Chapter 592 – Void Monarch
After defeating the Illusion Queen, Dave found himself inside a silent, unfamiliar place.
It looked like an ancient temple—dark, vast, and filled with stillness. The walls pulsed with faint energy, and the air was heavy, like it hadn't been disturbed for a thousand years.
He stood alone.
Except for one figure watching him from a distance, unmoving and silent.
The man wore flowing violet robes and a plain black mask that completely hid his face. His body flickered like a mirage, his presence unstable—as if he wasn't truly part of this world. Yet, the pressure around him was suffocating.
He didn't speak. He didn't need to. Just standing there, he radiated power.
The air around Dave crackled with tension.
This place... this silence... it's not natural.
Dave narrowed his eyes. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready for a fight. He sensed no killing intent—yet his instincts were screaming.
"You've arrived," the masked man finally said.
His voice was flat, cold, and empty of emotion. It echoed strangely, like it had traveled through another dimension to reach him.
Then, without warning, the man raised his hand.
The pressure around Dave suddenly spiked—like a mountain had been dropped on his chest. A twisting wave of black energy surged forward, spiraling like a storm. The temperature dropped. Space bent.
"Void energy..." Dave muttered.
He knew this power well—but this wasn't ordinary void energy. This was deeper. Stronger. It was as if the void itself had taken form in front of him.
Space and time? That's child's play compared to the Void.
Void energy could erase, distort, or even collapse reality itself. It didn't just exist—it consumed existence. And the man in front of him... he was wielding it like it belonged to him.
"He's near," Dave whispered, "but his presence feels distant. His body bends space without moving."
The figure's mere existence made the entire temple feel like an illusion.
Then the man spoke again.
"Let me see if you're still worthy of being followed."
The moment the last word left his lips, his body vanished—then reappeared right in front of Dave.
Dave barely had time to react.
Boom!
A punch slammed into Dave's chest, and his body was launched backward. He crashed through several stone columns, debris flying in every direction.
"So weak," the masked figure said coldly. "You're not as strong as before."
But then—
Boom!
Dave suddenly appeared behind him, bloodied but grinning like a madman.
"Hehe... that was fun."
His fist shot forward, aiming straight for the figure's back—fast, sharp, clean.
Swoosh!
But it struck nothing.
The man dissolved into mist, disappearing as if he had never existed.
Dave's eyes scanned the temple. He could sense his enemy, but the void distorted everything.
"This power is similar to my main body's space power," he muttered. "But it's purer... deeper. Too bad for you—my chaos energy can adapt to yours."
Chaos energy—the most ancient and mysterious force in the universe. Even the Chaos Dragon could only borrow it, never fully control it.
But Dave? For some reason, chaos energy responded to him like a loyal companion.
It moved with his will. It protected him even when he did nothing.
Even I don't fully understand this power yet...
He was just a clone, and still, chaos energy flowed through him like it was born in his bones.
Then—
A flicker of shadow appeared behind him.
Dark tendrils shot toward him—sharp, fast, silent.
Boom!
They struck. But chaos energy burst out automatically, forming a shield around Dave. It blocked the attack, pushing the tendrils away before they could bind him.
Dave smirked.
"I noticed you already. I just wanted to see if chaos energy could defend against void... and it looks like you can't bypass it."
Chaos energy didn't just defend. It responded like a living creature, reacting even before Dave gave it a command.
This power is overpowered, Dave thought. Even I don't know what can match it.
With a deep breath, he let chaos energy surge through his limbs. He broke free of the darkness, his body glowing faintly with swirling black and gold light.
Then he launched into the air, his sword materializing in his hand.
He twisted mid-air, lifted the weapon, and slashed.
A dark arc cut down toward the figure with unstoppable force.
But—
The man didn't move.
With a flick of his wrist, the air rippled. Dave's sword sank into nothingness.
It was like stabbing into a dream. The blade didn't cut—it was absorbed.
It's getting annoying, Dave thought.
"Not bad," he muttered aloud, "but not enough to make me serious."
He raised his hand—and unleashed holy fire.
Golden flames exploded from his palm, flooding the temple in light. The flames weren't ordinary—they were Primordial Flames, the strongest fire in the universe.
The heat twisted reality, burning through even the laws of space.
But the masked man didn't flinch.
He raised both hands, and a dark field of void energy swallowed the light. The flames flickered, dimmed, then vanished—absorbed into nothingness.
He's not absorbing it completely, Dave noticed. He's redirecting it somewhere else... and it still hurt him.
Primordial flame couldn't be fully eaten, even by void.
"Try this then!" Dave roared.
He raised his sword, chaos energy coating the blade. Then he slammed it into the ground.
Boom!
The temple shook. Cracks spread across the floor. Chaos beams shot skyward, tearing through the ceiling.
For the first time, the masked man hesitated. His mask trembled. Dave saw it—a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Dave didn't waste a second.
He moved—faster than ever. His body blurred, his speed shaking the ground. His sword sliced forward.
But not toward the man.
He struck the illusion.
The space around the masked figure shattered like broken glass. Reality cracked, revealing the man's true form—unstable, flickering, real.
His expression broke.
"You… you're stronger than I expected," he said. His voice was still cold, but now carried a hint of curiosity.
Then he vanished—again appearing behind Dave.
But this time, Dave was ready.
He spun, sword flashing.
Their blades collided with a deafening crash. Shockwaves exploded outward, stone and dust flying in every direction.
Tendrils of void wrapped around Dave's arms and neck—but he didn't panic.
He let his aura erupt—a blast of raw chaos energy burned them away, shattering the void.
His eyes glowed, filled with fierce battle intent.
With a loud shout, he broke through the tendrils, shoulder-slamming the masked man in the chest. The man staggered.
Dave raised his sword.
A bright, burning light poured from the blade. With a mighty swing, he cleaved down.
The sword tore through the darkness, cutting the void like smoke.
The masked figure screamed. His form flickered violently, reality rejecting his presence.
Then—silence.
The temple went still. The man collapsed, barely holding form.
Dave stood over him, breathing steadily. The fight had been short—but the destruction was massive.
"You're strong," Dave said. "But without your main body, you can't beat me."
He smiled slightly, watching the fading figure.
The man stared back, expressionless. Then he spoke again—his voice softer, almost respectful.
"You are finally back. I have waited a long time… Come and see me soon, my Lord."
He tossed a token to Dave.
Then, like smoke, he vanished.
Dave caught the token mid-air.
An ancient mark glowed on its surface. Surprisingly, he could read it.
Void Temple.
What's his connection to the Void Emperor...?
Dave stared at the token, his grip tightening.
No matter... I'll find out soon.