Adapt

Noctom carved through Lorells shoulder-plated armor, digging deep into his flesh as he grimaced, pivoting backward. But with a step forward, I pulled Noctem back and twisted my feet, allowing the back of my spear to crack over his skull, tearing him off his feet and through dozens of buildings.

Dust and debris obscured my vision in a cloud of destruction. And yet I remained poised in a defensive position. My cut wasn't deep. And that armor… It felt weird.

"Protect the Bishop Knight!" Echoed the knights around me.

However, I couldn't be bothered to worry about them. None of them held any power to break through my defenses, and I had Sera, Kuro, and Adrian.

"AWHOOOOO!!!!"

Holding my ground as an earth-shattering howl decimated the city around me, turning the world around me to ash, the Lycan rushed at me. Ignoring every concept of reality, he appeared like a ghost, with a single step, whipping its claws at my chest.

Ember flared like mini stars as I parried the best I could. Pushed back dozens of paces, a flurry of blows fell like stars as my spear danced around his attack, meeting his claws head-on.

Each attack from Lorell felt like a sledgehammer against my chest. Ravaging my organs to paste the best he could with each blow that rained over me, I forced my adaption to kick in as blood leaked from my lips.

'Rain!' Loreell barked ferally, sending the hairs over my neck on end.

And without thinking, I felt something tingle over my flesh, like the realm had turned against me. I didn't wait to see what had happened as my instants kicked in.

"Almighty Flash," I muttered, halting the flow of the world.

I darted like a bull towards, Lorell, plunging my spear towards his chest, missing his heart, as his perception jumped to the same realm as my speed. He moved.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Setting the world aflame to the blaze of my Abyssal Flame as it withered instead of burned, an ocean of ash filled my sight.

Howls cried into my ears as I saw Lorell with a terrifying wound in his chest crying in the song of his people.

"Peak Elder God, a step into Paragon. Damn. Arsene. You did well." Lily said lightly. " But it's not over. Good luck."

I smirked as an array of Abyssal Qi erupted, smiting my flame from existence. A terrifying aura branded the skies in an abyss of Night. Iluthath trembled. It shuttered as if a new god had awakened.

"TENEBROUS!!!!!"

I smirked, and a crown appeared over my brow as my aura spiked. As if anointed by a higher being, the crest of the Abyss and Night flared over my head.

Adapt!

Adapt!

Adapt!

Adapt!

Adapt!

Adapt!

Adapt!

Bones trembled, shattering and congealing over and over. Pain hammered at my soul as a growl resounded from my throat. Nasty as a demon, it silenced the world.

Attuning myself the best I could to the Abyss and Night, I felt myself become stronger. I felt my state of being becoming elevated to greater heights.

"You're fucking insane! Don't adapt like that!" Lily howled. "You're going too fast!"

Ignoring her warning, an illusion of pride flashed behind my back as the Crown of Noctem cycled endless Divinity through me.

"BRING IT!!!" I shouted with untamed excitement.

Bending his knee, Lorell shattered, the earth creating a chasm the size of three mountains as he clenched his fist together.

"Demonic Cataclysm."

Positioning Noctem over my chest to parry blood gushed from my palm as I employed Ren-Shii. Meeting him head-on, I took the entire full force of his attack merely to adapt to his full power.

Dying Stars consumed my vision for a brief moment as I gazed at the endless nebula of laws. All seemingly forged into one strike.

Adapt!

Adapt!

BOOOOOOOOOM!

Unable to hold my ground, I was torn from the ground and blasted through dozens of parsecs as Lorell dashed towards me, like a feral beast, bearing its fangs. A scarlet glow sprang from his palm.

Quite aware of the damage I sustained, I couldn't help but smile with all I had during this fight. I'd never thought I would be forced to sustain such damage from someone near my level.

"Get serious! Use Black Sabbath! Use anything!" Lily cried.

'Nope!"

"Carnage of Blood!" Lorell cried, swiping his glowing claws consumed in blood laws at me.

Sensing the Abyss come alive, my eyes narrowed as my instincts took over. It was still too late to stop the force of Lorells Arte from forcing me back, but I could use that.

Shadow Stepping, as ten arcs of light, one from every finger, whipped through the skies, aimed at me, missing me by a blink of the eye, I materialized behind the Lycan with a bright smile, allowing my back to hit against his. Startling the little pup.

Embellishing in the hairs rising over this Lycan, the concept of supremacy swelled off my being as I spun faster than Lorell, landing a clean and decisive blow with my foot against his rib cage. I tore through flesh and bone, taking dozens of organs along the way from his body as he crashed into a mountain range.

"SEVERING CHAIN!"

Spamming my Arte with the endless Divinity my crown granted, desolation flashed over my gaze as I wiped away the winter storm tugging at our bodies. Arcs of light, carrying storm light, alongside darkness withered the continent till it sunk into the ocean. Only then did I stop.

"Arsene. Your body." Lily warned.

Heaving as my lungs burned like fire, I chuckled nevertheless as blood bubbled form out of my pores like never before. Abyssal runes had already risen from my flesh as the tarnishing light of my Divinity began to suck the Divinity from the air trying to mend my wounds.

"I'll adapt. The stronger my blood. The stronger my state of being. The better chances of becoming a Chaos Lord. That's my goal. Till then, I'll break myself till I become one." I promised her, hovering over the ocean of where the hell I was.

Catching sight of dozens of godly beasts peaking their heads up with coldness in their palish blue eyes, their aura as strong as Lorell and I materialized, and without warning, they left, leaving me to stare downwards with anticipation.

Bubbles sprang from the ocean as spots of red rose to the surface. In minutes, I saw a one-arm Lorell, now covered in a mane of raven-colored fur. His eyes were now scarlet, and his teeth were jagged and sharp.

"In the name of Ophelia! Grant thee a boon of Life!"