Chapter 210: The Abyssal Overture

The dissonant hum lingers in the air, a menacing premonition that sends shivers down Echo's spine. She clutches her peace drum, its surface still warm from the Primal Note's resonance, while Li Wei's charge pulses with a steady, violet glow—a silent vow to stand firm. The Sound Sentinels gather around them, their crystal instruments glowing in unison, a silent show of solidarity.​"The Abyssal Sonata," the lead Sentinel says, his voice heavy with ancient knowledge. "It is the birthplace of chaos, a dimension where darkness and dissonance reign supreme. Its ruler, the 'Dissonant Conductor,' seeks to merge all realities into a single, endless symphony of destruction. This is not just a battle—it is the final movement of the multiverse's song."​Nova's avatar flickers to life, her form glitching as if buffeted by the Abyssal Sonata's distant energy. "My scans show the dimension's barriers weakening," she warns. "The Conductor has already begun summoning 'Void Virtuosos'—entities born from the silence between stars, wielding instruments that can shatter reality itself."​Chen Jiuzhang's hologram materializes, his face etched with resolve. "You carry the echoes of every harmony you've saved," he says, his voice steady. "The Primal Note's light still lingers in your drum, Li Wei's charge hums with the multiverse's rhythm. Trust in that. Trust in each other."​Echo closes her eyes, breathing in the Sonic Sanctuary's restored melodies. When she opens them, her gaze is unflinching. "Let's end this."​Li Wei nods, and together they step through the portal Nova tears open. The air shifts instantly—thick, cold, and heavy with the stench of rot and silence. They're standing on the edge of a vast chasm, its depths swirling with inky darkness. Above, the sky is a bruised purple, streaked with veins of black lightning that crackle without sound.​Ahead, a colossal structure looms: a fortress of obsidian spires, each topped with a gargoyle playing a twisted instrument—bone flutes, drums made of skulls, harps strung with sinew. At its center rises a throne of black crystal, and upon it sits the Dissonant Conductor.​It is a towering figure, its body a mass of writhing shadows, its face hidden beneath a mask of cracked ivory. In one hand, it holds a baton of 凝固的 starlight; in the other, a violin strung with the threads of broken timelines. As it raises the baton, the air vibrates with a low, grinding chord that makes Echo's teeth ache.​"Welcome," the Conductor hisses, its voice a chorus of a million screaming souls. "I've been waiting for you. Your harmonies will make the perfect finale."​With a flick of its baton, the Void Virtuosos emerge from the fortress. They are grotesque creatures, their forms a mockery of musicians—one with a horn protruding from its chest, another with fingers that are drumsticks, beating against its own ribs. They raise their instruments, and a blast of dissonant sound tears through the air, shattering the ground at Echo and Li Wei's feet.​Echo slams her drum, sending a wave of golden light that collides with the sound blast. The impact creates a shockwave that ripples across the chasm, but the Virtuosos merely laugh, their instruments glowing brighter. One raises a bone flute and plays a note that bends reality, warping the ground into a series of jagged spikes.​Li Wei reacts instantly, firing a beam of energy that shatters the spikes. "They feed on chaos," he shouts. "We need to ground them—give their dissonance something to push against."​Echo nods, recalling the Temporal Tuners' weakness to anchored melodies. She begins to play a slow, steady rhythm, channeling the heartbeat of the Chronometric Chorus, the steady tick of the Cosmic Metronome. The drum's vibrations seep into the ground, stabilizing it, while Li Wei weaves his charge into a countermelody—a purple thread that 缠结 with Echo's golden rhythm, creating a net of harmony.​The Virtuosos recoil as the net expands, their instruments faltering. But the Dissonant Conductor stands, raising its violin. It draws the bow across the strings, and a sound like the end of worlds splits the air. The harmony net shatters, and Echo and Li Wei are thrown backward, skidding across the chasm's edge.​"Foolish children," the Conductor sneers, descending from its throne. "Harmony is a lie. A fleeting moment between chaos and oblivion." It gestures, and the Void Virtuosos surge forward, their instruments blazing with dark energy.​Echo and Li Wei fight back, their music a desperate plea against the darkness. Echo's drumbeat quickens, summoning the spectral lullabies of the Ethereal Echo to soothe the Virtuosos' rage, while Li Wei's charge cuts through their ranks, each blast a reminder of the Mechanical Melody's restored rhythms. But for every Virtuoso they disable, two more rise, their numbers swelling as the Conductor's violin weaves new shadows into existence.​As the battle rages, Echo notices something—the chasm's depths are pulsing with a faint, golden light. It's the same frequency as the Primal Note. "Li Wei!" she shouts, pointing. "The core! It's not darkness—it's buried under it!"​The Dissonant Conductor's head snaps toward the chasm, its mask cracking with rage. "No!" it roars, lunging at them. "You will not steal my masterpiece!"​Li Wei shoves Echo toward the chasm. "Go!" he yells, firing a concentrated beam at the Conductor to slow it. "I'll hold it off!"​Echo hesitates, but Li Wei's determined gaze pushes her forward. She sprints toward the edge, her drum beating in time with the hidden core's pulse. Behind her, she hears Li Wei's shout of pain—a sound that fuels her resolve.​At the chasm's edge, she peers into the darkness. The golden light pulses stronger, a heartbeat crying out for release. Echo raises her drum, channeling every melody she's ever known, every life she's ever saved. "For the multiverse," she whispers, and slams the drum against the void.​The Primal Note's light erupts from the depths, a tidal wave of sound that washes over the chasm. It collides with the Conductor's violin, shattering the instrument into a shower of shadow. The Void Virtuosos dissolve, their forms unraveling as the light touches them. The Dissonant Conductor screams, its body dissolving into smoke as the harmony seeps into every crack of its being.​Echo turns, finding Li Wei leaning against a rock, his arm bleeding but his smile intact. "Took you long enough," he teases.​She laughs, rushing to his side. Together, they watch as the Abyssal Sonata dimension transforms—the obsidian fortress crumbles into crystal, the sky clears to a brilliant blue, and the chasm fills with a river of golden light, its melody a perfect harmony of all the dimensions they've saved.​The portal back to the Sonic Sanctuary shimmers to life, but before they step through, Echo pauses, listening. The multiverse hums around them, a symphony of endless possibilities.​"It's not over," she says softly.​Li Wei nods, his charge glowing with quiet pride. "No. But we'll be there to play our part."​Hand in hand, they step through the portal, their music echoing into the unknown—a promise that harmony will always find a way.