Nato7

The Awakening: Around 150 years ago, a mysterious event known as "The Rift" caused a dramatic shift in the world. This event opened portals from another dimension, bringing Essences—mysterious and powerful entities—into the world. These Essences granted some individuals extraordinary abilities and set in motion a global conflict.

Essence Warriors: These are people who possess the power of an Essence, which can take various forms depending on the individual’s soul and affinity. Some are born with their Essence powers from birth, while others awaken them later in life. These warriors are ranked according to their power level, and the rankings play a significant role in their status, training, and missions.

Essence Reborn

The storm still raged overhead, but all sound seemed to hush in the space between Riku Hayashi and Veynos. The ruins of the battlefield trembled under the sheer weight of the aura clashing between the two.

Water streamed from Riku's cloak as he stood unmoving, his eyes locked on the smug figure before him. Veynos, bloodied but grinning, cracked his neck with a metallic pop.

"You're playing with me," Veynos said suddenly, voice low and sharp.

Riku tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Oh?"

"I know you're not fighting seriously," Veynos continued, pacing slightly. "You're stalling. Testing me. Toying with me."

Riku smirked faintly. "And how do you know that?"

Veynos stopped in his tracks and jabbed a finger at him. "Because I know about the Divine Avatar... and the Divine Avatar Ascended."

At those words, Riku's gaze sharpened. The tension thickened instantly, the air crackling not with lightning — but raw essence.

"Oh?" Riku replied, voice calm, almost amused. "So you do know about D.A. and D.A.A."

Veynos let out a breath, his tone turning darker. "Yeah... and I've been holding back too. But the difference is — I know I can kill both versions. I don't understand how the King and Queen ever lost to you."

For a moment, Riku's eyes flickered with memory. A flash of two ancient, godlike figures — now long fallen by his hand.

He let out a small chuckle. "Ah... those two."

Then his expression shifted, playful and yet chillingly confident.

"Alright," Riku said, rolling his shoulders, essence beginning to surge. "You caught me."

Veynos narrowed his eyes, expecting an escalation.

"But tell me, Veynos..." Riku said, stepping forward. "Do you know about the Triad Divine Avatar?"

In a sudden flash of blue and gold light, Riku's fist connected squarely with Veynos's jaw, sending him flying backward into a crumbling wall. The stone shattered, and Veynos coughed violently, blood spurting from his mouth as he slumped forward.

Riku appeared in front of him before he could fall, grabbing his collar.

"You've never heard of T.D.A.?" Riku asked, grinning. "That's cute."

He slammed Veynos into the ground.

Then, without warning, Riku's aura pulsed again — the atmosphere twisting, the rain seeming to freeze mid-air as a new pressure descended. His form shifted.

A brilliant flare of light.

Riku stood, not as the Divine Avatar… but something far more ancient.

His body radiated pure, cosmic energy — intricate sigils of stars and galaxies orbiting around his frame, his eyes glowing with layered glyphs of infinity.

Veynos, face twisted in pain and confusion, gasped, barely able to breathe under the weight of the pressure.

"You don't even know about Celestial Nexus?" Riku said, mockingly surprised. "That's disappointing."

Riku vanished again — reappearing mid-air with a downward heel kick that cratered the ground as it landed on Veynos's back, slamming him deeper into the rubble.

A flurry of flickering attacks followed — too fast to track, each blow layered with star-forged energy that tore through even Veynos's corrupted essence defenses.

"You talk a big game, Veynos," Riku said between strikes. "But you're not ready for this realm."

Riku finally stopped, standing over the broken body of his opponent. Veynos wheezed, blood spilling from his mouth, unable to rise.

The storm howled, but even thunder dared not interrupt.

"This was fun," Riku added, flashing a smirk. "Let's keep playing."

Chapter 145: Divine Pressure