Samael's eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on Crimson Raven. Seeing how fast Azerel regenerated was something he did not expect considering his element eats through whatever it hits. However, instead of backing down, Samael lunged forward with one forceful stomp on the ground.

Closing the distance with ease, Samael's left hand morphed, forming long onyx black claws.

As their blades clashed, Samael followed fast with his left claw, forcing Azerel to be on the defensive as he threw one attack after the other.

Like feathers in the wind, the two danced around as sparks flew everywhere, igniting the area as they collided without stopping.

Heeding Michael's teaching, Samael amplified his aggression, using his unpredictability to its fullest as he attacked and casted at the same time. But Azerel wasn't so weak, as he kept up.

Using his speed, Azerel managed to deflect the slashes away; some he blocked, some he dodged.

Countering some of Samael's swings, Azerel spoke.

"Light blades."

Multiple golden blades formed around him, hovering in the air as they launched forward with every slash he made.

Seeing these blades, Samael flexibly weaved through them as he cast.

"Hover blades."

Using his own hoovering weapons, Samael intercepted the light blades with his own, shattering them in the air.

Pushing his speed even farther, Samael pushed forward, forcing the saint into a corner. But to no avail as he rotated his weapon, sending a rain of light waves.

Seeing this, Samael exploded into a flock of ravens, fluttering around and dodging the attacks with ease before regrouping.

Reforming again, Samael slammed his axe down, but Azerel was swift as he turned sideways, his blade rising for a counter.

Seeing the weapon near, Samael cast a Void bind, forcing the weapon to slow down with the Void chains as he swept the man off his feet.

Falling on the earth, Azerel rolled back as an axe embedded itself beside his face, nicking his cheek.

Having a taste of blood, Crimson Raven trembled in Samael's hands as its passives activated.

Pushing himself up, Azerel flinched as nerves pulsated in his face.

Passive [Bleed] has taken effect! The enemy will constantly bleed from his wounds!

Passive [Sear] has taken effect! Damages done will cause twice as much pain!

Azerel forced out a crooked smile as he held his cheek. It felt as though there was a severe burn in the area, and it was being consumed by maggots. Not only that, but the blood kept coming.

Sensing Crimson Raven's craving for more blood, Samael heeded the weapon's calls as he burst forward.

Raising his greatsword, the two clashed once more as multiple windows were shattered all at once.

But to Azerel's surprise, Samael held no weapon; his hands morphed into claws. Acting swiftly, his eyes wandered fast, looking for the weapon, when his astral compass sensed an object hurling his way fast.

Disengaging with Samael, he dashed back, but the weapon swiftly changed trajectory, cutting off his hand before landing on Samael's palms.

A fanatical laugh escaped Azerel's lips as he held the severed wrist, squeezing it tight as a large flash of light engulfed it. Letting go of his hand, it had now regrown.

Samael clenched his jaw as he charged again, sending large chunks of earth back.

However, his assault was halted as Azerel's lips curled into a massive smirk, his weapon slamming down the ground, embedding itself in the earth.

Noticing the fluctuations of Essence in the air, Samael's eyes widened.

"Sub zone: Divine rain."

Unable to leave the area on time, Samael raised his hand as he cast.

"Void aegis."

A large circular black shield stemmed from Samael's hand when a rain of light waves fired at Samael's position, covering all his bases.

As the shield and the waves of light collided, Samael's feet slid back as the force was too much.

Samael's grunts echoed as the shield began to crack under the power of the subzone, causing him to eat through his ethos to repair it. But he knew it was just a matter of time.

"ARGHHH! FUCK!" Samael roared as the shield was shattered, allowing the waves to come at him.

Swinging his blade without stopping, Samael cast multiple Void cleaves, shattering the waves before they reached him. However, his essence had begun to deplete, even with the help of the Void Mark at its full limits.

Within the zone, flickers of light and darkness flashed like light turning on and off, and the area around them was slowly being ravaged.

Feeling his essence begin to reach half, Samael knew he had to do something; otherwise, it was over for him.

However, his train of thought was interrupted as a wave of light nicked his thigh, leaving a cut in his flesh. With his focus shattered, a myriad more began to pummelled him, leaving multiple shallow cuts as his blood stained the earth red.

Seeing Samael in such a state, Azerel erupted into maniacal laughter when Samael slammed his hand down.

"Void wall."

Although shields have been proven ineffective against the subzone, that isn't the case for offensive manoeuvres.

Commanding the wall to slam down, the ground was shattered as Azerel was forced to withdraw his subzone. Distancing himself fast, the earth below him was submerged as it gave out under the weight of the Void Wall.

Feeling his ethos deplete even more, Samael hungered for air. His body was covered in shallow and deep wounds.

"Void miasma."

Releasing a screen of Void Matter, Samael drank multiple healing potions, but to no avail. The attacks were infused with light elements and, as such, had a burning effect that slowed his healing.

Seeing the cover, Azerel raised his greatsword in the air as he spoke.

"Punishing ray."

Before Samael's eyes, the sword was engulfed in light as it mimicked the shape of the sword, towering high and piercing the sky.

Looking at the sheer size of the weapon, Samael jerked his head in the civilian's and Lilith's directions.

Gritting his teeth, he braced himself. He had to stop it, or they would get caught. It was him or them, and he chose them.

As the sword descended with reckoning fury and power, splitting the clouds and piercing the wind, the people watched with their breaths held. However, the attack they expected never came.

Leaping into the sky and ignoring the hammering pain of his wounds, Samael raised his hand as he muttered.

"Devourer."

Summoning a formless Void beast, Samael brought it close to the weapon as it bit through it, shattering the attack in half as the middle part was consumed. The tip of the blade was thrown near the civilians, but not enough to harm them.

Falling down, Samael burst into a flock of ravens as he raced towards the saint.

"I won't fall for the same trick!" Azerel roared as he raised his hand high in the air.

"Light beam."

Pulling it down, Samael's eyes widened as a bright beam of light descended upon him, devouring the ravens and burning them to ashes.

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Sensing their numbers dwindle, Samael struggled to cast.

"M-mirage!"

Forming a double, Samael slipped out of the attack as the clone was turned to nothing but ashes. Crashing down, Samael groaned as he felt his bones creak.

"You survived that, huh? You truly amuse me!" Azerel screamed as he erupted in hysterical laughter.

Dashing forward, Azerel breezed through the air, his weapon at hand. Sensing the man approach with his Void compass, Samael balled his fist.

There was no other choice. He cannot fail here. He cannot.

"Blind rage."

A loud caw erupted in the air as Crimson Raven shook violently, transforming into an even more malevolent form with spikes and sharp feather-like protrusions jutting out of its surface. The raven emblem in its butt spike also glew crimson as the weapon grew sharper by the minute.

Unfortunately, it also has its drawbacks.

Samael grinded his teeth as he felt his rationality dwindle, the influence of the weapon slowly eating through him as he felt rage begin to boil his blood.

Without warning, Samael's figure blasted forth as he aimed to cut Azerel's throat. Reacting fast, the saint raised his weapon, blocking the attack.

As the two collided, Azerel almost buckled under the weight of the slash, a large spark igniting as the two smashed against each other.

Disengaging fast, Azerel dashed back as he saw the edge of his blade.

It was chipped.

"What the fu..."

Without warning, Azerel's eyes widened as he blocked another slash, his hands trembling under the power of the attack.

Unfortunately, it wasn't over yet.

With half his rationality blinded by rage, Samael roared as his hands blurred under the speed of his slashes, causing a rain of sparks to ensue.

"Then so be it!" Azerel screamed as he coated the weapon in light. Unfortunately, even that wasn't enough, as he felt the weapon begin to crack.

As Samael's attacks intensified, the two flickered around the battlefield, leaving nothing but flashes of light drawing lines in the wind.

As they exchanged attacks, Samael's body was soon littered with more wounds as his defence fell under the influence of the skill. But the same can be said with Azerel.

Increasing the attacks even more, the two smashed against buildings like hurricanes, destroying everything in their path.

Meanwhile, Lilith and the other students hurried their pace as the evacuation was nearly done. Most of the populace was already deep in the bunkers, kept safe by the staff. However, her steps were stopped dead as she screamed.

"BRACE!"

Unable to even grasp what she meant, everyone fell to their feet as the academy in front of them was shattered within the blink of an eye, along with multiple other structures.

"What was that?!" Raegan roared.

"Samael!" Lilith responded as she briefly saw the boys state. Worry and fear gripped her heart as she began to follow them.

"No!" Desmond said as he held the girl back. "You'll only get in his way! Stop!"

Reluctant, Lilith stopped herself as she bit her lip, her body trembling. Desmond was right. She was a burden right now.

"Please, be safe," she whispered.

Back on the fight, Samael could feel his sanity drift away and his actions being impeded by the anger the weapon bought.

Biting his lips hard, the taste of iron invaded his senses as he felt a brief wave of clarity wash over him.

Noticing this side effect, Azerel broke free from the man's onslaught.

"Fool! You should have never stopped!" Azerel screamed, a wide, ecstatic smile present in his face. He has won.

Slamming his blade down, he spoke.

"Sub zone: Divine rain!"

Samael's eyes widened as he raised his hands, blocking the waves of light with his own bare flesh.

"ARGHHHH!!!" Samael roared as he felt the burning pain of the waves carve themselves into his flesh, burning away his very blood.

"That's right! Feel the difference in our power!" Azerel said as he hysterically laughed in utter bliss. This was what he was looking for!

Steadfastly tanking through the pain, Samael could feel his consciousness begin to waver. His strength is slowly draining from his body. His void skin had cracked, and his flesh was bare.

Was there nothing he could do? Was this the limit of his power? All those years of hardship to die a dog's death?

Is this it?

"There is a way."

Samael's eyes widened as a glint of clarity returned in his eyes.

You...

"I've been sleeping. Keeping myself awake isn't easy."

Tell me...! What can I do?!

"It can get dangerous."

I don't care! I cannot lose here. Not now.

"I know. After all, I am you."

So tell me!

"What I'm about to tell you is something even I find as a last resort, as we are not ready yet."

Before Samael's eyes, he saw a figure form. Something so dark that even he finds it hard to understand what he's looking at. But he knew this man very well. Someone—no, a part of him—is dormant yet always present.

Slowly, the figure raised his hand in front of Samael.

"Take my hand, and we'll shatter the chains binding us."

Looking at the hand of the man, Samael slowly reached out when a codex panel warped in front of him.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

The following actions are against the rules of the Codex! Further interference may cause severe repercussions!

Samael's hand halted as he read the words written in the panels. Just what was he going to do?

Feeling his body begin to deteriorate, Samel gritted his teeth.

"Do as he wishes."

But—

"No buts."

The codex fell silent, a shift in the atmosphere visible to Samael. As though the one talking to him isn't a mere system anymore.

Are you sure you wish to shatter the chains? Do you know the repercussions and what they would mean? What will you release?

Looking at the codex, Samael smiled gently. "Do I have a choice? I cannot let anyone I promise to hurt hurt anymore. I just can't."

...

Very well.

What you are about to do will set off a series of chain reactions that will change everything as you know it. What you are facing now will be nothing compared to the threats lying ahead of you. I have warned you.

"I understand," Samael said.

Understand that this can kill you. But even that isn't the worst of what's to come.

Looking one final time in the direction of Lilith, Samael steeled his resolve.

"I am willing to do everything."

So be it.

Holding the hand of the figure before him, it smiled. Something he did not expect.

"It's time to wake up."

The unveiling has commenced.

Samael felt the world shift around him as the figure in front of him melded with him, becoming one. Slowly, he could feel a wave of newfound strength swarm him.

It wasn't the kind of strength he would often get at every rank up, no. It was something completely different. Something... pure. It was as though he was released from a prison he had lived in his entire life.

Little by little, he could feel this power intensify, so much so that it made him feel as though he was drowning.

"Endure."

Samael gritted his teeth as he endured the onslaught of power ravaging his vessel. He kept himself braced as the waves of strength smashed against him.

As the pain intensified to the point he felt he was breaking, Samael instinctively knew to mutter one thing.

"Hyperdrive."

With the help of hyperdrive, Samael's body exceeded its limits as a constant, near-infinite flood of Void essence filled his body, repairing and at the same time destroying his body, for he was still unable to handle so much. But that boost in strength was all he needed to shatter the final chain.

Then it became calm.

The chains binding you have been unlocked temporarily. What comes after, only fate can tell.

Azerel's smile was wiped clean as he noticed something off. Samael's aura had changed drastically. So much so that, for a second, he did not know what he was looking at.

"What the..." Azerel muttered.

Ignoring the waves of light searing his flesh, Samael slowly raised his head, startling the saint as he involuntarily stepped back.

Samael's eyes had gone purple, and the whites of his eyes had become black in color. Staring at them felt as though his very being was being sucked into an endless pit of darkness that no light will ever pierce.

As Samael opened his mouth, the voice that came out was different. It was heavy and dark, and it sounded as though multiple voices were present.

"You should have never come here."

"All seeing eye."

Before Azerel's eyes, Samael's forehead opened to a small slit, revealing a white, radiant glow from within. However, what Azerel saw was different.

Without warning, he fell to his knees as he pissed his pants, his eyes fixated on the sight before him.

In Azerel's vision, a collosal white eye stared at him, its pupils circulating as though a vortex were within, devouring all it laid its gaze upon.

"W-what are you?!" Azerel screamed, his body paralysed as buckets of sweat trickled off his forehead.

Walking towards the man, Samael spoke.

"I am the watchful eyes of the Void, the judge of all that came before, the first and the last, and I have come to judge you."

Bringing his hands close together, specks of Void matter flashed in Samael's hands, like tendrils of lightning in a stormy night.

Bringing it closer, the Void matter began to compress as Samael moved his hand as though he were moulding the very Void. Slowly turning it into a sphere.

As his hands halted, the solid sphere of darkness floated in between his palms, resting quietly.

"Sub zone..."

Slamming his hands together, a surge of darkness devoured all before him.

"Dying Light."