stretched into eternity, every detail sharpened to an unbearable clarity. The gleaming edge of Cassius's astral energy, the faint smirk on his lips, the sudden tightening of Rachel's grip on my arm as she realized what was happening.
This wasn't like the last time when Nero had saved me.
No, this was worse.
Because this time, I could feel the inevitability of it.
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder