The Multiverse Hunter

Black veins spread like creeping roots across Ali's body, his muscles tightening as power surged through him. His grip on the red quinque was firm, and before lunging forward, he ran his fingers across its sharp surface, feeling the weight of the battle to come.

The Crucible Knight, standing like an unshakable fortress in gilded bronze armour, reacted instantly, stepping forward with a measured, deliberate motion. His colossal great-sword gleamed with a menacing edge, raised and ready to clash.

BOOM!

Ali's sword met the knight's massive blade in a brutal collision, the force sending a shockwave through the stone arena. Sparks flew as metal shrieked against the quinque.

But just like before, Ali lost the exchange-his arms trembled under the sheer monstrous strength of the knight. His feet skidded back slightly, grinding against the cracked stone tiles beneath him, but this time, he held his ground, managing to remain standing.

The knight's follow-up was immediate. With a precise downward cleave, the great-sword came crashing toward Ali's skull. Ali dodged to the side, barely avoiding the lethal strike as the blade shattered the tiles where he once stood, sending debris flying.

He flipped through the air, evading a horizontal slash that followed in the same fluid motion. The Crucible Knight's mastery of the sword was undeniable-each movement was perfectly calculated, showing no wasted motion, no hesitation.

But he didn't stop.

Ali had yet to even land when the knight thrust his sword forward like a massive spear, aiming to skewer him mid-air.

Ali, still inverted, reacted instantly. His fingers barely brushed the stone floor beneath him, and with a powerful push, he propelled himself upward once more, somersaulting over the knight's deadly strike. His body twisted through the air like a shadow weaving between blades.

Landing smoothly behind the knight, Ali saw an opening-the enemy's back was completely exposed.

Without hesitation, he swung the red quinque with full force, aiming for the knight's unguarded spine.

CLANG!

Ali's eyes widened as the blade bounced off the knight's armour, vibrating in his grip like he had struck solid steel reinforced by ancient magic. His bones rattled from the force of the recoil.

Before Ali could retreat, the knight reacted with terrifying speed.

WHAM!

The Crucible Knight's shield crashed into Ali's chest, the sharp golden horn on its surface impaling straight through his right lung, bursting out through his back in a spray of blood.

Ali gasped as his vision blurred, pain shooting through his torso like wildfire.

BOOM!

With an explosive burst of Force telekinesis, Ali pushed against the knight, ripping himself free from the impalement. His body was sent hurtling backward, blood trailing in the air, while the knight only slid back half a meter-barely affected by the blast.

Ali's body crashed into the stone tiles, rolling before landing in a crouch. He clenched his jaw, ignoring the agony as his wound began sealing itself-flesh and muscle knitting together at an unnatural speed.

His mind was already analysing.

'His armour is solid. My quinque can't break it!'

Holstering his black handle, Ali reached for something else.

A crimson glow ignited in his left hand.

The red blade of his lightsaber hummed to life.

For the first time, the Crucible Knight reacted with intrigue. He lifted his great-sword slightly, tilting his helmet ever so slightly toward the weapon as if acknowledging its unique nature.

But then, without warning—FWOOOOSH!

The knight leaped into the air.

Ali's eyes sharpened.

From his back, two massive golden wings burst into existence, unfolding with an ethereal glow.

'Magic too?'

Before Ali could fully process the transformation, the Crucible Knight launched himself downward—a divine spear of destruction, sword pointed directly at Ali.

Ali barely managed to dodge-roll out of the way, landing on one knee.

CRASH!

The knight slammed into the ground, the impact shattering the stone floor into an explosion of rubble.

Ali's fingers twitched.

Instantly, chunks of broken stone lifted into the air, held by his telekinetic power.

Without hesitation, he hurled them like cannonballs, dozens of them smashing into the knight at high velocity.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The tiles disintegrated against the armour-completely ineffective. The knight didn't even flinch.

Ali frowned. He needed something else.

Gripping his lightsaber with both hands, Ali sprinted forward, his speed a fraction faster than the knight's own, giving him a slight edge.

He sidestepped another sword swing and retaliated, slashing his lightsaber against the knight's shield.

SIZZLE!

The lightsaber burned into the shield, eating through the golden metal slowly.

The Crucible Knight noticed.

Without hesitation, he swung his great-sword at Ali's side.

Ali twisted his wrist, guiding the lightsaber's cutting edge into the horn protruding from the knight's shield, severing it completely before stepping back.

The knight hesitated for the first time. His helmeted gaze flicked toward the flying lightsaber, following its movement instead of keeping focus on Ali.

Ali's lips curled. 'Well, that's insulting.'

With a burst of power, Ali exploded forward-his arms glowing red from overexertion.

His lightsaber slashed at the knight's midsection, scorching the armour. It didn't cut through, but the heat left a searing blackened mark on the golden plating.

The knight retaliated, swinging his great-sword at the floating lightsaber, but the weapon twisted midair, avoiding the strike.

Ali seized the opening.

He leaped into the air, hands clasping together, and with all his might-BANG!

His fists crashed into the knight's helmet.

The force was earth-shattering. The knight's head whipped downward, slamming into the cracked stone floor beneath him.

For the first time, his armour cracked—a fracture running along the top of his helmet.

The knight's shield dropped from his grip.

Ali's arms thinned unnaturally, muscles wasting away from the power he had just exerted. But he didn't care—His lightsaber whipped toward the knight's exposed head, ready to stab through.

A golden radiance erupted around the Crucible Knight, his entire body bathed in an otherworldly glow. The very air trembled as a circle of divine light expanded outward, an overwhelming wave of raw power that detonated like a shockwave.

BO000000000M!

The force was cataclysmic-Ali's body was launched through the air like a broken arrow, his red lightsaber spinning wildly beside him, both sent hurtling toward the purple barrier that surrounded the battlefield.

CRACK!

Ali's back collided violently against the barrier, the impact sending a sharp, burning pain through his entire body. His muscles spasmed, bones rattling from the sheer force of the blast. His lightsaber deactivated midair and clattered onto the stone floor, rolling to the side.

But Ali had no time to recover.

The Crucible Knight was already in motion.

With an eerie, unnatural fluidity, he reached down and retrieved his fallen shield, gripping it tightly once more. But instead of advancing immediately, the knight's entire body shifted, his golden armour gleaming under the arena's dim light.

A grotesque change overtook him.

From his lower back, something monstrous took form-a massive, reptilian tail materialised, its surface plated in thick, segmented armour resembling dragon scales. The tail was long, sinewy, and terrifyingly powerful, flexing and coiling like a beast awakening from slumber.

Ali barely had a moment to process the transformation before-

WHOOSH!

The Crucible Knight twisted his body, using the momentum to send the massive tail whipping toward Ali with explosive speed.

Ali, still midair, saw the attack coming. His left hand snapped outward, calling his lightsaber back to him. The red blade ignited just in time, and he raised it in defence, holding it like a barrier between himself and the monstrous appendage.

CRAAAAAAAAACK!

The impact was monstrous.

The tail smashed into the lightsaber, but its sheer weight and force were far too overwhelming. The lightsaber held for less than a second, the intense energy of the lightsaber briefly cutting into the armoured scales-but then, the magical force behind the strike won out.

Ali was sent rocketing across the battlefield, his body a blur of motion, twisting uncontrollably before he was slammed into the opposite barrier wall.

CRUNCH!

His right arm bent at an unnatural angle, the force of the impact dislocating his shoulder on impact. A sharp pain shot through his entire limb, but his expression remained cold, emotionless, his mind already adapting.

But the knight wasn't finished…

The monstrous tail coiled again, and in a whip-like motion, it came crashing toward Ali a second time, this time even faster, even stronger.

Ali, still against the barrier, forced his aching body to move, his knees bending at the last possible moment.

WHOOSH!

He leaned back, his upper body arching as the tail sliced past his face, missing by mere inches.

VO00000OOM!

The wind pressure alone was enough to cut deep gashes into Ali's face and chest, blood dripping down onto the cold stone beneath him. The sheer force of the attack made his hair whip wildly, as if standing in the eye of a storm.

Then the tail vanished into thin air and The Crucible Knight straightened once more, his towering form as stoic and unyielding as ever.

His sword gleamed, his shield raised, his stance unshaken.

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