Sylvie propelled herself in the opposite direction, and the moment she did, she dodged an arrow that—had she been a fraction slower—would have pierced her throat.
She followed the trajectory of the attack and saw the guard who had loosed the arrow take another one to the center of his chest.
Sylvie blinked.
All around her, guards loyal to the General and those loyal to the King were locked in a ferocious battle.
It was a fight she had no interest in participating in whatsoever, but sadly, that wasn't something she could choose.
The next instant, another arrow flew toward her, and instead of dodging, she manifested a shield of mana in front of her.
The arrow struck the shield, and its trajectory was deflected.
Behind her, she heard the arrow embed itself in the thigh of one of the guards loyal to the General.
"What the hell are you doing?" the guard shouted at her. "If you don't want to die, fight!" He pulled the arrow from his thigh and sprinted toward the front.
Sylvie clenched her teeth and summoned her longsword. Then, her armor began to form over her body.
She took the first step and forced her mind to clear off all unnecessary thoughts.
The sound of clashing steel, the shouts of soldiers, and the distant clashes between the two Saints were still there, but they faded into the background.
Before her, a guard loyal to the King raised his sword and ran directly toward her.
Sylvie exhaled slowly.
The moment the guard brought his sword down toward her neck, she moved. A slight step back allowed the blade to graze her throat.
In the same motion, she manipulated the ambient mana and cast a spell on the guard's sword. It gained more speed than the force the guard had applied—throwing him into an awkward position.
Before he could recover, Sylvie stepped forward while releasing her sword, and with a dagger made of mana, she drove it into the guard's neck.
Sylvie dissolved the dagger, and the body fell to its knees before collapsing completely.
[You have slain an Awakened…]
As the corpse hit the ground, she tried to feel the soul essence leaving the body and attempting to enter her core in the form of fragments. However, her core was already saturated, so the essence dissipated into the environment.
'…What?'
She had no time to dwell on it.
Another guard appeared through the chaos—this time with a short spear and a rectangular shield. The man shouted something Sylvie didn't catch and advanced toward her alongside two other soldiers.
Sylvie frowned.
She held her guard until the last moment. Then she cast another spell—this time at the second guard. He didn't realize what had hit him, and in an instant, he stumbled, causing the third to fall along with him.
Sylvie dodged a thrust from the first guard while her sword reformed in her hand. Pivoting around him, she positioned herself beside the two guards on the ground.
Finally, her longsword came down, impaling both guards through the chest.
[You have slain an Awakened…]
[You have slain an Awakened…]
At the same time her sword was on its downward trajectory, she summoned another dagger. It appeared in the air at the spot where she had predicted the first guard would move.
The latter, unaware of this, turned reactively to continue the fight, and the moment he did, the dagger embedded itself slightly above his collarbone.
Piercing his neck and killing him instantly.
[You have slain an Awakened…]
Sylvie focused all her intent on sensing the soul essence of the three guards—and she succeeded. But it wasn't enough.
She clenched her teeth.
'Why isn't it working?!'
Perhaps she needed greater control. Perhaps more concentration. Or perhaps she was simply attempting the impossible.
But either way, she was going to keep trying.
Around her, the battle continued to worsen.
Corpses covered part of the courtyard floor. Arrows constantly tore through the air. Some soldiers shouted orders while others simply tried to survive. And in the midst of it all, Sylvie kept fighting while attempting something that had never been accomplished in history.
Seconds passed in this state of constant battle, then minutes.
She killed one guard, then another. The methods didn't matter—deflecting swords, cutting throats, piercing hearts. The only thing that mattered to her was the soul essence.
Movement after movement, every thought was dedicated to attracting, sensing, guiding, and forming.
After each kill, Sylvie forced herself to reach for it, but it always ended the same way. With failure.
She had lost all sense of time in this state of total concentration. Sweat began to mix with the blood on her face—not her own, but the guards'. Her breathing grew more hurried, yet she didn't stop, because even in failure… she was getting closer each time.
Sylvie decapitated another soldier and stepped back, surveying the battlefield.
The battle between the Saints continued to destroy everything around them. Fortunately, they had moved away from both armies; otherwise, no one present would have survived by then.
Shockwaves tore through the air. Fragments of ice and marble flew out constantly. Each clash between the two Transcendents made the ground tremble beneath everyone's feet.
And then—
—A deafening crash shook the entire palace.
Something tore through a complete wall of the main building and exploded against the interior, destroying columns, windows, and part of the roof in a massive rain of debris.
The impact shook the entire front courtyard.
Sylvie lost her balance—as did all the guards—and fell to her knees as a wave of dust covered the battlefield. The soldiers around them were equally paralyzed.
For a few seconds, the only sound was that of falling stone. Then… a figure emerged from the rubble.
The General, Isceth.
Sylvie slowly lifted her gaze.
The woman had part of her armor covered in dust and blood, but her expression… she was smiling. As if all of that had barely been entertaining.
Isceth casually dusted off her shoulder, knocking stone fragments from her armor.
Then she raised a hand slightly, and a bridge made entirely of ice began to extend beneath her feet, advancing through the air at an absurd speed toward Mordrath.
The General's smile widened, her eyes full of bloodlust, and the next second… she took off running.
Sylvie was the first to snap back to reality, standing up and deciding to seize the moment.
All around her, small mana daggers appeared in the air and immediately shot toward the King's loyal guards—though some also struck those loyal to the General.
She didn't even bother to hear the Spell's voice notifying her of the deaths. She immediately focused on trying to sense the soul essence.
This time, she had more success than in previous attempts. But again, it wasn't enough. Even so, she didn't get discouraged or stop trying. She was close. Each attempt brought her closer.
With so much spontaneous movement, the dust in the air cleared faster, and thanks to this, she managed to see Siord in the distance. The Legacy was in a fierce battle against another guard and, fortunately, was winning.
She also saw how the King's guards were gradually decreasing in number, being pushed toward the exterior of the courtyard.
Sylvie refocused on the fight, controlling the circulation of her essence and maintaining a wide reserve of mana.
But as she dodged a new attack and killed the guard, she saw a new group arrive on the scene.
She recognized them immediately—in fact, she had known they were coming.
It was the group she had visited with the General a few days ago.
The moment they arrived, the four women separated individually and began attacking the King's loyalists—those closest to them.
The difference in power was evident instantly.
One of the women pierced a guard's chest before kicking the body toward another man who was trying to attack her from behind. Another used a spear to break a soldier's knee and cut his neck in the same motion.
And one woman with black hair and red eyes… she simply advanced, cutting through soldiers as if they didn't exist.
Sylvie deflected a sword aimed at her head and drove her own into the attacker's stomach. The man fell to his knees as she continued moving through the chaos, trying to sense the soul essence.
The minutes kept passing.
The noise of the battle between the two Saints continued to destroy parts of the palace constantly, and even some debris struck the castle in the distance.
Shockwaves from their clashes tore across the battlefield, and every so often, part of the ceiling or a wall of the palace collapsed because of them.
Sylvie had just blocked an axe when she felt a presence behind her. She turned her body instinctively, and another sword deflected an attack aimed at her before she could conjure a shield.
She stood back-to-back with the person who had helped her for a second as the guards surrounded them.
Sylvie glanced to the side.
It was one of the women who had recently entered the fight. Black eyes, hair the same color reaching her waist, and an expression of relief on her face.
She didn't recognize her at first, but the woman winked at her with a smile. Then she realized who it was.
It was Seishan.
Before she could utter a word, a guard lunged at them, and Seishan stepped forward, cutting his neck from side to side with a perfect strike. At the same time, Sylvie spun on herself and pierced another soldier's chest.
The two kept fighting as they heard the blows and roars coming from the clash between a Transcendent Titan and a Transcendent Beast. The air around them began to grow cold.
Sylvie frowned as she dodged a strike and said, "I can't tell the General's condition"—she dodged another attack—"or the King's. The fight is too fast."
Seishan ran a guard through with her sword. "All we can do is hold out until they're weak enough or until one of"—she killed another guard—"them dies."
Sylvie kicked a man in the chest to push him away and unleashed a small burst of mana that struck another guard's chest, causing him to fall backward as a spear made entirely of mana pierced his chest.
The man screamed, but his voice was lost among the cries of other guards succumbing to the same fate.
Moments passed as both continued fighting without stopping.
Seishan cut off a soldier's arm, then drove her sword into his neck before continuing to speak. "Ceres is with me, and the other two women are strong!"
In that instant, an arrow shot toward Seishan's chest, and Sylvie reacted immediately, moving her sword and deflecting the projectile just in time.
The arrow grazed Seishan's armor and ended up embedded in the ground. She didn't even flinch and kept talking. "Actually, the one with black hair and red eyes is an Ascended!"
Sylvie nodded, and they continued fighting.
The battle began to tilt slowly.
Fewer and fewer of the King's loyal guards remained standing. Many tried to retreat, but the newly arrived women gave them no chance to escape.
The ground, once lush and green, was now covered in bodies and blood.
And then—
—The entire palace shook violently.
Sylvie and Seishan looked up at the same time.
An enormous part of the building finally collapsed as a shockwave tore across the battlefield. The remaining walls shattered, and tons of stone fell downward.
For a moment, the entire place disappeared under a cloud of dust once more.
Everyone stopped fighting. The few guards still alive instinctively retreated, trying to locate both Saints among the rubble.
Several seconds passed. Then, two figures emerged slowly from the smoke and destruction.
The King and the General.
Mordrath and Isceth.
A Transcendent Titan and a Transcendent Beast.
Both were covered in blood and wounds.
The fight had clearly lasted a long time—especially considering they were both Saints, where a single second could mean defeat.
The King breathed heavily. One of his arms had been completely torn off at the shoulder, and multiple wounds covered his torso and legs. His armor was destroyed in several places, yet he still radiated enormous pressure.
He still had more reserves left than the General, but it was also evident that he was weaker.
His movements were less stable, less precise—but that wasn't the only reason. It was the fact that he was completely insane and had just emerged from his Third Nightmare. He hadn't yet adapted to his new power.
The General, on the other hand, was in better physical condition comparatively, though she wasn't in good shape either. Several deep wounds covered parts of her body, but these were sealed by a thin layer of ice.
Isceth was close to running out of essence reserves, yet still… she kept smiling as she looked at the King.
This sent an uncomfortable feeling through Sylvie, because she knew that the General, no matter how much of a sociopath she was, would never fight if she didn't intend to win or at least have a chance.
Silence was total as both Saints stared at each other.
After a few seconds like this, she noticed the King beginning to sniff something. His nose twitched strangely, and immediately, his head turned at a ridiculous speed in her direction.
Sylvie's blood began to act strangely again—even with the Memory helping her. Beside her, she noticed Seishan also shifting uncomfortably, though the latter regained control more easily.
"Oh… what do we have here?" said the King, keeping his golden eyes on them both. "I recognize the scent of your blood."
Then, against all common sense, he turned completely and stood face to face with them—even with the General at his back.
The latter frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but the King took a step forward—while they took one back.
"What's the matter?" Mordrath asked, taking another step as his smile widened. "The three of us are blessed by the same god. Shouldn't we work together?"
Neither of them spoke, and they continued stepping back.
"Why do you flee from me?" He let out a laugh. "You have something that belongs to me… isn't it natural to want it back?"
At that moment, the woman with dark red eyes tried to move and place herself between them and the King, but at the last second, a spear made of ice cut off her path.
Sylvie watched as this woman—whose name she now remembered was Akame—stared at Isceth.
"Don't interfere," the General said. "This is another test for her. If she can't kill him in this state, she's simply weak."
"Why should I care if it's a test or not?" Akame replied.
The General grinned. "Even if you don't care, you won't be able to do anything." And she began walking toward her.
In a matter of seconds, the battle between the two Saints transformed into one between the General against Akame, Siord, Ceres, and Dana. Meanwhile, Mordrath faced Seishan and Sylvie.
Before violence could erupt again in the palace's front courtyard, multiple ice daggers materialized in the air, and from one moment to the next—
—All the remaining guards fell to the ground with a dagger embedded in their foreheads—guards loyal to the King or loyal to the General alike. Plunging the palace's front courtyard into total silence.
Corpses covered the ground while remnants of ice and stone continued to fall in the distance from the palace ruins. A few meters away, the fight between the General and the other four women had not yet begun, but it would soon.
Even so, the terrifying presence of Mordrath remained before them, watching with his golden eyes consumed by madness.
The King was not in his best state, but he was still stronger than two mere Awakened. The pressure he released was completely overwhelming.
Sylvie felt the blood inside her stir again.
Mordrath smiled, and then he moved.
Sylvie barely managed to react before a hand closed around her neck and lifted her off the ground. The next instant, her body crashed through a destroyed wall of the palace and exploded against the rubble. The impact made her vision blur for a moment.
She tried to get up quickly, but Mordrath had already appeared before her again. The King threw a direct punch at her head, and Sylvie barely managed to raise her arm and place shields in front of her. Yet the force of the impact broke her arm and sent her rolling violently across the ground, screaming in pain.
Seishan appeared from the side immediately after. Her sword descended toward the King's neck with brutal speed for an Awakened. Even so, Mordrath stepped back half a step and dodged.
Then the King struck Seishan's sword—which she used to block—with his remaining hand.
The impact shattered the ground beneath her feet and forced her to her knees. Before Mordrath could continue his attack, Sylvie created several mana daggers behind him and launched them simultaneously at different blind spots.
The daggers struck the King's armor. Some were destroyed immediately, but two managed to pierce through the gaps where open wounds existed.
Seishan seized the second to recover and used her Awakened ability.
The blood flowing from Mordrath's wounds began to spill faster. The King barely frowned as more blood started dripping from his body.
Sylvie didn't waste time. Taking advantage of the distraction, she created a mana sword and advanced directly toward the King's chest. Mordrath raised his remaining hand and caught the sword before it could reach him. The pressure of his strength shattered the weapon instantly.
Then he kicked her in the abdomen.
Sylvie felt the air leave her lungs as she was launched several meters backward.
Still, she rose again, her attribute helping her heal herself.
Mordrath, for his part, was worsening.
His movements remained monstrously fast, but there was more and more blood covering his body. Seishan's ability kept forcing his open wounds to bleed constantly, weakening him little by little even as he continued to dominate every exchange.
Seishan breathed deeply, and in the next instant, an enormous black wolf emerged beside her.
The Transcendent Echo let out a deep growl before launching itself directly at Mordrath. The King barely managed to turn as the creature collided with him and dragged him several meters through the rubble.
Sylvie reacted immediately.
Three mana swords appeared floating around her as she ran forward. The weapons shot out simultaneously from different angles. Mordrath destroyed two with precise strikes, but the third managed to pierce his side.
Seishan's ability reacted again, and more blood began to pour from the wound.
For the first time, Mordrath's smile faded slightly.
The wolf lunged at him again, trying to tear out his throat. Mordrath raised his hand and caught the creature's jaw before delivering a dry blow to its chest with his head.
The Echo's entire body evaporated violently.
Seishan barely stepped back as the Spell's message reached her, and Mordrath seized that instant to appear before her.
However, Sylvie intervened just in time.
Her longsword traced a horizontal cut while dozens of small mana blades manifested around the King and shot out simultaneously. Mordrath blocked the sword strike, but several blades managed to open new cuts on his torso and legs.
Immediately, those wounds began bleeding profusely again.
The King's breathing grew heavier. His chest moved irregularly as he tried to avoid so many simultaneous strikes while fighting to keep his blood inside his body.
Seishan appeared behind him and drove her sword deep into an open wound on the King's back. Blood exploded uncontrollably once more.
Mordrath growled in pain and spun violently to attack her, but that was exactly what Sylvie had anticipated.
She appeared in front of the King and, after a rapid exchange of blows, managed to open a deep cut on his chest with her sword. Before Mordrath could react, Sylvie reached directly into the open wound with her hand.
The King's golden eyes widened.
Sylvie felt one of the Transcendent cores inside his chest and, using the last remaining reserves of her mana, created small daggers within Mordrath's body.
The daggers homed in on his heart and cores from the inside while Sylvie crushed another with what little strength she had left.
The first dagger reached one of his cores, destroying it completely. Sylvie felt the soul essence begin to expel from it. Then the second core shattered.
When the dagger reached the last core, the one heading for his heart finished piercing it.
[You have slain a Transcendent Titan, Mordrath.]
Mordrath was dead.
And all the soul essence the Transcendent Titan possessed entered Sylvie's fragile body.
She felt… she didn't know how she felt.
One part of her body was completely exhausted, on the verge of collapse. But another part was being reborn.
Both parts were locked in constant struggle, causing physical and soul pain impossible to describe. She didn't notice when she fell to the ground, nor when the King's figure collapsed beside her.
Then, something inside her exploded, drowning her entire being in indescribable suffering. It was as if her very soul was on fire, as if something was emerging from its dark depths, tearing her apart.
But at the same time, she felt as if something was awakening within her. The feeling was exquisite—yet she felt nothing more.
The moment both processes began, her consciousness abruptly shut off, plunging everything into darkness.
"SYLVIE!!" Seishan screamed as she rushed to Sylvie's unconscious body.
She knelt beside her and brought her hand to the veins on her neck. After seconds that felt like an eternity, she confirmed that Sylvie was still alive.
Seishan let out a deep breath and wanted to wrap her in her arms, but at that moment, a figure flew past her like a blur.
The figure moved at an impressive speed, but from one moment to the next, an ice spear materialized in its path.
She didn't even have time to blink before the person who had been thrown was impaled by the spear—killed instantly, sending a cloud of dust and ice fragments flying through the air.
Seishan turned her gaze and focused on the other fight. Then she had to swallow hard, because she didn't see Dana.
Once the dust settled, she could see that the person impaled on the ice spear was Dana. The yellow-haired woman, who always had such a cheerful personality, lay dead a few meters away.
Seishan clenched her teeth and refocused on the fight. Then she moved Sylvie's unconscious body as far as possible from the palace rubble, placing her as safely as she could. When she finished, she began running toward the fight.
Currently, Isceth was fighting against Akame, Siord, and Ceres—with the latter two barely able to participate, as they would only get in Akame's way.
Their fight was centered heavily on speed, and in that regard, Akame excelled. Even so, she was up against a Saint. Any advantage she might have in speed was rendered nearly useless.
Seishan arrived moments later and joined the fight as best she could. She was already on the verge of exhausting her essence reserves. Her bones were on the brink of breaking, and her head was about to explode from all the blood present.
Even so, she gripped her sword tighter and launched an attack at the General.
Isceth reacted immediately.
An ice spear appeared before her and collided with Seishan's sword, deflecting the attack just a few centimeters before Akame appeared from the side.
The red-eyed woman unleashed a horizontal cut directly at the General's neck.
Isceth stepped back and barely dodged the attack, but Akame was already moving again.
Her speed was absurd.
Every movement left small afterimages behind her as she attacked from different angles, trying to find an opening. The General blocked two consecutive attacks with an ice sword created on the spot, but the third managed to open a cut across her abdomen.
Blood fell immediately and began to move erratically, trying to escape her body.
Isceth frowned and retreated quickly as more blood began to pour from several wounds on her body.
The General was no longer anywhere near her best state.
Her entire body was covered in wounds temporarily sealed by small layers of ice that were slowly turning red from the blood beneath them. Her right leg had a deep cut at thigh level that made it obvious how difficult it was for her to remain fully steady. And her left shoulder… it looked completely destroyed.
Yet still, she remained terrifying.
Akame appeared before her again, and the two exchanged an absurd number of blows in mere seconds. Sword against sword, ice constantly exploding.
Ceres tried to take advantage of an instant when Isceth was blocking an attack from Akame and launched a short spear at her back.
The General barely turned her body and caught the weapon in the air before shattering it completely with her hand.
At that same moment, Siord descended from above with a vertical cut.
Isceth raised an ice wall instantly, causing the sword to bounce off it.
Meanwhile, from below, Akame appeared before her again.
Her katana descended toward Isceth's face with brutal speed. The General managed to block the attack, but Akame spun on herself and kicked directly at the Saint's wounded thigh.
For the first time, Isceth barely lost her balance.
Seishan seized the opportunity immediately.
She channeled more essence into her ability, intensifying it once more, and the blood began to escape much faster from the General's wounds. Some of the ice layers slowly began to crack under the pressure.
Isceth let out a small laugh—and even while bleeding constantly… she kept smiling.
Akame didn't give her time to keep laughing.
She disappeared again and appeared directly above the General. Dozens of small cuts began to accumulate on Isceth's armor and skin as the two moved so fast they could barely be followed visually.
But even so… Akame couldn't fully dominate her.
Because even wounded, exhausted, and surrounded, Isceth was still a Saint.
The General created multiple ice swords around herself and fired them in all directions.
Ceres barely managed to dodge one before another pierced her shoulder. Siord blocked two with her sword, but the third opened a deep cut on her side.
Akame took advantage of the opening created by the attack and closed in immediately.
The two clashed again in the center of the destroyed courtyard.
The ice beneath their feet exploded as they exchanged blows at an absurd speed.
Akame managed to cut part of Isceth's face.
The General responded by partially piercing Akame's abdomen with an ice spear created at point-blank range.
The red-eyed woman retreated quickly as blood fell from her body.
Now, both were breathing heavily.
Seishan could barely remain standing. Her face was completely pale, and blood slowly trickled from her nose due to the effort of staying upright.
Even so, she kept going.
Isceth slowly raised a hand.
Several ice needles appeared around her, but before she could launch them, she stopped.
The General took a step back. Then another.
Finally, she stood face to face with them as the wind slowly moved her sky-blue hair, now covered in blood.
Akame breathed heavily, multiple wounds covering her body. Siord and Ceres weren't much better off.
And Isceth…
All the ice covering her wounds was already completely red. Blood continued to drip from her thigh as she barely managed to stay upright due to her wounded leg, destroyed shoulder, and the cut on her abdomen.
Even so, a smile slowly appeared on her face. A wicked smile.
Then she opened her mouth to speak.
"You have been stronger than I calculated…" She then raised her uninjured shoulder. "I've been having a wonderful day today. It's a shame it has to end regardless."
Akame frowned. "What are you talking about?" She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You've already lost, Isceth. You're on the verge of running out of essence, and one strike from my sword will kill you."
The General grinned. "Oh, but I know what I'm talking about. I may be on the verge of running out of essence, and one of those strikes imbued with vital force might kill me, but…" Ice began to cover her entire body. "I'm not defeated yet."
The air around them grew colder and colder—to the point that they began to shiver.
At that moment, Seishan, Siord, and Ceres realized what was about to happen, and with what little strength they had left in their bodies, they ran toward the General. But it was too late.
The General murmured something under her breath, and from one moment to the next, absolutely everything froze. But not with ice.
Time itself stopped for a fraction of a second.
Isceth had defied the universal law of time, trying to freeze it with her own will.
If she succeeded, she would become a Supreme…
Even so, a sudden blow broke her concentration, and the little vital force she had left was further reduced. It was like a drop in a desert.
Akame, using her speed and finally her Ascended ability—which allows her to imbue her attacks with her own vital force—managed to make a small cut on Isceth's abdomen. And one cut was all that was necessary for her ability to take effect.
But it wasn't enough either. Even in that state, using a minuscule and primitive version of her will, Isceth managed to prevent the cut from being fatal—making it so that it was fatal for Akame instead.
The latter woman fell lifeless to the ground.
Seishan, for her part, taking advantage of the General's moment of total distraction, channeled the last drops of essence into her Awakened ability.
The new cut on Isceth's abdomen began to bleed violently, and Seishan heard a voice speak to her before everything went completely black.
[You have slain a Transcendent Beast, Isceth.]
[Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]
Seishan didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but when she returned to herself, she was in the space between dream and reality. The infinite black void was illuminated by a myriad of stars, with countless silver threads of light connecting them to form an infinite and beautiful pattern.
She remained silent, and the Spell began to speak.
[Awakened! Your trial is over.]
[A creature drawn to blood fell into a kingdom where she was rejected for a condition beyond her control. Soon, she found a family that wanted her and accepted her as she was. Together, they completed missions that accumulated more corpses than successes.
Until one night, the creature looked at the moon and decided to be selfish for herself.
From that day on, the creature sought something that belonged only to her. Instead of finding it in the form of another person, she found her own happiness.
The group ventured on many missions, but none compared to the final one. Through her own unwillingness to give up, the creature participated in the creation of something impossible. Subsequently, she prevented another impossible event.
At her limit, the creature prevented an act of defiance against a universal law, stopping the birth of an absolute being.
The creature found her happiness, as well as her reason to continue.]
Seishan blinked—surprised.
'I did all that?!'
[You have slain an Awakened…]
The Spell went on to list everyone and everything she had killed inside the Nightmare.
After a while, the Spell was ready to pass a verdict.
[You have prevented the birth of a Sovereign.]
'I did what?'
Seishan was shocked, surprised, and even frightened. What did it mean that she had prevented the birth of a Sovereign? What Isceth had tried to do was become a Sovereign? Like her mother?
She trembled at the thought.
[Your achievements are extraordinary!]
[Final appraisal: glorious.]
'Glorious? That exists?'
Excitement began to build inside her.
She had never heard of that result, so it should be something good. If it helped her become stronger, perhaps she could… perhaps she could have a chance to stand beside Arthur without being a burden to him.
[The Third Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
Seishan was about to ascend.
She felt as though something was waking up inside her. Her soul core ignited with intense heat, the power within it surging. The heat spread through her soul and her body, rejuvenating and changing them.
The feeling was familiar and euphoric. She felt her body being reforged into a stronger, better, more perfect version of itself. Her soul was going through the same sublime transformation.
Instead of stopping after reaching the threshold of qualitative change and immense fortification, the transformation continued. Her body and soul, both turned incandescent and malleable by the furious heat flowing through them, started to melt into each other.
They were slowly merging.
This was the true boon of Ascension.
Slowly, the heat suffusing her newly reforged self subsided and turned into a pleasant coldness. The coldness then disappeared, absorbed into her spirit, her flesh, and her bones.
Seishan looked at the black void and smiled.
She felt…
Powerful.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
Could Aspects evolve? It was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing, but she had already received so many surprises in such a short time that she was beginning to become desensitized.
'I mean… why not?'
"Yes."
[Ascended Aspect BloodCaller is evolving…]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Supreme.]
Seishan blinked.
'Su-su—Supreme?'
Her Aspect had gone from Ascended to Supreme just like that?
She couldn't hold back her laughter.
[Aspect Name: Lady of Blood.]
To be honest with herself, the fact that the Spell had called her "Lady" was something she quite liked.
[Awakening Aspect Ability.]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[...Aspect Ability Name: Blood Domain.]
[You have acquired a new Attribute.]
[You have acquired a new Attribute.]
[Your Ascension is complete.]
She immediately went to open her runes.
First, she focused on her new Attributes, which read:
Attribute: [Winterless]
Attribute Description: [You are immune to feeling cold.]
'Well… this is a bit anticlimactic, isn't it?'
Seishan had expected a different Attribute, but even so, never feeling cold was a positive thing—or so she wanted to believe. She also understood why she got that Attribute—she killed Isceth.
The other Attribute said:
Attribute: [Mark of Divinity]
Attribute Description: [You bear a faint scent of divinity, as though someone briefly touched by it once, a long time ago.]
While it didn't grant her any kind of power, the fact of having divinity was a positive thing.
Finally, she focused on the most important part. Her Ascended Ability.
Aspect Ability: [Blood Domain]
Ability Description: [You possess absolute control over nearby blood. Bloodshed strengthens your body and expands your influence over the battlefield, allowing you to manipulate spilled blood freely. The greater the amount and quality of blood surrounding you, the stronger your control and physical augmentation become.]
Seishan read the description several times over, then froze for a few moments.
All the times Sylvie had made swords, spears, shields, and anything else flashed through her mind.
…After some time, Seishan threw her head back and let out a loud, triumphant laugh.
As her laughter echoed in the darkness, the Spell whispered into her ear.
[...Wake up, Seishan.]
[Your nightmare is over!]
***
Sylvie woke up completely lost. Her body was in a balance of pain, but at the same time, she felt exhilarated.
She felt stronger—much, much stronger.
[Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]
She didn't even bother opening her eyes. She already knew where she would find herself, so she stayed in the position she was in and let the Spell continue speaking.
[Awakened! Your trial is over.]
[A Noble Creature who found herself in the body of a human, sharing her nature with it, was thrown into a colosseum to entertain the masses. But instead, it was the little dragon who showed her bravery.
Armed with strength and determination, she faced combatant after combatant. All fell beneath her sword and magic.
Eventually, the dragon met someone who became her teacher—not out of respect, but for her own benefit. In one of her lessons, the dragon discovered what she was, and at that moment, an idea took root in her mind.
Time passed as the little dragon delved into knowledge forgotten in her era. Until the day came when an evil King returned, bringing back fewer parts of himself upon his return.
The dragon fought with all her might until she achieved something impossible.
Using forgotten knowledge, the little dragon ceased to be little and became a Titan. At the same time, the path of Ascension formed within her soul.
With that, bringing the end of the evil King and correcting a mistake.]
Now, hearing everything she had accomplished in the Nightmare, Sylvie allowed a smile to find its place on her face—especially upon hearing that the Spell had begun referring to her as a dragon.
Not to mention the fact that the description confirmed what she had already felt in her body.
She was a Titan now. She was stronger than Arthur at this moment.
Not only that—she had also managed to naturally Ascend at the last moment, though it had been useless since she fell unconscious. But she had done it regardless. She had done something that was unthinkable.
The most radiant smile she had ever worn in her short life spread across her face.
[You have slain a Transcendent Titan, Mordrath.]
'Oh, right…'
She had also done that. She had killed—with a lot of help—a Transcendent Titan.
[You have slain an Awakened…]
The Spell continued listing all the deaths she had caused throughout the Nightmare, and they were not few.
After long moments, the Spell finished listing the deaths and fell silent for a few seconds.
Finally, when it spoke again, Sylvie felt as if it were hesitant?
[You fixed a God's mistake.]
[The gods are dead, and cannot hear you.]
[You bear part of the lineage of a god.]
[Beast God stirs in her eternal slumber.]
[She sends a blessing from beyond the grave.]
[Child of Beast, receive your blessing!]
Suddenly, Sylvie felt it—she felt the blood in her body begin to act differently. As if it wanted to bow within her own veins.
Then, an intense light became visible even with her eyes closed, and from one moment to the next, the light shot directly toward her eyes. It pierced through them and reached her soul.
In an instant, it disappeared.
Sylvie felt nothing. One second passed, then another.
Finally, she understood what was about to happen and prepared herself as best she could.
Then, she let out a suppressed scream as she felt her entire being in complete agony once more. Her whole body convulsed in spasms of terrible pain. Unbearable agony spread through her nervous system; her mind drowned in an endless torrent of torturous, unbearable, gut-wrenching suffering.
She was forming the final part of her lineage—and perhaps something more.
Tears streamed down her face, and then, after what felt like an eternity, the end came. The pain diminished, dulled, and finally disappeared.
[One of your Attributes has evolved.]
[You have acquired a new Attribute.]
[You have acquired a new Attribute.]
Sylvie let out a deep breath after feeling her entire being reconstructed and destroyed for the second time that day.
Then, completely indifferent to the pain she had felt moments before, the Spell spoke again.
[You have achieved the impossible!]
[Final appraisal: glorious.]
Usually, this was the moment when the Spell would inform her that the Third Seal was broken, then help her fuse her body with that of the waking world and unlock her new ability. But since she had naturally ascended, these steps were already complete.
[Your Ascension is complete.]
Taking advantage of the time she would have before the Spell expelled her, she opened her runes.
First, she went to see her new Attributes.
The one that had evolved was clearly:
Attribute: [The Blood]
Attribute Description: [You bear the lineage of Beast God.]
Even so, it was something different from before. The Attribute said she bore the complete lineage of Beast God—but not only that. Previously it said she had inherited the lineage; now it said she possessed it.
Sylvie didn't know if there was a difference in that wording, but either way, it was her two new Attributes that caught her attention the most.
The first was called:
Attribute: [Flame of Divinity]
Attribute Description: [Your soul is aflame with the light of divinity.]
Now, seeing it with new eyes, this Attribute was surely the reason the previous one now stated that she possessed the lineage. However, the following Attribute left her mouth agape.
Attribute: [Blessed of Beast God]
Attribute Description: [Beast God was the Goddess of the Moon, hunting, carnal desire, blood, beauty, and the cycle of birth and death. As her blessed, you possess plenty of strange and wondrous powers.]
She had truly received the blessing of Beast God—not only her complete lineage, but a blessing.
'Well… in the end I fixed one of her mistakes, right? …Right?'
Behind her current nonchalant demeanor, she was overflowing with happiness. Her entire being was wrapped in completely joyful energy, and she hadn't even read her Ascended Ability yet!
It read:
Aspect Ability: [Life Cycle]
Ability Description: [All things move through growth and decline. You may influence that process, restoring objects and living beings toward a stronger state or accelerating their deterioration.]
Sylvie blinked.
Then.
She blinked again.
Had she read that correctly?
She could now affect the life cycle of objects and people? She was astounded. Surprised, but astounded nonetheless.
'Calm down, Sylvie.'
Surely the ability had ridiculous requirements to be used, but its potential was stupidly enormous as well!
She had no more time to drool over it, as the Spell spoke for the last time.
[...Wake up, Sylvie.]
[Your nightmare is over!]