Chapter 139: Apocalypse Essence

Guy wasn't even given a moment to breathe.

"Accelerate."

The voice that escaped Akira's lips was barely a whisper, yet its impact was colossal—like a slap to the face of reality itself. It wasn't just a command; it was a brutal force tearing through time and space, yanking all attention with an invisible grip.

The ground beneath Akira's feet cracked as if existence itself was collapsing under the weight of his speed. His body shot forward in a straight line, as though nothing could stop him. There was no flourish to his movement—no theatrics, no warning. It was cold, savage, and silent, like a being from a realm beyond the boundaries of time and space. He hurtled toward Guy at an indescribable velocity, the very air recoiling from his path as if afraid to meet this entity.

Guy raised his hand in a swift motion, activating his Multilayer Barrier to weave a shield of overlapping defenses. But Akira was faster. His iron grip reached Guy before the fortifications could solidify.

CRACK.

The barrier shattered like glass beneath a hammer of inexorable force. The sound of its destruction was akin to a solar flare exploding, shockwaves ripping outward in every direction, tearing through the battlefield. Even Rain and Misery, standing far from the epicenter, felt it vividly.

It was clear Guy had begun questioning the nature of the power he faced. 'This isn't just brute strength… This monster is manipulating the essence of destruction itself,' Guy thought, twisting backward to evade a sidelong kick aimed at his throat. His hands were clenched, his eyes straining to track every micro-movement that might betray his opponent's intent.

[ Combat Pattern Analysis: Guy — Energy frequency adaptation in progress… Partial synchronization with magical pathways achieved.]

[ Skill activation: "Thought Acceleration" to predict next reaction interval.]

Akira opened his left palm, and a swirling black orb materialized, pulsing with dark crimson energy. It rotated unnaturally fast, glowing with raw power that defied conventional magic. This was pure Apocalypse Essence—the very core of annihilation.

"Try this."

Akira's murmur was soft before he launched the orb toward Guy. It drifted through the air as if dragging everything into its wake—swallowing light, space, and even the atmosphere itself.

"Crimson Barrage!!"

Guy flung open a portal behind him and shot upward, wreathed in tongues of black flame. Midair, a chain reaction of fiery explosions erupted, merging with his own flowing blood. This ability, an Art forged from Nuclear Magic, carried catastrophic destructive force.

But Akira didn't retreat. Instead, he raised his right hand to the sky as if summoning something beyond human comprehension. At that moment, the heavens themselves tore apart—as though time and space were testing his might. The once-clear sky darkened into an abyss, and with each motion of his hand, the waves of devastation intensified.

A strange sigil unfurled above Akira's head, spectral runes interlacing like a new chapter of truth being written into existence. The symbols danced in the void, linking together to form an enigmatic chain of inputs and outputs.

[ Notice: Original spell activated — Apocalypse Spell: "Void Rain." ]

The sky began to rain embers of nothingness. Each spark erased the air before it touched the ground, as though inverting reality itself. These were no ordinary meteors—they were fragments of "unreality," warping everything in their path. The forces Akira wielded now transcended even the limits of human imagination.

Guy could no longer ignore what was unfolding. Reality twisted around him; the earth contorted beneath his feet. 'This isn't a fight… This is a trial by a being on the verge of shattering this world's laws,' he thought, his helplessness mounting. Then, he roared:

"ENOUGH!!"

His energy detonated violently, as if the earth had split open with him. Everything in his vicinity condensed into pure force, gravity and matter reforged into weapons. Energy surged from every point in the sky and surroundings, coalescing into a crimson spear crackling with absolute violence.

"Red Monarch Spear: Absolute Rend!"

The spear lanced forth at superluminal speed, aimed at Akira's chest. Every atom in that weapon screamed of death, carrying all the power Guy could muster. The attack was a storm unto itself, designed to pierce Akira's heart.

But Akira didn't flinch. He opened his eyes—and they burned violet, as though a soul had awakened within them.

For a moment, all sound vanished. The world around them dissolved, as if silence itself had been erased.

ZZZMMMMMMM

The spear struck Akira's body—but instead of piercing him, it froze midair. The power it carried, its very energy, was utterly absorbed. Then… it disintegrated. Not by magic or skill, but because reality itself denied its existence. As though the universe had rejected it.

"This level of attack is too low."

Akira's voice was calm as he raised his right hand. He placed it gently, lethally, against Guy's chest.

"Darkness & Gravity Manipulation: Fake Black Hole."

In that instant, Guy's vision failed. Shadows shattered around him, swallowing everything he knew into a void deeper than oblivion.

A scream… with no sound.

A flash of a black star… devouring all.

…

After seconds of absolute stillness, Akira stepped back, reverting to his earlier tranquility. Guy knelt on the ground, unharmed but breathing raggedly. His body trembled imperceptibly, yet he refused to stop trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"I didn't want to kill you," Akira said, dusting off his glove as if finishing a casual stretch. "I only wanted to understand myself."

Guy staggered to his feet, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. The realization that he'd lost so effortlessly was undeniable.

"...Did I lose?"

His whisper was feather-soft, yet everyone present heard it. No one answered.

[ Notice: Remaining energy-borrowing time: 00:21 seconds.]

'Five minutes have passed…' Akira glanced at the sky, now returning to normal. 'A very fruitful five minutes to learn what I've become.'

...

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