Alexia

Two more attempts pass with me never making it past that last attack. The attack killing me in an instant each time.

Leaving me with just two more attempts remaining. And by now, I’m feeling more and more anxious.

But while I’m practicing my big attack in the first trial of my ninth attempt, I finally remember something. Something I forget way too often and tend to go without.

Items exist.

Assuming they even work in the Quantum Realm.

At that realization, I focus on all of the rings I have on my fingers. Only to realize that their bonuses are all just nonexistent.

Except for one single ring on my finger.

The Quantum Lock.

My Class Item ring.

Which I guess makes sense. That the one item that works still is a class item related to the Quantum Reaper.

I frown for a second before sighing and getting back to my practice.

Okay. This ring only works once every month, and only for ten seconds at that. Slowing or speeding up time in that period for me.

So I need to come up with a perfect strategy for this battle. Otherwise I’m screwed.

I focus throughout the entire duration of the first trial, just planning out my battle with the Architect. Then I continue planning throughout the second trial all the way till I quickly begin the third trial going all out against the Architect right away. Using the ring instantly, before the Architect raises his guard, and slowing down time so that everything around me moves at a crawl. Including the Architect.

And without any hesitation, I quickly prepare quantum lightning before teleporting forwards and slashing straight at the Architect. Striking them the exact same second that the lightning hits.

But when I’m about to follow it up with another hit, the effects of the ring come to a sudden end, shocking the hell out of me in the process.

It’s already a little late for the Architect, though. Because he’s already letting off a faint and glitchy purple smoke from the lightning bolt while a glitched line goes from one side of him to the other.

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I quickly push forwards, using his injury to my advantage to deal one blow after another while he’s off-guard.

Then the Architect quickly skips straight to armoring himself before slamming his fist towards me. But instead of striking me, he strikes a screen that appears in front of me and sends a shockwave out from around us. One that begins to shatter reality itself while catching me off-guard.

And just as quickly as that attack, he makes reality around me freeze ones more.

My eyes widen as I stop mid-flight from his previous attack, teleporting over towards him again with my scythe raised.

Only for him to speak out loud once more, just like the previous battles, “Shatter.”

Then everything comes to an end. Again.

All of reality around us shatters and the fragments rush towards me.

I try to block it with attacks of my own now that I’m in pretty good condition unlike the previous times, with the sole exception of that first hit he got in, but I don’t get anywhere. The bits of reality smash their way straight through my attacks.

Before killing me again.

Leaving me once more appearing in the first trial.

On my last life.

I drop down to the ground, my legs going to either side of me as I slam my forehead into the floor. Literally shattering it as I feel the Architect’s judgmental gaze shifting towards me.

But despite my actions, I don’t make a single sound.

Dammmmnnniiiiittt!!!!!

I grit my teeth, still not making any noise.

This is too close.

Way too close.

And now that I’ve used up the ring, I won’t be able to… use it… again…

My thoughts trail off as I notice the power still radiating from the ring. Heavily implying that the ring still has its charge ready to go.

The dread that was slowly working its way into me halts at this discovery. The discovery that I will likely be able to use the ring again.

I raise my head to look at the Architect, only to hear him say, “Let’s start one last time.”

That makes me blink in surprise. Because it implies this version of him knows it’s my last try.

I narrow my eyes, wondering just how much these Architects know about this trial. But after that, I shake my head and look down, crossing my arms as I do so.

Right. Not the time for that.

I need to plan.

The effects of the ring ended the moment I hit him with my attacks. Meaning that either they end when I attack something, or the Architect shattered the effects himself after being hit.

It doesn’t really matter which reason is behind it though.

Because either way, the effects only last for one attack.

Fortunately for me, I have an idea for what I can do for that one attack.

It’ll finally give me the chance to charge up my big finishing attack.

The attack takes twenty seconds to charge, and the ring slows down time for ten seconds. So if I begin charging it up for about ten seconds before using the ring, I can finish charging it and attack after using it.

Plus I can take the time to open my eyes and aim when the ring is activated. Since I won’t have to worry about return attacks with the Architect moving as slow as a snail.

What matters now is the timing. When do I perform this attack? Before his second phase? At the start of the battle?

After the second phase?

I spend the entirety of the first trial thinking about it, along with a large majority of the second trial.

Then I see something that surprises me.

I see the Architect using his finishing attack on the Corruptor in this trial.

And it finally gives me a glimpse at it from a different perspective.

My eyes widen a little bit and my mouth parts open.

Huh.

That’s interesting.