Chapkter 14: Full Power

Chapkter 14: Full Power

Requiem: Death Melody

Verillion's POV

Hi there. Name's Verillion—human class, with a magic-based sub-class. I'm one of the Elementalist hybrids in Enigma Online. You might be wondering, why pick a support class? Well... NO JUDGING! I just felt like it, okay? Hahaha—kidding. Truth is, I picked this class because of its superior range.

If you think I'm just a support role, you're dead wrong. I can tank too! Yeah, I know, my HP and Strength are lower than most, but I dump almost half my stat points per level into those. The rest? Intelligence, of course—so my attacks still hit hard. I don't need to worry about Dexterity either, since my class buffs cover movement speed, attack speed, accuracy, and evasion. That's why I'm strong. I know exactly where to put my stats.

Right now, we're up against a gang of Player Killers led by a guy named Flick. He's also an Angel Class player—and strong. Just like me, he looks like a support type, but there's something off about him. Something terrifying. We've separated him from his team, so he's isolated... but that doesn't mean we can let our guard down.

—

Back to the present...

My Chrono Sphere shattered when Flick hit it—thanks to Cold Fire, a combo attack from my buddy Zaphro. It's a hybrid magic skill, fusing fire and ice into a paradoxical flame that freezes everything it touches and burns it at the same time.

Angel Classes are wild. They can use both weapon skills and high-tier magic. Here in Enigma PH, your skills depend on your weapon—and its elemental affinities. Zaphro's weapon is infused with fire and ice, giving him access to this deadly S-Class ability. I'm sure Flick took major damage from that one.

With the Chrono Field broken, some of our allies glanced toward Zaphro's direction. The barrier's down, and now there's nothing between Flick and the rest of us. But we've still got our hands full with the other four members of Flick's crew—they're no pushovers either.

Aryus' POV

The battlefield split into two: Zaphro vs. Flick on one side, and me, Shion, Erik, and Erenir facing off against the rest—Jack_Frost and the Three Little Pigs. (Kain, Ryos, and Raven. Haha—no offense!)

Flashback…

Ayana, Zaphro, Slicer, and Jin cornered Flick and trapped him in a barrier so his teammates couldn't intervene. We blocked the rest from interfering too.

"We're your opponents now," Shion declared.

"Anyone who tries to jump into that fight is going down," Erik added.

"Listen to these weaklings talk big," Kain smirked. "Your combo moves earlier barely scratched us."

> Level 120: Kain

Race: Elf – Class: Dark Force User

"Even if you try to block us, your levels are way below ours. You won't last a second," added Jack_Frost.

> Level 110: Jack_Frost

Race: Elf – Class: Ice Elemental

"Don't underestimate us. You might regret it," Verillion stepped up beside Erik.

We were all fully buffed at that moment—our stats pushed to the max.

The other two weren't talking. Just standing there like they were already bored.

> Level 125: Ryos

Race: Human – Class: Dual Blader

Level 130: Raven

Race: Elf – Class: Light Elemental

EOP 101 – Elf Class

Elves are naturally attuned to magic. They can cast spells even without weapons, and even the warrior-types have access to force-based magic. They typically wield talismans or magic medallions to focus their energy. Their weapons need to match their elemental nature.

"Too much talk, dude." Raven finally spoke up. "Lumina Ray!"

A beam of pure light shot toward us—me, Shion, and Erenir.

Erenir moved instantly. With his violet orb, he charged a spell:

"Destruction Spell: Crimson Apocalypse!"

He floated up, releasing a red aura, and blasted an energy beam that collided with Raven's. The two forces clashed violently, pushing against each other, both refusing to back down. These kinds of high-level skills are often one-hit kills when used at full power—and they rapidly drain mana unless the caster ends it manually.

"Erenir, stop! You'll run out of mana—and your HP will start draining too!" I shouted.

"Idiot! If I stop now, it's game over for us!" he snapped.

Wait—WHAT?!

Erenir's POV

Ugh… This is seriously do-or-die. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. His mana pool's probably way bigger than mine—mine's pathetic in comparison. The buffs we've got are the only reason I'm still holding on.

Even with my regeneration buff, I'm burning through MP fast.

I pushed harder, refusing to back down. His attack was stronger—but that doesn't mean I'll give in.

"You still alive, you scrub?!" I shouted just to provoke him.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that, brat?!" he growled.

Suddenly, a party message popped up—Verillion had a plan.

Aryus and Shion moved in toward Raven. I held the line, pushing my spell to the limit.

My counterattack pushed Raven's skill back, catching him off guard. Shion and Aryus were charging in when Ryos and Jack stepped forward to intercept.

"Not so fast, kittens!" Jack smirked.

"Time to break a sweat," Ryos added.

"Fatal Strike!"

"Ice Blade!"

Their skills flew toward our side.

Shion intercepted Jack.

"Raging Thrust!"

He countered with rapid illusionary sword slashes, dispelling the incoming ice blades.

Aryus took on Ryos.

"Hammer Spin Strike!"

He spun at high speed, shield up. Ryos's dual-blade lunge clashed with his shield, igniting a burn effect from the lava enchant on Aryus's axe. Nice!

Then—suddenly—wind howled.

"Wind Tornado!" Erik yelled, launching a massive vortex straight at Raven.

"Dark Flame!" Kain tried to block it with his own darkness skill.

Too late.

"What the—?!" Kain shouted as the tornado absorbed his skill.

"Fool. That's no ordinary wind—it has an absorption effect," Erik smirked. "Sorry, not sorry."

The vortex struck Raven dead-on, canceling his skill. Perfect timing!

My mana finally hit zero. HP dropped to 70%. I hit the ground hard, panting. Dizzy. Exhausted.

Raven was down to 45% HP. Kain's fire had torched him too. He staggered as his allies rushed to help him up.

"You idiots!" he screamed at them.

That's when it happened—the Chrono Field shattered where Zaphro was fighting.

I was gulping potions with Shion nearby when I saw it...

Zaphro was standing over Flick, who was frozen—but also burning. What the hell? His entire body was glowing with a twisted blend of blue flame, ice, and… dark aura?

The flames on his left hand were turning black. And his wings… they were changing.

"What is that?!" I gasped. "That energy… that's not Zaphro anymore…"

Dan's POV

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Zaphro's energy had changed. It was no longer just powerful—it was overwhelming. Evil. Like staring at a demon.

Flashback…

Ayana questioned the player named Flick.

> Level 130: Flick

Race: Angel – Class: Master Musician

"Are you blind? You can see my IGN, can't you?" Flick sneered. "Why even ask, stupid?"

"Wow, smartass," Ayana snapped, blinking behind him and slamming her staff.

He blocked it with—wait, was that a flute?

What's his subclass?

"Vibra…" he whispered.

A devastating sonic wave burst from his flute—an invisible, slicing force. Ayana barely dodged with a blink, but the wave kept chasing her.

"Ayana!" Zaphro shouted.

She was fine, protected by her Water God summon. The Fire Goddess whisked her away while counterattacking with a thunderstorm. Flick… absorbed all of it.

"Pointless," he chuckled. "I'm invincible, lady."

Zaphro warned her to cancel the summons. He whispered something to Verillion, then looked my way. I knew that look—get ready.

He activated flight, rising to face Flick midair. I followed.

"What now?" Flick smirked.

"We don't want trouble," Zaphro said, "but if you insist—we'll end you."

"And if I do insist?"

Zaphro scratched his head and smiled. "Then I'll bury you alive."

I chimed in, checking my (imaginary) watch. "We've got another appointment. We're kinda late."

Got him. He flinched—just enough for Verillion to land his debuff.

"Magic Jammer!"

"Zaphro, Slicer—now!" Verillion shouted. "He's vulnerable!"

Zaphro dove in. I followed.

We didn't use skills—just pure attacks. His buffs let him land status effects like burn, but Flick's regen countered most of it. He had his own slow effect aura, and our attacks were being deflected by our Helping Hand buff.

We needed a clean hit.

Freyla, Zaphro's pet, hurled ice spikes. My pet lashed out with its tail.

Zaphro went in for a big swing.

"Frost Slash!"

Flick dodged—right into my range.

"Vanishing Strike!"

I hit his weak spot.

"Mantra Shockwave!"

My palm hit dead-on. He went flying.

Ayana and Jin closed in. Verillion raised a new Chrono Field.

So this was the plan—trap him. Finish this.

Zaphro's POV

Flick struggled to his feet, his body cracked with glowing fractures—frozen, burned, and barely standing. The Chrono Field around us shimmered with temporal distortion, slowing everything outside to a crawl.

But inside this sealed dome, time felt heavier. Like the world itself was holding its breath.

He coughed, blood trickling down his lips.

"You… think you've won?"

"No," I replied flatly, stepping forward. "I know I have."

That was when it began—the change.

The power inside me surged without warning. It wasn't like before—this was different. Darker. Heavier. Something inside my core snapped, as if a gate had opened… and whatever was locked away inside me had finally awakened.

Black flames licked at the edges of my armor. My wings shimmered, no longer white, not even gray—but deep obsidian, trailing violet particles. My halo cracked… then reformed into a twisted, jagged ring of dark light behind my head.

Flick's eyes widened in pure terror.

"That… what are you?!"

My voice echoed with layered tones—mine, and something else underneath.

"I am the darkness you refused to see."

> [System Alert!]

Player Zaphro has triggered a Class State: "Dark Angel – Full Synchronization"

— Warning: Alignment Stability Dropping. Soul Corruption: 14%... 18%... 23%...

I raised my left hand. Black fire danced in my palm like a living flame. It screamed—not aloud, but in my mind. It craved release.

Flick tried to cast something. His flute lit up with notes—golden musical glyphs swirling around him in a defensive song.

I walked through them.

His melody faltered as my aura consumed the notes midair.

Nullify. That was the core of my Dark Angel form. It didn't just resist magic—it unmade it. Flick's abilities, his buffs, his passive aura—all gone.

"No… that's impossible," he gasped. "That's cheating. That's—"

"Reality Check," I said. "You're not the protagonist here."

I raised my hand.

"Void Requiem."

A black sigil formed beneath him. The ground cracked as silence swallowed the entire dome. No sound. No time. Just a single note—deep, low, final.

The spell hit.

The Chrono Field shattered like glass.

Dan's POV

We all felt it—the silence.

No more spells. No more battle cries. Just static, like the whole server skipped a beat.

Then—BOOM!

A burst of black and violet energy exploded from the center of the field, launching debris and particles skyward. Everyone, friend and foe alike, stumbled.

Flick's team? Gone. Vanished. Only one remained—Flick himself, crumpled on the ground, gasping for breath. His HP bar was blinking red—1%.

"One percent?!" Aryus exclaimed. "Even after all that?!"

"That's no player," Erenir whispered. "That's a raid boss in disguise."

"No," Verillion corrected, pointing at Zaphro. "He's the raid boss now."

Zaphro's POV

I walked toward Flick, each step cracking the ground beneath me. My aura warped the air, distorting the very light around me. My friends were saying something—shouting, even—but I couldn't hear them. Or maybe I didn't want to.

My soul was burning. And for the first time… it felt good.

"Finish it," Flick coughed. "You've already crossed the line."

I stopped.

And smiled.

"You're right."

I raised my hand one last time. A black blade formed from condensed aura, humming with hunger.

But then… a whisper.

"Zaphro… stop."

Ayana?

No—all of them. Their voices broke through the fog.

"Zeke!" Dan shouted. "You're losing control!"

"Zaphro, please!" Ayana called again, voice trembling. "Don't become like them!"

My eyes widened.

I looked at my hand… and saw claws. My reflection in a shard of crystal showed a demon—me, but twisted. Beautiful. Terrifying.

A monster.

I staggered back.

> [System Alert!]

Corruption Level: 43%… Critical State Approaching. Confirm Purge?

I gritted my teeth.

"Purge."

Darkness exploded out of me—then retracted, collapsing into a vortex before vanishing entirely. My wings returned to white. My body collapsed to one knee. Steam hissed from my armor.

"…Thanks," I whispered.

Flick, still alive, passed out cold.

The battle was over.

Dan's POV

"Zeke!"

I was the first to reach him.

Zaphro—no, Zeke—was kneeling on the cracked ground, breathing hard. His wings were still partially black, flickering like dying embers. His eyes were vacant, distant.

I knelt beside him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Zeke, look at me."

He didn't answer. Just stared at the spot where Flick had fallen, as if haunted by something only he could see.

"Zeke!" I shook him harder. "Snap out of it!"

"…I almost killed him," he muttered. "I wanted to."

"You didn't," I said firmly. "You pulled back. That's what matters."

He turned to me slowly. "But I liked it, Dan. The power. The control. It felt… right."

That scared me more than anything.

Ayana's POV

I ran over, skidding beside them. "Zeke!"

When I saw him—what he'd become—it broke something in me. His white armor was stained with shadows. His halo had fractured and barely reformed. His aura was colder, heavier.

But his eyes… they weren't gone. Not fully.

"Zeke," I whispered, touching his cheek. "You came back. That's all that matters."

He didn't answer, but he closed his eyes. Just for a moment.

Erenir's POV

I floated near the edge of the crater, scanning the battlefield. The enemy team was decimated. The PKs who hadn't fled were either captured or unconscious. Flick's party was offline—auto-logged from trauma or system override.

But what disturbed me most wasn't the aftermath. It was the data.

> [System Log: Class Type Conflict Detected]

Entity: "Zaphro" has exceeded safe limits for Soul-Class Compatibility.

Warning: Unknown class evolution may occur.

I saved the log.

Then looked down at him.

"Zaphro," I muttered, "what exactly are you?"

Verillion's POV

"You good?" I asked, offering Zaphro a mana vial as I walked over.

He took it, drained it, but didn't speak.

"I saw what you did. That wasn't just power—that was corruption. You barely pulled back."

Still nothing.

I sighed. "Listen. I've seen plenty of OP builds, glitch exploits, even divine-class awakenings. But this?"

I knelt down, looked him dead in the eyes.

"You're something else. And not in a good way."

Dan shot me a glare. "Not helping, V."

"I am helping. If he doesn't get a handle on that form, next time, he's not just gonna scare us. He's gonna kill someone."

Zaphro's POV

They were right.

I was losing control. And the scary part? A piece of me didn't care. That form—the Dark Angel Synchronization—wasn't just power. It was temptation. The longer I stayed in it, the more I wanted to stay.

And next time… there would be a next time. I could feel it.

Flick wasn't the real threat. He was just a puppet.

This world—Enigma Online—was hiding something far more dangerous. And whatever it was… it was watching me.

> [Hidden Achievement Unlocked!]

"One-Winged Dusk: Resist the Pull of Oblivion"

Reward: ???

Flag Triggered: ??? — A Presence Awakens

I stood slowly, gripping Dan's shoulder for balance.

"Thanks," I said softly.

He nodded. "You back?"

I looked up at the sky. Twilight.

"Yeah… for now."