In a place beyond reality, in a dimension where light had never existed and never would, the Abyss stretched infinitely in all directions. The golden light that was Raze's soul pulsed weakly, its glow diminishing with each passing moment.

Thump.

The darkness began to surge forward, hungry tendrils reaching toward the dying spark with malevolent intent. This was the Abyss performing its primary function, consuming what didn't belong and breaking it down into nothing.

The tendrils closed around the golden light, preparing to smother it completely.

"Stop."

The single word carried absolute authority, freezing the consuming darkness mid advance. The tendrils halted as if striking invisible wall, their progress arrested by command that could not be disobeyed.

Then the light changed.

Pulse.

Violet energy erupted from the golden spark, exploding outward with force that sent the darkness recoiling. The blast spread in expanding sphere, pushing back the hungry void with power that made the Abyss itself tremble.

Boom.

The darkness fled from the violet radiance, retreating faster than it had advanced. Whatever force drove this new manifestation, the Abyss recognized it as threat rather than prey. The consuming tendrils withdrew completely, leaving empty space around the now dual colored light.

"Another unfortunate soul," the ancient voice spoke again, contemplation evident in its tone. "And that same bloodline is responsible for trapping them here. How many has that accursed family sealed away in their pursuit of power?"

The voice paused, attention focusing more intently on the struggling spark. Golden light mixed with violet energy, the combination creating patterns that suggested desperate resistance rather than passive acceptance.

"A pity this one is a real fighter. Even trapped here without conscious mind, it still tries to repel the Abyss. Such determination is rare, such will even rarer."

Silence fell as the presence examined the light more closely, studying aspects invisible to normal perception. The golden glow pulsed irregularly while violet energy surged in waves, two forces working together without awareness of their cooperation.

Then the voice seized, shock rippling through words that had been calm moments before.

"This soul, its origin, it feels familiar."

The presence moved closer, massive awareness focusing with intensity that made reality itself bend. The chains in the distance rattled violently, as if whatever they restrained was straining against its bonds.

Clank clank clank.

"The bloodline," the voice whispered, realization dawning. "That bloodline, how can this be? It has been thousands of years, the world believes that lineage is extinct, erased from existence after the great purge."

The presence circled the dual colored light, examination becoming frantic as it searched for confirmation of what it suspected. Minutes passed in silence broken only by the rattling chains and the pulse of struggling consciousness.

"Let me be certain. I must not be mistaken about this."

More time elapsed, the ancient entity conducting analysis that transcended simple observation. It was reading the very essence of the soul, tracing lineage back through generations to find the truth.

"There," the voice said finally, triumph and shock mixing in equal measure. "Hidden so deep it's nearly invisible, dormant to the point of non-existence, but it's there. This soul carries that bloodline, diluted across millennia but unmistakable once found."

The massive presence pulled back slightly, as if needing distance to process what it had discovered.

"If that is true, then you're in luck, little spark. I cannot let you die here, too much depends on this. The universe depends on this, balance that has been broken for far too long. And most especially my revenge against those who imprisoned me in this hellish void."

The violet light intensified, responding to the declaration even though consciousness wasn't present to understand it.

"You will inherit it all," the voice continued, determination replacing shock. "My pain, my plight, my strength accumulated across eons of imprisonment. I will give it to you along with another chance at existence. With it you shall live as my successor, my will made manifest in flesh once more."

The presence moved closer again, violet energy beginning to gather with purpose rather than simple resistance.

"You are weak now, too weak to bear what I'm about to grant without preparation. But don't worry, you will become a beast to this world in time. Your bloodline guarantees it, and my power will accelerate what should have taken lifetimes to achieve."

The violet light coalesced into a dense sphere, concentrating power that had been diffused throughout the examination. The energy pulsed with rhythm that matched the golden light's weakening beat, synchronizing their frequencies.

"Accept this gift, little successor. Accept and rise again."

The violet sphere began moving, drifting through the void toward the dying golden spark. The distance closed slowly, deliberately, giving time for final preparations.

When they touched, reality screamed.

Crack.

The two lights merged, violet and gold swirling together in a maelstrom of competing energies. They fought briefly, each trying to dominate before recognizing they shared purpose. Then they began to blend, creating new color that had never existed in the Abyss before.

Crimson.

Deep, blood red radiance that pulsed with power transcending what either component had possessed independently. The light grew brighter, stronger, pushing back the darkness with authority rather than desperate resistance.

Boom.

The Abyss itself shook, tremors spreading through dimensions that shouldn't be able to experience physical disturbance. The darkness rippled violently, waves of disruption cascading outward from the crimson light's birth.

Lightning erupted across the void, impossible electricity arcing between points that had no physical separation. Purple bolts carved through absolute darkness, illuminating horrors that lurked in the depths for brief, terrible moments.

Crack crack crack.

Thunder followed, sound that shouldn't exist reverberating through emptiness that couldn't carry vibration. The noise was deafening despite having no ears to hear it, presence rather than audio phenomenon.

Then the Abyss began to tear.

A line of pure white light appeared in the darkness, vertical slash through reality itself. The tear spread slowly, edges bleeding luminescence that made the surrounding void recoil in apparent pain.

Rip.

The crimson light was drawn toward the tear, pulled by force originating from beyond the Abyss. The suction was immense, irresistible gravity that even the void's hunger couldn't overcome.

The light accelerated, streaming toward the widening tear with velocity that suggested desperate escape. The Abyss tried to grab it, tendrils reaching out in a final attempt to consume what it was losing.

But the crimson radiance burned through every attempt, the combined power of ancient entity and dormant bloodline proving too potent for the void to hold.

"Finally," the voice spoke one last time, satisfaction evident despite the strain. "Time to leave this cursed place. Something worthwhile has appeared after eons of waiting, and I will not let this opportunity slip away."

The chains rattled one final time before shattering completely.

Boom.

Whatever had been restrained broke free, its essence flowing into the crimson light as it passed through the tear. The Abyss convulsed, darkness churning as it lost both prisoner and meal simultaneously.

Then the tear sealed, reality mending itself and leaving the void diminished by what had escaped.

Silence returned to the Abyss, empty and hungry as it had always been.

But somewhere beyond its reach, something ancient had found freedom and purpose through an unconscious soul that carried bloodline thought extinct.

---

In the western district of the capital, Alex's golden blade struck Gunn's barrier with force that sent cracks spreading across its surface. But his movements were slowing, exhaustion finally catching up with divinely enhanced capabilities that had been pushed beyond sustainable limits.

Clang.

His breathing came in ragged gasps, sweat pouring down his face as mana reserves approached complete depletion. The divine blessing was still active but even celestial energy had limits when drawn upon so heavily.

Gunn watched from outside the dome, his own exhaustion evident but less severe than his opponent's. He'd won this exchange through patience rather than power, letting the boy burn himself out against the barrier while conserving his own strength.

The dome flickered and dissolved, dark energy dissipating as Gunn released the technique. No point maintaining it now that Alex was clearly spent, the fight was essentially over.

Alex raised his blade defensively despite arms that trembled from fatigue. His blue eyes still blazed with determination but his body wasn't responding properly anymore, movements sluggish compared to his earlier speed.

Gunn drew his curved blade and began walking forward, measured steps that carried no urgency. Since his Binding Authority couldn't seal the divine protection, there was only one solution to this problem.

Remove the boy's head and let the Goddess find a new champion.

He accelerated suddenly, his Master rank speed carrying him across the distance before Alex could properly react. The curved blade came around in a horizontal slash aimed at the boy's neck, the strike calculated to separate head from shoulders cleanly.

Alex tried to block but his exhausted arms moved too slowly, golden blade intercepting too late to prevent the killing blow. Gunn's weapon was inches from connecting when the world stopped.

Everything froze.

Gunn's blade hung suspended mid swing, its edge so close to Alex's throat that displacement should have already been cutting skin. But nothing moved, time itself apparently arrested by force beyond comprehension.

Alex remained locked in his failed defensive position, golden blade half raised. His eyes showed awareness but his body refused to obey, trapped in temporal stasis.

Mariabel lay where she'd fallen, her broken form frozen mid breath. Blood that had been dripping from her wounds hung suspended in air like crimson beads.

The only thing that moved was Raze's body.

Thump.

The corpse that had been lying cold and motionless pulsed once, chest rising slightly as if drawing breath. But the movement was wrong, mechanical rather than natural.

Thump.

Another pulse, stronger this time. The body's chest rose higher, ribs expanding beyond normal human capacity before settling back.

Thump.

A third pulse sent a visible shockwave through the frozen air, distortion rippling outward from the body's center. Reality itself seemed to bend around the source of the disturbance.

Then the rhythm accelerated.

Thump thump thump thump thump.

The pulses came rapidly now, building toward a crescendo that made the paused world tremble. Energy was gathering, concentration of power so immense it leaked into the frozen timeline.

Boom.

Explosion erupted from Raze's body, crimson light blasting outward with force that cratered the entire street. The shockwave spread in an expanding sphere, destroying everything it touched through sheer overwhelming power.

Time resumed.

Gunn was flung backward, his killing strike interrupted as the blast caught him mid swing. He tumbled through the air, Master rank durability the only thing preventing his body from being torn apart by the impact.

Crash.

Alex was thrown in the opposite direction, divine protection flaring automatically to absorb what it could. But even celestial energy struggled against this level of force, golden barrier cracking before he slammed into a building wall.

Crunch.

Mariabel's broken body was lifted and hurled away, landing thirty feet from her original position. The additional trauma should have killed her except something in the blast seemed to recognize her, reducing its impact at the last moment.

Buildings began to crack, structural damage spreading through already weakened architecture. Walls crumbled, roofs collapsed, windows that had somehow survived earlier combat shattered completely.

Crack crack crack crash.

The destruction spread outward in waves, each pulse of crimson energy causing fresh devastation. The western district was being systematically demolished by power that dwarfed anything the previous fight had generated.

Then came the laughter.

Maniacal and crazy, the sound carried tones that scraped against sanity itself. Not quite human, not quite anything else, just pure unhinged amusement at situation that shouldn't be amusing.

"Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!"

The sound echoed through destroyed streets, bouncing off ruined buildings with intensity that made survivors who'd been hiding flee in terror. This wasn't laughter of joy or victory, this was madness given voice.

Raze's body began to float.

Slowly at first, rising inches off the cratered ground. Then faster, ascending into the air with grace that seemed at odds with the violence that had preceded it. Crimson energy swirled around the form, patterns of power that suggested conscious control rather than random discharge.

When the body landed, most of the visible injuries had healed.

Broken ribs were whole again, the swelling on his face had receded, cuts had sealed without leaving scars. His jaw was no longer fractured, his organs no longer bleeding internally. The systematic beating Gunn had delivered was simply gone, erased by whatever power now inhabited the flesh.

But his eyes remained shut, face peaceful as if sleeping rather than hosting whatever force had taken residence.

Changes became visible as the crimson energy settled into a stable pattern. Markings appeared across his skin, intricate designs that looked like they'd been carved by a master artist with supernatural precision.

Black lines traced complex geometries across his face, four distinct marks on each side running from cheekbones toward his jaw. The patterns were symmetrical but not identical, each side carrying variations that suggested organic growth rather than deliberate design.

Similar markings spread down his neck and presumably across his torso, visible where his torn clothing exposed flesh. The black lines pulsed with faint crimson light, as if power flowed through them like blood through veins.

His hair, which had been pure white since his reincarnation, now showed dramatic change. The base remained that striking white that had marked him as unusual, but the tips had transformed. Crimson red, the same deep blood color as the energy that swirled around him, creating a gradient effect that was both beautiful and unsettling.

Then his eyes opened.

Crimson.

Not the natural red that some people possessed, not the enhanced color that cultivation sometimes produced. This was something else entirely, bright and maddening crimson that seemed to glow with internal light.

The eyes tracked across the destroyed street with expression that suggested recognition without comprehension. They found Gunn first, studying the Master rank cultivator with interest that felt distinctly predatory.

Then they shifted to Alex, examining the golden haired boy with similar focus. Finally they landed on Mariabel's broken form, pausing there for a moment that stretched uncomfortably long.

Gunn pushed himself to his feet, curved blade somehow still in his grip despite being thrown with such force. His enhanced perception was screaming warnings about the figure floating before him, instincts developed over decades recognizing threat on a level he'd never encountered.

This isn't Raze, his tactical mind supplied with absolute certainty. This is something else wearing his flesh, something that shouldn't exist in the mortal realm.

Alex struggled upright as well, divine blessing accelerating his recovery enough that he could stand. His golden eyes met the crimson gaze and he felt something deep in his soul recoil, celestial energy recognizing wrongness that shouldn't be possible.

The Goddess's blessing pulsed with warning, divine protection activating automatically in response to presence it categorized as threat to natural order.

Mariabel remained on the ground, consciousness fading as her injuries finally overwhelmed her endurance. But even in her semi aware state she felt it, the shift in atmosphere that spoke to fundamental change in whoever wore Raze's face.

The figure floating in the air tilted its head, movement eerily smooth like a puppet on invisible strings. The crimson eyes tracked between the three conscious people, expression shifting through emotions too quickly to identify.

Then it smiled.

The expression was wrong, too wide and showing too many teeth. Not quite human proportions despite being in the human body, something in the arrangement suggesting predator rather than person.

"Well," the voice that emerged was Raze's but layered with harmonics that made it sound like multiple people speaking in perfect synchronization. "This is interesting. Very interesting indeed."

The markings across its face pulsed with brighter crimson light, power surging through the designs as whatever inhabited the body tested its new vessel.

Gunn's grip tightened on his curved blade, every instinct screaming at him to run despite being Master rank. Whatever he was facing now, it transcended the simple corruption he'd been sent to eliminate.

Alex raised his golden sword with hands that trembled from more than exhaustion, divine blessing flooding his system with renewed energy in response to perceived threat. The Goddess was channeling power through him automatically, preparing her champion for battle against something that shouldn't exist.

And the figure just laughed again, that same maniacal sound that scraped against sanity.

"Oh yes," it said, crimson eyes blazing brighter. "This will be very interesting indeed."

The destroyed street fell silent except for settling rubble, three people staring at a monster wearing their companion's face while trying to understand what had just emerged from death itself.

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