Chapter 27: Battle
The black ice spread at a blistering speed, engulfing everything in its path. His eyes, already a deep black, became frozen abysses. The pupil and iris merged into a single entity, a polished black mirror reflecting everything around him, but distorted, as if reality itself bent under his gaze. Around his eyes, frost patterns spread, etching designs onto his pale skin.
His skin, once of a normal hue, took on a pallid, almost translucent tone, revealing veins of dark bluish-black snaking beneath the surface. Black ice crystals gradually emerged from his skin, forming a natural armor with metallic reflections. These crystals grew slowly, spreading along his arms, torso, and legs. Each crystal emitted a faint, icy vapor.
His hands transformed into sharp claws, coated in a thin layer of black ice. His nails lengthened and hardened.
PanGu rose slowly, an icy aura emanating from him, a cold so intense it froze the air around his body. Black flakes, like frozen ashes, swirled around him.
Sijin, standing before him, furrowed her brows, her piercing gaze scanning the sky as if seeking an answer in the stars.
"You even planned for this situation..." she murmured, her voice tinged with rare irritation. It was one of the few times Sijin was in a foul mood, and it showed in the tension coursing through her body. She extended her hand, and one of the silver pillars abruptly shrank, transforming into a slender lance vibrating with energy.
Black, feline, and sinuous marks began to appear on her body, tracing wild and primal patterns. The symbol on her forehead glowed intensely, emitting a pale light that contrasted with the surrounding darkness. She opened her mouth, revealing sharp canines, those of a tiger ready to tear into its prey.
*"Anarchy!"* she screamed, charging at PanGu with blistering speed.
PanGu, despite the instability of his body, managed to block her lance with his black ice claws. The clash sent dark sparks flying, and the air vibrated with the force of the impact. Sijin pivoted with agility, swinging her lance in a deadly arc. PanGu narrowly dodged, but where the blade had passed, it left a tear in space, a gaping portal from which Void Walkers emerged—spectral figures with empty eyes, ready to join the chaos.