The Transmigrated Author

Aura Technique... Advanced... Dominance.

Dominance Aura is a rare ability that projects a person's presence with the intent to overwhelm and crush the will of their opponent.

Those who experience Dominance Aura at its peak either grow stronger or perish, as a confrontation between users often ends in death.

It is a technique that defies conventional learning, bestowed not by teachers or texts, but by the crucible of existence itself.

Those who have tasted the bitter sting of hardship or stared into the abyss of death may find themselves graced with this power.

Yet even these trials offer no guarantee.

Dominance is not a reward for suffering, nor a consolation for survival.

It is the mark of a soul that stands apart, chosen by a force beyond mortal comprehension.

The Greater Will.

A cosmic entity whose existence is intertwined with that of the strongest soul, bound to the destiny of our protagonist.

It is a power that bestows gifts upon those who have fallen in the wake of his reincarnation, a power that ignites envy in the hearts of the rich and the powerful.

When his Dominance Aura awakens.

The power balance will shift permanently, as Jan Ates will soon rise to become the strongest within the next few years.

This is what the story should look like as of now.

What concerns me is that the vision of seeing that 'ideal' ending even exists.

There's not much I can do; I'll just try my best to guide and interfere when I can since I'm the author after all."

WOM!!!

As golden flashes of light pulsed from behind the double doors, a heavy pressure settled in my chest.

"He must've awakened it," I thought.

I was expecting Jan to start awakening his dominance around this time, and fortunately, it looks like it's finally happening.

His efforts against the Sunlit King won't be in vain after all.

I never misplaced my hope in him because I have always been the strongest believer in my own creations.

But now that the real battle has just begun, it's just a matter of whether he'll be able to grow fast enough to adapt to the king in battle.

However, I feel that the timing of his awakening window and the arrival of the fodder check might not go according to plan.

So, I wouldn't want to stall any processes, but I'd rather not let any monster hinder the progression of our own protagonist.

Tap...tap...tap...

Footsteps echoed from the depths of the dark corridor behind me.

"—KEKE, we musssst be close to the bossss room!"

A voice slithered through the air, its tone hinting at intelligence and a chilling malevolence.

"—Mumu... I heard that we get massive rewards from unclaimed dungeons in the east."

Another voice, deeper and more guttural, spoke. The atmosphere shifted, a palpable darkness seeping into the very air. This energy was corrupting, leaving a foul taste in my mouth. I felt a slight pull, a tugging at my own mana, but my Anti-Magic held firm.

"—Mumu... do you sense that, Vester?"

Two figures emerged from the shadows, their forms shifting and contorting.

One, a serpentine head morphing into a human-like visage, its reptilian eyes glowing with an eerie light.

The other, initially a mass of fur, retracted to reveal a humanoid figure with a single horn protruding from its forehead and a ring piercing its nose, reminiscent of a bull.

Haah...

"There's no helping it,"

WOM!

I swept my left hand across my face, conjuring the familiar black mask I wore for mercenary work.

"Rise, Axel."

My right hand reached into the void, and my sword Axel, materialized from a shimmering blue portal.

***

[Mirekusan Mountain - Dungeon Of Sacred Treasures, The Sunlit Kings Boss Room]

SHING!...SHING!...SHING!

Jan and the Sunlit King exchanged blows with each spark, creating a shockwave of lightning from clashing their swords with both dominance and their aura.

CLASH!!!

The Sunlit King swung his sword down onto Jan and he replied, holding it up high locking their swords once again.

And the King, even while locked in combat, continued his probing.

"Boy, is this your first life?"

"...!"

Jan faltered for a moment as the question caught him by surprise.

He tried to keep his eyes on his opponent, but he began to sweat over such a little question.

"Y-yes," he stuttered slightly, but the answer was all the King needed.

"I see," the King replied and the expression on his face remained the same.

SHING!

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A massive gust of wind ripped through the room and the King disengaged, sending Jan stumbling backwards.

"haah!...haah!... breathe-"

He managed to keep his footing, but the sheer power behind the blow left him breathless.

"Impressive indeed..." the King marvelled.

With each clash, Jan grew stronger, adapting to the King's movements and refining his own technique.

But despite his determination, there was a fundamental difference between them.

The King's mastery of Dominance was leagues ahead of Jan's, yet even he began to feel a feeling of uncertainty.

He wasn't sure of it, but he must confirm it now.

"Show me what you've got, boy," The King challenged, pointing his sword towards Jan.

"AH!"

SHING!...SHING!...SHING!

The cycle of clashing resumed, each filled with relentless attacks of steel and aura.

Minutes turned into an eternity as they fought as their blades locked in a mesmerizing duel.

Jan endured countless slashes as his injuries continued to pile up, but his eyes told a different story.

It wasn't desperation he felt, but a deep sense of guilt.

The King noticed the shift in Jan's expression.

With every exchange, his mind seemed to be slipping away, yet his movements grew sharper and his strikes became more powerful.

The dominance of his aura intensified, and the golden flashes of light illuminated the room.

It was as if he were learning, evolving in the heat of battle.

Was this boy truly a prodigy? The King wondered.

And then a realization dawned on him.

The pieces clicked into place, and he understood what stood before him.

What Jan truly is...

"Formless Technique: Eternal Crescent, Unbound Crux"

SLASSSHHH!!!

Before the King could fully comprehend the words, his body was cleaved in two.

"W-What happened?" he gasped in disbelief.

As his vision blurred, he saw the clean cut of the other half of his body.

"That attack... what was that?"

The King couldn't comprehend it.

He hadn't seen the blow coming, hadn't even sensed it.

Yet, it surpassed the instincts that exceeded the warriors of his world.

But something had held him back, prevented him from unleashing his full power.

This restriction not only prevented him from seeing the future but also meant that the Qi he used wasn't truly his own.

"It was merely borrowed power from the beginning... So it must've been him." He muttered in disgust, clenching for the sword that he once held.

A memory flashed before his eyes: a figure clad in black, a dark helmet obscuring their face, chains binding their immense power.

It was a moment and a memory forever engraved in his mind.

Haunted by the being feared from worlds beyond.