Wait..he actually recognized that name.
"The Judge..wasn't Kaiser Kons the only one to defeat you?" Terrence questioned, staring upward at the woman seated upon the golden throne.
There was a huge difference between reading about someone and standing before them.
What he saw wasn't mortal beauty. It was otherworldly, a living constellation wrapped in flesh and gold.
Her starlit white eyes subtly widened. "Not a lot of mortals can surprise me," she said softly. "Tell me..how did you know that?"
Since he knew The Judge didn't like liars, Terrence decided to tell the truth—well, at least part of it.
"Honestly? I read about it. Didn't know you were this beautiful in person."
He smiled faintly. A compliment was the easiest deflection known to man, and thankfully—it worked.
She giggled, her voice like a melody echoing through stars, smile widening until it shone brighter than her throne.
"Flattery can get you where you need to be..if only for a moment," she teased. "Anyway, the reason you're here is because, as I said before, you touched a thread not meant to be touched. Intentionally? I doubt you even know."
Terrence's brow furrowed. Thread?
Could it be because he wasn't originally from this world? Hopefully not.
"What was the thread?" he asked, his tone sharp but curious.
"I'll tell you.." she said, leaning forward slightly, her white eyes gleaming. "But only if you defeat me."
"Of course.." Terrence exhaled, remembering what he'd read about the only man to defeat her.
It helped that Kaiser Kons was the Void Prime's avatar, his overpowered ass nearly sliced her existence apart with a void attack that literally tore through Fate itself.
Yeah..Terrence grinned. Can't wait to meet him.
[Boss Detected.]
[Nemari, The Judge of Fate LV. ??]
Nemari stood from her throne with regal grace. "Hope you're ready, Terrence. I'm not holding back."
Her body shrunk, settling into a towering 10-foot form as thousands of golden threads unraveled from the throne, spinning around her like divine silk. They hardened into radiant armor that shimmered with celestial might.
She smiled viciously.
As curious as he was about how she knew his name, this wasn't the time to ask.
[So what's the plan on taking down the fine ass galaxy-colored Stallion?]
'Well, throwing hits and abilities at her is useless. She'll just reflect them back. Welp..guess I'll improvise-'
The next instant, Terrence vanished.
He reappeared right beside Nemari, his hand snapping around hers.
[Miracle Touch LV.1 has activated!]
"Heh." Her voice echoed with amused cruelty. "How reckless of you, mortal."
[ERROR OVERRIDE!]
[THE THREADS HAVE CHANGED. S-Rank Miracle Touch has been reflected back on you!]
"Guess that didn't wor-"
DONK.
"Huh?" Terrence blinked and looked down..only to see he was harder than armadillo armor in all his glory.
"Well, would you look at that," he muttered. "Didn't know I was half-hors-"
"EEEKKK!!" Nemari squealed and jumped back.
Terrence raised an eyebrow. "What? Never seen a man hard before?"
"W-what is that?! And why is it out like that?!" she shouted, pointing accusingly. Her cheeks, once galaxies of light, flushed crimson.
"Wanna touch i-"
"NO!" Nemari yelled, her embarrassment bursting into fury.
Her hand glowed gold as she slammed it down.
The golden threads around her twitched, then shot toward Terrence like divine lightning.
Terrence smirked, eyes narrowing. His perception surged to the max.
The threads were unbelievably fast, blurs of light bending space itself—
..but to him?
They looked like snails crawling through molasses.
"C'mon, Judge.." he taunted with a grin. "I just want a hug!"
He burst forward—dodging, weaving, spinning—his movements leaving afterimages that crackled with energy.
To any observer, he was a lightning-fast blur, a phantom moving through a golden storm.
"Put that up first!" Nemari shouted as her hands flared gold again.
Blinding Fate Blasts erupted from her palms, streaks of celestial power that shattered and refracted the fabric of reality as they flew.
The air screamed. Space fractured. Each blast split the world into echoes of possible futures.
But she wasn't done.
Her eyes flashed, and a hundred golden sigils ignited in front of her.
FLASH.
The battlefield exploded in light.
[x100 Fate Stalker Summons Detected.]
Terrence blinked as monstrous shapes pulled themselves from the rifts, grotesque yet divine.
They looked like a gold-skinned crossbreed between Xenomorphs, Death Angels, and White Spikes—pure nightmare material forged from Fate's threads.
"How terrifying.." he muttered with fake awe, "if I actually gave a damn."
Nemari extended her arm. "Erase him, Summons!"
The creatures screeched, lunging at him like the WWZ zombies on ten tons of crack.
Should've never asked for that hug huh..
Welp better late than never.
"System, activate Elemental Resonance!"
[A-Ranked Elemental Resonance has activated!]
[Choose your first element or elements.]
Terrence's grin widened, lightning dancing in his eyes.
"For now, Lightning and Ice. I've got an idea."