With their God-Artifacts empowering them, the pressure emanating from Nehal and Aakash soared to unprecedented level while their battle-power approached the Sub-God limit, becoming infinitely close to deities.
Aakash flung his chakram into the sky, and it expended to reach three-hundred meters of diameters with its metallic edge turning into bright golden flames. Blinding light erupted from the chakram, and it was as if it'd turned into the universe's most radiant sun, aiming to erase the sinful with its otherworldly radiance.
Before such a force, neither Verena nor Else could resist. But beside Aakash, Nihal too released her sea shuttle which expanded into a three-hundred meters long flying battleship around which a sea formed and swirled.
To say nothing of the two of them combined, Five-Winged Valkyrie Armor or not, with their current strength, either Aakash or Nihal could effortlessly trample their foes. This truth was evident to all, and yet, Verena and Else didn't budge.
Aakash and Nehal joined their hands, causing a gold and blue sea to burst from their respective artifacts and soar toward the two Jade Consorts.
But as the irresistible destructive force descended, Verena and Else's lips curved into amused grins.
"Ready?"
"Ready."
"Seer's Vision!"
They exclaimed in tandem, and instantaneously, the world around Else, Verena, Aakash, and Nehal turned gray, and the irresistible strikes about to drop vanished into nothingness. The gray color disappeared, replaced by a clear atmosphere that showed no trace of the previous strike. And were it not for the two God-Artifacts hanging above Nehal and Aakash's head, the onlookers would have been forced to believe that they never attempted a strike, to begin with.
"Queer, weren't we about to strike?"
"Indeed."
They muttered in confusion and exchanged the same folding glances.
For the first time since his arrival, Dasra's eyes widened in a profound stupor.
"Altering the past. The fourth Ancient Secret: Seer's Vision."
He stated but still didn't come to his partner's aid. His eyes went beyond them, locking on the Tower which made no noise since the beginning of the battle. But the quieter it was, the more Dasra believed that it stood like the Sword of Damocles, about to drop at any time.
Unaware that their past had been altered to modify the present, Aakash and Nehal resumed their assault. And once again, Verena and Else used their Seer's Vision to remodel the past. This time, however, they pushed the vice to another level, making it so that Aakash and Nehal targeted one another instead!
By the time they realized what was going on, it was too late! The golden sun rays and flaming sea barreled into the boundless sea as Aakash's golden chakram and Nehal's sea-blue shuttle contended for supremacy.
"How…how could this be? Why did I…?"
They wondered, far too late.
*BOOOM*
A massive explosion thundered, and the two flew backward while spurting large mouthfuls of blood. In the meantime, faint blood lines dropped from the corners of Else and Verena's lips while they suppressed a blood spurt of their own.
Clearly, they didn't wish to reveal the extent of the backlash they suffered.
And as the two celestials flew in opposite directions, the Empyrean Tower kicked into gear!
Black and white light swirled around its form, becoming two sky rending beams that slammed into the recoiling pair!
*BOOM* *BOOM*
Again, they flew backward, this time shooting toward Dasra. And before they could bypass him, another black-white beam shot toward them!
But before it could hit home, the sitting Dasra crossed his forearms in a block, receiving the move for all three of them.
*BOOOM*
Another wild explosion thundered, but as the smoke dispersed, Dasra's unblemished form remained. Meanwhile, Aakash and Nehal had recovered their stances in the air, wiping off the blood coating their lips.
"Could it be…"
Nehal began, and before she could finish her words…
"Yes, you fell prey to Seer's Vision."
…Dasra cut, then stood up. And hearing the confirmation, although doubt sparkled in their minds, Aakash and Nehal were still scared witless.
Scared, because even within the higher realms, not everyone could lay hands on the Ancient Secrets. Only the top descendants of the mightiest houses possessed the honor. And even among them, most would need to wait for godhood before receiving one.
In this generation, the Celestial Chosen and Infernal Stars aside, what non-deity could wield Ancient Secrets? Moreover, in the hierarchy of Ancient Secrets, Seer's Vision was at the top.
This was completely absurd!
"Could it be that they represent a secret force jointly groomed by mighty demon and deva gods? Otherwise, how could all those -coincidences- occur? This is completely ridiculous!"
Aakash hypothesized, pulling an approving nod from Nehal. Dasra, however, made no comment and stepped forward.
With every step, the pressure emanating from his form soared, and his muscles, showcased by his sleeveless monk robe, rippled with irresistible force. Yet, his presence didn't disturb the atmosphere, and it was almost as if he stood in harmony with nature itself.
Verena and Else now realized that this monk-like baldie wasn't just a little bit stronger than his peers. They didn't play in the same league at all.
And Krann who, from within the Tower observed this scene by Yvonne's side, made a shocking appraisal.
"The Infernal Founder at his peak wasn't much stronger!"
Those were startling news. Marduk was the second Infernal Star of his time, the number two talent of the Infernal Realm. Were it not for the abnormal Malkam's existence, he would have definitely been the first.
Someone not much weaker would easily rank among the most gifted Celestial Chosen. Yet, Dasra was no Celestial Chosen.
And as if anticipating the question swirling within his foes' mind, he declared:
"Brahmas do not pursue vain, worldly glory. Therefore, we abjure all titles and distinction."
As he spoke, he stopped before the two Jade Consorts, his pressure suppressing them where they stood. Even their golden armors couldn't save them from his might.
"You are not my match. Retreat, and tell the one within the Tower to show himself."
Dasra ordered and threw a casual palm strike. That simple palm released a plethora of vibrations that could at the very least, send Verena and Else crash on the ground below. But before it could, black and white light erupted from the Tower, warding them from the vibrations.
Dasra again threw a palm, and a new wave of vibrations shattered the black and white light protection. Verena and Else recoiled, and as they did, the iron taste of blood filled their mouths.
But before Dasra could make another move, in a twister of dark light, a mesmerizing figure clad in jade armor, with six wings sprouting from her back, appeared to receive the move and dispel its force.
Naturally, it was Yvonne.
"Easy baldie, your opponent has just arrived."
She declared while releasing the full-might of her pressure to resist Dasra's.
His eyes flashed with a subtle glint.
