Chapter 442 Another Time
Vangel didn't reply, and his reaction seemed a bit off. Knowing him, he was supposed to get pissed beyond reason, and yet…
"Unless you saw that I surpassed you pretty soon, and that won't let you live for long," Aion said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This seems correct as well."
A flicker of annoyance danced across Vangel's face as Aion's words struck a nerve. The corners of his lips curled into a subtle frown, and an audible click of his tongue echoed in the air. It was a small but telling sign of Vangel's frustration.
Aion's astute observation had hit the mark, uncovering the truth that Vangel had hoped to keep concealed. Vangel's carefully guarded intentions were laid bare before his adversary, and it irked him to see his plans exposed so easily.
"It doesn't matter, I already know how to kill you, and I just need to make sure to take most of it," Vangel said. "Don't disappoint me, or I kill them a lot sooner than I had planned."
Aion's anger surged through him like an uncontrollable wildfire, fueling his every fiber with an intense heat. His fists clenched tightly, his muscles trembling with an explosive energy. As his rage consumed him, a chilling sensation crept up his spine, causing his body to shudder with an unsettling force.
Amidst the seething fury, a foreboding presence slithered its way into Aion's consciousness. It was an insidious force, an otherworldly essence that coiled within him like a venomous serpent. The once familiar sensations of his own body seemed distorted as if an intruder had taken residence within.
Aion felt his bones creaking under the weight of his mounting anger as if the sheer intensity of his emotions threatened to fracture his very being. The cracks reverberated through his limbs, a physical manifestation of the inner turmoil that consumed him. It was as though the energy within him had become too great to be contained, threatening to burst forth with cataclysmic force.
"Hah, it is finally awakening, huh," Vangel smiled once again. "Better late than never."
Aion's heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of trepidation and defiance coursing through his veins. Within the depths of his being, he could sense the unmistakable presence of Tenebres, the embodiment of darkness and malevolence. It was an energy that stirred unease within him, a reminder of the immense power that threatened to corrupt and consume.
But alongside Tenebres' looming presence, there was something else. Aion couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that another force lurked within him, intertwined with the malefic essence. It was an energy that felt familiar, tainted with the essence of Vangel, the very adversary he had clashed with relentlessly.
As he pondered this disturbing realization, a chilling thought dawned upon him: Vangel had orchestrated this intricate scheme, manipulating events to turn Aion into a pawn or seize control over his body. The revelation sent a shiver down his spine, a cold realization of the depths to which his enemy would stoop to achieve his nefarious goals.
"... You are really pathetic," Aion muttered.
"What about it? Results are everything," Vangel said while shrugging. "You kept your pride and failed to protect this world in the end. Do you want others to follow the same path too? Just let the anger consume you; it will make things easier for everyone. You are unnecessary in this world."
Vangel's cunning mind schemed relentlessly, fueled by a desire for power and control. While he relished the prospect of a formidable adversary in Aion, he harbored a deeper ulterior motive. Behind his façade of challenging Aion to push him to new heights, Vangel's true aim was to exploit the potential locked within Aion's very being.
He understood that there was something unique about Aion, something that had caught the attention of Malon, a figure of great significance. Vangel yearned to uncover the truth behind Malon's choice, to delve into the depths of Aion's memories and traits. He hungered for the knowledge and power that lay within, a treasure trove waiting to be discovered.
To Vangel, the prospect of seizing control over Aion's body was a gateway to unrivaled insights and abilities. By assimilating Aion's memories and traits, he believed he would gain access to a wealth of knowledge and experiences that would further his own ambitions. It was a tantalizing opportunity to wield even greater power, to unlock the secrets of Aion's past and the mysteries that lay within.
In his twisted mind, Vangel saw himself as the rightful inheritor of Aion's essence, a usurper seeking to claim the spoils of victory for himself. He sought to understand the enigmatic puzzle that Aion represented, to grasp the purpose behind Malon's choice and the hidden potential that resided within.
As Vangel contemplated this sinister plan, his ambition burned brighter, fueled by the thirst for knowledge and domination. He reveled in the notion of subjugating Aion's identity, of bending it to his will and extracting every ounce of power and insight it held. To him, it was not only a means to surpass his own limitations but also a chance to unravel the threads of destiny itself.
"Hehehe, hahaha!" Aion laughed. "You are something else… living in a future like that, I thought that you would learn a thing or two, but you didn't learn anything truly useful. Let's end this, asshole. Do you want to see me become a puppet or a vessel? Then choose the best place for that to happen. A place where your plan will make things more convenient for you."
"There is no point in hurrying to that, but I suppose that will be more convenient for me," Vangel said while studying and trying to understand what he was planning and where his confidence was coming from. "In that case, let's fight in the future that you built just around the time you died."
As expected of Vangel, that level of nastiness sure befitted him. Still, Aion couldn't say that he wasn't curious about the future of the world. He saw the aftermath five hundred years in the future, but he didn't see the period where he died…
Vangel opened a rift that connected to the world with a flick of his fingers. Both of them jumped in without hesitation. Thanks to it, Aion was left speechless when he saw things around…