The battle had dragged on for over thirty minutes. Each clash between Arthur and Krax shook the battlefield, gold and crimson streaks weaving through the space like two storms colliding.

Arthur's chest rose and fell steadily, his visor flashing as arcs of golden lightning crackled across his body. He utilized both his Chi and Lightning Manipulation, combining them into a golden storm that wrapped around his body.

Krax growled as another lightning bolt zapped his body, his crimson aura flickering for half a second. It didn't wound him, not truly, but the jolt froze his movement long enough for Arthur to close in.

Arthur didn't waste the opening. His sword cut upward, drawing a bloody gash across Krax's chestplate, as sparks of crimson energy scattered into space.

But the wound started healing, the flesh knitting back together, but Krax's glare sharpened.

"You dare…?" his voice dripped venom.

Arthur didn't answer. His body blurred forward again, as he raised his sword, arcs of lightning bursting from his palm in a wide area trying to trap Krax. They crackled across Krax's frame, making the Champion seize up for a second, just enough for Arthur's blade to drive down at his neck.

The cut dug deep this time, but Krax roared, crimson energy erupting outward like a blast furnace. Arthur was flung back, flipping through the void before he stabilized himself with a burst of Chi.

Krax's voice thundered across the comms. "Human! You are nothing but a pest… I will kill you!"

He lunged towards Arthur, faster and more aggressive than before. His crimson spear moved like a serpent, striking in furious thrusts. Arthur parried desperately, each clash jarring his arms to the bone. The golden lightning around him flickered brighter, as Arthur tried to keep up with Krax's speed.

Zap!

Another bolt of golden lightning struck Krax square in the faceplate, forcing him back a step.

Arthur drove forward, telekinetic pressure pushing against Krax's limbs to slow his movements, then slammed his blade against his midsection. The strike tore through the crimson aura and cracked his armor before his regeneration healed him again.

Arthur felt helpless to finally fight against someone who can also regenerate. Only now he felt what his enemies felt while fighting him.

The sight only enraged Krax further. His voice twisted with fury. "If I cannot break you directly… then I will kill everything you protect!"

Arthur's eyes widened as Krax suddenly turned and hurled his spear, not at him, but toward the human fleet waiting behind him.

The crimson spear split into dozens of energy bolts, shooting through the void straight at the human ships.

Arthur's instincts screamed. He shot after them, golden lightning sparking violently across his body. With a thought, invisible telekinetic barriers snapped into place before the barrage could reach the ships. The crimson bolts hammered into his telekinetic shields, tearing cracks through them in seconds.

The impacts still punched through, but it slowed the attacks, their destructive power reduced. The ship's own shields stood strong against the remaining attacks, the weakened bolts splashing harmlessly against them.

Arthur clenched his jaw, forcing more power into his telekinesis. "Not… happening!"

Another wave came, and Arthur braced, as he attacked with Chi blasts to intercept the crimson spears mid-flight. The attacks detonated several spears before they reached the fleet.

Inside the Vanguard, Elena's hands dug into the railing, feeling helpless not being able to help.

Leo's gaze hardened. "He's pushing himself past his limit."

Samir muttered slowly. "But…for how long can he hold against him?"

Out in the void, Krax sneered, realizing Arthur's split focus. He pressed his assault harder, as he thrust his spear, the crimson energy burning hotter. Every strike rattled Arthur to his bones, and every time he blocked the attacks, made his Chi reserves bleed further.

Lightning erupted around Arthur's body again, and Chi wrapped around his sword as he channeled both powers together. He lunged towards Krax, carving a diagonal slash across Krax's torso.

Krax roared, the crimson aura scattering outward as the strike dug in deep. His regeneration worked overtime to mend his wounds, but the fury in his eyes increased. This is the first time someone made him bleed so much.

Arthur hovered in the void, his chest heaving, as golden lightning sparked violently around him like a storm refusing to die. His mind sharpened as one thought anchored him.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

If he falters even for a second… the fleet behind him would take damage.

Krax's spear burned crimson once more as he pointed it at Arthur.

Arthur steadied his blade, golden Chi and lightning fusing together until his body blazed like a miniature sun. He didn't speak, but his stance alone gave the answer.

The two powerhouses of humanity and chimerians hurled themselves at each other once again.

…

Another thirty minutes dragged on, each moment clawing away at Arthur's Chi and Mana. His golden Chi flickered in and out, and sparks of lightning scattering weaker than before.

But Krax was also not spared, he too bore marks of their battle, cracks ran through his entire armor, and fresh wounds appeared once in a while. His fury had long since eclipsed his arrogance, this fight was costing him more than he had initially expected.

Even though he had a lot more energy compared to Arthur before the fight. Arthur's strength increased as the fight dragged on due to the damage he took, so his Chi level also increased slowly because of it.

During their fight Arthur had also tried the same tactics as Krax, he also tried to target the Chimerian fleet but Krax ignored it entirely, so he felt it was useless and would only waste his energy reserve. And seeing the attacks of Arthur and Krax both the human and the chimerian fleet created more distance between them and the two fighting.

As they were fighting, for a second Arthur lost his focus while attacking Krax, as his Chi flickered out as if entirely being exhausted.

A crimson blur rushed in, faster than Arthur's body could react. Krax's hand clamped around his throat, his grip tightening like a vice. Arthur's sword slipped from his fingers, spinning uselessly through the void as he tried to pry open Krax's fingers.

Krax's voice was guttural, reverberating through the comms. "Enough! You've fought long enough, human. Now… you'll do as I say."

Before Arthur could counter, he felt a searing hot energy invade his body, like molten iron coursing into his veins. Krax's invasive crimson energy poured into him in a brutal way without caring about causing any damage. Arthur's body convulsed, as the unknown energy burrowed deep inside his body.

"Agh!" He clenched his teeth, as a guttural growl escaped his mouth but he slowly got used to the pain. He tried to use his Chi instinctively to block it, but he found his reserves were dry as a cracked riverbed. The golden light flickered once… then fizzled out.

Inside his chest, the unknown energy clawed its way toward his heart.

Krax's laughter echoed, cruel and triumphant. "Yes, feel it. The gift of our God, let it consume you. Once your heart accepts it, your Will will no longer be your own."

Arthur glared at Krax, his hands clawing at the Champion's wrist, but the pressure only tightened. His vision blurred red as the energy condensed into a sphere inside his chest, pressing against his heart.

As the energy gathered inside his heart, he felt as if it was trying to take over it, but his body was growing resistant to the invasive energy quickly. Arthur felt he could not only resist the corrosion but could actually control the energy to strengthen himself just like Chi.

But the energy felt more like a corrupted version of Mana than Chi itself, it was not like life force but a kind of aggressive energy, and he believed anyone would go mad if they did not have a strong enough Will while trying to use this energy.

His cells absorbed the unknown energy greedily, as the crimson sphere finally solidified inside his heart..

Arthur's breathing steadied, his clenched jaw loosened.

Krax stopped laughing as he felt something was off about Arthur, he was too quiet.

Crimson energy surged outward from Arthur's frame. For a split second, Krax thought he had won, then he narrowed his eyes as he felt Arthur was able to control the energy their God bestowed upon them too fast, even though it took nearly six months for him to properly utilize the crimson energy.

Krax growled, "How!?"

Arthur smirked behind his helmet, "Checkmate."

The crimson energy wrapped him like a second skin, his armor glowing with red veins across it. With one hand still locked around his throat, Krax felt the impossible, the energy he injected refusing his control and instead it was bending to Arthur's Will.

Arthur raised his right arm. Crimson energy condensed into his palm, spiraling violently until it formed a sphere.

"Y..you… ! That cannot be… anyone touched by His gift cannot resist His Will. It should have consumed you!"

Arthur's eyes burned red behind his visor. "Wrong. I don't get consumed… I consume."

Then he blasted Krax at point-blank.

The crimson sphere slammed into Krax's chest, tearing him from his grip on Arthur and blasting him backward through the void. Krax's body tumbled in space, his crimson aura sputtering wildly under the assault. His voice, usually so confident, broke into a stunned snarl.

Krax's eyes widened as he stabilized his body. "No. That's… impossible!"

Arthur floated in the aftermath, chest still heaving, crimson and golden energy warping together around his frame. His hand trembled from the strain as he utilized whatever Chi he recovered and the unknown energy simultaneously, but he was slowly getting used to it.

Arthur felt he could amplify his base strength up to five times in this state. His voice was steady as his smirk widened.

"Ask your God about that."

Across the fleet, the Chimerian's eyes widened at the sight. Arthur burned with the same power that only Champions of the Chimerian God should wield, and it appears Arthur was not controlled by Krax from the attack.

Inside the Vanguard, Elena's jaw fell open, her voice barely a whisper. "…How is he using their power?"

Leo's brows knit tight. "…I don't know."

Samir exhaled sharply, awe flickering through his otherwise calm tone. "We still underestimated his capabilities."

But out in the battlefield, Arthur's figure remained steady. He raised his hand and his sword shot towards him, his gaze locked on Krax never leaving him.

"Round two?"

Krax steadied himself, his disbelief twisting into fury but there was also another emotion he hadn't felt in centuries… fear. His grip on his spear tightened until it crackled with energy. "You… Abomination! I will kill you!"

The battle started once again as both streaked forward, this time with Arthur wielding the enemy's own weapon against them.

***

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