Chapter 1622 Ultimate Reverse Author's Note: Unedited Chapter --------------------- The Xyfect remained silent for a moment, their gazes piercing. Finally, one of them spoke, its voice like a cold wind. "So be it. But do not mistake our restraint for weakness. You have been warned." "Yeah, we're not stopping. We're saving the universe regardless," Ria stated. One of the beings, its voice deep and resonant, stepped forward. Its shape constantly morphed, shifting between humanoid, beastly, and forms beyond comprehension. "We cloned the teal-green planet for a reason. The sword is not meant to be found. It must remain where it is, forever beyond reach." Endric's voice was steady, though his resolve burned with intensity. "You can make all the copies you want. It doesn't matter. We'll find it and bring it back." Another of the beings, its face featureless except for two glowing eyes, tilted its head. "Are you challenging us, child? Do you truly understand the depth of your arrogance?" Endric clenched his fists and his forehead glowing faintly as Husarius witnessed the scene as well. "I understand that my brother—" he paused with unyielding conviction, "will save this universe. And if you think we'll back down, you're sorely mistaken. In fact, you will tell us the real location of the sword or we're not leaving." Ria smirked. "Well, it's been a while since we've had a real challenge. Why not? Let's get our butts kicked gloriously." Sersi stepped forward, her voice cold yet determined. "You think you can scare us? You're mistaken. We've fought beings stronger than us before. We're not running." The first cosmic superior being sighed, almost as if this was a chore. "So be it. We will teach you the folly of your defiance. You will leave here broken, or you will leave here dead." Time seemed to slow as the three of them lunged forward, their combined energy lighting up the void like a supernova. Endric led the charge, his time candidate powers creating echoes of himself, each one attacking from a slightly different point in time. "Husarius, give me everything," Endric muttered as he unleashed a telekinetic wave that cracked the void itself. Ria followed close behind, his body glowing as he transformed the barren ground beneath them into jagged spikes that rose like a tidal wave, attempting to ensnare the cosmic superior being. Sersi, staying at a distance, unleashed a barrage of freezing shards from her fingertips, each one carrying the intensity of an arctic storm. The cosmic superior being moved without effort, waving a hand as the attacks dissolved into harmless sparks. "Child's play." Reality twisted. The ground turned to flowing liquid beneath their feet, forcing them to leap and dodge as the terrain shifted unpredictably. The cosmic superior being flicked its hand, and their combined attacks morphed into harmless bubbles, floating away and popping in the air. "Are you even trying?" it asked mockingly with its voice reverberating through their minds. The air shimmered as the cosmic superior being created a domain. Endric, Ria, and Sersi were suddenly suspended mid-air as the laws of gravity reversed. Then, just as quickly, they were slammed back to the ground with an earth-shaking impact. "We can't let it control the field!" Endric shouted while activating his time candidate ability. A glowing green rune appeared on his forehead, and the domain began to slow, its effects partially countered as he manipulated the flow of time. "I've got your back, Endric!" Ria called out, transforming the falling debris into floating platforms for them to stand on. Sersi unleashed another frost attack, her shards forming jagged walls of ice that she hurled at their opponent. The cosmic superior being casually shattered the ice with a flick of its wrist, sending the shards flying back at them. Endric blinked forward, appearing behind the cosmic superior being and striking with a concentrated burst of telekinetic energy. For the first time, the being staggered slightly. "Gotcha, didn't I?" Endric smirked. The being turned to him as its glowing eyes narrowed. "Amusing. But futile." It waved its hand, and Endric's telekinetic wave turned into a flock of birds, scattering into the void. "What the hell?" Endric muttered as he dodged a retaliatory strike. The air around him warped as if it were liquid. Ria lunged forward with his hands glowing as he transformed the birds into sharp spears of stone, hurtling them toward the being. The cosmic superior being stopped them mid-air with a glance and sent them back with triple the speed. Ria barely managed to deflect them with a shield of compressed earth. "We're out of our league here, Endric!" Ria shouted as sweat dripped from his brow. "Not giving up!" Endric replied while narrowing his eyes. Sersi joined in, her frost abilities creating a massive glacier that she slammed down toward the being. The cosmic superior being raised a hand, and the glacier shattered into harmless snowflakes. "Impressive teamwork. But not enough." Bruised and battered, Endric stood alone as Sersi and Ria were thrown back by a shockwave. His green rune glowed brighter as he summoned the last of his strength. "If you think I'll stop now, you don't know me. I'm not fighting for myself. I'm fighting for my brother and for this universe." The being tilted its head. "Your conviction is admirable. But conviction alone cannot defeat me. In the face of true power... conviction is utterly useless." Endric charged as his telekinetic power surged with newfound intensity. He created a vortex of compressed energy around the being, forcing it to exert more effort than before. For a moment, it looked as though Endric might have gained the upper hand... as though the being was getting crushed by telekinesis compression on all sides... But the cosmic superior being simply smirked, and with a single motion, it unraveled the vortex and sent Endric hurtling to the ground. All three of them lay on the ground, breathing heavily and unable to move. The cosmic superior being floated above them, unscathed and unimpressed. "You've proven your determination. But that is all. Leave now, while you still have your lives." Endric suddenly began to laugh causing the being to look unnerved. "Is this what you call resilience? Laughter in the face of annihilation? Have you finally lost your mind, child? What a pity." The being's voice was calm, mocking, but laced with curiosity. To its surprise, Endric laughed even harder, letting out deep sounds that echoed across the crystalline expanse. Despite the bruises on his face and the exhaustion in his limbs, he laughed harder and harder. "What are you laughing at? Your defeat? Your imminent death? Speak, child!" The cosmic being's tone shifted to irritation. Endric grinned through bloodied lips. "No, no, no... not that. I'm laughing because... because... I've got you exactly where I want you." The cosmic superior being's glowing eyes narrowed. "You dare mock me? Foolishness. No matter. I will end this charade now—" Before it could finish, a sudden ripple in the air behind it caused it to pause. A figure materialized out of thin air, a faint distortion pulling it into existence like a mirage. It was an identical copy of Endric, a time clone. And it stood behind the being, completely unnoticed until now. He placed his hand on the cosmic superior being shoulder from behind, causing it to flinch a little. Never had it for a thousand years been snuck up on like this successfully. The cosmic superior being turned slightly as its light flickered in confusion. "What is this trickery? Impossible! How—?" "Oh, meet my friend. He's been hanging around, just outside of your grasp. You couldn't sense him because—well, let's just say you're not as infallible as you think." Endric's grin widened. The cosmic superior being's light dimmed slightly as its confusion deepened. "Even if I didn't sense it, I would've known. You couldn't possibly—" "Husarius, care to explain?" Endric interjected as his voice dripped with confidence. A deep, resonant voice echoed from within him, emanating from the glowing green rune on his forehead. "I masked the clone's presence. Even for one as 'superior' as you, certain subtleties can go unnoticed when time itself bends to my will." The cosmic superior being recoiled slightly. "You dare? You—" Before it could act, the crystalline realm seemed to tremble as a powerful, time-altering energy rippled through the air through the clone's hand placed on its shoulder. "Ultimate reverse," the clone said softly. The cosmic superior being's form instantly began to distort. Its shimmering light flickered violently, and an overwhelming sense of panic emanated from it. "What... what are you doing?! Stop this at once! I command you!" Endric pushed himself to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Oh, I would if I could. But you see, this little trick of mine? It's already in motion. You've been giving me all the time I needed to make it work. Every clash, every attack—it was all to meet the requirements." The cosmic superior being's light grew dimmer as it began to shrink. Its body contorted as its form reverted. Glowing runes that once adorned its figure disappeared. Its once-invincible presence began to falter. "This is impossible! I am beyond time! Beyond your mortal grasp!" it roared, but the roar turned to desperation as its voice began to weaken. "Yeah, yeah, you're superior. We get it. But here's the thing—when time is your weapon, nothing is truly beyond reach." Endric's voice was steady now, filled with cold satisfaction.