Chapter 109 - Singularity
"Divine Grade Treasures are capable of destroying worlds like this. I wonder what will happen should I focus my attacks on just you… Hero" I grinned wickedly.
Jared looked frightful at the brimming energy that surrounded me. The sparks of purple light buzzed as it caused vibrations in the air. Clearly he is well aware of the fact that the energy encompassing me are not ordinary. This Axe known as the 'Cleaver Of Chaos' is one which has the ability to release vast amounts energy that caused anything it touches to overload and burst.
Currently, the Aspects around me are being affected by the energy it is releasing, and I'm sure Jared has noticed. After all, this is his world.
"Y-You bastard!" Jared groaned.
He clutched his chest and coughed out more. He writhed in pain, but refused to give in to it. His eyes remained focused on me as they bulged, seeming to nearly pop out of their sockets.
"It's over already Jared. You've reached your limits. We can end it here if you want, but it'll be my victory of course…" I offered.
This enraged him even more as he screeched out with annoyance and dissatisfaction.
"You dare… Are you looking down on me?" He gritted his teeth.
"Fine. I admit that you created that world! But it doesn't matter anymore. I have destroyed it already, you shouldn't be able to make any more in quite some time. I have also trapped you in my world, and have guarded my Aspects. There's no way you can win against me now!" He grinned painfully.
How wrong he is. If I want, I can make another world. But there's no point in wasting essence. I can simply end things with my cleaver.
"Bring it on then" I taunted.
Veins appeared all over his contorted face, revealing an ugly appearance filled with desperation and rage.
"Eat thiiiissssss!!!!" He yelled.
Many weapons appeared once again, their numbers ranging to hundreds of millions. The entire world seemed to be filled with them. Swords, Spears, Bows and Arrows… Knives, Darts, Shurikens, Axes… Various weapons all possessing considerable power. They steadied themselves, all pointing in my direction.
"Let's see how you handle all of this!!!" He smiled triumphantly.
He released his first wave of attacks, sending a few dozen million weapons to attack me. I watched as they approached me with unbelievable speed. My body shook as I felt their presence closing in on me.
Isn't this just overdoing things? He's spreading the Aspects too thin. This is why I said he's not smart. If he was, he would have concentrated all the Aspects and made a more formidable projection. But he seems to believe in quantity over quality. Well, it's not like any if that matters before my cleaver.
"Useless!" I said.
Gripping my Ax tightly with my right hand, I swung it toward the direction of the assault in front if me. Immediately, sparks started to generate from the swing, causing a singularity. The singularity, appearing to be like lightening in the form of black holes filled with devastating power, charged forward as they launched toward the weapons that neared me. The weapons clashed with the lightening singularity, causing a massive explosion.
What I simply did was to destroy Aspects between myself and Jared with my ax, causing an empty singularity to replace the Aspects. The singularity, equaling emptiness clashed with 'somethiness', becoming a neutral reaction.
"Heh, are you done?" I asked him with a smile.
"You…. You… You bastard!!!!" He yelled, releasing over a hundred million weapons this time, from every direction.
Of course, it still makes no difference so long as I can still cut them down. I raised my Ax above my head and released a pulse from it. This pulse released a great mass of destructive energy, originating from the Ax, as it spread all around me. The dark energy, upon contact with the weapons, entirely swallowed them and caused them to explode. The power of my ax is to overload Aspects and bring their destruction. No matter how many weapons he possesses, in the end, they will end up being consumed.
"You bore me, Jared." I continued to taunt.
This time, he wouldn't have any of it. He let out a fierce roar with anger and frustration.
"This man… Rio… My weapons have no effect. That axe of his is dangerous. But, no matter… So long as it is in my world… I can always match it!" Jared thought to himself.
He raised his hands up as it shone with a golden radiance. Suddenly, the remaining swords which pointed toward me started to fly to his location. They broke apart, turning back into Aspects and gathered above his hand. The millions of weapons swirled above his hand as they began to transform into something else. The shapeless mass of Aspects started taking shape. The handle, the edge, it's form started to become evident.
"T-That is…" I muttered as I saw what he made by sacrificing all the arms he possessed.
It's none other than a replica of my Cleaver Of Chaos!
"Heh, surprised? You see, my Blank Canvas not only makes whatever I imagine a reality, it is also able to entirely scan anything that dwell within it, creating a perfect replica." Jared grinned.
I see. So that's how he is able to make copies of himself so flawlessly. He was also able to recreate my treasures and pierce Ana with them. It's an impressive feat, I admit.
"Interesting. So you gave up on overwhelming me with numbers, instead resorting to this… Clever indeed" I remarked.
"Do you realize now? This has been a close match, but in the end I'll be the one to win! I have never lost before, and I won't start now!" He declared.
So that's it. His pride won't allow him to take a loss. That's why he so easily agreed to our condition since he thinks he won't lose. It's too bad though, he's facing off against me.
"But, you know… You should have done this earlier!" I told him.
"What?!" He let out with a troubled expression.
"I mean, why did you have to do this now? If you had done it sooner, you might have stood a better chance. The Aspects you wasted in your two earlier attacks, had you done this from the start, it would be more powerful than this, no?" I asked.
"S-Shut up! What do you know?!" He yelled.
"I've had enough of listening to you! This time, I'll be ending you once and for all!" He said, raising his version of my ax.
"Well, this should be interesting… Let's see which one is more superior, yours or mine!" I said.
Golden sparks of destructive energy emanated from his axe, while purple and black came from mine. The world trembled in the presence of such great power, and I can tell rat this place won't be able to handle the clash that will occur.
"You'll have to hold on a bit longer!" I muttered.
"Rarghhhhhh!!!!!" He yelled, bringing down his hand with a powerful vertical slash, he let loose a phenomenal amount of power. The power devastated the very fabric of space and existence within the world as it neared me.
Amazing, he really did replicate it. As I thought… This kid is too dangerous. It's best I nip it in the bud before he becomes too much of a threat to me.
I concentrated on the chaotic energy released by my weapon and glared at the powerful wave of destruction approaching me. Since he went for a vertical slash, the most efficient move for me would be… Horizontal.
I swung my axe, placing considerable weight behind it and released the overpowering burst of energy that radiated from it. With an horizontal wave, it lunged forth and approached the vertical one aimed at me. The two forces approached each other with great force, as the entire world seemed to start disintegrating due to the impact.
"No… Not yet!" I said.
With Jared's focus on his new toy, and his current exhausted state, he isn't focusing in guarding the very little Aspects that are holding this world together.
I borrowed some Aspects from ROOT and decided to repair the already collapsing world.
"HEX #07 'AUTHORITY OF SPACE'."
The world began to mend even as the powerful forces neared.
"Krikkkkakkakakkakkkk"
The sizzling and glitching sounds of the two anomalies clashing with each other sent destructive sparks all around. Jared got blown away due to the impact and his axe vaporized as a result since he was unable to maintain it. I stood still, floating in the already devastated space. Even if I use a protection Hex on myself, as soon as the sparks touch it, the Aspects U manipulate will get overloaded immediately. However, since I am not made of them, there's no one safer than me in this ruined world.
The impact finally began to cease as the fixing and cackling noises slowly dwindled. Jared grunted as he drifted uncontrollably in the space of his own making, now rendered a patched-up wasteland thanks to our attacks. I have to hand it over to him though, his false ax was able to create a wave strong enough to match mine. Though it seems he could only use it once, doing that exhausted the Aspects he sacrificed, and all for what? He barely managed to stop a hardly serious swing from me.
"It seems I was wrong. Even if he used all of the Aspects he had from the start… It wouldn't have made a difference." I muttered.
Now them, let's get our prize.
I glanced over to Jared, who seems to have lost his balance and is nearly out of energy. He is barely able to remain conscious. This is my chance.
"ROOT"
Before I completed my sentence, it automatically reacted to my wishes. My Cleaver was sent back to ROOT, leaving me barehanded. Within a moment I teleported to Jared's location and placed my hand in his head. He looked at me weakly, unable to protest as he let out groans.
I can't kill him at least not yet. But, he's still useful for other things apart from his life… His memories will be valuable to me, after all. Also, since he is a 'Hero', he won't die from this much, will he?
"Memory Drain!" I said with a smile.