Undying Flame Sect, Earth Core Academy, Thousand Storm Palace, and of course, the Blue Ocean Pavilion were present. The four powers of the Farsky continent finally gathered into a single large chamber. Tension increased among everyone, a tension which quickly broke like a bubble as everyone charged with all their might toward the crater.

It wasn't all uniform. Oscar noticed four large groupings of their factions with small pocket groups spread all over the place, unfortunate people who could not group up with the main force. A chaotic gathering as blood spilled everywhere between these small pockets, trying to kill the ones next to them to connect to their allies.

Four larger groups finally remained, having absorbed the rest of the stragglers. They left behind a trail of bodies scattered around the flat surface, bloody footsteps marking their path to the crater. Oscar wiped the blood from his face, killing several weaker enemies to help out. Following the rest, he leaped off the edge, entering the crater.

The stones protruding out were smooth and black, similar to the perfect ones used for skipping across waters, except these stones were so large, around 200 feet in all directions. Oscar landed on one of the stones, a makeshift platform containing a glowing chest in the center.

Each stone held a treasure on its surface, a tempting reward for most. But Oscar continued his fall downwards. The depths of this crater were so deep he wondered if it compared to the lake which held the Abyss Prison.

All around him, the fighting had begun. The four factions started to spill over to each other. Hot flashes of flames passed by. Oscar narrowly dodged, turning to the enemy.

Oscar shot a Silver Star toward the flame user and swerved around him with his deer anima. With antlers in front and Oscar's lance from behind, the flame user became naught but meat on skewers.

Every stone platform had devolved into chaos. Spells and Ein choked the air—blue, red, green, and black uniforms spread everywhere. Staring below, Oscar saw Celestina, Gilbert, Isabella, Aurora, Charles, and other Greater Elite Exalts fighting around the farthest depths. None of them could draw close to the Divine Essence without someone trying to interfere.

Even Gilbert, with all his might, was impeded by a coalition of three Greater Elite Exalts from the three factions—a shocking temporary alliance against the revered Grade Nine. Everyone else fought whoever came their way. Oscar gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve, knowing that his task was to kill off as many as possible. With a numerical advantage, they could turn the tides.

Oscar leaped down onto his enemies. His sharp, Eirin-infused lances left many bloody holes into several more Exalts. Never before had his instincts screamed at him so much, warning him of danger in every corner and person. It was no longer a simple battle. It was war.

With a final thrust of his lance, Oscar opened the guts of another foe, panting heavily. He retreated onto the wall and drank a healing elixir. He had already taken every elixir for defense, speed, and power. Still, everyone had the same idea, leveling the playing field.

As the healing elixir worked its magic, Oscar widened his eyes and twisted his body, seeing the wall beside him tremble from a powerful impact. He frowned deeply at the hammer, which suddenly shot up to the side. Oscar raised his bulwark, punching out against the hammer.

The resulting shockwave silenced the air between him and the perpetrator. Oscar watched as the hammer returned to its owner, Orden Aesn.

"Are you serious?" Oscar felt his hands grow numb. Orden's twenty-multiplied attacks were as hard to deal with as usual. He released an exhausted breath. "I had a feeling I'd be up against you, Orden."

"All the Greater Elite Exalts are currently down there, leaving the job up to us. I'm the only one who can handle your rampage here." Orden didn't have his usual hearty smile. Like Oscar, he also understood the severity of the battle. Orden raised his hammer, and his Ein flowed dangerously. "I have to kill you here."

Oscar returned Orden's killing gaze with his own. He strapped the bulwark to the forearm again and took up a stance. Without a word, Oscar bolted ahead with Eirin Silver Lances, allowing his deer anima to circle to Orden's back. The ground quaked as stone spikes erected from its surface, not a bother to Oscar.

Eirin Silver Lances reduced the spikes into mere rubble. Oscar reached Orden, who gave off a vicious look. Oscar went into a rapid barrage of straight punches to test out Orden. Orden seemed to have learned well into the art of fighting. This time, his stance was tight and movements quick, using Weight Boost multiplied at the last instant before contact.

A truly admirable control.

Whenever Oscar tried to outdo Orden with his Prinstyct predictions or make a move with his anima, Orden responded with his melded hammer moving for him. The hulking behemoth became a more competent and frightening fighter. Oscar cursed at how Orden could progress so much in the past few weeks.

Oscar used the flow of Orden's blow to retaliate with a spinning kick clad in Eirin Edureisclad. Yet, Orden moved swiftly, unfit for his size, knocking the kick from the side. Their fierce melee continued as the powerful echoes boomed from their collision. Hammer bashed against the bulwark. Kicks and punches cracked stone fists.

"Were you holding back when we fought in the theater?" Oscar shouted. The only other way was to shake or distract Orden with his words. He used a single Treble Lance with his deer anima from a close range.

His group of lances mashed against Orden's hammer. Oscar felt the foreboding of something fierce and realized the power behind the hammer had increased. Quickly, he retreated away as several cuts formed on his skin. The Edureisclad prevented any further damage, but it was nearly broken.

'His Meld hammer usually does twenty-multiplied. Twenty-five was his limit, but what was this? I felt thirsty just now.' Oscar stared at his cut-ridden arms, feeling his bones ringing from the Seismic Echoes.

"You're not the only one who's been improving." Orden coughed out blood. With a fearless, stone face, Orden pounded his chest. "Though, thirty is a tad too straining. It's enough against you. Show me that form you used against Queen Tarantula."

"Afraid I can't." Oscar faced his bulwark toward Orden. This battle grew far too troublesome. His arms grew heavy from using Eirin, and his Adamasreis was reaching its limit. Orden's stomps grew louder as he approached Oscar.

"I know there's a limit to your temporary boost. Sorry, but I can't let you recover." Orden swung his hammer with his back arched. A wide swing came from above.

Oscar smiled and took on the full force of the hammer. His knees nearly gave in, and his organs shook. Powerful Reis flowed into Oscar from the hammer, a rampaging power that tore into him. Within a single heartbeat, Oscar gathered and released the remnants of his own Reis.

'Omnireus Twenty Percent.'

Oscar's burning kick landed on Orden's quickly formed Stone Tower. His deer anima followed along as the Stone Tower collapsed. Orden, now exposed, stamped his hammer onto Oscar's kick. The power of Omnireus was incredible. The raw power forced Orden back and broke his guard even at twenty percent.

In a single charge, the deer anima brandished its antlers, intent on piercing through Orden's chest. However, Orden moved his arm in time. The antlers impaled through his forearm. Orden seemed in pain as he gripped Oscar's deer anima and threw it across, slamming it into the wall.

Oscar spat out blood due to his anima being damaged and the aftereffects of Omnireus. His ears started to blank out, unable to hear anything but the loud, rapid thumpings of his heart. Drawing in a deep breath, Oscar strode ahead. His Omnireus had too much risk, like the Demon Deer Eirin Mantle. But, unlike the mantle, he learned more control over Omnireus' output.

'It still hurts too much.' Oscar gripped his chest over his heart.

"Nice one." Orden tightened the muscles on his arm, plugging up the spilling blood. With a stern look, he faced Oscar. "You are a fun opponent. It's a shame one of us has to die."

"We all fight for our homes. There's no need for sentiments here. Though, I do enjoy this." Oscar roused his Ein.

Then, he noticed something odd, a slight unnatural crawling feeling on his skin. It felt similar to a breeze. Oscar activated his Silver Sheen and cracked himself out of it. However, a stabbing pain came from his shoulder. Oscar gritted his teeth and used a Ripple Shroud with a Shattering Wave, bringing his Adamasreis to an end.

He tumbled and rolled around on the floor, clutching his bloodied shoulder.

"Is that Gail Wunther?" Oscar paled from the loss of blood, quickly searing the wound shut. There was no time to use a healing elixir.

"Aw. That's a shame." Gail came into view. Her blue hair fluttered lazily like a breeze, and her teal eyes shone in delight with her wide smile. Her lost arm had been replaced by a long blade embedded into the flesh.

"That's quite sinister." Oscar sighed. "I thought you learned your lesson earlier. Or do you want me to take another arm?"

"You're so funny!" Gail laughed.

"Well, now, there are two people I have to keep here." Orden seemed ready for any attacks, keeping his hammer close. Then, he threw his hammer to the side.

"Shit!" Oscar realized why and leaped out as a flaming whip scorched the ground he was on. He placed his back on the wall and stared at the newcomer.

"To think we'd end up here. I wanted to go down further, but all of you were quite vigilant." Maia dodged the hammer on its return path to Orden. "This brute has more senses than I thought."

"Hmm." Gail tapped her foot on the stone. "How should we split this? Neither of us wants the other to go down. But we all have something in common."

"What?" Orden, Oscar, and Maia spoke in unison, eyeing each other cautiously.

"We all want to kill him!" Gail pointed at Oscar and clapped her hand against the blade. "Let's kill him first, and then we can decide everything else."

"Agreed!" Maia said without hesitation, creating a tidal wave of fire with her snake anima swimming in it.

Gail shifted ahead to Oscar's side, swinging her invisible blade. Her wide smile appeared quite creepy.

With his back against the wall, literally and figuratively, Oscar thought this was the time to use his mantle. However, a tidal wave of water extinguished the hot flames, and sharp blades of winds forced Gail to retreat.

"Why are you always in trouble, Os?"

"He's unlucky."

Oscar felt relieved and laughed. To his sides were Frederick and Serena wielding their dual weapons. "Thanks for the help."

"Can't leave my friend hanging like this." Frederick laughed and charged ahead at Gail, who never lost her smile.

"Oscar. I'm still mad at you." Serena scoffed and said with a cold gaze. "That's why I want to hear the entire truth after this. I won't take no for an answer."

"Huh…fine." Oscar stood up, cracking his back. "I'm sorry for making you feel like I didn't care about you. I promise to tell you everything when it's all over."

"That's what I wanted to hear!" Serena returned to her bright smile. "You fell for the act! I'll be waiting for you later."

"Just a mere Grade Seven…Do you think you can match up against me?" Maia became covered in flames as her snake anima twirled around her.

"Right, we were supposed to fight before." Serena swung her axes around. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

A thunderous boom echoed from behind Maia, and piercing lightning crackled against Maia's flames. Oscar became dumbfounded but smiled again at Mary's petite figure.

"She's not alone, you flaming witch!" Mary shouted, stamping her spear on the stone.

On the other side, Oscar saw tendrils of darkness latch onto Gail, who severed them without a wasted second. Behind her, a dark figure swung his daggers, cutting off a few strands of blue hair.

"To think I'd fight together with you again." Austin sighed, flipping around his daggers mesmerizingly to confuse his enemies.

"Nice backup…." Frederick wiped off a sweat.

Both battles had become two-on-one, leaving only one enemy left. Oscar gathered himself and stepped toward the taller Orden.

"No more interruptions." Oscar raised his bulwark.

"Finally. I got tired of waiting." Orden cracked his neck, an expectant smile across his face.

His bulwark clashed against the hammer. The stone platform trembled from their exchange.