*** Maximilian POV ***
Maximilian gazed across the chamber at the imposing figure seated not far from his throne, a veritable mountain of a man whose mere presence seemed to eclipse his own. Despite occupying the elevated position of emperor, he couldn't shake the sensation of insignificance in the presence of this behemoth. The man before him was none other than the legendary level 3 powerhouse, the grand paladin, a once-esteemed member of the Holy Empire.
Even the knowledge that his own grandfather, a clandestine level 2 powerhouse within the imperial family offered little solace as his grandfather stood little chance against the grand paladin. The thought of his grandfather's inevitable defeat lingered heavily in Maximilian's mind.
Thus, when the grand paladin arrived at the imperial palace and issued his demand for the entire imperial family to assemble in the main hall, Maximilian acquiesced without hesitation. Yet, despite outward compliance, a sense of powerlessness and humiliation gnawed at him from within.
'We were once pawns of the Lightning Magic Tower, at the mercy of that decrepit old tyrant,' Maximilian lamented silently, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. 'And now, we find ourselves bending to the will of the grand paladin. Is this to be the fate of the grand imperial family? Forever subservient to another?'
Struggling to maintain his composure, Maximilian directed his pent-up emotions into the tight clench of his fist. The pressure of his grip was so intense that his fingernails dug into his palm, drawing a single droplet of blood. Though expected to embody stoic resolve as emperor, in this moment, Maximilian found himself unable to suppress the tumult of emotions coursing through him.
Maximilian was certain the grand paladin had noticed his every gesture, even the subtlest hint of disobedience. Yet, the towering figure paid him no mind, reinforcing Maximilian's sense of insignificance. "Why would a human bother with the thoughts of ants scurrying at his feet?" Maximilian pondered bitterly, his sense of despair and humiliation deepening with each passing moment.
Suddenly, the grand paladin's eyes snapped open, revealing bloodshot orbs that gleamed with an unsettling intensity. Maximilian's surprise at this abrupt change was swiftly overshadowed by the arrival of an overwhelming presence outside the palace walls. It mirrored the immense aura emitted by the grand paladin upon his initial visit, as if a colossal mountain loomed just beyond the threshold, exerting its weight upon the very air.
Before Maximilian could fully grasp the gravity of this new presence bearing down upon him, the grand paladin, previously serene in his seated position with eyes closed and demeanor akin to a tranquil monk, unleashed a titanic invisible aura of his own. In that moment, the air crackled with tension, and Maximilian felt as though the very ground beneath him threatened to buckle.
Amidst the palpable pressure, the grand paladin's voice thundered out, "Finally, you have come, you piece of shit!"
Though the words held little significance for Maximilian in his current state of distress, struggling against the weight of the grand paladin's aura, his focus remained steadfast on ensuring the safety of his children. With sheer determination, he channeled his own aura to shield them from the crushing force emanating from the grand paladin.
To his immense relief, he observed that his children, though undoubtedly frightened, remained unscathed by the overwhelming pressure. It dawned on Maximilian that the intensity of the aura seemed to correspond directly to one's strength, a revelation that eased his initial fears regarding the intentions of both the grand paladin and the mysterious figure outside.
With a flicker, the grand paladin vanished from within the palace, and as suddenly as it had arrived, the suffocating pressure surrounding the grand hall dissipated into thin air. Maximilian's tense muscles slackened, and a shiver coursed down his spine as he mopped the cold sweat from his brow.
Inwardly, Maximilian breathed a sigh of relief as he sensed the departure of the formidable presence. Yet, his relief was tinged with confusion. Wasn't the grand paladin expecting the arrival of the newly advanced level 2 wizard from the Lightning Tower? If so, why did the newcomer's aura rival that of the grand paladin himself, a level 3 powerhouse?
Pushing aside these perplexing thoughts, Maximilian chose not to dwell too deeply on the matter. Despite the apparent benevolence displayed by both the grand paladin and the enigmatic figure outside, the reality remained unchanged: his life and the fate of the imperial family hung precariously on the whims of these two titans. Whether they were inclined to show mercy or wrath determined the survival of his lineage.
"Our existence is at the mercy of these monsters," Maximilian mused bitterly. "If they are in a forgiving mood, perhaps we will be spared. But if their ire is aroused... the end of the imperial family may be swift in coming. What a wretched existence we lead. May those two monsters meet their demise in each other's clash."
*** Zack POV ***
Zack floated in front of the palace, utilizing his [Thousand Face] ability to morph his appearance into that of Lucius—brown hair, brown eyes, and an ordinary face with a lean frame. No need to stress about his new identity as the big shot at the lightning tower getting tangled up with this gig.
Zack mused to himself, 'Seems like this meathead of a paladin managed to connect the dots back to my gig at the lightning tower. Well, in hindsight, it makes sense. You can't sling spells above level 1 without being tied to a magic tower. And with the lightning magic I showcased, it's pretty obvious where I'm from.'
Just as Zack was sorting through his thoughts, a wave of power surged from inside the palace. Next thing he knew, boom, the grand paladin was standing right in front of him.
Checking out the grand paladin's beefed-up physique, Zack couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Sure, his own bod was nothing to scoff at, a real Mr. Olympia contender if he were still in his old life. But this dude? He was on a whole other level. Zack couldn't wrap his head around how that armor managed to contain all that muscle.
Meanwhile, Zack's body had hit a growth ceiling, despite the constant buffing from his innate spells. Quality was still on the rise, but he was itching for more size!
As Zack's mind wandered through random thoughts, the grand paladin suddenly let loose his domain. Zack, still keeping an eye on the action despite his distractions, sprang into action too.
[Triple Enhancement] - MAX!
Lightning crackled around Zack as the world around him seemed to slow down. Even as he sensed the grand paladin's domain closing in fast, he had enough time to conjure his own sigil. With a swift motion, he extended his left hand, channeling a surge of lightning from his mana heart, through his arm, until it crackled out of his palm, forming a stunning 'speed' sigil.
BAM!
The sigil formed just in time for Zack to unleash his own domain, crashing it head-on with the grand paladin's.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE! BOOM!
Where their domains met, lightning danced, tearing through nearby buildings with stray bolts.
Through his mask Zack was glaring at the grand paladin and the grand paladin glared back. He let out a fearless smile and the smile was reflected by the devil mask he was currently wearing as the devil face on his mask smiled. Zack was smiling on the outside but cursing on the inside, 'Dang! it seems like my domain is still not enough to clash head on with the grand paladin!'
It felt like pushing against a mountain, and no matter how much mana he poured in to amp it up, the grand paladin's domain kept pushing back.
'Guess it's time for plan B,' Zack sighed.
[Compressed Domain]!
In an instant, Zack condensed his domain to a mere meter around him, packing all that power into a tiny space, creating what he believed was an indestructible shield.
The grand paladin's domain, unimpeded by Zack's own, swiftly enveloped both of them. Instantly, Zack felt the crushing force of thousands of mountains pressing in from all directions, threatening to overwhelm his domain. But his compressed shield held firm. "Nice, it works!" Zack thought. 'Now I don't have to worry about being trapped in someone else's domain. But the real power of this compressed domain comes next.'
As he sensed the grand paladin's slash hurtling towards him, Zack braced himself. Well, technically, the attack came from just outside Zack's domain. Inside a level 3 being's domain, any attack could strike from anywhere without losing its punch. So, it was like Zack was facing the grand paladin with the dude's sword already on his doorstep, even though the grand paladin was hundreds of meters away.
Luckily, the grand paladin couldn't launch attacks from someone else's domain, even if that someone was inside his own domain, like Zack was now. So, Zack managed to stop the grand paladin attack for a moment, It was a brief clash, lasting just a fraction of a millisecond. But that fraction was all Zack needed. In his [Triple Enhancement] mode, that fraction stretched out, allowing him to activate the true power of [Compressed Domain].
Closing his eyes, Zack focused.
[Domain - Chronos' Authority]!
His domain's special trick was to speed up anything inside, including himself. And since the [Compressed Domain] packed the power of a fully opened one into a tiny space, its effects were amplified many times over. It was so next-level that Zack had to coin his own name for this turbo-charged ability.
When Zack reopened his eyes, the world around him seemed eerily quiet and still. The clash between the grand paladin's attack and his domain appeared frozen in time, halted in its tracks. But if Zack looked closely, he could see tiny sparks slowly igniting within the contact zone. He was moving at such hyper speed that everything else seemed at a standstill.
With a swift maneuver, Zack dodged the grand paladin's attack and closed in on the paladin himself. Drawing back his arm, lightning coalesced around it, forming a sturdy blue gauntlet crackling with energy.
[Zack's Style - Knuckle Sandwich]!
He hammered his fist into the grand paladin's chest, unleashing a sonic boom that tore the air apart with its sheer force.
The grand paladin was sent hurtling uncontrollably for hundreds of meters before he managed to regain his footing, coughing up blood. Before he could even process what had just happened, Zack was upon him again, striking him violently once more.
This time, the grand paladin barely had time to throw up a barrier using his domain. Sensing another blow incoming, he reinforced his barrier instinctively.
[Mountain Wall Bastion]!
As Zack closed in for another strike, he noticed the grand paladin's defense seemed sturdier, like punching into solid rock. Adjusting his strategy, Zack switched out his gauntlet for another spell.
[God Series - Thor's Hammer - Mjolnir]!
In Zack's grip, a lightning-woven hammer materialized, one meter in length with a head just as long. Its design was intricate, almost indistinguishable from a genuine hammer. Zack had even adorned it with ancient, ornate decorations.
With a violent swing, Zack brought the hammer crashing towards the grand paladin's chest. As it hurtled through space, the back of the hammer emitted a burst of lightning to propel it forward, while the front absorbed and redirected the air resistance, allowing it to maintain its speed.
As the hammer neared its target, Zack felt resistance, like slamming into a mountainous wall. Zack grinned, "Too bad, motherfucker!" With a thunderous boom, the hammer exploded upon impact, blasting through the barrier and striking the grand paladin behind it.
BOOOOOM!
Once again, the grand paladin was sent hurtling through the air, this time flying a whole kilometer before managing to regain his composure. He knelt mid-air, clutching his chest through the shattered breastplate, coughing violently.
Zack landed nearby, deactivating the accelerated reaction time momentarily to take in the surroundings. After a quick scan, he nodded to himself. With intention, he directed the grand paladin towards a less populated area before engaging in a real showdown. Zack didn't want innocent bystanders caught up in the clash between two level 3 powerhouses. With that settled, he refocused his attention on the grand paladin before him.
Zack remained on high alert, sensing that the grand paladin before him hadn't unleashed his full strength yet. 'Look at this guy,' Zack grumbled inwardly, 'he took three of my level 3 spells head-on and barely coughed up a drop of blood. Most folks would've been toast by now.'
Meanwhile, the grand paladin ripped off his upper armor, revealing muscles that seemed like they were armored themselves. Gripping his greatsword, he wiped away the trickle of blood from his lips. His demeanor shifted, his expression and aura becoming more serious than before.
Zack, sensing the grand paladin's intensified demeanor, grinned maniacally, the devilish expression on his devil mask mirroring his own. "Game on, Bitch!"