Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra-Chapter 564: White Star vs. Black Star [2]

His gaze flickered toward her, but he remained silent. Then, with another flick—

The battlefield warped again.

Several figures of pure darkness rose from his own shadow, their forms solidifying into towering specters. They wielded black weapons, their edges shimmering with cursed energy, and without hesitation, they charged.

But the result was the same.

Their blades met resistance in the air—repelled, dissipated, rendered powerless.

This time, the Black Star Lord squinted.

No words. Just a sharp, assessing glare.

Then, he waved his hand.

Abyssal Darkness spread.

A thick, suffocating black mist poured from the ground, engulfing the entire battlefield in an instant. The weight of it pressed down, drowning everything in an inescapable void.

For a moment, nothing could be seen.

Nothing but shadows.

Then—

The mist began to thin.

No. It wasn't fading.

It was being devoured.

White mist surged from the other side, consuming the darkness, swallowing it whole. The oppressive aura of the Black Star Lord vanished within seconds, replaced by something else—something colder, sharper, untouchable.

And from within the white mist, Sia emerged.

She floated forward with effortless grace, staring down at the Black Star Lord with nothing but pure arrogance.

The battlefield stilled.

All eyes were on them.

The Black Star Lord remained still, calm—his crimson gaze locking onto hers, as if silently asking: How?

Sia let out a laugh. A victorious, knowing laugh.

"You didn't expect this, did you?"

She stepped closer, her confidence bleeding into every movement.

"It's true we couldn't bring stronger warriors to fight you—because you would sense them immediately as you controlled the portals. But artifacts? Relics? Tools?"

Her smirk widened.

"You never noticed those, did you? Even if you did, you could do nothing!"

She tilted her head, watching him with amusement.

"For years, we've been bringing in everything that counter you. That weaken your power. That strip you of your dominance."

She gestured to the battlefield around them, where the white mist continued consuming his darkness, unraveling his very existence.

"Your abilities, your people, your very essence—we have prepared counters for it all."

She gazed down at him, her golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"Black Star Lord, you have no chance to win, surrender."

Her voice carried an air of finality, as if the outcome had already been decided.

"Give up the throne willingly, and perhaps, I will spare you the humiliation of defeat."

Then, with a casual wave of her hand, two figures were dragged forward—Bella and Mira.

Bound and restrained, they knelt in the grasp of Sia's soldiers, their expressions a mixture of defiance and unease. Despite their situation, their regal aura remained, but it was clear that their fates now rested in the White Star Lord's hands.

Sia tilted her head mockingly. "Or else… well."

She flicked her fingers, and the grip on the princesses tightened. "You'll be watching your 'daughters' die right before your eyes."

Silence fell over the battlefield.

All eyes turned toward the Black Star Lord.

Yet, he didn't react as expected.

There was no anger. No desperation. No fear.

Instead—

A soft, low chuckle.

Then—

Laughter.

The Black Star Lord laughed, his voice deep and amused.

"You really are… disappointing." His eyes gleamed with something unreadable, as if he were merely entertained by her attempts to corner him.

Then, he raised his hand slightly. "Well, since you claim to have counters for everything I have… why don't I just call my most loyal protectors?"

His fingers barely moved as he uttered two words—

"Come out."

The air distorted.

Five figures materialized from the shadows.

In an instant, the battlefield shifted.

Five powerful warriors stood beside the Black Star Lord, their auras immense, their presence suffocating. Each wore dark, battle-worn armor, and their eyes gleamed with unwavering devotion.

They saluted their lord in perfect unison.

The Black Star Lord's smirk deepened. "Now then, let's see if your 'counters' can handle them."

With a flick of his wrist—

The five warriors charged forward.

Sia, however, remained unfazed.

Instead—

She laughed.

A chilling, merciless laugh that echoed through the battlefield.

Then, she coldly gave her next order.

"Kill the princesses."

Her men nodded without hesitation.

They moved instantly, blades flashing, striking toward Bella and Mira.

A swift, clean execution—

But—

Before the steel could pierce flesh—

Tendrils shot out.

From the shadows beneath them, black tendrils lashed out, restraining Sia's soldiers in an instant.

The executioners froze, their bodies bound by the very darkness that had been fading just moments ago.

The battlefield shifted again.

The Black Star Lord's smirk never wavered.

"You really think I am a pushover, huh?"

Then—

Squelch!

Dark tendrils ripped through the men like spears, piercing flesh and armor alike. Blood sprayed in arcs, their dying gasps lost in the void. The lifeless bodies hung in the air for a breath before the tendrils withdrew, letting them collapse to the ground like discarded dolls.

At that instant, a shadow blurred.

A hooded figure emerged from the Black Star Lord's side, swift as a phantom, seizing Bella and Mira in a single motion. Without hesitation, the figure darted back toward the Black Star Lord, carrying both princesses effortlessly.

"Stop them!" Sia barked.

A group of Avengers shot forward, wings of light flaring behind them as they streaked through the air, their weapons gleaming with radiant energy.

But the darkness moved faster.

Tendrils surged upward, forming an impenetrable wall between them and the retreating figure. The Avengers slashed, blasted, and tore through the mass of shadows—but every time a tendril was destroyed, another grew in its place, as if the void itself refused to let them pass.

Sia's golden eyes narrowed.

Clicking her tongue, she raised a single hand. A blinding sphere of light formed above her palm, its glow cutting through the battlefield like a second sun.

Then, with a flick of her fingers—

Beams of light shot forward, streaking like arrows of divine judgment.

They struck the tendrils, detonating on impact. The darkness howled in resistance, but it couldn't withstand the light. Within moments, the tendrils evaporated, reduced to nothing but fading embers of void energy.

A clear path opened once more.

Sia's voice rang out, sharp and commanding—

"Men, all attack!"

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A roar of war erupted across the battlefield. All forces of Avengers surged forward like a tidal wave, their combined power shaking the very air.

Black Lord's people also charged forward.

Swords clashed, magic exploded, and the sky itself seemed to tremble under the sheer force of their charge.