Penetration and Counter-Penetration

Without warning, Nexus suddenly fell from the air, landing on one knee.

A cold sensation rapidly spread through his body like an unchecked virus, infecting every particle of light within him.

Stardust floated over lightly, her feet suspended above the ground. Multicolored light shone through her energy-form body, various hues intertwining like a magnificent starry sky.

"Looks like it's already taking effect," she said calmly. "This is 'Atomic Penetration.' As you know, I can control every atom in my body and the energy contained within them. At the same time, I can permeate that energy into other objects. As for the components that make up my body... let's just say that the lifeforms in this universe probably aren't very capable of accepting them."

Richard more or less understood.

Whether it was the atoms or the energy that made up Stardust's body, they were things from the previous universe—matter that did not exist in this world. Put simply, to lifeforms in the current universe, they were like viruses at the atomic level, capable of infecting and eroding anything that existed.

In fact, the target was not limited to "living organisms." Whether dead matter or living things, as long as they existed in this universe, they could not escape this infection.

Stardust flicked her right hand, and a silver beam shot forth. Nexus rolled away on the spot, and the place where he had just been was instantly blasted into a towering cloud of dust. A transparent shockwave containing cosmic energy erupted, grinding the rocks and dirt suspended in midair into powder.

"Stop struggling. The more violently you struggle, the faster the penetration will accelerate, and the more you'll suffer," Stardust said flatly. "The more energy you expend, the easier it will be for the erosion to take hold."

Nexus ignored her.