Journey to Become the Zenith

The Real Battle Begins

Then Alibaba chuckled.

”How fascinating.”

Dark mana gathered slowly around the necromancer’s skeletal hands. The energy coiled like liquid shadow, twisting in the air with a faint humming sound that made the torches along the cavern walls flicker uneasily.

”Well then...”

”...let us see how long that style keeps you alive.”

Victor’s floating needles rotated slowly above his head like silent predators circling their prey. His golden eyes sharpened.

Alibaba watched the shift in his aura and gave another amused chuckle.

”Oh?”

The necromancer tilted his skull slightly.

”Your demeanor changed again.”

The blue flames inside his hollow eye sockets flickered with interest.

”Don’t worry, child. I won’t fault you for your actions.”

Victor let out a short snicker.

A being that had lived less than a thousand years was calling him a child.

How amusing.

In his previous life, when he was known across continents as the Supreme Demon Emperor the Supreme Demon Emperor, countless ancient beings trembled simply hearing his title.

But now?

He wore the body of a human youth.

Sixteen years old at most.

So Victor simply shrugged it off.

Let him talk.

Victor rolled his shoulders and slowly lifted the scythe.

”Now that I’m back in the game...”

His lips stretched into that familiar vicious grin.

”How about we start the real battle?”

The moment those words left his mouth—

His mana changed.

Alibaba noticed it immediately.

The energy surrounding Victor no longer surged wildly like before. Instead, it condensed into something sharp and controlled.

Like a blade.

Alibaba reacted instantly.

The necromancer’s barrier thickened as layers of mana reinforced the protective spell around him.

”Very well, child.”

His skeletal fingers lifted slightly.

”Come at me.”

Victor didn’t wait.

The instant the words finished—

Victor raised his left hand.

His index finger pointed toward Alibaba.

”Nightfall Veil.”

Darkness erupted outward.

A wave of artificial shadow spread across the battlefield like spilled ink. Within seconds the chamber around Alibaba was swallowed by pitch black darkness.

A spell designed to blind opponents.

Alibaba clicked his tongue.

”A crude trick.”

As a master of darkness magic himself, this was far from threatening.

He released a pulse of mana.

The darkness shattered like smoke being blown away by wind.

The torches around the cavern flickered back to life—

But Victor was gone.

Alibaba’s eye flames flared.

Where—

CRASH.

Something slammed into his barrier from behind.

The impact cracked the magical shield.

Victor’s foot had struck him directly in the back.

The kick carried enough force to launch the necromancer forward.

Alibaba smashed into the stone wall of the cavern.

Chunks of rock exploded outward.

Victor didn’t hesitate.

He followed immediately, scythe raised for another strike—

But Alibaba reacted quickly.

”Grave Bastion.”

A wall erupted between them.

It was made entirely of interlocking human bones, fused together by necromantic mana. Rib cages, skulls, and spine fragments twisted together into a grotesque barrier.

Victor’s scythe slammed into it.

The bone wall shattered instantly.

But that single second was enough.

Alibaba pushed himself upright and lifted his hand again.

”Sentinel of the Fallen.”

Two undead warriors emerged from swirling dark mana.

Each stood over two meters tall.

Both carried massive tower shields carved from blackened bone.

They planted themselves between Victor and the necromancer.

Victor didn’t slow down.

His hand flicked forward.

”Stonebreaker Spikes.”

The ground exploded.

Two massive earthen spears erupted upward from beneath the undead guardians.

CRUNCH.

The spikes pierced directly through their shields, impaling both creatures through the chest.

Victor leapt.

His body spun in midair.

The scythe came down in a brutal arc toward Alibaba.

This time the strike carried far more power.

The necromancer’s barrier shattered instantly.

The blade was only inches away from splitting his skull—

But Alibaba moved.

His body twisted sideways just in time.

The scythe slammed into the ground instead, carving a deep trench through the stone floor.

Alibaba countered immediately.

”Grave Spear.”

A lance formed from condensed bone shot toward Victor like a bolt.

Victor was still mid-air.

He kicked against the air itself.

”Sky Step.”

The invisible platform formed beneath his foot just in time.

Victor pushed off it and twisted sideways.

The bone spear flew past him and exploded against the cavern wall.

Victor landed roughly.

His boots scraped against the stone as he slid back a step.

He steadied himself.

Both fighters stopped.

For a moment—

Silence filled the cavern.

Alibaba studied the young man carefully.

Fast.

Strong.

And clever.

Victor studied him just as carefully.

He still hasn’t shown everything.

Both of them knew it.

Both of them had more hidden.

Victor spun the scythe once and rested the blade over his shoulder.

”Looks like we’re both still warming up.”

Alibaba chuckled.

”How perceptive.”

Victor’s grin widened.

”Now that the warm-up is done...”

His golden eyes burned with excitement.

”How about we get to the real thing.”

------------

Meanwhile, across the cavern—

Clara and Lane were holding their ground.

The fake villagers continued to swarm forward like mindless beasts.

One lunged toward Clara.

CLANG.

Her shield intercepted the attack.

The impact echoed through the cavern.

Clara twisted her body and slammed the edge of the shield directly into the creature’s jaw.

Bone cracked.

The fake villager staggered backward.

Clara followed with a sword thrust.

Her blade pierced the creature’s chest—

But the monster didn’t fall.

The wound began regenerating instantly.

”Damn it!”

Clara cursed under her breath.

”Lane!”

”I know!”

Lane stood behind her, long black hair swaying as mana gathered around her bow.

Her calm black eyes locked onto the enemies.

These creatures weren’t normal undead.

They moved like wild animals.

No tactics.

No strategy.

Just instinct.

Predictable—but difficult to kill.

Lane pulled back the bowstring.

Mana condensed into a glowing arrow.

”Piercing Wind Arrow.”

She released.

The arrow shot forward like lightning.

BOOM.

It struck a villager’s skull.

The head exploded instantly.

The body collapsed.

Clara blocked another attack with her shield.

”Headshots only!”

”I figured!”

Lane pulled another arrow.

But this time mana gathered around her hands instead.

”Then let’s make it faster.”

She whispered softly.

”Storm Scatter.”

Five small wind blades formed around her.

They shot forward like slicing crescents.

Two villagers lost their heads instantly.

Clara saw an opening.

She stepped forward aggressively.

Her shield slammed into one enemy while her sword pierced another’s skull.

”Nice!”

Lane gave a small smile.

But she quickly returned to focus.

Because more were coming.

The fake villagers kept rising.

Clara wiped sweat from her brow.

”These things just don’t stop.”

Lane calmly gathered more mana.

”They will.”

Her eyes flicked toward Victor and Alibaba.

”...once Victor wins.”