Primordial Lust System

Boom! A rippling shockwave echoed out as Aurelian's figure blurred. Unable to contain himself any longer, his fingers curled into fists and slammed toward the figure before him. A smirk spread across his face.

"Guess you're not as strong as—"

He paused, his eyes narrowing, the smug look fading as his punch tore through the figure, dissipating into wisps of energy.

"A mirage?" His breath hitched, his eyes shrinking suddenly as he felt a presence step behind him. His sphere of soul detection screamed a warning—another shockwave was heading straight for his head.

Without hesitation, his figure blinked. Mana coated his feet as he scaled fifty meters in an instant, narrowly dodging the blow. Azrael's punch tore through the air where Aurelian had stood a heartbeat ago. The air screamed in protest before crashing into the ground.

An explosion followed, the dungeon floor cracking violently as rubble and stone burst upward, leaving behind a five-meter pit.

"Holy shit," Aurelian breathed, taking in the aftermath. He swallowed hard, the faint outline of the youth's strength forming in his mind. "If the residual force of his punch could do that… what if I hadn't dodged in time?"

His eyes lit up with an excited glimmer, blood boiling in exhilaration.

"A worthy opponent, finally." His lips curled, eyes gleaming with a maniacal spark as they locked onto the youth before him, now engulfed in a terrifying crimson sheen. Wisps of energy flickered across Azrael's body, the very air rippling violently around him.

"Good!" Aurelian roared. With a single mental command, Infinite Mana Pathways!

The thought ignited, and the mana within a thousand meters churned violently. Like a legion heeding its commander, it charged at him. His pathways lit across his body, converting the finite mana he could normally control into monstrous levels.

An ethereal blue glow enveloped him, his body shimmering like a weapon forged in the ocean depths. A dark smile stretched across his lips.

"Heavy as the ocean depths," he groaned, twisting the mana's attribute. The blue sheen on his fists deepened to a crushing darkness, oppressive power radiating outward.

He turned back to Azrael, smirk widening.

"You're fast, I'll give you that—but that won't save you." With a battle cry, he stepped forward, mana amplifying his base stats to terrifying heights.

"Hmph. I'm a lot more than just fast." Azrael snickered, crimson energy flaring wildly as he whispered, "Chaotic Suppressing Physique: First Form—Plucking Stars!"

The crimson glow erupted into incandescent brilliance. Behind him, a phantom vortex spun into existence, its swirling form channeling overwhelming energy.

Azrael sprang forward. His fist met Aurelian's head-on. The phantom vortex spun faster, funneling crimson energy into his strike.

BOOM! A shockwave detonated from their collision, energy tearing the dungeon floor apart in spiderweb cracks stretching for hundreds of meters. Both fists locked, their clash a stalemate, until Azrael's eyes ignited with a searing crimson sheen.

The phantom surged violently. Power funneled into him until he slowly gained the upper hand, forcing Aurelian backward before finally knocking him away.

Azrael's eyes narrowed in mild surprise. That blow should have obliterated any peak E-rank into blood mist. Yet it had only sent Aurelian flying. Still, surely that was enough to finish him—Only for his expectations to be shattered.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Hahaha! Good… good… good!" Aurelian burst into laughter, staring at his fists now laced with spiderline cracks.

"Time I get a little serious too," he whispered. His lips parted in a low growl. "Activate SS-Rank: Aegis of Illusion."

Before Azrael could react, black armor spread across Aurelian's body. It interlaced with the mana coating his figure, solidifying into a spectral suit of jet-black plates, glowing with streaks of deep blue lines.

"Blade of Light!" Aurelian bellowed.

A white blade manifested above him, glowing brilliantly before descending. Golden light surged from it, pouring into his body.

[You have been blessed by the Blade of Light! +10% to all physical attributes while in combat!]

"Let's see how you counteract this!" Aurelian breathed, his figure flicking into two before vanishing, black mirages trailing in his wake.

For the first time, Azrael lost track of Aurelian's movements; a furrow formed across his brow. How was this possible? A youth at the same rank overpowering him? Was this how low the master of the eternal realms of chaos had fallen?

His thought process was cut off by a chilling sensation spreading across his neck. He tilted his head to the side.

Aurelian's massive black blade lay grasped in his palm, now resting on his throat.

"You lose," Aurelian breathed, looking down at him, a smirk spreading across his lips.

"Not so fast," Azrael replied, his lips twitching. He hadn't expected to be forced into this so early, but losing was not an option. The red origin stones were far from his thoughts; his pride simply wouldn't allow it. Inhaling sharply, he breathed slowly, a smile stretching across his face.

"Chaotic Suppressing Physique: Second Form—Twisting Galaxy!"

As the words slipped from his lips, the churning black hole behind him blinked rapidly; its form extended and then exploded, reforming into a starry galaxy that glowed a deep crimson.

All this happened in a second. Azrael reached out, grabbed the black blade at his neck, before muttering, "explode."

"What the fuck?" Aurelian breathed, watching Azrael seize his abominable blade by the edge. Azrael's fingers flickered with a spatial light as he channeled power into the blade, aiming to destroy it.

Before he could do anything else, Azrael flicked his hand in front of him, his eyes locking onto Aurelian's. "Erase my presence from your being," he growled, attempting to plant an illusion deep in his opponent's subconscious.

"Ha! Illusions don't work on me!" Azrael snickered, recognizing the intent. His other hand shot out to smash into Aurelian, but before it could land, Aurelian snapped his fingers. A thought surfaced in the back of his mind: Switch.

His figure dissipated, replaced by the mirage he had formed earlier. Azrael's punch passed through empty air.

"You can't defeat me!" Azrael snarled, irritation flaring in his eyes. This was taking far longer than he'd expected. Aurelian was far more complicated than he'd given him credit for. Still, he continued, "You fight with raw, brutal strength." He charged. "I fight with intent."

"Hmm," Aurelian hummed, his obsidian eyes flickering with mischief. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm still going to kick your ass one way or another." For the first time since the battle began, his expression turned serious. He closed his eyes.

Shutting everything out, he focused solely on his sphere of soul detection, letting his clarity come into play. A smile cracked his lips as a battle plan formed in the back of his mind.