The Glorious Evolution

Now that Azhukar’s confidence was restored, he was no longer focused on escaping... He lifted his right hand, and a golden weapon materialized beside him in the shape of a breathtaking Cannon.

Its surface was covered in carvings showing his battles, his empire, and the worship of his people... it was at least two meters in length and had three handles. One on top and the other two to the sides. It looked glorious and deadly at the same time.

The moment Ash’Kral saw the Cannon, he raised his brows in surprise, ’The Helio Fusion Cannon... it still exists?!’

’Is it some sort of powerful Artifact?’ Levi asked emotionlessly, keeping his form intangible.

’It’s an S+ artifact attuned to Star-based powers... fire, plasma, radiation, sunflames, and such aspects can all be amplified to an insane degree... It’s believed to have within it an active, minimized star core in a pocket dimension.’ Ash’Kral shared sternly, ’It’s so good, even Radians would fight for it... No wonder the Radian wanted the Sun Amulet; he was after this artifact all along.’

Hearing this, Levi remained silent... he also realized that the supervising Radian never wanted the Sun Amulet itself.

He must have known about the true history of what happened to the Ashora Empire and that Azhukar was sealed inside the Sun Amulet, which owned such a powerful artifact.

’Why didn’t he take it from him when he was alive?’ Levi questioned, believing that Radians shouldn’t have an issue claiming such treasure from Azhukar.

’There is only one explanation...’ Ash’Kral replied, ’The artifact was gifted by a higher-ranked Radian to Azhukar... why, I don’t know. But, the rest of Radians would never dare steal or force Azhukar to hand over a gift from someone above them in hierarchy.’

’I see...’

Levi frowned behind the void as a shocking theory started forming in his mind about the true cause of the Ashora’s collapse... But, instead of wasting his time on speculation, he started thinking of ways to defeat Azhukar.

He knew that the more time he spent in the Void Form, the worse it was going to get for him later on... corruption-wise.

Even when Ash’Kral already told him about the Void Seed’s assistance, Levi understood that it was going to be holding onto the corruption akin to a gun right next to his temple. The moment he disappointed it, she would fire it back all at once inside his soul... he didn’t want to give it more ammo.

But, knowing that he was strapped for time was one thing, and actually coming up with a plan was another.

Levi didn’t have many offensive void-based abilities... In fact, if he hadn’t unlocked Singularity Break after reaching the first stage of his Void Seed’s junior rank, he would find himself strapped for abilities.

’I have to make the void eat him.’

In the end, Levi realized that even Singularity Break had become useless when used too often against beings like Azhukar.

Levi switched to a solid form while pointing his Starpiercer at Azhukar... however, this time, he didn’t fire and disappear again.

He watched as Azhukar swiftly turned in his direction with his cannon raised higher... A split second later, the cannon was engulfed in red light as a single shot of concentrated bright red plasma beam burst in Levi’s direction!

Its speed was slower than light, but still... it looked like it had arrived at Levi’s location instantly!

However, Levi was awaiting this shot... the moment Azhukar fired his weapon, Levi blinked and appeared behind him while swinging a punch with a Singularity Break forming between his fingers!

Alas... he wasn’t fighting an average Joe.

”So predictable...”

The Emperor muttered, expecting Levi’s counterattack, using the beam shot as nothing but bait.

Before Levi could react, the cannon opened side vents, and then beams of red plasma exploded outward in every direction, surrounding them both!

They pierced through the rubble and through the void itself, slicing through Levi’s form as he swiftly tried to shift back to his ghostly form.

Unfortunately, his thought process wasn’t faster than a beam at such a close range.

Szzlzlz!!

One thin beam struck him mid-phase and tore through his right shoulder... the void tried to devour it, but it was too concentrated and intense. It got weakened, but it still reached Levi’s flesh underneath the layer of void.

Yet, Levi didn’t show any sort of pained grimace... he gave up on his attack and blinked away, his hand touching the exposed hole.

Azhukar turned slowly, his sinister grin stretching wider. ”I smell flesh... I knew it.”

Levi glanced at his shoulder... the wound had already frozen over. In the void, the chill could freeze his wounds and injuries in an instant... Although it wasn’t as good as the Sun Form that could heal his wounds to perfection, each form had its own strengths and limitations.

The Emperor suddenly laughed, the voice echoing through the space.

”So that’s it... a half-blood mortal... You must have come with these rats who freed me.” His tone switched to a cold one, ”I don’t know how you got your hands on an Oblivar bloodline, but you should have let me walk away, kid.”

The moment he obtained the confirmation he wanted, Azhukar’s body began to change... his skin and feathers turned red and started emitting heated smoke. This kept going for a second or two until his entire body caught on fire! It was emitting from his eyes and beak; so intense, so concentrated, Levi could see with his harmonic spine how the superheated plasma was running wild within Azhukar’s body.

Even the potent corruption around him seemed to get burnt off, incapable of piercing his new form... This made him understand that not even his void-based abilities could break through his flesh anymore.

After all, he only had an Oblivar Skin... a single organ of an entire being... it might be a Divine Grade, but in no way or form was it enough to give him the strength necessary to actually kill an entity that had achieved the final Growth Stage.

Levi seemed to realize it slowly as well... theory was one thing, and practice was another.

”I might not be as fast as you,” Azhukar said, exhaling a long stream of red concentrated flames, ”But I don’t need to be.”

Azhukar threw the cannon above his head and swiftly charged in Levi’s direction with long twin plasma swords forming in his hands!

He resembled a burning meteor as he pierced through the rubble in a straight line, leaving molten holes in his trail, nothing capable of stopping his charge!

Even his speed seemed to have exploded, taking him less than a split second to arrive next to Levi.

Levi switched back to his chained staff and covered it in the void, making it a part of him... unlike artifact-based weapons, signature weapons were based on nightcrawlers, which were transformed under the authority of the seeds... This meant they could enjoy the same benefits of any sort of powers.

Slice! Slice!

As Azhukar swung the twin plasma swords at Levi, he swiftly switched to his ghostly form, causing the plasma blades to pass through him and leave deep molten scars on the rubble behind them.

The moment Levi blinked tens of meters away, he found himself under fire from the cannon! It was sending huge blasts of plasma in his direction, making him incapable of switching back to solid form.

He blinked between the shots, dodging each beam before it hit... But every time he appeared, the Emperor was already there waiting, his blades swinging with murderous intent. It was like Azhukar was reading exactly Levi’s movement and predicting where he would show next.

Slice! Slice!...

As Levi kept phasing between forms... solid, void, solid... trying to strike back, he found himself literally incapable of pulling off a single decent attack.

Azhukar was simply too oppressive and possessed immense battle experience that was leagues above his own... anything that Levi thought of and considered a viable option, Azhukar had already seen through it and planned five steps to negate it and counterattack properly.

If it wasn’t for Levi’s ghostly form making him untargetable, he would have been dead in their first confrontation!

As this dance kept on going between them, Levi had a single thought roaming through his mind... how can he touch him without the risk of getting his head sliced up or his body shot by the cannon.

’If he doesn’t show an opening, I have to create it...’ Levi thought emotionlessly as he watched the Emperor send two burning red arcs in his direction.

He blinked away and started scanning the area for anything that he could use to his advantage... that’s where he spotted the cannon left all by itself.

’So far... he kept predicting all of my movements and actions, like he is always a step ahead of me.’ Levi murmured inwardly while allowing the cannon shots to pierce through his ghostly form. ’I have to think ahead too... further steps ahead, only then will I have a chance.’

The lack of emotions came in handy as it left Levi’s brain to work in peace... no noise, no interruptions. Just pure intellectual brainstorming for a way in, for a way to touch him while surviving to tell the tale.

But after a thorough analysis, Levi reached a single conclusion.

’He is the only one capable of killing himself...’

’Ash’Kral... does someone like Azhukar possess the infamous Nirvana Rebirth of Phoenixes?’

’Considering his level, he should have obtained one as an ultimate from his seed or created one on his own.’ Ash’Kral replied.

Hearing this, Levi nodded in understanding... he figured out what needed to be done to win this.

”What? Give up already?”

Azhukar scoffed as he kept hunting down Levi, but none of his attacks worked since he stopped turning to his solid form... As much as Azhukar was confident in defeating Levi due to the massive difference in battle experience between them and his method to overwhelm the void’s devouring abilities, there wasn’t much he could do to him if he decided to remain as a ghost.

But he knew the universe was a fair place that respected balance above all else.

”How long can you keep this up, boy?” Azhukar sneered. ”I know Half-Bloods lack the proper means to resist persona corruption when they abuse Laws that were never truly theirs to begin with.”

”Oblivars, Radians, Chronosians... Such Ancient Bloodlines are reserved only for the pure blood. Otherwise, insanity is the outcome for any wannabe daring to use their laws.” Azhukar pointed at Levi with his plasma blade and added coldly, ”And you are playing with fire by maintaining this form for this long.”