Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 115: Dominion!!!

Fell didn’t waste the opportunity and went for his throat, claws like daggers reaching out.

That sight seemed to jar Vale out of his brief daze. His eyes turned sharp and intense again, and he opened his mouth, red fire spewed out. Fell let out a short yelp as he flinched.

Vale immediately put distance between them as he thought about what had just happened. ’I wanted to use Dominion, but suddenly I can’t seem to remember? Is this a mind power like Tiber’s?’

He looked at Fell a little warily then. ’I must be careful how I fight him, or else....’

Fell gave him no breathing space. Darkness flexed and gathered around him, forming a curtain of black cobwebs.

Fell ran at Vale, but his eyes remained locked on him, unbothered by his opponent’s form being hidden behind the thick veil of darkness. His hand raised, fire gathered like fireflies, and then he shot out a stream of fire.

The fire tore through the darkness and then... wait. Fell had disappeared!

Vale was stunned. He had been tracking the man’s movements, so how?

’Shadow Step?’ He whirled, ready to attack once Fell jumped out of the fire again, but nothing happened.

’Something is seriously wrong.’

Suddenly, he felt pain in his neck, as if cut by a sharp blade, and he immediately jumped away. Warm blood ran down his neck, soaking into his chest.

Fell had just tried to cut his throat!

He realized then—while he had been turning blindly, trying to find where Fell had disappeared to, the monster had calmly walked up to him and nearly slit his throat. He had almost succeeded!

A chill penetrated the heat around Vale and ran down his spine.

’I only remembered that he walked towards me after the pain woke me up. I’m sure of it now—it’s one of those abilities. Dreamlike illusions that work on the mind.’

’But there must be a way he’s doing it. No wonder he’s ranked three. He’s already killed me twice... maybe... maybe Binding will work!’

Fell smirked, his skeletal face creaking like dried bones. "I see you’re trying to figure it out, but you can’t escape me. The longer we’re in the same room together, the deeper my control over you will grow."

Vale didn’t wait to be attacked. He shot forward and sent a punch at Fell’s left shoulder. The man nimbly dodged to the side, exactly as Vale wanted!

With his hand covered in dark lines resembling strings, he immediately slammed it onto Fell’s chest. He felt the bones beneath the shadows and pressed his attack. Binding!

Immediately, his left hand clawed downward, blasting a wall of fire between them to create space.

Then he jumped back, and his right hand began to glow. The reason he didn’t use Infernal Ball to blast Fell at such close range was that Fell would see it and react accordingly. But with Binding, there was no way to see the black lines unless one watched closely.

As Vale watched, the shadows surrounding Fell receded slightly. Fell seemed surprised and amused by this, but Vale paid it little heed as he sent another blast of fire.

"Infernal Ball!"

But suddenly, Fell wasn’t there.

The man was off to the side, dangerously close to Vale.

Vale filled the space between them with fire, turning the area into a red bloom.

But as expected, Fell wasn’t there either. The man was behind him now, leaning by the shattered window with an amused smile.

Vale realized then that he was simply being played.

"But I just bound you," Vale said.

Fell spread his hands. "Did you, really?"

Just then, the memory surfaced in Vale’s mind, and he stiffened.

Instead of touching Fell with the Binding technique, he had been so off the mark that he had actually touched the wall!

He had set the Binding on the wall.

Fell straightened. "Don’t be too surprised. I don’t know what you tried to do there, but don’t you remember my warning? I told you—you will only fall further under my power the longer we stay together."

’Oh shit... oh shit... this is even more dangerous than Tiber’s. At least I have to be in a dream for his ability to work, but this one... even while awake, he’s stealing my memories and distorting them! This is bad!... Then... there’s really only one thing to do....’

Vale shouted, "Dominion!"

He put essence into his formation. But nothing happened, no ripple of light gathered around him and exploded. No heat.

’What...?!’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Just then, Vale stumbled and swayed. His vision flashed white, followed by pain—intense, unbearable pain, as if he were being cooked from the inside. His head felt like it had been set on fire, starting from his brain.

Blood dripped from his nose, and he nearly dropped to his knees.

To the side, Fell chuckled.

What had just happened to Vale was the result of using an incorrect technique. Or, more accurately, a technique that wasn’t truly directed at his enemy but had instead rebounded onto himself.

Fell laughed. "Oh! This is so fun! I noticed there’s a tiny lag when you raise your hand and use your technique. And you’re not chanting any words of power, meaning it’s probably activated in your mind!"

"But honestly, I’ve never seen something like this before. What kind of technique is that? I only changed a little, and you nearly blew your own head up!"

Vale stood and wiped the blood from his face.

’How does one defeat a power like this? He’s probably reading my thoughts. If he changes my thoughts to something that makes me explode... wait... can I fight without thoughts? Without intentions?’

"You are cowardly," Vale said, curling his lips. "Why don’t you fight me up close?"

Fell looked at him blankly, then clapped, his claws grating together.

"Oh! I’ve heard this before too. Trying to bait me into a physical fight?" He sneered. "But you forget, all power is still my way of fighting."

"Besides..." His voice dropped, fangs glinting. "I can easily finish you off once I gain complete control of your brain."