The vast expanse of space hung silent and infinite around them, a cold void dotted with distant stars that seemed to watch the unfolding drama with indifferent twinkles. Suddenly, the attention of everyone in the vicinity was drawn sharply to Aaron, who floated effortlessly amid the emptiness, his posture exuding a refined elegance and an utterly fearless disposition that made him appear untouchable, like a sovereign lord surveying his domain without a hint of vulnerability.

"Who are you?" Dain demanded, his voice booming through the vacuum as he propelled himself forward with purposeful strides through the weightless environment. He closed the distance until he hovered just a few inches away from Aaron, his massive, hulking body completely dwarfing Aaron's slimmer frame. Dain's imposing stature loomed like a colossal shadow, his eyes glaring down with intense scrutiny, as if trying to intimidate Aaron into submission through sheer presence alone.

"Aaron Highborn. Conqueror of worlds and solar systems. Emperor of all," Aaron declared in one smooth, unbroken breath, his tone steady and composed, completely unshaken by the overwhelming and intimidating figure of Dain that towered before him like an unstoppable force of nature.

"What an arrogant man," Dain retorted with a sneer, his features twisting into a mix of disdain and challenge. "I hope your strength matches your arrogance," he added, his massive hand clenching tightly into a fist, the muscles rippling under his skin with raw power. Summoning a force immense enough to effortlessly shatter an entire planet into cosmic dust, he launched a devastating punch directly at Aaron, fully intending to crush him utterly in that single, overwhelming attack, leaving nothing but scattered remnants in the void.

"You don't need to worry about my strength," Aaron replied coolly, his voice laced with calm assurance that bordered on indifference. "On the other hand, you should worry about yours. Are you really strong enough to question my arrogance?" he asked, remaining utterly unfazed by the incoming assault from Dain, his expression serene as if the punch were nothing more than a gentle breeze in the endless space around them.

"Hmm?" Terry murmured curiously, his eyebrows arching upward in genuine intrigue as the intense confrontation between Aaron and Dain captured his full focus. Dain's enormous fist hung suspended in the air, infinitely close to Aaron's composed face, yet there was an eerie absence of any physical contact from the punch. It felt as though his fist was paradoxically both infinitely near to Aaron's features and, at the same time, infinitely distant, trapped in some inexplicable spatial anomaly that defied the laws of reality itself.

"It seems like we will be in for a surprise," Terry muttered under his breath, a subtle smile curling at the corners of his lips, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. All of his attention remained riveted on Aaron, drawn to the enigmatic figure who floated there with such unyielding poise amid the tension-filled void.

Dain wore an annoyed smile on his rugged face, convinced that Aaron was deliberately mocking him with this bizarre evasion, his pride stinging like a fresh wound in the cold silence of space.

With a frustrated grunt, Dain withdrew his arm, the muscles coiling like springs ready to unleash even greater fury. He prepared for another punch, but this time, he refused to rely solely on brute physical strength. Ethereal mana began to swirl and coalesce around Dain's powerful arm, infusing it with a shimmering, otherworldly energy that brought his innate ability surging to life, crackling with potent force that distorted the very air or lack thereof in the surrounding vacuum.

"Void punch," Dain bellowed in a deep, resonant voice that echoed through the emptiness, hurling another ferocious punch toward Aaron. The very fabric of space itself trembled and threatened to rupture under the sheer intensity of Dain's assault, a faint, ominous humming sound emanating from the point of impact as the source of the disturbance, vibrating through the void like a harbinger of destruction.

"I honestly do not have the time to play with you," Aaron stated matter-of-factly to Dain, his demeanor showing not even the slightest flicker of concern for the oncoming attack, as if it were a trivial annoyance in his grand scheme. "But she will," he added cryptically, his eyes glinting with a knowing confidence.

Boom!

A tremendous sonic boom erupted from the sudden collision of Dain's attack, the shockwave rippling outward through space, disturbing nearby asteroids and sending faint echoes of energy pulsing into the distance.

"What is the meaning of this, Riea?" Dain snarled, whipping around to face Riea with a cold, deeply annoyed expression etched across his features, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "Now is not the time for you to be opposing me. As you can see, I'm dealing with someone," Dain added, his tone laced with growing impatience as he gestured vaguely toward Aaron.

His powerful punch had been thwarted by an unyielding solid wall of blood, crimson shards of the hardened substance scattering harmlessly into the void like shattered rubies glinting under starlight. Yet the blood wall held firm and resolute, an impenetrable barrier standing steadfast between Aaron and the full brunt of Dain's ferocious attack, its surface pulsing faintly with latent energy.

"I'm sorry," Riea replied earnestly, her voice steady despite the tension. "I can't let you hurt him. And honestly, I don't know the reason either. But I just know I can't let you hurt him," she informed them, gliding gracefully through the space toward Dain and Aaron until she positioned herself directly between them, adopting the stance of a vigilant guard shielding Aaron from any potential harm from Dain. Her vast armies of blood fairies followed suit, fluttering through the void with ethereal wings, converging around Aaron to form a intricate protective formation, their tiny forms shimmering with a reddish glow that created a living shield of loyalty and power.

"I know you hate me, and you are desperate for a reason to fight with me, but now's not the time for your shenanigans," Dain warned once more, his annoyance escalating into a simmering anger that made his massive frame tense even further in the weightless expanse.

"Like I said, I can't let you hurt him," Riea reiterated firmly, her gaze occasionally stealing quick, curious glances toward Aaron. She couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, but an inexplicable strange connection pulsed between her and Aaron, a bond that stirred deep within her essence. This connection compelled her to feel an absolute, unwavering loyalty toward him, an instinctual drive to never defy or cause him harm in any way. It resonated more like a sacred, unbreakable bond than anything else, the puzzling sensation leaving her mind swirling with confusion and unanswered questions amid the starry backdrop.

Aaron, too, had sensed the profound connection weaving between them, but unlike Riea who grappled with bewilderment, it was easy for him to piece together the source of this enigmatic link—his night father's ancient bloodline.

It marked the first time Aaron had experienced such a potent connection with someone he had absolutely no prior interaction with whatsoever, the sensation sparking a thrill of excitement within him, like discovering a hidden reservoir of influence in the vast cosmic tapestry.

To explore and test the boundaries of this newfound connection, Aaron silently issued a telepathic command to Riea and her entire army, instructing them to defend him vigilantly and to retaliate swiftly against anyone who displayed even the slightest form of aggressiveness toward him, his mind weaving the directive with effortless precision.

"You leave me no choice, Riea," Dain declared with finality, his voice heavy with resolve. "I will have to crush you first, then go on to crush the one you are trying to protect," he pronounced, surging forward through space with blinding speed, his intent crystal clear, to utterly demolish the delicate blood fairy before turning his wrath elsewhere.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.