Ch(22):-collapse of all things ||

The remnants of the Nexus swirled around Ryuusuke and Kaito like a maelstrom of shattered realities. The fabric of existence itself was collapsing into a spiraling void, and the oppressive silence that followed the destruction was more terrifying than the chaos itself. What had once been a vibrant, omnipotent hub of knowledge and balance was now reduced to fractured echoes of worlds—memories scattered like dust in the wind.

For a brief moment, Ryuusuke felt the weight of his actions pressing against him. The power coursing through his veins had reshaped existence, but in doing so, he had unleashed forces far beyond his comprehension. Yet, he stood resolute, his gaze fixed on the void that loomed before them.

Kaito stepped forward, his sword drawn, though he knew it was useless against what they now faced. "Ryuusuke, what the hell have you done? The Nexus is gone. Everything it held in balance—everything—is falling apart." His voice carried both awe and fear.

"I've broken their leash," Ryuusuke replied, his tone unyielding. "The Architects are no longer in control. Now, it's up to us to decide what comes next."

Before Kaito could respond, a low hum began to rise from the void. The silence shattered as the hum grew into a deafening roar, like the wail of a dying star. The air around them became dense, pulling at their very essence, as if the void was trying to consume them.

And then, from the depths of the void, something emerged.

The Birth of the Abyssal Sovereign

The figure that stepped from the void was unlike anything Ryuusuke had faced before. It was not a god, not a celestial, and not even one of the Architects. It was absence personified—a being born from the destruction of the Nexus, a manifestation of the chaos Ryuusuke had unleashed. Its form was ever-shifting, a swirling amalgamation of shadow and light, and its eyes burned with a hunger that seemed endless.

The entity spoke, its voice resonating like a thousand screams layered atop one another. "You… are the one who dared to unmake the Cycle."

Ryuusuke met its gaze, unfazed. "I did more than unmake it. I destroyed the prison you and every other being have been trapped in for eternity."

The entity tilted its head, its form rippling as it stepped closer. "And in doing so, you have birthed me. I am the Abyssal Sovereign, the embodiment of the void you have created. The balance you sought to shatter was what kept me at bay. Now, I am free."

Kaito tightened his grip on his sword, stepping into a defensive stance. "Ryuusuke, this thing… it feels like nothing I've ever encountered. Its power is…"

"Endless," Ryuusuke finished, his voice steady. "Because it's not bound by reality. It's a consequence of my actions—a new force in the multiverse."

The Abyssal Sovereign took another step forward, and with each movement, the void around it expanded, consuming what little remained of the Nexus. "You wield power beyond comprehension, Harbinger, but even you cannot contain what you have unleashed. Your defiance has given me life, and now, I will consume all that exists. The multiverse will become the void, and I will reign as its eternal sovereign."

Ryuusuke's eyes narrowed, the flames of his power igniting once more. "If you think I'll let that happen, you're mistaken. I didn't destroy the Cycle just to hand over existence to something like you."

The Abyssal Sovereign let out a sound that could have been laughter, though it carried a weight of despair. "Foolish Harbinger. You cannot destroy me, for I am the void itself. Strike me down, and I will rise again. Try to contain me, and I will shatter your will. You may have broken the Cycle, but you have only exchanged one prison for another."

The Battle Begins

Without warning, the Sovereign struck. Its form expanded, tendrils of pure void lashing out in every direction. The air itself seemed to freeze as the void consumed everything in its path. Ryuusuke raised his hand, summoning a barrier of energy to shield himself and Kaito, but the force of the attack was overwhelming. The ground beneath them shattered, and the remnants of the Nexus crumbled into nothingness.

Kaito leaped forward, his blade glowing with a fierce light as he struck at one of the tendrils. The attack connected, but the Sovereign's form merely rippled, as if mocking his efforts. It retaliated, a tendril whipping toward him with devastating speed.

"Kaito, fall back!" Ryuusuke commanded, stepping forward to intercept the attack. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a surge of power that obliterated the tendril, but the Sovereign was relentless.

"You cannot fight the void, Harbinger," it taunted. "You will only delay the inevitable."

Ryuusuke's power flared, his form glowing brighter as he pushed back against the Sovereign's assault. "Maybe I can't destroy you," he said, his voice steady. "But I can contain you."

The Sovereign paused, its form shifting as if studying him. "Contain me? You overestimate your power. Even you cannot hold the void forever."

"I don't need forever," Ryuusuke replied. "Just long enough to reshape existence."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Ryuusuke, what are you planning?!"

Ryuusuke didn't answer. Instead, he raised both hands, drawing on every ounce of his power. The space around them trembled as he began to reshape the void itself, bending its will to his own. The Sovereign screamed, its form thrashing violently as it resisted.

"You dare to wield the void against me?! You will destroy yourself!"

"If that's what it takes," Ryuusuke said through gritted teeth, "then so be it."

The void began to collapse inward, pulled by the sheer force of Ryuusuke's power. The Sovereign's form flickered, its screams growing louder as it was dragged toward the singularity Ryuusuke was creating.

Kaito watched in awe and terror, unable to move. "Ryuusuke… if you do this, there might not be anything left of you."

Ryuusuke glanced back at him, a faint smile on his face. "Trust me, Kaito. I'm not done yet."

With a final surge of energy, the singularity consumed the Sovereign, its form disappearing into the void. The Nexus was gone, and the multiverse hung on the brink of collapse. But Ryuusuke stood tall, his power burning brighter than ever.

"It's not over," he said, his voice echoing across the void. "This is just the beginning."