Earth's Greatest Magus
Earth's Greatest Magus - Chapter 1770: Duels

Emery was well aware of the deadly nature of time spells, making him move with more caution than usual. Drawing upon his energy reserves, Emery launched a volley of [Enfeeble Blade] projectiles. They cut through the space between them in a synchronous dance, their dark crescent energy forms glittering menacingly. However, these proved to be no match for Kronos. The grand magus, with an almost bored flick of his wrist, neutralized the projectiles with a radiant, invisible energy that shimmered briefly upon contact.

Without missing a beat, Kronos began etching an intricate formation spell. Arcane symbols formed around Emery, glowing with an eerie light. In a split second, powered by the essence of Khaos, Emery activated [Blink]. He disappeared, reappearing several meters away. His near-instantaneous teleportation allowed him to evade the spell's activation zone.

"Huh! Slippery Bastard!?"

Emery could tell the spell was one of temporal confinement. If he'd been ensnared, his actions would have been limited, perhaps even making him a stationary target for Kronos.

Undeterred, Emery started another round of long-ranged assault. He summoned the [Dark Seed], small pulsating orbs of obsidian energy, and coupled it with [Ash Blast], which released shockwaves of energy that seemed to distort the very air they traveled through. This simultaneous assault made for a dazzling, destructive display.

With such bombardment, Kronos was forced to shift from his offensive stance. Darting to and fro, he gracefully evaded the spells. To block the persistent waves of [Ash Blast], he conjured a radiant barrier that shimmered, absorbing and deflecting the force of the attacks.

In the midst of their exchange, Emery noticed that Kronos was suddenly nowhere to be seen. He quickly surveyed his surroundings, trying to discern if the grand magus had employed invisibility or some form of enhanced speed. But then, to his surprise, Emery saw him: Kronos stood exactly where he had been initially. This wasn't mere movement. Kronos had manipulated the passage of time itself, creating a delay in Emery's perception while accelerating his own actions.

The realization dawned on Emery just as the formation spell Kronos had cast earlier activated.

[Time Warp]

A foreign sensation, like a dense fog, seemed to suffocate Emery's senses. The world around him took on a hazy hue, and the sounds were muffled. He realized almost instantly: he was ensnared within Kronos' time spell. Time was no longer his ally. In this distorted space, every second felt stretched, and yet paradoxically, things also moved at lightning speed.

In this realm, hesitation was fatal. So, without missing a beat, used all the buff he could invoke; [Immortal Gate] [Paragon's Blessing], and cast [Sylvan Armor] creating a shield designed to ward off both physical and magical attacks.

Yet, for all his rapid defense, Emery could not fully escape the Time Magus' reach. Before he could even assess the situation, an agonizing pain coursed through his chest. His eyes darted down to witness the aftermath of a radiant spear, glowing with light energy, piercing through his armor and embedding itself deep into his flesh.

The surreal experience of being harmed before even witnessing the attack was disorienting. Blood welled up in Emery's mouth, and he coughed it out violently, spattering the dark void of space with brilliant red droplets. With a grimace, he gripped the spear's shaft, and with a jerk of strength, pulled it out. As soon as it was free, the weapon disintegrated, turning into luminous particles that disappeared into the void.

Kronos, wearing an expression of unabashed arrogance, laughed heartily. "Did you truly think you could escape my temporal domain? No Magus, no matter how gifted, has ever resisted my mastery over time!" His tone dripped with mockery, the volume of his laughter echoing eerily in the altered timeline.

Gasping for breath, Emery steadied himself. His thoughts raced. Had it not been for the augmented protection of his spells and the transformative abilities he'd adopted, that spear would've meant certain death.

He looked up at the Grand Magus, realizing the sheer might he was up against. This wasn't merely a grand magus, but a master of one of the universe's most enigmatic laws: Time. It was suddenly clear to Emery why the Nephilims held the Kronos faction in such esteem.

Kronos' smile was predatory, his eyes reflecting a twisted joy. He took a step forward, pointing a finger at Emery, his intent clear.

"Now, young magus," he purred menacingly, "it's time for you to meet your end."

Kronos, brimming with confidence after his previous success, began weaving intricate hand signs. The arcane symbols circling Kronos began to rotate faster. Time seemed to freeze and shift in strange, unpredictable ways.

Emery could sense the thickening of the atmosphere around him, an invisible web pulling at the fringes of reality. This was the hallmark of a time spell, and Emery's senses tingled in alarm. The very air shimmered and wavered as multiple ripples of distorted time began to close in on him. They pulsed, much like a heart, but at an accelerated rate, threatening to trap Emery within their deadly embrace.

But Emery, now familiar with the sensation, didn't flee. He had fought against time magic before, and though it was never an easy feat, he had a card up his sleeve. A spell that was the bane of the law of time.

Emery tapped into the primal force within him, calling forth the full might of Khaos for one specific spell.

[Gravitational Pressure]

While the vast expanse of space around them offered little to no gravitational force, the domain that Emery had crafted with Khaos was an exception. This artificial space obeyed Emery's will. As he cast his spell, a palpable pressure emanated from him, pushing against the flow of Kronos' time magic. It was as if he'd cast an anchor into the fabric of space-time, grounding himself and making it harder for the time distortions to pull him in.

But Kronos wasn't one to be easily deterred. From the corner of Emery's eye, a familiar flash of light announced the return of the dreaded light spear. Emery moved, but not fast enough. The spear grazed him, tearing through the side of his chest rather than impaling him directly. Pain seared through him, but the agony also brought clarity.

Kronos' once triumphant smirk faltered. The one-inch difference between a fatal blow and a glancing strike might have been minimal, but it signified Emery's growing resistance to the Time Magus' magic.

Blood trickling down from the fresh wound, Emery growled, his expression turning feral. As if heeding his call, energy surged into his hand as he raised his [Blade Claw], the dark, razor-sharp extensions glinting menacingly.

Kronos took a step back, realization dawning that he had underestimated his opponent. But Emery, determination blazing in his eyes, advanced. The two combatants, each a master of their art, prepared to clash once more. The final round of their duel was about to begin.