The moment Zafron's golden figure barreled toward Raxus, the air itself seemed to tremble. His speed was beyond anything the undercity had seen, his presence an explosion of godlike power. Xylar's blue energy wave crackled violently, but Zafron, with his newfound strength, tore through it effortlessly. His body surged like a comet, and with a primal roar, his fist connected with Xylar's chest, sending the man crashing backward through the marble columns of Raxus's mansion. The walls shook as dust and debris erupted from the impact, but Zafron didn't pause. He was already pivoting, his golden eyes locking onto Raxus, who stood motionless, his staff crackling with an ominous energy.
[System Alert: New Skill Unlocked – Slime Surge (Sovereign Tier)] [Activating Slime Surge... Amplifying Speed and Force]
Zafron felt a rush of power, his body thrumming with energy. His golden aura intensified, his muscles rippling with divine strength. He extended his arm, the red slime that was now an extension of his body erupting from his fingertips, enveloping his fist like a molten torrent. With a flick of his wrist, the slime shot forward, an ethereal blur, toward Raxus.
Raxus raised his crystal staff, a barrier of blue light erupting around him, but the slime punched straight through it like a blade through paper. Raxus's eyes widened, just as Zafron's fist connected with his face, sending the tyrant sprawling backward.
The force of the punch tore through the ground beneath them, cracks spider-webbing outward like a web of destruction. A massive shockwave of energy reverberated through the entire mansion, shaking it to its foundation. The very earth groaned under the pressure of Zafron's power. As Raxus staggered back, his pride wounded, he snarled, lifting his staff. A dark energy began to coalesce around the crystal at its core.
"Fool," Raxus hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "You're playing with powers you don't understand!"
With a violent twist, Raxus thrust his staff into the ground, unleashing a cataclysmic energy wave. The very mansion quivered, the air shimmering with raw energy as crystal beams shot from Raxus's staff. A dozen jagged beams of light tore through the air toward Zafron, each one capable of obliterating anything in its path.
[System Alert: New Skill Available – Berserker Mode (Ascendant Form)] [Activating Berserker Mode... Unlocking Infinite Strength]
Zafron's body surged with wild power. His golden eyes burned with intensity, and in a heartbeat, he leapt into the air, faster than a lightning strike. The crystal beams zipped past him as he dodged and weaved with ease, every movement exuding godlike agility.
"Is that all you've got?" Zafron's voice was deep, commanding, and mocking.
He slammed his fist into the ground, shattering the earth beneath him. The ground buckled, sending shockwaves outward, ripping open the floors and walls of the mansion. His red slime surged around him, a protective and offensive force at once, and with a deafening roar, he charged toward Raxus again, fists swinging.
Meanwhile, Xylar, reeling from Zafron's previous blow, pushed himself up from the rubble. His eyes burned with a blue fire as he held out his hands, sending out an infinity energy wave that expanded across the mansion. The space around Zafron seemed to ripple, bending as Xylar tried to compress him within the wave. The energy became a funnel of destructive force, aiming to trap Zafron in its grip.
But Zafron didn't flinch. His body blurred as he blitzed through the wave like a comet cutting through the sky. His fist collided with Xylar's chest with such force that the undercity's very foundations groaned under the pressure.
Xylar's eyes widened, but he wasn't able to recover fast enough. Zafron followed up with an uppercut that sent Xylar flying through the air, his body crashing into the mansion's walls, leaving a gaping hole.
[System Alert: New Skill Available – Reality Fracture] [Activating Reality Fracture... Targeting Area of Effect]
Zafron felt the pull of his new power surge within him. With a single thought, he bent reality around him, distorting the space between his target and himself. In an instant, the mansion seemed to warp, and Zafron was behind Raxus. Before the tyrant could even react, Zafron delivered a devastating blow to his back. Raxus's body flew forward, crashing through the walls of the mansion, leaving destruction in his wake.
But Raxus wasn't done. With a growl, he turned to face Zafron, the crystal staff in his hands pulsing with dark energy. "You think you can defeat me so easily? You've got no idea what you're up against!"
Raxus pointed the staff directly at Zafron, and the crystal at its tip began to glow brighter, crackling with ominous energy. A massive explosion of light erupted from the staff, a beam of pure cataclysmic force that tore through the ground and sky alike.
Zafron took a deep breath, his golden aura flaring as he summoned his ultimate form. His body became an even brighter gold, a molten glow radiating from his every pore. He extended both hands, his red slime expanding outward in a blinding flash of crimson light. With a deafening roar, he clashed directly with Raxus's energy beam, the two powers meeting in a cataclysmic explosion that sent shockwaves across the undercity.
The mansion trembled, its walls collapsing as chunks of debris rained down, and the ground cracked open beneath them. The very air seemed to vibrate with the intensity of the clash, and the force of Zafron's strength sent the cataclysmic energy waves spiraling off in all directions.
In the distance, the prisoners in the lower sectors of the undercity looked up in shock. The bright flashes and tremors echoed throughout the entire district, a spectacle of raw destruction that shook the foundations of the underworld itself.
Cassandra, Sakura, and Matilda watched from the sidelines, awe-struck and horrified by the sheer scale of the battle.
"I've never seen anything like this," Cassandra whispered, her eyes glued to Zafron as he effortlessly tore through Raxus's forces. "This level of slime power… It's beyond anything I've ever imagined."
Sakura, wide-eyed, nodded. "He's not even looking human anymore… What is this power?"
Matilda, clutching her hands together in prayer, whispered, "Please, Zafron... Don't let them hurt you."
Zafron turned his gaze to Raxus and Xylar, who were barely holding their ground. His golden eyes burned with determination as he roared, unleashing the full force of his Slime Surge, combining it with his Ascendant Form and divine strength. The ground shattered beneath him, sending massive tremors rippling outward.
With a final roar, Zafron thrust his fist forward, and the red slime wrapped around him like a deadly cocoon. He shot through the air, faster than any of his opponents could follow. His fist connected with Xylar's chest, and the force was enough to shatter his ribs and send him flying into the distance. The energy from his fist erupted, tearing through the mansion as the walls crumbled around them.
Raxus, barely recovering, tried to raise his staff to retaliate, but it was too late. Zafron appeared before him in an instant, his fist landing squarely on Raxus's jaw with a force that shattered teeth and sent him crashing into the debris.
The tyrant's eyes glazed over, his staff falling from his hands as Zafron stood over him, his body glowing with divine power.
Xylar, gasping for breath, looked up in horror as the golden figure of Zafron loomed over him.
"I… I'm… the bounty…" Xylar's voice trailed off.
Zafron smirked, his golden eyes glowing brighter as he spoke with finality. "You're just in my way."
The ground split open as Zafron unleashed the final blow, a massive surge of red slime, empowered by his godlike strength, overwhelming both Xylar and Raxus in an instant. The two enemies were engulfed in the violent explosion of power, their bodies disintegrating under the sheer force of the attack. The earth beneath them cracked open, and the undercity trembled as the battle reached its cataclysmic conclusion.
The mansion, now nothing more than a pile of rubble, lay in ruins. Zafron stood amidst the chaos, breathing heavily but unscathed. The echoes of the battle reverberated through the undercity, a warning to all who dared challenge the Eros Sovereign.
He looked back at the women, their eyes filled with awe and fear. "Let's go. We've done what we came for."
***
Meanwhile, the streets of the wasteland were eerily quiet now with people unsure of what has just happened. The only sound the distant hum of machinery. Maze from her crash cabin where she stayed with Steele had been watching the scene much like everyone else all along.
But now it was quiet and she wondered what happened.
However, the stillness was shattered by a sudden tremor, the air crackling with an oppressive energy. Maze stood frozen, eyes darting to the windows. She could feel it—an undeniable force growing stronger by the second.
Outside, distant explosions rumbled, shaking the ground. But it wasn't just the fight between Zafron, Raxus, and Xylar. No, something else was here. Something bigger.
Her breath caught as a green blur shot past the window, tearing through the walls of the house like they were paper. The furniture splintered, and debris rained down as Steele, his eyes glowing an eerie red, flew through the room with a speed that defied reason. Maze barely had time to react as he crashed through the walls, leaving destruction in his wake. He was no longer the man she knew—whatever had taken hold of him was pushing him beyond human limits.
"Steele!" Maze shouted, but it was too late. With one final surge of power, Steele tore through the house, sending debris flying as he shot toward Raxus's mansion, leaving the crumbling ruins of the structure behind him. The ground shook beneath his feet as he raced toward the epicenter of destruction, his rage unstoppable.
Maze stumbled back, wide-eyed. She could feel the tremors in the air, the energy crackling with every step Steele took. The mansion was already crumbling from Zafron's battle, but Steele was about to finish what had been started—tearing it apart with a force none could withstand.
Maze could only watch as the world around her began to unravel.
'What happened to me?' Steele thought as he tore through the wreckage, barely noticing the crumbling walls and falling beams. 'I felt it in that last fight… Zafron was no mere man. His power—he pushed me to my limit. But when I struck him, something inside me awoke—something alien, something otherworldly. It wasn't just strength. It felt like I was tapping into something divine, like I had touched the edge of godhood itself.'
He shot through the city's lower sector, his body a blur, his thoughts consumed by the vision of the golden figure waiting for him at the top.
'Zafron… I'm coming for you,' Steele's eyes narrowed. 'I'm no longer the man I was. I'm more. And I'll make you feel it.'