Chapter 335: Piercing Through the Floors
Because they had both entered that realm known as Ultra Instinct.
The body's reactions transcended consciousness.
The soul's intuition foresaw the future.
They seemed to be able to clearly see all the actions, attacks, and... evasion methods the opponent would execute in the next fraction of a second.
This bizarre and terrifying scene left Finn, Hedin, and the others rooted to the spot, afraid to interfere for the time being.
Because they knew that in this clash of predictions, the slightest external interference—even a single speck of dust—could shatter that fragile balance, thereby disrupting the real Aiden, who was in a life-and-death duel with his "other self."
"Hey, I'm just saying..."
Watching the two figures who had completely dissolved into light and shadows, executing exchanges that mortals couldn't fathom, Allen finally spoke up impatiently. "We can't just stand here and watch forever."
Hedin pushed the glasses on his nose, which were hot to the touch from the extreme temperatures. The lenses flashed with a cold, almost cruel light of reason.
He said deeply, "You've seen it yourself. Our attacks not only have zero effect, but attacking blindly will only disrupt Flamescion's rhythm and make us a hindrance."
"So we're just going to watch?!" Allen slammed his spear violently into the ground, letting out a frustrated thud.
"No."
Finn's voice came from the side. His azure eyes reflected the sparks of the colliding suns. "A magic capable of amplifying strength to this degree must have a limit, such as... a duration."
Hedin nodded, completing his thought. "The moment either of them reaches their limit is when we strike with everything we have."
"So, what we have to do next is..."
"Wait."
The two battle-hardened commanders spat out the exact same word simultaneously.
"I suppose it's the only way..."
Gareth rubbed his half-scorched beard, his face full of awe and emotion. "Truly an amazing kid. He's only Level 4, yet he managed to make a bunch of guys like us completely helpless."
Even Allen, who had the worst temper and always looked down on everyone, rarely didn't refute those words.
Because it was the truth.
Who would have thought that a Level 4 would have already become the absolute core of the entire battlefield at this moment?
Predictions eventually reach their limit.
When the mental clash ascended to its peak, when all predictions and counter-predictions were exhausted, all that remained was the most primal, purest collision of power.
Boom—!
As if by prior agreement, both white-gold figures abandoned evasion at the same time. The blades in their hands, carrying the momentum to incinerate everything, crashed together.
Explosions! Shockwaves! Sword aura!
Deafening roars swept through the entire twenty-eighth floor once more.
Scorching shockwaves spread in all directions like a tsunami, lifting and melting the hard rocky ground in broad swathes. Countless crimson arcs crisscrossed and clashed in the air, each one erupting with terrifying energy capable of tearing space apart.
It was within this frenzied storm of energy that the real Aiden seized an opening.
An opening he actively baited—a fleeting opportunity bought by taking a direct hit to his left shoulder.
"Unsheathed Heavenly Fire!"
Sound and fire, waves and heat, invisible destruction and tangible incineration intertwined and clashed upon that Godslayer sword forged from a Spirit, ultimately fusing into a beam of ultimate "light."
A white-gold blast of flame erupted from the tip of Surtr.
Rumble—!!!
Struck head-on by this blast, the clone was ruthlessly blasted toward the sky by an irresistible force.
He smashed through the ceiling of the twenty-eighth floor. The pillar of light continued unabated, piercing straight through the twenty-seventh, twenty-sixth, twenty-fifth floors... finally, completely swallowing his figure within the dense Large Tree Labyrinth of the twenty-fourth floor.
However, before Finn and the others had time to cheer for this strike, an even more terrifying, heart-palpitating pressure crushed down from the blasted hole in the ceiling.
A point of light sparked in the darkness of the twenty-fourth floor.
In the next instant, it plummeted down at an unimaginable speed.
It was a burning, white-gold solar meteorite.
Dragging an exaggerated tail of flames, carrying the momentum to destroy all things, it howled as it smashed toward the earth of the twenty-eighth floor.
Boom—
A violent explosion that defied description occurred.
Centered on the meteorite's impact point, nearly a third of the entire twenty-eighth floor was instantly leveled.
The terrifying shockwave even crossed half the floor, reaching Ottar and Childe, who were locked in fierce combat on the other side.
"Interesting! So interesting!"
Facing this sudden natural disaster, the completely battle-crazed Childe didn't dodge or evade. Instead, he erupted with even more violent lightning, forcefully cleaving the incoming shockwave in two.
Right now, he only wanted to settle the score with Ottar. Either he died, ending this thoroughly enjoyable "journey," or he would personally sever Ottar's head.
Meanwhile, in the center of that massive explosion, Aiden, who had just unleashed his ultimate move, hadn't even had time to catch his breath before he was ruthlessly slammed by the clone falling from the sky in the most unreasonable manner.
That body, equally burning with white-gold flames, smashed the real Aiden into the earth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground of the twenty-eighth floor was easily punched through, followed closely by the twenty-ninth, thirtieth, thirty-second...
The two of them were like falling meteors, breaking downward with unstoppable force.
Any unfortunate monsters they encountered along the way—whether they were dinosaur-type Blood Saurus or other powerful beasts—were instantly burned to ash the moment they touched the terrifying heat surrounding them.
Finally, accompanied by an earth-shattering crash, the two figures completely disappeared into the darkness of the lower floors.
This development completely exceeded Hedin and Finn's expectations.
Cross-floor combat... was not part of their plan.
Meanwhile, far above ground, inside the Palais Mermonia.
In the luxurious hall, Loki, Furina, Astrea, Robin, and the others were gathered around an Oculus provided by the sage Fels, which was broadcasting the real-time feed of the Dungeon.
"The Captain... when did he... get so strong?"
Daphne swallowed with difficulty, her beautiful face written with disbelief.
She completely couldn't comprehend the scene unfolding before her eyes.
The Captain, who had only recently leveled up to Level 4, was certainly not fighting like a Level 4 right now.
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