The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order - Chapter 1409

Chapter 1409: Anima Time Master Chapter 1409: Anima Time Master A spectral figure was moving through the ground at surprising speed, wrapped in invisibility that defied ordinary understanding.

There was no sign of the usual manipulation of space or bending of light that might render a person unseen.

Instead, the figure employed something far more profound and powerful, a technique that made detection via even advanced Ego Wave scanning nearly impossible.

Yet, for all that assurance, the man’s method failed when confronted by a scanning force field so specialized it could analyze through six layers of space and temporal distortions.

In the next instant, the hidden figure’s eyes went wide in utter shock.

From beneath the very ground he traveled, a massive halberd formed of molten magma erupted upward like a blazing beacon that radiated heat akin to the surface of a star.

The lethal weapon surged straight toward his chest without warning.

“Chronos Shield!” he roared at the final second, voice echoing in alarmed desperation.

A blue-hued sphere materialized around him in the blink of an eye, a shimmering defense conjured by his mastery of the Law of Time.

As soon as it took shape, the momentum of the magma halberd slowed drastically, the destructive arc almost grinding to a halt right before impact.

Even the scorching explosion of Star Power that followed the halberd’s strike became delayed, as though forced to pass through a chronal barrier.

Because of this, instead of being instantly skewered, the spectral figure was instead blasted into the sky in a fiery shockwave-knocked airborne but not obliterated.

Once that spectacular collision ended, it became obvious who had wielded the halberd: Cain.

His gaze sharpened as he quickly analyzed the force field that had hindered his attack.

A small spark of admiration flickered through his eyes as he noted the intricacy of that Chronos Shield.

“That domain over the Law of Time was impressive,” Cain remarked in a low tone, acknowledging his foe’s skill.

“Much higher than mine.

I guess anyone who reached Late Divine Transcendence is far from normal.” His grip on the magma halberd tightened, molten rivers of Fire Star Power rippling through the weapon’s core.

That blazing energy was potent enough to sear the ground merely by existing, though Cain seemed unconcerned.

Instead, he turned his focus to the figure still suspended in the air, who had finally been forced to reveal himself.

The man was a member of the Anima Machinarium Race, easily three meters tall and constructed of metallic flesh.

Though imposing in stature, he bore deep, extensive wounds that had only partially healed.

Portions of his metal body were still regenerating, but it was evident that he would require considerable time before recovering fully.

Aladon glowered at Cain with furious eyes.

He had been painstakingly stabilizing his wounds before this abrupt assault, yet now, Cain’s strike had reignited the pain in his half-healed flesh.

Dozens of questions swirled in Aladon’s mind.

He could not fathom how someone had managed to detect him, nor how his Chronos Shield had nearly been broken.

But those thoughts quickly receded, replaced by the immediate necessity of defending himself against this assailant.

In a flash, an iridescent blade composed of pure energy manifested in Aladon’s right hand.

A fierce wave of Essence Origin erupted from deep within his body, saturating the air around him with raw might.

The ambient temperature in the region shifted, but more significant was the eruption of a time-distorting field that spread for thousands of kilometers, poised to slow or disrupt anything caught in its range.

Cain felt the strain as the force field began to impede his body.

Movement became heavier, an intangible viscosity gripping his limbs.

Even his mind noted the creeping slowness.

But Cain’s willpower and Ego Wave were too strong to succumb easily.

He locked eyes with the towering Anima, giving a curt nod, a silent approval of the foe’s straightforward approach.

Then, Cain’s aura erupted in a roaring explosion.

A brilliant shockwave of Fire Star Power pulsed from the core of his body.

The inferno-like flames were so intense they burned away a significant portion of the time energy swirling around him.

It did not eliminate the entire temporal distortion, but it weakened it enough to grant him increased freedom.

From Aladon’s vantage, the spectacle was daunting: a fierce blaze scorching away threads of warped time.

Solemnly, Aladon raised his energy sword high, funneling his own Essence Origin into it.

“Echo Blade!” With that command, the Anima swung.

In an instant, arcs of energy intertwined with ripples of compressed time burst forth, each capable of rending flesh or armor into fragments.

To a normal observer, the arcs appeared layered, some illusions and some real, making it nearly impossible to discern which contained lethal force.

Yet Cain’s eyes glowed with golden light-the sign of The Flow channeling through him.

By relying on that perception, he pinpointed the genuine slash among the phantasmal ones, evading at the last moment by dashing into the sky with surprising ease.

Each step took him closer to the wounded Anima.

Surprise flitted across Aladon’s metallic face.

He did not anticipate that the young man could so effortlessly avoid his Echo Blade.

Still, Aladon was no stranger to combat.

He tightened his grip, and time energy exploded outward once more, forming compressed bursts that let him blink from one spot to another.

One second, Aladon was directly overhead; the next, he vanished, reappearing thousands of kilometers away.

While teleporting in those short increments, he unleashed further arcs of energy with each slash of his sword.

Meanwhile, Cain analyzed Aladon’s movement technique, noticing how the man weaved in and out of space by harnessing the Law of Time for nearly instant relocations.

Instead of being discouraged, he tapped into a wellspring of Fire Star Power that emerged beneath his feet.

Each step propelled him at a velocity that seemed to defy logic, narrowing the gap once more.

Aladon clenched his teeth in frustration.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t land a meaningful strike, and Cain refused to be outpaced.

Each blink bought Aladon only a fleeting respite.

The distance rapidly diminished, and the halo of flaming star energy blazing around Cain revealed a terrifying potential for devastation.

The Anima recognized that if this confrontation continued at this pace, he would be on the losing end.

Finally, within heartbeats, Cain was right in front of him again, magma halberd raised high and glowing with immense Fire Star Power.

Death loomed close enough for Aladon to feel its breath on him.

Instincts screamed for survival.

“Chrono Lock!” He roared in defiance, forcing his energy to explode in a frantic attempt.

It tore at his injuries, pushing them past safe limits, but he had no choice.

Time energy gathered around Cain in colossal waves.

This was no mild hindrance-the surge was so massive that it froze him in place.

Chrono Lock severed Cain’s momentum, locking his arms and legs as though he had been cast in solid stone.

The lethal halberd slash he intended to deliver came to an abrupt halt, and Cain was left suspended mid-motion.

“Die!

Temporal Impalement!” Aladon wasted not a second.

He channeled the remains of his Essence Energy, deepening his connection to the Law of Time.

Around Cain, an intricate temporal array formed, lines and symbols overlapping in a geometric design.

Within its confines, a multitude of ethereal swords shimmered into existence, each one thrumming with destructive force.

With a sharp command, they converged on Cain in a synchronized assault.