The moment Stage Two fully stabilized—
the world *changed*.
The radiation pressure radiating from Raze Arcwell was no longer subtle.
It was heavy.
Dense.
Oppressive.
Not something that exploded outward—
but something that *pressed down* on everything around him.
For Raze, it was manageable.
He had no Nexas.
No awakened core.
No altered DNA for the Abyss radiation to disrupt.
His body endured it.
But for Astra—
It was hell.
The instant she stepped within range again, pain tore through her.
Not physical pain.
Something deeper.
Every ounce of Nexas inside her screamed.
Her muscles tensed uncontrollably.
Her breathing hitched.
Her flight faltered mid-air as if invisible hands were dragging her down.
Astra clenched her teeth.
"…So this is… the real pressure…"
The radiation wasn't weakening her strength alone.
It was suppressing her *existence as a Nexas user*.
Raze saw it.
Saw the way her movements stiffened.
Saw the moment her flight dropped a full meter before she forced herself back up.
His chest tightened.
*I'm hurting her…*
But he didn't turn it off.
Because if he did—
He would lose.
◆ ◆ ◆
Across the stadium, a ripple of unease spread.
Nexas users shifted in their seats.
Some frowned.
Some winced.
Some subconsciously leaned away from the arena.
"…Do you feel that?"
"…Yeah. Something's pressing on my chest."
"It's faint… but uncomfortable."
Even the heroes weren't immune.
Titanheart narrowed his eyes.
"This radiation… it's localized, but it's real."
Aetherion's expression darkened.
"If stage 2 is like this then, If this were Stage Three…"
"…the stadium wouldn't be standing," Titanheart finished quietly.
◆ ◆ ◆
Astra couldn't fly close to Raze anymore.
Every attempt felt like forcing herself through deep water.
So she adapted.
She landed.
The tiles cracked under her boots as she charged forward on foot—raw speed, raw strength, no tricks.
Raze met her head-on.
Fist to forearm.
BOOM—!!
The shockwave blasted outward.
Raze slid back.
Astra staggered.
Both of them breathing harder now.
Pain burned through Astra's muscles.
Pressure gnawed at her core.
But she didn't stop.
She *refused* to stop.
"I've never needed to push this far…"
"But if I give up now… then everything I stand for is a lie."
She swung again.
Raze blocked—
*CRACK.*
A thin fracture ran along the Arcsteel plating of his forearm guard.
Raze's eyes widened.
Another exchange—
*CRACK.*
A second fracture.
Then a third.
The crowd gasped.
"The armor—!"
"Arcsteel is cracking!?"
"That shouldn't be possible!"
Astra's strikes were growing heavier.
Even suppressed.
Even in pain.
She was still Astra Noire.
Raze gritted his teeth.
*She's pushing through it… through everything.*
The Starbreaker's warnings flared.
*ARMOR INTEGRITY FALLING*
*RADIATION OUTPUT STABLE*
*STAGE THREE — LOCKED*
He knew why.
Stage Three wasn't like the others.
It wasn't controlled release.
It was everything.
All stored Abyss radiation unleashed at once.
Enough to cripple Nexas users.
Enough to warp the battlefield.
Enough that even *his* body wouldn't walk away unharmed.
*If I activate it…*
*I might win.*
*Or I might not walk away.*
Astra struck again.
This time, Raze felt the impact in his bones.
Another Arcsteel plate shattered.
Fragments skidded across the arena floor.
Astra stood there—breathing hard, body shaking, eyes burning with stubborn fire.
"…I won't fall," she said hoarsely.
"…Not to pain."
Raze straightened slowly.
Armor cracked.
Body strained.
Mind racing.
*So what do I do now…?*
Fight on with breaking armor?
Risk everything with Stage Three?
Or find another path—
Before one of them breaks completely?
Above them, unseen—
Someone watched with sharp interest.
Because this fight had reached the point where **choices mattered more than power**.
And the next decision Raze Arcwell made—
Would change the outcome of the battle.