Abyssal Awakening

Last Stand was a Resonance ability that Noah unlocked once he reached three Sigils.

However, it was one that didn’t have an effect the first time he used it.

No matter what he did, it never activated properly.

But as they progressed, situations where the skill activation was met appeared often.

Simply put...

The closer to death he was, the more he could extract and ’borrow’ from his ’future’. An abstract skill where as long as he didn’t die and inched closer to death, he’ll be able to burn his lifeforce as kindling.

A skill that allowed him to climb above his rank in order to face those stronger than him.

A skill that transformed his body into a sword and shield for his friends.

Noah didn’t know how much time he had in this form. How much lifeforce was being burned per second.

But right now, every moment counted. So how could he be stingy?

*BANG!!!

Energy erupted around his arms and back.

Crouching slightly, he rushed forward.

That one explosion earlier had already brought him close to the point of death. As long as he wasn’t killed instantly, he should be able to kill this guardian!

*CLANG!!!

Noah’s blade clashed with a pillar of space.

Swiping her hand, the Guardian created a singularity to swallow Noah full. But with this upgraded power, his eyes instantly snapped towards the distortion in space.

Power didn’t equal technique or experience.

Unless he heavily overwhelmed his opponent, this kind of boost was simply a final desperate cry.

Fortunately, the same could be said for the Guardian.

She had Feris’s powers but none of the techniques or experience to match the overwhelming power flowing through her body.

They were in similar situations!

Ducking backwards, Noah slashed horizontally as energy ripped through distorted constructs.

The Guardian, displeased by the situation, snapped her fingers.

Geometric distortions in space tried to lock Noah down.

Yet before they could even compress, more cracks spread across his body.

*BANG!!!

A pulse of energy shattered the constraints as he rested his sword by his side.

Leaning forward, veins bulged across his arm.

*RUMBLE!!!

His speed increased to the maximum. His figure blurred and the blade was suddenly inches away from decapitating the Guardian.

Except...

Space folded. The closer his blade got to the Guardian, the slower it moved. It felt like he was trying to pull the entire world with him if he wanted his attack to connect.

And unfortunately, he wasn’t given the option to back off.

A singularity spun to life and jammed into his stomach!

"!!!" Widening his eyes, blood rushed up his throat as Noah’s body was flung away.

Before he could get far, Yama caught him while threads tangled the debris nearby.

*TWANG!!!

Snapping taut instantly, Yama’s eyes turned bloodshot with his own threads digging into his hands. But he couldn’t allow Noah to fly too far away!

Last Stand wasn’t a long lasting skill. Once he got too far from his target, it would be forcefully deactivated. And if that was to happen, he didn’t know if Noah had the strength or stamina to tap into it a second time.

"ARGH!!!!!" Letting out a shout to ignore the pain in his arm, of his flesh before cut, Yama swung Noah back into battle while Rika and Tobi rushed other.

"!!!" Rika covered her mouth in shock, unable to keep her eye on Yama’s wound.

"I can get this sorted! Give Noah buffs! Don’t let him fight alone!" Yama shouted. His voice was harsh but that was only because of the pain he was suffering.

The pressure of catching Noah, the speed he had to cancel out and the wire that mutilated his right hand.

His flesh and tendons were torn apart with some parts being stripped down to the bone.

Even so, his concern was not on his own arm right now.

With bloodshot eyes, Yama reached into his pouch and drank a healing vial. The effects weren’t enough to fix his arm but it was enough to cancel out the pain to some degree!

"R-right! Let m-me help you first." Rika suggested but Yama immediately shook his head.

His right arm was done for, that much was clear. Unless they got a top grade healer, they won’t be able to repair it. Thankfully, he was ambidextrous so he could still use his left arm to fight.

"Just be careful not to join in the fight. We’re just going to be hindrances. However, we can still provide support to Noah. If we get hurt or die, it’ll cause the balance to tip. Remember that." Yama reminded.

Meanwhile, with Yama throwing him back into the fight, Noah was exchanging blows with the Guardian.

He felt a fire rage in his chest while the cracks kept spreading across his body.

Faster, stronger.

He had to keep going until he could overwhelm this Guardian.

Feris might be holding it back but for how long? What if the ’main’ body was to look this way?

They were being ignored but once damage came to the main fragment, there’s no guarantee that it won’t classify them as targets.

Therefore, Noah understood this must be dealt with quickly!

*BANG!!!

Energy cracked from his back as he unleashed three slashes, destroying the distorted cubes that the Guardian sent over.

The annoying part about trying to fight the Guardian was the presence of the strange barrier around her body.

No matter how he tried, he couldn’t break through it at all.

"NOAH!!!" Rika shouted, her staff slamming into the ground as lights shimmered around his body.

A smile appeared on his lips.

Last Stand didn’t mean to fight alone.

Last stand was for him to keep fighting so long as his friends were there.

*BANG!!!

With the boost in power flowing through his body, Noah lunged.

Feeling the danger, the Guardian opened her palm, increasing the ’distance’ between them as much as possible.

But with her attention focused on Noah, a figure slipped through and placed a hand on the fragment.

"!!!"

The Guardian’s eyes snapped towards the fragment and saw Tobi with a scared but brave smile. The corners twitched as he couldn’t wait to bury himself into a hole.

However, his job was done and Yama quickly pulled him away using the threads.

Noah watched everything unfold.

This was his best chance.

His last chance.

Rika’s buff amplified his power but it wouldn’t last long. Not with his current output.

Yama lacked the means to harm the Guardian and Tobi could only provide range support.

Even with Last Stand activated, he wasn’t sure how long he could fight for.

Therefore, with the energy he had left...

He’ll pour everything in and break the shackles!

"ARGH!!!!!" Noah shouted, his throat turning hoarse as the cracks fully stretched across his body.

His vessel was now a broken container, constantly leaking energy as it propelled him forward towards the Guardian.

He could feel the flow of his own blood, his muscles screaming out.

His heart trying its best to keep up.

Burn.

Burn!

BURN!!!

Set everything ablaze! Use it all as kindling for the fire raging in his heart!

What use is his lifeforce if he can’t even safe the girl in front of him!?

BURN!!!

Don’t stop!

Don’t falter!

Rush towards the girl begging for your help and take her hand!

BURN!!!

*RUMBLE!!!

Noah’s power pierced an invisible veil as the eruption of energy caused the clouds to part.

In that moment, multiple figures from across the world and realms glanced up at the sky.

A certain man tilted his head back and frowned.

A single sentence hovered in his mind, reflecting the faint sound he had just heard.

The turning of the Cogs.

Something had just happened across the world, something that caused one of the larger cogs to shift.

Good or bad, it didn’t matter. For a reaction this big, it shouldn’t be overlooked.

The Guardian looked up at Noah as an ominous feeling filled her chest.

The unrelenting surge of energy as he lunged from above. His vessel screaming on the verge of destruction yet holding together because of one fervent desire.

Ah... I can’t block this...

Fragment Feris understood.

Even without Feris holding her back, this had reached a point she couldn’t stop.

An attack empowered by something beyond normal levels. As though the entire world was supporting his actions.

As though the heavens themselves decreed that this man will succeed.

Raising her hand, barriers overlapped with multiple forms of defence but the girl knew it was futile.

*CRACK!!!

The first barrier shattered without any resistance.

Then the second, third, fourth.

It continued.

He continued.

His blade ripped through the defences as his eyes burned with a singular passion.

To the Fragment Feris’s eyes, this was just as beautiful as the Night Sky. As the Void.

Ah... She could see why the other half of the heart had been claimed.

*KRK!!!!!

Breaking through the barriers, Noah’s blade fell as the Guardian was cut down diagonally. Energy ripped through her vessel, destroying all tethers she had with the Void that empowered her abilities.

Yet she didn’t scream.

Instead, a smile hung on her lips.

How warm... How fulfilling...

This hunger, this Void... It felt full.

Finally...

Stumbling back, Fragment Feris closed her eyes as her form shattered into streaks of energy that was absorbed into the last remaining fragment.

Panting heavily, Noah limped towards where Feris was trapped.

He could feel the flames calming down, the fatigue setting in his body.

He could feel the fuel running out.

’I pushed myself a bit far this time...’ His thoughts were hazy.

Even so, there is a job that still needs to be done.

Feris.

He must free her-

*KRK!!!

". . ."

The world fell silent.

He could see Yama and Tobi screaming something.

He could see the shock in Feris’s eyes.

The warmth leaving his body.

Blood dripped from his lips...

*Badum...

The weak fragile beating of the heart echoed. So close yet...

So far.

A delicate hand had pierced his chest.

His lips trembled, his eyes focused on only one person.

"Fe...ris..."

"NOAH!!!"