Will of chaos

Time and again our blows give way to waves of devastation as we learn more about how to use this power; increasingly powerful attacks emerge, soon all the space around this planet shatters, leaving nothing but burning fragments.

“Just DIE!!!!!!” (Phoenix)

“We’re both at our limit, the game is over…” (me)

The Phoenix lunges at me one last time, her entire body burning, covered in wounds, one eye blind, two wings missing, and depressing scars all over her body.

I myself was covered in burns and claw marks, but my recovery was better than hers. I gather my power as I watch her approach.

“I CAN’T DIE!!!” (Phoenix)

“I know…” (me)

As the Phoenix burned, its body turned to ashes, and from those ashes a new form was created. Its flames were stronger, its body more detailed and materialized, its Aura clearly stronger.

“(The final test…)” (me)

This creature was made of fire; its body was merely a materialization and compression of those flames. I knew this just by looking. Physical injuries were useless against it, and as the fight continued, I noticed something. As its control of its body improved and its power increased, I perceived remnants of a power I had felt a few times before: the power of Reincarnation.

It was clear that this thing had more to do with the Phoenix than expected. If I was right, this thing could have the fearsome agility to be reborn from flames or ashes, and it was precisely thinking about this that I devised a plan to deal with it.

If killing something that can be reborn indefinitely would be pointless, then devour it, devour its body, devour its mind, devour its soul, and devour its very existence.

“< Chaotic Devourer >” (me)

From the beginning, I could feel my instincts becoming more savage, but during the fight against the Phoenix, these instincts calmed down, not diminished, but increased, as a cold calm took hold of my mind.

At some point, I was no longer just seeing the enemy in front of me as an opponent; I was seeing it as prey, something that shouldn’t just be killed, something that should be consumed.

This instinct was overwhelming and increased my focus. With this in mind, I set one last test: to see how my body, taken over by the Concept of Chaos, would react when using the power of the Chaos Devourer, what kind of synergy this could generate.

The Phoenix that had been flying towards me, now fully recovered from its injuries, stopped and tried to move away. It must have sensed the change in my Aura; I myself was surprised.

“Devour…” (me)

It was an intoxicating sensation of ferocity. Every cell in my body was hyperactive, and the particles of my Soul vibrated intensely. The scales on my body grew rapidly, becoming sharp. My arms broke free from their gauntlets, becoming true dragon claws. Mouths full of teeth formed in my palms, and my head deformed as it grew into that of a beast with its jaws wide open.

I was transforming into a humanoid Dragon, but not in my usual form. My mind was bathed in blood, and my Aura was becoming savage. Maintaining my sanity would have been impossible in the past, but now it was almost easy.

I opened my jaws and the very fragmented space, the power of reality, the remnants of the planet and the Phoenix, all were sucked in, violently dragged by my jaws as my tongue gripped one of the Phoenix’s legs, pulling it towards me.

As it tried to pull away, I lunged forward, my Dragon head deforming further as my jaw opened horribly, then closing around the Phoenix’s body.

When the jaws closed, everything stopped being sucked in; there wasn’t a single blue fire burning anymore, more than 70% of the planet’s remains had disappeared, and Rifts in space were everywhere, but my focus was on something else, something I couldn’t see with my eyes, something I knew wasn’t even here.

A whale, or perhaps a fish so colossal that it carried a forest on its back the size of a universe, its jaws seemed capable of devouring all of creation, and its eyes were those of a predator, daring me to approach it.

My instincts told me this; it seemed far away, so infinitely far, and yet it was as if it were right in front of me when two forces surged between us, making its appearance disappear. These forces were the power of Life and Death, their presence something I would never forget.

Ding!

<[ Your Transcendental Ability [ Chaotic Devourer ] is attempting to refine the [ Flame of Reincarnation (Fallen Lord of Reincarnation) ] ]>

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<[ The Transcendental Ability [ Chaotic Devourer ] was unable to refine the [ Flame of Reincarnation (Fallen Lord of Reincarnation) ] creating an endless cycle of reincarnation and predation due to the conflict of incomplete Concepts ]>

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<[ You connected with [ ■□●○○□□□■□ ] ]>

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<[ The [ Entity of Life ] interfered ]>

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<[ The [ Entity of Death ] interfered ]>

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<[ Your Concept has strengthened and is complete ]>

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<[ Your Concept is dormant due to the lack of a catalyst ]>

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<[ The System is watching you ]>

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<[ The System expects you to awaken as a new Chaos Entity ]>

Several notifications appear in front of me, distracting my concentration. Reading all of this, I realize some things, but even so, I try to focus my mind on the most important thing: the first notifications, dating from the Phoenix. I couldn’t believe that my ability wasn’t able to refine the Phoenix.

I wanted to deactivate the 5th Art of the Eclipse Blade and also deactivate the Chaotic Devourer, but I knew that if I did that, the Phoenix would be reborn once more from within me, tearing my body apart completely.

If I consider this notification, the Phoenix is ​​sealed, it’s being reborn at the same speed it’s being refined, as if it were continuously being reborn inside a stomach, never being digested and at the same time unable to stop falling apart, a horrible torment.

“I can’t keep this forever… the weight is too great…” (me)

Sigh

I was uncertain what to do, but I wasn’t distracted. I felt Urd and others using their power to close the rifts in space that my fight had opened, and I also felt Tarzor sending energy for my recovery. Even so, a sensation I’d felt a few times before was what most caught my attention.

I used my power to stop that sensation that ran through my body and soul, trying to reach where the Phoenix was temporarily sealed. It was the same sensation I always felt whenever Paradox stretched out his light hands to steal from me.

“(Give him to me~.)” (Paradox)

“Why would I do that?” (Me)

“(You can’t maintain this state for long, and if you let go, she might not be able to restrain you again.)” (Paradox)

“But if I hand it over to you, your resurrection will speed up, won’t it?” (Me)

“(With this flame of Reincarnation, everything will be complete, I already have everything I needed, I even have more than I needed.)” (Paradox)

“Do you really expect me to release you!?” (me)

“What guarantees do I have that you will truly be an Ally!?” (me)

“(You already know the answers to all your questions and so do I, so why think about these things now~?)” (Paradox)

“I just wanted to see your reaction.” (me)

“I won’t deny that I’m still hesitant, I don’t know what you’re plotting and I don’t know what kind of creature you really are… but I’ll trust you this time…” (me)

I remove my obstruction and feel her Will coursing through my body and reaching my Soul, she touches the flaming circle within my soul and pulls it close before disappearing without a trace.

Sigh

“It’s over…” (me)

I feel the flames burning inside me disappear, carried away by Paradox to wherever. I know that, unlike me, Paradox has the means to truly end this Phoenix, so I breathe a sigh of relief, deactivating the 5th Art of the Eclipse Blade and also the Chaotic Devourer’s ability.

My body returns to its normal state, somewhat sore and stiff. I try to concentrate for a few seconds, to see if there would still be any repercussions from the technique left behind. It didn’t take long for me to find something lighter than expected.

Only my energies seem a bit wild and my Energy Cycle was distorted. I’ll need some time meditating to fix that. Even with these residual problems, it’s still a good technique; it may have fewer adverse effects than incarnating Tarzor, and it’s also a weaker technique than Universal Incarnation.

“I need to rest…” (me)

While I felt relieved to have one less enemy, Urd suddenly appeared in front of me. She grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away, and soon I was back in her Temple.

“Is it over…?” (Urd)

“Not yet… I still have Ayden and Guerra to face…” (me)

I’d like to say it’s over, but I can’t do that yet with such a dangerous enemy lurking around. Now only they remain.

“How’s the mess I left behind?” (me)

“We’ll take care of it. For now, just rest.” (Urd)

Without saying anything more, Urd turned and hurriedly left. I, who was sitting on the sofa, felt the accumulated fatigue finally get the better of me as my consciousness faded into my dreams.