Chapter 11 – Halo Bearers
A black halo hovered above Azrael’s head.
A radiant golden halo shone above Seraphina’s.
The moment the halos appeared, every monster on the battlefield froze.
The Crimson Legionnaires lowered their weapons.
Even the Abyssal Spawn instinctively retreated several steps, their bodies trembling as if they had encountered a natural predator.
The Crimson Devourer’s expression changed from anger...
To disbelief.
"...Impossible."
"The Halo Bearer stage should have been extinct."
Azrael frowned.
"You keep talking like you know us."
The Devourer let out a low growl.
"I know enough."
"It was because of your kind..."
"...that the Abyss was sealed."
Before Azrael could ask another question, the System interrupted.
Evolution Complete
Evolution Stage: Halo Bearer
Congratulations!
All Base Attributes +15
Authority Synchronization Increased
5% → 10%
New Feature Unlocked
Authority Aura
New Skill Unlocked
Halo Burst
Warm power surged through Azrael’s body.
The fatigue from the battle disappeared completely.
His muscles felt lighter.
His senses became sharper.
Even the flow of mana in the air had become visible to him.
Seraphina stared at her own hands.
Golden particles danced around her fingertips.
"I’ve become stronger..."
"So have I."
Azrael opened his status panel.
Azrael
Title: Halo Bearer
Level: 3
Authority: Oblivion
Evolution: 10%
Strength: 45
Agility: 44
Vitality: 33
Spirit: 33
Seraphina
Title: Halo Bearer
Level: 3
Authority: Genesis
Evolution: 10%
Strength: 26
Agility: 27
Vitality: 39
Spirit: 46
Elena looked at the twins in astonishment.
"You..."
"...actually evolved."
The halos slowly rotated above their heads, giving them an unmistakable celestial aura.
The Crimson Devourer suddenly roared.
"No!"
"It cannot happen again!"
Its unfinished evolution surged violently.
The crystals covering its body cracked before expanding into jagged crimson armor.
Its second eye, destroyed by Azrael earlier, regenerated halfway before stopping.
A deep black scar remained across it.
The Oblivion Authority still prevented complete healing.
The Devourer glared at Azrael with hatred.
"You..."
"...are the enemy of the Abyss."
Azrael raised his sword.
"Good."
"I wasn’t planning on becoming your friend."
The Devourer slammed both fists into the ground.
Hundreds of crimson spikes erupted from beneath the street.
"Scatter!"
The three Awakened leaped in different directions.
The spikes tore through buildings, overturned buses, and even punched holes through the shopping mall’s outer wall.
The barrier protecting the survivors flickered.
Safe Zone Stability
46%
"We’re running out of time!"
Seraphina shouted.
Azrael nodded.
"I know."
The System suddenly displayed another notification.
Halo Burst
Rank: Rare
Consumes Halo Energy to temporarily increase all Attributes by 50% for one minute.
Cooldown: 10 Minutes.
Azrael smiled.
"Perfect."
Without hesitation—
"Halo Burst."
The black halo above his head spun rapidly.
Dark energy flowed through every part of his body.
His coat fluttered violently despite the still air.
Cracks spread beneath his feet.
Halo Burst Activated
Duration: 60 Seconds.
Azrael disappeared.
Even Elena lost sight of him.
The next instant—
BOOM!
The Devourer’s head snapped backward as Azrael’s fist struck its jaw.
The massive monster stumbled several steps.
"So fast!"
Elena whispered.
Azrael followed with another attack.
Then another.
His sword became a blur of black light.
Each strike carved deep wounds across the Devourer’s crystal armor.
The boss’s HP plummeted.
Boss HP
1,780
↓
1,420
↓
1,180
The Devourer roared in frustration.
It swung both arms wildly.
Azrael dodged every attack effortlessly.
The difference in speed was overwhelming.
"You’ve slowed down."
Azrael smirked.
"Or maybe..."
"...I’ve just gotten faster."
Meanwhile, Seraphina focused entirely on support.
Instead of attacking, she spread both hands toward the battlefield.
"Genesis Domain."
Golden light flowed into the shattered streets.
Flowers bloomed.
Trees burst through cracked asphalt.
The damaged buildings stabilized.
The battlefield itself came alive.
Vines continuously restrained the Devourer’s movements while green energy restored Azrael and Elena whenever they suffered injuries.
New Skill Learned
Genesis Domain
Creates a field that continuously heals allies and empowers all Genesis-based abilities.
Elena laughed.
"I could get used to fighting with a healer like this."
She dashed toward the remaining Legionnaires.
Blue lightning danced around her katana.
Within moments...
The last Crimson Legionnaire fell.
Party Experience Shared
Level Increased.
Azrael
3 → 4
Seraphina
3 → 4
Elena
4 → 5
The three of them immediately felt another surge of power.
The Devourer looked around.
Its army...
Was gone.
It stood alone.
For the first time since the battle began...
Fear appeared in its eyes.
"No..."
"The King..."
"...will punish me."
Azrael frowned.
"So even you’re afraid of him."
The Devourer remained silent.
Instead...
It turned around.
And ran.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
"The boss..."
"...is escaping?"
Elena’s eyes widened.
"Don’t let it reach another monster nest!"
"If it absorbs more Spawn, it’ll finish evolving!"
Azrael immediately activated Shadow Step.
He appeared several meters ahead of the fleeing boss.
The Devourer skidded to a stop.
Its path was blocked.
Behind it...
Seraphina raised both hands.
Gigantic roots erupted from the ground, sealing every escape route.
The monster was trapped.
The Devourer laughed bitterly.
"So..."
"This is the end."
Its body suddenly began glowing crimson.
The System immediately turned scarlet.
WARNING
The Crimson Devourer has initiated Self-Destruction.
Estimated Blast Radius:
Two Kilometers.
Time Remaining:
30 Seconds.
The survivors inside the mall screamed.
Elena’s face turned pale.
"It plans to take the entire district with it!"
Azrael clenched his sword.
"There has to be a way to stop it!"
The System answered.
Emergency Objective
Interrupt Self-Destruction.
Suggested Method:
Destroy the Monster Core.
Location:
Center of Chest.
"The eye..."
Azrael looked at the glowing crimson eye embedded in the Devourer’s chest.
"That’s the core."
The boss smiled.
"You are..."
"...too late."
The countdown continued.
25...
24...
23...
Seraphina suddenly grabbed Azrael’s arm.
"I’ll hold it still."
"What?"
"Trust me."
Before he could argue, she rushed forward.
Her halo shone brighter than ever before.
"Genesis Chains!"
Golden vines erupted from every direction.
They wrapped around the Devourer’s arms...
Its legs...
Its neck...
Its waist...
Layer after layer.
The giant monster struggled violently, but every vine it destroyed was replaced by three more.
Seraphina gritted her teeth.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
She poured every ounce of mana she had into the skill.
The countdown continued.
18...
17...
The Devourer couldn’t move.
Azrael looked at his sister.
She met his gaze and smiled.
"I’ve got it."
He understood.
There would only be one chance.
He raised the Oblivion Iron Sword.
Darkness gathered around its blade.
The black halo above his head spun faster and faster until the air around him began to distort.
For the first time...
The sword emitted a low humming sound, as though it were responding to his determination.
The System displayed one final notification.
Skill Evolution Available
Oblivion Crescent
↓
Oblivion Severance
Accept?
Azrael’s grip tightened.
"...Accept."
Darkness exploded from the blade.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Then he took one step forward.
And swung.