CHAPTER 73: SHADOWS DEPTH.

OUTSIDE CHAMBERLAIN EADULF'S DOMAIN.

*CRACK*

"Huh?!... It appears the battle's outcome is clear. Your Majesty, who do you think emerged victorious?"

Master Zurrick asked Emperor Maximus after noticing Chamberlian Eadulf's Domain began to dissipate.

"From the pressure he released it would be difficult for Eadulf to win, but since he got into Eadulf's Aura domain… well, we'll just wait and see."

Emperor Maximus replied.

****************************************************************

A MINUTE LATER.

Once Chamberlain Eadulf's Aura Domain had fully dissipated, Emperor Maximus and Master Zurrick were met with a startling sight. The hooded figure, previously ensnared by Eadulf's Domain, now stood unharmed, casually dragging an object with a single hand as they strolled forward.

*SCRAPE! * [Sound effect of dragging an object]

"I must say… he had a strong determination and will. But what use are those if you are weak!"

Helena said as she tossed the object she'd been dragging, like trash, right at Emperor Maximus and Master Zurrick's feet.

*WHOOSH*

*THUD*

*THUD*

A loud thud broke the silence as Chamberlain Eadulf landed at their feet, gasping for breath, while covered in blood and wounds, and on the brink of death.

"..."

Emperor Maximus stood in silence; his eyes fixed on his half-dead friend lying at his feet. He could tell from the numerous fatal wounds, on Eadulf's body that it was not a result of a battle but torture. And the only reason Eadulf is still breathing is because of the strong vitality of an Aura master.

"…"

Emperor Maximus turns his gaze to the hooded figure and takes a step forward, as he walks past Eadulf, heading toward the Hooded figure, radiating intense killing intent.

*STEP*

"Tower master… take care of the chamberlain's wounds, you can do that can't you?"

Emperor Maximus asked in a calm tone as he continued walking towards the Hooded figure.

"Yes… Yes, I can, Your Majesty."

Master Zurrick replied while sweating profusely. As he felt the immense killing intent and Aura the Emperor was radiating directed towards him.

"Good…"

Emperor Maximus responded upon hearing Master Zurrick's reply. He then raised his right hand and firmly gripped the hilt of his sword.

*GRAB*

"Just how much stronger have you become?... I once believed that, through my countless years of magical research as a ninth circle mage, I would close the gap in our strength, as you were stagnant as a 7th Class Aura Master. However, it appears my aspirations to challenge the natural hierarchy were nothing but delusions. An Aura Master will always stand at the pinnacle of strength in this world. But, with this otherworldly power this unknown figure has hidden, I should be able to fulfill my dream, breaking away from the rules of this world that bind me. So, fight on, o Mighty emperor.

Master Zurrick thought in his mind, his eyes fixed on the emperor's departing figure.

"I planned on killing you painlessly and taking the purple energy you hid… but now I've changed my mind."

Emperor Maximus said, in a threatening tone, tightening his grip on his sword's hilt.

*GRIP*

*CLANK*

"!!!"

As Emperor Maximus drew nearer, Helena felt a shiver run down her spine, with every hair on her back standing on end.

"This... This shouldn't be possible! My body's senses are screaming. This clone possesses three... no, four times his strength. So, what is this feeling?"

Helena deliberated in her mind. With a panicked expression.

*SHING*

"!!!?"

Helena heard the loud sound of a sword leaving its sheath and snapped out of her thoughts. But before she realized it, a powerful and fast energy in the form of a sword was inches away from hitting her.

*WHOOSH*

*SWISH*

"Sword projection!!?"

Helena thought in her mind as she saw the incoming attack. In a split second, her reflexes took over, and she swiftly moved to the side, dodging the attack with remarkable speed.

*SWOOSH*

As the sword projection whizzed past Helena, it continued forward towards the magic dome, enshrouding the entire Silverwood Estate.

*WHIZZ*

The moment the Sword Projection met the dome, it shattered it instantly, causing it to dissipate.

*BANG*

*SHATTER*

*WHOOOOSH*

"..."

Helena looks to the path where the sword projection had passed with an impressed expression, after seeing the deep gash left on the ground by the attack.

"..."

Seeing his opponents momentarily distracted, Emperor Maximus moved with astonishing speed, generating a shockwave that ruptured the ground from the sheer pressure.

*BOOM*

*WHOOSH*

*SWISH*

Appearing before Helena in a mere second, Emperor Maximus swiftly drew his sword and executed a vertical slash. Following the attack, an explosion erupted, obliterating everything within a 300-meter radius. A colossal cloud of dust billowed, veiling the entire battlefield.

*SLASH*

*SWOOSH*

*BOOM*

*WHOOSH*

"Cough…Cough… that was close."

Helena said, flying out of the smoke cloud into the sky.

*WHOOSH*

"Where do you think you're going!!"

Emperor Maximus exclaimed, materializing behind Helena in an instant and launching a horizontal slash.

*SWOOSH*

*SLASH*

"!!!"

Helena sensed the attack and hastily used her universal Qi to protect herself. But despite her efforts, Emperor Maximus's attack sent her falling from the sky, crashing into a distant manor.

*BANG*

*SWOOSH*

*CRASH*

—----------------------------------------------------------------------

TEN MILES AWAY, THE DESTROYED MANOR HELENA CRASHED INTO.

*CRUMBLE*

*CRUMBLE*

*RUMBLE*

As Helena emerged from the wreckage of the collapsed Manor, she had a terrifying grin on her face.

"HA-hahahahahaha… This is it! This is what I've been waiting for! Now I see why my senses were tingling when I sensed his strength. It was my subconscious excitement for a real challenge."

Helena yells in an excited tone, removing her hood to reveal her disguised face, her cloak now morphed into the Armor of Altair.

"Now, let's have a real fight!"

Helena said with an exhilarated expression, as she shot into the sky toward Emperor Maximus at incredible speed.

*BOOM*

*WHOOSH*

—---------------------------------------------------------------

BACK TO EMPEROR MAXIMUS.

"It appears that attack won't suffice. I'll need to exert more effort."

Emperor Maximus said with a cold expression upon sensing Helena's rapid approach. He raised his blade, channeling his Aura into it, and unleashed multiple sword projection slashes toward her.

*SLASH*

*SLASH*

*SLASH*

*SLASH*

*SWOOSH*

—--------------------------------------------------------

A THOUSAND METERS AWAY-HELENA'S LOCATION.

*WHOOSH*

"!!"

Helena, streaking through the air at incredible speed, sensed powerful energies closing in on her. She grinned and continued her course, accelerating even further.

*WHOOOSH*

A few seconds later the sword projections came into Helena's view, terrifying power could be felt from each of the sword projections, but Helena still had an unconcerned and confident expression as she flew toward them.

*WHOOSH*

As she neared the sword projections, Helena crashed into them with her body, causing them to explode on impact.

*BANG*

*BOOM*

The explosion's sound and sight resonated throughout the night, capturing the attention of commoners in the Outer City, nobles at the palace, and the Silver Dragon Knights.

"Huh? If this weak level of attack is the best you can do, you won't be able to make a scratch on me!"

Helena said as she moved from the spot of the explosion and appeared right in front of Emperor Maximus in an instant. Covering a distance of five hundred meters in less than a second.

"What!!!"

Emperor Maximus was shocked by the astonishing speed his opponent showed but that did not make him falter as he lunged a strike immediately.

*SLASH*

However, he missed, slashing at empty air and feeling a powerful blow to his side, that sent him crashing to the ground.

*BANG*

*SWOOSH*

*BOOM*

*CRASH*

"Keuk!"

Emperor Maximus grunted as he lay in the crater caused by his crash.

*WHOOSH*

"Gyahhhhhhh!!!..."

Helena's battle cry resounded in the air, and a strong gust of wind accompanied her as she appeared almost immediately in the crater, grabbing one of Emperor Maximus's legs, and launching him back into the sky with great strength.

*GRAB*

*BOOM*

*WHOOSH*

"Ugh!!"

Emperor Maximus groaned in discomfort as he soared rapidly through the air. He could feel that the speed at which he was moving had already surpassed the limit his body could endure.

"Get back down!"

Helena declared as she flew past Emperor Maximus, who was still ascending at a speed faster than sound. Then, she descended toward him, her knees driving into his stomach with a thunderous explosive impact.

*BANG*

*BOOM*

"COUGH!!!"

Emperor Maximus coughs up blood with a pained expression as Helena's powerful attack connects with his stomach, sending him hurtling toward the ground with great momentum.

*WHOOSH*

A loud explosive sound resounded in the air as Emperor Maximus crashed into the ground, creating a large crater and a dust cloud.

*BOOOOOM!!!*

"And here I thought you would be more of a challenge, but I guess… I overestimated your power level. Or did I just underestimate the power of this body?"

Helena taunted arrogantly as she descended slowly to where Emperor Maximus had crashed. As she lands on the ground the dust clouds dispersed.

*WHOOOSH*

Revealing Emperor Maximus in the crater laid flat on the ground, with a haunting wound on his stomach, and blood pouring out the side of his mouth. It was obvious that he could no longer continue the fight.

*SCREECH*

Helena slid into the crater, walked toward Emperor Maximus, and picked him up with one hand, staring at him with a disappointed expression.

"How…How… is this possible, I was fighting a woman the entire time?"

Emperor Maximus said in his mind with a shocked expression after looking down and seeing his opponent's face, while being hung in the air.

"Who– Cough! Cough!... Who are you? There is no way a woman in this world could have this sort of power…Cough, Cough… You must be from—"

Emperor Maximus said as he breathed his last breath.

"What!?... Hey! I must be from where?!... Don't just die without finishing your words, Dammit!"

Helena said in an angry tone as she shook Emperor Maximus's lifeless body. Before throwing it to the ground.

*THUD*

"What does the last words he said mean? Is there something or someplace in this world I do not know about..."

Helena pondered in her mind.

"From your reaction, it looks like you are not from there."

"What!!?"

Helena flinches with a surprised expression after hearing Emperor Maximus's voice. She turns her gaze to his body quickly and sees it transforming into a black smog.

*STAB*

"GAH!"

Helena grunted in pain as she felt the cold blade of a sword piercing her chest.

"Be careful of your own shadow; for it might hide more than you realize."