The battlefield was a wasteland of destruction.

The undead and the spiritual beast armies clashed like two natural disasters colliding. The sky burned crimson with the residue of mana and death energy. Every explosion sent clouds of smoke and blood into the air.

Undead ogres ripped through spectral tigers, tearing them in half with monstrous strength. Phantom wolves leaped onto towering skeletal giants, biting deep into their necks before being obliterated by waves of demonic fire.

Spiritual serpents of lightning wrapped around undead dragons, searing their bones into ash, but even as their skulls burned, the dragons roared, crashing down upon them, devouring their radiant forms in one bite.

The old undead knight at the front swung his cursed blade, decapitating anything that moved, while the orange‑haired undead girl danced between chaos—her scythe glowing with deathlight, cutting through spirit beasts as if reaping souls.

The deadly storm of battle raged for what felt like hours, until one side began to falter.

The undead army's relentless nature finally overwhelmed the radiant beasts. The light of the spirits dimmed, one after another, leaving only silence and smoke.

When the dust settled, only the undead remained, standing tall over the corpses of their glowing enemies.

Amidst the carnage stood Azrael, silent and motionless, surrounded by a sea of destruction. His crimson aura glowed faintly, shimmering against the broken ground.

In front of him lay Silas, sprawled across the ground, his body riddled with holes. Red energy—Azrael's aura of Domination—leaked from every wound, eating away at his flesh. The once‑proud familiar now looked like a shattered relic.

Coughing blood, Silas struggled to speak. "Damn it… I… I can't move my body at all!"

Azrael tilted his head, a mocking grin tugging at his lips.

"What happened to all that boasting? You were acting rather cocky earlier. Seems you're not much after all."

Silas spat blood, glaring weakly. "You bastard… I'll kill you… for this humiliation!"

Azrael laughed softly. "I'm standing right here. What's stopping you?"

Silas gritted his teeth, fury sparking faintly in his fading eyes.

Azrael's expression grew colder. His voice dropped to a chilling calm.

"Tell me everything you know about my father. Where is he—and what happened to me? Do that, and I might give you a merciful death."

Silas's lips twitched into a cruel smirk. "Do you really think I'd tell a dirty failure like you anything?"

Azrael's smile vanished. "Too bad."

In a blur, he grabbed Silas by the neck and lifted him off the ground with one hand. Silas gasped, his face contorting in pain as the grip tightened, cutting off his breath entirely.

Panic filled Silas's mind.

'F‑fuck… at this rate, I'll die…!'

Suddenly, before Azrael could crush him, Silas started laughing. It wasn't the laugh of victory, but pure, manic hysteria.

"He's here!" Silas screamed. "He's here now! You're screwed! You're screwed, you idiot!"

For a moment, Azrael froze. A chill slithered down his spine—deep, instinctive dread.

Then, almost instantly, his eyes widened as he felt something… disappear. His breathing stopped.

Selena's presence—gone.

'No… no, it can't be…'

He staggered back a step, his heart pounding violently as dread spread through his chest.

'Did she… die?' He clenched his fists, his killing intent surging uncontrollably.

'I sent undead soldiers to assist her… all of them are gone. Damn it… this can't be happening!'

While Azrael tried to make sense of it, Silas's laughter grew even louder, echoing across the field of corpses.

"HAHAHAHA! You feel it too, don't you?! She's gone! She's dead!"

Rage exploded through Azrael's body. His hand moved instinctively, and a black dagger materialized in his grasp. He raised it high, his voice a cold whisper.

"I've had enough of your voice. Time to die—"

But before he could strike, a new voice cut through the air.

"Not so fast."

The sound was calm, young, yet carried power beyond comprehension.

Azrael froze. That voice… it sliced through him like ice. He looked up—and every instinct screamed danger.

Standing some distance away was a boy, no older than fifteen, wearing a sleek black mask that obscured half his face. Each step he took warped the ground beneath him. Beside him stood Arya, the green‑haired woman, silent and expressionless.

Azrael's gaze immediately shifted to Arya—and his blood ran cold.

'If she's here… that means… Selena… she really is—'

Kyle's voice broke the silence.

"You're thinking correctly," he said evenly. "Selena Vega is dead."

Azrael's entire body tightened as something shattered inside him.

Kyle raised his hand, and a ripple of darkness materialized in front of him. From it, Selena's lifeless body appeared, still and silent. He knelt briefly, laying her gently on the ground.

"She fought like a real warrior," Kyle said softly. "So I thought she deserved a proper funeral—unlike the useless trash surrounding me."

His eyes flicked toward Arya and Silas. Both instantly looked away, guilt and fear flashing across their faces.

Then his focus returned to Azrael.

"But it's a shame. Now that I'm here, I can't let you kill him." He nodded toward Silas. "Weak as he may be, he still has his uses."

But Azrael wasn't listening anymore.

He threw Silas aside like a piece of garbage and sprinted toward Selena's body. His thoughts were a whirlwind of disbelief and fury.

'No, no, no… it can't be!'

He dropped to his knees beside her. Her skin was cold, her heartbeat nonexistent.

'She's… really gone?'

For the first time in years, Azrael felt a hollow ache in his chest—something that was not rage, not vengeance, but loss.

He clenched his teeth, shaking as he whispered to himself.

'Maybe… maybe I can still bring her back. Yes… if I reanimate her like the undead…'

He extended his hand toward her body, gathering his mana.

But Kyle's voice cut in, soft and confident.

"I know what you're trying to do," he said. "But before you start reviving the dead, you should worry about staying alive."

Before Azrael could react, a translucent window flashed before his eyes.

[ System Message: Soul Consumption has been activated. ]

"What—"

Black tendrils burst from Kyle's body.

They moved faster than thought, piercing through Azrael's chest and shoulders in an instant. Blood erupted into the air.

Azrael's eyes went wide, his breath caught in his throat. He could barely comprehend what had happened—it was too fast, too overwhelming.

The last thing he saw was Kyle's calm, empty expression, and the faint smile hidden beneath that mask.

The moment the black tendrils pierced Azrael, an agony beyond imagination tore through his body.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the collapsing dimension. It wasn't just pain—it was his very soul being shredded piece by piece.

The undead army surrounding him reacted instinctively. Dozens, then hundreds of his undead soldiers charged toward Kyle, trying to protect their master. But the dark tendrils shot outward, piercing them effortlessly.

Their bodies convulsed, their glowing red eyes dimming as the consuming darkness swallowed them whole. The air filled with the wails of thousands of dying souls.

System messages began flashing one after another in front of Kyle's eyes:

[ 50+ Abyssal Points have been acquired. ]

[ 10+ Abyssal Points have been acquired. ]

[ 20+ Abyssal Points have been acquired. ]

[ … They keep coming… ]

Energy rippled through Kyle's body, his aura expanding monstrously. The dark tendrils pulsed like veins, drawing power from the screaming undead.

As he absorbed Azrael's essence, a tremor of pleasure crossed Kyle's face. His expression twisted into one of ecstasy as he whispered,

"Huh… now that tastes wonderful. I never imagined the soul of an undead would be this… exquisite."

Azrael's own screams continued, his vision darkening.

'My soul… it's withering away… my body—it's disintegrating.'

The light in his eyes dimmed. The world blurred. Then, suddenly—Kyle stopped. His smirk faltered.

He turned his head slightly, whispering, "Someone's coming."

At that moment, a deafening crack split the air. The entire dimension trembled violently.

Bam!

A golden fracture tore through the blackened sky, and light—pure, radiant light—burst forth.

From that brilliance, a figure descended gracefully. Her golden hair flowed like sunlight, her golden eyes blazing with divinity. Her very presence dispelled the darkness, bending shadow and death to her will.

It was Evelyn Williams.

As she stepped fully through the dimensional rift, her aura of light spread instantly, purging the corrupted mana around her. Her gaze first fell upon Kyle, unmasked and calm, his dark eyes meeting hers with detached curiosity.

Even at a glance, she could feel the overwhelming pressure of his power—an ancient, suffocating presence unlike anything she had encountered.

Then her eyes shifted—and found Azrael.

Her heart dropped.

Without hesitation, Evelyn raised her hand, divine light swirling around her palm. A complex array of golden symbols ignited beneath her feet, the entire dimension glowing as she invoked her power.

"Luminus sanctum."

Blinding light enveloped Azrael and the black tendrils impaling him. In an instant, the corruption shattered. The dark energy crackled and dissolved into mist, vanishing from his body.

Azrael's eyes rolled back as his limp form fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Thud.

Evelyn exhaled, lowering her hand slowly. But as her gaze wandered, it fell upon another figure lying motionless beside Azrael.

Selena.

Evelyn's breath hitched. Her golden eyes widened in disbelief. Tears welled up instantly. In a blur, she sprinted toward her and fell to her knees beside the pale body.

"Miss Selena! Miss Selena, are you okay!? Please, talk to me! Miss Selena!"

Her hands trembled as she shook Selena's shoulders, desperation breaking through her voice.

"Why… why aren't you saying anything…"

But the only answer was silence.

Inside her mind, a calm, sorrowful voice echoed. It was Aurora, her goddess.

{ It's no use, Evelyn. She's gone. Her soul has already departed. }

Evelyn froze, shaking her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.

'No… no, this can't be happening. She can't be dead!'

Before she could weep further, a slow, deliberate clapping echoed behind her.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

She turned sharply to see Kyle stepping closer, that same unsettling smile on his face.

"Well now… that was impressive," he said smoothly.

"But do I know you, miss?" He paused, then shrugged lightly. "Oh, it doesn't matter. Just make sure you give Miss Selena here a proper burial, alright?"

Before Evelyn could respond, a voice echoed inside Kyle's mind. It was calm but carried divine authority.

{ Kyle, that's enough for now. We should leave. That girl… she's related to Aurora. Don't antagonize her needlessly. }

It was Sabrina—the Primordial Goddess who bound him.

Kyle's curiosity flared.

'Related to Aurora, huh?' His smile sharpened. 'Then I have to test her too, don't I?'

But before he could move, Evelyn rose to her feet. Her eyes glowed like twin suns, and her voice rang with fury.

"Do you even realize what you've done?"

Kyle tilted his head, smiling faintly behind his mask. "Something bad, perhaps?"

Lightning roared.

Hundreds of spears made of pure holy lightning manifested in the air around Evelyn. With a single motion of her hand, they all shot forward—unstoppable, divine.

Within an instant, every spear pierced through Kyle's body, impaling him from head to toe. Blood sprayed across the ground.

He glanced down at his chest, where light radiated from every wound.

Evelyn's killing intent surged like a storm, her presence shaking the dimension itself. The air screamed under her control. Arya and Silas collapsed instantly, pinned to the ground by sheer force, their bodies unable to move.

Kyle only smiled. The spears that had impaled him began to glow brighter—then dim.

Their blinding light faded slowly as the wounds stopped bleeding.

The lightning was being absorbed into his body.

His Devour skill had activated.

Dark tendrils flickered around his wounds, drawing the divine spears into him like a feast. The brilliant light was consumed completely, swallowed into darkness.

Kyle looked up, his eyes now turned crimson gleaming faintly beneath his mask.

"Now that's better," he murmured. "Let's see how long your light can shine or if I can dovour it."

----

A/N:

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