Chereads / The Villain’s Ascension / Chapter 34 - The Golden Reckoning

Chapter 34 - The Golden Reckoning

Kael Draven strode through the fractured remnants of a once-prosperous realm, his dark magic crackling around him as the Void's power surged within his veins. Another world lay conquered beneath his will, its gods shattered, its mortals extinguished, its essence absorbed into his ever-growing strength.

Yet, far above in the shimmering halls of the divine plane, a force unlike any other watched Kael's rampage with quiet disdain.

**Midas, the Golden Sovereign.**

A god of unmatched wealth and prosperity, Midas presided over the fertile dimensions, realms rich with life and light. Unlike many of his kin, who fought with raw power and fury, Midas had forged his dominion with strategy, intellect, and unwavering confidence. His golden visage glowed softly as he studied Kael from his golden throne, his eyes like molten sunlight.

"This... parasite," Midas murmured, his voice calm but laced with quiet fury. "He sows ruin where there could be growth. Chaos where there could be order. Enough."

Midas rose to his feet, his flowing robes glittering with threads of liquid gold. With a single step, he descended from his celestial halls into the shattered realm where Kael now stood.

---

Kael sensed the shift in the air before Midas appeared. The shadows around him twisted and recoiled as if reacting to something greater than they had ever encountered.

Then, in a blinding flash of golden light, Midas appeared.

The god's radiant form hovered above the ruins, his presence suffused with an aura of authority and power. His skin gleamed as though crafted from pure gold, his eyes burning with divine intensity. In his hand, he held the **Golden Scepter**, a weapon said to turn anything it touched into eternal, unyielding gold.

"Kael Draven," Midas said, his voice calm and commanding. "Your destruction ends here."

Kael smirked, his silver eyes narrowing as he studied the radiant figure before him. "Another god to kill," he said, his tone laced with mockery. "You all sound the same."

Midas's gaze hardened. "You mistake me for one of the others," he said. "But you will find that I am not so easily broken."

Kael chuckled, his dark magic flaring around him. "We'll see about that," he said.

---

The battle began in an instant.

Midas struck first, raising his scepter as waves of golden energy surged outward. The ground beneath Kael's feet transformed into molten gold, the air itself shimmering with radiant heat. Kael leapt back, his dark magic coiling around him like a shield as he deflected the attack.

"Impressive," Kael said, his silver eyes gleaming. "But it's not enough."

He retaliated with a wave of shadow, tendrils of darkness lashing out at Midas with unrelenting force. Midas raised his scepter, the tendrils disintegrating as they collided with its golden glow.

"You rely too much on destruction," Midas said, his voice steady. "But destruction alone will not save you."

Kael smirked, his dark magic surging. "We'll see," he growled.

---

The two clashed again, their attacks shaking the very fabric of the realm. Midas unleashed torrents of golden energy, each strike precise and devastating. Beams of light tore through the air, transforming everything they touched into unbreakable gold.

Kael moved with terrifying speed, his shadows coiling and twisting as he evaded Midas's attacks. His counterstrikes were relentless, waves of darkness consuming the golden energy and threatening to engulf Midas entirely.

But Midas was unyielding.

With a sweep of his scepter, he created a massive barrier of golden light, deflecting Kael's assault and forcing him to retreat.

"You fight like a beast," Midas said, his tone cold. "Wild and unrefined. No wonder you rely on the Void's power. Without it, you are nothing."

Kael's smirk faltered, his silver eyes narrowing. "You talk too much," he growled.

---

Kael surged forward, his dark magic blazing with unrelenting fury. He struck at Midas with everything he had, waves of shadow and tendrils of darkness colliding with the god's golden light.

Midas countered with equal ferocity, his attacks precise and calculated. He wielded his scepter with unparalleled skill, each strike transforming the very air into solid gold.

The two forces clashed again and again, their battle tearing through the shattered realm. Mountains crumbled, rivers turned to molten gold, and the skies burned with shadow and light.

Kael gritted his teeth as he deflected another of Midas's strikes, the force of the blow sending him skidding across the ground.

"You're stronger than the others," Kael admitted, his voice filled with grudging respect. "But it won't save you."

Midas raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes gleaming. "And you are more stubborn than I expected," he said. "But your arrogance will be your downfall."

---

The battle raged on, neither side giving an inch.

Kael unleashed a massive wave of dark magic, the shadows surging forward like a tidal wave. Midas met it head-on, raising his scepter as a dome of golden light surrounded him. The two forces collided with a deafening roar, their power shaking the very fabric of the realm.

For a moment, it seemed as though Kael's darkness would overwhelm the golden barrier.

But then Midas stepped forward, his scepter blazing with radiant energy. With a single, devastating strike, he shattered Kael's attack, sending the dark magic scattering into the wind.

Kael staggered, his silver eyes blazing with fury as he regained his footing.

"You're resilient," Kael growled. "I'll give you that."

Midas smirked, his golden eyes narrowing. "And you're predictable," he said.

---

Kael lunged forward, his tendrils of shadow lashing out at Midas with blinding speed. Midas deflected the attack with ease, his scepter glowing brightly as he struck back with a wave of golden light.

The beam struck Kael squarely in the chest, sending him crashing into the ground.

For a moment, Kael lay still, his silver eyes flickering as he struggled to rise.

Midas hovered above him, his scepter raised. "It's over, Kael Draven," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "You've reached the end of your path."

Kael chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "You think this is the end?" he said, his voice filled with defiance. "You haven't seen anything yet."

---

With a roar, Kael unleashed the full power of the Void, the shadows around him surging with unimaginable force. The darkness consumed everything in its path, engulfing Midas in a storm of raw energy.

For a moment, the battlefield was silent.

Then, from within the storm, Midas emerged, his form battered but unbroken.

"You are strong, Kael," Midas said, his voice steady. "But you are not invincible."

Kael's silver eyes narrowed as he prepared for the final clash.

And as the two forces collided once more, the fate of the realm hung in the balance.