Ishkar slammed both his fists as a gauntlet of red formed in his hands, his eyes focused on the enemy before him.

Where they came from, he did not care. What he did care for was to slaughter them.

Closing his eyes, Ishkar took a deep breath. As the beasts began to close in, their claws and their jaws wide open, he exhaled.

"Blood Glaciers."

Before the monsters could react, they were blown away like sand under the wind as their blood crystallised, forming large, solidified spikes of crimson towering high in the air.

It was time.

Opening his eyes, Ishkar's figure blurred before multiple shockwaves shook the earth.

Breezing through the wind, his fist was akin to arrows as he blew through multiple abominations within a second, painting the sand red.

Whenever the beasts heard an explosion, it only signified their incoming death.

Ishkar was like an unstoppable force.

But they were many in number.

Without budging in fear, Ishkar knew they were different. These were nothing but mindless puppets. Emotional monsters who were there for one purpose.

To destroy.

And Ishkar stood before that objective. So they must rid him.

With one mighty leap, Ishkar shattered the earth, forcing it to submerge as hundreds of abominations sank with it. With the force of his jump, he flew hundreds of meters in the air, enough to see the sea of abominations swarming Servan.

Charging his fists back, he cast.

"Crimson Rain."

For a moment, time seemed to slow down as Ishkar threw one punch. Then another, then followed by more. Before long, his punches were so fast it left afterimages in their wake.

But the true danger lied on those in its path.

Each punch sent out a fist made of blood, solidifying and smashing against the endless sea of enemies, pulverising them and turning them to mists.

"ARGHHHH!!!" Ishkar roared as he kept punching without stop.

Multiple consecutive explosions shook the entirety of Servan as the sand rose high in the air, blocking everyone's vision.

Pulling his fist back, Ishkar braced, his arm glowing brightly each passing second as he pulsed red.

At the fifth pulse, he let go and crashed down the ground like lightning. Upon impact, the force was enough to rip through the earth, akin to a water droplet causing a ripple.

All surrounding abominations were reduced to mere ashes by the sheer impact of the attack, but it was but the first stage.

As the second stage commenced, a sea of blood spikes stemming from Ishkar blew outwards, impaling those unfortunate enough to be caught in its momentum.

But the monsters remained unfazed as they released gut wrenching roars before charging without care for their lives.

Seeing this, Ishkar frowned. These beasts were indeed mindless, but he never thought they would disregard their basic instinct of survival.

As the approaching abominations inched closer and closer, Ishkar raised his leg before slamming it down, tearing the ground before him as a single titanic arc of blood shot forward, mowing down dozens of abominations at once.

Using the path he created, Ishkar lunged forward, crossing hundreds of meters within seconds as he cast one skill after the other.

Seeing a large abomination close in, he leaped in the air, grabbing it by the jaw as he attached blood chains to it, invading its body as he controlled its movements.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Ishkar mowed down the abominations charging at him, stepping, kicking, and stomping upon them.

But they were like cockroaches, many and unrelenting as they crawled up, swarming the man.

"DAMN!" Ishkar roared as he slammed his fist to a beast, throwing it far before he elected on his seat.

"Burst!"

Like a balloon, the entirety of the large creature exploded into a mayhem of blood and flesh, raining down and staining everything in green.

Crashing down the earth, Ishkar was immediately swarmed once more by the bastards as he hastily removed them like ticks.

Yet there seemed to be no end to them. No matter how many he killed, more would simply replace it's place.

He has already killed thousands, and yet it felt as though he had barely disturbed the sea of beasts coming his way.

Things were not looking good.

***

As the battle raged on in the sanctuary of Servan, Samael found himself watching the sea of abominations marching and pummeling the towering walls of the camp.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It was horrifying how it seemed as though there was no end to them. No matter how far he looked, they were there.

The earth shook under their steps, the winds howled under their roars, and the sky had darkened by the flying beasts heading their direction.

The sound of ballistas firing was almost deafening, along with the constant screams of the soldiers manning them.

This was war. This was the manifestation of the very war they've been fighting all along.

Remembering his trial, Samael clenched his jaw.

Was this how it appeared before their cities fell? Flames and ashes scattered through the wind, suffocating the soldiers as they awaited their end.

This was... hell.

Before they arrived here, Ishkar went ahead and cleared out a path for them. Right now, he was down there, single-handedly pushing back the horde with the occasional help of ballistas and ranged artilleries. But even he will soon fall under the sheer number of these walking catastrophes.

To make matters worse, they were growing stronger by the second. Each wave was better than the last. And as time goes on, those that come after them will be even mightier than them.

What can he do? Especially when even Ishkar was struggling to fend them off? How did they get here? Was there another fell flower?

Landing beside the boy, Ajax spoke. "I have just spoken to the general. It seems there was a sudden fluctuation in the dead zones and multiple unprecedented rifts formed there."

"Is it a fell flower?" Samael asked, his eyes fixated on the sea of carnage below.

Ajax fell silent for a moment. "We don't know. No one knows. They just appeared."

"What's the plan now?" Samael asked, his hands balling to a fist.

Ajax shifted his gaze at the destruction occurring around them. "Orders are to evacuate everyone. Servan..."

"Servan is lost."

Samael's face morphed as he clenched his teeth, his eyes burning with rage as he watched the mindless beasts gnaw away at the wall.

So this was how it ends? All the hard work and sacrifices of the soldiers, gone within a single day? And what makes it even more gruelling is the fact that they couldn't do anything about it even if they knew of this calamity.

In the end, it all boils down to strength.

Staring into the face of the abominations, Samael spoke.

"Codex... No, Void, I know you're there."

Ajax shot Samael a look. "Samael?" However, noticing the look in his eyes, he halted his next words.

He knew that looked very good.

"I know you chose me for a reason. I know that I am weak right now, unable to do anything against the destruction I am contended with," Samael said. "But I know you're there. I can feel it, even if you suppress it."

Ajax's brows furrowed. At first glance, Samael seemed as though he was talking to himself. But right now, Ajax can sense a vague presence within the boy. Something he cannot explain.

"I know you're angry. You're rageful at these monsters. You have been holding back from the moment we became one. I know that much," Samael said as his gaze lowered. "I know you're listening, and I know you think I'm not ready... But when will I be ready? When I've lost everything?"

Looking at Ishkar's body drenched in blood and the beasts clawing away at him, Samael spoke.

"But haven't I lost everything once?"

Clenching his fist, he resumed.

"I don't know why you hate them, why you hate the abominations, but I know you; I know there is a way to stop this... and I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

He has seen the ability the Void used against the Fell flower in Tera. That ability was made for these creatures, tailored specifically for them.

You are not ready to handle the truth... and the consequences they bring.

"I know that much," Samael said.

But I chose you because you persisted.

"And I will persist again," Samael said.

I know. I always know.

"Then what can I do?" Samuel asked.

I will only say this once.

Samuel's brows furrowed.

The fell flower is like any plant. It takes roots. What is happening is-is-is-is-is

"Codex?" Samael asked.

You must [REDACTED]. You must K-kil [REDACTED].

"I must what?!" Samael asked.

Kill-Kill-Kill it—

"How?!" Samael asked.

Find the source—I-I-I will lead you.

Then the Codex went dark.

Due to some technical difficulties, the Codex had to restart.

Shutting it down, Samael recalled what it said to find the source. What source? The fe flower? But where would it be?

Looking at the distance, Samael's eyes widened.

"Ajax," Samael said.

"What?" Ajax asked.

"I need to get to the deadzones," Samael said.

"Why?" Ajax asked, his brows furrowed.

"I cannot explain it, but I must get there," Samael said.

Seeing the resolve in his eyes, Ajax nodded. "Then let's not waste time."

The two hastily made their way towards the General. He was currently instructing the soldiers what their next plan of action was.

"General," Ajax said.

"Ajax? Now is not the best time," Luminari said.

"We have a plan... or rather Samael has one," Ajax said, piquing the interest of the general.

"Elaborate and fast," Luminari said.

"That's the thing, we can't," Ajax said.

Luminari's brows furrowed. "Boy, now is not the time to play jokes and riddles."

"Are we the type to joke around at such times?" Ajax asked, shutting down the general.

"Then what do you want me to do when I don't even know what you're planning?" Luminari asked.

"We need your help to clear a path out towards the deadzones," Ajax said.

Luminari's face glew red. "Are you crazy?! You want to get out there?! That's suicide! And to make it worse, you want my men to die too?!"

"We will go out there, with or without your permission," Ajax said.

Luminari groaned as he released a muffled scream. "Damn it! You and your disregard for rules! Fine! I will trust you this time, but make sure you make it!"

"Well, then let's go," Ajax said.

"But I will go alone with you two," Luminari said. "I cannot risk the lives of my men and not be able to tell them the reason why we're doing something suicidal."

"I understand," Ajax said.

Without another second wasted, they swiftly made their way down the wall.

Standing before the titanic gate, Luminari spoke. "There is no coming back. Once we open this gate and it closes, it will not budge again."

"We've already resolved ourselves," Ajax said.

"Well, if you're that ready, let's do this," Luminari said.

"OPEN THE GATES!"