Dualities | Solo levelling X Tbate

Confrontation

Seris hit the ground with an adrenaline-fueled thud, her mind racing to grasp the chaotic moments that had transpired just seconds ago. Beads of sweat glistened on her skin as she sprang to her feet, no time to survey her surroundings. Mana flowed from her core, shaping itself into a sleek, obsidian sword.

"Calm down would ya."

Her body seized up, gripped by an overwhelming wave of foreboding, as she gradually unraveled the mystery of her surroundings. Beyond the never-ending veil of darkness, amidst the obscurity, faint aqueous light pulsed softly.

This place resembled the cosmos, a vast expanse cloaked in darkness, yet hiding numerous intriguing facets. Take, for instance, the distant sun-like star, radiating conventional light and warmth. However, any attempt to draw near to it without harm would reveal the astral realm as an obsidian veil. The sun itself bore pastel hues, encircled by a profusion of abstract concepts and symbols.

What's more, the sun's rendering lacked finesse, akin to a child's hasty scribbles, oscillating between the comical and the chilling.

And in the centre of it sitting like a child, was an individual she was all to familiar with.

With his jet-black hair, devilishly handsome visage, and those deep, purple eyes brimming with an unrestrained reservoir of power.

"That's not quite the welcome for someone who just rescued you," he chuckled, strolling toward her as she released her mana, dissipating it into black dust.

"What's the deal with this place?" she inquired.

"It's a secluded corner of my pocket dimension. I never intended to bring anyone here, but since you seemed hell-bent on getting yourself killed, I had to interrupt my plans and whisk you away," he clarified, earning an arched eyebrow from her.

"And this is my fault?"

"Hardly," he replied, gesturing with a wave of his hand, causing their surroundings to ripple and warp as space assumed a new form. Before long, she found herself seated in an elegant chair, while Jin Woo rested across from her, his legs casually crossed.

Leaning in closer, he pressed on, "I'll keep it short, don't want to annoy Sylvia more than I already have, and I'm not too keen on having Antares, Regis, and Arthur hanging around in one spot for too long. So, make your request quick."

She sighed, sinking back into her chair, taking a few moments to contemplate. Then, she raised two fingers.

"I need power and an energy source – enough power to take on a sovereign, and an energy source capable of enveloping an entire city," she explained.

"Absolutely achievable," he remarked before murmuring something, which Seris' sharp hearing caught.

In response to his command, two entities materialized. One took the form of a towering red orc, adorned in dark shamanic attire, firmly clutching a draconic staff.

The other figure was a man with tanned skin and untamed, waist-length dark hair, clad in a white lion pelt that accentuated his muscular physique, and madness stricken eyes.

"I'll entrust you to these two. If you can't achieve your goal with their help, then it was a lost cause from the start," he explained. Seris wore a conflicted expression, but her objections remained unspoken, overshadowed by a shift in Jin woo's demeanor.

"One fucking day," he growled, his facial expression hardening. "Give her what she wants." His words echoed ominously before an inky abyss consumed him, leaving no trace of his presence behind.

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Neither Arthur nor Sylvia had a moment to process the unfolding cataclysm.