LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 28: Chapter 28
Ashborn exhaled, then raised his hand… and brought it down. In an instant, the ground trembled as a shadow tsunami exploded forth, billions of shadow soldiers materializing at his command. The battlefield drowned in darkness as Asgard's forces were met with an overwhelming flood of shadows.
Boom!
The very fabric of reality trembled as Odin and Franklin clashed, shaking the Nine Realms to their core. The shockwaves of their battle tore through space, sending ripples across the multiverse itself.
"He's stronger…" Thor whispered, eyes wide in disbelief.
"I expected as much," Ashborn replied, watching the battlefield unfold. "A zombified Odin who doesn't need to sleep… that means an Odin operating at 100% at all times. Although it kind of make no sense since the Odin sleep is needed to replenish his powers"
Odin, wielding the full might of the Odin Force, was an unstoppable force. But Franklin, even in a weakened state, was no mere opponent. His unmatched reality-warping abilities allowed him to stand on equal ground with the All-Father.
Their battle was beyond anything the Nine Realms had ever witnessed. Every collision sent violent shockwaves across the cosmos, distorting space, shattering dimensions, and shaking even the most ancient planes of existence.
Odin was anything but weak. This was a being who stood just short of the likes of Galactus.
"They're evenly matched," Ashborn observed with a grin, watching Franklin and Odin clash as equals. He couldn't help but wonder—just how powerful was a fully grown Franklin Richards?
Even now, with only 1% of his true strength, Franklin was only 1% the strength of a Celestials. Yet he was holding his own against Odin at full power.
Ashborn moved. In an instant, he vanished from sight and sense. His presence erased so thoroughly that not even the All-Father noticed. Only Heimdall, gifted with his unparalleled sight, sensed the danger.
"All-Father, behind you!" Heimdall roared. Odin barely turned in time—just as Ashborn's blade cut through his divine magic and into his skull.
There was no resistance. Not even the might of the Odin Force could stand against Ashborn's weapon. His gear was too powerful.
"I feared he might self-destruct or something," Ashborn muttered, stabbing his palm into Odin's chest as he began to absorb the Odin Force.
Golden energy burst from Odin's body, flowing into Ashborn's veins. His eyes flared with divine power, but within seconds, the glow darkened—shadows coiling off them like steam.
[Gained a new energy, born from the fusion of multiple divinities—creating a force beyond any single god. This energy has been converted into a form that best suits the host… [Umbrakinesis] has evolved into [Shadow Monarch Force]
As the power settled within him, Ashborn could feel it—raw, limitless potential. He no longer needed [Ruler's Authority] to fly. Strength surged through him, his entire being elevated by the fusion of darkness and divinity.
Though still weaker than Odin at his peak, Ashborn now stood as a true powerhouse in his own right.
[The host has reached the peak of his physical capability. Further growth is now only possible through the mastery of his abilities, the evolution of his power, and the expansion of his shadow army. While temporary power boosts can be obtained, this is the host's baseline strength.]
Ashborn exhaled sharply, irritation flickering across his face.
'So I can't just steal energy to grow stronger anymore? What a pain.' Shaking his head, he turned his focus back to the battlefield. With a single motion of his hand, a surge of his newfound power ripped through Asgard, obliterating every remaining zombie in an instant.
"Arise!" Ashborn's voice echoed through Asgard, and for a moment, time itself seemed to freeze. Then—a wave of darkness erupted from Odin's fallen form, engulfing the battlefield.
The shadows churned and twisted, and when they finally settled, a towering figure stood amidst the black mist. A newborn shadow, clad in regal armor, let out a roar so powerful it rippled across the entire multiverse.
Without sigh Ashborn patted Odin shoulders beefore he landed on the ground, before walking forward, his steps steady as he made his way toward Odin's throne room.
"Go. Slaughter every zombie in your path and turn them into shadows." Ashborn's voice was calm but carried an undeniable command. "Find Loki as soon as possible and turn him into a shadow. Odin, Franklin, search the Nine Realms and convert every zombie you encounter."
Without hesitation, the shadows dispersed, their figures vanishing into the darkness, spreading across the realms like an unstoppable tide.
Ashborn exhaled, crossing his arms as he gazed toward the horizon. There was nothing more to do now but expand his army… and wait for Gorr.
Elsewhere in the Nine Realms… On a distant, forsaken planet drenched in darkness, Gorr the God Butcher convulsed violently, his screams muffled against the dead soil. The All-Black Necrosword pulsed with raw, unfathomable energy, black tendrils slithering over his skin, digging into his flesh, reshaping his very being at a genetic level.
"I gift you my power. In return… bring me the new god. Ashborn Blackheart." The voice echoed within the zombified Gorr's mind, a sound so vast and deep it crushed all other thoughts.
Gorr's body seized violently. A scream tore from his throat, raw and unrelenting, as something ancient and unnatural slithered through his veins.
"I hold the genetic codes of billions across the multiverse…" The voice resonated, every syllable warping Gorr's very essence. "I shall reshape you into the ultimate lifeform. Something even gods and celestials fear."
Gorr's screams intensified. His body tore itself apart, flesh twisting, bones snapping, muscles unraveling, only to reform, stronger, more perfect than before.
Long, jagged wings burst from his back, blacker than the void itself. His muscles coiled with newfound strength, his senses sharpened beyond mortal comprehension. With a single careless movement, the sheer force of his presence shook the planet's core, nearly pushing it to the brink of destruction…