Saber Soul Possession

Yatke Blue's body expanded violently in the vacuum, and his dark gold bio-armor peeled off piece by piece like molting skin, revealing the scarlet, magma-like muscle tissue beneath.

The star-shaped patterns on the surface of the bronze staff suddenly wriggled as if alive, and actually clung to the swollen arms.

[Target: Yatke Blue Cluster (Unleashing Star Power)]

[Health: 6,876,453/8,876,453 (Regenerating rapidly)]

[Stamina: 3,152,989/4,152,989 (rapidly recovering)]

[Attributes: Strength 452, Stamina 452 (temporary maximum), Intelligence 293 (temporary), Agility 452 (temporary maximum)]

[Overall Rating: S]

Lister observed Yatke's second-stage state.

His power was unleashed very quickly; compared to the original Vidal, his combat talent was indeed on a completely different level.

All attributes are temporarily increased by 30%, although the actual thinking attributes, except for intelligence, have already reached their maximum values.

This level of power is comparable to when he activates the Tyranny Bracers.

With a roar, a star-like flame erupted from the surface of Yatke's body.

The bronze staff, now chipped in two, extends into serrated energy blades at both ends, leaving crimson cracks in the starry sky with just a swing.

For the first time, Lister's murderous intent and oppressive aura were pushed aside by his tyrannical presence.

Clearly, the real battle is only just beginning.

Yatke grinned menacingly as he approached, his eight-meter-tall frame almost completely enveloping Lister in shadow.

"It's not too late to beg for mercy!"

The staff blade suddenly split into hundreds of afterimages, each carrying a star-like gravitational collapse effect.

Lister also became truly serious at this moment, and a crimson energy surged from the wrist guard on his hand.

"Notification: Merrick's Tyranny Bracers have been activated, increasing all four main attributes by 55 points and physical attack by 45%. Remaining duration: 59 seconds. Remaining cooldown: 4 days."

Even if the gauntlet only lasts for sixty seconds, in this kind of battle, sixty seconds is enough for hundreds of exchanges.

Lister's rank was already lower than his opponent's, and his skills and passive abilities were at a natural disadvantage.

If it weren't for his sufficiently strong passive abilities and his World-Ending Level combat power, it wouldn't have been possible to force Yatke into the second stage.

We will use all available means at the moment.

The Shadowless Blade was held horizontally in front of their chests. The moment the blade struck out and collided with the incoming energy rod, several planets behind the two stars trembled in unison.

The magma from the Earth's core was propelled into space by the aftershocks, and nearby small celestial bodies were shattered.

These hundred magical blades were still broken by his horizontal slash.

In the instant he made his move, Yatke's aura vanished from his presence.

Compared to before, with the speed attribute maximized, the movement speed is indeed significantly higher.

The figure had already circled behind them like a ghost.

The bronze staff, carrying the force of shattered stars, slammed into Lister's back.

Before the blade even arrived, the vacuum had already been compressed, creating visible Twist ripples.

Unfortunately, even with his current speed, Yatke couldn't escape the senses of the Killing Intent Wave from him.

As if he had eyes in the back, Lister suddenly ducked down, and the Shadowless Blade stabbed back from under his armpit, the blade precisely blocking the most vulnerable joint of the staff.

"Clang!"

Amidst the piercing clang of metal against metal, Yatke watched as his deadly attack was blocked by Shadowless Blade radiating crimson killing intent.

He seemed unsurprised, and even grinned, revealing his sharp white teeth.

He gripped the staff tightly once more, and the star-shaped markings on the staff emitted strange gravitational ripples, instantly disrupting the energy of the entire battle zone.

The tip of the Shadowless Blade seemed to be pulled to the left by an unknown force, shifting slightly to the left.

"Sizzle--!"

The obstruction of the long staff disappeared at this moment, and the forward thrust of the staff continued, with the Shadowless Blade grazing the reverse edge of the copper staff and sparks flying.

Caught off guard, the head of the bronze rod struck Lister's breastplate.

"Attacked: Robust Soul, Merrick Saber Technique... Immune effect activated, damage taken -1,687,655 points, Star Erosion effect is now immune."

"Chest armor integrity reduced to 33%, defense reduced by 41.9%..."

Lister smoothly rolled through the starry sky to dissipate the force, and the sharp pain in his right arm made him frown slightly.

The traction force that draws the stars into this staff is not a special effect, but a real traction force that cannot be passively resisted.

Unaware of their scheme, they actually fell into their trap.

This was the first time he had suffered substantial damage since the start of the war; he was indeed a high-level Hegemon.

Especially for martial arts Hegemon also rely on techniques, a single hit can deal damage that is not much less than the damage from a blade.

The Tyranny Bracers have 38 seconds left to last, and the countdown is going off like crazy on the panel.

Yatke's attacks grew increasingly ferocious, his bronze staff leaving a crimson afterimage in the starry sky, each strike carrying the power to shatter stars.

Lister's figure flickered amidst the shadows of his staff, the Shadowless Blade colliding with the staff's edge, sparking dazzling flashes.

However, Yatke's speed and power had reached their peak under the second stage of liberation, and the star-marked gravity of the long staff was even more unpredictable.

"Clang--!"

In another exchange, Lister's blade was deflected by the force of the staff, and Yatke seized the opening, sweeping the staff blade across and slamming it heavily onto Lister's shoulder armor.

"Snap!"

His shoulder armor shattered instantly, Lister was blasted hundreds of meters away by the blow, only managing to regain his footing after crashing into a small meteorite.

[Health Points: 3,236,810/1,100,9560 (29.4%)]

[Tyranny Bracers Remaining Time: 7 seconds]

"Your swordsmanship is truly amazing; you've managed to fight me to this point in my current state."

"I've traversed countless galaxies in this universe, but you are the first person I've ever met."

"However, for now, he's just a step behind me!"

Yatke's voice came through the vibrating star field, carrying a hint of coldness.

But his eyes were fixed on Lister, and while he spoke of his advantages, his vigilance was even greater than before.

Even with his slow reaction time, he could sense the extraordinary strength of Lister at this moment.

Although there are varying degrees of strength among the Hegemon, Yatke believed that after accumulating power for eight thousand years, its strength was already among the top in the universe.

Logically speaking, it's unimaginable that a mere 20th-level Hegemon could force him into this state.

This is by no means the posture of Hegemon!

It was more like Lord of World Annihilation he had only heard of but never seen!

Even though he had the temporary advantage in the battle, he dared not relax for a moment, knowing that Lister must still have trump cards up his sleeve.

"Is that so?"

Lister slowly raised his head; his breastplate was already tattered and worn.

Equipment that doesn't match the required tier is indeed unlikely to provide an advantage in battles at the Overlord Tier or higher.

His expression grew even calmer under Yatke's gaze.

He suddenly closed his eyes, quietly released the Shadowless Blade from his hand, letting it float in front of him, and slowly clasped his hands together.

A powerful Battle Intent Eruption from him, instantly spreading throughout the entire starry sea.

The killing intent, which was already almost tangible, solidified once more, sweeping away Yatke's tyrannical pressure.

Yatke immediately sensed something was wrong, and quickly rushed forward, charging his staff blade at Lister once more.

He dares not gamble!

Although he had never seen World-Ending Level powerhouse, Yatke knew in his heart that it was probably beyond his current strength to resist.

He immediately realized that, just as he had expected, Lister's power had not been fully revealed.

If we were to allow it to truly reach its peak now, it would be the one that dies.

Unfortunately, although the staff technique was fast, Lister entered the second stage even faster.

In an instant, the crimson longsword deep within his soul trembled violently.

The Phantom the Saber Soul, which had been sitting cross-legged for a long time, stepped out from the consciousness space and completely merged with Lister's body!

Countless dark red energy threads were seeping from Lister's pores, weaving into a cocoon in the vacuum and enveloping Lister in a blood-red ball of light.

The bronze staff instinctively slammed towards the crimson light, but was rebounded upon contact.

In an instant, Lister's pupils turned pure dark red, and his killing intent solidified completely, surging like a blood mist.

In his Saber Soul Embodiment state, every inch of his skin was steaming with crimson blood energy.

The Shadowless Blade was completely enveloped in crimson energy, transforming into a strange, blood-red blade, much like the eerie blade in the soul space.

"Notification: Health is below 30%, entering the Battle Intent Eruption phase. Attack power is increased by 1780.8%, current damage reduction is 55.6%..."

"Notification: Saber Soul Mastery has taken effect, entering the Battle Intent Eruption phase. The Saber Soul has been summoned, increasing the power of blade-based attacks by 60%."

Lister's consciousness only fully returned after the crimson light had completely entered his body.

I carefully savored the feeling of summoning my first Saber Soul.

Although this passive skill is currently only at level 20 due to insufficient experience points, the increase in stats doesn't seem very strong.

But the actual feelings are completely different.

At that moment, Lister's consciousness resonated completely with the Saber Soul deep within his soul.

His pores opened, and dark red energy threads wrapped around his body like living things. Every muscle, bone, and even nerve was revitalized by the Saber Soul.

It's like... a resonance between the Saber Soul.

Looking down at his hands—his original flesh and blood body was now a translucent dark red, as if it had merged with the Saber Soul.

The Shadowless Blade trembled in his palm, the crimson energy on its blade pulsating like breathing, each pulse causing the surrounding space to Twist and crack.

This unusual sense of exhilaration and freedom, coupled with the extreme damage boost from the Battle Intent Eruption, is truly remarkable.

Lister himself felt a sense of unreality, as if his power had broken through to another level, and a feeling of omnipotence welled up in his heart.

Undeterred by his initial attack, Yatke unleashed a hundred Phantom once more, his bronze staff slamming down with the force of shattered stars.

But in Lister's perception, the attack became incredibly slow.

The strange star-like gravitational ripples within those staff strikes were now clearly perceived by his Killing Intent Wave.

"Too slow."

Lister flicked his wrist, Shadowless Blade casually flicked his wrist.

"Clang--!"

The moment the blade clashed with the staff, Yatke's pupils constricted.

The gravitational collapse created by his proud "Shattered Star - Annihilation" skill was actually cleaved in the opposite direction by that scarlet blade light!

Their previously invincible offensive tactics are now completely ineffective!

Where the blade's light slashed, the star-shaped patterns faded rapidly as if drained of energy, and the recoil from the staff caused blue-gold blood to burst from his tiger's mouth.

"Impossible!"

As Yatke retreated, he suddenly froze—his bio-armor was now covered in spiderweb-like knife marks, and his dark gold outer shell was peeling off piece by piece.

Even more terrifying was the tearing sensation emanating from the depths of his soul, as if a million invisible blades were slicing through his spirit.

This is the "Soul Resonance" effect that comes with the Saber Soul Embodiment; every attack inflicts double the torment on the enemy's soul!

"It's time to end this."

Lister's originally calm voice had begun to reverberate, like a perfect harmony between the Saber Soul and the flesh, carrying extremely far through the star field.

The moment the Blood Blade was raised high, the dark matter clouds across the entire NS Star Region were dyed crimson, and countless Evil Shadow Mechanical Birds and the allied forces of both sides fled in a frenzy.

Yatke felt utterly hopeless about this force.

"Cut!"

A crimson blade of light flashed across the star field, and Yatke's eight-meter-tall body suddenly froze.

A thin line appeared on his neck; before the dark golden blood could even splatter, it was evaporated into nothingness by the energy of the Saber Soul.

The Overlord Tier head slowly slid off, leaving no flesh or blood at the break point, only the remnants of a soul completely annihilated by crimson energy.

"Attack: Deals a total of -6,163,329 true damage. With health below 7.4%, the Merrick Saber Technique execution judgment has been applied."

Lister sheathed his sword, and the surging blood mist around him gradually subsided.

The power brought by the Saber Soul Embodiment receded like the tide, but the exhilarating sense of control remained etched deep within the soul.

This wonderful feeling made him addicted.

Unfortunately, this Hegemon of Yatke was still too weak.

When he truly felt that World-Ending Level power, he was unable to withstand even the slightest bit of it, making it impossible for him to truly enjoy it.

The fall of Yatke Blue was like a silent cosmic storm, instantly sweeping across the entire NS Star Region.

The Blue Cluster Galaxy fleet descended into chaos the instant its Hegemon died—the bio-armor on the Scarlet Hunters suddenly cracked, Wither and falling off like vines deprived of nourishment.

The energy patterns on the surface of the warship dimmed rapidly, and the originally living hull began to disintegrate, with the metal structure peeling off like rotting flesh.

"Run! Activate the warp drive!"

The Blue Group commander's voice roared through the communication channel, but it was too late.

Lister's Killing Intent Wave like a tide, and after a brief moment of shock, the mechanical alliance and the warriors of the Oz Civilization immediately erupted in a deafening battle roar.

The Evil Shadow Mechanical Bird's metallic wings traced dark red trails, reaping the fleeing enemy ships like a scythe of death.

The Thunder Warriors raised their warhammers high, their lightning weaving into a net that pulverized the Scarlet Hunter tried to break through.

"Leave no one alive."

Lister's voice remained calm, but at this moment it sounded extremely cold and terrifying.

Kavin's mechanical guards immediately carried out the order, and the energy cores on the chests of tens of thousands of mechanical giants overloaded, unleashing crimson rays that pierced through the enemy ranks like a torrential rain.

The warships that had been enhanced by the biotechnology of the Yatke Hegemon were now exploding one after another as if their life force had been drained, blooming into a tragic blood-red firework in the starry sky.

Three hours later, at the edge of the NS Star Region

The last Blue Swarm warship exploded into pieces at the warp portal, and Hendeli Oz's thunder hammer was still stained with blue-gold blood.

He looked up at the center of the star field, panting heavily. Lister was hovering in the void, his Shadowless Blade sheathed, but the crimson killing intent surging around him had not yet completely subsided.

"Sir, the entire Blue Fleet has been wiped out, and seventeen prisoners have been taken to the Church of Mechanical Truth's interrogation room."

Lister nodded slightly.