"Faster, now! Is that all you've got?" The Chronicler gracefully dodged The LooP's attacks, his voice calm, devoid of mockery but tinged with curiosity.
The LooP, despite not summoning any angels, pressed forward with basic martial arts techniques, moving like a seasoned fighter. Each strike was delivered with all his strength, but none could land on his elusive opponent.
"You're good! Then stop dodging and fight me head-on!" he yelled in frustration.
"Very well," The Chronicler replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. Leaping from the building, he didn't fall but hovered effortlessly in midair, gazing down with serene composure. "Here I am, standing still. What will you do now?"
The LooP took a deep breath, struggling to control his anger. "If that's the case…!" Instead of retreating, he stepped back only to gain momentum. A determined gleam lit his eyes as he sprinted forward, his legs propelling him off the ground in a powerful leap straight toward The Chronicler.
"Oh!" The Chronicler raised an intrigued eyebrow, seemingly recognizing something unique in the oncoming attack.
"Take this!" The LooP shouted, launching a punch brimming with force.
But in a split second, The Chronicler tilted his body slightly, effortlessly avoiding the strike. The momentum of the leap threw The LooP off balance, leaving him unable to recover his stance.
"Ahhh!" he cried as his body plummeted toward the ground. Yet when The Chronicler glanced down, the spot where he should have landed was completely empty.
"Knew it—" The Chronicler narrowed his eyes and looked up just in time to see The LooP charging at him again from above, moving as swiftly as before.
"This time, no dodging!" The LooP roared, hurling a devastating punch.
The surprise attack left The Chronicler no time to evade. However, instead of faltering, he calmly extended a hand, catching The LooP's fist with controlled precision.
"As expected, you remain the most seasoned among us, The LooP," The Chronicler remarked, his voice grave yet steady.
But at that moment, the body he was holding vanished. The real The LooP was still on the ground, his gaze sharper and more determined than ever.
"Unbelievable, you caught it so easily," The LooP muttered, gritting his teeth in frustration.
The Chronicler shook his head, his piercing eyes gleaming with approval. "Don't undervalue yourself. That last attack was anything but simple."
He continued, his tone a blend of calm and authority. "At first glance, your strikes seemed ordinary, but I noticed the subtle tricks hidden within them."
"You've been concealing your true angel—Zafkiel—all this time. Those initial attacks were merely a smokescreen," he said, his gaze fixed intently on The LooP. "Because while feigning ordinary strikes, you were stopping time and landing countless lethal blows."
The Chronicler emphasized, "Not only that, but you accelerated yourself a hundredfold. Every movement was optimized for strength and speed."
"Even that last charge—what appeared to be a simple punch—was, in reality, a flurry of a hundred strikes delivered simultaneously in a single frozen moment."
The Chronicler paused, his expression one of appraisal. "A brilliant strategy. But you must understand, for me, time manipulation or acceleration is irrelevant."
"I know. Nothing ever touches you, does it?" The LooP retorted with a dry laugh, his eyes burning with resolve.
"So, what now? Are you giving up?" The Chronicler queried, his calm tone probing.
"Give up? If I were going to give up, I'd have done it long ago."
"That's the The LooP I know," The Chronicler said with a faint smile, acknowledging his opponent's unwavering spirit.
Without another word, The LooP inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly to center himself. Spiritual energy began radiating from his arms, coalescing into two unique gauntlets—one engraved with a short arrow and the other with a long arrow. His left eye transformed into a golden clock face, complete with ticking hands and intricate numerals.
"It's been a while since I've gone all out," The LooP declared, his tone steady and his focus razor-sharp. "Let's see if I can surpass you this time."
The Chronicler watched The LooP's transformation with evident interest. "Oh, so you're finally showing your true hand? A specialized Zafkiel… It seems this fight is about to get much more intriguing."
The LooP didn't respond. Instead, he clenched his fists tightly as energy from the gauntlets surged and rippled, creating waves that resonated through the air. The atmosphere seemed to vibrate with each of his measured breaths.
"I'll show you… that my ten thousand deaths weren't just for show," The LooP declared, his icy gaze locking onto The Chronicler. "This time, you won't escape so easily."
In an instant, The LooP disappeared in a blinding flash of light, reappearing before The Chronicler with unprecedented speed. His left-hand gauntlet—marked with the short arrow—unleashed a punch designed to slow the opponent's movements upon contact.
"What?!"
The Chronicler reacted swiftly, raising his arm to block, but as soon as the punch connected, he felt a distortion in the flow of time. For a fraction of a second, everything around him slowed.
The LooP seized the opportunity, pivoting and using the long-arrow gauntlet on his right hand to accelerate his own speed, delivering a blistering counterattack from behind.
"Amplify a thousandfold!"
*BAM!*
The impact reverberated like a small explosion, causing the ground beneath them to tremble.
The Chronicler staggered back a step, his eyes glinting with admiration.
"Now that's more like it, The LooP. This time, your attack has reached another level. But even so, it's still not enough."
Unfazed, The LooP surged forward once more, harnessing the power of his gauntlets to manipulate time's flow. Each strike now carried a precision and velocity beyond ordinary comprehension. Yet The Chronicler remained composed, his movements so fluid and calculated that they seemed to preempt The LooP's every action.
"You're trying to catch up to me, but you forget—I am not just an opponent. I am the one who records everything," The Chronicler declared, a faint smile returning to his lips.
"When you think you're faster, I've already seen your next move."
The LooP gritted his teeth, sensing the gap in power was still vast. Yet instead of faltering, his resolve only grew stronger.
"Don't think you can defeat me that easily!" he shouted, his spirit energy surging with unprecedented intensity.
"Then try taking this," The Chronicler replied, his voice low and brimming with challenge.
Within the barrier, sharp spikes erupted from the ground and air, rising like jagged columns pointing in every direction. In the blink of an eye, the barrier transformed into a treacherous maze, restricting The LooP's movements. With a snap of his fingers, The Chronicler commanded, and the spikes fired beams of powerful energy, streaking toward The LooP.
"Not enough!"
The beams were no match for The LooP's speed. Standing still, his eyes meticulously tracked every movement. As the energy beams shot toward him, he tilted and sidestepped, effortlessly dodging each attack as though they moved in slow motion. Trails of faint light followed the beams as they narrowly missed him, but The LooP remained calm and untouched.
"Indeed… seems it's still insufficient, isn't it? Then let's add more," The Chronicler said with a faint smile, unhurried. He snapped his fingers repeatedly, and the spikes multiplied, growing denser. This time, they not only fired beams but also transformed into mighty arrows, faster and more forceful.
"Can't let these hit me!" The LooP thought, determination igniting in his gaze. Instead of merely dodging, he began to move, channeling spirit energy into his custom Zafkiel gloves to accelerate. Each leap and step carried overwhelming speed.
However, the spikes were no longer simple projectiles; they homed in on him, adjusting their trajectory mid-flight. The LooP realized he needed a stronger move or risk being cornered.
No longer evading, he faced the oncoming attacks head-on. In a split-second decision, he activated his Zafkiel gloves. The left glove, etched with a short arrow symbol, unleashed a whirlwind of concentrated energy around his hand.
"
The spikes and beams halted mid-air, then began to dissolve, as if they had never existed. Even the surrounding space rippled faintly, as if time itself were being reversed to its prior state.
"I never stopped attacking, did I?" The Chronicler's calm, commanding voice rang out.
While The LooP was focused on neutralizing the attacks, The Chronicler appeared before him without warning. Before The LooP could react, a powerful punch struck him.
Crossing his arms to block, The LooP absorbed the blow, but the sheer force broke through his defense, sending him hurtling through buildings before crashing into the ground.
"AHHHHHH!!!" The LooP's scream echoed as he landed, forming a deep crater amidst clouds of dust and debris.
"Oops! Perhaps I overdid it,"
But when he reached the site, The LooP was gone. The crater and destruction were evident, but there was no sign of him. The Chronicler wasn't surprised or hurried in his search; he was certain The LooP couldn't escape the barrier he had constructed.
"Impressive. Still not giving up, I see," he muttered, his eyes glinting with intrigue.
"
In a fleeting moment of distraction, The Chronicler felt the space around him shift. With a blink, he realized he had been transported back to the start of their battle. The air grew heavier, carrying an unnatural tension.
"So that's it," The Chronicler murmured, his eyes narrowing. "It happened during that last clash…"
"Exactly!" a challenging voice rang out.
Turning, The Chronicler spotted The LooP standing firm, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with a faint smile. His eyes, however, gleamed with a newfound sharpness, no longer defensive but ready to strike.
"Do you think this changes anything?"
The LooP stepped forward, unyielding. "Doesn't matter what you think. I'm doing my best with what I've got."
"Your best? Do you truly believe these tricks will alter the outcome?"
"I don't need to change the outcome, just buy enough time to figure it out," The LooP shot back, his gloves glowing with intensified energy. Spirit power radiated from him, more potent than ever.
"You think You are invincible? I don't. Everyone has a weakness, even you."
The Chronicler tilted his head, intrigued. "You believe you've uncovered mine? Then by all means, try."
"Don't say I didn't warn you,"
"Faster than before," The Chronicler noted, a hint of surprise in his tone as the space around him rippled violently.
In an instant, The LooP reappeared behind him, unleashing a devastating punch with his right glove—marked with a long arrow symbol. The blow carried a distortion of time and space, aimed with precision.
The Chronicler turned to intercept it, but as soon as their energies clashed, he realized the space around him was unraveling into a temporal loop. This time, however, it wasn't just The LooP caught in it—it was The Chronicler himself.
"What is this?"
The LooP smirked, retreating to a safe distance. "Just a little adjustment. I've locked you in a loop this time. Let's see you fight me while stuck in your own time paradox."
The Chronicler scanned the warped space, his sharp eyes observing every distortion. "Fascinating, but do you think this can hold me for long?"
"Long enough to regain control," The LooP growled, his gloves flaring brighter as time rippled with each movement.
The Chronicler remained calm, his eyes observing the space around him, distorted by the time loop The Loop had just established.
"Impressive," he remarked, his tone steady yet sharp. "But perhaps you've underestimated my capabilities."
"Who knows," The Loop replied, the glow of his gauntlets intensifying. Spirit energy surged from his body in explosive waves, forming layers of temporal ripples that shook even The Chronicler's barrier.
The Chronicler raised a hand, touching the space in front of him. "This loop is directly connected to your spirit energy. You've tied it to the current timeline, and it will only persist as long as you maintain control." A slight smile tugged at his lips. "The problem is... you can't sustain it forever."
"I don't need forever. Just long enough to bring you down," The Loop retorted, charging forward at an incredible speed. Each movement left faint trails of light in his wake, as though he were surpassing the limits of time itself.
The Chronicler waited, his gaze cold and unwavering. "Then show me what you're capable of, The Loop."
In a flash, The Loop appeared before him, unleashing a barrage of punches with both hands. The left gauntlet – the Short Arrow – slowed time around The Chronicler, while the right gauntlet – the Long Arrow – amplified the power of each strike. Every hit targeted vital points with deadly precision.
Even with the constraints of the loop and manipulated time, The Chronicler was not so easily defeated. He dodged each punch or parried them with an almost unnerving composure.
"Not bad," The Chronicler remarked after deflecting a particularly strong punch. "But you're making a grave mistake."
"Mistake?!" The Loop roared, throwing another punch. This time, The Chronicler did not dodge. Instead, he reached out and touched the space ahead of him.
"Indeed. You've forgotten that you're not the only one who understands time," The Chronicler said, his voice low and commanding. Immediately, the space within the time loop began to tremble and crack, bright fissures spreading everywhere.
The Chronicler smirked, his eyes sharp. "I simply overwrote your loop. Have you forgotten who I am?"
"Th-this can't be!" The Loop exclaimed, but then, something unexpected happened. Cracks began to appear on his body, mirroring the shattering of the surrounding space.
"What?!" For the first time, surprise flashed across The Chronicler's face. He paused, looking around as the time loop disintegrated entirely, revealing an unforeseen development.
Outside, countless clones of The Loop had already surrounded him from every direction. Each clone raised its left hand toward The Chronicler, their eyes glowing with unyielding determination.
"You've lost, The Chronicler," all the clones said in unison.
"
Simultaneously, every clone activated their skill. Blinding beams of light shot out from their arms, enveloping The Chronicler. The air seemed to freeze, movements slowing to the point of near stasis.
"Each of us can slow time by 1,000 times," the original The Loop declared, standing among his clones. "With an infinite number of us here, how will you escape this?"
"Impossible—" The Chronicler gasped, genuine astonishment breaking through his composure for the first time. This time, he bore the full brunt of the clones' attacks. Though his body suffered no direct damage, having his time slowed to such an extreme was a strategic defeat in itself.
As The Loop anticipated, The Chronicler was entirely immobilized, his body frozen like a statue as he slowly fell to the ground like a lifeless rock. Watching the sight, The Loop couldn't help but tremble, a mix of exhaustion and disbelief coursing through him at having overwhelmed someone as powerful as The Chronicler.
"I really… did it," The Loop whispered, his hands still shaking from the intense battle.
But before he could savor his hard-earned victory, The Chronicler's frozen body on the ground began to tremble. A dark hand burst through his chest from within, like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon. The remnants of his old body disintegrated into dust, revealing a new, more formidable form emerging from within.
"Perhaps I celebrated too soon…" The Loop muttered, tension returning to his gaze.
The Chronicler stood upright, calmly brushing off the fragments of his previous form. His resplendent spirit outfit now gleamed with cosmic patterns, enveloping him in an aura of overwhelming authority. He gazed at The Loop with no anger, only calm amusement mixed with faint admiration.
"It has been a long time since I've had to take things seriously," he said, his voice serene yet heavy with an undeniable pressure.
He bent down, picking up a small pebble from the ground with unhurried grace, as if it were of no consequence. The Chronicler toyed with it briefly, his gaze contemplative. Then, with a casual flick, as if it were all a joke, he launched the pebble toward The Loop.
The sudden shift in the air sent alarm bells ringing in The Loop's mind.
"What—?!" The Loop exclaimed, but before he could react, a colossal wave of killing intent surged toward him, freezing everything around him. The seemingly insignificant pebble streaked through the air with unimaginable speed, leaving a dazzling trail of light.
The air tore apart, shockwaves rippling out with devastating force from the pebble's trajectory, distorting the very fabric of space.
The Loop couldn't see the pebble—only feel its monstrous pressure crushing his entire being. In an instant, the pebble struck his left leg, unleashing a deafening explosion.
The impact obliterated The Loop's left leg, carving a massive hole through the buildings behind him. The resulting shockwaves erupted like a tempest, shattering glass, toppling structures, and reducing the area to ruins in mere seconds.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!" The Loop screamed, his cry echoing across the sky. The excruciating pain surged through his body, as if every nerve had been shredded by an invisible blade. Blood gushed from the wound, staining the air crimson.
The Loop plummeted from a great height, crashing hard into the ground and creating a deep crater. The agony was so overwhelming that he barely registered the fall.
He lay there, his body trembling uncontrollably, eyes wide with terror, sweat streaming down his pale face. A single flick of a pebble—just one—had reduced him from a determined fighter to a broken, battered wreck.
"Don't worry," The Chronicler's voice broke through the chaos, calm and unhurried.
"I have set the angel
The Loop let out a bitter laugh, his exhausted eyes still burning with defiance. "Defeating you… really was just a dream, wasn't it?"
The Chronicler knelt, looking at his opponent with genuine respect.
"You've done well. Far better than anyone else. Now, rest here for a while."
With those words, The Chronicler ascended into the sky, leaving the city center behind as his gaze turned to new targets.
The Loop, ensuring that The Chronicler had truly departed, struggled to sit up. His body throbbed with unbearable pain, but his eyes held an unyielding resolve. He raised his trembling left hand toward the grievous wound on his leg.
"
Immediately, a stream of spirit energy poured from his hand, enveloping his damaged leg. The tissues and cells seemed to regenerate, closing the wound and restoring it as if it had never been injured.
Breathing heavily, The Loop struggled to catch his breath, sweat pouring down his face as he poured every ounce of strength into healing himself.
"
The Loop roared, his voice reverberating through the void. A massive clock materialized behind him, its hour and minute hands moving ever so slightly.
He raised his right gauntlet, pointing directly to the 8 o'clock position on the clock.
"
From the shadows, clones of The Loop began to emerge, each one bearing his sharp, determined gaze. They stood ready, awaiting his command.
"The 'me's, listen up," The LooP commanded firmly. "Spread out and observe the other opponents. Report back to me the moment you get the chance."
The clones gave slight nods before vanishing into the shadows, moving at speeds beyond perception.
"Fine! Next time, I won't lose to anyone!" The LooP declared, his voice brimming with determination, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve. He then disappeared into the darkness as well.