The darkness of night blanketed the battlefield.
The air was heavy.
As if an invisible force was pressing down on everything around.
This was Asher Ashborne's power.
Around him, an unseen sphere formed — Crushing Pressure.
The ground began to crack.
Rocks trembled.
Cassiel stood calmly across from him.
A strange smile played on his lips.
"So… this is your true power?" Cassiel asked quietly.
Asher didn't answer.
His eyes were cold as ice.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The ground erupted.
Asher launched forward in an instant.
The air around him compressed, spreading like a shockwave.
Cassiel dodged just in time.
The rock behind him crumbled into dust in seconds.
"Is that all?" Cassiel smirked.
He raised his hand.
Black energy began to spiral around him.
KRAAAAAACK!
A black lightning strike hit the ground.
Asher immediately expanded his pressure field.
BOOOOM!
The lightning shattered on contact, scattering into dust.
The dust cloud rose into the air.
Cassiel frowned.
"So you can compress attacks too… interesting."
Suddenly, Cassiel vanished.
WHOOSH!
He reappeared behind Asher.
A fist coated in black energy slammed into Asher's back.
BOOM!
Asher flew ten meters forward.
He skidded across the ground before coming to a stop.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
But he only lifted his head.
His eyes glowed in the darkness.
"Now it's my turn."
WHOOOOOOOM!
The pressure surged tenfold.
Cassiel's feet sank into the earth.
Trees around them were crushed as if by an invisible hand.
Cassiel looked serious for the first time.
"This… is dangerous."
Asher extended his hand.
"Crushing Field."
BOOOOOOOM!
The entire area compressed violently.
Cassiel immediately formed a black energy shield.
KRAAAAAACK!
The shield began to crack.
Cassiel gritted his teeth.
"Enough!"
The black energy exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
The shockwave destroyed the compression.
Asher slid back a few steps.
Cassiel rose into the air.
Black lightning swirled around him.
"If we're playing like this…"
His eyes glowed.
"…then I'll get serious too."
The sky darkened.
Black lightning tore through the clouds.
Asher stood silently.
Then, he slowly exhaled.
The air around him grew heavy again.
This time, it was even stronger than before.
The ground cracked.
Even massive boulders trembled.
Cassiel noticed.
His eyebrows rose slowly.
"What is… this?"
Asher spoke calmly:
"The fight begins now."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The pressure field expanded like a massive explosion.
Cassiel was slammed into the ground.
The earth turned into a crater.
Dust, rocks, and energy spread in all directions.
The night sky seemed to tear apart.
Two powers clashed violently.
And this battle was far from over.