The Second Descent (2)

And indeed, something beyond what he could even fathom was at play.

The earthquake was still in full bloom, and as he couldn't even walk properly above all of this shaking, he unleashed his butterfly wings to stabilize himself.

As he took some altitude, Enzo looked back at the swarm of monsters that ambushed him earlier. They were all on the ground, their legs shaking and giving up as they tried to get up.

With a cold stare, Enzo said, "Eat them all." to his butterflies, and the latter obliged.

The monsters were defenseless as their senses went upside down because of the illusion of his butterflies.

The creatures were enveloped in a frenzy of fluttering wings and iridescent colors. Enzo's butterflies descended upon the incapacitated monsters, their various abilities proving devastating in this state of vulnerability.

The sand butterflies wove intricate patterns, ensnaring the monsters' limbs in quicksand-like traps that immobilized them further. The illusion butterflies intensified their assault, weaving a tapestry of false perceptions that left the monsters bewildered and disoriented.

And then came the poisonous butterflies. They released clouds of toxic mist that billowed around the monsters, their weakened forms unable to resist the onslaught. The clouds seeped into every pore, and the monsters let out feeble roars before collapsing, succumbing to the potent poison.

Of course, the carnivorous went to finish the job as they tore apart the monsters one after the other.

It was quite gruesome.

But the sweet messages of the system ringing in Enzo's ears were more pleasant than anything else.

Still, Enzo's gaze remained fixed on the scene below, his expression unflinching as his butterflies executed his command. It was a brutal display, a reminder of the power he held within his grasp. "Welp I should have started flying earlier." He sighed.

The earthquake began to subside, the tremors gradually diminishing until the ground and the shaking buildings stabilized. As the last of the monsters fell, Enzo's butterflies regrouped around him, their glow casting an ethereal light in the aftermath of the battle.

"The campus is truly a work of art." Enzo couldn't help but say. Even with the shattering earthquake, almost no building fell down. "Still, they fell easily in front of monsters. What a sight."

Right before he could continue his thoughts, the system suddenly appeared in front of him. Bringing with it a bad omen as it explained the cause of the earthquake.

[A full month had passed since the Eden's arrival. It is now time to start the second descent.]

Enzo's brow furrowed as the system's message echoed in his mind. A second descent? What did that mean? The ground beneath him still rumbled intermittently, a reminder of the immense power that had been unleashed.

The words of the system were cryptic, and Enzo had learned through his trials that there was often more to them than met the eye. As he stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, his butterflies slowly dispersing into faint glimmers, he considered his next move.

At the same time, he couldn't help but think about Rose's whereabouts. He knew that she was resourceful. Probably more than she was giving herself credit for. However, the threat this time seemed bigger.

After all, they had time to grow stronger, meaning that this second descent could only be something terrifying.

"Seriously what the he-..." Before he could finish his curse, the system spoke again.

[The second descent is a phase that comes with the awakening of the planet. Now that it has reached its full potential, the barrier between realms has been removed. Be careful as ancient entities will appear from now on. Bringing with them their armies and convictions.]

[REMEMBER! IT WILL BE HARD SURVIVING ALONE FROM NOW ON!]

The last panel surprised Enzo. He never expected the system to react like this. Was the second descent such a bad thing? Surely it couldn't be that big of a change, right?

At best, this descent will just strengthen everyone - not that it wasn't terrifying on its own - at least, that was what Enzo thought with his limited knowledge.

Yet the barrier the system was talking about made Enzo more uncomfortable than anything else. He didn't know why, but it couldn't be something good.

"Surely those 'ancient entities' won't be harmful, right?" Enzo said to convince himself that it was the right answer.

After all, what would ancient entities earn by killing weaklings like him?

He didn't amount to anything in the great expanse of the world. Sure maybe among humans, he was someone incredible - although he was sure at a hundred percent that there were other people like him out there - but if there were to be other races? Dragons? Griffins? Phoenixes? What could he even do?

"Alright, let's not jump to conclusions," Enzo muttered to himself. He knew that panicking wouldn't solve anything. He had overcome challenges before, and he wasn't about to let fear hold him back now. Taking a deep breath, he looked around at the campus with newfound determination.

"If these ancient entities are coming, then I'll just have to get ready. Stronger, smarter, and more prepared," he said aloud, his voice carrying a firm resolve. He turned his attention to his butterflies, his loyal companions in this unforgiving world.

"We've come a long way, haven't we?" Enzo mused, a faint smile touching his lips. His butterflies glowed softly in response, a reassuring presence that reminded him of how much he had experienced since that first bewildering day. "And yet we're again just on our own. Rose should be alright though. She's smart and strong, so she'll manage on her own." He said as he looked at the dark cloud in the sky. The second descent seemed to have changed the weather as well.

And although Enzo was sad to not have Rose by his side - for practical reasons as she was a valuable ally - he was still better on his own. It was always easier to only care about himself, after all, so being alone once again was good when facing this new event in the world.