Abyss (3)

Sensing a cold object pierce his skin, Evan felt a wave of scorching hot pain wash over him, which further disoriented his senses. Along with the burning pain, he suddenly felt cold all over.

Perceiving the place where the cold object punctured his skin, Evan experienced a harrowing sense of fear as he felt his life force draining away rapidly.

'W-What's… happening?... This can't be just from the pressure… of the Wyvern. Did… I get… betrayed?'

Having known that something seemed off about the situation, Evan expected that the opposing party had a trick up their sleeve. But never did he think a dark wyvern would appear!

The arrival of the beta-level monster led to his incapacitation just from the mere pressure that it released. Providing the perfect opportunity for the opposing party to strike.

'I'm too... naïve... I thought... that since the... squad is... composed of low... rankers... then they... would not... recognise the... Demon Reaper Art.'

Feeling his thoughts slow to a crawl, Evan's consciousness entered a blurry state as the desire to sleep threatened to engulf him, enticing him to enter eternal sleep.

A never before seen of crisis assaulted him as he used all his remaining energy to focus on the azure ball pulsing steadily in his brain.

After focusing on the rotating ball of mysterious origin, he felt his thoughts gain a moment of clarity as he battled the desire to eternally rest with all his might.

In this moment of clarity, Evan felt all the panic and anxiety which arose from the suddenness of the situation fade away as his thoughts became formless like water. Concentrating, he sent the last wisps of his consciousness into the azure ball.

After Evan's consciousness touched the azure ball, it released a blinding glow which dispelled the deep and gloomy darkness that encroached on his consciousness, preparing to bring him to the afterlife.

***

'First Form—Giant's Decree!'

Roaring in his mind, Otto watched as his body became larger and larger as his clothes ripped apart, unable to accommodate his huge frame.

Gripping his silver hammer tightly, he moved his defiant gaze upward, meeting the yellow slits of the enormous monster.

Releasing a shout, all the muscles in Otto's body bulged as he swung his hammer skyward with all the strength he could muster.

With his gigantic frame, he appeared like a god of war, challenging the very heavens themselves.

Whistling through the air, the hammer travelled forward with a lot of force as it neared the flying abomination.

Gazing at the silver weapon which approached it with great speed, the wyvern simply slashed its claw downwards.

As the claw and weapon collided, a harrowing silence enveloped the battlefield, signifying the calm before the raging storm.

BANG-!

As the explosion of force proliferated throughout the battleground with Otto and the Wyvern as a focal point, the soldiers witnessed a clash between titans ensue.

Staggering back from the force of the clash, Oto's herculean body caused a web of cracks to snake across the ground as the earth easily fractured apart.

Stopping his body from retreating any further, Otto collected himself and swung the hammer once again.

Letting out a mighty roar, the Wyvern released a scorching breath of fire, which smashed into the hammer. Gritting his teeth, Otto dug his feet into the ground, making sure the hammer took all the force behind the breath of fire.

Unfortunately, the hammer couldn't shield all of his body from the blow, with different parts of his figure being charred black from the searing heat.

Letting out a pained scream, Otto continued stubbornly defending his dear life.

After the scorching breath dissipated, the damage the hammer received was laid bare to see.

Glowing a fiery red colour, the weapon looked like it would melt any second now.

Gazing at the damage the hammer received, Otto knew that this fight wouldn't last much longer, as the power the abomination hovering above him possessed was too much for his rank 3 body and weapon to handle.

'First Form—Giant's Decree!'

'Second Form—Colossus' Rage!'

Executing two forms, one right after the other, Otto experienced a massive leap in combat prowess, as the damaged hammer in his hands blurred.

With its yellow slits narrowing at the sudden increase of power, the Wyvern once again swiped with its claws. This time with even more power placed behind the attack.

***

After the clash between Otto and the Wyvern ensued, the human army was in chaos as the shockwaves from the battle proved too much for some to handle, with their bodies bursting into a shower of blood.

"Retreat back to the outpost!"

Seeing the sight of many soldiers erupting in a shower of blood and knowing that anything she did to try to help Otto would have the opposite effect, Astrid roared at the top of her lungs.

Galvanized into action by the sudden shout, the soldiers fled for their lives back to the outpost, where a formation would be activated to shield them from the shockwaves of the battle.

With the majority of the human encampment retreating save for a few who possessed grievous injuries, unable to make it back to the outpost in time, Astrid was soon one of the few remaining humans on the bloody plains.

Frantically looking about, Astrid's eyes darted about the mass of running humans searching for any sign of Evan.

'Where are you, Evan?'

Finding no sign of Evan even after scouring the battlefield with her vision multiple times, Astrid's face became grim as a stark realisation hit her like a truck.

'No! Don't tell me you're dead! I refuse to believe you're dead unless your corpse is right in front of me. My gut feeling about you can't be wrong!'

Looking back on her interaction with Evan back in the cafeteria of the outpost, Astrid vividly recalled the ethereal feeling she felt from. It was as if he was destined to achieve great things in the future, and the ethereal air was proof of that.

Gazing back at Otto's charred figure, Astrid gritted her teeth as her squad leader's once stalwart and dependable shoulders, which could carry the heaviest of burdens, seemed fragile as he made his final stand.

'I can't do anything to help you, Otto! I'm sorry. However, I'm not going to let another one of my comrades die in front of me! I know you are still alive, Evan, I can feel it! I will bet on you staying alive. Hang in there!'

Making sure that most of the remaining soldiers entered the outpost safely, Astrid turned around and ran back into the battlefield as she began her strenuous search for her comrade.