Level Up Legacy

"How can two opposing forces… work together?" asked the old man in confusion. His new form was almighty, unbreakable by any attacks that might befall him. This has been the case against everyone, but this time was different. "How can you be enraged… and calm… at the same time?"

"Wrath is a feeling, but it doesn\'t take over me," said Arthur as he took a step forward. Instead, his aura exploded toward the sky, creating a pillar of golden mana as he pushed Osian back.

The Sword of Creation started cutting through the Nothingness Sword as strings leaked from it. The mana being infused into the sword was too much for Osian to handle, making him jump back and allow the attack to push him back.

As the golden sword swung down, it sent an arch of golden mana that traveled after Osian. The dark creature used its horns to shoot out a beam of nothingness that struck the golden attack, diffusing it.

"This is far from over," said Arthur as he stomped on the ground and aimed his sword at Osian. Then, he bolted forward to pierce him, splitting apart the nothingness like paper.

Osian saw the sword coming at him at a speed he could outmaneuver, but once he tried to move away, he realized he was getting slower. The black lightning surrounded him like cobwebs, taking away his energy.

"What are you doing to me?" asked Osian as he raised his sword to meet the attack head-on, causing another clash that shook the world. The soldiers around them were pushed back, and even the two flying vessels in the sky rose higher.

"As long as wrath has a target, it can never outpower him."

"I am the empyrean rank!" roared Osian as he raised his other hand toward the sky. The world started to spin under his command as stars shone in the night sky. "I am a ruler of heaven and earth!"

As a whirlwind started gathering around Osian, the power scale was toppled. Arthur had the advantage of elements against the nothingness, but the stats of an empyrean rank pushed him back. It was like striking at a mountain, hoping it would give away.

However, Osian proved that he was a rank above all other humans. His strength became the substance, while the nothingness became the carrier. Arthur realized that a head-on attack might not end up in his favor, so he utilized his art.

The Sword of Creation grew smaller until it turned into a dagger, which Arthur used to slide the sword of nothingness off and attack its owner. However, Osian managed to fend off the attack and the one after it, causing a series of rapid encounters between them.

Cling! Cling! Cling!

Cling! Cling! Cling!

Every collision made the world shake, forcing the two armies in the plaza to stop fighting lest they get demolished by the two. Instead, the rebels focused on protecting the citizens from the dark beings, and the knights focused on following Duke Delano, who gathered whoever was left on his side to leave the plaza.

In the chaos, the knights managed to flee the plaza and head toward the underground labyrinth where the arrays were installed. Duke Delano figured that if he managed to reactivate the arrays which supported their emperor, the tides might change.

As for the situation above, it was looking bleak. Alan, Li, and Yuran were no match against the four warriors sent by the families. Furthermore, it seems the four were toying with them rather than fighting them. After all, their armies remained on standby.

Suyin decided to join the fight, only to discover that she was far weaker against a team than a powerful opponent. The summoner and tamer used their monsters to render her attacks useless, making her contribution to the battle minimal.

Rae was the last to join the fray, and she managed to push back the four fighters. Although she was far weaker than them, her scarf proved versatile in battle, and her manifested armor gave her a fighting chance against them.

"Who would have thought that Shon would side with the outsider?" asked the guild master of Dragonir and Heir of Thiria. His tone was laced with sarcasm as if Shon was naturally aligned with Arthur.

"I wish my father would indeed follow him, but I\'m afraid I will be the only one," Rae said as she raised her sword again, standing atop the Runic Dome. "We need to take them out one by one, Vice-Master."

"…"

Julia did not answer Rae, as she knew that the armies hidden away would come out to fight for their lords when one of the four men fell. At that time, they would have dug their own grave ahead of time.

Unless Ilios falls, Ascent would have no chance to fight against five nations. At the very least, they could run away. However, that would undo all the work they did in this nation, and leaving would simply topple the scale around the world.

However, Julia also understood that their actions had broken the world power balance. If Ilios fell here, Shon or Orlan might be the first to invade it. Thus, they couldn\'t leave without making sure that a new Ilios could be built rather than letting them fend for themselves.

The fight below needed to end before Julia could take offensive moves against the other four nations. Arthur needed to win against Osian before they had a fighting chance against the rest.

However, even from a far distance, the fight shook the world. Each collision between the two shook their existence, bringing a feeling of impending doom. This might be the real reason the four nations didn\'t attempt to interfere with the fight but waited until the end to decide.

If Osian won, then these nations would have no reason to risk their lives. If he loses, they can strike Arthur after expanding his energy. Knowing all this, Julia knew she couldn\'t get these nations involved.

Sitting inside the command room of the Runic Dome, Julia was staring at the screen with a pale face. Five nations were not something Ascent could handle, even with Arthur being in peak condition.

"We need to overpower them alone, but how? If we can push these nations back alone without Arthur, we can establish that Ilios wouldn\'t be easy the taking with us."

"Arthur placed a good head as his Vice-Master," said a voice in her head, making her flinch and look around. "I am not there, but in the Light Prison above. My name is Aurora, the Witch of Hearts."

"Ally or foe?" asked Julia with a frown as she had her guard up, her hand seeking the barrier control of her Runic Dome. "What do you want?"

"There is no need to be wary. I chose to follow the outsider and his endeavors and have someone to help my predicament. What is limiting your giant vessel?"

"…energy."

That was the simple answer that was not a grand secret. The Runic Dome was mighty, but it consumed energy as no other artifact did. Not even Arthur could use its every function because he would expand mana just by floating around.

"I have a man here with almost infinite mana, and he would love to give it up," said Aurora in her head. "However, Zonas Mantra and this man are currently fighting against the Prison Warden, Eloisa. I assume that Arthur has already taken care of Cassius the Arrogant."

"Are you saying that the two of them are fighting in the Light Prison?" asked Julia with a frown as she changed the screen. The Light Prison was high above the Light Palace, looking like its mirrored reflection of it in the sky.

"After Arthur broke through the prison, we met Cassius and the Prison Warden, Assassin Eloisa. Zonas Mantra and Adam Leno fought against Eloisa, and Arthur fought against Cassius."

Julia knew the situation below. Arthur joined the fight against Osian after appearing from the sky with the unconscious Cassius. This witch might be telling the truth, and if the mana was accessible, then the Runic Dome was stronger than any calamity.

"What do I need to do?"

"Adam Leno is the mana vessel, but we must take down Eloisa before we get there. That is why… I need you to destroy the Light Prison using your vessel. This whole place is under Eloisa\'s control."

Julia was silent because this meant she needed to use the last of her mana resources. It was a gamble to trust a voice in her head, and the allure of infinite mana made things suspicious. However, she didn\'t have Arthur to validate this offer.