'As expected, he is far from an easy opponent,' I thought grimly, my eyes narrowing as the Axe King loomed before me, the molten crown pulsing in rhythm with his labored breaths.
Vorgath Ironmaw wasn't just strong—he was monstrous, and his strength was focused like a blade honed for destruction. His style, built around sheer overwhelming power, reminded me of Arden Windward, the Dark King. There was no subtlety in his movements, no feints or clever tactics. Instead, he relied on brute force and the sheer inevitability of his strikes. Every swing of his Ruin Axe promised devastation, carving through the air as if the world itself was his enemy.
And now, with the Infernal Armis amplifying his already immense power, he had ascended to something far beyond what a mortal warrior should be capable of.
Even my Hollow Eclipse, the most powerful single attack I possessed, struggled to meet the Ruin Axe head-on. My blade cracked under the weight of his strength, and the impact reverberated through my body, each collision a stark reminder of the impossible odds stacked against me.
This was a different level. A terrifying one.
Without my True Domain, I could hold my own against low Radiant-rank opponents, though each battle would push me to my limits. With Divine Emperor's Throne, I had overcome Valen Ashbluff, a mid Radiant-ranker, without fully exhausting myself. But Vorgath Ironmaw was something else entirely. His strength, bolstered by the Infernal Armis, brushed up against the Gates of Transcendence, the boundary separating mid and high Radiant-rank.
This wasn't just a fight—it was a storm, and I was caught in the center of it.
If Vorgath survived here, he wouldn't just be a king or a conqueror. He would become a Calamity.
In the world of Saga of a Divine Swordsman, the title of the First Calamity had been denied to Caladros von Noctis, the Vampire Monarch, only because of my master, Magnus Draykar. But Vorgath Ironmaw, here and now, was stronger than the Caladros of that tale. Stronger than the calamities I had read about in the novel.
If I failed to stop him, he would rise as the First Calamity. A force of devastation that would reshape the world in fire and ruin. I couldn't allow that.
I had to kill him here. No half-measures. No holding back.
"Luna," I murmured, my voice steady as I reached out with my soul.
In an instant, she appeared beside me, her presence as radiant as a star piercing through an endless night. She was in her teenage form—flowing purple hair cascading down her back like liquid amethyst, eyes swirling with galaxies that seemed to hold the weight of the cosmos.
"Arthur," she said softly, her voice calm but resolute. She understood without me needing to say a word.
Above her, a seraphim shimmered into existence, its celestial form glowing with divine light. It descended gracefully, placing a golden crown atop her head. The crown pulsed faintly, an extension of Divine Emperor's Throne, synchronizing her power with mine.
The air shifted. The oppressive weight of Vorgath's Infernal Dominion was pushed back, the heat lessening as Luna's presence bolstered my Domain. Together, our energies interwove, creating a harmony that blunted the chaos of his destruction. It wasn't enough to fully suppress him, but it tipped the scales in my favor.
Luna stood beside me, her presence a quiet but commanding force. She was still not at her full strength as a qilin—her true power sealed away until I reached Radiant-rank—but even in her current state, at peak Immortal-rank, she was formidable. When I eventually broke through, she would ascend to her complete form, and the seal would no longer restrain her.
For now, however, this was enough. She wasn't just an observer or an advisor anymore; she was my partner, fighting alongside me. And within the sanctity of my Divine Emperor's Throne, her power resonated with mine, magnifying her strength. Together, we could match even the chaos of Vorgath Ironmaw and the Infernal Armis.
'I am the strongest,' I thought, gripping Nyxthar tightly as I shifted into a new stance. The weight of the moment pressed against me, the heat of his Infernal Dominion clawing at the edges of my resolve, but my determination remained unshaken. I exhaled, the light of my throne flaring brighter as I prepared my next move.
First movement: God Flash: Singularity.
I drew upon the essence of light and lightning magic, condensing them into a singular point of unparalleled power. The air around me crackled with energy, reality itself bending under the weight of my attack. With the manipulation of space granted by my True Domain, the power was refined even further, reaching its absolute peak.
Ahead of me, Vorgath raised his Ruin Axe, the molten weapon pulsing with destructive astral energy. His grin widened, his confidence unshaken as he swung the massive blade down with devastating force. The air screamed as his attack bore down on me, the weight of his swing promising annihilation.
But I was faster.
I closed the distance between us in a blur of light, the tip of my sword aimed directly at him. His axe continued its descent, an unstoppable force—but it didn't matter. Before his blade could reach me, mine would reach him.
And it did.
The full might of God Flash: Singularity struck him head-on, a burst of condensed light and lightning erupting in a blinding explosion. The energy tore through his defense, and for the first time, I saw the flicker of shock in his molten eyes.
He grunted in pain, his massive frame sent hurtling toward the edge of my Domain. His aura wavered, his grip on the Infernal Armis momentarily faltering.
Before he could collide with the golden barrier of my Domain, Luna appeared behind him, her movements swift and fluid. Her galaxy-filled eyes gleamed with purpose as she placed her palm on his back, halting his momentum with the sheer force of her will. The air shimmered around her as she clenched her fist and delivered a powerful punch, her qilin strength breaking through the defenses of the Infernal Armis.
The impact sent Vorgath flying back toward me, his molten crown flaring angrily as he regained his bearings. This time, he was ready. His Ruin Axe came alive in his hands, carving through the air in a relentless flurry of attacks. Each strike carried the weight of his monstrous strength, the molten energy of the axe lighting up the cavern as it clashed against my defenses.
Fourth movement: Pond of Tranquility.
I lowered my sword, its blade brushing against the ground of the Domain. In an instant, the chaotic flow of his attacks was neutralized. The air stilled as my movement absorbed and redirected the force of his blows, a still pond reflecting the fury of a storm.
But even tranquility has its limits.
I gritted my teeth as the sheer weight of his strikes pressed down on me. Each swing of his axe chipped away at my technique, nearly breaking through the calm I had cultivated. His attacks were relentless, each one heavier than the last.
'Heavy,' I thought grimly, my arms trembling under the strain. This wasn't just strength—it was the weight of the Infernal Armis, the artifact's carnage-filled power amplifying his every move.
Luna appeared again, her purple hair flowing like starlight as she struck once more. Her punch was precise, aimed at disrupting his momentum. But the Infernal Armis responded, its molten energy flaring to shield its master. The artifact redirected the force of her attack, lessening its impact.
But it was enough.
The brief opening allowed me to regain my stance, Nyxthar gleaming with celestial light as I prepared my next move.
Third movement: Stellar Cascade.
I stepped forward, my blade moving in a fluid, almost ethereal motion. It shimmered with the brilliance of countless stars, each strike cascading like a meteor shower. The light danced around Vorgath, cutting through his defenses as I pressed my advantage.
This was no longer a battle of brute force. It was a contest of will, of mastery. His Infernal Dominion raged against my Divine Emperor's Throne, chaos battling harmony. And though his power was monstrous, unmatched by any mortal save Alyssara Velcroix, my throne held firm.
For now.
Vorgath roared, his molten crown blazing brighter as he swung the Ruin Axe in desperation. The cavern quaked under the force of his attacks, the rivers of magma rising like waves, threatening to consume us both.
But I didn't falter. My blade moved faster, each strike cutting deeper, each movement pushing him closer to the edge. And Luna was there at every step, her punches and strikes keeping him off balance, her presence a constant reminder that I was not alone in this fight.
This was the battle for the Infernal Armis.
And I wasn't going to lose.