Lord of Annihilation

"[Obliterate]."

The instant this word left Lucius' mouth it seemed to strangely resonate with the world around him and infinitely multiplied. Lucius' soft mutter had turned into an earth-shattering roar.

A deluge of chaotic energy appeared out of nowhere and gathered at the edge of his scythe's blade. The turbulent energy then started to coalesce and increase in density.

The movements of the crowd of Rule Guardians who were previously banging away at the invisible barrier around the final step suddenly came to a pause as their soulless, artificial bodies seemed to tense up with dread.

Their translucent, golden bodies built from the world's energy wavered in and out of a solid form as they seemingly teetered on the verge of total collapse. 

Being constructs of the Rules of the Universe, there was no being within the Universe who was more in line with it, than the Rule Guardians. As such, they were the first ones to recognize the immeasurable danger radiating from Lucius' attack.

Holding the scythe downwards in his hands, Lucius' remaining soul power and void energy were rapidly drained as they were pulled in to construct the attack. When the previous two sources of energy ran out, his vital energy and life force were forcibly pulled out to supplement the attack.

In just an instant since his declaration of the attack's name, the vitality within Lucius' body was near-completely sucked out. His skin cracked with dryness, his muscles shriveled and deflated, and his bones shuddered and weakened. 

Even the constantly racing heart of the Void Eater slowed down to a worrying degree.

Just as the final embers of life within his body seemed to be on the precipice of being pulled into the attack, the gathered energy around the edge of the scythe's blade finally congealed.

The silhouettes of the myriad ghosts dancing around him suddenly stopped as each of them turned their heads in unison and stared at the crowd of Rule Guardians with their ghostly, crimson eyes.

For an instant, time seemed to pause. 

And then, a shrill scream was heard. 

A horrifyingly sharp screech that was both piercing and loud rung out from the mouths of the formerly dancing ghosts in chorus. Bursting through the invisible barrier, the scream, and its accompanying sound waves tore through the bodies of the Rule Guardians effortlessly.

It was like watching a snowflake melt over a raging fire. Eerily beautiful and just as instantaneous. 

Continuing their strident march the shrill scream continued past the dozens of bodies of the Rule Guardians and entered the tribulation clouds of the ascension. Upon coming in contact with these fearsome clouds, the scream, just as easily erased it from existence!

But of course, the scream was only the prelude to the real attack. 

Following the path created by the scream, the ghostly silhouette rushed forward and indiscriminately destroyed everything within their path. 

The remaining few Rule Guardians who stood few and far between, immediately met their demise in the hands of these wrathful ghosts, each of whom seemingly possessed the power to tear anything and everything in their path.

Quickly reaching the ends of the scream's previous path, which stopped at the boundary of the Fourth Ascension's restructured space, the deluge of ghosts clawed at the inviolable boundary and…

…unexpectedly broke through!

Piercing a hole through the walled restricted space, the flood of ghostly figures poured out and entered the Land of the Giants. 

Far away in the distance, the eyes of Klytius and the other Stage 4 Giant experts atop the Northern City Wall shrunk with shock and dread as they felt the frightening power of the ghosts. 

Each one of those few dozen ghosts possessed strength equal to a full-powered attack from a Low-Level Stage 4! 

If these Royal Guards were to directly meet with that attack, they would definitely be grievously injured and some might even directly die!

'This is the [Fourth Movement]? Why is it so terrifying!?' Klytius inwardly thought in shock. 

Having fought the young successor of the Letum family previously, Klytius was definitely familiar with this attack. However, the difference in their respective intensities was plain to see.

When the Silver Reaper had used it, the attacks' power was akin to a stream of quietly flowing water. However, when Lucius had used the very same attack, its power was equal to raging torrents ending with a crushing waterfall!

Just this attack alone showed Klytius the difference between the levels of masteries between the two parties. 

Silver Reaper, while immensely talented had only barely scratched on the surface of its true power. Lucius, on the other hand, had a perfect grasp on the attack's core and had even improved upon it, perfecting it further!

The only thing holding him back was the fact that he lacked the energy to fully showcase the attack's true strength. 

'Wait! If only the ghosts have shown up now, then the real attack--!' 

A frightening realization appeared within Klytius' mind as he immediately rose into the air and roared at the top of his lungs.

"EVERYONE! IMMEDIATELY GATHER BEHIND ME AND USE ALL OF YOUR STRENGTH TO CONSTRUCT A SHIELD!"

The very moment his words fell, the earth cracked and the sky split apart.

----------

Within the clouds of tribulation atop the final step, Lucius collapsed onto his knees with his scythe falling in front of him. Both of his hands were missing as they were completely shredded the moment he used them to deliver the final phase of his attack.

With black-colored blood pouring out from every inch of his body and his organs failing one after the other, Lucius wore a stiff but satisfied smile on his face.

'I can use the Fourth Movement.' 

He had successfully delivered the Fourth Movement from the [Dance of the Death God]. Granted it was only 10% of the attack's true strength, but still…he had successfully delivered the final attack.

After reveling in his satisfaction for a few seconds, Lucius then gathered the remaining traces of his consciousness and sunk downwards within the darkness that was claiming him.

Swimming deeper and deeper into the unfamiliar darkness, Lucius continued to remain calm as ever even though he couldn't feel any of his senses or perceive anything within this darkness.

Continuing onward for an unknown amount of time, Lucius finally saw a trace of light within this darkness. The moment he spotted this light, he immediately picked up his speed and rushed towards the source of this light.

Swimming faster and faster, Lucius approached the source of the light and after an inordinate amount of time, he finally arrived before a gigantic sun.

Floating before this ball of flaming energy, Lucius was akin to an ant standing before a skyscraper. The sheer difference in their sizes was immeasurable and indescribable. 

'Here it is.'

Swimming a bit closer to the ball of boundless energy, Lucius stopped just outside of its surface and proceeded to form a body using his consciousness.

The moment his body finished its construction, Lucius sat down in a cross-legged position, closed his eyes, rested his hands on his respective thighs, and prepared himself.

After the passage of another unknown amount of time, Lucius suddenly extended his right hand and placed it on the surface of the large flaming ball of gas.

Strangely enough, Lucius' hand did not melt under the terrifying heat but rather felt a comfortable and gentle warmth from it. 

Keeping his eyes closed and his right hand straight, he opened his mouth and softly uttered.

"Absorb."