MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Lucian had refrained from utilizing mana, elemental attacks, or aura up to this point, fully aware of their futility.

Thyros possessed the ability to effortlessly absorb all forms of energy without even lifting a finger, as though it were a passive, innate trait.

Aware of this, Lucian resolved to rely solely on physical attacks for the time being.

Though he understood that even a race as formidable as Thyros had limits to how much energy they could consume, he wasn't prepared to squander his own reserves of mana and energy simply to uncover that threshold.

Lucian's foot lashed out with a thunderous crack, the force of his movement causing the very air to tremble.

His strike landed squarely on Thyros' shoulder without resistance, the impact reverberating like a drumbeat of raw power. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire

Thyros' body hurtled backward, slamming into a pillar with devastating force.

The stone groaned and cracked under the collision, yet when the dust settled, Thyros remained unscathed, his expression unflinching despite the clean hit.

Lucian, however, was undeterred.

He surged forward in an instant, his form a blur of flickering light as he closed the distance.

With unwavering resolve, his katana flashed, its edge slicing through the air in a deadly arc aimed directly at Thyros' neck.

Thyros, still lodged in the shattered pillar, registered the incoming strike and reacted with astonishing speed.

His muscles coiled tightly, veins surging as blood flow surged through his body.

In a burst of raw power, he propelled himself skyward, narrowly evading the deadly slash.

With a sharp, resonating cleave, Lucian's katana sliced cleanly through the stone, splitting the pillar in two with surgical precision, the cut marking the exact spot where Thyros' neck had been just moments before.

Lucian's eyes darted upward, his sharp gaze tracking Thyros' ascent with unrelenting focus.

Before the upper half of the cleaved pillar could tumble to the ground, Lucian propelled himself upward, using it as a foothold.

His step shattered the crumbling stone into fragments, sending debris cascading down like a collapsing tower.

He shot toward Thyros with relentless speed, his katana poised for a strike.

But Thyros was faster.

His hand had already begun to move, his muscles tensing as his fist drove forward in a motion that was far more than a simple punch.

Tapping into his vast reserves of devoured energy, Thyros channeled the power into his fist, concentrating it into a compact, devastating force.

Without hesitation, he unleashed the strike in a single, fluid motion, the air itself rippling from the sheer energy emanating from the blow.

Lucian's instincts roared to life as he sensed the dangerous surge of energy building in Thyros' fist.

Without hesitation, he halted his advance, not by deploying a barrier or countering, but by vanishing entirely, his presence erased in an instant.

A cataclysmic force erupted from Thyros' punch, shattering the very fabric of space as it surged forward.

The unleashed energy cascaded outward in a chaotic, endless reaction, devouring everything in its path with merciless precision.

The ground beneath buckled under the strain, collapsing into massive sinkholes, the sheer weight of the attack leaving devastation in its wake.

The destructive pulse echoed through the battlefield, a testament to the overwhelming might of Thyros' strike.

Thyros landed with a light, controlled touch, his sharp senses scanning the battlefield for any sign of Lucian.

Then, his gaze snapped downward.

The ground beneath his feet had transformed into a churning mass of quicksand, shifting unnaturally under Lucian's manipulation.

In the blink of an eye, the quicksand had swallowed him up to his waist, its pull relentless.

But Thyros didn't falter.

He remained calm, his focus sharp as fire energy surged around his legs and feet, harnessing the reserves he had devoured.

In a single, decisive moment, he unleashed the gathered energy in a violent explosion.

The quicksand disintegrated under the sheer force, the shockwave sending debris flying in every direction.

The air grew heavy with blistering heat, and the ground beneath Thyros' feet was transformed.

The sand and stone fused under the intense temperature, solidifying into molten glass that glimmered in the chaotic light.

Thyros' eyes locked onto Lucian as the latter emerged from the smoke screen, his form flickering with calculated precision.

But before Thyros could advance, Lucian's presence seemed to shift, and in that instant, he activated another skill, one he had copied.

[Glass Imprisonment]

Thyros' gaze sharpened as the glass beneath his feet began to stir, shifting with unnerving speed.

The molten substance reformed around him, twisting and reshaping with expert precision.

Within moments, the earth trembled as a hexagonal prison encased him, the walls of solid glass rising higher with relentless force.

The prison gleamed in the dim light, a shimmering cage that sealed him within its confines.

As Thyros began gathering his energy to shatter the prison, he soon realized something was amiss, his movements were completely restricted.

Nothing stirred, not even the energy coursing through his body.

'He got me'

Thyros thought, a brief moment of realization flashing through his mind.

But that fleeting reflection vanished as quickly as it came.

Before he could even react, a fist, sharpened by sheer force, smashed through the glass prison, its trajectory unyielding.

The blow connected with his chest, sending a shockwave of pain through his entire body.

Thyros was thrown backward with supersonic speed, blood spilling from his mouth as his bones fractured under the impact.

His body ricocheted off hills and stone pillars, each collision further amplifying the damage.

Yet, despite the brutality of the assault, Thyros' skin remained unyielding, a thick barrier that absorbed the force without yielding to the pressure.

Not even the catastrophic impact could pierce his natural defenses.

But Lucian's fist did.

From the spot where Thyros had crashed, a wave of energy rippled outward with a deafening boom.

Rocks, stones, and debris were sent flying into the air, propelled by the sheer force of the eruption.

Emerging from the chaos, Thyros walked forward with deliberate, steady steps.

The energy surrounding him thickened, a suffocating presence that made the very air tremble.

It slithered around him like serpents, twisting and writhing in dark, ominous patterns.

As he moved, the life force he had devoured surged within him, mending every injury he had sustained.

The imprint of Lucian's fist on his chest vanished as if it had never been there, his body fully restored by the relentless flow of consumed energy.

Thyros stood tall once more, his form radiating an aura of immense power, the scars of battle now nothing but distant memories.

"Since you have made me bleed, I hope you can survive what comes next"

Thyros' voice echoed through the air, each word heavy and without malice as he continued his advance.

The energy around him pulsed ominously, a force that threatened to devour everything in its path.

Lucian, ever observant, knew the nature of the Ignivores' power well.

They could create devastating explosions with the vast energy they absorbed, but in the end, that's all they were, explosions.

Simple, destructive bursts of power.

Such attacks, while formidable, were not unbeatable.

With the right skill, the right reflexes, and the right countermeasure, explosions could be evaded or absorbed.

But as Lucian's mind raced, the question lingered: 'If this was all the Ignivore race could do, could they truly be considered a top race in the galaxy?'

It was a thought that gnawed at him, but there was no time for answers.

Only the impending storm of Thyros' wrath.