Chapter 6: Unleashing the Abyss

The coliseum roared with excitement as the next round of the tournament was announced. The sheer anticipation in the air was palpable, an invisible pressure pressing against Aetheron's chest as he stepped onto the battlefield.

His opponent was already waiting.

A massive figure, easily a head taller than Aetheron, clad in obsidian armor. His presence alone was enough to command fear.

Darius Blackthorn.

Aetheron recognized the name immediately. The Blackthorn family was infamous for their ruthless warriors, each trained from childhood to embody the pinnacle of physical and magical dominance.

Darius was the strongest of his generation.

The announcer's voice echoed through the coliseum.

"Next match—Aetheron vs. Darius Blackthorn!"

Aetheron barely heard the rest. His focus had already narrowed to the man in front of him.

Darius smirked. "You're the thief everyone's whispering about."

Aetheron kept his stance relaxed. "And you're the brute I'm about to take down."

Darius laughed, cracking his knuckles. "Big words. Let's see if you can back them up."

The signal was given.

And Darius moved.

A Clash of Titans

Aetheron barely had time to react before Darius vanished.

Fast!

Aetheron barely sidestepped as a gauntleted fist shattered the ground where he had stood a moment ago. The sheer force sent tremors through the battlefield.

Aetheron darted backward, summoning the Void Dominion to his fingertips. Black tendrils of nothingness coiled around his hand, but Darius was already charging again.

This time, Aetheron was ready.

He thrust his hand forward, the tendrils lashing out.

Darius twisted mid-air, barely dodging the strike.

And then he grinned.

He's testing me.

Aetheron's mind raced. Darius isn't just strong—he's fast. Precise. He's not wasting movement.

Aetheron needed more than just raw power.

He needed strategy.

Darius charged again, this time his fist glowing with crimson energy.

Aetheron recognized it immediately—Titan's Wrath.

A rare ability that multiplied the user's strength exponentially the longer they remained in combat. If Darius was allowed to keep fighting, his attacks would only grow stronger.

Aetheron narrowed his eyes.

I need that power.

Darius struck again, his fist tearing through the air like a meteor. Aetheron dodged—but just barely. The sheer force of the attack sent him skidding backward.

If I take another direct hit, I'm done.

He had no choice.

Aetheron let the Void Dominion expand, darkness coiling around him like a living entity.

Darius smirked. "There it is."

Then he lunged again.

Devourer Awakens

Aetheron inhaled sharply as he met Darius head-on.

Void Dominion and Titan's Wrath collided.

The impact was catastrophic. The ground beneath them exploded, sending debris flying in all directions. The audience gasped as the battlefield fractured under the force.

But Aetheron wasn't done.

He reached deeper.

The Devourer ability surged within him, extending its influence like an insatiable hunger. It latched onto Darius's Titan's Wrath.

And ripped it away.

Darius's eyes widened in shock as the crimson energy around him flickered.

Aetheron's body burned as Titan's Wrath flooded into his veins.

Power. Raw, uncontrollable power.

His muscles tensed, his blood pulsed—his entire being felt like it was about to break apart.

But Aetheron did not break.

He mastered it.

Void Dominion and Titan's Wrath merged.

Black tendrils of void energy coated his fists, crackling with the sheer might of Titan's Wrath.

Aetheron moved.

Faster than before.

Stronger than before.

He appeared in front of Darius in the blink of an eye.

Darius barely had time to react before Aetheron's fist slammed into his gut.

A shockwave tore through the battlefield.

Darius was sent flying, crashing into the far wall of the coliseum with a deafening impact.

Silence.

The crowd stood frozen.

Then—an eruption of cheers.

Aetheron exhaled, his body still thrumming with power.

The match was over.

He had won.

And now?

Now he had a new ability.

The Aftermath

As Aetheron left the battlefield, Selene was already waiting for him in the preparation chamber.

She eyed him with a mix of amusement and caution. "You don't do things halfway, do you?"

Aetheron smirked. "Not my style."

Selene's gaze darkened slightly. "You do realize what just happened, don't you?"

Aetheron frowned. "I won."

Selene shook her head. "No, Aetheron. You just proved that you can take abilities. And now? Everyone knows it."

Aetheron clenched his fists.

She was right.

The whispers had already begun.

The Devourer had revealed himself to the world.

And the world would never be the same.