Master of Time

Chapter 145: Clashes of Powers (POV)

Endless lightnings continue to descend upon the world from beyond the atmosphere, shredding apart the metal shell enclosed around the planet on their way down to glass and boil the land and sea.

The unending destruction that I have rained upon the world and the remnants of the human race is a manifestation of my righteous fury.

I am furious, truly.

Furious at myself for allowing Zephyr to be captured with such impunity. Furious at Zephyr for failing to follow such a simple order.

And more than all, I am furious at Maximilien Maxwell for stringing me along like an idiot.

I am better than that. I am a God.

An Ascended God!

And I should have been more prepared to fight against a time-based power user.

I didn't expect his power to be this high level, fully capable of undoing any damages that I have inflicted upon him. It is akin to instant restore, but unlike consuming healing potions, there is no side-effect at all.

This is a problem.

How do I kill someone who cannot technically be killed?

I cannot. Not without nullifying his power first, but I am unable to do that with the powers and abilities at my disposal. I am not equipped enough to disrupt his power.

None of the weapons and artefacts within my inventory and armory is capable of such a feat either. I could slow him down with them but slowing him down is not enough.

If only Hades is still here. I have told him to leave this reality along with the rest of the team.

They all did without questions, unlike Zephyr. They all obey my commands immediately unlike Zephyr.

Zephyr. Zephyr.

But what is done is done. I cannot undo it, not without paying an enormous price in the process. Time manipulation is very costly to everyone who does not wield the power of time.

How annoying.

How very annoying.

Neither Zephyr or Maximilien are found on the planet or anywhere within the solar system. They could not have gotten very far, and they certainly did not leave this reality.

I would have known if they did.

So, where are they?

Could they be in another plane of existence or ascend to a higher realm?

Both are possible, but very unlikely since there is safeguard against that. Powerful safeguard. Powerful enough for me to feel the aftereffect on this mortal plane of existence.

As I understand it, only an astral entity similar Ghostly can come and go into another plane of existence as he pleases. Being a true astral spirit also allows him to ascend and descend realms by stripping away his cultivation.

In any case, neither Zephyr or Maximilien should be able to ascend to higher realm. They shouldn't be able to enter another plane of existence without me knowing either.

I didn't feel anything. Nothing at all. One minute they are here, and the next they are gone. They could have teleported outside my current range of awareness in an instant. That is a cause of concern. And I didn't see him use any artifact or magic to teleport either.

That means he has the ability to teleport naturally.

This really is a problem.

I close my eyes and extend my cosmic awareness into the expanding scope of this universe. Since I am not a native of this universe, what I can see is very limited, making it incredibly difficult to locate either of them.

But I have to try. I have to try before…

I snap open my eyes before I am detected by them. Cosmic entities. They really don't like a non-native using cosmic powers within their universe.

Every reality has its own set of cosmic entities, and while I could fight them, it is really a pointless fight, not to mention wasting value power and energy.

And I am not even sure cosmic entities could be killed within the scope of their own universe, but I do know if they die, the fabric of the universe will collapse due to one of the fundamental laws has been removed from the equation.

Doing something like that will bring the Aspect of Order.

It might also collapse the entire universe. Killing and destroying everything within the universe is really nowhere near collapsing the universe. Anything killed and destroyed can be restored, but a collapsed universe cannot.

While our combined might can collapse a universe into nothingness, doing so will only bring unending destruction upon our head. Only those guys would dare to do such a thing and piss off both Primordial and Aspect. Piss off all of them.

One Aspect is already powerful enough. All of them together will rip apart everything, but at least they can be reasoned with. Primordial cannot be reasoned with.

There are just too many red tapes stopping me from using everything I have to find Zephyr. She must be rescued because she is one of us and a part of our collective. Her demise will weaken our collective greatly

And the boss will chastise me for getting one of my team members killed, not to mention those others wouldn't let this go.

How annoying.

How fucking annoying!

The crust of the planet begins to crack under my growing fury.

I need to calm down. I really need to calm down. If I continue this destruction, I will burn through the planet outer and inner mantle, awakening something I shouldn't.

And it isn't Gaia. This is not my planet. Gaia does not dwell within it.

Lightnings stop manifesting and striking the planet from outer space. As I hover above in the air, I look at what remains of the planet. Much of the surface has been glassed. Most of manmade buildings are melted or outright destroyed. What is left the ocean is rising into the upper atmosphere.

There is not a single soul left alive on the planet.

The only thing that remains is those annoying mechanical drones, hovering all over the place, watching me. It didn't matter how many of them I have destroyed, they just keep coming back, not to mention in greater number than before.

A lightning bolt jumps from me and short-circuits one of the drones before jumping to the next drone, continuously until there is none left. Within seconds, more appear, making me winced in annoyance.

Are they coming out of a pocket dimension? Wait a second.

Is Zephyr being locked up in a spatial dimension!? Where?

I look around and try to locate spatial distortion. Pocket dimension gives off spatial distortion as long as space is being compressed. To my surprise, every single drone giving off spatial distortion. The same distinct spatial distortion.

"Linked space?"

I question with surprise.

It shouldn't be, even if each drone is a spatial artefact itself, and the magical power within Maximilien tells me he is only a beginner mage. He shouldn't be capable of spatial magic of this magnitude.

This is on the same level as Jake and his power to manipulate space.

Has technology advanced this far?

I never have that of an much interest in technology since my universe is not governed by science, and I have never seen any technology capable of surpassing magic or powers.

What technology can do, magic and powers simply does it far better and more efficient. Furthermore, no infrastructure needs to be in place to cast magic or wield powers.

Technology is just too bulky when all thing considered.

"I have really underestimate you, Maximilien Maxwell."

I speak up and turn to look at the young man, who couldn't be older than 22 years old.

"So, have I, Zeus. Your power is incredibly. You are certainly more powerful than what the myth shows you to be. As much as I like to join you and your team, I afraid I will have to decline."

Max speaks up. He is also hovering in the air like me, but unlike me, he isn't doing it through magic or power. He is using technology. It seems that his technology has surpassed my imagination.

"I see. Where is Zephyr?"

I question. Lightning crackles around me when Max gives me a shrug as a response.

I am trying very hard to restrain my emotions.

Most powers are linked to certain emotion, becoming stronger as the emotion grows stronger. Thus, most wielders usually get killed by their own power since they cannot contain their emotion in instant of great loss or anguish.

Therefore, those who have reached my level shouldn't be fazed by anything emotionally.

And I should not either.

I exhale deeply as the lightnings dissipate.

"I will ask again, Maximilien Maxwell. Where is Zephyr?"

I question and beam directly at the young man. His eyes are no longer on fire like before when he had entertained the masses.

There is also no flame swirling around his body for effect.

"Who knows, Zeus. But if you want to know, try and beat it out of me. I want to see well I fare against a God."

Max smiles.

I narrow my eyes at him and try to understand what is going on his mind. But before I could understand what he is thinking, a laser beam pierces through my chest. It also instantly cauterized my wound.

The offending drones immediately explodes along with the rest as a pillar of lightning spears through the heaven and slams against their master.

A portal manifests in front of the judgement and sucks it in. I blink just before my own attack crashes to me from the side. While lightning does not hurt me, the force sends me slamming against the earth, shattering the glassed surface.

He could use spatial manipulation to redirect my attacks just like Jake could?

And why am I even surprised at this point? I am sure that he could do a lot more than just that.

I lift myself off the ground and instantly in front of him before landing a powerful strike.

Max manages to block it barely despite my speed, but he gets shocked for doing so.

I pummel him and send him straight to the ground with an electrifying hammer strike, but he vanishes before he impacts the earth.

A powerful punch lands squarely across my face as he teleports to the side of me while preserving the momentum. It is strong enough to crack my jaw and send me spinning along the air, several thousands of miles away.

But in doing so, his right arm is busted, bending in an unnatural angle.

"Damn. What is your head really made of, Zeus?"

Max questions. His arms return to normal thanks to his power.

I speed back and engage him, exchanging blows and kicks while he is doing the same. I manage to get a lot more in thanks to my quicker reaction thanks to my power, but he is catching up to me so quickly that I think he might be cheating.

Our fist collides perfectly, rippling the air before both of our fists and arms explode. His arm instantly restores before he clocks me, dislocating my jaw.

His strength increases?

He then sends me crashing against the earth.

As I lay there, staring up at him hovering in the sky, my arm regenerates.

"Punching the light out of each other is pointless, Zeus. We both have instant regeneration and near limitless stamina. Although I can win out in the end, it will probably take days or maybe months. I just don't have time for that. Come at me with everything you got, and I will do the same."

Maximilien requests as spatial portals manifest all around him, spitting out countless upon countless of microscopic machine. They surge at me, but my lightning vaporizes them effortlessly.

"That is pointless, Max. Those toys of yours do nothing more than amuse me."

I response and reach him in an instant.

"Yes, but I just want to test something. Besides, you didn't get all of them, Zeus."

Max responses before several laser beam slice through me or at least they try to.

I build up resistance against such an attack due to my very high Resistance attributes. It is sort of what doesn't kill me will make me stronger. This is the blessing to those who wield powers.

"Interesting. How about this then, Zeus?"

A huge portal appears right in front of him. A powerful blast crash into me instantly.

And my eyes widen in shock as I impact against the planet's glassed surface before I even know what had just happened, causing fissure to rupture throughout the planet.

Under such a devastating focused explosion of a dozen neutron stars, my body slowly break apart.

And I thought I had died.

Time has reversed, reviving me. Why did he revive me!?

"It seems like Gods aren't that powerful after all, Zeus. Let's do some more tests, shall we?"

Max speaks up as more spatial portal manifests around him.

Is he messing with me!?