I opened a shop on the Astral Train
Chapter 125

Chapter 125 - 125

The battlefield erupted in chaos as Luocha surged forward, his spear a streak of consuming darkness. Argenti barely raised his sword in time to meet the strike, but the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the shattered ground. The force of it shoved Argenti back, his boots skidding against the ruined earth as he struggled to steady himself.

Luocha did not relent. He twisted his spear, its corrupted energy screeching against the blade of Argenti's sword, before pressing forward with a relentless assault. Each thrust and swing was imbued with abyssal force, faster than before, heavier, as if the void itself sought to consume Argenti whole. The golden knight parried, dodging where he could, but cracks formed in his defenses.

Then, a sudden feint—a mere flick of Luocha's wrist—and his spear carved a shallow wound across Argenti's side. A burst of golden energy flared from the wound, searing the air, but the knight bit down the pain and retaliated. His blade arced upward in a flash of starlight, aiming for Luocha's shoulder.

But Luocha was faster.

With an unnatural twist of his body, he evaded the strike entirely, vanishing momentarily into a blur of shadows before reappearing behind Argenti. Before the knight could turn, a heavy force struck his back—Luocha's palm, crackling with abyssal energy, sending Argenti hurtling forward. He crashed through a ruined pillar, dust and debris exploding around him.

For a moment, all was still.

Argenti groaned, his body aching from the sheer force of the blow. His sword trembled in his grip, but his resolve remained firm. He pushed himself up, golden light flickering around him like dying embers. Across the battlefield, Luocha watched him with an eerie, unreadable expression, his form still wreathed in the consuming void.

"That light of yours..." Luocha murmured, rolling his wrist as abyssal tendrils coiled around his spear. "It flickers. It wanes. How long until it is snuffed out completely I wonder?"

Argenti wiped the blood from his lip, his golden eyes burning with defiance. "As long as I stand," he growled, forcing himself forward. "It will shine."

Luocha tilted his head, amused. "Then let us see how much more you can endure."

In an instant, he was upon Argenti again. The knight barely had time to react before Luocha's spear came down like a falling star of darkness. Argenti braced, crossing his sword in front of him to block, but the sheer force sent him crashing onto one knee. Luocha pivoted, twisting his weapon in a blur of movement before driving a knee into Argenti's stomach. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, but before he could even recoil, Luocha's spear crashed into him like a battering ram, sending him sprawling across the battlefield once more.

Argenti hit the ground hard, rolling before coming to a gasping halt. His vision blurred, pain lancing through his limbs. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself onto all fours. His radiant armor was dented, his body bruised, his breath ragged.

And yet, he rose.

Luocha frowned, his abyssal form wavering for a brief second. "Stubborn," he muttered.

Argenti steadied himself, golden light surging once more, though weaker, flickering, yet unyielding. "You mistake resilience for folly," he said, lifting his sword. "The light does not break. It endures."

Luocha sighed, twirling his spear before lunging again. This time, his strikes were merciless, each blow sending waves of abyssal energy that cracked the earth beneath them. Argenti struggled, his defenses faltering as Luocha's attacks came from every angle, his movements faster, sharper, inhuman in every way.

A devastating strike sent Argenti airborne before Luocha appeared above him in an instant, driving the blunt end of his spear into the knight's chest. Argenti plummeted, crashing into the ground with enough force to leave a crater. He lay motionless, the glow of his armor dimming, his sword slipping from his grasp.

Luocha landed beside him, his abyssal energy pulsing with quiet dominance. "This is the end, Argenti," he said, voice devoid of malice yet final in its declaration. "Surrender. The light has failed you."

Silence hung in the air. The battlefield itself seemed to hold its breath.

Then, a tremor.

The ground beneath them cracked—not from abyssal force, but from something else entirely. A pulse of energy, brilliant and pure, erupted from Argenti's fallen form. The knight stirred, fingers tightening around his sword. His golden eyes snapped open, burning brighter than before.

Luocha stepped back as a surge of celestial energy radiated from Argenti, the very air shimmering with divine power. The knight rose, but this time, his aura did not flicker. It did not wane. It surged, roaring like a star given new life.

Argenti exhaled, his voice steady. "You are mistaken, Luocha."

Golden light coiled around his blade, the sheer intensity of it forcing the abyssal shadows to recoil. The ground beneath him turned to molten gold, crackling with celestial energy. His wounds sealed, his movements steadied, his presence now eclipsing the darkness that sought to consume him.

"I have yet to show you what true radiance is."

The battlefield trembled once more as Argenti took a step forward, his light now rivaling the abyss itself. And for the first time, Luocha's smirk faltered.

Watching from the sidelines, Firefly's eyes widened, awe-struck. "No way..." she murmured, barely able to believe what she was seeing. The raw power emanating from Argenti was overwhelming, unlike anything she had witnessed before.

March 7th clutched her camera to her chest, momentarily forgetting to snap a shot. "He's—he's glowing like an actual star! Is this really happening?!"

Kevin's expression broke into one of genuine surprise. "These two...So strong..." His fists clenched slightly, as if moved by the sight of Argenti's resurgence.

Ayaka, normally composed, felt her breath hitch. "Such radiance... It's as if he's transcended the very limits of mortal power."

Yuri, however, remained silent. His gaze, sharp and unreadable, was locked onto Argenti with unwavering intensity, his expression betraying nothing but focused observation.

"These two...They're not gonna stop until one falls..."