Chapter 22 - "Annihilation Unleashed"
Seconds later, a striking figure materialized in the air, glowing with an ethereal light. It was Aetherius, the Spirit of Celestial Heavens, embodying the vastness of space, stars, and the cosmos. His handsome face framed by short blonde hair radiated an aura of authority as he spoke to Frostara. "Nah, this is troublesome. I already feel the danger emanating from that child's mana," he said, a serious tone lacing his words.
Ignara, the Spirit of Eternal Flame, scoffed. "What a load of nonsense! I know you are the strongest among us, but I will show that child the terror of facing a primordial spirit." With a flourish, she enveloped her entire body in eternal flames that could incinerate anything, even souls. A small purple flame flickered to life in her hands, aimed directly at Eira. "Hehehe, taste this, brat!" she muttered, launching the flame at the speed of light.
Eira met the flame with an expression of boredom, as if she were watching an ant futilely trying to extinguish a fire. With a casual wave of her hand, the space around her shattered. "Crack… CRACK… CRUNCH…"
The system reacted almost immediately.
["DING" YOU HAVE INTEGRATED 10 SUPREME RULES INTO ONE. WARNING: €^^§×¥¢}¥ERROR HAS OCCURRED.]
The terrifying flame was annihilated, and a vast space shattered, consuming its surroundings. "Whirr..."
Yet Eira closed her eyes, forcing a mysterious energy to stabilize the chaos. "CRACK... SNAP..."
The system reacted again.
["DING" YOU HAVE INTEGRATED NEARLY 60 RULES INTO ONE. WARNING: £¥¢¢¥^^§ππ×√√PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING THIS POWER.]
Eira stared coldly at the system's notifications, her indifference palpable as she shifted her gaze to the primordial spirits, who were now visibly shaken. Ignara, realizing the magnitude of her mistake, felt terror wash over her. Eira regarded her like an insect, effortlessly copying the flame that had once threatened her. "Retard Incineration Flame," she declared coldly, waving it toward Ignara.
"FWOOSH... BOOM!"
As the flames engulfed Ignara, her form was consumed slowly, unable to withstand the strange principle of Eira's flame. Agony-filled screams echoed, "Argh! Help! Noooo! I can't—please save me! Aahhhh!" Moments later, Ignara vanished into nothingness.
"This is too cruel! Who is this child?" Zephyron, the Spirit of Eternal Wind, exclaimed, his voice shaking with fear. "She shattered space like it was nothing! What do you think, Aetherius?" His gaze darted toward the Celestial Spirit, who seemed torn between awe and dread.
Aetherius looked at Frostara, whose face shone with delight, pride swelling within her as she observed her child's growth. Yet, he couldn't ignore the fear emanating from the other primordial spirits. "Let's stop here," he urged, his voice grave. "We can't win against that monster, even if we show our true forms."
The other spirits exchanged grim looks, dread settling in their hearts. "Why are you so happy?" Aetherius asked Frostara, disbelief etched across his features. "Is that really your descendant? Her power has already surpassed ours!"
"Hmm, I don't know what you're talking about," Frostara replied, a nonchalant grin on her face. "What I see is undoubtedly my descendant—her skin, her soul, her appearance—every aspect proves it. Hahaha!"
Meanwhile, Eira's cold demeanor sent a shiver down the spine of the necklace around Mira's neck, the Sword God's soul. "Eira, this power... I can't explain this logic anymore. I hope this ends soon."
With a flick of her finger, Eira halted time, trapping the primordial spirits in her grasp. To her surprise, two figures continued to move as if untouched by her power.
"Hoh, this is interesting. You can manipulate time," said Chronara, the Spirit of Time and Eternity, her curiosity piqued. "So, you're the brat causing the rules of time to evolve. Fascinating!" She sensed a trace of temporal energy within Eira, intrigued by the potential.
Before she could inquire further, Eira stood before her, holding the hands of her child self. Terror gripped Chronara as she witnessed her own youthful form begin to dissolve. "What is happening? Why am I already in front of you?" she stammered, desperation tinging her voice. As she felt her existence begin to fade, she offered Eira one last smile before her entire being vanished.
["DING" YOU HAVE INTEGRATED 300 RULES INTO ONE, CREATING AN UNKNOWN POWER. WARNING:£¥€¢¢§÷√√€¢£ PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING THIS POWER.]
Eira ignored the system's warnings, her focus coldly fixed on Chronara's vanishing form. She turned to the remaining primordial spirits, touching them lightly as they disintegrated into nothingness, leaving no trace behind. Finally, she approached Frostara but chose not to annihilate her. Instead, she stared closely, seeing a resemblance of her mother in Frostara. With a lingering gaze, she walked away.
Eira then turned to Mira's lifeless body, bloody and broken. She leaned closer, kissing Mira softly on the lips.
["DING" YOU HAVE INTEGRATED NEARLY 50 SUPREME RULES INTO ONE. £€¥¢¢§÷π√¥¢£¢==^WARNING: YOU HAVE CREATED AN UNKNOWN ABILITY. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING THIS POWER.]
After that, Eira flicked her finger once more, undoing her time-stopping ability. As time resumed its flow, Frostara, the only survivor, gasped in disbelief.
"What just happened? Where are they?" she murmured, scanning the area for the other primordial spirits, but all she found were ashes swirling in the air. Her gaze fell on Eira, who stood beside Mira, now swirling with abundant magic. The Sword God's soul in the necklace was equally shocked.
All she could guess was that Eira had ended the fight without them even knowing. She noted that Mira's life force was returning, her wounds healing before her eyes. "Just what the hell is happening?" she whispered, her mind racing to comprehend the unfathomable power displayed before her.