But something surprising happened. The giant blob of darkness contracted and swelled suddenly before shrinking into a human-sized blob. Then it transformed into a human figure.
Orion's eyes widened as the massive blob of darkness swiftly morphed into a human-sized figure. The transformation was almost fluid, as the amorphous mass shrank and solidified into the form of Patrick.
But this wasn't the same Patrick who had entered the fight; this version radiated a menacing aura. His entire body was cloaked in swirling shadows, and his presence seemed to warp the very air around him.
The shock was brief, as Orion's wind-infused slash was already slicing through the air toward the newly transformed Patrick. The razor-sharp crescent of wind, powerful enough to cleave a man in two, hurtled directly at him.
But Patrick moved with inhuman speed. His shadow-covered hand extended and morphed into a massive, clawed appendage. With a swift, calculated motion, he swiped at Orion's attack. The impact was immediate—Orion's wind blade met Patrick's shadowy claw, and instead of cutting through, it encountered overwhelming resistance.
The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, shaking the ground and making the air itself tremble. The two forces clashed—wind against shadow—in a fierce struggle for dominance. For a brief moment, it seemed as if the two might cancel each other out, but then something unexpected happened.
Boom!
The explosion hurled Patrick through the air, his shadowy figure spinning wildly. The blast would have knocked out most, but just as he was about to slam into the hall's wall, Patrick's body dissolved into a shadowy mist, vanishing as if he'd never been there.
In an instant, he reappeared, emerging from Orion's own shadow like a phantom. His clawed hand, wreathed in dark tendrils, lunged forward, aiming to strike Orion from behind.
But Orion's reflexes were honed to perfection. The moment he sensed the danger, he reacted. A powerful gust of wind erupted from his back, forming a protective barrier. The swirling vortex was strong enough to shove Patrick away before his claws could find their mark.
Patrick was flung back, his attack foiled by the sudden gale. He skidded across the ground, his shadowy form flickering but quickly steadying itself.
"I understand now," Orion said, looking at Patrick. "You've become faster and stronger and can teleport through shadows, but beyond that, you're just a normal human."
"I guess you're right. Also, you're even faster than me, and your control over wind is so precise that I haven't landed a blow on you yet," Patrick replied to Orion for the first time since their battle began.
"I'll do it then," Patrick said after considering the situation. He looked at Orion and said, "Ray, be prepared. This attack is so powerful that I usually only use it against boss-level monsters and rarely against humans, so be cautious."
Orion sighed. "Alright, do it and show me your ultimate move."
With a slow, deliberate movement, Patrick spread his arms wide. The shadows clinging to his form began to peel away, slipping from his body like a dark mist. His features returned to their human state, revealing the man beneath the shadowy guise. But this return to normalcy was only a prelude.
The shadows didn't dissipate; instead, they surged with renewed vigor. Like a living entity, they gathered with purpose, swirling around both Patrick and Orion. The darkness coiled and twisted in the air, growing denser with each passing second.
Then, the shadows, now fully unleashed, converged around the two combatants. The air thickened with an ominous energy as the mass of shadows formed into a swirling dome, its walls opaque and impenetrable. The dome expanded rapidly, enclosing both Patrick and Orion within a world of darkness, sealing them off from the outside world.
Orion was surprised by the sight, which reminded him of something—the battle against the god Quent in the dungeon where he first transmigrated. It reminded him of Quent's use of a Domain and what Quent had mentioned:
'No human has ever been able to form a Domain of their own. Only by successfully mastering the Three Divine Ways and surpassing the final stage can one master a Domain.'
Orion understood this very well, but Patrick's shadow technique resembled a Domain attack. He closed his eyes for a moment to see if he could move inside his dimension and discovered that he could. This meant only one thing—Patrick's attack wasn't a true Domain, but rather an outer shell of a Domain without its inner workings and laws.
'Even though it's a false Domain, it's interesting,' Orion noted, thinking the technique could be very useful with his arsenal of curses.
"Ray, it's coming," Patrick warned as he launched his attack.
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Also, I was hoping you could leave some comments or reviews to let me know your thoughts!
*Some gifts would be appreciated as well, but up to you.... *