[26] “The enemies of Kayden”
[A few days later]
In the hustle and bustle of a metropolis filled with majestic skyscrapers, two figures stand at the top of one of them, their gazes locked on each other.
Ares, dressed in black attire with his hands buried in his pockets, observes Vatore firmly and utters cutting words: "Vatore, I have heard that you've had disagreements with my mentor. I didn't think you would have the audacity to challenge me."
'It's disheartening to have others challenge me instead of me challenging them,' Ares begrudgingly thinks to himself.
With a gaze full of hatred, Vatore glares at Ares and launches sharp accusations. "Kayden ruined my beautiful face. Now that I have his protégé in front of me, you will pay for him. They say you're the most powerful Awakening in the next generation, Ares, the Emperor of Light."
Ares, with a nod of his head, responds indifferently, "The issues between my master and you are between them, not me. If you can't resolve them, it shows you're not fit to do so. Are you coming to me just to vent your hatred? But you'll have the same fate as him, another scar on your face."
"You're just like Kayden...! This is where you'll die!" roared Vatore as an intense golden light illuminated the battlefield.
An intense golden light illuminates the battlefield.
"(Spatial Isolation)," Ares murmurs with a smile on his face.
"Let's see what the top 50 of the world rankings are made of."
"(Spear of Sin)," he says as his beams of light merge to form a shining spear in his right hand, emanating an intense golden aura.
Vatore smiles and remarks, "A spear?" He releases a dark and powerful aura that completely envelops him, also creating a spear in his right arm.
Ares responds with a smile, "A battle of spears? Interesting."
Both leap at great speed, clashing their spears and creating destructive shockwaves that demolish buildings.
"You're better than I thought!" Ares says with a smirk of satisfaction.
"You too!" Vatore admits, surprised by Ares' strength. "Is he that strong? Can my master and his disciple defeat him?"
They continue exchanging blows with their spears, moving at high speed and demolishing the structures in the area.
'We've had hundreds of clashes,' Ares says. 'We can't go on like this. I have to attack.'
'How is he so strong?' Vatore wonders as he struggles to breathe.
"Vatore, I won't hold back anymore," Ares says arrogantly. A powerful golden aura emanates from his body, filling the area with beams of light that crack the ground.
Ares points his spear towards Vatore and releases several beams of light in different directions with his left arm.
Vatore is surprised by the power emanating from Ares and says, "I can't believe this... I have to defend myself or die." He forms a shield and embeds his spear into the ground, releasing an intense dark aura.
Moments later, hundreds of rays of light impact against his shield, shaking the entire place and causing numerous debris to fall.
The battlefield falls silent after the explosion.
Vatore coughs and looks at his body full of wounds. 'Damn it, how could I have underestimated him so much?' he angrily mutters to himself.
"Your mistake was not knowing your enemy," Ares responds from the sky, surrounded by rays of light.
"(Celestial Punishment)," he announces as the rays begin to descend.
Ares displays a diabolical smile and utters, "Die..."
But at that moment, he is caught off guard by two powerful attacks, one from the right and another from the left.
Steven invokes his technique "Prehistoric Thorns," while Austin utilizes his "Acid Extermination" ability.
Ares is surprised to see the two attacks and exclaims, "What...? Are there more?"
However, before the attacks could hit him, Ares deploys his defense. He invokes his "Triple Light Shield" technique, and three golden lights quickly cover him.
Two loud explosions rock the area, causing extensive destruction in the district.
The dust settles slowly, revealing Ares enveloped in a shattered golden shield that gradually disappears.
'What power...! If it weren't for my shield, I would have taken a lot of damage,' Ares thinks as he rises from the ground and gazes intensely at his two new opponents.
He puts some distance between them and says with a smile on his face, "Two more flies have arrived. Who would have thought? It's an honor to kill the 49th-ranked Steven Hughes and the 48th-ranked Austin Robertson."
"Kid, it's not good to cause trouble. You have to die here," Steven says, his gaze filled with a strong intent to kill.
"The flies will end you," Austin retorts, furious.
'I can't hold anything back. Although I've depleted a significant portion of my energy, I know I have enough to defeat them,' Ares affirms.
'It seems Steven and Austin are not paying attention to me. I'll take advantage of my injured state to escape and find the right moment for my revenge,' Vatore reflects before silently disappearing from the scene.
Then, with a deafening blast, Ares unleashes his powerful attack, "Storm of Light Rays."
The deep and celestial sky filled with dark clouds, and thousands of terrifying light rays fell from the sky to the ground, shaking the place.
"You have the honor of witnessing my power in all its splendor. It's a privilege to die at the hands of someone like me," Ares declared arrogantly as he ascended to the sky, enveloped in a terrifying golden aura.
"How dare this brat underestimate me?" exclaimed Austin, enraged.
"What an arrogant fellow. Perhaps the rumors about his bad attitude are true," Steven commented disdainfully.
Ares smiled maliciously. "This is my deadly attack, and you have recently earned the honor of being its first victim," he warned before unleashing his power.
"(Celestial Punishment: Dragon of Calamity)," Ares shouted, and in the blink of an eye, all the light rays of the storm converged on him, taking the form of the head of a massive light dragon.
A deafening roar shook the ground. It was Ares' dragon, appearing more imposing than ever.
"Your time has come," declared Ares, knowing that he had concentrated all his energy into that attack.
"Is this his true power?" asked Steven, terrified.
"What an impressive attack," commented Austin, impressed.
"We must attack together," Austin proposed with determination.
"I agree," nodded Steven, who seemed to have found a solution.
"(Nature's Rebirth!)" he shouted before releasing a light green aura that spread around him, causing plants, trees, and other natural elements to grow.
The environment changed drastically, and the 49th-ranked seemed stronger than ever.
"(World's Extinction)," Austin shouted with determination as he unleashed a powerful pale green aura. The surrounding structure began to erode and crumble.
'These attacks are quite strong. I'll have to give it my all,' murmured Ares, surprised by his opponent's ability.
The light dragon absorbed as many storm rays as possible, causing its size to double. It was imposing and fearsome, making both Steven and Austin tremble in fear as they saw it for the first time.
The three attacks collided in an explosive clash that shook everything around them.
The deafening sound of the explosion caused Ares to descend from the sky, his right arm covered in blood and gravely wounded. He could no longer continue the fight.
He looked around the battlefield and saw the 49th-ranked and 48th-ranked kneeling, their bodies covered in wounds and severe burns.
Ares looked at them arrogantly and said, "I told you, you were destined to die by my hand when you arrived, but I recognize that you have some strength. Seriously injuring my arm is quite an accomplishment for you."
Ares searched the battlefield and began to have doubts. 'Did Vatore escape?' he thought.
"Damn... how can you be so strong already?" Steven said, coughing up blood.
"This rapid growth is unheard of," Austin added, also coughing up blood.
"It might be because I'm incredibly talented, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA," Ares responded with a wicked laugh.
However, Steven and Austin weren't about to give up so easily. "DIE!" they both shouted in unison.
The two opponents of Ares launched their deadly attacks, which struck Ares with great force, destroying everything behind him.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA, you're dead, you damn bastard," Steven said with a wicked smile.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA, this is what happens when you're so relaxed," Austin said, laughing like a maniac.
The dust slowly settled, revealing Ares standing, hands in his pockets, and covered in a golden light. "I told you, you would die here. No matter what you do, you won't leave here alive," Ares said calmly.
"I have learned to never let my guard down in a fight and never underestimate my opponent," he added.
"It can't be... he doesn't even have a scratch," Steven said, scared.
"No wounds..." Austin said, trembling in fear.
Ares showed a wicked smile and said, "It's boring to continue this confrontation. It's time for you to die."
Then, he released light in his right hand, forming a lance covered in rays of light. He gripped it tightly and directed it towards the bodies of the 49th and 48th-ranked.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Steven shouted.
"AAAAAAAAAH!" Austin exclaimed.
Ares struggled to breathe. "Phew... phew... phew... That was intense and entertaining," he commented between gasps.
"Hahahaha, I think I'm becoming more like Kayden, but the truth is, I really enjoy fighting against other Awakened," he added, laughing.
"I know I have to leave this place soon. I have caused too much noise, and I don't have the necessary energy to deal with more adversaries," he concluded.
The wounded figure disappeared from the scene, and the structures slowly began to recover. A deathly silence fell over the city.
….
1618 words.
Next chapter "The next opponent"