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Minutes passed, and the tremors subsided.
The once lush and dense forest had been replaced by a towering mountain, reaching a kilometer high. Atop the summit of The Mountain.
the Heavenly Emperor stood, his entire being radiating a Limitless golden light – his divine power. The power surged into The Mountain, activating its inherent rules: suppressing misfortune, protecting homes, warding off evil, dispelling wind, deflecting negative energy, and averting disaster.
Countless divine inscriptions densely covered the surface of The Mountain, maximizing its suppressing power.
Suddenly, a deafening roar, one that shook the very soul, erupted from beneath the mountain.
Time seemed to freeze as the earth-shattering bellow reverberated through the air, silencing all other sounds.
The Mountain trembled violently, as if some monstrous entity, sealed for eons, was attempting to break free and unleash chaos upon the world.
The Heavenly Emperor, his face resolute, intensified the flow of his divine power, stabilizing The Mountain's suppressing seal. The tremors ceased.
Moments later, the Heavenly Emperor's expression shifted, his eyes widening in alarm.
"Get the hell up!" A thunderous roar, so powerful it dispersed the clouds above, leaving a hundred miles of clear sky in its wake.
A blinding golden light emerged from beneath The Mountain, followed by a figure who, with one hand, lifted the entire kilometer-high mountain!
Haru's body surged with magical energy, his Core spinning rapidly. Three Authorities – Earth, Steel, and Life – activated simultaneously, granting him the strength to hoist the mountain.
Earth negated the mountain's weight, Steel reinforced his body, and Life replenished his consumed energy. With the combined might of these three powers, Haru accomplished the Herculean feat, rivaling the legendary strength of ancient heroes.
With a mighty heave, he launched The Mountain into the air, then delivered a devastating punch to its base. Crack! The 1,500-meter tall mountain split in two, collapsing to either side.
At that moment, the Heavenly Emperor swung his arm. The broken halves of The Mountain rapidly shrunk, returning to their original miniature form in the blink of an eye. However, a large crack now ran across the surface of the tiny mountain.
The legendary, indestructible divine tool had been shattered by Haru's combined might.
The Heavenly Emperor frowned. During his previous battle with Haru as the Heretic God Yama, his Underworld had been destroyed, and the Judgment Authority had proven ineffective.
No, it wasn't just ineffective – all energy-based Authorities seemed useless against Haru. That meant the Celestial Authority would be useless as well. The Resurrection Authority had already been used and couldn't be activated again with the Underworld shattered. So…
The Heavenly Emperor tore open his robes, revealing his muscular physique, bulging with raw power. It was a sight that commanded respect and instilled a sense of awe. Powerful, robust, and divine – this was the embodiment of a god in the eyes of mortals.
The miniature The Mountain in his hand slowly melted, merging with his monstrously muscular body. In that instant, his physical strength became equal to the weight of The Mountain. "If long-range attacks are useless, then let's engage in close combat!"
With that, he stomped on the air, creating a sonic boom, and hurtled toward the ground at ten times the speed of sound.
His arms extended, forming a cross as his body generated intense friction with the atmosphere, turning him into a blazing meteor aimed directly at Haru.
Seeing this, Haru quickly activated his Authority. "I shall become steel!"
"The Cage of Evil shall crumble."
"The light and shadow that rend all things."
"The world has reached its twilight hour."
"Strike you down."
As the incantation flowed from his lips, the Dragon Slayer, Gram, materialized in his hand. He poured his magical energy into the blade, converting it into an endless torrent of light aimed at the Heavenly Emperor descending from the heavens.
Fire!
In the instant the Limitless light clashed with the Heavenly Emperor, the world seemed to fall silent.
Boom! A deafening thunderclap resonated across the clear sky.
The brilliant light collided with the terrifying force of a body possessing the weight of The Mountain, releasing a catastrophic wave of energy that caused the space around them to ripple.
"Thud!" After several minutes of stalemate, the Heavenly Emperor, pushing against the torrent of light, advanced toward Haru.
Haru's expression shifted. He poured more magical energy into Gram, converting it with all his might. However, the sword could only convert a limited amount of energy at a time, and the Heavenly Emperor was closing in.
A primal, hand-to-hand battle was about to begin.
With a swift movement, Haru tossed Gram aside, a savage grin spreading across his face. He vanished in a flash, reappearing behind the Heavenly Emperor. His Fist, generating sonic booms from the friction with the air, slammed toward the God's back.
However, the moment his attack connected, the Heavenly Emperor's fist, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, struck Haru's left shoulder, sending him hurtling through the air.
In this exchange of sneak attacks, both had perfectly timed their moves.
Haru executed a perfect landing, regaining his footing. He was not flustered, but his eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Heavenly Emperor's monstrously muscular arms.
He glanced down at his own thighs, his lips twitching. Those arms were three times larger than his thighs. No wonder the God wanted to engage in close combat.
So you think you're so great just because you have muscles? Anger flared in Haru's eyes. He clenched his right fist and launched a powerful punch. The fist shattered the air before him, then...
"Missed?"
The Heavenly Emperor had dodged Haru's iron fist with a sideways maneuver, showcasing incredible combat skills. With a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow, he countered, striking Haru's left side.
Crack! The sound of bone shattering echoed through the air – the lament of Haru's ribs breaking under the force of the God's punch.
"Boom!" Haru's retaliatory punch connected with the Heavenly Emperor's face.
They exchanged blows, the sound of their impacts resonating like thunderclaps.
In a matter of moments, five of Haru's ribs were broken.
Blood trickled from his mouth, and shards of bone pierced his chest. Yet, his face held an expression of pure madness. A faint glow emanated from his body as the Life Authority activated, drawing Earth Vein energy to slowly repair his injuries.
The Heavenly Emperor stood tall, his head, flattened by Haru's relentless punches, slightly dazed. But it wasn't from the pain. It was from the sudden shift in his opponent's fighting style.
Haru had abandoned all defense, all instincts, resorting to a purely life-for-life combat technique. No, it wasn't even a technique. It was just wild, untamed brawling, but it was surprisingly effective.
Why resort to such a reckless, suicidal method?
Because it was the only way. Compared to the millennia of combat experience accumulated by a god, Haru, who had been an ordinary person just a few weeks ago, couldn't possibly match those skills. So, this was the only way. He had to fight with his life on the line to win.
The Heavenly Emperor charged forward, a ferocious laugh escaping his lips.
A bloody brawl ensued.
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