Saruto charged first, unleashing a barrage of blows, his fists tearing through the air, each punch carrying the weight of his will and his desire to break Adrian. But Adrian remained steadfast, parrying blow after blow, twisting his body, dodging Saruto's attacks.
Suddenly, his eyes transformed. His pupils took on the shape of a dragon's, sharpening his tracking of Saruto's every move, leaving no stone unturned. In a flash, he exploited a tiny opening.
He delivered a powerful upward strike to Saruto's chin, momentarily throwing him off balance. Before he could recover, he followed with a vicious side kick to Saruto's right side. Saruto's body shot away, piercing the air, but he quickly recovered, regaining his balance and stopping, suspended in mid-air, his energy rippling around him.
At that moment, Void's voice echoed within his consciousness, telepathically: "Saruto, you're still tired from your fight with Rhian. Hand over the reins to me. I want to fight this one. I want to return the blows he took from me last time."
Saruto hesitated briefly, then exhaled calmly and said, "Do it… Void."
The next moment, everything changed. The aura surrounding his body intensified, becoming deeper, more monstrous. Adrian immediately realized what had happened, and a faint smile spread across his face. He said sarcastically, "Welcome, Void. You've come to return the blows I took from you last time?"
Void chuckled briefly. Then he vanished. Adrian's eyes widened, and before he could react, Void was right in front of him. He landed a punch to the stomach, then Void grabbed Adrian by the neck, so tightly that Adrian felt as if he were in the jaws of a dragon.
With a single fist, Void lifted Adrian and unleashed a barrage of heavy punches to his stomach. Adrian struggled to break free, but Void's grip was unyielding.
Void propelled Adrian into the air at terrifying speed, then plummeted to the ground with devastating force. A massive crater formed, and the world shook from the impact. Adrian was speechless. His body was submerged in the crater, his breath catching in his throat.
Void stood over him, gathering a thick, dark energy in his hand. "I know this strike won't seriously injure you," he said coldly. "But I want to see you rage. I want you to fight me with all your might."
Then he unleashed his attack. A deafening explosion tore through the landscape, and dust rose like a dark tornado, engulfing everything in its path. Amidst the destruction, a shadow stirred. Adrian emerged from the dust, his armor activated—Level Two—and Shadow Awakening—Level Three. "If you want to see my full power," he said in a gruff voice, "you will see it now."
He lunged at him with terrifying speed, unleashing a punch laden with overwhelming force. But Void caught his fist with his bare hand. Adrian was taken aback, his eyes wide. Void chuckled mockingly. "I'm not the same as last time," he said.
In an instant, he activated Shield – Level Two, and Dark Awakening – Level Three. He returned the punch with one of his own, sending Adrian flying, then formed his two swords and charged at him.
Adrian sensed the attack, formed his massive sword, and the two swords clashed, sending dark sparks flying. Adrian gritted his teeth and gradually increased his power until it reached 100%. A massive aura erupted from his body, filling the world with pressure. Void laughed. "Finally, you'll use your full power," he said.
Adrian increased his power even further. "Common Consciousness," he said.
He merged with the dragon within him. "This is the end for you, Void," he said.
"You haven't seen anything yet," Void responded with a long, hysterical laugh that echoed throughout the world.
He activated the perfected Asterazine. A colossal, dark entity materialized around him, pulsating with awe-inspiring power. "What do you think of this skill, Adrian?" Void asked.
Adrian was taken aback for a moment, then masked his surprise and said steadily, "Let me tell you something. I created the Asterazine skill."
He, in turn, activated it. A massive Asterazine materialized around him in the form of a knight wielding a formidable sword. The two colossal entities stood face to face, and the earth began to crack beneath their weight.
Then they charged toward each other, ready to continue the fight.