The crimson eclipse over Eldrin shattered like glass, its blood-red light fracturing into a void-black expanse that swallowed the sky. The veil between worlds was gone, and in its place, a colossal eye opened—a swirling vortex of shadow, crimson, and fractured reality, the Abyssborn's gaze fixed upon the Realms. The air was thick with the scent of iron, void, and something ancient, a primal force that made the ground tremble with a heartbeat that echoed in Beelzebub's chest—a call he could no longer resist. At Level 32, with 21195 EXP, Beelzebub's stats were a towering force—Strength at 6779, Speed at 5548, Defense at 3491, Mana at 6864, Luck at 560, Charisma at 560 after absorbing the Veilbreaker Herald's essence. His aura, a twenty-meter storm of cold dominance amplified by his Devourer profession, shimmered with void-like tendrils laced with crimson and fractured reality, a visual testament to the Veilbreaker bloodline and Veilshatter Pulse talent. The SS-tier Eclipse Scythe in his hand glowed with a blood-red hue (+100 Strength, +35% Blood Damage), its hum a constant reminder of the Abyssborn's presence: "The veil… shatters."
The voices in his mind—Herald's veilshatter, Wraith's shadow, Fate's starlight—clawed louder, a cacophony that threatened to unravel him. Blood… shadow… reality… chaos… who am I? The strain of Gluttony pulsed harder, his identity a fraying tapestry woven with stolen wills. He clenched the Eclipse Scythe, its crimson glow reflecting in his void-like eyes—eyes that now flickered with a blood-red, shadow, and reality-fractured sheen, a physical manifestation of his evolving magic. He growled, "I'm Beelzebub," shoving the chaos down, but the doubt in his crimson gaze deepened. The Abyssborn's gaze was a weight on his soul, its will pressing against his own, tempting him with power while threatening to consume him. A philosophical question gnawed at him, unvoiced: Am I the Devourer of chaos, or its vessel?
Ryn stood beside him, her cloak stained with the blood and shadow of the Shattered Veil, her dagger drawn, her posture tense. Her trust had risen to 60% after their shared moment in the veil, and her eyes, though shadowed by her cursed past, held a quiet determination as she stared at the Abyssborn's eye. "It's… looking at us," she said, her voice a whisper, heavy with dread. "It's looking at you."
Beelzebub turned, Charisma weaving a flirty edge into his sharp tone, but his gaze softened with a rare vulnerability. "Let it look, Blade. I'll make it blink first. Stay with me—you'll see me break it." Her lips curved into a faint smile, her trust ticking up to 62%, the bond between them deepening with each shared trial. She stepped closer, her hand gripping his arm, the touch a quiet anchor against the storm within. "I'm not leaving," she whispered, her voice a thread of resolve that warmed him more than he'd admit.
Eldrin was in chaos, NPCs screaming prayers to gods who no longer answered, players crowding the leaderboard crystal: "1. Beelzebub (Lv. 32), 2. Kael (Lv. 29), 3. Mira (Lv. 27), 4. Lia (Lv. 26), 5–10 TBD." Whispers of Beelzebub's SS-rank clears and the Abyssborn's gaze spread like wildfire, but the ancient murals on the walls—depicting a devourer breaking chains—seemed to writhe in the void-black light, as if alive. The symbol of shattered chains, a recurring motif of the Abyssborn's freedom, whispered of a past where the gods trembled before a primordial chaos. Beelzebub's gaze lingered on the murals, a flicker of recognition in his eyes—the same chains he'd seen in his visions, the same devourer the Mage Guild's tomes named him.
A vision flickered in his mind, unbidden—a parallel timeline from the perspective of the Goddess of Time & Space, seen through her silver eyes as she stood in a fractured void, her hands weaving threads of time. "The Devourer breaks the veil," she whispered to the Goddess of Fate, her voice heavy with inevitability. "The Abyssborn sees him… and it hungers." The Goddess of Fate, her golden eyes trembling, clutched her loom of starlight. "We cannot stop him… but we can bind him to us," she said, her voice a mix of dread and resolve. The vision faded, leaving Beelzebub staggering, his breath ragged. The voices screamed—Time… fate… chaos… who am I?—the Abyssborn's will brushing against his own, a whisper of power that both tempted and terrified. The goddesses' words echoed in his mind, a prophecy that named him the Devourer, but also hinted at a new path—binding him to the gods, perhaps through love.
The Abyssborn's eye pulsed, and a voice—a storm of shadow, crimson, and fractured reality—echoed across the Realms, heard by all. "Devourer… you have broken my chains. Come… face me… or the Realms burn." Beelzebub's HUD pinged: "Face the Abyssborn's Trial: The Voidheart Spire. Survive the Abyssborn's Gaze. Reward: 1500 EXP, 600 Copper, Achievement." The rift opened in Eldrin's central square, a vortex of void and crimson, its edges lined with runes that bled shadow and reality, their script a lament for the gods' hubris in sealing the Abyssborn. Beelzebub grinned, aura surging—cobblestones cracking as he turned to Ryn. "It's calling, Blade. Ready?"
She nodded, her trust steady at 62%. "With you, always."
The Voidheart Spire was a nightmare of void and crimson, its ground a swirling vortex of shadow and blood, the air thick with the scent of iron, void, and chaos. The Abyssborn's eye hung overhead, its gaze a physical weight that pressed against Beelzebub's soul. Shadows surged: Voidheart Shades, Level 85, spectral warriors with blades of shadow, crimson, and fractured reality, ninety strong, their forms radiating a darkness that warped the air. Beelzebub's aura erupted—vortex trembling as he swung the Eclipse Scythe, Strength at 6879 (gear-boosted) cleaving the first Shade's core. Blood damage flared, 35% bonus igniting—crimson spraying as Crimson Wave (Mastery to 8/10) slashed through another, bloodlight tearing through shadow.
They retaliated—blades slashing in a storm of shadow, crimson, and reality, their movements a blur of lethal precision. He weaved, Speed at 5578 (gear-adjusted) dodging a flurry, then Phantom Step (10/10) flickered him mid-strike—Eclipse Scythe arcing, Crimson Tide (10/10) carving fifteen more, bloodlight clashing with crimson. A blade grazed his side—HP dipping 35%, Paladin's Crest ticking it back. Storm Call (10/10) erupted—lightning chaining through thirty, void sizzling, screams echoing. Horned Frenzy flared, Speed spiking to 8367—Eclipse Scythe whirled, Whisper of the Void (Mastery to 6/10) unleashing a shadow wave, Abyssal Resonance amplifying the darkness. The last charged—Void Grasp (10/10) pinned it, Strength snapping its core. Ninety fell, the spire trembling.
"Ding! 90 Voidheart Shades defeated. Absorbed: Strength +450, Speed +360, Defense +270, Mana +540, Luck +90, Charisma +90."
The Abyssborn's gaze intensified, and a form materialized—a Level 90 colossus of shadow, crimson, and fractured reality, the Voidheart Avatar, its massive scythe glowing with void-crimson essence, eyes mirroring the Abyssborn's own. "Devourer… kneel… or perish," it intoned, voice a storm of chaos. Beelzebub grinned, aura surging—vortex splintering—as he charged, Eclipse Scythe raised.
The Avatar swung—scythe arcing in a wave of void-crimson, reality shattering at its edge. He leaped, Speed at 5938 weaving through, then countered with Radiant Strike (10/10)—holy light slashing its arm, void hissing. It retaliated—void-crimson wave rippling, slamming him into a wall—HP dropping 65%. He laughed, aura pulsing, Mana Surge spiking Mana to 10266. Crimson Wave (Mastery to 9/10) roared—bloodlight clashing with void-crimson, Bloodlight Surge amplifying the damage.
The scythe spun—Dark Aegis (10/10) rose, splintering under the blow—HP dipping 55%. Beelzebub darted, Shadow Bind (10/10) locking its arm—scythe faltered. He lunged, Crimson Wave slashing its side—bloodlight cutting deep, a bleed igniting. The Avatar roared—void-crimson storm erupting, throwing him back—HP falling 60%. He rolled, Speed weaving through debris, then Horned Frenzy flared—Speed at 8907—Eclipse Scythe a blur, Veilshatter Slash (Mastery to 2/10) unleashing a reality-charged slash, Veilshatter Pulse amplifying the damage. Crimson Rage ignited as HP dropped below 50%, damage surging.
It thrust—void-crimson piercing the vortex. Void Grasp countered, tendrils snapping its wrist—scythe clattered. Beelzebub leaped, Abyssal Strike (Mastery to 3/10) carving its neck—mana flared, void-crimson damage searing. The Avatar roared—Storm Call crashed lightning down, vortex shattering. He gripped the Eclipse Scythe, Strength at 7329 driving it through its core—void-crimson exploded, HP dropping 65%. The Avatar collapsed, shadow and blood pooling, its final whisper echoing: "The Abyssborn… sees."
"Ding! Voidheart Avatar defeated. Absorbed: Strength +800, Speed +640, Defense +480, Mana +960, Luck +40, Charisma +40, Bloodline: Voidheart Sovereign (Chaos Resistance +10%), Talent: Chaos Pulse (Boost chaos-based skills), Chaos Strike (Skill). Loot: Voidheart Core (SS-tier, Accessory, +100 Mana, +35% Chaos Damage), Copper x2800."
Skills: Chaos Strike (Unleash chaos-charged strike, Mastery: 1/10)
"Ding! Quest Complete. Reward: 1500 EXP, 600 Copper, Achievement: Voidheart Survivor – Survived the Abyssborn's Gaze. Reward: 1200 EXP, Title: Voidheart Sovereign (+5% Charisma)."
"Ding! Level Up! Reached Level 33. EXP: 24295/6250."
The voices screamed—Chaos… void… shadow… reality… who?—Avatar's chaos, Wraith's shadow, Fate's light. His skull split—Voidheart Sovereign's chill, Chaos Pulse's rhythm threading into him. He staggered, aura flaring—vortex crumbling. "I'm Beelzebub," he growled, but Gluttony's strain pulsed harder—identity fraying further. His aura shifted, now a storm of void, crimson, reality, and chaos, a visual cue of his evolving magic.
Ryn stepped closer, her hand on his chest, her touch a quiet anchor. "It… saw you," she said, her voice soft, laced with awe and fear. "What did it see?"
He turned, Charisma weaving a flirty edge into his tone, but his eyes held a flicker of uncertainty. "A Devourer, Blade. But I'll devour it first." Her trust ticked up to 64%, the moment of vulnerability deepening their bond.