Primordial Lust System

"Admit defeat already!" Azrael groaned, his face scrunching into a scowl as his figure shot off toward Aurelian, who still had his eyes tightly shut, trying to use this opportunity to gain the upper hand.

Only when he crossed the ten-metre mark did a strange shift occur. Aurelian flicked back half a step, his head tilting ever so slightly. It looked like a normal combat adjustment, but the exact position was the one Azrael had aimed for.

"No... it has to be a fluke," Azrael muttered. His waist rotated sharply, core tightening as he rocketed an elbow at Aurelian's face.

Again, Aurelian's form flickered aside, hands calmly clasped behind his back as he dodged effortlessly. It was as if he had seen the move before it happened. And more absurdly, he was doing it all with his eyes still shut.

"Are you mocking me?!" Azrael roared, rage bubbling within him. He knew of ways to perceive surroundings without sight, but all were far too complex for E-rank beings. That was why the possibility hadn't crossed his mind. Was this just Aurelian's way of showing how far apart their strength really was? His fists blurred, spatial voids humming around them as he aimed another blow at Aurelian's head.

The notion of a spar vanished; a faint killing intent boiled out of him.

"So that's how it is," Aurelian breathed, a smile tugging at his lips. He delved deeper into his Sphere of Soul Detection, understanding more of its depths with each passing second.

The red origin stones had expanded his soul clarity and sphere of perception to unimaginable levels. Now he understood why he couldn't fully tap into their potential before.

His close-minded reliance on vision had contradicted the essence of the sphere itself. Either by design or instinct, he couldn't run both simultaneously and expect true results.

To fully tap into his soul, he had to choose one and funnel everything into it. Now that he had, the potential had finally been unleashed.

Another barrage came. He stepped back, each strike flashing in his mind before Azrael even made the move. Then—Aurelian seized his wrist and, with raw force, slammed him into the ground. The dungeon floor cracked, another crater forming as Azrael lay sprawled within it.

"Give up already," Aurelian sighed, relishing his advantage as a smirk curved across his face.

"Not yet, you cocky bastard," Azrael groaned. He dragged himself out of the pit, body flickering and reappearing a few metres away. Grinding his teeth, his face twisted into an ugly grimace.

It was true—he was near his end. Most of the abilities his mortal vessel could contain had already been deployed, yet here he was, still at a disadvantage.

But one option remained. His hands flickered, crimson runes swirling into existence behind him. This would leave him weakened afterward, maybe even crippled for a time, but it didn't matter. It would be worth it.

The runes spun faster, a magnificent display of chaotic power. His skin cracked in multiple places as he groaned the words:

"Chaotic Suppressing Physique: Third Form—Eternal Chaos!"

The moment the words left his lips, the dungeon trembled. The aura exploding from him far outstripped what an E-rank could wield, his power now brushing into D-rank.

Aurelian watched it unfold through the deep clarity of his Sphere of Soul Detection. Something stirred within him as he saw the crimson runes swirling in their endless rhythm.

Images flickered into his mind, patterns overlapping with mystical energies, his soul clarity burning brighter. Inspiration slammed into him, his eyelids twitching as Azrael's aura closed in like a tidal wave.

Then, a slow smile cracked his lips. "I get it… I finally get it."

"Huh?" Azrael breathed, confusion burning in his eyes. His patience finally snapped, his hands shot forward, releasing a flurry of crimson runes at the figure before him. The overdraw of the skill crushed his body, driving him to his knees, but even then, he lifted his head with a smile tugging at his lips.

He was curious. Curious to see how the youth before him would try to block the attack, fail miserably, and wear that look of despair as he was crushed into nothing.

"Thank you," Aurelian muttered under his breath.

His eyes snapped open again, a sharp glint flashing across his obsidian gaze.

By carefully studying the movements of Azrael's Hell-Suppressing Physique, he had forged an art of his own.

It seemed the sphere of detection was far more useful than he had imagined.

But this wasn't the time to reflect — the crimson runes were already pressing down on him, their pressure heavier than anything he had ever endured.

Drawing in a sharp breath, he reached deep into the art he had just conceived. Both blades, black and white, materialized in his hands.

Lifting his head slowly, he let out a ragged whisper, his lips curling into defiance.

"Chaotic Sword Art—First Stance: Chaotic Dismemberment!"

"What the fuck?" Azrael snickered, his ears catching whiffs of Aurelian's words. A sword art? One he had conjured on the spot just from watching his moves? What the hell was happening!? Azrael groaned. Even in his past life, he didn't remember facing this kind of monstrous genius.

But all was futile before the third move of his Hell Suppressing Physique technique. Especially against someone of the same rank. He consoled himself, watching Aurelian get pushed into a corner.

"Hmm," Aurelian growled, his grip tightening over the swords as memories of the technique replayed at the back of his mind.

Then, just as the crimson runes threatened to tear into him, he raised both swords at once and slashed in a single fluid motion.

Tapping into the strange sensation as he entered a trance, both blades buzzed softly. Their edges glistened faintly before a red sheen slowly wrapped around them, eerily similar to the one Azrael had used moments before.

The slash tore through the slew of runes, dispersing most of them.

A smile cut across his lips as he took it in. It worked.

But the move was far too strong to be destroyed with a single strike. Still, it had opened a window, enough for him to escape the range as the crimson runes sank deep into the dungeon walls.

Azrael, off to the side, stared wide-eyed, shock rippling through his being.