Lucifer's heart pounded as he funneled all his mana into the third movement of his Grade 6 art—Frozen Zenith. The air around him crackled with elemental power as the ice magic reached its peak, but it wasn't just ice. Lucifer's brilliance shone in the way he wove together the other elements—earth, fire, water, lightning, and wind as well as his white and black mana—all combining to amplify the sheer destructive force of Frozen Zenith.
Still, ice remained the dominant force, the bedrock of the technique.
But as their blades neared, something shifted.
In that split second, Lucifer felt it.
Arthur's presence, the overwhelming light aura enveloping his sword, made it clear—God Flash: Absolute wasn't just an attack; it was a force of nature. The aura, focused and refined, was too precise, too sharp, too overwhelming. Despite the multi-elemental brilliance of Frozen Zenith, it paled in comparison to Arthur's movement.
'He's going to cut through it.'
The realization gripped Lucifer, his chest tightening as he felt his movement's limitations. He could see it—sense it. Arthur's strike was destined to slice through his multi-layered elemental defense as though it were nothing.
Instinctively, Lucifer poured more mana into the movement, desperate to gather the remaining elemental energy and fortify his attack. But deep down, a voice whispered:
Arthur's light-infused sword descended with an unstoppable force, cutting through the combined elements of Frozen Zenith—the ice, the fire, the wind—all of it evaporated as if it had never existed.
The moment stretched out, time slowing to a crawl, his thoughts spiraling into panic.
'This isn't how it's supposed to be.'
For the first time, Lucifer felt something foreign—a deep-rooted fear. The fear of losing. His entire life had been about triumph, about standing at the top, destined to surpass everyone. How could it all fall apart now?
His body screamed, and just as despair took hold—something shifted.
Lucifer's vision blurred for a heartbeat, and then—clarity. His surroundings snapped into focus with a precision he had never experienced before. The flow of mana around Arthur, the sharpness of his strike, the subtle shifts in his movement—it all became painfully clear.
He could see everything. The movement of the elements, the patterns of mana within Arthur's strike, the trajectory of his sword—it was all laid bare before him. His sight had transcended.
But even with this newfound clarity, something was wrong.
He could see Arthur's attack, but his body couldn't fully react. It was still too fast, too devastating. His mind understood the attack's path, but his physical body lagged behind, not quick enough to counter.
Yet, there was something else.
Lucifer's body, honed by years of martial training, responded in the only way it knew how. His eyes strained as he shifted his sword ever so slightly, the elemental energy of Frozen Zenith shifting just in time. It wasn't enough to stop Arthur's strike entirely, but it didn't need to be.
Arthur's sword collided with the adjusted Frozen Zenith, the light aura carving through the elements with a brilliant flash. The force of the strike still overwhelmed Lucifer, but this time, it only grazed him—a shallow cut along his side instead of a devastating blow.
He staggered back, the sting of the wound sharp but bearable. Blood trickled down his side, but he remained standing.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Gifts were one of the most widely used yet least understood phenomena in the world. Despite their prevalence, their true nature remained elusive, even to the most advanced researchers.
There was some basic knowledge about Gifts, of course. People knew that Gifts granted extraordinary abilities, often allowing individuals to bypass the usual limitations of the power system. But how Gifts accomplished this defied explanation and continued to baffle scholars.
Still, research had uncovered a few key insights. It was understood that Gifts could vary greatly in strength—some were immensely powerful, while others were surprisingly weak. Gifts were often tied to bloodlines, like the Kagu family's legendary Gift, God's Eyes.
Most individuals, however, couldn't unlock the full potential of their Gifts until they reached Ascendant-rank. Only at that level did they truly begin to grasp the depth of what their Gifts could do.
One thing was absolutely clear among researchers: no one could possess two Gifts.
But of course, Lucifer Windward was the protagonist, right?
I had forgotten that.
I had forgotten that he was Earth's greatest blessing, the true hero destined to stand above all others.
And in my arrogance, I thought I could defeat him—thought I could crush his pride.
Now, I was being shown my place.
Inarguably one of the most powerful Gifts to ever exist. Scholars ranked it among the four greatest Gifts in history: Yin-Yang Body, Nirvana Flames, Empyrean Order, and God's Eyes.
Simply put, it was an overpowered ability—perhaps even more so than Yin-Yang Body and it was the Gift that had allowed Ren to almost surpass Lucifer in the original novel. And, as fate would have it, Lucifer's second Gift was none other than God's Eyes, a supernatural ability once thought to be exclusive to the Kagu family bloodline.
Lucifer's control over God's Eyes was still unstable, fickle at best, and overall, I was much stronger than him.
But the real problem was the synergy between God's Eyes and Yin-Yang Body.
It wasn't enough that Lucifer was the only person in the world with two Gifts—both of his Gifts worked together with near-perfect harmony. With this combination, he could counter Grade 6 movements without even using a Grade 6 art of his own. And when he did activate his art, he could overwhelm his opponent completely.
I had underestimated just how terrifying that power could be.
Like how he had barely managed to counter my God Flash: Absolute by adjusting the trajectory of his Frozen Zenith at the very last second.
The full activation of Lucent Harmony placed a heavy toll on my body, which was why I only used it when I intended to finish the battle. But now, not only had Lucifer survived my most powerful attack, he had unlocked his second Gift—God's Eyes—just in time to keep up with me.
On top of that, using the light magic variant of God Flash: Absolute had drained me more than I anticipated.
'Unfair bastard,' I cursed internally, feeling the serene energy of Luna's will beginning to waver.
Lucifer stood before me, a newfound confidence in his posture, his emerald eyes gleaming with clarity. He had found his footing again, and the power he radiated felt more focused, more controlled.
Lucifer's grin widened as his confidence surged. The synergy between his two Gifts, Yin-Yang Body and God's Eyes, was unmistakable. He stood straighter now, his body moving with a fluidity that made his earlier attacks seem almost clumsy in comparison. His emerald eyes locked onto me, glowing faintly as he assessed my every move.
I could feel the weight of his gaze, sharper than ever. God's Eyes allowed him to track even the smallest movements of mana, analyzing my stance, my breathing, and even the subtle flickers of aura around me. With this newfound precision, he wasn't just relying on instinct or brute force anymore—he could see the paths of battle unfold before they even began.
He raised his sword, the remnants of Frozen Zenith still swirling faintly around him, ice and flame coiling together in perfect harmony. The mana in the air crackled with tension, and I could feel his intentions even before he moved.
But I wasn't about to back down.
With a deep breath, I steadied myself. My body ached, the toll of activating Lucent Harmony wearing on me, but I couldn't afford to show any weakness. I tightened my grip on my sword, letting a new surge of mana flood my core.
Lucifer shot forward in a blur, faster than before, and I barely had time to react. I swung my sword to meet his, but this time, there was something different—his movements were more precise, as if he could predict every counter I would make.
Our blades clashed, the force of the impact sending sparks flying. I gritted my teeth, pushing back with everything I had, but Lucifer's newfound clarity allowed him to maneuver effortlessly around my defenses. He was in control now.
"You've pushed me further than anyone ever has, Arthur," Lucifer said, his voice low but filled with that familiar arrogance. "But this is where it ends."
His sword flared with ice and lightning, a deadly combination as he brought it down in a sharp arc. I dodged just in time, the blade grazing my side as I spun away, feeling the sharp sting of mana searing my skin.