Chapter 9 — Gravity Against Gravity
Dark clouds swallowed the night sky above Imperial Soul Academy.
Purple lightning flashed violently across the heavens while the academy's protective barriers trembled under the pressure spreading from Varikon's body.
Students watched from distant evacuation zones with fear-filled eyes.
Even elite instructors looked tense.
Because the creature standing before them radiated power far beyond ordinary academy-level threats.
Meanwhile, at the center of the battlefield, Reskin stood frozen for several seconds while gravity itself distorted around Varikon like invisible storms.
The ancient monster slowly walked forward.
Each step cracked the ground.
"You truly survived, Bali," Varikon said with a twisted smile.
Its blood-red eyes remained locked on Reskin's body greedily.
"No wonder I sensed something familiar."
Inside Reskin's mind, Bali's voice sounded colder than ever before.
"Do not listen to him."
Reskin frowned slightly.
"You know him personally."
"Yes."
Bali remained silent briefly.
Then—
"He was once my subordinate."
Reskin's eyes widened instantly.
"What?!"
Varikon laughed loudly after hearing Bali's emotions through their soul connection.
"Hahahahaha!"
Purple energy exploded around him.
"Subordinate?"
His expression suddenly twisted with hatred.
"I was your greatest warrior!"
BOOOOOM!!
Gravity pressure spread outward violently.
Several nearby instructors were forced backward.
"You called me a monster…"
Varikon's voice became darker.
"…after I sacrificed everything to evolve our race."
Bali answered immediately.
"You slaughtered your own people."
"And they were weak!"
The monster roared furiously.
The academy buildings trembled.
Dark gravity waves spread uncontrollably across the battlefield, crushing nearby stone structures into dust.
Reskin gritted his teeth while resisting the pressure.
Varikon's power was monstrous.
Far beyond anything he had imagined.
Seraphina landed beside Reskin while spinning her silver spear calmly.
"Can you fight?"
Reskin nodded immediately.
"Good."
Her golden eyes sharpened.
"Because running is no longer an option."
Meanwhile, academy instructors rapidly organized combat formations around the battlefield.
Massive soul barriers activated while long-range fighters prepared support attacks from nearby towers.
Professor Kaizen raised his hand.
"All combat divisions prepare suppression sequence!"
Dozens of instructors instantly responded.
Powerful soul energy filled the air.
Fire-type fighters gathered flames large enough to melt buildings.
Ice users froze entire sections of the battlefield.
Lightning users prepared destructive long-range attacks.
For a brief moment—
Even Varikon stopped walking.
Then slowly smiled.
"Humans truly believe numbers matter."
The next second—
BOOOOOOOOM!!
The monster vanished instantly.
"TOO FAST!" an instructor shouted.
Varikon appeared directly inside the academy formation.
Then—
Massacre began.
CRASH!!
One instructor was launched through three buildings instantly.
Another got crushed beneath distorted gravity before even reacting.
Purple energy exploded everywhere.
The academy formation collapsed immediately.
"SCATTER!" Kaizen roared.
But it was too late.
Varikon moved like living destruction itself.
Every attack either bent unnaturally away from him or got crushed by overwhelming gravity pressure.
Reskin activated Gravity Erase immediately.
WHOOSH!!
The world slowed.
Finally, he could barely follow Varikon's movements.
But even inside Gravity Erase—
The monster still moved frighteningly fast.
"He's adapting to my gravity field…"
Bali answered seriously.
"Because his abilities evolved from ancient gravity manipulation techniques."
Varikon suddenly turned toward Reskin mid-battle.
Then smiled.
"There you are."
BOOOOM!!
The monster charged directly toward him.
Reskin instantly manipulated gravity sideways.
The ground shattered violently as Varikon's attack barely missed.
CRAAAAASH!!
An entire academy tower collapsed behind him.
Reskin's heartbeat accelerated.
One direct hit would kill him instantly.
"You're weak," Varikon growled while attacking again.
CLANG!!
Seraphina intercepted with her silver spear.
Shockwaves exploded across the battlefield.
This time—
Varikon slid backward slightly.
For the first time, surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Hm."
Seraphina's soul energy intensified around her body.
Silver light covered the battlefield.
"Your opponent is me."
Varikon looked amused.
"You are strong… for a human."
The monster raised one claw.
Purple gravity energy condensed around it like a black star.
"But still insignificant."
BOOOOOM!!
A massive gravity blast exploded toward Seraphina.
She immediately thrust her spear forward.
"Silver Heaven Domain!"
Bright silver energy erupted around her instantly.
The incoming gravity wave split apart violently.
The entire battlefield exploded.
Nearby academy walls shattered from the shockwaves alone.
Reskin stared in disbelief.
"So this is high-level combat…"
The scale was completely insane.
Meanwhile, Varikon and Seraphina exchanged attacks faster than ordinary eyes could follow.
Silver spear flashes collided against distorted gravity claws repeatedly.
BOOOOM!!
BOOOOM!!
BOOOOM!!
Every collision shook the academy.
Several instructors joined the battle carefully, supporting Seraphina with long-range attacks whenever openings appeared.
But even then—
Varikon dominated.
"This body is still incomplete," the monster growled while crushing another attack.
"Otherwise all of you would already be dead."
Bali suddenly spoke sharply inside Reskin's mind.
"Listen carefully."
Reskin focused immediately.
"Varikon's gravity core is unstable after long imprisonment."
"What does that mean?"
"He cannot maintain perfect gravity balance while using large-scale attacks."
Reskin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A weakness."
"Yes."
Bali's voice became colder.
"But only someone using compatible gravity control can exploit it."
Realization hit instantly.
"You mean me."
Varikon suddenly roared violently.
BOOOOOOM!!
A giant gravity pulse exploded outward.
Several instructors were blown away instantly.
Even Seraphina slid backward while blocking with her spear.
The battlefield became chaotic.
"Human insects," Varikon growled angrily.
"You delay the inevitable."
Then—
Its eyes locked onto Reskin again.
"This vessel belongs to me."
Purple energy erupted beneath the monster's feet.
He charged again.
This time even faster.
Reskin immediately activated Gravity Erase fully.
WHOOSH!!
Everything slowed drastically.
Dust froze mid-air.
Lightning became crawling lines across the sky.
Varikon's movements finally became readable.
Barely.
"Left shoulder movement… gravity compression… direct strike incoming…"
Reskin analyzed rapidly.
Then—
He moved.
BOOOOOM!!
The battlefield exploded beneath his feet.
For the first time—
Reskin directly clashed against Varikon.
CRAAAAASH!!
Gravity collided against gravity.
Invisible force distorted the surrounding air violently.
Nearby instructors stared in shock.
"He blocked it?!"
Impossible.
A first-year academy student was actually surviving direct confrontation against an ancient monster.
Varikon's red eyes widened slightly.
Then—
He laughed.
"Hahahahaha!"
The monster looked genuinely excited now.
"Excellent!"
Purple gravity intensified around his claws.
"You truly inherited Bali's power!"
Reskin gritted his teeth while resisting overwhelming pressure.
Every muscle screamed painfully.
Varikon was physically overpowering him completely.
"Your body cannot handle prolonged combat," Bali warned sharply.
"I KNOW!"
Suddenly—
Reskin remembered Seraphina's training.
Power without discipline becomes weakness.
Instead of resisting directly—
He changed gravity flow sideways.
Varikon's own attack shifted slightly off balance.
That tiny opening—
Was enough.
Reskin twisted his body and redirected momentum completely.
BOOOOOM!!
Varikon was thrown across the battlefield for the first time.
The entire academy froze.
Even Varikon looked surprised while crashing through multiple ruined structures.
Reskin breathed heavily.
"…That actually worked."
Bali sounded mildly impressed.
"You learn quickly."
Before Reskin could recover—
Purple energy exploded again.
Varikon emerged from the ruins laughing madly.
"Hahahaha!"
His monstrous smile widened.
"Yes!"
The monster looked almost emotional.
"This is the power our race should have embraced!"
Dark gravity storms formed around his body.
"Together we could evolve beyond gods themselves!"
Bali's killing intent exploded instantly.
"You speak of evolution after destroying our world?"
Varikon's expression twisted coldly.
"Our world deserved destruction."
Silence.
Then—
"For millions of years," Varikon continued softly, "I wandered alone through dead galaxies searching for greater power."
Purple energy cracked violently around him.
"And do you know what I discovered, Bali?"
His eyes glowed brighter.
"Life itself exists to consume weaker beings."
The atmosphere became horrifyingly cold.
"No peace."
"No balance."
"Only domination."
BOOOOOM!!
The sky above the academy split apart under monstrous gravity pressure.
Several weaker students fainted instantly from fear.
Varikon slowly raised one claw toward the heavens.
"So join me."
Its voice echoed unnaturally across the battlefield.
"Together we can rebuild the universe properly."
Inside Reskin's mind—
Bali answered with absolute hatred.
"I would rather watch the stars die again."
Varikon's smile vanished completely.
Then—
The monster released its full killing intent.
And for the first time that night—
Even Seraphina looked genuinely alarmed.