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The 8th-Dimensional Herald didn't merely execute a technique; it began to systematically overwrite the fundamental architecture of local space itself.
Expanding across high-dimensional axes, its geometric silhouette dilated until it enveloped the entirety of the local cosmos. In this state, merged directly with spatial law, its physical mass and presence expanded beyond human comprehension making it, by sheer cosmic scale, the largest entity in existence short of the Almighty Christ Himself.
With a single, sweeping gesture of its vast form, the Herald cast a localized spatial gate around Aera. The construct snapped shut instantly, locking her space-time mantle behind an absolute spatial seal. She was rendered completely immobilized, unable to channel her power or break through the multi-dimensional lock.
Simultaneously, spatial barriers materialized around Null, locking his limbs in place mid-void. He could only watch as the colossal, high-dimensional entity reached a towering hand toward his chest to tear out the Prime Stone.
As the entity's hand drew inches from his heart, something snapped within Null's mind.
He didn't panic. He didn't reach for Form 5 or attempt to channel his dark matter. Instead, he forced his consciousness deep into his soul scape, opening a direct channel to the Void Master.
"Let's make a deal," Null stated, his mental voice devoid of warmth. "Kill them, and I will give you *******."
The Void Master remained silent for a fraction of a second, considering the terms, before responding with a quiet, ominous assent.
"Accepted."
The consciousness swap was instantaneous.
Outside, the entire cosmos the void, the stars, and the surrounding outer realm was suddenly painted a deep, suffocating shade of blood-red. It was an absolute, oppressive hue that signaled the awakening of a uninhibited, predatory force.
> **[INSTALLING SEGMENT: BLOODLUSTED KING]
> **[SEGMENT COMPLETE]
> **[MARTIAL ARTS REQUIREMENTS MET: SHADOW DANCE WITH THE DEAD]
The spatial structure holding Null shattered into thousands of glowing fragments.
Propelling himself forward, Null breached the distance instantly and landed a heavy, devastating strike directly into the Herald's face, driving the immense entity backward through the crimson space.
Inside Null's mind, all logic, strategy, and restraint vanished, replaced by an endless, looping chant of pure, unadulterated aggression:
murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder murder
Driven purely by impulse, Null lunged at the colossal figure. He reached directly into the Herald's facial structure, plunging his hands into its primary ocular construct and tearing the giant eye straight out of its socket.
"DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
As he attacked, Null's physical appearance shifted. His form dissolved into a pitch-black, shadowy aura, stripped of all human features save for a pair of stark white eyes and a wide, jagged white mouth grinning madly.
The blood-red hue saturating the realm intensified, shifting into a deeper, crimson light as Null drove his fingers directly into the Herald's neck.
Suddenly, Null leaped backward, creating distance across the void. He settled into an unorthodox, unaligned stance, dropping his guard entirely and leaving his chest and head completely open to any incoming attack.
"You monster!" the Herald roared, its massive voice shaking the crimson void. "How dare you attack us!"
Enraged, the Herald channeled its full, spatial-infused force into a direct, lethal strike aimed at Null's completely exposed body.
The moment the Herald's attack made contact, space distorted violently.
Instead of crushing Null, the Herald's own fingers snapped backward, twisting into unnatural angles as its hand fractured under an overwhelming kinetic counter-force. The exact momentum and power of the Herald's strike were instantly turned against it, multiplied by twenty times through the absolute mechanics of the Shadow Dance of the Dead.
The staggering, 20x reflected impact exploded through the Herald's massive body, throwing the giant entity clear across the crimson-painted void.
End of chapter 9.
See you tomorrow with a surprise