Chapter 31: Reborn

A/N: So, I went to my village for a week, yeah. What happened was my parents suddenly told me we were going to the village, and I was like, "What?" Turns out, I'd forgotten we had plans, and the next thing I knew, we were boarding right away.

There was no Wi-Fi, and while I could've written using mobile data, I decided to take a little time off the internet.

Sorry, I couldn't even send a message before disappearing—it all happened super fast. Thanks for your patience, and I'm back now!

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Inside the cave, Kyorin's pulse hammered in his chest, each beat pushing him closer to the breaking point. His body trembled as the shackles of C2 shattered, and the air around him thickened with the pressure of his rising power.

A crackling energy ignited in his veins, a surge of pure, unbridled force—he was on the brink of something far beyond his current limits.

As his spirit ascended, the cave around him seemed to buckle and groan, the very stone walls vibrating in response to the shift. A violent tremor swept through the Huanglong, its intensity shaking the ground like an earthquake.

Outside, the earth beneath Phrolova and DEVA quaked, the sky above them darkening in the aftermath of the explosion of power. The wind howled as if in fear, gusts tearing at their clothes.

Phrolova's gaze snapped to the horizon, her expression one of alarm as she felt the overwhelming aura washing over her. She instinctively stepped back, her voice sharp with confusion. "What... what is this aura?"

Deva's lens narrowed, hovering calmly above the ground as she took in the pulsating energy that now filled the air. Her voice was calm yet heavy with reverence: "Boss is ascending to a Third Awakener."

Phrolova's breath hitched, her words faltering as the gravity of the situation struck her. Her voice wavered, "T-Third Awakener...?"

Phrolova had always known the significance of a Second Awakener—after all, it was one of Fractsidus' ultimate goals, a milestone that could change the course of everything.

But a Third Awakener? That was beyond anything she had imagined. Her mind raced, pondering how a 'second awakener' had been living among them unnoticed.

She took a step closer to DEVA, her voice trembling. "T-Then when did he reach the Second Awakening?"

DEVA's mechanical tone remained unflinching as she answered, "About some weeks ago, but…"

"But what?" Phrolova urged, her anxiety rising as she waited for the rest of the answer.

DEVA's lens seemed to focus, her tone flat but heavy with implication. "He should have reached it three years ago... but he simply held himself back."

Phrolova's breath caught, her mind flashing back to a conversation from three years ago. She recalled the Excellency's words: "The shackles to the Second Awakening have loosened."

'Could it have been his doing?' The thought crept into her mind, sharp and unsettling.

As the storm continued to build within the cave, DEVA remained motionless, her orb-like form unaffected by the growing tremors. Phrolova's heart clenched with a silent, desperate plea: 'Please be safe, Boss.'

Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the Crownless, where a rift to another dimension pulsed with unearthly energy, the tremors of the Third Awakener's ascent shook the very fabric of reality.

The winds of that ascension howled through the rift, carrying with them a power that resonated through the cave, vibrating the air itself.

Jiyan, Rover, and the Crownless halted in unison, their senses drawn to the shifting energy.

Jiyan and Rover, though still feeling the weight of restriction in the atmosphere, exchanged wary glances. The Crownless, however, had a different response.

The air around it seemed to shift with an unsettling presence as it spoke, its voice filled with distaste. "That foul aura."

As the words lingered in the oppressive air, Jiyan and Rover turned to the Crownless, their attention captured by its tone. Without hesitation, the Crownless spat, its voice a low growl, "It has resurfaced."

Crownless uttered in a low grumble, "FIGHT... ABSORB... EVOLVE..." as its body began to shimmer faintly while Rover and Jiyan watched.

Yet before they could fully comprehend the Crownless's cryptic words, its frequencies began to rise, setting off another violent tremor that rattled the very air around them.

Jiyan and Rover exchanged a glance as they sensed it—a distinct pulse, one belonging to a Second Awakener.

But this power, though familiar, felt weaker, more fragile. The Crownless's form, still gripped by the rising surge, involuntarily lifted toward the moon, which twisted into an awful shape in response. 

Jiyan's eyes widened in realization. "The Crownless... The Threnodian is absorbing its frequencies."

"No, it's reconstructing them into something else," Jiyan corrected, his voice tinged with dread as he looked on, transfixed.

The transformation had begun. The once-white knight-like form of the Crownless, known as Tacet Discord, began to shift violently.

From its back, vast, ethereal wings unfurled, dramatic arcs of dark purple energy swirling and coiling around them, lending the figure an ominous, almost regal air.

A formidable crown, studded with sharp, gleaming spikes, perched upon its head. The crown itself emanated an ancient, extraterrestrial authority, signalling a being far beyond mortal comprehension.

The Threnodian's body—sleek and sinuous, with a pale metallic sheen—resembled an exoskeleton, or perhaps an arcane protection, its very form exuding an unsettling, alien power.

Its sparse armor merged seamlessly with its new, terrifying shape, and intricate designs carved into its surface, amplifying its mystical and fearsome presence.

Rover's breath caught as she recognized it, her mind flashing back to the vision she had witnessed. This was the creature from her dreams.

Jiyan's voice was grim, the realization settling heavily upon him. "That 'moon'—it's cannibalized the Crownless's remaining frequencies to create another monster."

A dark silence followed his words. He clenched his fists. "I remember… I saw it during the Battle Beneath the Crescent…"

The newly transformed Threnodian, its body crackling with raw, untamed power, stared down at them with cold, piercing eyes. A low, rumbling growl emerged from its throat, its voice filled with a dangerous edge.

"DON'T YOU DARE… COME CLOSE…" it hissed, its voice a chilling mix of rage and authority.

Wielding a scythe in one hand and a sword in the other, the newly transformed Threnodian launched itself at Jiyan and Rover with terrifying speed. The air was thick with the sound of its blades cutting through the wind.

Jiyan and Rover swiftly dodged, narrowly evading the powerful strike. But as they did, Jiyan's eyes narrowed in fury.

He had seen the fluidity of the Threnodian's swordsmanship before—this was a style which he was familiar with.

"This is the swordsmanship we teach our recruits... How dare you!" Jiyan roared, his voice dripping with anger.

Undeterred, the Threnodian continued its relentless assault, the ground trembling beneath the force of its strikes.

Dust billowed up around them, blurring their vision for a moment. And then, without warning, Jiyan vanished from the ground.

The Threnodian's eyes snapped into the air as it sensed a shift in the battle. Jiyan appeared behind it, eyes burning with rage.

"You are wide open!" he shouted, summoning the Windrider, a dragon of immense power, into existence. He hurled it toward the Threnodian with a powerful command.

The Threnodian seemed to effortlessly dodge the attack, but as the Windrider hurtled toward the moon, it shifted and suddenly veered back in front of the Threnodian.

The massive creature took the full force of the blow, crashing into the ground as the impact rang through the air like thunder.

For a moment, there was silence. The Threnodian's body twitched, but it slowly rose, its eyes burning with fury. The crescent moon hanging above it began to descend, drawing energy into the Threnodian's form, empowering it further.

With a guttural roar, the Threnodian cried out, the air around it warping as energy swirled and gathered in a violent vortex. The ground trembled beneath them, and Jiyan's eyes flashed with realization.

"Watch out for its ranged attacks!" Jiyan shouted, his focus intensifying. "Rover, did you notice? It's avoiding attacking the 'moon' behind us," he pointed out as Rover nodded.

"That 'moon' must be the core of our enemy." His mind raced as he formulated a strategy. "This thing is weakening. I'll shield you from its attacks! Rover, find a chance to strike its core!"

But before they could act, the Threnodian suddenly stopped. Its body stiffened, and with a menacing growl, it opened multiple diamond-shaped gates, portals that shimmered with an ominous light. Through them, spearheads emerged—sleek, sharp, and deadly.

Jiyan's face twisted in frustration as he gritted his teeth. "Copied my weapon already, huh?" The amethyst spears were identical to the jade spears he wielded, their polished surfaces gleaming with deadly intent.

The Threnodian raised the spears, each one poised to strike with perfect precision.

Dreamless: "Gates of The War Thernodian."

With a flick of its hand, the Threnodian sent a volley of spears hurtling through the portals, each replaced by another the instant it left, creating an endless barrage.

Jiyan and Rover were forced on the defensive, dodging and deflecting the spears with swift, tense movements as the onslaught continued relentlessly.

Then, the Threnodian turned its gaze to Rover, its eyes narrowing as it focused on her weapon—the Emerald of Genesis. Its intent was clear: it sought to mimic the weapon's essence.

But then—*stare.*

The Dreamless felt it, a presence that bore down on it like a thousand eyes, all from a single source. The sensation froze it in place, and for the briefest moment, a thought prematurely began to surface in its mind: 'What was that? '

But the thought... simply ceased. It melted into oblivion, dissolving before it could fully form, erased as if by an unseen eraser.

'̶W̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶?'̶

The notion had vanished—scrubbed from existence.

And then, another thought surfaced, unhindered this time, taking shape within the Dreamless's consciousness: 'Interesting.'

The Dreamless narrowed its gaze upon the Emerald of Genesis, murmuring inwardly, 'Looks like this weapon is a bit special...'

With a deliberate motion, it raised its hands, summoning two towering walls of flame that shot up as high as the largest skyscraper, then clapped its hands together, sending the walls crashing inward.

But they didn't simply collapse—they closed around Jiyan and Rover in a tightening corridor, forcing them into a single narrow path.

"Shit!" they both thought, adrenaline surging as they watched the walls close in.

With a wicked smirk, the Dreamless extended a single finger, conjuring a massive orb of resonant energy at its tip. It swelled and coalesced before unleashing a searing beam of Havoc energy.

Rover braced herself, but Jiyan surged forward, spear in hand, placing himself in the direct path of the beam.

"HAAAH!"

He bellowed, mustering all his strength, and thrust his spear against the full force of the blast. The flames dissipated, leaving a faint haze of smoke hanging in the air, but Jiyan stumbled, his Terminal glowing a dire red, indicating his exhaustion.

Rover, though shaken, steadied herself, and her gaze hardened. She advanced toward the Dreamless, now drawn back toward the ominous moon overhead.

Gritting her teeth, she launched herself into the air using her grappler, ascending swiftly with fierce resolve.

As she neared, a voice sounded in her mind, familiar yet distant: "Why so serious...?"

It was Kyorin's voice. She glanced at her sword, and his words reverberated through her mind with urgency: "FIGHT... ABSORB... EVOLVE..."

The meaning was cryptic, but the message was clear. Rover's thoughts snapped back to something the Crownless had once said—an edict of evolution.

The only essence that a Resonator could assimilate was the echo of a Tacet Discord, either through their Terminals or, in her situation, her Tacet Mark. Even though no echo was present, a Tacet Discord stood before her.

"AAAAHHH!"

The Dreamless writhed in agony as Rover's Tacet Mark flared to life. Her hand drew closer to its neck, the energy swirling in the air between them.

The Dreamless let out a guttural cry, a sharp hiss of pain, but before Rover could fully absorb its essence, the creature shoved her back. It recoiled, its form shifting violently as it swung its scythe with a vicious arc.

Rover's gaze was keen, evaluating the weapon and its structure as it cleaved through the air.

Rover: "Trace."

In the blink of an eye, a raven wing sprouted from her back, sleek and black as night. A dark scythe materialized in her hand, its amethyst hue matching that of the Dreamless's weapon.

With expert precision, she blocked its attack. The collision of the two weapons sparked with a burst of energy, and the Dreamless staggered back, stunned by the unexpected counter.

Enraged, the Dreamless hissed and muttered brokenly, words spilling from its fractured mind.

"MOTHER... NEEDS WEAPONS..." it growled, its voice a distorted rasp.

It lunged toward Rover, its gaze fixed on her weapon—the Emerald of Genesis—as if it sought to claim it for itself. But Rover met the creature's assault with another swift strike, her blade cutting through the air with deadly intent.

The Dreamless hissed again, pulling back, its hunger for more power gnawing at it. "MORE WEAPONS... STRONGER... WEAPONS..." It grumbled.

Trembling with rage, its mind desperate for a way to evolve. It searched the battlefield, its eyes wild, as if calling out for the means to bolster its strength.

At that moment, as if to answer its frantic prayers, a shadow cut through the air at an impossible speed.

"Careful!" Jiyan's voice rang out, a warning just as Rover ducked beneath the incoming projectile.

The black object flew through the air, striking the Dreamless directly in the chest. The impact was violent, sending the creature staggering back, its Tacet Core nearly shattered from the force.

For a moment, it wavered, dazed, before glaring hatefully at the object that had struck it down.

The weapon was a mace—a Gada. It was dark, with a robust shaft and a rounded head, resting on the ground before the Dreamless. The creature tried to lift it, expression furrowing as it struggled, baffled by the sheer weight.

Though the Gada appeared small, it was ludicrously heavy, yet it hadn't sunk into the ground; rather, it had descended as gently as a feather, guided by an unseen grace.

'What... is this weapon?' the Dreamless thought, its core pulling fruitlessly at the mace. But, even with all its might, it could not budge the weapon.

Accepting its failure with a scowl, it turned away, glancing back at Jiyan and Rover with a menacing warning."You will meet... the same fate..."

It ascended towards the moon, its form merging with it. "Pay for your insurrection... in blood..." it declared, as its body was engulfed in the luminous glow. "The war... never ends... We... will return..."

With that, the Dreamless retreated to the moon, but not before leaving a violent parting gift—a massive shockwave of energy radiated out, enough to shake the very realm.

Rover stepped forward, shielding Jiyan from the blast, bracing herself with one hand held firmly against the incoming surge. Her body trembled under the force, and as she focused, her Tacet Mark flared to life.

With her eyes closed, she tried steadying herself, and when they opened, a peculiar figure had appeared before her.

A creature now stood in the shockwave's path, absorbing it effortlessly. Cat-like in form, it had soft white fur, brown paws, and long, delicate ears adorned with earrings that floated as though suspended by invisible wings. A bracelet circled one paw, and a collar rested around its neck.

The creature let out a contented burp, appearing satisfied, though its expression soon turned sleepy and drowsy. Rover watched in astonishment, feeling a strange, instinctual bond with the creature.

It turned to face her, meeting her gaze with heterochromatic eyes—one an icy blue, the other a warm amber-orange. Both pupils held the shape of Tacet Marks, and the same emblem etched softly on their forehead.

As their eyes met, the creature's eyes softened with delight as it looked up at Rover, then nestled into her arms, curling up and slipping instantly into a serene slumber.

Jiyan approached, his gaze drawn to the now-empty sky where the moon once loomed. "As the personification of war... it chose retreat over direct combat."

Rover's expression hardened. "It's actively avoiding us."

The mysterious cat-like creature in her arms meanwhile snored, "Zzz… zzz…"

Jiyan paused, eyes narrowing at the creature. "Rover, is that..."

But as he was about to ask, a deep rumble echoed through the air, and the ground beneath them trembled ominously.

"This place is about to collapse!" Jiyan observed, urgency sharpening his voice. "Let's get out of here."

Rover gave a quick nod, and they moved swiftly, darting through the chaos of the crumbling battlefield.

As they retreated, the shadowed Gada vanished, streaking through the fractured space in a blur, shattering the air around it with raw force as it sped back to its wielder.

The weapon flew straight toward a cave hidden in the mountains, the very place from which it had first emerged.

Inside, Kyorin awaited, his gaze cool and calculating as he caught the dark, weighty weapon. He studied its imposing form, curiosity glinting in his eyes as he traced the strange markings along its surface.

But before he could delve deeper into its mysteries, an indignant voice pierced the silence.

"Boss! How could you?" DEVA's voice resounded, her orb form hovering in agitation, her lens narrowing. "Am I not good enough?"

Kyorin turned, mildly irritated. "What nonsense are you rambling about now?"

"How could you pick that over me?" she protested, her tone prickled with jealousy as she hovered accusingly around the weapon.

Annoyed, Kyorin muttered, "I got it from—" He stopped, recalling the shadow fish presenting the Gada as an offering, its deep gaze suggesting he use it to hone his newly enhanced body after his Reborn awakening (C3).

DEVA's lens fixed on him, almost pleading. "Who gave it to you?"

He hesitated before responding, "A... friend." The shadowed form in the distance pulsed with a faint shimmer, its scales glinting like dark stars, though its shape remained cloaked in an ancient haze.

"Get rid of it and use me!" DEVA insisted, a flicker of indignation in her voice. Kyorin, with a fed-up sigh, placed the Gada on the ground and gestured to her. "Go on, then."

"Humph" With a confident hum, DEVA approached, only to find the weapon entirely immovable. She buzzed back, perplexed. "What is this thing?" she muttered in frustration.

Just then, a soft echoing voice resonated in Kyorin's mind, prompting him to turn to DEVA. A rare glint of amusement lit his eyes as he uttered the weapon's name, "Kaumodaki."

To be continued...

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Weapon Description:

Name: Kaumodaki [Shadow]

Origin: Crafted by the Divine Architect, forged in the hearts of the land of Moksha.

Description: Known as the "Captivator of Minds," this weapon's essence is bound to the wielder's mental state.

The weight of Kaumodaki varies depending on how the mind perceives it, and its power is linked to the depth of the wielder's perception. 

Note: This is just the 'mere shadow' of the original weapon.