The goddess in the cloak then spoke, her voice calm and resonant, "Since you know me, that saves me the trouble of introducing myself."
In that instant, the alleyway vanished, replaced by a battlefield stretching endlessly into the horizon. The sky above was a turbulent swirl of dark clouds and glowing lighting, casting a chilling glow over the shattered landscape. The ground was littered with the remains of ancient conflicts—broken weapons, crumbling ruins, and scorched earth.
It was a place devoid of life, where time seemed to stand still.
Ark barely had time to register the change before a massive shockwave erupted from the goddess. The force hit him like a tidal wave, sending him skidding backwards, his boots carving deep furrows into the ground as he struggled to maintain his footing. Dust and debris swirled around him as he finally came to a stop, his breath heavy and ragged.
Genesis’s voice echoed in his mind, her tone filled with urgency and dread. "†[Lord Ark, it’s her…]†"
Ark’s eyes narrowed, a spark of recognition flickering in their color-changing depths. "I know, Genesis," he replied through gritted teeth. "It’s her… the Goddess of Time, Chrono Nexus."
Chrono Nexus lowered her hood, revealing her radiant, ageless features. Her skin was flawless, her eyes a deep, cosmic blue that seemed to contain the vastness of the universe, and her golden hair glinted like in the dimlight. She gazed at Ark intensely, her voice cold and commanding. "Identify yourself and explain your purpose in this timeline."
Genesis fluttered anxiously beside Ark, her tiny body glowing with a worried expression on her face. "†[She already knows we’re here from the future. What should we do, Lord Ark?]†"
Ark’s mind raced. "I was not been briefed on this scenario. Was I supposed to meet her? Should I fight her or reveal our mission? Damm it, but doing so could have unpredictable consequences on the timeline."
He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. "Fighting her seems to be the only option, but it won’t be easy. She’s very strong, and if I get forced to go all out in the fight I could end up injuring her seriously, which could cause me to be erased from existence."
Before he could formulate a plan, Chrono Nexus’s body shimmered, and in a flash, she was covered in her white and gold armor. She took a step forward, her presence imposing and undeniable. "You still haven’t answered my question."
Ark took a deep breath, steadying himself. He met her gaze squarely, the light from her armor reflecting in his eyes. "My name is Ark," he began, his voice calm but firm. "And as for what I’m doing here… that’s something I’m not sure I can tell you."
With that, he shifted into a fighting stance, his hands glowing faintly as he began to draw upon his power. The air around him shimmered with blue and purple mana, and an excited smile could be seen at the corners of his lips.
He knew he was facing one of the most formidable beings in existence, but retreat was not an option, and the thought of fighting her when she didn’t hold back was an exciting idea.
Chrono Nexus’s expression remained impassive, though a flicker of intrigue passed through her eyes. "Very well," she said, raising her hand. A golden staff materialized, its surface pulsing with temporal mana. "Let’s see if you truly understand the consequences of challenging time itself."
Ark could feel the weight of Chrono Nexus’ power bearing down on him, and he knew he had to respond as quickly as he possibly could. He called out to Genesis, his thoughts sharp and clear. "Genesis, activate battle mode. Raise my base mana threshold to 40%. Utilize my first †Authority†."
Genesis’s voice echoed in his mind, calm and precise despite the urgency. "†[Understood, Lord Ark. Initializing transformations now.]†"
"†[†Authority† †Child-Of Chaos† 60% of †Authority† threshold in use.]†
Child of chaos was an †Authority† that would lessen the incoming damage Ark took, by disrupting their nature. It was a way to ensure he would be able to subdue Chrono Nexus without getting hurt in the process. But he couldn’t use the full strength of it, if there was a chance the goddess could unravel his identity.
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In an instant, Ark’s body suddenly bagan transforming. A pair of gleaming white horns sprouted from his skull, curling upwards. A long, golden dragon tail emerged, and his entire body was soon encased in an advanced armor of gold, white, black, and purple. The visors of his helmet flickered, shifting through a spectrum of colors, reflecting the immense mana now coursing through him.
Ark’s voice deepened, taking on a chilling edge as he spoke, stretching his arms as if looking for a challenge, "Alright, let’s do this."
Chrono Nexus narrowed her gaze as she observed his transformation. "Since you refuse to identify yourself and have chosen this path, it’s clear you prefer a more violent approach. Very well, I shall oblige. Unidentified threats must be eliminated."
Her blue eyes shone with a brilliant light, and a surge of blue mana erupted from her, crackling with an intensity that sent shivers through the air. The ground beneath her feet cracked and erupted as she prepared to launch herself forward.
"†[Lord Ark, she’s incoming at high speed!]†"
Chrono Nexus’ body blurred and suddenly disappeared, the next instant she streaked across the battlefield, a bolt of blue lightning. Ark, now armored and enhanced, twitched slightly in shock at her sheer velocity.
He instinctively leaned backward just in time, her leg slicing through the air where his head had been moments before. The force of her near-miss sent a shockwave through the ground, a trail of crackling lightning following her.
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Ark’s mind raced, analyzing the situation. "Good heavens, I could have been a goner just now." He smiled then thought further, "She’s a lot faster than when she usually spares with me back home," he thought, the rush of adrenaline heightening his senses. "I need to stay one step ahead, use her momentum against her."