Chapter 34: The Singularity of Chaos (2)

Chapter 34: The Singularity of Chaos (2)"Arrogant!" The black dragon roared, its voice so thunderous that sound waves blasted in all directions, threatening the lives of everyone below. Cassiopeia began preparing a spell—until the Singularity of Chaos suddenly snapped his fingers. Snap! In an instant, the sound waves froze in midair, as if space itself had solidified—then vanished without a trace. Cassiopeia stood frozen, a chill of fear creeping up her spine. "Space manipulation...? But how is that even possible?" In this world, many mages could control the elements—fire, wind, water, and earth. These four were known as the major elements, and every mage was expected to master at least one, sometimes more. There were also rarer elements—lightning, darkness, light, and more—far harder to control, with some considered nearly impossible to master. Only the most gifted mages could wield them. But above all stood two forces shrouded in greater mystery and power than any other: time and space. Even now, these forces remain a mystery—unsolved and unreachable by any living being. To control one was to rise above all others. To master both... was to ascend to godhood. And yet, just moments ago, Cassiopeia had seen it with her own eyes. The Singularity of Chaos had bent space itself, halting the dragon’s devastating roar before it could reach the capital. That power... was utterly terrifying. Could the Singularity of Chaos truly master space? The question flashed through her mind, sending a shiver down her spine. It was still only a possibility—but if it were real... the scale of devastation it could unleash on the world was beyond imagination. Meanwhile, the black dragon seemed briefly stunned by the Singularity’s ability to bend space. But it didn’t hesitate for long. With a guttural growl, it opened its massive jaws. Whoosh! A powerful ball of energy began to form—purple plasma swirling with black flames, warping the air around it as if space itself were freezing. And that wasn’t all. Between its wings, two more equally powerful energy balls started to take shape. In an instant, the temperature within a fifty-kilometer radius soared. Ragan’s face turned pale. "Insane..." He whispered, eyes wide in horror. If those three energy balls struck the capital, it wouldn’t just be reduced to rubble—a quarter of the Empire would be wiped out in an instant. Nearly a billion lives... erased in a flash. "Die!" the dragon roared, launching the first energy ball from its mouth, followed by two more from its wings—all aimed directly at the Singularity of Chaos. Whoosh! The three energy balls ripped through the sky at blinding speed. Wherever they passed, scorching heatwaves followed—warping the air itself, as if reality were melting in their wake. And yet, as the devastating attacks closed in, the Singularity of Chaos stood motionless—calm, composed, and utterly unfazed. "Just a little trick," he whispered mockingly. He raised his right hand and swished it to the side, as if brushing away a fly. Boom! The three energy balls suddenly froze midair, shrank, and then exploded. But the blasts were small—no louder than firecrackers. Everyone stared in disbelief. "Those three energy balls... just disintegrated? That easily?" One of the noble family heads whispered, fear creeping into his voice. Even a single ordinary energy ball was powerful enough to overwhelm the Seven Constellation Mages and force them to unite. Yet now, three energy balls—each hundreds of times stronger—vanished with just a flick of the hand. Had he not witnessed it himself, he would have dismissed it as nothing more than a myth. After all, the attacker was a catastrophe-level monster—capable of destroying half a continent. "Is this the true power of the Singularity of Chaos?" Ragan froze, but just as quickly, the fire within him reignited. The ambition that had long lain dormant now blazed anew—not to keep the throne, but to bring that man to their side. With the Singularity of Chaos as an ally, the Great Velmora Empire could flourish for a thousand years. Even facing the Holy Empire of Valtanir, guarded by the Singularity of Light, he no longer felt fear. Although the Singularity of Light was his father-in-law, their relationship was tense. Under his father-in-law’s protection, the Holy Empire of Valtanir often came into conflict with his own empire. Small skirmishes erupted repeatedly. Full-scale war hadn’t broken out yet, but Ragan knew it was inevitable. That was why he had begun the succession process—to prepare his successor to one day stand strong and lead the empire against Valtanir. After all, he was old and aware his time was running out. Still, unease lingered. While the Singularity of Light had remained distant from their conflicts so far, Ragan was certain he would intervene once war erupted. And when that happened, the old man would undoubtedly side with the Holy Empire of Valtanir. It was no surprise—the emperor ruling there was his own biological son. Despite being his son-in-law, Ragan remained an outsider in the family. If he could win the Singularity of Chaos to his side, those worries would vanish. Meanwhile, the black dragon’s eyes widened, stunned that its attack had been stopped so easily. "How did you do that?" it asked warily. The Singularity of Chaos chuckled lightly, replying dismissively, "How I did it is none of your concern. But one thing’s certain—your attacks are pathetic." The mocking words only fueled the dragon’s rage. "Bastard!" It roared, unleashing a surge of black lightning that crackled fiercely around it, turning the scene terrifying. "If ranged attacks won’t work, then I’ll come at you directly!" Without hesitation, it spread its massive wings and lunged at the Singularity of Chaos. "Perfect! I happen to be skilled in hand-to-hand combat." Unfazed, the masked man met the attack with casual confidence, swiftly flying forward to engage. Bang! Their collision shook the air with a deafening explosion. Yet, surprisingly, it was the black dragon that was thrown back—quickly and forcefully. The Singularity of Chaos didn’t give it a moment to recover. He brought his index and middle fingers together and flicked them to the left. Wrossh! Space around the dragon trembled violently, freezing its massive body midair—completely immobilized. "What!?" The dragon struggled desperately to move, but it was useless. Before it could even comprehend what was happening, the Singularity of Chaos appeared right before it. His right palm glowed with an eerie black light, a cold smile barely visible beneath his mask. "Now... taste my fist, you foolish dragon!"