Dancing on the golden ashes

I always knew this day would come, but to think I'd get the chance to fight him already…

Was this the fateful rematch I had been waiting for? Or was there something more sinister at play? The thought gnawed at me, especially since the Creator had been silent for so long. He ignored me these days, as if he was afraid of me.

But I shook those thoughts away.

Right now, none of that mattered. Right now, there was only one thing worth focusing on.

Killing my blood enemy.

My claws itched unbearably, the darkness seethed around me, burning, writhing, threatening to consume me whole. But I didn't care. Right now, I felt like I had lost my mind. That person—the one I had been waiting for—was right in front of me.

Nam Ji-Ho.

"Let's have a good fight, Nam Ji-Ho! No—" I shook my head, a wild grin stretching across my face. "Let's have the best fight ever! Show me what you've got!"

With that, I lunged at him. His golden spear rose in defense, but with my current speed, it was nothing more than an afterthought. Crimson lightning crackled around me, fueling my body, and in the blink of an eye—I was gone. His eyes narrowed. He was surprised.

A moment later, my claws crashed into him from behind, the impact rippling through the air as I unleashed Chaos Slash. The strike sent him hurtling through the sky before his body slammed into the ground with a deafening—

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It was as if a bomb had detonated upon impact. The sheer force of our battle sent tremors through the earth, shaking those below and striking fear into their hearts. But I had no time to pay them any mind. I knew—without a doubt—that such a weak attack wouldn't be enough to kill him.

That's why I didn't hesitate.

Gathering raw firepower at my fingertip, I unleashed a devastating annihilation strike. The searing beam tore through the air, its brilliance nearly blinding. At my current level, the flames burned impossibly hot, a spectacle impossible to ignore. When it hit, the ground quaked violently, and a massive crater carved itself into the battlefield.

Yet, as the smoke cleared, a chilling realization settled in.

I couldn't feel his aura.

And that worried me.

He's behind me, isn't he?

Instinct kicked in, and I twisted to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the deadly thrust of his spear. Lightning crackled against my skin, brushing past me—but unlike our last battle, it didn't burn. It didn't hurt at all. My body was far stronger now, and that gave me a massive advantage.

Without missing a beat, I retaliated. My claws slashed through the air, unleashing Chaos Slashes that carved through the sky itself, the sheer force of the darkness stretching into the void of space. But he dodged—just barely.

We both blurred, our forms vanishing and reappearing as we pushed our speed to the absolute limit. In the span of mere seconds, we exchanged countless blows, each strike meeting the other in perfect balance. Neither of us could gain the upper hand.

Not yet.

I wonder… is he giving it his all? Or is he still holding back, looking down on me?

A sharp snap of my fingers shattered the air. Darkness erupted from within me, surging forward like a living force, coiling around Nam Ji-Ho and locking his movements in place.

I watched as he struggled, his lightning radiating outward like an explosive sphere, crackling violently in every direction. He was trying to break free. But he had underestimated me.

This wasn't just some darkness prison.

No—this was my domain.

And if he wanted to break it… he'd have to struggle a whole lot more.

I moved like a shadow through the darkness, gliding effortlessly. In my domain, I was like a fish in water—this was second nature to me now. And then I saw it. Nam Ji-Ho was grinning. That smug expression made my blood boil.

Before I could act, he extended his hand, and in an instant, a lightning dragon erupted from his palm, roaring toward me at unbelievable speed. If I hadn't been in my own domain, there was no doubt—I would have been hit. Hard.

"That was close. You still have some hidden cards, huh?" I teased, a grin tugging at my lips. This battle was getting exciting.

The moment I dodged, I reappeared next to him. I didn't even bother slashing—I simply punched the bastard, right in his right cheek. The sheer force behind my strike sent him flying, launching him so far that he was blasted out of my domain.

Ah… did I overdo it? I chuckled to myself. Sometimes, losing control wasn't exactly in my favor.

The moment I canceled my domain, I caught sight of his face—and it was an ugly look. He was mad. No, he was pissed. For the first time, I had managed to make him take me seriously, and for a brief moment, I almost regretted it.

His entire body began to glow, golden lightning crackling violently around him. The energy expanded, surging outward, his form shifting and morphing. Slowly but surely, his body transformed into pure golden lightning—until he fully manifested as a colossal lightning dragon.

The sheer pressure of his aura sent a shiver down my spine.

Is that his final form? Holy shit, I did not expect that!

My mind raced, searching for ways to counter it. I didn't have any abilities that could turn me into a giant like him, but I did have one trump card—my finisher. The problem was, it was too early to use it. I had to make sure this wasn't just some decoy or a clone, and that he was truly on his last leg.

If I used it now and miscalculated… I'd end up half-dead. Just like that time I fought the Dragon Goddess.

"Who said you don't have one?"

An eerie voice echoed in my mind.

I chuckled internally. I thought you were mad at me. I hadn't expected to hear from it anytime soon.

"Heh, you're too immature," it scoffed. "Anyway, there's no time to waste. Let's beat that bastard with the same tricks. I'll teach you the technique, but for that… we'll need to fuse during the fight. Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Its words sent a thrill through me, and I couldn't help but giggle.

As if I would care. I just want to kill him. You're way better than that bastard. I'd choose you a hundred times over him.

Something vibrated deep in my chest—a strange, rhythmic pulse. Was it because of that eerie voice? Could it be that we were connected to such an extent that even our hearts resonated as one?

Then, in an instant, my body changed.

Darkness engulfed me, swallowing every trace of my human form. I felt myself expanding, shifting, until I fully became the abyss. The shadows twisted, materializing into something monstrous—something that resembled a true demon.

Massive black wings unfurled behind me, each feather a void darker than the night itself. My pure black form towered high into the sky. Fifty meters? Maybe more. Both Nam Ji-Ho and I had become giants, standing like titans in the heavens.

This sensation… it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It was new, strange, exhilarating.

Fuck... I love this world. And I love these fights!

I want more. More!

Let me be the strongest!

My heart raced, pounding so fast it felt like it might burst. I could feel myself changing. My vision had completely transformed—the world around me was drenched in darkness, yet I could see everything in terrifying clarity. Energy pulsed in the air, flowing like invisible rivers, and among them, one presence stood out the most.

Nam Ji-Ho.

His energy was blinding, so disgustingly radiant that it made my stomach churn. I felt a deep, instinctual revulsion clawing at me. Was it because of this form? Or was it something deeper—something born from the sheer weight of my hatred?

"Let's move, Gaon."

We spoke as one, our voices fused into a single entity.

"We can kill him once and for all."

A massive black sword manifested in my hands, its weight unfamiliar, its power overwhelming. Controlling it felt awkward at first, but with the eerie voice guiding me, we moved in perfect sync. I swung, unleashing a devastating slash that tore through the air, a strike so powerful it threatened to rip the heavens apart.

But Nam Ji-Ho didn't flinch.

With an earth-shattering roar, the golden lightning dragon spewed out a massive sphere of condensed lightning, crackling with destructive energy. Our attacks met midair, colliding in an explosion of darkness and light.

The impact was apocalyptic.

Winds howled, flattening everything in their path. The sheer force carved a massive crater into the ground, marking the epicenter of our clash. The sky trembled, space itself seemed to waver.

And this…

This was only the beginning.