Soul of a Fallen Archmage

'Shit'

Axel and Rael's expressions both tensed as they both received the system notifications. The identity of the abomination standing before them was confirmed, it wasn't just a simple corpse puppet. This monstrosity, stitched together from the body parts of the slain participants, harbored the soul fragment of a fallen Archmage.

The implications were staggering. That false Ranker wasn't just some run-of-the-mill dark magician. He had managed to bind the soul of a fallen archmage to this grotesque creation.

The weight of the revelation settled heavily between them.

In this world, hierarchy dictated everything. Beyond the conventional rank system, which measured an Awakener's power in broad strokes, there existed specialized titles, designations reserved for those whose strength and skills exceeded the boundaries of their rank. These titles provided clarity where ranks often failed.

Take Archmages, for example. They represented a high hierarchy of the mage class, a title that marked unparalleled mastery and power. Most Archmages were at least A-rank, Axel heard, though exceptions existed.

The sword class had a similar designation: Swordmaster. People like Trent, the bastard his ex had left him for, had already achieved Swordmaster status while still in B-rank. It was proof he was only a sliver away from ascending to A-rank.

But the mage class? That was an entirely different level of difficulty. Achieving the Archmage title required immense dedication and ability. And now, standing before Axel and Rael, was a fragment of such a being, twisted into a mockery of life.

Axel's thoughts raced as he processed the system's assessment. Fortunately, the abomination's strength had been downgraded to C-rank, likely due to the fragmentary nature of the soul and its puppet vessel. But there was no room for complacency.

Even diminished, an Archmage was still an Archmage, and it would retain fragments of the original's skills and abilities. This fight would be anything but simple.

Just then, the abomination advanced, its soulless green eyes fixed on their position.

"This wasn't part of the plan," Rael's breath hissed, his grip tightening around the frame of a ring he wore on his finger.

"Of course it wasn't," Axel spoke matter-of-factly. His voice was low and edged with bitterness. His claws flexed out in readiness. "But we deal with what's in front of us. You stay back and support like we planned. I'll handle this thing."

Rael hesitated, fear mixing his expression. "You sure about that? That thing... it's not normal."

Axel shot him a sharp glance. "Neither am I," he said with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "And besides, I'm not going down now. Not when you still owe me five million credits."

The corpse puppet suddenly let out a low, unnatural groan, its body jerking as if struggling to contain the power within. The oppressive aura around it grew heavier, making the air thick and difficult to breathe. It took another step forward, the ground beneath its feet cracking from the force.

"Go," Axel urged with a firm voice. Rael swallowed hard but nodded, retreating a few steps to give Axel space.

Axel turned his full attention to the puppet, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. The monstrous pressure emanating from the creature was suffocating, but he couldn't afford to waver now. His slit pupils narrowed as he focused on its movements, searching for any weaknesses.

The puppet lunged.

It was fast, too fast for something that looked so clumsy and patchwork. Axel barely dodged the first strike, the puppet's elongated arm slamming into the ground where he'd stood moments before. The impact sent a shockwave through the area, dirt and debris flying in all directions.

From the unnatural strength this frail-looking puppet had just displayed in this short moment, Axel could already deduce that it must have strengthened its body through some magical means.

Not standing idly, Axel countered immediately, his claws slashing upward in a fluid motion. They raked across the puppet's chest, tearing through its stitched flesh, but instead of recoiling, the creature pushed forward, its other arm swinging in a wide arc.

"Persistent, aren't you?" Axel muttered, leaping back swiftly to avoid the attack.

From his vantage point, Rael pulled out a small staff from his ring and raised it, muttering an incantation under his breath. A glowing sphere of energy formed at its tip before launching toward the puppet. The blast struck its shoulder, sending it staggering slightly, but it recovered almost instantly, turning its attention briefly toward Rael.

"Keep it focused on me!" Axel barked, darting forward to slash at its legs. His claws connected again, and this time the puppet stumbled, its movements growing jerky and uneven.

Rael fired another spell, this one a sharp bolt of concentrated energy aimed at the puppet's head. It struck true, sending a shower of sparks and necrotic energy crackling through the air. The abomination let out a guttural roar, its green eyes flaring brighter.

"That's it, keep it distracted!" Axel growled, his muscles tensing as he prepared for his next move.

But the puppet suddenly froze, its body rigid. A moment later, its head snapped back toward Axel with an unnerving precision, as if it had recalibrated. It lunged again, this time faster and more aggressive. Axel barely had time to react, throwing himself to the far side as the puppet's magically reinforced hand grazed his arm, tearing through his sleeve and leaving a shallow cut.

[Minor Injury Sustained. Natural Recovery Activated.]

"Damn it," Axel muttered, gritting his teeth as he clutched his arm. The cut wasn't deep, but the pressure this thing was exerting was overwhelming.

The false ranker glanced at the scene of the chaos. Seeing how Axel had managed to hold up to the corpse puppet up to this point, a bit of surprise flickered in his eyes, but he scoffed.

"Struggle all you want. I must admit, you're quite unusual, but still, you can't cover such a gap in strength. It'll only be a matter of time before you succumb."

Axel's eyes snapped toward the false ranker, who stood watching from a safe distance, his hands raised slightly as he continued controlling the mutated dire wolves attacking the boss monster. The smugness in his tone made Axel's blood boil.

"Don't get cocky," Axel snarled, rising to his feet. His claws extended further, glinting dangerously. "Just keep watching as I scrap this toy of yours."

Rael's voice came from behind him, urgent. "I've got another spell ready. Just keep it occupied!"

Axel nodded, a determined smirk on his face despite the odds. He launched himself forward, his movements becoming a blur as he closed the distance between himself and the abomination. If they were going to get through this, it would take everything they had, and maybe more.

But suddenly, the corpse puppet's body jerked unnaturally, then froze in place. A fraction later, its green-glowing eyes flared brighter, and the oppressive aura around it intensified. Axel's instincts screamed at him to retreat.

The ground beneath his approaching feet erupted.

With a deafening crack, jagged spikes of dark, crystalline energy shot up, narrowly missing Axel as he rolled to the side. The puppet hadn't moved physically, but its aura pulsed, signaling another spell. A dark glyph materialized mid-air, rotating slowly as tendrils of shadow energy burst forth, arcing toward Axel and Rael like hunting serpents.

"Oh, the way it was fighting earlier, I forgot it should be a caster." Rael's voice cracked as he scrambled to raise a barrier. His hands moved quickly, twirling the small staff and weaving protective light into a glowing shield just as the tendrils slammed against it. The force sent him stumbling back, the shield flickering for a moment before collapsing.

"Of course, it's a caster!" Axel growled, leaping away from another erupting spike of energy. "Did you think the Archmage Soul Fragment was for show?"

The puppet's head tilted, almost mockingly, as it raised one gnarled, patchwork hand. Another glyph appeared in the air, this one larger and more intricate. It pulsed once before discharging a volley of shimmering, green-tinted fireballs.

"Rael! Incoming!" Axel shouted.