Return Of The Strongest Player

"He doesn't have feats? The Leader of the Starbreakers does not have any feats? Do you know who he is, boy?"

The Blade Sovereign's expression grew distant, and a look of longing appeared on his face. A trace of nostalgia was visible. He reminisced about the past, crossing his arms. A faint smile blossomed on his face, but he was quick to wipe it.

Suddenly, he grimaced. "You… I didn't realize it before, your soul… it's smaller."

"Smaller?" Arthur inquired.

"It's smaller than what regular humans possess," the Blade Sovereign explained, approaching the crimson-eyed man. He extended an arm, and although Arthur grew wary, he did not resist his advance.

The Blade Sovereign's somewhat veiny palm touched Arthur's abdomen. Immediately, Arthur's body began disintegrating, causing the latter to resist. However, the Blade Sovereign remained silent, continuing the process.

Eventually, Arthur's body vanished, leaving behind a wisp that seemed akin to a floating flame.

Suddenly, Arthur's body re-formed a few meters away from the wisp. He took a deep breath to process what had just occurred, but due to his indifference to the concept of death, it didn't take long.

He was drawn to the wisp-like flame.

He extended his arm, but the Blade Sovereign frowned, shaking his head. "Do not touch your own soul, child. Any contact will cause a disfiguration. You are currently in a soulless body, so do not play with your own existence."

Arthur nodded, yet his gaze never left his soul. It was a mixture of purple and black and seemed to burn fiercely. Its embers seemed to be capable of burning down a city.

"Your soul is more potent than a regular human, and could possibly compare to that of a Divine Ranker of my age. However, the size, the compactness… It's as if your soul is deliberately reducing its size to prevent harming your body and mind."

The Blade Sovereign continued. He walked forward, placing his hand underneath the flame. However, he was careful not to touch it and simply made it levitate. "I can only assume this is the product of reincarnation… or regression…"

Arthur's eyes widened slightly, but he masked his emotions. The Blade Sovereign didn't seem to notice his change in expression, as his gaze remained on Arthur's soul. 'How the fuck… Were the Starbreakers truly Gods?'

"Remember, I can read minds. I know about your regression, child," said the Blade Sovereign without a change in his expression. It was as if the matter was not concerning at all, as if it were a regular occurrence. "But the reason… I cannot reveal that."

In truth, even the Blade Sovereign was not certain. But he had an unclear idea. 'Could it be…'

Suddenly, lightning crackled, and clouds clouded the sky, obstructing the peaceful warmth of the Sun. The lightning was of a vibrant, amethyst hue, and seemed capable of destroying an entire world.

"It seems I have run out of time…"

Arthur grew surprised. "About your legacy…"

"My spirit will guide you through it," the Blade Sovereign interrupted, nodding while adopting a reassuring expression. Suddenly, his body exploded into several swords that flew at terrifying speeds toward the sky, merging with the world itself.

Arthur felt the world spin and his eyes shut. When they reopened, he realized he'd returned to his original body. His soul seemed to burn endlessly, and this time, he could sense its power and intensity.

'Small…' 

While processing the information the Blade Sovereign had passed onto him, Arthur sensed the arrival of a completely different entity. His appearance was identical to the Blade Sovereign, but they were not the same.

'So this is his spirit.'

'It looks pretty similar, but the main part that makes him 'him' is missing… The oppressive power that he involuntarily exudes. Even while compressing his aura, the Blade Sovereign is like a God… but he said he was mortal.'

'Also, the Enigma Of Space And Time… he was the leader of the Starbreakers? Did he truly have feats?'

Despite his former influence over the tower, Arthur was unbeknownst to the records of history. As a relatively new worldly power, he was not nearly as wise as the other Divine Rankers, and neither was he interested in history.

Arthur's knowledge of history was only on a surface level.

The Spirit of the Blade Sovereign walked forward, unsheathing a sword that seemed almost divine. With a shining, silver blade and a gold hilt filled with strange, seemingly ancient markings, it was absolutely beautiful.

It was Celestial.

The Spirit of the Blade Sovereign raised the sword, and Arthur felt tremendous pressure weighing down on his shoulders.

Then, a soothing voice entered the crimson-eyed man's ears.

"Divine Heavensplitting Resonance Art."

With those words, the Spirit of the Blade Sovereign performed five movements; only five. They seemed rather ordinary, with only a minuscule amount of power behind each strike and movement. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth. 

Arthur narrowed his eyes, realizing the strikes were not extraordinarily powerful. He truly sensed nothing out of the ordinary, as if they were performed by a novice swordsman.

But at that moment, his head shot back, while his eyes rolled up. Only his sclera was visible. A scream escaped his lips, while his vision went black. Then, on a blank canvas, several different colors of paint were tossed.

*

The pillars shattered, while the cries of millions, billions, or even trillions filled the area. The screams of agony, pain, and suffering were audible. Flames spilled across the towns, burning them to a crisp.

Powerful winds blew in all directions, originating from the 98th floor and progressing down to the 70th floor.

Many Divine Rankers, High Rankers, and Rankers attempted to contain the destruction but were all unsuccessful in doing so. Many billions of people were wiped out in an instant, and while most blamed it on "Divine Retribution," only a few were aware of the true reason for such destruction.

Only those at the pinnacle of the tower had witnessed the situation, the movements, and the power held in five strikes. Merely five. 

The origin? The Blade Sovereign.

The means? Divine Heavensplitting Resonance Art.