Loki sprinted toward the dockyard, his mind racing with thoughts about the monsters he was about to face. He had already sensed that these five creatures were working together, a level of coordination unusual for monsters. What piqued his curiosity the most was the smaller monster leading them; it was strong and oddly intelligent, as if it commanded the others.
With a quick wave of his hand, Loki's casual clothes morphed into his Void Prince outfit: a sleek black jacket with striking red accents on the shoulders, giving it a refined yet deadly look. Beneath, he wore a fitted dark red V-neck shirt that added just a hint of color, subtly enhancing his appearance without standing out too much. Slim black pants with fine red stitching hugged his legs, both comfortable and tactical, perfect for quick movements. His dark boots with red soles clicked as he took a step forward, and his hands, covered in fingerless black gloves, flexed, feeling the power coursing through him. Around his neck, a red ruby pendant glowed faintly, and his earrings shimmered. In an instant, Loki's face blurred, concealing his identity, as blue void energy crackled around him, enveloping his figure. With a sudden burst of speed, he dashed across the cityscape.
Zoom!
As he neared the scene, Loki could see plumes of smoke rising over the docks. His eyes narrowed, and with a blink, he teleported high into the sky above the chaos below. Standing in mid-air, he took in the entire scene. The docks were in utter disarray; shipping containers lay scattered, and buildings smoldered as reinforcements arrived, battling fiercely against the five rampaging monsters. Blood-red wings beat furiously as the creatures tore through everything in their path. The Ascendants present were mostly C- and B-rank, struggling to hold the line in groups to avoid instant defeat.
But Loki's attention shifted to the center of the chaos. There, a smaller but vicious-looking monster with curved horns and leathery red wings led the attack, looming over two Ascendants who were putting up a brave, yet desperate, fight. Loki recognized Valeria Stormrider, a well-known A-rank Ascendant he'd seen on the news, fighting alongside another Ascendant who seemed to move at lightning speed, dodging and weaving to avoid the monster's deadly strikes.
Loki took a deep breath, assessing the situation. It was clear that Valeria and her companion couldn't hold out much longer. "I guess they could use a hand," he muttered to himself, feeling the call to intervene.
Valeria was breathing heavily, her body trembling as she faced the bull-horned creature. Its eyes gleamed with an unsettling intelligence, as though it saw them as mere nuisances. Her stamina was nearly gone, and she knew her partner, Rivem, was equally exhausted. But retreat wasn't an option. The evacuation of the docks was still incomplete; if they backed down now, innocent lives would be lost.
As she weighed her next move, the monster snorted, digging a massive hoof into the ground. Between its horns, a swirling ball of black-red energy began to form, crackling ominously. The creature grinned, revealing rows of sharp, monstrous teeth. In a split second, it launched the energy ball toward Valeria and Rivem at an alarming speed. Rivem reacted instantly, knowing he had to move, but just as he attempted to dodge, he felt a sharp, searing pain in his leg. Looking down, he saw blood dripping from a fresh wound; the monster had clipped him. His face paled as he saw the deadly orb approaching, too fast to avoid. Valeria and Rivem locked eyes, both silently accepting their fate, and closed their eyes in resignation.
But then, just as the dark energy was about to strike, a calm voice broke through the chaos, "Eclipse Barrier."
A shimmering barrier of blue energy surrounded the pair, absorbing the monstrous attack. The explosion shook the ground, sending dust and debris flying in every direction. Valeria braced herself, expecting the pain of the impact, but none came. She slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry, only to see the silhouette of someone standing protectively before them.
"Yo, need a hand?" a mischievous voice called out from within the dust cloud. With a casual wave of his hand, a gust of wind blew the dust away, revealing a tall figure clad in a black and red outfit, his face blurred and obscured, with striking ruby-red eyes glowing faintly.
Valeria and Rivem were speechless, taking in the scene around them. The ground was torn apart for nearly a kilometer in every direction, leaving a long trail of destruction, yet the spot where they stood was miraculously untouched.
Valeria's eyes widened in realization. She had heard of this figure before—the white hair, the blurred face, the Void Prince outfit. "Void Prince?" she whispered in shock.
Before she could say more, Loki's voice interrupted, filled with a hint of amusement. "You should probably treat that wound before you bleed out," he said, looking at Rivem with a playful glint in his eyes. Rivem recoiled, surprised at how Loki had moved from in front of them to beside him in less than a second.
"How… did you…?" Rivem stammered, his mind reeling. He had seen speed before, but this was something else. "Is this teleportation?"
Loki merely smirked, amused by Rivem's bewilderment.
Meanwhile, Valeria's mind raced. She had seen videos of this mysterious Ascendant battling monsters, a figure people had started calling the Void Prince. His powers were unlike any other Ascendant, and even without knowing his identity, he was already famous for his strength and charisma. She wanted to ask why he was here, but she knew better than to waste time; it was obvious he was there to help.
"You two should sit this one out," Loki said with a casual shrug, stretching his arms as he looked up at the bull-horned monster that was now snarling in frustration, its red eyes blazing as it recognized its attack had been thwarted.
"No, you don't understand!" Valeria protested, her voice filled with concern. "That creature is an S-rank. Even with your powers, you can't—"
"Oh? You're worried about me?" Loki chuckled, raising an eyebrow as he met her gaze, his ruby-red eyes twinkling with confidence. There was no arrogance, only an unwavering self-assurance that seemed unbreakable. "Don't be. I'm more than enough to handle this guy."
"Besides…" Loki said, glancing at the monster, "I am the strongest." He lifted a single finger, just as the bull-horned creature lunged toward him, fists raised to strike.
But before the monster's punch could connect, Loki's body flickered, disappearing from sight. In the same instant, a massive wave of blue energy erupted from his position, blasting everything in its path. The monster was thrown backward, hurtling through the air before slamming into a nearby building, leaving a crater in the structure as debris and containers scattered around the battlefield.
The entire battlefield froze, all eyes locked on Loki. The reinforcements, the Ascendants, and even the monsters paused, stunned by the sheer force of his attack. Loki floated there, unfazed, as though he hadn't just unleashed a power strong enough to obliterate everything in a one-kilometer radius.
Valeria and Rivem exchanged wide-eyed glances, awe etched across their faces. Rivem whispered, "Did you see that? He didn't even move. It was like… like the energy just obeyed him."
Valeria nodded, her shock turning into a profound respect. "I've never seen anyone with this kind of control. He's on a whole different level."
Loki turned back to them, flashing a confident grin. "Alright, rest up. I've got this covered." He winked, giving Valeria a reassuring nod.
"But… how?" Valeria couldn't help but ask, still in awe. "Why would someone like you help us?"
Loki's expression softened for a moment. "Let's just say… I don't like seeing good people struggle alone." Then, with a final smirk, he turned back toward the creature, who was slowly picking itself up from the rubble, growling in anger.
The monster let out a deafening roar, lunging at Loki again with renewed fury. But Loki merely raised his hand, summoning a swirling vortex of void energy. "Sorry, but playtime's over."