Shingin's attack resembled a tempest, overwhelming the battlefield with sheer, suffocating force.
BOOM! Blue flames surged like a raging tsunami, engulfing Watcher 17's green energy entirely. The intensity of the fire seemed to ignite even the air itself, creating a residual storm that swept across the surroundings. It painted the heavens in a mesmerizing yet menacing blue hue, roaring like a ferocious beast barreling toward Watcher 17.
Crash! The massive impact sent Watcher 17 flying like a kite with its string cut. His body collided with a distant rock wall, scattering debris and dust into the air. The force of the collision fractured the cliffside, spiderweb cracks spreading outward as his trajectory carved a deep, narrow trench into the earth.
Despite the devastating blow, Watcher 17 stood tall once again. His footing steadied as the ground beneath him trembled from his overwhelming aura. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his chest heaving with labored breaths. Yet his eyes burned not with fear but with unyielding determination.
"Hahaha…" Watcher 17's laugh was low and tinged with madness. "Yes, this is what it means to be an ability wielder, isn't it? The closer we are to the brink of destruction, the more strength we unleash!"
From the dissipating smoke, Shingin emerged, his tattered attire fluttering in the wind. The lingering storm circled him protectively, like loyal sentinels. His heterochromatic eyes—one fiery blue and the other blood-red—locked onto his opponent as he growled, "You're not my target. Don't make me…"
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Watcher 17's tone turned icy. "How ironic. Do you think you can escape your fate? No matter what, I will not allow the rise of a second War God!"
He clenched his fists, and the air around him seemed to freeze. Eerie green energy radiated from his body, wrapping around him like a web of chains. With a thunderous roar, he soared skyward, his hands gathering a cataclysmic power capable of annihilation.
Shingin's gaze hardened. The tempest around him stilled, but the oppressive aura he emitted grew even heavier. Raising his hand slowly, his voice carried a chilling resolve. "If you insist on standing in my way, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
The clash of their powers in mid-air unleashed a shockwave that shattered nearby rocks to dust. The sky, now awash in green and blue light, resembled an apocalyptic scene. In an instant, the battlefield was consumed by dazzling radiance.
BOOM!!!
The deafening explosion split the ground with bottomless fissures. Scorching winds hurled debris outward in a destructive tempest. Watcher 17's body was flung back and slammed into the earth. His breath was ragged, cold sweat dripping from his brow, yet his unbroken spirit blazed in his eyes.
Watcher 17 roared, "You have your beliefs, and I have mine!"
His voice thundered like a storm, shaking the very air. A green light coalesced in his hands, forming countless energy bullets. These weren't ordinary projectiles but a relentless barrage with a will of their own, akin to a flock of ravenous hawks homing in on Shingin.
Each green energy bullet hummed with lethal power, slicing through the air with piercing whistles. Shingin moved like a phantom, weaving through the barrage with extraordinary agility. His rapid sidesteps created a trail of afterimages, yet the bullets seemed alive, adjusting their trajectories to continue their pursuit.
Shingin's movements were like a shooting star, his blue flames burning brighter, threatening to engulf everything. He let out a low growl as he charged toward Watcher 17, his six ice mirrors rotating rapidly around him like a protective barrier.
"Ice Hexagonal Mirrors!" Shingin commanded, his voice sharp. The mirrors formed a glimmering, crystalline structure in the air, trapping the relentless green energy bullets within. No matter how they darted and swirled, they couldn't escape the unyielding ice prison. Each collision against the mirrors created ripples before the bullets dissipated entirely.
Watcher 17's chest tightened as Shingin drew closer. Green energy flowed from his palms like a torrent, preparing for a desperate counterstrike. But the overwhelming aura surrounding Shingin left no doubt—his foe's dominance was absolute. Blue flames roared like dragons, and the wind howled like a divine storm.
"Absolute defense of ice, speed from lightning, support from wind, offense from fire…" Watcher 17's mind raced, piecing together Shingin's astonishing mastery. "And water to bind it all together… How could someone so young possess such battle-hardened skill?"
Memories surfaced—a time when he became a Watcher to protect his only family, his granddaughter. Her innocent smile flickered in his mind, filling him with anguish and resolve.
"I can't lose!" he bellowed, raising his hands high. Green energy cascaded like a waterfall, forming an impenetrable barrier. Teeth clenched, he resolved to pour every last ounce of strength into this final stand.
Shingin's icy voice pierced through the storm. "You leave me no choice, do you?"
In the next moment, Shingin's blue flames, amplified by the tempest, transformed into an unstoppable streak of light. It tore through the green energy barrier, piercing Watcher 17's chest. The flames danced like living spirits, consuming everything in their path.
BOOM!
For a brief moment, silence enveloped the battlefield, as if the world held its breath. Then a shockwave erupted, scattering debris and dust in all directions.
Watcher 17's body crashed to the ground, his green energy dissipating as tremors wracked his frame. His eyes, however, reflected neither fear nor defeat but a faint glimmer of hope.
"No wonder they chose you as the Eighth Leader…" he murmured, blood staining the earth beneath him. "But I… I still have…"
He struggled to rise, only for Shingin's approaching footsteps to interrupt him. Each step exuded an indescribable pressure, blanketing the battlefield in silence. Shingin stopped before Watcher 17, his gaze complex as he looked down at his fallen adversary.