Abyssal Sovereign: The Demon's Dominion-Chapter 289 - 288: Race against time

Seconds passed as the leader of the Wild Shade Organization watched Darwin convulse violently on the ground.

Finally, it was over. Darwin's body went still.

The leader raised his hand with a calm motion.

"Hate to make a ruckus," he murmured with a faint smile as a terrifying aura began radiating from Darwin's body.

"Galaxy Stage… Two… Three… Four… Peak… Quasi-Universal Realm… Universal Realm—Stage One… Two… Seven… Peak… Quasi-Multi-Universal Realm… and finally—"

The air trembled.

"—Multi-Universal Realm."

Darwin's eyes opened, glowing faintly as the world itself seemed to shatter like glass before his gaze.

He floated slowly into the air, overlooking everything.

To him, this world—no, this entire multiverse—felt fragile, like thin glass waiting to break.

Realities were fragile shards, and dimensions bowed like slaves before him.

"Why is everything… so weak?" a deep, chaotic voice echoed from Darwin's mouth. His words carried weight—each one like a divine command.

"They are," the leader of the Wild Shade Organization replied, his voice calm. Darwin turned to face him.

"How does it feel to hold the power to destroy a multiverse? You can sense them, can't you? The others… mere ants."

Darwin clenched his fist. From the Universal Realm down to the weakest being in the headquarters, he could see their threads—of fate, of life, of death.

He could decide who lived and who didn't.

He was their maker, and they were nothing but tools he could shape at will.

With a mere pull of a thread, a being's destiny could twist to his design.

"It feels… great," Darwin said coldly, his eyes glowing an eerie white.

"Perfect," the leader said, voice deep with command. "Now, try your dimensional ability....on me."

Darwin's gaze trembled slightly, but he obeyed.

"Cage," he whispered.

A suffocating pressure filled the entire base.

BOOM.

The headquarters exploded outward, killing every being below the Universal Realm in an instant.

Darwin froze, horrified by his own power.

Was I truly this strong?

"Not bad," a calm male voice echoed.

Darwin looked up. The leader still sat on his throne—unharmed. Only now, the throne floated within the fourth layer of space.

"Splendid," the leader said, snapping his fingers.

BOOM.

In an instant, everything was restored. The entire base returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

"What we can do is beyond imagination," the leader said. "In time, you'll learn to understand your power."

Darwin nodded silently.

******

Back at the Federation

The battle between Caius and Darius raged on—a spectacle witnessed by countless beings across the Federation.

One, a well-known legend who shattered all records and inspired an entire generation.

The other, once the crown prince favored by the king, believed to be talentless—until fate intervened.

Somehow, Caius joined the Dreadborne Organization and was reborn.

Now, the two brothers faced each other in combat.

Crossing his twin swords, Darius blocked Caius's strike, but the planet beneath them cracked apart, fissures spreading as far as the eye could see.

"Hmph," Caius grunted, channeling more power into his attack and forcing Darius back.

Darius's feet dug deep into the shattered ground, fear flickering in his eyes.

"Stealing my energy? Don't you have a limit?" Darius growled.

At the start, he had the upper hand—his new form brushing the edge of the Multi-Universal Realm. To him, Caius was nothing.

But step by step, Caius's strength rose. While Darius weakened, his brother grew stronger—impossibly so.

Just as Darius spoke, another wave of weakness washed over him.

He stole more again, Darius realized, panting.

"I don't see a limit yet," Caius grinned.

By now, his strength brushed the boundary of the Multi-Universal Realm.

"No wonder they said we're a hundred times stronger than our peers," Caius thought. "This ability is beyond reason."

Outside, the spectators gasped in disbelief.

The hour-long clash between Caius and Darius had shaken the Federation. They finally understood—the gap between Darius and the younger generation was an unbridgeable chasm.

"You've lost," Caius said calmly, his gaze locked onto his brother.

Darius collapsed, every breath a struggle.

"No… not yet," he rasped.

"Really?" Caius smirked. "Isn't this what you wanted, brother? To find an equal?"

"No… not like this. You…" Darius tried to speak, his vision blurring.

"I won't lie," Caius said, laughing. "Your strength is terrifying. No wonder none of them could stand against you—the power of the strongest among the young generation

Fascinating."

But then, Darius began to laugh.

"Your strength… it's stolen after all," he said, his breathing steadying.

Caius's grin faltered. He could feel it—the stolen energy slipping away.

"It's been an hour," Darius said, chuckling. "You can only use that ability for an hour, maybe longer with training. But this time… the fight's over. I won."

He smiled faintly. But Caius showed no fear.

"Have you?" Caius said, his tone darkening. "I still have a few minutes left. I'll end this—once and for all."

Darius's expression hardened. He could sense it—the danger.

Yes, Caius's ability was fading, but the power within him was still volatile. The next few minutes would decide everything.

"Alright then, brother," Darius said, his eyes lighting up with resolve. "Let's finish this."

BOOM.

Darius moved—breaking past physical limits—as he clashed with Caius.

BOOM.

BOOM.

The two vanished and reappeared across realities, their strikes shattering space.

STAB.

Darius thrust forward, but Caius redirected the blade with his arm, countering with a kick. Darius blocked with his other sword, sparks flying as worlds trembled around them.

Back at the Federation

"What's going on?" Dared asked, eyes wide as he watched the battle unfold.

"Darius's strength is recovering," Jake replied, his tone sharp. "And Caius is losing the energy he stole."

Dared's mouth hung open. "You don't mean…"

Jake nodded slightly. "Our ability isn't infinite. There's no limit to how much energy we can steal—but there is a limit to how long we can maintain it."

Dared swallowed hard, realization dawning on him. "Then it's not just a battle anymore… it's a race against time."

"You're right," Jake said, watching the clash intently. "At some point, their powers will reach equilibrium—meaning they'll be perfectly equal in strength. When that moment comes, the true winner will be decided. In a way, Darius will finally fulfill his dream—facing someone exactly like him."

Dared exhaled slowly, his eyes filled with conflict. "It seems the sibling rivalry for the throne will end in just a few minutes… we'll have a new king soon."

"Yes," Jake murmured, his body trembling slightly as dark memories surfaced—memories of his race's destruction at the hands of humans. Now that a new king would rise… what would his first move be?

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