Warlock of War: My Ares System

Chapter 504 Lucifer's Portals Of Time

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As the palace continues to materialize, it inherits the malevolent properties of the abyss that birthed it. The walls seem to exude a darkness so profound that it swallows light and sound alike, rendering the bravest souls hesitant to approach. Within the palace's oppressive depths, shadows writhe and coil, taking on grotesque, ever-shifting forms that appear to whisper forbidden secrets to those who dare to listen.

The air inside the palace is heavy with dread, each breath tinged with a sense of impending doom. Whispers of anguish and despair reverberate through the labyrinthine corridors as if the very walls retain the anguished cries of those who have wandered here before. Reality itself becomes a treacherous, shifting landscape within the palace's confines, where the laws of physics, time, and causality twist and distort at the behest of its malevolent design.

Intricate runes, pulsating with an eerie, rhythmic glow, adorn the walls and floors, tracing a language known only to the darkest of sorcerers. These runes evoke an ancient, eldritch power that permeates the very foundation of the palace, hinting at the unspeakable rituals and maleficent energies that have shaped its existence.

This unholy citadel stands as a manifestation of the abyss's darkest desires, a domain of unrelenting despair and torment that defies comprehension. It is an abomination to both sight and reason, a blasphemous monument to the twisted will of its enigmatic master, who lurks in the darkest recesses, wielding the chaotic power of the abyss to shape this malevolent palace of eternal darkness and unending dread.

"This is the result of sacrificing part of my soul to that fucking snake… my most powerful move and a skill that has never failed to kill somebody… a world of null. Well, to be exact, it's a world just before the concept of null. I'm almost there… and I believe this fight will help me reach it." 

"Rejoice, kid… this is the first time I've used this on a mortal like yourself." 

High above Lucifer, two ethereal portals materialize, creating an awe-inspiring tableau that defies the laws of reality.

The first portal, positioned in the celestial realm, radiates heavenly light that bathes the surroundings in an iridescent glow. A divine aura pours forth from its luminous center, cascading like a waterfall of radiant energy. This paradisiacal realm unfolds in layers of celestial beauty: meadows adorned with flowers that seem to sing in colors beyond earthly comprehension; forests where the trees shimmer with an inner light, casting dappled shadows that dance to a celestial rhythm; and rivers of liquid starlight, flowing gently through the landscape. The air is suffused with a soothing warmth, carrying the melodious whispers of benevolent angels, while a sense of profound tranquility washes over all who behold it. In this celestial haven, the flora and fauna appear as if they have been touched by the hand of the divine, their forms transcending earthly beauty.

Conversely, the second portal, lurking ominously beneath the man, is a gateway to a nightmarish abyss. From its gaping maw, grotesque and monstrous entities pour forth, their contorted forms distorted by an eternity of torment and malevolence. The very atmosphere seems to resonate with an anguished chorus of wails and guttural roars, casting a palpable pall of dread. The landscape in this subterranean hellscape is one of relentless suffering—jagged, obsidian peaks that claw at the ashen sky, while rivers of molten lava snake through the barren wasteland. Light is anathema to this realm, and the shadows seem to be imbued with a sinister life of their own. Even the very ground beneath one's feet appears to writhe and recoil as if it shares in the agony that permeates this hellish domain.

At the nexus of these contrasting worlds stands the calm and collected man, a figure of profound enigma and power. He serves as a conduit, linking these two opposing realities, and embodies the precarious equilibrium that sustains the cosmos. His presence is a study in contrasts: in his demeanor, there's an unyielding resolve, a resolute neutrality, as he gazes upon the heavens and the abyss with an unwavering and introspective expression. He becomes the living embodiment of the eternal struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, and exists as a vigilant guardian, protecting the fragile boundary that separates these realms.

The portals, like cosmic windows, continue to pulse with their otherworldly energies, each world spilling into the other in a surreal juxtaposition of opposing forces. It serves as a poignant reminder that within the grand tapestry of existence, balance and harmony are not mere ideals but essential forces that govern the very fabric of the universe. The calm and collected man remains the unflinching observer of this cosmic drama, a sentinel at the heart of the eternal dance between the forces of creation and destruction, hope and despair.

"You truly seem like a fallen angel now," Orion couldn't help but mutter, as the center of his palm began to throb like a beating heart. 

In but a split second, a sangria-colored spear manifests as a malevolent masterpiece, a fusion of eerie beauty and dread. Its sleek, blood-red shaft bears a visceral tapestry of battle scars, the gradient intensifying toward the spearhead, evoking the image of congealed blood glistening in the moonlight. At the very tip, a lone, squirming eyeball resides, grotesque and unsettling, its bloodshot veins pulsating with sinister intent. The entire weapon exudes a haunting, bloody malice, a silent witness to ancient horrors and whispered secrets. When wielded by the man, it becomes an extension of his dark power, an ominous symbol of his malevolence, and a dread-inducing warning to all who cross his path. In the presence of this unholy artifact, the world seems to warp, casting a relentless, wartorn radiance that shrouds its wielder in a chilling aura of terror.

Somehow, in unison, in the very next moments that these two beings existed before each other, they muttered the exact same skill. This brought forth yet another terrifying presence to the battlefield engulfed in the radiance of these two powerful men. 

"[Summon: Undead Soldier]."

…

(Lucifer POV) 

"[Summon: Undead Soldier]."

I couldn't help but click my tongue as the burst of dark energy clashed, creating hundreds upon thousands of ghoulish and bony monsters. Each and every single one of them rose from the ground like they were part of it, but that's beside the point. 

"Come, my lance," I muttered but just as I was able to retrieve my favored weapon, a burst of air rushed past me. 

Instinctively, my body had dodged a stab to my right eye with full intent to knock it out of the match immediately. We were no longer just bantering back and forth but having a true match that would decide all. And even though I've lost all hope, I knew this boy could bring about something great. 

With the seamless stab rushing through space, his entire throne world moved in his favor. Similar to how Asmodeus uses his throne world to enhance his attacks by literally pushing his punches with kaleidoscopic power, Orion used the same theory. By using all of the chaos and malevolence radiating from that palace of his, his spear moved twice as fast and with quadruple as much power as before. 

FWOOSH FWOOSH FWOOSH FWOOSH 

He coordinated a series of follow-up attacks that I just barely managed to dodge, yet we both knew we were still swelling our power. No other skills besides our throne world have been activated and the clash of skeletons below was nothing more than a mere addition to our grand display of power. 

"[Demon Splitter]," A new skill slipped from his lips.

With a sudden jump back, while holding the spear with both hands, Orion starts by drawing the weapon back behind their shoulder, generating momentum. With a sudden burst of speed and power, he lunges forward, extending his arms fully while simultaneously rotating the spearhead at an angle. This results in a diagonal slashing motion when reinforced with this skill unleashes a cry from the depths of its dark blade. 

VWOOM 

I just barely managed to dodge it, sending a drop of sweat to run down my face. He was so close to tearing me into two fleshy chunks, yet I just barely managed to dodge out of the way. Sure I wasn't going all out… but I guess I had been underestimating the boy just a bit too much. 

"I guess I should make a move then…" 

As soon as his momentum carried him to a cross-body swing, I took this chance as we were floating mid-air to kick the end of my lance up. This controlled the ascending darkness from above and enveloped Orion in a sudden mass of dark energy. 

"[Castrophic Swing]." 

I knew damn well Orion was going to be unaffected by such an attack, so I stirred up some more chaos by starting with a clear downswing. My muscles all tensed reflexively, loosening at parts to carry a downdraft of power that poured right into the tip of my golden lance. It glimmered with a hint of heavenly light that carried down from the portal above and mixed with this skill, the same spatially tearing sound resonated through the air.