When Tilus arrive at the scene
The battlefield stretched before him in ruinous chaos—twisted bodies, the acrid scent of blood, and the low, guttural growls of the infected against the group of survivors. But his eyes found them instantly.
Two figures.
Mindy. Cindy.
Tilus's [Mystic Eyes] flickered to life.
—Traces of a Blessing.
His gaze sharpened, threads of golden light barely visible clinging to their skin. It wasn't just any blessing. It carried the weight of something old, something carved into history itself.
[Blessing of the Dragon-Blooded Empress of Rebellion— Inherited Will]
Dragon-Blooded Empress of Rebellion, that should be Hai Ba Trung
Mindy and Cindy dance like flower in the wind, strong, fast but deadly. What he saw was two warrior dancing in the wind like a volley of tornado sweeping through the battlefield. The woman try to fence of the attack but she stand no chance and her hesitant cause her to staggered. The two swept pass their enemy one by one while cover each other weak points. Cindy would overwhelm her opponent with force while Mindy parry and defend any weak point that can be open up
They should be fine by then but then a laughter echo
Verismon and his Sub Stage
"Why does it have to be now of all time ?"
He went back to get Mortem
"Mortem we need to go now"
"I almost done"
"Get up Mortem, your sisters are about to die out there, the dead are already dead, do you want to lose more important people to you now ?"
"Cindy and Mindy what happening to them ?"
"No time to tell, we had to go now"
By the time they arrive
Everyone were barely standing. Their bodies trembled, breath ragged, backs pressed against the remains of a shattered wall. Their weapons—if they could even call them that—were chipped, their arms weak from exhaustion. The infected were closing in, dozens of them, their grotesque forms twitching in anticipation of the kill.
Mindy and Cindy blessing aren't weak But a will alone wouldn't save them now. According to the journal they should stay alive until the 2nd Stage even if he does nothing but does everything in the journal true ? This monster who was supposed to appear around Stage 2 forward is now roaming here.
Should he be unnecessarily meddling with it ?
[Your intervention is not recommended.]
[Probability of dead for targets 'Mindy' and 'Cindy': 95%, Mortem, Jasmine 99%]
To his left, Mortem tensed as if his blood was boiling. His stance was coiled like a spring, ready to launch himself into the fray.
A suicide mission. If he rushed in now, he wouldn't last more than a minute and die. Is this why the journal never mentions him ?
Tilus exhaled, his mind already calculating.
"Hold it Mortem"
"Let go Tilus, I'm not gonna sit here and watch my sisters die"
"I know but wait if you jump in you will be just another body bag"
"I don't care, let go before i cut off your arm"
He didn't need to save them.
He shouldn't save them.
In the grand scheme of survival, their lives meant little to him. But Tilus knew better than to let his own thoughts cloud the truth. The next Stage would be unknown territory if they die, and throwing himself blindly into uncertainty was the fastest way to die.
If these three lived, they could be useful.
If these three died, he would lose a potential foothold.
Then the choice is obvious.
Tilus turned to Mortem, voice cutting through the battlefield's noise.
"You know how to drive right ? get a vehicle. You're taking them out of here, I will hold them off."
Mortem hesitated.
"What are you planning ? Even if we both go in, it doesn't make the chance go any higher and now you want to go by"
"Trust me on this"
His gaze locked onto Tilus's, searching for something—a reason, a guarantee, an answer. But he found none. Tilus didn't offer explanations. He didn't offer comfort.
He only offered a command.
Mortem clenched his jaw but didn't argue. With a sharp nod, he turned on his boots and ran, disappearing into the ruins.
Tilus turned back to the battlefield.
The infected had noticed him now. Their hollow, pupil-less eyes reflected the flickering fires around them, their bodies twitching, salivating.
He opened the system window.
[Blessing of Azazel — Fear Domain Activation]
—Temporary enhancement: Fabled Realm — Aura of Dead
—Cost: 1 years of lifespan.
Costing Lifespan huh what a cruel joke
Fine
After Tilus had tell them to retreat the battlefield is now only him
He had eliminate most of the normal infected to prevent the bloodfeaster to regenerate but that wasn't enough, his attack deal little to normal damage to the bloodfeaster
It power was formidable, a test for Incarnations to test their skills in at least after Stage 2. He would never able to beat them at this Stage, he should had left with them but penalty is total annihilation for anyone enter this Sub Stage which mean even if he managed to escape the monster would come to him
So there is only one way out now
He had to take it down here
A bunch of screen appear in front of him but he already know what he need
He had chosen skill:
[Azazel blessing of Death: Destined Death]
[Your level is not enough to activate set skill. Do you want to convert your lifespan for it ?]
[Requirement: 5 year of lifespan]
The number sat there, cold and unchanging.
Is it worth it?
Tilus's lips curled into something resembling a smirk.
"Yes"
[Activate Destined Death, Consume 5 year of lifespan, choose target]
[Bloodfeaster had been chosen as Destined Death target, Deathmark had appear enemy will take fatal damage from your attack]
[One minute until your fable realm run out]
One minute is enough. The bloodfeaster attack was relentless, its movement was abnormally fast, even with my speed his cant dodge but only parry with Tilus sword against it claw and find opportunity in between.
When it health was depleting parry no longer an option,
"I need to end it now"
Bloodfeaster pull it ultimate attack that break the ground below it so what he need to do is jump up and
"Take this"
With the sword sliding down at its neck he was able to finish it.
Above it all, Verismon watched, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. The crimson system text hovered beside him, flickering with unreadable glyphs.
"Desperate times, desperate measures," Verismon mused, his tone mocking. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Master?"
Tilus didn't respond. He couldn't. His mind was slipping, drowning beneath the overwhelming tide of power. But even in his haze, he knew this was the only way. He couldn't let them reach catch up to the otherst. He couldn't let them live.
Verismon's voice echoed across the battlefield, louder now, speaking not to Tilus but to the constellations watching from their lofty perches.
"Do you see, my dear friends? This is what desperation looks like. This is what your precious vessels will do when you push them far enough. Now, tell me… isn't it exhilarating?"
The constellations stirred.
Some, the silent watchers, observed without comment, their reactions hidden behind the veils of the system.
Others were less reserved.
[The Constellation 'God of Crimson Dread' laughs maniacally, applauding your descent into madness.]
[The Constellation 'Merciful Weaver' sheds a tear, lamenting your sacrifice.]
[The Constellation 'Eternal Tempest' scoffs, muttering about recklessness.]
The backlash was immediate. Some vessels on distant battlefields felt their constellations' power waver, while others were granted bursts of strength, inspired by Tilus's actions. It was chaos, a ripple that spread far beyond this single moment.
When the last infected fell, Tilus stood alone, his sword buried in the ground. The battlefield was silent, save for the sound of his ragged breathing.
[Sub-Stage Cleared.]
The system text flickered into view, cold and indifferent. Tilus barely registered it. His mind was his own again, but the toll was clear.
But the small infected still here and he cant move, his vision is blurry, is it the end here ?
[Bind]
Huh ? Jasmine voice
A car barging at right to his place
"Ah I see"
Then slowly Tilus vision turn dark.