Author’s Note: Unedited Chapter --------- Gustav heart pounded with desperation as Angy blade approached at a speed quicker than he could activate his dimensional bracelet. [ Lightning Blitz Has Been Activated ] As he triggered the Lightning Blitz, his form dissolved into a streak of lightning, racing away from her. He reappeared over a thousand miles away in an instant, basking in the change of scenery. Experience tales at freewebnovel Before he could even process his next move, a sharp pain erupted in his chest. Angy’s blade, dark and malevolent, had followed him through space and time, stabbing deep into his heart. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at the blade protruding from his chest. Dark, corrosive energy spread rapidly from the point of infiltration, coursing through his veins and seeping into his very being. "No... Angy..." he whispered, feeling the life force draining from him. He dropped to the ground with his body convulsing as the dark energy continued to spread, snuffing out the light within him. Angy stood a short distance away, her blade still connected to him through a thin, almost imperceptible thread of darkness. Her eyes were blank, devoid of the warmth and life that had once defined her. In the depths of her mind, a voice whispered, "Good human... You have destroyed the Outworldly." Suddenly, Angy’s eyes flickered with recognition. The haze clouding her mind began to lift, and she stared in horror at Gustav’s lifeless form. Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as she fell to her knees beside him. "Gustav?" Her voice broke with emotion. The voice in her head persisted, cold and unyielding. "Now, kill yourself as well." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺 Angy clutched her head, "What have I done?" "Kill yourself!" She raised the blade towards her neck in the next instant. Meanwhile, in the void of darkness that was now Gustav’s consciousness, he floated aimlessly. The system’s voice echoed around him. ("You have died, Gustav. The darkness from the blade is interfering with your regeneration and reincarnation abilities.") "Does that mean, I can’t come back to life?" Gustav questioned. ("If your reincarnation bloodline doesn’t kick in... You won’t.") "No no, this can’t be the end. There must be something that can be done." The system responded, its tone almost apologetic. ("I do not know of any solution. The dark energy is too powerful.") Images from the system’s feedback flashed before Gustav, showing Angy kneeling by his corpse, her form racked with sobs. She held the blade to her neck, her resolve faltering as the voice urged her to end her life. "No, Angy, don’t!" Gustav shouted into the void, but his voice reached no ears. He thought of E.E., Falco, Endric, and Aildris, who were on their way to the alliance. He thought of all the battles they had fought together, the sacrifices they had made. This couldn’t be the end. It couldn’t. Angy’s tearful eyes met the blade as she prepared to decapitate herself. "I’m sorry, Gustav... I’m so sorry..." Desperation clawed at Gustav’s soul. "There has to be a way," he thought, his mind frantically searching for any glimmer of hope. In the midst of his despair, a golden light began to glow in the void. It started as a faint flicker but grew brighter with each passing moment. Gustav reached out, his fingers brushing against the light. To his surprise, it felt warm and familiar. ("The Ancient Hourglass,") the system’s voice noted with a hint of surprise. The hourglass appeared above Gustav’s corpse, its sands shimmering with an ethereal glow. As it turned upside down, the golden sand within began to flow in reverse. Time itself started to rewind. Gustav felt a pull as his consciousness was drawn back to thei light. The dark energy receded and the wound in his chest closing as if it had never been there. The blade poised at Angy’s neck, suddenly froze. Her eyes widened as she watched the events around her unfold in reverse. The golden light enveloped both Gustav and Angy, reversing the damage done by their brutal fight. The buildings they had destroyed reformed, the earth healed, and the very fabric of reality stitched itself back together. The pain and agony that had consumed them both dissipated. --- Gustav found himself suspended in the vast, timeless void as the universe rewound. Watching events unfold in reverse, he saw Jack’s body reassemble, Angy’s deadly blade retreat from his heart, and everything gradually resetting. His consciousness floated above it all, detached from the temporal currents. He devised a plan to trap and isolate Angy, ensuring her dark influence would no longer pose a threat. When the universe’s timeline reached the point of Angy’s initial appearance, Gustav seized the Ancient Hourglass, stopping the reversal. Time halted, and he re-entered his body. Gustav bolted toward the icy region where Jack and Angy were about to clash. Arriving just in time, he stood between them. Jack, sensing the shift in time and retaining his memories from the other timeline, immediately lunged to strike Angy down. Gustav intercepted him, shouting, "Stop, Jack! There’s another way!" Jack’s expression twisted in confusion and anger. "Gustav, you can’t protect her! She’s too dangerous!" Ignoring Jack’s protests, Gustav turned to Angy and embraced her tightly. "I will end your torment," he whispered. Activating assimilation, he began to absorb her body into his own. Angy struggled as the process began. Her black-and-white form twisted and writhed, trying to escape the pull. "Krrruuhhh!" she screamed in a tone filled with both rage and agony. The assimilation was excruciating, each second stretching into an eternity. Gustav felt every ounce of her pain, the darkness within her fighting against him. The air around them shimmered with energy, the ground beneath them cracking and heaving under the immense pressure. Jack watched while clenching his fists in frustration. He wanted to intervene, but something in Gustav’s resolve held him back. "Gustav, if this goes wrong, I will have no other choice but to end you alongside with her." Gustav gritted his teeth, his voice strained. "You won’t have to..." The process continued for nearly an hour, the struggle evident on both their faces. Slowly, Angy’s dark form began to meld with Gustav’s, her features blending into his own. His skin took on a pale hue, and dark tendrils of energy swirled around him. Finally, with a final, agonizing surge of power, Gustav completed the assimilation. His body now bore a mixture of his and Angy’s features, a stark contrast of light and dark. He gasped for breath, feeling the surging darkness within him. Without hesitation, Gustav plunged his hand into his chest, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. His fingers wrapped around something solid, and with a fierce tug, he pulled out an entirely human Angy. She emerged from his body, collapsing to the ground, unconscious but free from the dark influence that had consumed her. Gustav, now bearing the full brunt of the darkness, fought to contain it. The black energy roiled within him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. His vision blurred, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. ~ "Kill! Destroy! Kill! Destroy! Retrieve the dark angel! Cause catastrophe! Kill the strongest!" ~ His mind raced with all sorts of thoughts that sought to consume him. Jack rushed forward, catching Gustav before he hit the ground. "Gustav! Stay with me!" he shouted. Gustav’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, his voice barely a whisper. "Jack... Take care of her... She’s free now... I have to put myself to sleep... Or the voices will overwhelm me... Help them..." With that, Gustav’s body went limp, the darkness still churning within him. Jack carefully laid him down beside Angy, both of them unconscious but alive. . As the wind howled around them, Jack took a deep breath. His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. "This kid, you truly are something else," he muttered. ’But what did he mean by help them?’ Jack wondered internally. --- Inside Gustav’s spacecraft, E.E., Aildris, Falco, and Endric were gathered around the central control panel. The ship AI’s voice echoed through the cabin, informing them that their journey would take approximately three days, after passing through designated wormholes. "Three days," E.E. said, tapping the console thoughtfully. "That gives us enough time to review our plans and ensure we’re ready for anything." Aildris nodded, his eyes shimmering with determination. "We’ve gone over it countless times, but we need to be absolutely certain. There’s no room for error." Falco leaned back in his seat as dark energy swirled subtly around his fingers. "I just hope there won’t be any mishaps. Ria is counting on us." Endric, sitting slightly apart from the others, felt a gnawing unease that he couldn’t shake. He didn’t want to alarm the group, so he kept his concerns to himself. As the conversation continued around him, he excused himself quietly and made his way to one of the private spaces in the ship. The room was dimly lit, providing a quiet retreat from the bustling activity outside. Endric took a deep breath and communicated with Husarius. A glowing green dot appeared on his forehead, pulsating gently. "Husarius," Endric called softly, his voice echoing in the small chamber. "I need your guidance." The familiar, calming presence of Husarius filled his mind. "Endric, what troubles you?" "There’s something… off," Endric admitted.