The Abyss

He knew he'd lose control sooner or later. His sword, buried in his chest, was drawing mana to calm his turmoil—but it wasn't enough.

His special skill, Ultimate Survival Mod,

kept him clinging to life; his only focus was survival—either resisting Alexander as much as he could, or running away from both of them.

Theresa had held him in her arms, and when he came to, he pulled away without so much as a "thank you" or a word. That didn't bother her—her joy came simply from doing him a favor, and the time he'd spent in her embrace was more than enough to satisfy her hidden desires.

The knight yanked the sword free, blood gushing as he trembled, the blade at peak power. He felt an internal collapse, a bitterness in his chest threatening to kill him—but still he didn't stop.

Alexander spoke again, saying the time for atonement had come, and that dying without a fight would be best for everyone. He said it out of respect for the knight, and admiration despite everything.

But Alexander didn't realize it was too late—the person he faced at the start was gone… What stood before him now was something else entirely.

The knight stepped forward, his sword glowing with arrogant strength. In a single strike, he split the building they were in, and his aura was darker and more imposing than before.

Alexander dodged the blow and summoned spears of rain. The knight barely avoided them, but one pierced him. Alexander coordinated with Theresa, and she did the same. She unleashed a deadly whip of thorny ivy, but it was shredded instantly.

The knight recognized its danger—the unpredictability of her magic. Buildings and streets crumbled around them as they descended, and the battle raged on.

The knight began to show clear dominance—maybe because of his Ultimate Survival skill, or maybe another power had awakened that Alexander couldn't identify yet.

As for Theresa, despite her will to fight, her mana reserves betrayed her. Her plant spells failed to suppress the knight; the vines disintegrated, and she collapsed unconscious.

Alexander took command of the fight. The rain grew heavier and more furious, but the knight merely swung his sword, and the water dispersed before him.

It was exhausting, and Alexander was weakening. He knew the one before him wasn't the same as before. This change was dangerous. Had they—unintentionally—awakened him? Had the seal that kept him from returning as a tyrant broken? Or had the opposite happened entirely?

Now all Alexander could do was curse as he tried to survive something worse than death… Losing to this being was suffocating, and each attack grew more brutal. Alexander's mana was nearly gone, his body pushed to its limits.

Despite all he had, despite being one of the strongest A+ hunters and above—just yesterday he had stood up to this knight… And now? He was nothing but a straw in a merciless storm.

Alexander knew his fate was sealed—his rain‑forged sword had splintered and slipped from his hand. He crumpled under a crushing blow, close to Theresa, crawling through the debris and mumbling in exhaustion. The rain he'd summoned from the sky had stopped… then vanished.

"Now… this is bad," he thought, sinking into despair.

His mission had failed, and he'd squandered the gift their Father gave him. What tormented him now was only his guilt. He closed his eyes as the cold overwhelmed him, alone. But when he opened them again, he felt warmth and healing… he recognized it immediately. It was Alruna.

"Right, I guessed it," he whispered. "I won't deny I saw you at the tavern, even if it was brief."

He asked in a soft voice, "Why are you helping me? I tried to kill someone you call a friend. I didn't care about your feelings… isn't that who I am?"

She simply finished her gentle healing, then rose and approached the one she'd always remembered—her knight.

He'd been terrifying then, in his cracked, ancient armor, but… he was more tender than anyone she knew. Innocent, despite how little she really understood about him or his past. She vowed he wouldn't kill again—that's exactly what she told Alexander.

She raised her staff and unleashed a flurry of spells—fire and wind—in precise volleys. She knew they wouldn't harm him much, but they'd at least keep him at bay… if he came too close.

He blocked her magic, but she kept reminding him of their first meeting, her gratitude for saving her, and how she'd never forgotten his kindness.

She saw in him a gentleness and goodness that made her believe he didn't deserve distrust. She repeated it over and over, sending out streams of spells that didn't really hurt…

But his response was a cold, hard silence she'd never seen before.

He charged at her, cutting through everything in his path, nearly reaching out to tear her throat open…

If not for the ripped metal dagger and the dark‑blue‑haired girl—Katya.

She always knew when to step in.

Alruna gasped as the knight's hand hovered over his sword, heavy with intent… Tears streamed down her face when she saw Katya; she wept fiercely but held herself together. She had to stay strong… like Katya. She had to rise.

She joined the assault with her fire and wind, while Katya's evasive maneuvers were unmatched. Even the knight, despite predicting her every move, couldn't break her resolve—he began to falter, his defenses wearing thin.

The knight focused on repelling Katya's relentless attacks, and his armor started to crack… at the shoulders, the arms, the legs. Everything was collapsing… and he was about to fall.

He didn't notice when Alruna closed the impossible gap between them…

At last, she reached him and smiled, then cast a small spell that blasted them apart. For a moment, it seemed they'd both vanished.

Dust and debris whipped through the air, and Katya stood in stunned silence, unable to grasp what had happened… until minutes passed. Then she saw the unexpected.

They were both standing, alone, amid the ruins. Alruna was holding him, her arm wrapped around his waist… That waist she'd never been able to embrace because of his armor. Now, the metal that had protected him lay shattered.

She spoke softly, "This is the first time I've touched your skin… I've known for a long time you're fragile, hiding behind metal so no one sees your weakness… But you don't need that anymore."

Then she hugged him tightly. Her warm, soft body reassured him—just a little—despite his sword still held high… poised to split her in two.

But he… did nothing.

"You wouldn't. I know you… you wouldn't dare hurt me. Calm down now… and rest, please."

Her words were soft, sincere, and for a moment he seemed to give in. Then he steadied himself, realizing how far he'd lost control and how sorry he felt… and that he had to make things right. He gently pushed her away, confusion and sadness in her eyes. He wanted to prove to her that he was determined to fix every mess he'd made.

But then he caught sight of a distant glow climbing into the sky, blending with the red of the sunset. He knew instantly… it was the dragon.

He turned back to her and spoke in a low voice, "I'm sorry… for everything. For all the pain I caused you… and for dragging you into this."

Then he walked away, his steps sure and steady toward the heart of The Platinum Keystone. Maybe… because he knew it all came down to the dragon.

Alruna stood watching him go, still knowing so little about him. Even now, though much of his armor lay shattered, she hadn't seen his face in full—only part of his eye. And from what she could see… she guessed the person before her might have been nothing more than a young man. Perhaps… even younger than she was.