[2]

It's a wonder, how many eons have gone by while I've been slumbering, locked inside this void, the Infinite Abyssal Clock Frame...

My realm shall still thrive, but the order may have fallen...

That... 'subordinate' of mine... wouldn't quite allow my realm to collapse, that I can be assured. Though, they have their own realm to overlook, so it's expected the order wouldn't last.

I do have to say though, the ancient gods must be at their ends at this point. They most probably have their successors running their duties.

Well... that isn't my concern really so it doesn't very much matter.

But I do have to ponder, what of the others? How have they been? But once again, it truly matters not.

Sigh...

Oh, how things have changed I wonder.

At any rate, the most essential mystery is... Why have I been suddenly wakened?

I do doubt the Clock Frame suddenly weakened, or I fully recovered. I'm still very much unstable and could disappear any moment if I'm uncareful.

This darkness around me hasn't gotten any lighter either. It's as pitch-black as the void as always.

Heuh... sigh.

Well... I suppose a small waking isn't all extremely bad. I can get the feeling of being alive at least...

Heuh.

Wel- Hm?

What in th-

Why am I suddenly disoriented? Is that even possible?! Eh? Is my existence weakening once more?

How unexpected... However, expected.

Oh-, what is happening this day...

There's a tear in the fabric of reality in here, inside the Clock Frame... have the cosmic laws fallen? This shouldn't be possible.

Am I hallucinating now? How can something like that appear within the Clock Frame?!

Hm?

Why is it nearing me?

Well... This is admittedly the most unexpected thing... I'm perceiving quite a vast pulling force in my mental space... I can't stop it when my powers are bound.

My vision seems to be blacking out... What will I see at the next waking I wonder?

...

"Hm..."

The creature stood still with its eyes closed whilst the tentacle limbs crazily turned and twisted devastating the area around in its frantic movements.

Unclosing its eyes, the creature twisted its head all the way around, eyeing the limbs with annoyance. With a sheer swipe from its left shadowy hand, the limbs were ripped apart from the origin, the back of the skeletal armor-like chest.

Falling, the limbs stopped moving and turned to energy and regrew back at the origin point.

Tsk!

Shaking its head, the creature turned its head, facing the right way.

"This vessel body is such a nuisance."

Closing its eyes once again, the creature remained still as a statue as it went into deep concentration.

The mana from far away rapidly drew towards him as the surrounding mana had already been exhausted. Mages and magic weapon wielders in the distance all felt this and as such, they were panicked right now.

They would probably be sending knights and mercenaries and possibly even the supreme grade individuals to investigate shortly. Mana exhaustion is a serious problem after all. It can lead to imbalance and cause disasters due to the other energies running rampant to gain the territory the mana held before which leads to fierce clashes of energy.

Though of course, the strength and destructiveness of the calamity depend on the level of exhaustion.

The creature right now is causing complete mana exhaustion. Not low, mid, or high exhaustion, but total depletion.

The other energies of the world will soon rush in and try to populate the area.

"Hm... good. The Existence Link worked as it should. My body and remaining soul seem to be fine within the Abyssal Clock Frame... I can't say I knew a soul fragment could be used in such a manner... whoever summoned my mind here must have somehow accessed the [Astral Pathway], perhaps it is weak here? Hmm... a subject worth investigating but perhaps later." With a crispy rough cold tone, the creature voiced as it opened its eyes once again.

Opening its arms wide, the creature stretched its limbs and let out a satisfied hum.

"My conscious is completely stable and isn't at any risk of leaving this vassal at current... it would be a waste to let go of such an opportunity."

Fisst! Fwooooosh!

Bending its knees slightly, the creature ran forward with extreme speed dodging trees and other obstacles in its way, attaining more flexibility and control over its movements for far greater fluidity in its motion.

It didn't leave the general vicinity but kept circling it and at some point started to control and gain an understanding of the tentacle limbs on its back.

The limbs which could grow to as many as he wanted could extend out far and its strength wasn't anything weak either.

Trees are instantly pierced through with a simple tap, and the large craters are created with a soft swipe. A deadly weapon.

"Mhm. Not bad. This body's physical prowess is okay. Unfortunately, I don't know what abilities this body may possess since my skills cant be used with this vassal as my soul isn't here. I'll look into it later." Standing back where it first appeared, the creature observed the destroyed surroundings as it talked to itself whilst gazing at the bright crystal within its jet-black hands.

That didn't last, though.

Clatter! Clatter! Clink! Clink!

Raising its head, the creature looked away from the crystal as it looked into the distance. There seemed to be a group of uninvited guests.

"GOODNESS! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS!"

"We must find the source quick!"

"GOOD GOD!"

"The cause of the mana exhaustion is here! Everyone stay vigilant! A calamity may occur any moment!"

"Mages, start throwing the mana bombs! Quickly inject mana into the air and start the resupply process! This should roughly be the origin point!"

"Right away commander!"

Humans. The most common race through the continent. The race with the largest numbers.

The creature listened to the frantic voices of these humans from afar with a blank gaze. Its sight and all other senses were remarkably powerful so this is an easy feat.

The humans were currently within the area the creature had just moments ago practiced within and left quite a healthy amount of destruction in.

Robed individuals threw weird multicolored almost transparent round objects into the air that dissolved and turned to mana which started to spread out whilst also shooting out mana from their palms into the atmosphere which similarly spread around.

Armored individuals were on the sharp lookout as individuals who seemed to be leaders spouted out orders to the rest.

Alas, their effort to avoid the calamity situation of mana exhaustion isn't possible. The creature had made it into total exhaustion after all. They've certainly never dealt with such a situation before and are most definitely not ready for this. The creature, of course, doesn't know any of this. It isn't from this world. It does not know this world.

Blankly looking at the group of humans. The creature shook its head.

"A young lesser world... how bland. I'd expected it at the very least would be a high-ranked world but I suppose not... Well, it's fine. It's better than being stuck in eternal darkness I suppose."

Slowly walking towards the human group, the creature lazily observed their weapons and armor.

They had high-quality silver armor and top-grade magic weapons and tools as well as top-grade ether weapons and tools.

"Such poor quality items."

Ahem, the humans had quite high-quality equipment as observed by the creature.

Noticing the approaching figure of the creature, the knights on watch immediately alerted all the humans causing all of them to ready for battle as they sharpened their gazes which immediately fell a second later.

As the creature's full appearance came to view, the human's gazes fell from their ready-willed looks to shocked and frightened ones.

"C-c-c-c-calam-ity b-be-ast..." A stiff human knight lowly muttered with a shaky voice but was heard by all due to the silent dreadful atmosphere.

One of the humans, at the center of the group whose gaze was still mostly calm unlike the rest, pushed past those in front of him and stood proudly at the front with his ether blade raised.

"All of you calm down! Knights get into formation! Mages move back further and continue! Mercenaries move back and provide support! Yeuimer go back and request reinforcements!"

Hearing the commands of the brave human at the front, the knights, mages, and mercenaries slightly calmed and steeled themselves as they followed the orders.

The mages moved back, the mercenaries who were a group of five were a few meters in front of the mages with one readying his bow and two joining the knights at the front, and the other two preparing supplies and potions.

The knights which numbered 150, were spread out yet in close proximity and in a manner in which they could quickly retreat or receive backup to retreat easily.

The creature shook his head at the actions of these humans. It didn't plan to do anything. It just wants to introduce itself is all. What's wrong with that?

"Sigh, I suppose a friendly introduction won't do?" The creature asked with a hint of amusement in its voice though the humans couldn't understand it. All they heard were cold sharp indecipherable sounds and all they saw was a monster with an immense dark aura.

As the creature neared, the commander of the knights rose his ether blade and held it tight as he gave an order to the rest.

"Shoot!"

Hearing the command, all the knights along with the commander straightened their bodies as they tried quelling the fear within their hearts and got in a close stance with their ether blades.

Slashing forward, 150 blade arcs projected themselves and launched towards the creature, creating a sizzling sound as the ether energy burned. One of the two mercenaries at the front launched a dagger with a green glow and the other threw some weird item that kept making a hissing sound.

The bowman of the mercenaries launched a volley of arrows and the two supports readied supplies to hand out, whilst the mages with anxious expressions continued feeding mana to the atmosphere. They were the most worried as they could sense the energy fluctuations within the air.

The mage's efforts seem to bear no fruits. They didn't have enough resources to fix the mana exhaustion. The other energies were already starting to swirl around the area and would start to clash at any moment to fill the area.

"Sigh..."

Looking at all this, the creature couldn't help but let out a low sigh as it stopped moving forward and stood still. It started controlling one of the tentacle limbs and made it extend and launch forward towards the coming attacks.

Looking at its hand that held the crystal, it rose it up and simply looked at it with blank eyes ignoring the surroundings and attacks.

"It's my soul fragment... it should carry one of my powers... let's see... I already have a link to my true body and soul so... I should be recognized..."

"Absorb..."