Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 179: Bam!

The stone crown atop his head flared with red light, and his fur ripped as he sprang into the air far faster than he could with his normal speed. He appeared behind Sevrix in midair and wrapped his hand around him, jerking the two of them down.

Bam!

They slammed into the ground, cracking it, but neither was affected. With Takoda’s fur rippling with essence, Sevrix didn’t get the chance to use his shadow steps. The hand around him was stronger than he was, leaving him to struggle in futility.

Takoda bellowed, "Now! Vale, now!"

Vale didn’t think twice. He turned his tower and focused his attention on the two figures. The fire orb glowed, then shot forward in a thick beam of fiery red light, straight at them!

Everything seemed to slow down. Takoda pushed Sevrix forward, the crown on his head shining the brightest, as if the Crimson Moon had descended upon them. His figure blurred, creating afterimages as his speed was enhanced to its highest.

The air around Sevrix darkened, and several hands rose up around him. One of the hands lifted his artifact, Deconstruct, just as the beam of condensed fire struck.

Bang!

The place where Sevrix had been standing exploded. The explosion spread, sending up smoke and fire, melting the ground as liquid fire jetted into the sky.

’.....he can’t survive that...’ Vale thought. With his essence drained, he quickly exited the tower and made it smaller, saving the remaining tower energy for further repairs.

The dust cleared, revealing a smoking, molten crater. Whatever remained of Sevrix must have been destroyed. Vale took a deep breath, feeling as if something heavy had been lifted from his shoulders.

He heard footsteps and saw Takoda approaching. The older man, already in his human form, was limping slightly. His face was weary, but his eyes were clear. He nodded solemnly at Vale. "Thank you for saving me the other time, Blessed Vale."

’....I should be the one thanking you!..’ Vale thought. He smiled. "It’s nothing. Without you and Pomora..."

Vale frowned and looked closely at Takoda. The darkness around him was unnaturally thick it hadn’t been there seconds ago. He opened his mouth, but the Master Knight must have read his expression because he twisted slightly.

But not fast enough.

A condensed blade of darkness materialized beside him and pierced his side from behind, missing his spine by only a few inches!

With a bellow, Takoda flung himself forward. The ground around him tore apart, rising into a jagged forest of spikes but no one was chasing him.

Vale watched in horror and stunned surprise as Sevrix appeared, stepping out of the shadows whole and healthy, definitely not burned or melted.

The man carried his artifact in one hand and smiled at them casually. "I wish you could see the looks on your faces."

Takoda grunted from within his spike forest, clutching his bleeding side. The wound should have healed by now, but it seemed Sevrix had used some kind of spell. "How?"

Sevrix snorted. "You people like to fight head-on with brute force, unlike us. We learn to fight with subtlety."

The moment the fire beam was fired and he was pushed forward, Sevrix had formed solid shadows to wield his artifact, directly erasing the first part of the attack. That had given him enough time to shadow-step to safety.

"I’ll kill you later, Takoda. It’s simply too pathetic to see you like this and not end you..." Sevrix trailed off, frowning as he looked up just as the others did.

A scream,mixed with a roar of fear and pain, tore through the air before being suddenly cut off.

Sevrix laughed. "Dienro fell in battle? Well, I won’t have to share the resources, then."

’...The Flagbearer of CrimsonHood is already dead?... That means Pomora should be arriving any moment now...’ Vale’s eyes lit up at the thought.

"She won’t come," Sevrix said flatly, killing whatever hope Vale had been clinging to. "She must be wounded as well. And now that things have turned out this way, it’ll be in her best interest to join me."

Vale’s heart sank. He couldn’t even fault that reasoning , if he were in her position, he didn’t think he’d react any differently. After all, Vale wasn’t that important to her.

’.....Ah, shit... So the trap we set wasn’t enough after all... This bastard is too strong...’ His heart began to beat faster. Cold sweat covered his forehead. His breath trembled as he inhaled.

But Sevrix must have had some doubts as well, because he raised his artifact, fixed his aim at Vale, and....

Sevrix froze solid.

He stood there like stone, body locked in place. Even his eyes remained open without blinking. If not for his senses, Vale might have thought the man had died standing but he could hear his heartbeat.

At first, he thought it was Pomora. But then he looked closer at Sevrix’s stiffened body and saw a white arrow, pale as bone, sticking out of his shoulder. He frowned. He hadn’t seen any arrow hit him, so how...?

Suddenly, a familiar laugh rang out, right before someone slammed into him from behind. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. The person clung to his back like a monkey, and he winced, knowing what was about to come.

"Vale! You were planning something like this and sent us away?! I should have known!"

Slya dropped down and stood in front of him, shaking her finger at him. In her other hand was a bow made of bones.

Vale grinned and pointed at Sevrix. "It all worked out, right?"

She scowled, then turned to look at the Flagbearer, still frozen in place. "This will hold him for a while."

"Good enough," Takoda said. He dispelled his forest of spikes and walked toward the other Flagbearer, his face heavy. He said nothing as he formed a stone club, raised it, and unceremoniously crushed Sevrix’s head.

Blood and brain matter splattered out, but the body didn’t move until the chief removed the white arrow. Only then did Sevrix’s body collapse with a thud.

Vale almost couldn’t believe it.

He had been the one about to die—then, just like that, the situation had reversed. So fast. So...

Vale shook his head. His thoughts felt empty, but relief made his body weak. He smiled.

The mission to eliminate the troublesome Flagbearer was successful!