The Eminence of a True Monarch of the Shadows

[Third Person's PoV] 

As their armies flew and charged toward one another in a frenzied clash, Cid and Antares remained still, simply staring at each other with narrowed eyes.

Explosions erupted around them, but the chaos faded into the background as they locked gazes.

Cid flew upward and extended his hand. Antares did the same. The moment their hands met, both vanished from where they stood.

They reappeared in the middle of a vast desert, far from their armies. Spinning through the air, they crashed into the sand, skidding to a halt.

"It appears we had the same idea, Ashborn!" Antares roared with a grin. "To separate each other from our armies!"

Cid glanced around, inwardly noting how the scene reminded him of Jinwoo's penalty quest in the desert.

Wasting no time, he appeared in front of Antares, his fist cocked back. With a thunderous punch, he struck Antares across the face. A sound like a cannon blast erupted as a shockwave rippled behind Antares' head.

Yet, Antares barely flinched. Instead, he grinned, grabbing Cid's extended arm. He retaliated with a devastating punch to Cid's gut. The same deafening boom followed, a shockwave exploding behind Cid. But like Antares, he remained unfazed.

Their fists became blurs of afterimages as they exchanged blows at lightning speed. Each strike resounded like an explosion, sending shockwaves that kicked up massive waves of sand.

A black and purple aura began to surge from Cid, while a red and purple one radiated from Antares. Both warriors grinned fiercely as they rose higher into the air, their relentless blows never wavering.

Their fists clashed more frequently, each searching for an opportunity to counterattack.

The battle raged like a violent storm in the empty desert. Their auras clashed, sending waves of power rippling through the air. Every strike carried enough force to shatter mountains, yet neither yielded an inch.

Cid's eyes gleamed as his fists met Antares' with earth-shaking force. Their knuckles collided midair, creating an explosion that flattened the surrounding sand dunes.

Antares bared his sharp teeth in a grin. "Not bad, Ashborn! But let's see if you can keep up!"

With a sudden burst of speed, Antares ducked under a punch, twisted his body, and lashed out with his tail, its tip glowing with draconic energy.

Cid barely had time to cross his arms before the attack connected. The impact sent him hurtling through the sky like a meteor.

BOOM!

Cid crashed into the desert floor, sending sand and debris flying into the heavens. A massive crater formed beneath him, cracks spreading like a spider's web.

Antares didn't relent. In an instant, he appeared above Cid, his claws glowing red with destructive energy. He slashed downward, releasing a massive arc of crimson power.

Before the attack could land, shadows erupted from the ground, intercepting it with an explosion of energy.

Cid shot through the aftermath of the blast, a sword in his hands. He swung it downward with enough force to distort space around the blade, the air itself seeming to warp under the pressure.

A black arc of energy slashed across Antares' armor, sending sparks flying. Though the strike failed to pierce Antares, its sheer force sent him hurtling toward the ground.

BANG!

Antares crashed into the desert, kicking up a massive sandstorm. He barely had time to recover before Cid came plummeting down, sword poised for another strike.

TANG!

Metal clashed against metal, the impact so immense that the ground beneath them shattered. A powerful shockwave blasted the sand away, exposing the solid earth beneath.

Cid landed and launched a flurry of slashes, his blade cutting through the air with terrifying speed. Antares met each strike with his claws, intercepting the attacks in a furious exchange.

The battle showed no sign of slowing. In fact, the intensity increased tenfold.

Antares' armor extended up his neck, covering the sides of his face with white plating, and a crown of horns materialized soon after. With a swift spin on his heels, he launched a powerful kick toward Cid's side.

Cid raised his sword in defense, blocking the strike, but the sheer force sent him skidding backward.

Red flames ignited in Antares' palm, coalescing into a massive, crimson greatsword. He sneered, "What happened to your daggers, Ashborn?"

"Who said I only use one weapon?" Cid countered, shifting his stance. His sword morphed, elongating into a sleek, intricate spear.

The spear's black shaft contrasted sharply with its glowing purple blade, which burned with black and violet flames. As Cid infused it with both Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, the weapon crackled with black lightning, distorting the air around it.

Without hesitation, he cocked his arm back and hurled the spear like a javelin. The sound barrier shattered repeatedly as the spear tore through the air, transforming into a streak of pure devastation.

Antares' eyes widened briefly before a feral grin split his face. With a roar, he raised his flaming greatsword, bracing himself for impact.

BOOOOOM!

The moment the spear struck, an explosion of black, purple, and crimson flames engulfed the battlefield. The shockwave flattened dunes miles away, and even the sky seemed to tremble.

Antares skidded backward, carving deep trenches in the scorched earth. Though he had blocked the attack, a jagged crack ran across his armor. Smoke curled from his hands as he sneered.

"Hah! That actually stung a little," he growled, rolling his shoulder. "Not bad, Ashborn, but I hope you don't think that's enough!"

Without missing a beat, he swung his greatsword, unleashing a devastating crescent of red flames. The sheer force of the attack made the air tremble as it roared toward Cid.

Cid didn't move. He simply extended a hand.

Shadows erupted from the ground, forming a dense barrier. The attack slammed into it—and dispersed instantly.

Antares barely had time to react before Cid was suddenly upon him, moving faster than even his heightened senses could track. His spear materialized in his hand once more, and he thrust forward.

Antares twisted his body at the last second, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow—but the spear still tore through his side, leaving a gaping wound that leaked molten energy.

"GRHHH!" Antares gritted his teeth and retaliated, swinging his greatsword in a wide arc.

Cid ducked under it with inhuman grace, spinning mid-air before delivering a brutal kick to Antares' ribs, launching him backward.

But Antares was no novice in combat. Adjusting mid-air, his wings flared open, halting his momentum. His aura erupted outward, the sheer pressure cracking the earth beneath him.

Then, he raised both hands, gripping his sword tightly, and roared.

A storm of flames and destruction whirled around the blade. He swung with all his might, and space itself shattered, the very fabric of reality trembling under the force.

For a brief moment, his Observation Haki sharpened to its peak—

SLASH!

"Ughh!!" Cid gasped as blood burst from his mouth. A deep, diagonal gash tore across his torso.

The desert was utterly transformed. A massive scar stretched for miles, as if an invisible blade had erased a chunk of the land. The surrounding sand had melted into glass.

Cid staggered, his hand pressing against his chest. When he pulled it away, his palm was smeared with his own blood.

Antares' eyes gleamed victoriously. His attack had pierced through Cid's armor—breaking past even his precognition.

Then, to his utter confusion…

Cid laughed.

A low, chilling chuckle at first. Then, a full-blown hysterical cackle.

His lips curled into a wide, almost demonic grin, far more unsettling than any expression Antares had ever seen.

Cid lifted his bloodstained hand to his mouth—and licked it clean.

"My own blood~" His voice was trembling with excitement. "I haven't seen my own blood in so long~"

His grin widened unnaturally, sending an unfamiliar shiver down Antares' spine.

Cid's body shook with laughter, his head tilting back in pure exhilaration.

"Hahahaha… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

His manic laughter echoed across the battlefield, reverberating through the scorched wasteland.

His pupils dilated, his aura exploded outward—and for the first time in his existence, Antares felt something strange.

Not fear. But something close.

Never in his long life had he felt more perplexed than he did in that moment.