Paragon Raizel couldn't fathom what had gone wrong, why the strange monster that had been such an ally had suddenly frozen. Something unusual was clearly happening to the creature. Not one to waste precious moments, he continued battling the Devilish Belial 'single-handedly', while noting the approach of another entity—one that seemed more threatening.
His momentary distraction cost him dearly. He tumbled to the ground from a blow of his own hand, stolen by the Devilish Belial.
Recovering swiftly, he stood and managed to withstand the devil's next barrage of heavy blows with his self-generated durability.
Concerned about depleting his essence, Burning Storm began intentionally reducing his protective shield of durability, absorbing the lighter impacts if it meant conserving his soul essence.
At least until the monster rejoined the fray.
And that moment arrived sooner than expected.
Abyss Tyrant plunged into the battle with such menacing force that the Paragon froze, a chill spreading through his body as he witnessed what had entered the conflict.
This was an entirely different monster!
The four eyes had vanished!
The horns too were gone! That vile, devilish malice once radiating from the creature had disappeared. In its place stood something... diabolical, yet in a subtle way—respectful, controlled, almost dignified.
A being that existed just beyond the edge of comprehension.
Fear gripped Burning Storm like a winter frost, rendering him motionless for a heartbeat.
Fortunately, he wasn't alone in his paralysis.
The creature they both faced rose from the impact of Abyss Tyrant's entrance. When it laid eyes upon the Tyrant, its entire body locked in place, its frame quivering slightly as its round eyes widened and visibly paled—despite its burnt skin.
Both opponents stood transfixed by the inexplicable presence before them.
Meanwhile, Northern was already advancing to the next phase of his new boon. A smile crossed his lips as Nebulous Lord's profile information materialized before his eyes.
[Monster Profile]
Name: [Nebulous Lord]
True Name: [Unattained]
Rank: [Destroyer]
Danger Level: [Apex]
Void Rank: [Veil]
Void Abilities: [nil]
Attributes: [Formless]
Core Abilities: [Omniform]
Northern brushed his chin, slightly confused.
Nebulous Lord was now a Destroyer, so by conventional standards, he should possess six abilities. Yet he had only one.
'Maybe Night Terror is just different. But he seems to be taking after me a lot. What's happening here?'
Northern exhaled and summoned the information for Nebulous Lord's core abilities.
Omniform: [After studying his master for so long, a strange void formed creature had gained true emotion and understanding of essence. Breaking its prison of illusionary existence. He immediately ascended to become the pinnacle and first of its kind, towering above everything that dared to challenge it, making it an Apex creature.
A creature that rules over the body and power of anything and everything it consumes.]
Northern tilted his head slightly. A wellspring of joy bubbled in his belly, but he reread the description to ensure he understood correctly.
'If I'm right, Black Mamba... Nebulous Lord, rules over the power and body of all it consumes. Does that mean it can create summons too?'
Northern shook his head.
That couldn't be right.
It was simply impossible to have two Masters under the same army.
Moreover, the rune that transcribed 'consumed' meant literal eating. This meant Nebulous Lord would devour them and become Lord over their body and powers.
The closest thing Northern could imagine, which aligned with Nebulous Lord's former ability to change form and its tendency toward Formlessness, was...
'He can become whoever he consumes.'
Just like how he could become whatever Name he absorbed.
This realization sent a cold thrill of excitement through Northern. He understood there would be limitations.
But the ability to transform into anything beneath a Destroyer Rank was already terrifying enough.
What Northern didn't know was whether it would work against humans.
But he was eager to find out.
The entire land trembled violently, pulling Northern's gaze from the panel to the aerial battle.
'Now that I'm done, I should rejoin.'
He glanced toward the Abyss Tyrant and what he saw drew a pale smile from his lips.
Paragon Raizel stood to one side while the Abyss Tyrant single-handedly plummeted the Devilish Belial, brutally pounding it with all four hands.
The Crescent staff stood planted in the ground, casting a dark circle that confined both the Belial and Abyss Tyrant within its boundary. The Belial received crushing, devastating blows—the source of the earth-shaking tremors. The ground spewed its contents with each thunderous impact from Abyss Tyrant's assault.
Northern slowly turned away like an ancient and creaking gate.
'I guess he doesn't need my help. Or anyone's.'
The Nebulous Lord, however, appeared to struggle somewhat. It was an Abysmal Belial, after all.
Northern's gaze hardened. He crouched to gather momentum before launching into the sky.
The creature that Nebulous Lord battled resembled the other one, though with a darker, more lustrous shade of black.
It didn't look entirely burnt; rather, its dark body seemed inky and vaguely starlit.
Its eyes and other features matched the first Belial. All its hands had merged as if they were never meant to exist separately, but unlike the Devilish Belial's two hands, this one possessed four.
Northern studied those hands with newfound attention. He hadn't done so before, lacking the opportunity until now.
Now that he observed them, he couldn't ignore their ominous nature.
He frowned darkly as he soared toward the maelstrom of combat.
The terrifying clash between the two entities generated a shockwave that hung in the air like a wall, preventing anything from passing through.
But Northern and "anything" were two different concepts entirely.
With blistering speed, Northern tore into the shockwave barrier, shattering it with a hollow, resonant boom that rippled through the air.
As if anticipating his Master's intentions, Nebulous Lord quickly disengaged from the monster, shooting clear of the path. Northern slammed directly into the creature, propelling it upward with ferocious velocity.
As Northern drove the creature higher into the sky, forcing it closer to the rift, an ominous feeling crept through him.
The air shifted, twisting in a vile, unnatural way.
This prompted him to glance downward.
In that brief moment, he witnessed the supposed creature with merged hands crush a fist into Abyss Tyrant's chest. The impact sent his best summon reeling backward like a discarded puppet, crashing through several buildings. The sound shattered Lithia's silence before all fell still.
Then, a line carved itself across the lower face of the Abysmal Belial he was currently forcing upward. The creature's face split into a crooked, bone-chilling smile.