The air crackled with unstable time energy.
Zero grinned, even as his body flickered in and out of existence.
"You really think you've won?" he rasped.
Alex clenched his fists. "You're done, Zero. You can't even control your own powers anymore."
Zero laughed. A deep, echoing sound that sent chills down Alex's spine.
Then—he slammed his fist into the ground.
BOOOOM.
A shockwave of red energy exploded outward.
Time itself fractured.
The entire city froze and unfroze, glitching between past, present, and future.
Buildings shifted—one moment pristine, the next crumbling ruins.
People appeared and vanished, flickering between different moments in time.
Jax's voice cracked through the chaos. "Uhhh, is it just me, or did that guy just break reality?"
Zero's eyes glowed red.
"I AM TIME ITSELF NOW."
Alex's heart pounded. "Oh, crap."
Zero lifted his hand—and time stopped completely.
The Final Showdown
Alex could barely move.
He fought against Zero's control, feeling time energy surging through his body.
He reached deep into his own power—and shattered Zero's hold.
Time restarted.
Zero's expression flickered with shock.
Alex vanished—then reappeared right in front of him.
He threw a punch—Zero blocked—the force rippled through time itself.
Every hit sent them shifting through different timelines.
One second, they were fighting in a prehistoric jungle.
The next, they were on a futuristic battlefield.
Then—a dark void, outside of time itself.
WHAM.
Alex finally landed a full-powered hit.
Zero stumbled back, coughing. His energy was unstable.
"You… can't stop me," he gasped.
Alex wiped blood from his lip. "Watch me."
He lifted his hands—and activated everything.
Every ounce of time energy he had.
And he did something impossible.
He stopped time—for Zero alone.
Zero froze mid-motion.
His eyes flickered in realization. "No…"
Alex closed his fist.
And Zero's body shattered—scattered across time.
The Aftermath
The storm cleared. The city stabilized.
Time returned to normal.
Jax groaned, rubbing his head. "Okay. Are we dead?"
Evelyn blinked. "No… we won."
Lillian exhaled. "It's over."
Alex stood there, staring at the spot where Zero had been.
It was done.
He had won.
But at what cost?
Chronos's voice echoed in his mind.
"The final battle isn't just about fighting Zero… it's about outsmarting him."
Something felt… unfinished.
But for now—he let himself breathe.