“Ready?”

“Eugine, are you sure he can handle five at once?”

“He was a fledgling you said.”

“He’s cute.”

“Now’s not the time for jokes, Trisha.”

“Look on the bright side, at least he has a special hex.”

I closed my eyes and sharpened my senses.

I can control the output of Arondights power. I need to use that to my advantage.

In this situation, using the Arondight:Twilight might be more effective.

I shift the sword angle, converting the gold blade lilac.

“This demon is serious, don’t take him lightly.”

“You judge for yourself if this demon is trustworth. Go, Avner. Prove yourself.”

At Eugine’s words, two of the five angels came at once. A third one began firing lasers from the sidelines.

A ricochet bullet.

Drew a moon arc.

“Wow!”

“How long can he last is the question.”

The bullets came at me at unusual timings. I was forced to constantly retreat to a position where the close combat angels wouldn’t reach me.

They were taking me lightly.

And even then, I could barely keep up. Looks like I had overestimated myself.

The sniper is already tricky. How in the world am I going to take them all at once?

I shifted Arondight into day mode and swung it down.

DOOONNN!!

At such a close proximity, a pillar of light engulfed my view.

“Good job.”

The voice behind me said. Panicked, I swung Arondight in a full arc but hit nothing.

“Not bad.”

Instead, an impact struck my flank and I was sent tumbling.

{EROSION VALUE: MODERATE}

“Ouch, ouch.. he got me.”

“My shields down. I surrender.”

“Good feint. I didn’t know his hex weapon could do that. I’ll also concede here.”

Three out of five down because they presuppose my skills to be too low to even hurt them, hence they didn’t dodge. Are you kidding me?

“What are you going to do then?” Eugine asked.

I got back up and materialized Arondight once more.

“If he can beat me and Yitril together without killing us, I’ll reconsider. If not, I’ll kill him here,” the angel that punched me said.

“Ah, so it’s time to get serious?” the elf, Yitril confirmed.

“Don’t hold back against him.”

“Roger that.”

Yitril crushed a gem to bring out a white whip. Lightning crackling along the surface.

===

{Class Operative: Frigate}

{Class Abilities:

1) [PASSIVE] All attributes improve +30% when protecting for each unarmed vessel (effect can stack up to 90%);

2) [ACTIVE] Erosion value bulk of 50 added to current erosion value of target (Uses: 3 [MAX]; +1 added each day until MAX)}

{EROSION VALUE: 43}

===

Even with the 30 percent buff, I’m nothing but a punching bag to them.

Avner.

Are you that weak?

Why are you holding back?

Crack.

A white whip came flying towards me. The brawler angel came charging at me with golden gauntlet and greaves.

I crushed the gems in my left and dropped the bombs.

I jumped away, fumbling through my pocket for other consumables.

BBOOOOM!!!

I received a knee to my stomach before I could even react.

{WARNING: EROSION VALUE: CRITICAL}

Heal.

{EROSION VALUE: MODERATE}

A whip came crackling, I attempted to dodge by spinning to the side. Yet, by some unknown force, the whip changed directions and struck my back.

“AVNER!!”

{WARNING: EROSION VALUE: CRITICAL}

{EROSION VALUE: MODERATE}

The next one is my last heal.

I crushed the next gem.

RROOOAAAARR!!

A crimson dragon flew out.

I shuffled my pocket again for the next gem.

No.

I need to run.

At this rate.

I’m going to die.

The angel threw a fist against the red dragon.

A loud impact, the shockwave shook my innards. A wave of nausea struck me.

“Contact.”

{SEARCHING_FOR_CONTACT}

{Contacts: Pu’er Julis, Pu’er Greenwood}

{Contact nearby 7SEAS members}

{NEARBY_USAGE_OF_INTERDICTOR}

{CONTACT_FAILURE}

Shit. So this is the effect of the interdictor?

“Nice one!”

With a howl, the brawler angel overthrew the power battle against the dragon.

I crushed the last dragon grenade and threw it.

I jumped off the roof.

Please don’t break the connection.

I landed on the ground. Or should I say, tumbled.

It wasn’t a graceful landing. But I didn't have the time to correct myself.

I took out Blue Kaizer and initiated the drones.

“I’m here!”

Lucia took the chance to jump down too.

“Oh! You’re going for a tactical retreat?”

Something came raining from above. I jumped, the next moment, a vertical wall was erected at the side of impact.

I tried dashing to the side, and another wall appeared. A rain of precision fire poured down from above.

They got me caught in a maze.

“No escaping little demon.”

“He’s good, I’ll say that much.”

“He’s too dangerous.”

Do they have no concise? The ones that said they would surrender are now interfering.

“Ah, don’t hope to escape. Either you die here or you beat me.”

“Avner. I’m sorry.”

Lucia, what?

Xe’s translucent body became corporeal, holding something like a pile-bunker; the stake sank into the ground and a giant impact blew up. A huge cloud of white particles spread across the entire school ground. The translucent walls chattered at the shockwave.

A fog spread into the surroundings.

“Make a run!”

“No wonder.”

I blocked the incoming fist by sacrificing two drones.

“AH?!”

Lucia tumbled.

I drew Arondight and blew an arc upwards.

Xe should’ve never come out of the cabin damn it.

A chill ran up my spine.

“Always watch your back.”

You shouldn’t tell your enemy where you’re going to attack from.

I intercepted the trajectory of the whip by sacrificing another two drones and rushed over to Lucia.

The moment I tapped hirs back, xe returned to hirs semi-translucent state.

“T-Thank you.”

I dropped the remainder of the bombs Abby gave me and ran.

Ran.

I eventually got to the boundary where the white fog ended.

But it was also when something coiled around my legs.

“You think you won?”

A shock ran through my body and I fell face first onto the floor.

{WARNING: EROSION VALUE: DANGER}

“Say, there’s a pureborn in you isn’t there?”

“I can’t believe you wasted all those consumables.”

“Give him some props can’t you? He lasted more than a minute against both of your relentless attacks.”

“He would’ve gotten away if not for my shields though.”

“You cheated.”

“I was just trying to make things fair. There wasn’t a rule stating that he can go out of bounds.

I was stepped on. The whip loosened.

Either way, I was half paralyzed.

“This is the end. You put up a good fight..”

“Wait!”

“What?”

“Have you decided so simply to end his life in this manner?!”

Cain is still trying to defend me? What is he doing?

Is his mine sane?

No. Is my mind sane?

Was I so dumb to not realize I’m in angel territory?

I should’ve expected this.

I should’ve listened to Radingo.

“I don’t get why you're so into this student, but unless he’s an ally of our’s, he must be killed.”

“No but he’s..”

“Cain. You agreed to this.”

I dug my own grave.

“It’s pitiful though. If only he decided to become our ally.”

“I know. He’s an anomaly. I don’t know when was the last time we’ve seen one.”

“Can’t we spare him at least?”

“Odd don’t you think? The demons are just getting stronger and stronger.”

“That’s why we need to eliminate the threat before it becomes a problem.”

Eugine squatted down in front of me.

“I’ll give you one last chance, Avner.”

He dangled the chain in front of me.

“Take it.”

So this was your intention all along.

I get the feeling that the chain he’s giving me this time around will have more restrictions.

It’ll be the end of my freedom if I decide to take it.

I stood up. Nobody stopped me.

The chain still held out to me.

I looked at Eugine, still smiling.

I looked around. The five angels, waiting for my decision.

“Are you waiting for something?”

“Just take it. We’ll be allies.”

“I’ll let you join my fleet.”

“I booked him first!”

“The decision will be up to him.”

I looked towards Lucia.

Xe lower hirs head.

I’m sorry.

Xe said soundlessly.

Don’t be.

This was it.

What else was there left?

Now that I’ve used up all my consumables.

My remaining heals amount to one.

And not even Arondight was enough to take them down.

I can’t contact 7SEAS or anyone to assist me.

Was that all I had?

What about Echoing into the Abyss?

Since I’m already toast. Might as well bet on my luck.

I know I could just accept their covenant but..

I used the last heal..

{EROSION VALUE: LIGHT}

Echoing into the Abyss..

The world spread into a mess of darkness.

“Avner?”

Lucia was the only other person in void. Xe looked at me in disbelief.

The floor crumbled.

“Sorry Lucia.”

I faced the black sky.

And began to fall.

I tried to scream, there was no sound.

I tried to breathe, there was no air.

I closed my eyes, resigning to the darkness.

I found comfort in it.

I didn’t need to remember who I was nor what I needed to do.

My existence will cease here.

“Avner!!”

Feeling the throbbing pain in my head, I opened my eyes.

{WARNING: EROSION VALUE: CRITICAL}

What the skill Echoing Into the Abyss really is..

I get it now.

One hand, I reached out for the chain. The other, I reached into the pocket.

It wasn’t over yet.

A weapon faster than Arondight.

An unsuspecting characteristic to tick off the angel in front of me.

Speed as fast as lighting.

One swift move to end it all.

Let’s take a bet.

I crushed the gem.

A black form contrived from nothingness.

I gripped the handle.

Eugine’s eyes grew wide.

I threw a wide swing.

Yellow lighting crackled. The blade, as if it had its own will, drew a curve in its path like a snake.

I noticed the angels surrounding me begin to move.

Craim Stygian.

I had forgotten that I wanted to try it.

The black paperclip which Novelle left in that box.

It lopped off Eugine’s head.

A cursed weapon from another world.

Colour returned to the world. I was back in reality.