NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Chapter 22 – Clash of the Heavens ---
The Sky Burns – Celestial Invasion Begins
The heavens split apart, revealing a golden rift from which divine warriors poured forth. Tens of thousands of celestial beings descended upon the Tower like an unstoppable flood. The ground trembled beneath their arrival, and the air shimmered with divine energy.
> DING!
[WORLD EVENT: CELESTIAL INVASION HAS BEGUN!]
[ALL CHALLENGERS MAY ENGAGE OR FLEE—CHOOSE YOUR FATE.]
Above them all, standing at the forefront, was a being of pure radiance. His golden armor radiated holy power, his wings stretched wide, commanding fear and awe. His eyes, like burning suns, locked onto Aric.
> [NEW THREAT DETECTED – ARCHANGEL METATRON]
[RANK: LEGENDARY]
[POWER LEVEL – UNKNOWN]
Metatron's voice rang like a celestial bell, shaking the Tower itself.
> "Aric Valen, the Irregular, the Blasphemer—your existence ends here."
Aric merely grinned, his abyssal aura swallowing the divine pressure around him. The gods had come for him, but they had vastly underestimated him.
---
The First Strike – Aric vs. Metatron
Without hesitation, Metatron raised his sword, Lumen Divina, the blade of divine judgment. With a single motion, he slashed downward, sending a beam of pure holy destruction hurtling toward Aric. The ground split apart, vaporizing everything in its path.
But Aric vanished in a blur of shadows, reappearing behind the Archangel in an instant. His hand crackled with abyssal flames, and he drove his fist forward, aiming for Metatron's core.
CLANG!
Metatron turned just in time, blocking the strike with his armored forearm. The collision sent out a shockwave, leveling the surrounding battlefield. Challengers from all across the floor screamed as the sheer impact sent them flying.
> DING!
[NEW TITLE ACQUIRED: HEAVEN'S ENEMY]
[EFFECT: ALL DIVINE BEINGS RECEIVE A 20% DEBUFF IN YOUR PRESENCE.]
Metatron's eyes burned brighter.
> "You have defied the order of the gods for the last time!"
He spread his wings, and an explosion of light engulfed the battlefield. Divine energy surged, melting stone, evaporating water, and incinerating weaker challengers in an instant.
But when the light faded—
Aric stood unfazed.
> "That's all?"
He lifted his hand, and darkness erupted, coiling around his arm like a living force.
> "Then allow me to return the favor."
---
The War Erupts – The Faction War Begins
All across the battlefield, the war between the Celestial Army and Aric's rebellion exploded into chaos.
Titanus, Lord of the Colosseum, charged into the divine ranks, his massive fists crushing armored angels like paper.
Zerath, the Abyssal General, commanded legions of shadow beasts, tearing through the ranks of paladins.
Orion, the Celestial Betrayer, faced off against his former brethren, wielding stolen divine power against them.
Kaira, the Shadow Huntress, struck from the darkness, assassinating high-ranking commanders.
> DING!
[FACTION WAR UPDATE – REBELLION GAINING MOMENTUM!]
[LOYALIST FORCES STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN FORMATION!]
But the Celestial Army was far from weak. For every challenger that struck them down, a new angel descended to replace them. Their divine regeneration was overwhelming.
Seeing this, Aric smirked. It was time to change the battlefield.
---
Aric's Ultimate Move – Devouring the Light
Metatron lunged at him, wings coated in divine fire, aiming to sever Aric's very existence from reality.
Aric didn't move.
Instead—his eyes glowed black and gold, and a massive rift of abyssal energy opened behind him.
A void of infinite darkness stretched out, swallowing everything in its path. The divine energy in the air was absorbed instantly.
> DING!
[INFINITE CREATION – ABSOLUTE NULLIFICATION ACTIVATED!]
[ALL DIVINE ENERGY WITHIN 1 KM WILL BE ERASED!]
The battlefield shifted.
The Celestial Army weakened instantly. Their power, drawn from the gods, was being devoured.
> DING!
[FACTION WAR UPDATE – REBELLION NOW IN CONTROL!]
Metatron stumbled, his golden armor fading, his power diminishing.
Aric stepped forward. He was done playing.
> "Tell your gods—I'm coming for them next."
With a single motion, he punched straight through Metatron's chest.
BOOM!
The Archangel let out a final cry as his form exploded into divine mist.
> DING!
[ARCHANGEL METATRON – DEFEATED!]
[FACTION WAR STATUS – REBELLION VICTORIOUS IN FIRST SKIRMISH!]
As the golden mist of Metatron's destruction faded, the remaining angels hesitated.
And then, one by one—
They fled.
---
The Aftermath – A New Order
As the last of the Celestial Army retreated, silence fell over the battlefield. The Tower itself seemed to acknowledge the shift in power.
Aric turned to his forces—his army of rebels, warriors, and legends.
> "We've won the first battle. But the gods will return—stronger."
"So we will grow stronger too."
"This is just the beginning."
The Irregular Army had risen.
And the Tower would never be the same again.
> DING!
[NEW ERA UNLOCKED – AGE OF REBELLION]
[FACTION WAR SYSTEM UPDATED – NEW TERRITORIES AND REWARDS UNLOCKED!]
Aric grinned, gazing up at the sky, where the divine rift was slowly closing.
> "Next time, I'll tear open the gates of Heaven myself."
---
End of Chapter 22
Aric consolidates his new forces.
The Tower's rulers react to his victory.
New challengers arrive—some to join, others to kill him.