CHAPTER 585: CHAPTER 587: THE ONE WHO DOMINATES AND THE ONE WHO TAKES

The sovereign mantle form of the Ascendant Armor was the most powerful form of the armor, the form where its true abilities were revealed.

Damon stood cloaked in the overwhelming might of the Ascendant Armor, his strength multiplied by the [5x] skill, his aura flaring in deep shadows that twisted around him like living tendrils.

But the moment he clashed with Ashcroft, the world seemed to spin in a violent circle. His experience told him at once that it was not the world turning, but his body being flung across the cavern with overwhelming force.

His dark armor streaked past mounds of spider corpses, and before he could slam into the far side of the cavern, Ashcroft took a single step. In that instant, the Demon Lord of Domination crossed the entire gap. The goblin’s frail, rotting body appeared behind Damon, its little fist striking with the weight of a mountain.

"Ptfffft..." Blood burst from Damon’s mouth, spraying against the inside of his helmet.

His organs rattled painfully, his ribs cracked, and his Ascendant Armor dented deeply where Ashcroft’s fist had landed.

"I can’t react fast enough..."

That was the problem. Ashcroft wasn’t letting him counter. He wasn’t just power, he was skill, he was experience, he was rhythm. The Demon Lord of Domination was fighting on a level Damon could not match.

’Even though his strength is somewhere between the third and second class...’

If Ashcroft’s power had been higher, Damon would already be dead.

Even so, Damon didn’t back down. Clenching his dealer’s hand, he dove into the shadows, narrowly avoiding a blade of compressed wind that tore past where he had been standing. He landed lightly, regaining his balance, only to feel his body slam into something.

Ashcroft’s dying goblin body stood there, smiling.

"I just dominated the wind here. I say you can no longer breathe."

Damon froze as the mana shifted. The air itself vanished, dispersed under Ashcroft’s command. His lungs screamed, and already there was no breath left to take.

He gritted his teeth and sank deeper into the shadows, buying himself seconds of air.

Ashcroft’s power was domination. Whatever he willed to control, he seized.

Damon had seen him dominate even time itself. There was nothing that could not be bent under his will.

But that was earlier. Now Ashcroft was weakened. Once, he had dominated minds and concepts. Now, he was reduced to dominating something as mundane as wind.

"You’re getting weaker..."

Even now, using Wind Dominate strained him. His power was diminishing, his rotting body failing him.

"Why else would you want to punch little old me..."

Damon could see it. His body was his weakness. If there was no air, then moving away would solve nothing. He had to face him head-on.

Damon’s chest burned, his lungs tightening, but he did not falter. He teleported through the shadows, appearing right beside Ashcroft.

Ashcroft’s response was immediate. He swung an invisible blade of wind, a sword of air honed to perfection.

But Damon was ready. His armor shimmered, body phasing into shadow for a fleeting moment. The blade of wind passed harmlessly through him.

Damon’s dealer’s hand fell like a guillotine, cutting down at the frail, bleeding goblin.

"Dark Blade."

He poured everything into the strike, a slash of concentrated energy unleashed at point-blank range.

Ashcroft raised his hand, fingers quivering. Damon pressed harder, forcing the power through, but Ashcroft’s expression did not change.

"Dominate."

The blade of shadow magic froze in place. Ashcroft’s fingers closed around it as if it were nothing more than grass. With a casual gesture, he pushed it aside. The slash tore through spider corpses, carving into the cavern wall, splitting rock like paper.

But Damon did not waste time watching the destruction. His eyes remained fixed on Ashcroft. Every use of his power caused his body to rot further, the goblin shell unable to withstand the strain.

Ashcroft snarled, his face peeling with decay. He waved his hand sharply.

Damon’s armor twisted, plates bent and shredded as invisible claws raked across his form. His flesh tore, blood dripping through the gaps of his armor.

He roared, forcing himself to hold Ashcroft’s hand down. He refused to step back. This was no duel of swords, this was a contest of endurance, a struggle of who could last the longest.

Damon knew the truth. There was no way to defeat Ashcroft. Only a god, or something abstract and infinite, could end him.

Time itself would take him eventually. But not Damon.

The Demon Lord’s eyes glinted, locking on the crown atop Damon’s head.

But Damon was not just clashing with brute force. Black flames erupted from his body, licking across Ashcroft’s decaying form. The fire ate at goblin flesh, burning both of them where they grappled.

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Ashcroft laughed. His voice was ragged, mocking, but still strong.

"Ashborn... the power of the dark spirit Rashi Ignath. You truly are worthy of the name Usurper."

His eyes flashed red.

"Dominate."

The flames flickered, their hunger fading.

"I was the first to face these flames. Even the original wielder of this power could not harm me. What makes you think you stand a chance?"

Ashcroft’s rotting hand gripped Damon’s helm, slamming his head into the ground. The armor caved slightly, and Damon’s skull rang with pain.

"Look at you. Pathetic. You are weak, so you steal. You take the power of others and wear it like your own. Your armor, another’s gift. Your flames, another’s power. You don’t even use your umbral attribute properly."

He raised the invisible blade of wind and drove it down. Damon twisted desperately. The blade missed his heart but pierced his right lung.

Ashcroft kicked him with his small goblin legs, and Damon crashed into the ground, the impact carving a crater. His organs screamed as blood filled his lungs.

".... I got my power with my own will. I stole nothing. I took everything. You are alive because of Deathless."

Damon’s eyes widened.

’How did he know...’

Ashcroft’s gaze hardened.

"Don’t look so surprised. You’re not the only one with a system. Mine may be sealed, but appraisal still works well enough."

Damon tried to crawl, but Ashcroft’s foot pressed his head into the stone.

"I will tear off that crown. I will dominate your mind. I will plant in you the desire to live, and then you will die. Is that not your wish?"

Ashcroft leaned closer, his voice cold.

"You will be part of something greater. You will be part of Ashcroft."

"My wish...."

"Yes. You can finally rest."