Thanks to the clumsy intervention of Garon's impromptu ally, the Primordial Shadow managed to escape into another main material world.
Under the night sky, with dim moonlight and starlight, darkness and shadows prevailed everywhere.
In this world, Tamara, the Dragon of Life, was locked in combat with a Primeval Wild God.
As a Dragon God, Tamara was not primarily a combatant, but this was only in comparison to other Dragon Gods. Her battle prowess was still formidable when compared to ordinary deities.
Tamara, who appeared like a beautiful silver dragon, was currently suppressing her opponent, a Wild God with a form resembling a wisp of silk.
Suddenly.
From the shadows cast by the wings of the Dragon of Life, the Primordial Shadow leapt out like a bolt of dark lightning, silently slashing towards Tamara's neck.
This Primordial Shadow was the same one that had just fled from Garon's radiant light.
Brazenly, it attempted another god-slaying strike the moment it escaped, this time targeting a Dragon God.
Nourished by the pervasive shadows of the night, the Shadow's previously diminished darkness was beginning to regenerate, though it was not yet fully restored.
Still in a weakened state, its ambush was less potent and was swiftly detected by Tamara.
The Dragon of Life's wings flared, emitting a soft light that exposed the Primordial Shadow's form.
Tamara, among her divine powers, wielded the domain of light.
Although her light domain wasn't as lethal to the Primordial Shadow as Garon's solar domain, it was still effective enough to harm the Shadow, especially given its current weakened condition.
Upon seeing the encroaching light, the Primordial Shadow swiftly retreated, abandoning its attack without hesitation.
One missed strike.
True to its usual tactics, the Primordial Shadow immediately fled to the nearest shadow.
Buzz! A brilliant white blaze rose from the river of time, flooding the world with dazzling light. The night instantly transformed into a bright day.
Simultaneously, layers of dark shadows receded.
"Where do you think you're going?"
A deep voice echoed beside the Primordial Shadow's ear.
The shadows surrounding the Primordial Shadow twisted violently; it felt as though it had encountered a ghost.
As an ancient being from the Primordial Era, the Primordial Shadow was accustomed to being elusive and untouchable, able to slip into shadows and traverse different planes freely. The barriers between worlds were virtually nonexistent for it.
It hadn't expected such a relentless pursuit from its adversary.
With one last strip of shadow on the ground yet to fade, the Primordial Shadow abandoned Tamara and dove into it, escaping to the next material world.
Realizing Garon's relentless determination, this time it chose not to attack any other gods along the way.
It specifically picked another shadowy world, one under the cover of night.
However, unlike many worlds ravaged by the war between gods and the Primeval, teetering on the brink of collapse, this world was still peaceful.
The Primordial Shadow descended silently into a dense forest.
In an instant, it concealed all traces of itself, hiding in the dappled shadows formed by a leaf blocking the moonlight.
In the tranquil night, the gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the occasional growls of nocturnal creatures added to the deep stillness rather than breaking it.
No one knew an ancient being from the Primordial Era was hiding there.
Except for Garon.
Garon had locked onto the Primordial Shadow with his time mark. No matter which material world or even other dimensions it fled to, as long as it remained within the river of time, it couldn't escape Garon's pursuit.
At the same time, Garon employed the Eye of Time.
Under the observation of the Eye of Time, even before the Primordial Shadow decided where to go, Garon had already anticipated its move.
For a target that couldn't shake off his lock, Garon's gaze was unyielding.
What the Primordial Shadow believed to be flawless concealment was entirely exposed under Garon's scrutiny.
This time, Garon watched the Shadow's hiding place without acting rashly.
He analyzed the Shadow's speed in slipping into darkness, to determine the most precise moment to capture it.
Time flowed by.
The night breeze whispered, stars dimmed, and moons shone faintly.
After a while, the Primordial Shadow saw no sign of the pursuing silver dragon.
"My shadow walking is unparalleled."
The Primordial Shadow thought to itself, regaining its confidence.
Buzz! Just as the Primordial Shadow relaxed, another sun suddenly rose, at a speed defying natural laws, instantaneously replacing the dim moonlight, illuminating the night sky.
Creatures in this world were startled, gazing at the sky in confusion and awe at the sudden transformation from night to day.
A vast radiance spread out, dispelling the darkness and shadows within a few hundred kilometers centered around the Primordial Shadow.
Only the shadows clinging to the Primordial Shadow's form remained, twisting and sizzling under the intense sunlight.
Bathed in the searing solar light, the Primordial Shadow's entire being was once again filled with excruciating pain.
In the radiant world, the silver dragon spread its wings, emerging from the delicate ripples of the river of time. Simultaneously, without warning, a highly concentrated, tangible column of blazing white light descended from the heavens, aiming precisely at the Primordial Shadow's location.
Whoosh! The Primordial Shadow transformed into a streak of darkness, moving across the ground.
It sensed distant shadowy territories and tried to flee towards them.
But Garon's solar wings extended, blocking out the sky, moving in tandem with the Primordial Shadow. Boundless light continuously enveloped the Shadow, and beams of radiant light rained down, persistently targeting it.
This time, the Primordial Shadow experienced the feeling of being relentlessly pursued.
It realized that under the lock of the silver dragon, it was inching closer to death.
This time, Garon left it no escape route.
Simultaneously.
In another material world.
The red dragon Claudius was battling a giant Primeval Wild God composed of metal and steel.
During their fight, a Primordial Shadow was lurking, seeking an opportunity to ambush Claudius.
The presence of the Shadow made the red dragon feel incredibly frustrated.
"Red dragon, give up your resistance and submit to the power of the Primeval. I will keep you as a pet and spare your life."
The steel giant roared, swinging a massive punch.
In a one-on-one fight, the steel giant would be at a disadvantage against Claudius. But with the Primordial Shadow's interference, the Wild God was emboldened.
However, in the next moment, the Primordial Shadow suddenly vanished.
The persistent sense of danger that had weighed on Claudius' mind dissipated.
Slightly stunned, the red dragon's face twisted into a savage grin. Instead of retreating, he charged forward, engulfed in flames, unleashing his long-suppressed fury and shaking the heavens with his power.
Not just here.
In other material worlds, Primordial Shadows abruptly departed one by one.
The Shadows sensed the crisis their companion was facing.
This ancient race had been together since the Primordial Era, living and sleeping as one. They couldn't reproduce and were irreplaceable, making them fiercely protective of each other.
In ancient times, the death of four companions while assisting the Night Goddess had deeply affected them. They had not anticipated the changes in the multiverse that weakened them further, leading to their downfall. Otherwise, they would never have risked their lives for the Night Goddess.
Shadows pulsed with life.
One by one, the Primordial Shadows arrived in the material world where Garon was.
Including the one Garon was currently chasing, nine Primordial Shadows gathered in one world.
Shadows extended like tides, enveloping everything in their path, resisting the solar brilliance.
Whoosh! The nearly vanquished Primordial Shadow, with its body nearly dissolved, slipped into the shadows brought by its companions, breathing a sigh of relief.
Above, the silver dragon continued to emit dazzling solar light, its eyes fixed on the nine Primordial Shadows.
The gathered shadows formed a thick curtain, blocking the descending sunlight. Despite their limited range, they were still enveloped in the boundless solar light.
Garon smiled faintly, his voice cold. "Perfect, it was troublesome to hunt you down one by one."
"Gathering together saves me a lot of time."
The silver dragon stretched his neck, his time and solar wings spreading and flexing, as if preparing for a massive battle.
He was ready to take on all nine at once.
The Primordial Shadows were not ordinary Wild Gods. They were once terrifying foes to the gods, the Night Goddess's most formidable allies, the top assassins that even the Otherworld Dragons feared, beings born from the primordial darkness.
Meanwhile, shadows twisted like flames, and the nine Primordial Shadows looked up at the towering silver dragon.
Amidst the shadowy shroud, their monstrous forms grinned menacingly.
"Arrogant creature of a later era, we acknowledge your strength, but do you really think you can face us, the Primordial Shadows, alone?"
The Shadows' collective voice rippled with overlapping, confrontational intent.
"Such arrogance belongs to the ignorant. Your hubris will lead to your demise within the shadows."
Currently, the nine Shadows were of mid-level divine strength, though that wasn't their original limit.
Initially, all Primordial Shadows were of high divine strength. Now, reduced to mid-level, they were still formidable compared to other mid-level deities.
They could see that Garon, like them, was also of mid-level divine strength.
Even though the solar domain
was their nemesis, the combined strength of nine Primordial Shadows more than compensated for this weakness.
"It seems you're not running away anymore, even eager to test me."
"Nine of you together. I wonder how you compare to a high-level Primeval God."
The dragon's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the Shadows.
Under Garon's watch, the shadows merged and gathered.
In an instant, the nine Primordial Shadows fused into one.
In ancient times, the Primordial Shadows were allies of the Night Goddess, not her subordinates. When united, their collective power rivaled the Night Goddess at her peak.
Although their power had diminished over time, their combined strength was still formidable.
Visually, the combined Shadow didn't change much. It seemed as though nothing had happened.
The most noticeable difference was that the shadows surrounding its body became denser and more profound.
Ordinary solar light could no longer burn through these shadows. Instead, the shadows started to erode the light, creating expansive areas of darkness.
Boom! Under Garon's command, a solidified pillar of solar light descended from the sky.
The shadows twisted into blades, slashing at the solar pillar.
Crack, crack, crack. The pillar of solar light shattered into fragments, which continued to rain down upon the Primordial Shadow.
The Shadow's body blurred.
In the vision of ordinary beings, it seemed as though time itself had skipped frames.
One by one, the Shadow's afterimages trailed closely together, forming a continuous line of shadow that instantly reached the sky.
Hiss, hiss, hiss. In the next moment, it appeared as if thousands of Primordial Shadows simultaneously emerged around the silver dragon, launching a fierce and overwhelming assault.
Below, the numerous afterimages engulfed by the light fragments gradually dissipated.
"What incredible speed."
Garon's time-stopping field was already in place.
Even under the influence of time-stopping, the Primordial Shadow moved with astonishing speed, leaving trails of shadow that were tangible and deadly.
In mere moments, Garon felt as though he had been struck millions of times.
The Barrier of Ages was riddled with cracks, bearing the scars of shadow corrosion, and even Garon's dragon scales were marked.
These creatures could even erode time itself.
Yet to Garon, their attacks were still relatively weak.
With a brief reversal of time, the scales eroded by the shadows were restored to their pristine state.
Simultaneously, thick, indelible shadow marks appeared where the Primordial Shadow had moved. These shadow imprints allowed the Shadow to teleport instantly and unpredictably, enhancing its elusive maneuverability.
The partly gigantified solar wings glowed with brilliant white light, sweeping down like a celestial curtain.
Wherever they passed, the shadow marks left by the Primordial Shadow were erased.
The myriad Shadow figures scattered, merging into one entity and distancing themselves from the solar wings.
Although they could resist ordinary light, the Primordial Shadows, even united, avoided direct confrontation with the tangible manifestation of the solar domain.
"Time is not their enemy; the sun is."
With a thought, Garon's scales radiated with blinding white light, turning almost incandescent. The closer they were to him, the more intense the light, becoming nearly solid.
In this radiant realm, darkness and shadows had nowhere to hide.
Solar Domain: Scorching Light Field!
As the Scorching Light Field expanded, the Primordial Shadow's speed visibly decreased. Previously, it had moved so fast it exceeded Garon's perception.
"It seems no one ever taught you: an assassin should never stand before a warrior."
The silver dragon raised a claw.
Extraordinary divine power converged.
Within the dragon's formidable claw, accelerated by the power of time, a true sun formed instantaneously.
Boom! The sun detached from the dragon's claw, rapidly expanding to an immense size.
Under Garon's control, the sun locked onto the Primordial Shadow, emitting brilliant, majestic light to suppress its speed while hurtling towards it.
Moments ago, the Primordial Shadow had been aggressive, but now it was showing signs of weakness.
Yet, it was just one sun. The Shadow could still handle it, though it couldn't spare any effort to launch an aggressive attack against Garon.
Time and solar wings interwoven and flapping.
With a thought, Garon used his created sun as a target for overlapping spells.
Time power surged forth, merging the past streams of time with the present.
In an instant, ten suns appeared in the sky, pressing down on the Primordial Shadow.
This scene was reminiscent of the Ten Sun Killing Formation used by the gods of Sun and Evil Fire to bind the World Devourer.
Garon's mastery of the solar domain was substantial, though not on par with the gods of Sun and Evil Fire. Yet, by combining time power with the solar domain, he could create a similar effect to the Ten Sun Killing Formation.
The ten suns orbited around the Primordial Shadow, moving in a tight formation, layer upon layer, sealing off every possible escape route.
The combined radiance of the ten suns suppressed and weakened the Shadow.
Garon spared no divine power or time energy, using the solar domain's inherent advantage over the Primordial Shadow, swiftly putting it at a disadvantage.
To Garon, the united Primordial Shadows' attempt to fight him directly was a rash decision, abandoning their strengths for a momentary gain.
Although Garon didn't know much about the Primordial Shadows, his encounters with them revealed that they excelled in stealth and assassination, not in frontal combat.
Their speed was astonishing, even impressing Garon, but they were otherwise weaker in direct battle.
"It's over. Embrace your end in the sun you fear most."
The silver dragon gazed at the Primordial Shadows.
Under Garon's control, the ten suns closed in, compressing the space, leaving the Shadows with no place to hide.
"Garon Aurelian… we will forever mark you as our target, to assassinate you and all that you are connected to!"
In a whisper filled with malice, anger, and near madness.
The Primordial Shadow withstood a direct hit from one of the suns.
Boom! The dense shadow dispersed. The nine-merged Primordial Shadow shuddered, and two shadows detached, spreading out like a thick curtain, shrouding the sun that struck them and blocking the surrounding solar light.
The significantly weakened Shadow managed to escape the encirclement of the suns.
The next moment, rays of sunlight pierced through the shadowy shroud, accompanied by faint, mournful wails.
Two Primordial Shadows sacrificed themselves, burning away to create an escape route for their kin.
In Garon's platinum eyes, the escaping Shadow was reflected.
Emotions of sorrow and rage surged, the shadows around the Primordial Shadow dimmed significantly, and its aura weakened.
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