MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Before Lucian could process the sudden shift in the air, the phantom's body contorted with unnatural speed, its shadowy sword hurtling toward his neck with deadly precision.

Lucian's instincts flared to life, his combat senses honed to perfection.

Without a second thought, he raised his katana, its polished steel flashing as it intercepted the phantom's strike with a resounding clash.

The world around them seemed to warp in an instant.

The two combatants blurred into motion, their bodies almost indistinguishable as they clashed.

Each blow, each movement, was an explosion of force.

Strength met Strength.

Speed met Speed.

Aura clashed with Aura.

The shrill sound of metal on metal rang out in the stillness of the battlefield as their swords collided with relentless fury.

Each strike was a deadly attempt to find an opening, a gap in the other's defense.

Every time they attacked, it seemed they were mirroring one another's movements, each one countering the other in perfect sync.

It was as if two forces of nature were clashing head on, neither willing to yield.

Devastating sword techniques pulsed with raw energy from their blades as they connected in rapid succession, a dazzling display of power and precision.

Sparks flew, and the air around them crackled with the force of their attacks.

But Lucian's focus was split.

As he remained locked in combat with the phantom, a new danger crept up behind him without a sound.

Selunara appeared, her presence almost imperceptible, but her intention was clear.

Her two daggers gleamed in the dim light, crossing in an X-shaped arc before she slashed outward with blinding speed.

[Selunara Dagger Technique: Cursing Strike]

Aura surged forward like a tidal wave, forming into twin arcs that shot toward Lucian from behind.

Lucian could feel the attack before it even landed, the very air thick with the power of her strike.

Lucian, still grappling with the phantom, sensed the incoming danger and instinctively tried to dodge.

But before he could make a move, a chilling sensation washed over him.

Darkness itself seemed to coil around him, and in an instant, he was frozen in place by chains woven from shadows.

The moment of hesitation proved fatal.

Just as the attack was about to strike him, a sudden twist of reality occurred.

Lucian vanished from sight, his body disappearing like a wisp of smoke.

The moment he was gone, Selunara's face contorted in shock as she found herself standing in the very spot Lucian had been, her chains now binding her in place instead.

Before the two figures could even react, the impact of the attack landed with cataclysmic force.

The ground beneath them shook violently as a massive explosion detonated outward, sending waves of destruction in every direction.

The explosion obliterated the landscape, trees splintering and toppling like toothpicks.

The very earth trembled, cracks appearing in the ground as energy spiraled out of control.

When the chaos subsided and the dust began to settle, a single pair of footsteps echoed through the silent wasteland.

Selunara stood calmly amidst the devastation, her face serene and untouched by the fury of the explosion.

Not a single mark marred her skin.

Her daggers remained pristine in her hands, their edges gleaming with an ominous glow.

Behind her, however, the phantom seemed to be in the process of regeneration, its form rapidly reassembling as the shattered remnants of its body reformed from the shadows.

Lucian's gaze was sharp, his mind racing to process the rapid series of events.

His eyes bore into the two figures, a storm of thoughts swirling in his mind as he tried to make sense of the situation.

'They didn't swap positions… yet the phantom took the hit'

He thought, analyzing the sequence of events in the span of a heartbeat.

'Damage transfer'

He concluded in his mind, an epiphany flashing through his thoughts.

Selunara's ability, stemming from her ability of Absolute Duality, allowed her to transfer any damage she took directly to her shadow.

This was no ordinary ability no, this was an extension of her very essence, a perfect fusion of her dual nature.

But one question remained, lingering in the back of his mind.

'Why didn't the phantom phase through the attack?'

Lucian's mind worked furiously, each thought forming in a perfect sequence.

His mind surged as the answer clicked into place.

'It seems the phantom cannot phase through any attack unless it knows it is coming, unless it can anticipate its impact'

Lucian deduced.

His thoughts, sharp as a blade, took shape in mere moments, processing every possible angle of attack as he prepared himself for the next phase of the battle.

The storm in his mind settled into a calm focus.

The three combatants now stood in a perfect triangle, the air thick with the weight of impending violence.

The seconds stretched on like minutes, each moment dragging out into infinity as their gazes locked, neither side willing to make the first move.

Silence hung in the air like a heavy fog, the tension so palpable that it seemed to hum with an electric charge.

Then, without warning, an element flared into existence under Lucian's precise control.

Crackling sounds filled the air, lightning arcing around his katana in dazzling streaks.

The air around him seemed to bend as the electric energy coursed downward, intertwining perfectly with his aura, the two forces blending together in an immaculate dance of balance and harmony.

Seeing this, Selunara and the phantom immediately tapped into their own elemental nature.

Fire flared to life, swirling around them both like a tempest.

The temperature in the atmosphere spiked, becoming almost unbearable as the two of them prepared for the next move.

But Lucian was faster.

His katana gleamed with a brilliant, almost blinding light as he unleashed his next move.

[Absolute Sword Technique: Lightning Type: Thundering Net]

The crackling energy around his sword intensified, and with a single, fluid motion, Lucian swung his katana a thousand times in a fraction of a second.

Each swing was a blur of precision, the speed and force of his strikes building upon one another as the air itself seemed to tremble with the power of his attacks.

The moment his sword stopped moving, the lightning arcs converged, melding into a singular force.

The net of crackling energy formed in an instant, and with one final, devastating swing, the net shot forward like an unstoppable force of nature.

The intensity of the attack was overwhelming.

The lightning tore through everything in its path, cutting through trees, rocks, and any structure that dared stand in its way.

Its sheer power was a force of destruction beyond comprehension.

But Selunara and the phantom were unfazed.

In perfect synchronization, they moved as one.

Each took a step forward, their weapons raised in unison.

[Selunara Dagger Technique: Searing Tear]

[Phantom Sword Technique: Overheat Tear]

Their aura flared as their weapons slashed through the air, meeting the lightning net head on with devastating force.

The collision was nothing short of cataclysmic.

The world seemed to turn white, a blinding flash of light engulfing the battlefield, followed by a wave of crimson that rippled outward.

The shockwave from the clash detonated with such power that the very ground beneath them buckled, roots and debris flying in all directions.

Through the smoke and fire, a gleaming sword flashed, its edge cutting through the haze with deadly intent.

Lucian's reflexes were as sharp as razor.

He sidestepped with barely a movement, his eyes locked onto the phantom's next move.

His hand surged with power, and in an instant, he summoned a new element: the cold, biting force of ice.

A chill ran through the air as Lucian's hand touched the phantom's shoulder.

The effect was immediate.

The phantom's form froze in place, its body solidifying into an icy sculpture, suspended in time.

Then he instantly shot forward towards Selunara.

But before Lucian could capitalize on his advantage, a strange force suddenly gripped him.

His body was hurled backward, the freezing ice cracking and shattering around him as he was pulled toward the phantom.

'Another ability' Experience more tales on empire

Lucian thought, realizing that the phantom could manipulate its surroundings in more ways than he had anticipated.

The strange ability was called Phantom Recall.

It allowed the phantom to draw objects, or enemies, toward itself, forcing them into close range.

As Lucian found himself propelled back toward the phantom, Selunara was already there, her daggers flashing with deadly intent.

Her voice rang out, soft and melodic, but beneath it was the unmistakable weight of certain death.

"You're too slow"

She murmured, a cruel edge in her tone.

The next moment, both Selunara and the phantom accelerated to incredible speeds, their movements becoming a blur of motion as they launched into a savage assault.

Their combined power overwhelmed Lucian in an instant.

Attacks rained down from all directions, their speed and precision a perfect storm of deadly force.

Their weapons blazed with fire, each strike leaving a trail of scorching light in the air.

The fire on their blades grew more intense with every passing second, the heat from their weapons growing unbearable as they closed in on Lucian.

Speed was of no use in the face of such an onslaught.

Lucian knew this.

The only way to survive was to match their force with equal power or rely on a defense capable of withstanding their combined might.

'I should end this already'

Lucain thought as he watched the approaching attacks that seemed slower than a snail to him.

Then with a sigh, it happened.