Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 83: Too slow

Algar was equally as feverish as Vale. It had been a while since the big man was able to fight like this, and he relished it. But his eyes suddenly darkened. "I have to defeat you. That means I have to fight you seriously."

Vale straightened. "A shame."

But he already had a better understanding of Algar’s strength and speed; it wasn’t something to sneer at. It must be an effect of the Order Mark.

He pointed at the man. "Then I better end this in one go. Domi...!"

Vale didn’t get the chance to fully channel his essence into the formation he was holding. Algar changed, he went from big to huge. In an instant, he was covered in an illusionary darkness overlapped with a reddish taint, then suddenly burst out.

Vale saw a flash of red fur before a clawed fist slammed into his stomach with so much force that he almost blanked out from the pain as he flew backward. He slammed into the wall with a crunch, breaking through to the other side and ramming into chairs and tables before stopping.

He immediately picked himself up, teeth gritted to prevent a shout of pain, his body swaying slightly. ’Shit! That was painful! It’s as if all my organs were slammed together...’

"Vale! Are you okay?" Slya called from her place, her hands gripping each other tightly.

Vale nodded, even though he knew she couldn’t see him. The formation he was holding had been destroyed, but he began to form another one when a shadow loomed above him.

His eyes widened. He had already completed the formation but just paused, staring at the... monster in front of him in shock.

Red fur and the body of a walking wolf, eyes of crimson red and fangs of black iron. This was the monster he had seen back when he was claiming the inheritance! It was one of the monsters at the feet of the hooded man!

"Wha....!" Vale began.

"Too slow!" Algar growled and smashed a fist into his face.

Vale jerked backward, darkness filling his vision, and went to one knee, his jaw cracked as his power began to heal it. He wiped blood from his now-straightened nose and stood. "Really, will you let a man talk, you beast! Dominion!"

Redness descended into the room. A ripple of flashing red heat and light burst out of Vale, melting and burning everything in its path with a shockwave. It didn’t come out slowly but like a sudden explosion, searing the surroundings.

Algar’s eyes widened before the intense heat engulfed him, throwing him to the ground. Everything in the room had either turned to ashes or been scorched.

Then, as the first wave ended, Vale held a small ball of heat and light in his hand, which he hurled at his opponent.

Bang!

The attack exploded, and another wave of heat washed over the room, crumbling the wall and sending debris flying.

But Algar was standing there, unhurt and untouched. He had dodged with incredible reflexes, but his face darkened, and his eyes slitted. His chest rumbled. "You, why do you have the same fire as the Crimson Lord? Do you?"

Vale opened his mouth to fire back but suddenly froze. "Wait... what?"

Algar stood, muscles taut as he vibrated with tension. "Don’t play the fool after you’ve blasphemed the Crimson Lord!"

Vale’s brain worked fast, his eyes shrinking as he began to understand. ’So Algar recognizes the fire? And from his reaction, this must be the first time he’s seeing it. Not to mention that power of his... Monsterization of the Mystic Order... but that form is very familiar. Is that why this bastard is immune to my fire?’

He raised his hand, letting a red fire bloom. "Are you talking about this?"

Algar’s eyes immediately locked onto the fire, transfixed as if in a trance. "It’s just like the stories say. The crimson fire of the Lord. I can’t believe this! How can a mere outlaw have this? Not even the true ones can use it. Not to mention the elders. But you! Show me the trick you’re using, or I’ll tear you limb from limb!"

"I don’t know what in the Infernal you’re talking about, but I don’t know any Crimson Lord. Why don’t you tell me about him?" Vale raised his other hand, conjuring another fire, then began adding more energy into both flames without increasing their size, compressing them into tiny blazes.

Algar growled, reaching for his head and pulling out a single red fur. He brought it to his forefinger.

Meanwhile, Vale brought his hands together, combining the two fires and molding them into a spear of compressed red fire.

Just then, Algar flicked the red fur, which blasted out like a thunderbolt, cutting through the air with a howl. It pierced the dome shield Vale had raised but stopped at the thicker shield behind him, though the force pushed him back slightly.

Vale grunted, ready to throw his spear, when he noticed his opponent was missing. Where?

He felt a shift in the air behind him, the displacement of wind, and immediately crouched an instant before something large passed over where his head had been.

In response, Vale rotated from his crouched position and hurled his spear with a heavy throw. Algar’s face widened in shock as he hit him with a face full of compressed infernal fire.

Bang! Crack!

The space between them exploded, the floor cracking into a crater. A painful howl followed as Algar was sent flying backward into the wall and straight out into the backyard.

Vale enjoyed the heat washing over him, his clothes mostly reduced to ashes at this point, his leather armor long melted. He followed the trail of destruction outside into the flower-filled backyard.

"I didn’t know Senk was a nature lover like this," Vale commented as he walked between two rows of deep purple flowers. "And I thought you were immune to fire, Algar."