Lucian Blackthorne stood firm, his obsidian blade glowing with dark energy. With a swift motion, he unleashed one of his most devastating spells.
"Abyssal Ragnarok!"
A blackish-red beam of destructive energy surged toward the God of Darkness, Rhaziel. The attack tore through space itself, warping the very fabric of reality.
But Rhaziel simply lifted a finger.
With an almost dismissive flick, the ninth-class magic was scattered like dust in the wind.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"Impossible… even a High God should feel that!"
Gritting his teeth, he switched to a different approach. With a burst of speed, he closed the gap and executed Obsidian Genesis, the first form of his sword art. His blade, infused with an overwhelming aura of destruction, slashed toward Rhaziel.
Yet, before it could land, Rhaziel caught the tip of the sword—with just two fingers.
Lucian's heart pounded.
"He's beyond me…"
Understanding the gap in their strength, he leaped backward, creating distance between them. Without turning, he whispered to Selene.
"I'm going to teleport myself and that being to the moon."
Selene's violet eyes flickered with determination.
"Then I should accompany you in this fight."
Lucian shook his head.
_"No. If you come… who will protect the children?" His voice softened. "I won't let the past repeat itself."
The painful memory of the Dragon Gate Incident, where the Blackthorne elites had been slaughtered, still haunted him.
Without hesitation, Lucian activated his Nyxveil Relic.
In an instant, space twisted, and both he and Rhaziel vanished.
The Battle on the Moon
As they reappeared on the barren surface of the moon, Lucian wasted no time.
With a surge of energy, he activated his strongest technique—Sovereign's Finale, the tenth form of his sword art.
The sheer force of the attack cracked the lunar surface, sending shockwaves through the void.
But Rhaziel merely stepped back, deflecting the technique with his bare hand.
For the first time, the God of Darkness spoke with curiosity.
"That sword art… and that pendant… who are you, mortal?"
Lucian tightened his grip on his sword.
"I am Lucian Blackthorne."
At the mention of his name, Rhaziel's expression shifted. With a flick of his wrist, Lucian was lifted into the air, his body immobilized by an invisible force.
Rhaziel studied him carefully, his dark gaze deep in thought.
Then, suddenly, a look of realization—and excitement—crossed his face.
"Oh… Blackthorne! Why are you fighting me?"
Lucian narrowed his eyes.
"Is there a reason not to?"
Rhaziel let out a low chuckle.
"By your expression, I assume you have forgotten your history. Then allow me to remind you."
The world around Lucian shattered.
And in the blink of an eye, he was no longer on the moon.
A War Lost to Time
Lucian stood amidst a battlefield so vast it stretched across the stars. The cosmos itself trembled under the clash of unimaginable forces.
Rhaziel's voice echoed beside him.
"Do not worry—this is merely a fragment of my memory. This was the war between Darkness and Light."
Lucian's gaze locked onto a warrior in a black and red coat, standing at the frontlines. His presence alone was suffocating.
"That man…" Lucian whispered.
Rhaziel nodded.
"He is the 10th Patriarch of the Blackthorne Clan."
Lucian's mind reeled.
"The 10th…? But how?"
Rhaziel exhaled, his voice laced with old pain.
"The Blackthorne Clan was once part of my army—no, more than that. They were my family."
Lucian remained silent as Rhaziel continued.
"During the war, we lost half our forces. The Blackthorne Clan was nearly wiped out—only ten of them survived. With the last of my strength, I sent them to another dimension… and we lost the war."
Lucian clenched his fists.
"Why should I believe you?"
Rhaziel smirked.
"Look around you, Lucian. We are on the moon… and yet you still breathe."
Lucian's breath hitched. It was true—he hadn't even noticed.
"You are a Blackthorne, a bloodline once rivaling the High Gods. Gods do not need oxygen to live."
Lucian's mind raced.
"High Gods?"
Rhaziel nodded.
"It is a ranking system for divine beings. And you, Lucian, are of a lineage that once stood at the pinnacle."
Lucian's gaze sharpened.
"Then what is your rank, God of Darkness?"
Rhaziel's dark eyes flickered as he looked toward Earth.
"We suffered a great defeat. I was gravely wounded and spent millions of years in slumber, recovering. When I awakened, I sensed this planet—it was radiating an enormous amount of mana."
Lucian's expression darkened.
"That's because of the Gates."
Rhaziel's gaze pierced through the void.
"I see… the difficulty of this world is set incredibly high. That must be due to the Blackthorne presence."
Lucian scoffed.
"And what fault of ours is that?"
Rhaziel's voice took on a grave tone.
"It is the law of the universe. Every force must have an equal counterbalance—set by the Three Almighty Gods."
Lucian's breath stilled.
"Who are they?"
Rhaziel's expression turned distant.
"The universe was forged from three primordial forces—Darkness, Light, and a Third Unknown Power. However, an imbalance in these forces caused the universe to copy itself infinitely, giving birth to the Multiverse."
Lucian's eyes widened.
"The imbalance… the war between you and the God of Light?"
Rhaziel nodded.
"You understand now. But tell me, Lucian—where is the rest of your clan?"
Lucian hesitated.
"There are only six members of the Blackthorne family, including me."
For the first time, true shock crossed Rhaziel's face.
"Only six? The Blackthorne Clan once had over a hundred thousand warriors. They were a cornerstone of my army!"
Lucian's fists clenched.
"That era is long gone."
Rhaziel sighed.
"Then it must be rebuilt."
Before Lucian could react, Rhaziel poured his power into him, sending a surge of dark mana through his veins.
"You are now a Low-Level God. Train. Grow. Restore what was lost."
Lucian gasped as the power settled within him.
Rhaziel extended a hand.
"Give me the Nyxveil Relic."
Without hesitation, Lucian complied.
Rhaziel inscribed coordinates across the Multiverse onto the pendant.
"Seek these locations. Recover your strength. Find the Multiversal-Class Artifacts. But heed my warning—never use Dark Teleportation. Always use this relic."
Lucian frowned.
"What happens if I do?"
As Rhaziel's form began to fade, his final words echoed.
"Then be prepared to face the Soldiers of Light."
And with that, the God of Darkness disappeared.