Battle Of Planets

Chapter 89: Fierce Aura
Mark sidestepped swiftly, his sword deflecting the incoming chakra with precise accuracy. Each impact sent a sharp vibration up his armor, yet he remained steadfast as he maneuvered to close the gap between them.However, getting close to Ryuk was turning out to be much more challenging than he had expected.

The chakra was not merely a weapon; it served as a barrier, consistently shifting and obstructing his angles of approach. Each time Mark knocked it aside, Ryuk would effortlessly redirect it, maintaining his distance with nothing more than a flick of his fingers.

Thankfully, Mark’s aura protected his blade from excessive wear damage. If not for its reinforcing properties, the sheer destructive force of the chakra would have shredded through his weapon, forcing him to waste precious nano-particle reserves on repairs.

Ryuk, on the other hand, barely moved. He stood in place, easily controlling his chakra, almost lazily pointing it back at Mark whenever he deflected it.

Mark narrowed his eyes. He thought to himself, Ryuk looked too comfortable...

With a powerful slash, Mark redirected the chakra mid-flight, sending it crashing into a nearby vehicle with a loud BOOM! The impact kicked up dust and debris, temporarily obscuring Ryuk’s vision.

That was the opening Mark needed.

He dashed forward in a blur, closing the distance in an instant. Raising his sword, he feigned a direct attack, making it seem like he was about to strike Ryuk head-on.

Ryuk took the bait.

Just as he leaped back to avoid the blade, Mark unleashed a horizontal arc of orange aura, slicing through the air with precision. The energy wave tore toward Ryuk, striking him square in the chest and sending him stumbling backward.

”Got you,” Mark smirked, his blade humming with energy. ”I also have long-range attacks.”

Ryuk coughed, holding his chest where the attack had struck. Then, to Mark’s surprise, he smirked.

”That was... surprising,” Ryuk admitted, his chakra hovering ominously behind him. ”I guess I should stop holding back now.”

”Yeah, why not?” Mark said as they clashed again, their movements a blur of speed and force. The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the underground chamber, each impact sending ripples of pressure outward in the field.

The concrete floor beneath them cracked with every step, debris crumbling as the sheer force of their fight reshaped the battlefield. Researchers and engineers scrambled for cover, while Steve shouted in vain for them to stop.

Ryuk smirked, dodging another one of Mark’s strikes. ”Your aura is fascinating,” he admitted. ”I wonder when I’ll have the chance to use it.”

Mark scoffed as he swung his orange flaming sword in a wide arc. ”We It usually start manifesting an aura of around fifty power points. But you—” He grinned, attempting to maintain his confidence despite their widening gap. ”You still haven’t figured it out yet, have you? Not much of a genius after all.”

”Perhaps,” Ryuk said casually, sending his chakra disk whirling toward Mark. ”But I can still crush you if I choose.”

Mark’s sword intercepted the chakra midair, the impact sending a new wave of shock through the air. ”Then what are you waiting for?” Mark challenged, his aura flaring brighter, licking at his armor like a living flame. ”I want to see how much you can endure.”

Ryuk exhaled sharply. His hands flexed as he focused on something deep within. Is this how it works? He had seen Mark do it moments ago—felt the energy surging through him. If only he could just...

A sudden pulse rippled through his body.

Then, without warning, black flames erupted from his form in a wild manner, as if even Ryuk could not control them.

The force alone sent Mark stumbling back, his boots scraping against the fractured concrete as the oppressive energy pressed down on him. His heart pounded. This... this wasn’t normal.

Even his father’s aura had never felt like this.

Steve’s face lost its color. ”Ryuk, stop! Right now!”

But Ryuk stared at his own hands, watching as the dark flames flickered before vanishing into nothing. ”Huh,” he muttered. ”What the fuck was that?”

Mark tightened his grip on the sword. His breathing was uneven- not from exhaustion, but from something else—something unfamiliar. Fear.

”You’re not supposed to learn the aura this quickly,” Mark said, forcing his voice to remain steady. ”And even if you did... it shouldn’t look like that.”

Ryuk looked up. ”Yeah? But I’m not sure how to control it.”

Ryuk’s meta-bot blinked before he suddenly went still. His eyes flickered with something enigmatic.

”Are you serious?” he muttered under his breath, as if talking to himself.

Mark tightened his grip on the sword as he observed him intently. What on earth is wrong with this guy? And why is he talking to himself?

Then, to his surprise, Ryuk smiled and retracted his helmet. ”Alright, how about I try this again?” His smirk widened. ”I promise I’ll be careful this time.”

The red light on his meta-bot pulsed, and in an instant, the hovering chakra disk retracted back into his armor.

”Hey! I’m not done yet,” Ryuk muttered to himself.

But then, just as suddenly, Ryuk deactivated his entire suit. The black armor disappeared, leaving him in his ordinary clothes, as if the fight had never begun.

Mark stood there, shocked. ”I thought you wanted to keep fighting.”

Ryuk stretched his arms above his head, glancing around the devastated battlefield. ”Yeah, but...” he exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. ”I just realized Steve’s probably going to kill me for wrecking the place.”

Mark blinked. Had he just... gotten bored?

Justin stood in silence, a mix of awe and frustration twisting in his gut. As he watched the battle unfold, he finally understood why every major city wanted this man on their side. If they didn’t find a way to bring Ryuk down before he fully bloomed, he would become something they couldn’t crush.

”I hope you have a good sense of his abilities, Captain,” Steve said, stepping forward. ”Let’s continue this conversation in a more private setting.”

Justin clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth as he turned to leave. He was uncertain about what to make of all this. Ryuk exceeded his expectations. Now, with Mark present, that damn Steve would undoubtedly push Ryuk to undergo enhancement as quickly as possible. If that occurred, they would lose their last opportunity to interfere.

Justin paused at the exit, casting a glare over his shoulder. ”I’ll remember your name, Ryuk.”

Ryuk looked down at his boots. ”I believe I need new shoes.”

Steve coughed, Mark blinked in confusion, and Justin’s face twisted in rage. What the hell was that?! Here he was, delivering a threat, and this guy was talking about shoes?!

”You bastard,” Justin spat, his fists clenched. ”You’ll pay for this. All of you will.”

He stormed out, seething.

Steve sighed and shook his head. ”Please don’t mind him, Captain,” he said to Mark. ”His sense of humor is rock-bottom, yet somehow, he still can’t help himself. It’s my fault for keeping him locked in one place all these years.”

”I wasn’t joking; I do need shoes,” Ryuk muttered, watching them go before looking at his thumb poking the shoe.

Before leaving the area, Mark paused at the doorway and turned back for one last look at him. There was no mistaking it—this was his rival; the one person standing between him and the top.

”Ryuk, no matter what you do... I will be number one,” Mark declared, his voice resonating with challenge.

Ryuk remained silent, merely observing as Mark and Steve vanished down the corridor.

As the area cleared, Ryuk glanced around, noticing the lingering, fearful expressions on the faces of those still present. The moment his gaze met theirs, they scrambled away as if being too close to him was dangerous.

He sighed, shaking his head before effortlessly climbing back onto the tall container where his book rested, just as he had left it.

”Why can’t they just leave me alone?” he muttered, flipping through the pages. ”Something interesting was finally about to happen... and then those idiots had to come knocking. It’s exhausting to talk to people, don’t you think, blacky?”

The dark Meta-bot blinked twice, its red light pulsing like a quiet response.

Ryuk smirked, resting his chin on his hand. ”You continue to amaze me.”

He stretched his arms before glancing back at the book. ”Alright, tell me about the other guy you’re sensing. Does he also have a Prime Meta-bot? Where is he? How can you sense it?”

The Meta-bot blinked once more, its red glow flickering steadily.

”No? So you are just sensing him,” Ryuk said. ”That’s good, right? You will meet one of your kind if we were to cross paths.”

The meta-bot became still and then blinked.

”Anyway, will you wake me up later? I’m sleepy.”

”I’M NOT YOUR FREAKING ALARM”

”Whoa, it’s just a small favor,” Ryuk said, leaning on the book as if he were falling asleep.

”Get up, you freak.” The mechanical sound came from his chest, yet there was no response. ”I swear this boy drives me crazy. He forgot to read the book before going to sleep. How was I supposed to know when the male lead would propose to the female lead?”

”Does he want me to keep guessing?”