The white floor beneath their feet shattered. Fissures spider-webbed through the void in every direction, the gaps widening as the entire dimension trembled. Null, Leo, and Lana immediately leaped backward, creating distance from the expanding chasms.
The Leader of the Creators frowned, leaning over the crack to investigate the anomaly.
SWOOSH!
Out of nowhere, a lethal projectile cut through the air from behind Null, aimed straight for his back! But the moment it crossed into Null's perimeter, Axiom activated automatically—disintegrating the attack into harmless dust before it could touch him.
Null, Leo, and the Leader snapped their heads toward the origin of the strike.
Stepping out of the white mist was a figure who looked identical to the Leader, but clad in radiant, ethereal armor. The suit was pure white lined with brilliant gold. Overlapping gold plates arranged like majestic wings covered his chest, with luminous lines curving inward toward the center. His pauldrons were draped in layered white feathers, resembling a pair of miniature wings resting on his shoulders.
The armored Creator looked at Null with cold eyes. "As expected... though I wished it wouldn't come to this."
The Leader stood tall, staring at the armored intruder. "I think you arrived a bit too early to seek your revenge."
"What, did you think I was a fool?!" the armored Creator spat back. "Did you think we would just sit quietly in a corner while you destroy our world?!"
Without another word, the armored Creator hurled his weapon directly at the Leader!
It was one of the legendary Eight Creations of the First Light—Rank 6: Aetherion. It resembled a jagged, glowing white tree branch pulsing with divine energy.
The Leader calmly raised his hand, swatting Aetherion aside.
The instant Aetherion was deflected, it rematerialized directly into the armored Creator's hand! He threw it again—but as the divine branch flew through the air, the armored Creator suddenly vanished, teleporting instantly onto the exact Aetherion branch the Leader had just deflected moments prior!
BOOM!
Before the Leader could react, the armored Creator manifested a second Aetherion branch and smashed it brutally across the Leader's head! Simultaneously, the first Aetherion branch he had thrown struck the Leader from behind!
"TAKETHIS!"
The armored Creator struck the Leader a third time with divine force! The impact was so monstrous that the branch shattered into a million sparkling fragments—only for the armored Creator to instantly recreate it in a flash of light.
The Leader growled, catching both of the armored Creator's wrists mid-swing. With blinding speed, the Leader drove his own forehead into the armored Creator's face twice—BANG! BANG!—before smashing his elbow directly into the man's chin!
The armored Creator stumbled back, coughing up blood, but retaliated instantly with a vicious punch, swinging another recreated branch of Aetherion. The branch shattered once more upon impact.
Capitalizing on the opening, the Leader condensed pure, super-compressed magical energy into the palm of his hand, thrusting the glowing orb straight into the armored Creator's abdomen!
BOOM!
The armored Creator gasped as the energy exploded against his stomach. Desperate to counter, he swung Aetherion again, but before his hit could connect, a divine light pierced out from his own torso—emerging straight through the spot where the Leader had struck him!
It was the Leader's weapon—Rank 2 of the Eight Creations of the First Light: Seraphiel.
Seraphiel was a magnificent spear. Its razor-sharp head featured a long, slightly curved blade extending toward the upper right. Around its base shone a brilliant blue-and-white central star surrounded by golden rings and sharp outward spikes. Two pairs of ethereal wings adorned the shaft—one near the spearhead and a smaller pair further down, each centering a glowing magical orb. The shaft was a sleek metallic blue, ending in a circular artifact surrounded by spikes with a pulsing blue orb at its core.
The Leader grabbed the shaft of Seraphiel, kicked the armored Creator brutally in the chest, and yanked the spear free!
The armored Creator crashed onto the cracked white floor, bleeding heavily.
The Leader raised Seraphiel, pointing the divine tip downward. "I did not want to summon Seraphiel... but you left me no choice."
He stepped forward to deliver the final strike, aiming to drive the spear through the armored Creator's neck. But just as he thrust the weapon downward, he noticed something glowing brightly in his opponent's palm.
FLASH!
Before the Leader could complete his motion, the armored Creator vanished, reappearing directly behind the Leader with a recreated branch of Aetherion raised to strike!
SWISH!
Before the armored Creator could swing, Seraphiel moved on its own! The spear spun backward through the air, resting its razor-sharp edge directly against the armored Creator's throat!
The armored Creator froze in absolute terror, his breath catching in his throat. The blade didn't cut him, but he dared not move a single millimeter.
So the rumors were true... the armored Creator thought frantically, cold sweat pouring down his face. Seraphiel possesses its own consciousness! Among all Eight Creations of the First Light, Seraphiel is the only weapon that can think and act freely...
He knew the terrifying truth about the spear: When Seraphiel stabs a target, it completely disrupts their magical energy absorption, rendering them entirely unable to cast magic for as long as the weapon remains in contact with them. I thought if I shocked the Leader enough, Seraphiel would be forced to step in... and I was right!
Meanwhile, the Leader let out a quiet sigh, staring at his autonomous spear.
Seraphiel saved me... the Leader analyzed in his mind. Now I finally understand how his weapon works. That is Aetherion—the only Creation among the eight that can be recreated almost instantaneously. Every time it hits the same opponent, its damage doubles... and it allows the user to freely teleport to the position of any previously dropped Aetherion branch! I always thought Aetherion was useless for a Rank 6 creation... but now I see its true terrifying potential.
The Leader turned around slowly, looking down at the paralyzed, armored Creator with a cold, triumphant smile.
"I must admit, your strategy was clever," the Leader murmured smoothly. "But it doesn't matter. I win... because I hold the ultimate trump card."