(A/N: Thanks for sticking! 4 chapters till the end of Vol. 2)
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Before Hiro made his move, he locked eyes with Demiurge, the calculating demon observing him with a mocking smile.
"You've been quite the nuisance, Hiro," Demiurge remarked, his voice laced with amusement. "Did you really think a mere human could stand against the might of Nazarick? Or did you just come here to offer some fleeting entertainment?"
Hiro tightened his grip on his katana, his gaze unwavering. "I came here to protect my own. If you think that's a joke, then you're in for a surprise."
Demiurge raised an eyebrow, the smirk on his face widening. "Your resilience is commendable, if ultimately meaningless. But do tell—what makes you believe you're different from the others who dared challenge Nazarick?"
Hiro took a slow breath, steadying himself as he felt the tension rising. "Because I'm willing to risk everything... I have given an objective. And if unfulfilled, I'll die... He'll, I think that I'll die anyway..." He says.
Hiro then unsheathed his katana, "Atleast make it epic that's what they said, eh?" He said, his wicked eyes glowing from adrenaline as his hypercharge drive was reaching unprecedented levels.
Demiurge laughed, a low, dark chuckle that echoed around them. "So noble, yet so naive. Let me show you the folly of your convictions." He gestured to the Clockwork Demon, its gears and mechanisms roaring to life as it hissed steam from all its mechanical parts, preparing to destroy its opponent.
The Clockwork Demon radiated a menacing aura, its power rooted in the unstable mineral Vazalium embedded within its core. Each passing second saw the Vazalium gradually disintegrate, releasing bursts of volatile energy that fueled the demon's terrifying abilities. This volatile mineral, scarce even in the depths of Nazarick, granted the Clockwork Demon capabilities far beyond mortal understanding. The demon manipulated time as easily as others wielded a blade, each movement calculated and precise, each attack backed by an energy surge so intense it seemed to warp reality itself.
This constant flow of power had elevated the Clockwork Demon to a rank among Nazarick's deadliest beings, making him more than a threat; he was a force of destruction incarnate. His steps were punctuated by the hiss of steam and the grind of metal against metal, each motion exuding lethal precision. It was clear that his Vazalium core was both his strength and his weakness—a ticking time bomb that could either devastate his foes or consume him if pushed too far.
Hiro studied the creature's movements, his mind racing to find a weakness, while the demon continued to emit waves of temporal energy, intensifying the battlefield's chaotic energy.
"This all ends.....Now." Demiurge commands.
Hiro's voice echoed across the sands, defying the oppressive heat and chaos around him as he shouted, "HYPERCHARGE OVERDRIVE!" Energy surged through his body, and with a blinding flash, purplish chains materialized in mid-air, intertwining around the battlefield, bending time itself to his will. The world slowed to a halt, everything frozen in place—except for Hiro, his aura blazing in defiance of Nazarick's guardians.
But just as Hiro readied himself to strike, the Clockwork Demon's core flared, the Vazalium inside beginning to disintegrate at a dangerous pace. Using the forbidden mineral's energy, the demon tore into the time-stopped realm with a pulse of power, its red eyes locking onto Hiro. Only Hiro and Chronax could move, standing alone in a silent arena where time held no sway.
Steam hissed from the demon's gears as it recalibrated in this altered reality, its eyes narrowing in calculating fury. It lunged forward, each of its motions deliberate and sharp, bringing forth the full weight of Nazarick's wrath as it charged, ready to clash with Hiro in a frozen world.
In the frozen battlefield, a low, metallic laugh echoed across the stillness, grinding through the air like gears catching on rusted metal. Chronax's crimson eyes glinted with malicious delight as he stared down at Hiro, who stood defiantly in his blazing blue aura. With each pulse of energy, Hiro's Hypercharge flickered against Chronax's monstrous form, barely matching the demon's terrifying presence.
"Chronax is amused!" the demon sneered, his laughter reverberating like thunder. "You think your petty defiance can overcome the power of time itself?" He raised one arm, steam hissing and vents releasing bursts of dark smoke. "You mortals never learn-Chronax is inevitable."
Hiro tightened his grip on his katana, his jaw clenched as the pain of exhaustion gnawed at him. "If you're so invincible," he retorted, "why are you even here to fight me? Nazarick must not be as certain of victory as they think.
Chronax's laugh only grew louder, each note twisted and deranged. "You jest, mortal. It is you who amuses Chronax. Every step you take, every breath, every strike-all are but wasted time!" He lunged, gears grinding, his massive, steel-plated arm sweeping toward Hiro with a force that could crush boulders.
Hiro barely sidestepped in time, the attack grazing his armor, sending him staggering back as pain exploded across his side. Gritting his teeth, he pushed through, charging forward with his katana gleaming under his Hypercharge. He struck again, aiming for the cracks he'd carved earlier, his blade clashing against Chronax's metal plating. Each blow sent vibrations up his arms, intensifying the pain in his body, but he refused to relent
"Does the pain sting?" Chronax's voice rasped, mockery dripping from every word. "Chronax revels in it! Every swing, every ounce of your strength, feeds my power. Your struggle, your desperation -they are the sweetest part of this dance.
Hiro's breath grew labored, his movements slowed by the relentless assault of time-warping magic. Yet he channeled his Hypercharge, pushing through the agony. "I've heard enough of your delusions!" he shouted, launching a flurry of strikes that forced
Chronax back, the blue energy around Hiro intensifying with each attack.
Chronax staggered, his red aura flaring as he regained balance. "Futile," he taunted. "Chronax transcends time! Nothing you do can harm Chronax in this realm!" With a roar, he raised a clawed hand, chanting in his deep, metallic tone. "Time Collapse!"
The air around Hiro thickened, crushing down on him with unimaginable force. His breath caught, a grunt of pain escaping his lips as he struggled against the time-bending magic. Every cell in his body screamed, the weight of time itself pressing down, threatening to break him. But Hiro's resolve held. He tightened his grip, forcing his
Hypercharge to burn even brighter, struggling against the oppressive field. "Chronax sees you suffer," the demon sneered, watching Hiro writhe. "You
fight like a cornered animal. It's delightful." Chronax laughed again, his voice resonating with twisted pleasure. "Scream for me, mortal! Let me savor your despair!"
Hiro gritted his teeth, blood seeping from a cut on his brow as he fought through the Time Collapse. "If... I'm an animal. he growled, forcing himself to stand. "Then I'll show you why even cornered animals.. fight to the death!"
With a roar, Hiro unleashed the full force of his Hypercharge Overdrive, shattering the Time Collapse in a flash of blinding blue light. Chronax stumbled back, steam bursting from his joints as his gaze turned from amused to enraged.
"You dare to defy Chronax?!" His deep, guttural voice was laced with fury. "Very well, mortal. Let me show you the true meaning of despair!" The crimson aura around Chronax intensified, sparks
flying as he invoked, "Temporal Eradication!"
The ground beneath Hiro quaked, the air warping as the very fabric of time began to unravel. Waves of raw temporal energy rippled toward Hiro, each pulse cracking the ground and disintegrating anything in its path. Hiro fought to dodge, the shockwaves exploding around him with a force that rattled his bones, each blast sending him skidding back.
A searing pain tore through his leg as he misstepped, Chronax's energy lashing out to tear at him, but Hiro gritted his teeth, refusing to let out a single cry, Instead, he launched himself forward, slashing through the time waves with his katana, carving a path toward the demon.
Chronax grinned, his voice taunting. "Is that all, mortal? Even with your Hypercharge, you are nothing! You will fall to Chronax!"
"Not yet..." Hiro grunted, leaping forward with renewed vigor, katana aimed for Chronax's core. With every swing, Hiro's blade struck true, each hit chipping away at Chronax's Vazalium armor, sending pieces scattering into the air.
But Chronax would not relent. "Chronax will shatter you!" he roared, lifting both arms and bringing them down in a crushing strike. Hiro dodged, but the sheer force sent him sprawling, gasping. as his limbs screamed in agony. The demon closed in, his laughter echoing. each mechanical step sending tremors through the battlefield.
Just as Chronax's shadow loomed over him, Hiro raised his head, eyes blazing.
"Enough." With one final surge, he invoked his strongest technique.
"Hypercharge Overdrive-Final Strike!" With an explosive burst of blue energy.
Hiro launched himself at Chronax, his katana glowing with concentrated power. He drove it straight into the demon's core, piercing the last of the Vazalium.
Chronax's laughter turned to a roar of pain, steam bursting from his joints as his crimson glow flickered. "Chronax... cannot be defeated!" His voice sputtered, distorted, before fading to silence. The demon crumbled to the ground, his form disintegrating as Hiro stood over him, breathing heavily.
Exhausted but victorious, Hiro watched as the remnants of Chronax's shattered form vanished into the void, the echoes of their battle fading into the stillness.
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