Rigorous Ambition To Topple An Undefeated Being

A few hours passed and Viscable finally returned to his underground lab, taking time for the deeper observation after the challenging encounter with Gilbron. He occupied the bluish holographic chair and scanned his sight at the group of glimmering screens levitating beside him.

The majority of the screen presented the news article with shining headlines such as, "Pendoswing and The Succubus Twin strikes again". Even one of the screens played the recording of The Triumph Makers members, Prila and VWX almost fell to the ground when they encountered a mass of white energies formed into a humanoid figure and embedded in the orange armor.

The Ace Duelist observantly locked his sight on the recording, tapping the screen and swiping it to the center to amplify its size. Viscable hummed in astonishment when the recording unveiled the footage of the humanoid figure swinging its pendulum necklace and stopping its motion on the right, materializing the gigantic silhouette of the monstrous figure behind.

"Based on this news recording, Annoying Cosmic Being could summon a giant monster or powerful figure through the swing of his pendulum necklace," Viscable assumed, wrapping his knuckles and pausing the video. 

Then, The Ace Duelist shifted his attention to the floating screens on the right that showed another recording of the humanoid figure waving his pendulum swing that swung only three times. A ghastly shadowy silhouette of the floating cube emerged above the right of the energy figure.

"In this video only swing three times and summoned a different kind of being," Viscable commented. "I assumed he would gain different kinds of monsters or entities depending on how many times the pendulum necklace swings."

Viscable rubbed his chin and grunted, "However, I felt his necklace swing is only a gimmick."

He got up from the holographic chair that dispersed into a speck of dust, snapping his fingers and calling forth the stream of particles on the front. The particles neatly carried the drop of gleaming crimson blood inside the azure cylinder tube, attracting The Ace Duelist to walk closer.

"If his pendulum swing is proven to be a gimmick, it shows he is one of the most threatening beings on Earth!" Viscable grumbled, staggering his clenched fist. "A cosmic being who turns everything else in this world like his personal playground."

A memory from the past would soon trigger inside Viscable, showing the replay where he wiped out the incinerating wave from his foe. Afterward, the memory immediately faded from The Ace Duelist's mind, leaving him to clutch his shuddering hand and coldly wince his lips.

A petrified sensation sprinkled through The Ace Duelist. His head felt spinning, dampening cold sweats on his forehead. It felt like he was stuck in a freezing land, and his legs constantly trembled. Even his heartbeat went faster, leading him to grip his chest tightly, whimpering in bitterness.

"I'm lucky I had Calamity Heart to block it," Viscable muttered, groaning in shivering frustration. "I could have died. it's one of the most terrifying I've ever faced."

"Even though…I survived, my body still shaking every time I remembered it," The Ace Duelist murmured, frigidly biting his lip as his entire limbs uncontrollably shook. "It felt his explosive touch try to splinter my fighting spirit."

Viscable screeched, "Perhaps, he put some curse on me!!"

"Quite ironic you wanted to fight me, but one of your attacks also tried to break my spirit," The Ace Duelist whispered. "Or this is part of your twisted test."

Black torches flared through his beating heart, wiping out the haunting side effect as he rested his rubbing hand. The petrified shivers were dispersed from The Ace Duelist's entire body, replacing his frightened look with a thrilled furrow especially when he turned around and fluttered his hand to the left.

"I do not care regardless," Viscable proudly stated, clenching knuckles and heaving his sight to glimpse the above view. 

The horde of screens instantaneously disintegrated, transforming their remains into particles to spread across the room as Viscable took one step forward. He puffed away the chilling hair that perturbed his lungs, generating the azure particles on his palm and drawing his hand upward.

"Then, it's time to conduct more preparation to fight this threatening cosmic being," Viscable announced, grabbing the gleaming blood within the containment and glimmering the magenta particles on his triangular backpack.

Viscable grumbled in bitterness, "I knew my current state alone is like a wimp compared to him." 

"Now, Take me to The Weapon Factory in the middle space of Langorold!!!" The Ace Duelist commanded rigidly, waving his hand forward and glimmering the blistering particles within his eyes.

The particles binding his wrist flew and multiplied like an amoeba until they fused into the door-shaped projection. The projection flexibly materialized the whirling purplish portal in front of The Ace Duelist's sight, encouraging him to chortle and approach it. He also raised his palm, evoking the fleeing card from the far left to fly into him.

With ease, The Ace Duelist caught the card and flipped it, displaying the artwork of the magenta dominant warship. A burst of prideful cackle was blurted out from Viscable as he clutched on the card before approaching the opened portal and centered his intrigued gaze at the portal.

"Devil Genocider Argunox is one of the most terrifying cards in Cardvallion, especially with its unstoppable effect," The Ace Duelist uttered brazenly. "Which means it's a perfect inspiration to build my next ultimate weapon!!

"The weapon with a great potential to decimate and counter the Annoying Cosmic Being's almost unstoppable power!" Viscable added, tilting his head in intrigued at the gleaming blood. 

The Ace Duelist giggled confidently, "Or even pulverize the next opponents who stood in my path."

An out-loud laughter of pride echoed throughout the room as The Ace Duelist walked to the portal, venturing into another dimension that became his main priority, Langorold. With his physical presence no longer visible inside his lab, the portal instantaneously shrunk until no remains were left to be seen.

...

***

Around three hours passed and Marla finally arrived at her home she restfully sat on the balmy white-colored holographic, resembling a sofa. She leaned her back and pondered at the glistening picture of the little boy locking his grimacing grin, covering her face with a look of concern.

With Marla resuming to stare at the picture, a gentle pat bumped on the shoulder, evoking her to rotate her stare to the left. A surprised gasp was breathed out from her lungs when her husband, Cantos took a seat beside her and tenderly put the tray carrying a bowl of chocolate cookies and two glasses of milk

"You seem pretty tired, hon," Cantos greeted his wife, freeing his cheerful lip and stroking his wife's hair.

"Is it because of work?" Cantos asked, eyeing the picture of the young boy pouring an uneasy frown briefly.

Marla coughed and answered, "Well to be fair, work is very tiring."

"I have a couple of irritating meetings for the education program with a lot of people," Marla complained, resting her chin on her palm. "Even worse, the education authorities are full of mischievous and opportunities scums."

"That's pretty rough, hon," Cantos said, grabbing the glasses and sipping the tiny drop of the milk before putting it on the table.

Marla giggled, "At least it's not as hard as being a Superhero."

"Back then when I was fifteen, I always thought Superheroes were a bunch of costume freaks who beat up bad guys and save the world," Marla professed, taking the cookies and placing the picture of the little boy on her lap. 

Marla panted, "I would soon realize that living as a superhero is a complete nightmare when I meet you."

"What I meant is a nightmare not because of balancing life and responsibility," Marla clarified, whimpering. "Instead, the complicated duty. For example, one villain suddenly comes and almost destroys the world or non-stop preparing to fight the next threat

"Or the worst one, having the closest person becoming the threat to the rest of the world!!" Marla added.

Marla took a huge bite of the cookie, and the longer she gazed at the young boy's picture, the more anxious she became. Cantos held her hand shortly and wrapped her back after his wife, hushedly picking up the holographic picture from her lap when she finished swallowing the cookie.

"So you suddenly talk about the Superhero problem because of Gdark's current attitude, right?" Cantos guessed, putting the holographic picture beside his left.

Marla took a deep breath and hesitantly breath, "I'm…afraid yes. I was worried sick about him."

"You remembered he decided to take his ten-year training after you lost your power right?" Marla let out a reminder.

Cantos grunted and anticipatively asked, "What are you trying to say?"

"If you never lost your power, you might have stopped him from ever initiating his training or he even never thought to declare of that sick ten years of training," Marla bickered. "Ever since he came back, he become more arrogant, selfish, and self-centered. Or maybe something worse."

"I felt he descended further into something more akin to evil!!" Marla added in distress. 

Cantos was frozenly stunned by his wife's recent statement, quivering his hands and closing his shaking eyes briefly. Then, Cantos painted his entire face with a displeasure furrow, wincing his lips, gathering the spark of irritation within his mind regarding his son's arrogant attitude.

"I'm aware our son's attitude has changed since his return," Cantos admitted, retreating his holding hand from his wife. "He might be more self-absorbed and over-ambitious than the last time, but I do feel there is something wrong about him too."

"When I talked with him in his lab, I do sense some sinister aura coming from him," Cantos added, wrapping his stammering lips and cringing as he pulled away his arm from wrapping his wife. "Even without my power, I can still sense which person dealing with dark forces."

"And based on what I observed on him so far, it's highly possible Gdark already made a deal with it," Cantos assumed. "Also when he talked about becoming a Superhero, I'm aware he didn't care much about responsibility."

"He only thinks becoming a Superhero is more like a game rather than a voluntary duty," Cantos remarked, irritatedly gritting his teeth as he picked up the milk and took a tiny sip of it.

"Don't tell me he going to become the next threat to Gloricon and even the rest of the world?!" Marla was flabbergasted and ranted. "Come on please don't, don't!!"

"I meant we still have the infamous Pendoswing roaming freely!" Marla argued and raised her voice as she continued. "And worse…The Triumph Markers couldn't even capture him because of his overwhelming power."

"Oh my god, oh my god!!" Marla shouted. "Gloricon already had enough of those chaotic freaks, why does our son need to join too?"

Cantos swallowed a large gulp of his saliva and folded his hands, "I'm afraid our son will eventually fall into the threat if never stops his obsession with reaching his goal."

"Or probably turn into a chaotic rogue, similar to that near unbeatable Pendoswing," Cantos mentioned. 

"I wished I never lost my power at Anthonian Incident ten years ago," Cantos grumbled, frustratedly departing his folding hands, "At least, I could have stopped Gdark from ever diving deeper into his dark path."

Suddenly, Cantos heaved his eyebrows when he grasped a thought of the familiar person who could seal his son's unyielding ambition. He put his hands on his lap and repeatedly tapped his knees. Marla planted a puzzling look as she eyed her husband, imperturbably waiting for his next response

"Although there is still a Prila, the special girl he loved the most, sadly I'm still skeptical is enough to persuade our son to give up his current and change into a better person," Cantos muttered.

"Well, of course, Gdark is well known to be a stubborn kid," Marla replied.

"But….I changed into a humble and more open-minded because of you!!" Cantos proclaimed. "I was even willing to work with the others after you gave me a meaningful pep talk."

Marla rolled her eyes. "The difference is that you were badly humiliated by Count Deltorox when you still had your power. That's why you desperately asked my advice in the first place."

"About Prila again, hmmm… we shall see whether Gdark can be persuaded by love or impossible to change," Marla reluctantly said.

"Even though Prila….failed, I can still try to convince him," Cantos suggested. "He was still close to me."

…

***