Chapter 424: Chapter 193 Bucker’s Refusal
Under Bucker’s intervention, the Prayer Believer barely escaped with his life, and upon coming to his senses, he realized how ridiculous his earlier thoughts had been. As the Condenser involved in the most insane war following the Fall of the Holy City, every Condenser surviving the secret war was a battle-hardened monster.
Lebius moved his gaze away from the Prayer Believer, settling on Bucker, for on the battlefield, the only ones that could catch his attention were fellow Negative Power Users like Bucker and the mysterious Silver Knight.
Lebius wasn’t in his peak form now. His combat style was that of an Overlord, and before battling them, he needed enough Domination Objects, which was why he attacked these Low Tier Condensers.
Bucker obviously understood Lebius’ power, not giving him a chance to summon the wolf pack at all.
Under such circumstances, Lebius didn’t intend to waste stamina on such pointless matters. He stepped forward, instantly traversing several meters.
His speed was swift, charging directly at Bucker.
Lebius exerted immense pressure on Bucker, after all, he was the renowned Lebius, personally appearing before him and swinging the Sharp Sword at him.
What troubled Bucker even more was that from start to finish, it had only been Lebius alone.
Many had heard of Lebius’ name, but few noticed that Lebius had an inseparable partner, a fierce tiger lurking in the shadows.
"Rest assured, it’s just him alone."
The Silver Knight spoke at this moment, as if he knew what Bucker was thinking.
Upon hearing the Silver Knight’s words, Bucker’s uneasy heart calmed slightly, and a surge of fury arose within his chest.
If it was just Lebius alone, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to kill him, knowing that he was also a Negative Power User and had been comparable to Lebius from the start.
Bucker emitted a beast-like low growl, his eyes filled with the glow of Ether.
A terrifying pressure released from his body, followed by an invisible shock spreading. Bucker’s power, differing from the Prayer Believer’s Ether-driven attack, resembled the Commanding School, commanding all matter to retreat.
The ground shattered, dust rose, and the fragmented stones scattered like heavy rain in all directions.
Dense bullet rain approached, but it didn’t hinder Lebius’ actions. The Staff Sword effortlessly slashed through all debris, as Lebius neared Bucker.
Lebius felt plunged into an invisible mire, similar to battling Aimou, but Secret Energy·Shadowless Barrier solidified air into barriers to obstruct the enemy.
However, Bucker’s Secret Energy now seemed more like interference at the material level.
As if a giant hand attempted to throw him aside, even when Lebius activated Ethereal Amplification, trying to swing the Sharp Sword forward, his Blade raised barely, unable to descend further.
Powerful repulsion filled every part of his body, until Lebius could no longer sustain, being forcefully pushed away.
Lebius was flung back, followed by a fierce impact. He thrust the Staff Sword into the ground, but still couldn’t stop retreating, leaving an astonishing mark on the ground.
"Such a familiar feeling."
After the impact ceased, Lebius slowly stood straight, looking at Bucker’s face, both foreign and familiar.
He didn’t recognize Bucker’s face, but remembered this bizarre Secret Energy.
"I remember you... Bucker of Refusal."
Bucker’s expression was complex, cautious yet slightly bitter, "Being remembered by the wolf pack isn’t a good thing."
"It really isn’t a good thing."
Lebius nodded in agreement, he never expected to encounter an old adversary from the secret war era.
"You were on my list too, it’s just your Secret Energy was too troublesome back then. Killing you was difficult, even getting close wasn’t easy."
Lebius was active during the secret war period, in that shadow-filled war, the Field Operations Department created a list prioritizing targets based on enemy strength, and Bucker was on it.
"Let’s not reminisce, Lebius, what are you waiting for?"
Bucker’s voice grew stern, ever ready for a life-and-death struggle with Lebius.
A chilling smile appeared on Lebius’ face as he glanced at Bucker and then at the nearby Silver Knight.
Not knowing the Silver Knight’s identity and ability, acting recklessly was highly inappropriate, yet the usually calm Lebius was somewhat excited at this moment.
Another thrill of encountering an old adversary was verifying his progress against Bucker.
"Seven years ago, I couldn’t even get close to you. Seven years later, I truly wish to know how much I’ve progressed."
With a faint whisper, Lebius’ figure twisted, oppressive dark blue glow flickering unceasingly on his surface.
Like a raging hurricane, Lebius stomped the ground beneath him, directly charging at Bucker.
Bucker’s mood grew tense, and the unease in his heart had not yet dissipated.
In his memory, Lebius usually traveled with his partner and was accompanied by a pack of wolves, but now he was alone, entirely different from the familiar image.
The deviation between reality and familiar memories made Bucker wary... He was always a cautious person; otherwise, he wouldn’t have mastered this Secret Energy and survived the secret war unharmed.
Bucker isn’t a strong man, but he’s a survivor.
Raising his hand, intricate patterns extended from Bucker’s arm to his palm, interweaving to form a complex image.
The Ether flowed endlessly along this radiant path, reaching its peak and unleashing a tremendous wave.
In an instant, a mighty force swept forward in a fan shape from Bucker’s epicenter, shattering the ground and sending dust flying.
Within the scope of Secret Energy, all matter obeyed Bucker’s command, retreating from him, forming a clear boundary before him.
Inside the boundary, there was no impact, while outside, large rocks were overturned, shattered into dense rubble, and compressed air turned into howling winds.
Lebius wasn’t surprised by what’s happening; he’d witnessed such power seven years ago.
Within the range of Bucker’s Secret Energy, he could command everything, yet, as the Sovereign of all, he could issue only one command.
Secret Energy·Refuse.
Reject all approaching matter, all existing matter, and anything potentially threatening.
Rocks were expelled, crushed into fine dust, and air exiled, compressed to sound with thunderous roars.
An uninvited guest like Lebius couldn’t even step half a pace near Bucker.
Even as Lebius imbued the Ether completely into the Staff Sword, striking like a falling Thunder, he felt like he’d hit a heavy iron wall for an instant.
He could tear open a path forward from the iron wall, but once breaking through that layer, he stepped into a sticky mire, unable to move.
For Lebius, this feeling was all too familiar, his actions repelled and delayed, and he felt an intense oppression.
It was as if his whole body was under high pressure, his bones and organs enduring great stress; any slackening and he’d be shot away like a cannonball by Bucker’s Secret Energy.
Blood beads seeped from his skin, his eyes flooded with blood, almost at the point of bursting, and his ears ran with fresh blood.
Absolute repulsion enveloped him from all directions, and his delicate eardrums were instantly crushed upon contact.
Yet, Lebius had drawn close to Bucker, leaving only a few meters between them.
"I’ve come to kill you..."
A suppressed voice echoed from Lebius’s throat, almost squeezed between his teeth.
Bucker struggled to maintain composure, fully releasing the Ether to make Secret Energy’s roar operative.
Secret Energy·Refuse’s lethality was weak, but it could nearly defend against any attack on the physical level; cracking this Secret Energy was easy — just break through its repulsion and confront Bucker directly.
Under Bucker’s Secret Energy’s effect, everyone within the influence area would be affected, regardless of friend or foe.
Lebius seemed controlled, but if other Shield Guards attacked Lebius, they too would be rejected by Bucker’s Secret Energy.
Bucker clenched his teeth, thinking Lebius was a madman beyond match seven years ago, yet he couldn’t imagine that seven years later Lebius possessed such terrifying power.
How exactly did Lebius achieve this? Bucker couldn’t comprehend, nor did he have time to dwell.
During their stalemate, an upheaval occurred in the Alchemy Workshop behind them, with thundering sounds emanating from the building, followed by a scarlet tendril breaking through, frantically swaying, shattering all it touched, marking only the beginning.
The Void Realm of the Alchemy Workshop was breached internally, like a seal explosion releasing the unrestrained, hungry monster.
More and more scarlet tendrils burst through walls of the Alchemy Workshop, along with flesh spreading over the land like fungal blankets, resembling a decayed ecosystem, eroding the rational world.
For a moment, Shield Guards were beset from all sides, while Lebius squinted, contemplating the situation.
As the Unshakable Lebius, he’d gained intelligence far beyond the present through multiple Time Reversals, easily guessing what was happening ahead by following one time node after another.
Even Bologue said, with Aimou’s decision altered, original events might trigger a series of drastic changes; perhaps the current situation was no exception.
Is this Teda’s Illusion Creation or the Immortal Heart out of control?
The Silver Knight turned, swinging a Thunder towards the scarlet tendril.