Abyssal Awakening - Chapter 711

Chapter 711: Coronation
To break down an attack, one must understand it. Its structure, the intention, its purpose.

What did the attacker envision when unleashing this move?

What powers did they use to achieve this attack?

How does the world respond to this attack?

These were only a few of the questions that Alice needed to ask in order to fully comprehend what Kazira was doing.

Unbeknownst to her, a synergistic phenomenon had begun to take shake within her. A triggered effect thanks to the stolen powers of Analysis that resembled Cayla’s power.

Weaker than Cayla but one that allowed Alice a similar state of focus.

Alice could already see the strands of energy that floated through the air. The way the world reacted to the sudden influx of power and authority. But now that Analysis was added into the mix, she understood the intent behind the attack.

The composition and how it functions.

She also understood the true benefit of Analysis.

The benefit didn’t lie in stealing an opponent’s attack.

No, the benefit lie in the fact that through Analysis, one could eventually spot the weaknesses within the attack.

To break it down into digestible chunks and heighten one’s understanding of it. To deconstruct the attack in its entirety. A raw, unfiltered dissection of an attack and ability.

Just like how Kazira broke down the secrets of Void Flux and created her own attack Eclipse Axis, Alice was now breaking down the constructs of Eclipse Axis.

How did Kazira enhance this attack further?

Alice could see four sources of power. A state similar to herself but. . . undeniably inferior.

Kazira’s body was already teetering on the brink of collapsing.

She could not handle four sources running rampant within her. In fact, it was only because of Analysis ‘borrowing’ the Void was she allowed to unleash an attack of such devastation.

Holy power that stirred within her soul, merged with the powers of the Abyss.

Eldritch that clung like a parasite to her body, barely forming a bridge to the other two powers.

A triangle of balance.

And held within the centre, Void.

Fresh inspiration was filling Alice’s mind, methods of casting that she couldn’t have imagined before. Methods of manipulating the energy around them.

She could see the finalisation of her personal skill. A crystallisation of all her experience in manipulating the four sources of energy within her.

It is only when seeing it from a third person perspective did she truly understand.

And for that, Kazira had her gratitude.

In order to counter the shifting of the realm, Alice utilized the power of the Abyss and Holy.

A stinging sensation filled her eye, the crown that manifested above her head and the heart that throbbed with a newfound vigour.

She could sense the weakening of chains, the gate that barred her power slowly creaking open.

[It’s not a perfect solution but it’s a solution nonetheless.] Cayla spoke up, placing a hand on Alice’s shoulder.

Cayla’s right eye began to shift!

From the edges, dark shadow crept forth like ink in water and Alice’s mind was flooded by an influx of knowledge.

Kaden’s seal, one that not even he could choose to break apart.

One that will loosen over time.

But now that a crack has appeared in the seal, a slight gap, they were going to force the door wide open!

Cayla had been channelling nearly all of her focus into analysing the seal via Analysis! To understand the constructs of Kaden’s authority. It was also during this did she develop the skill Counter Seal. An ability that hinders the formation of sealing abilities and even breaking them in some cases.

It’s an ability that helped Alice break Kazira’s hold on her personal artifact and now, it’ll help Alice break the Kaden’s seal!

*Badum. . . Badum!. . . BADUM!. . .

The rhythm of the Abyss echoed in her chest. The resonance between Alice, her inherited divinity, the artifact and the realm itself.

Above her, the Abyssal crown pulsed with a new life, each shard glowing, radiating with power.

And then. . . The seal began to hum.

*Krkkk. . .

From the edges, the threads of Kaden’s seal frayed like silk burned by flames. As each fibre snapped, the light of the world began to falter. The winds ceased its endless song, the realm paused in recognition.

The skies trembled, clouds parted not by wind but by the invisible surge of authority. Currents of unseen power, strands of energy that was pushed away.

The surge of Abyssal might that echoed through the land. Fissures of the Abyss cracked open, allowing the malevolent aura of the Abyss to burst into the realm of man.

A convergence of raw energy centred around a single point.

Alice.

*RUMBLE!!!

The Eye of the Abyss, long shackled in silence flared open.

She could feel it.

A pulse of life. Of clarity.

Like a swimmer finally breathing in a gasp of air after a long dive, a wanderer finding his oasis in the desert.

The sudden relief of burden.

She could feel the weave of energy through this realm, this shifting of strands. It was now clear to her.

In the past, her senses were far too dull. She was the hindrance of Cayla’s potential. She had eyes that could see yet she was blind. Ears that could hear but she was deaf.

But now?

Everything was clear and the realm responded.

From the corners of the world, strands of energy bowed to her presence. The Abyss itself cried out. The surge of acknowledgement.

As above, so below.

The heavens split to reveal a laurel of radiant gold, a corona of divine light.

The earth tore asunder, revealing a yawning chasm and from within, shards of deepest darkness.

With the two halves now fusing together, a new crown manifested before Alice.

A coronation of the new Queen.

At long last, the three artifacts of the once beloved Goddess have truly recognised a new owner.

Alice reached out and the crown responded.

Recognition and devotion to the new Queen.

If Velouria’s crown was that of gold and black, Alice’s crown wore a shade of crimson.

The colour of blood.

The colour of sacrifice.

The colour of death.

Yet. . .

It is also the colour of life.

For within blood, comes life.

A duality of two halves, of two souls.

The hand that gives and the hand that takes.

Then Kazira’s attack struck.

The Eclipse Axis, an attack that bisects the world.

But Kazira felt no triumph. All that filled her mind was an overwhelming sense of foreboding. Of dread.

Her hands trembled.

It wasn’t her own fear.

It was the energy that stirred within her.

The Abyss.

As the Apostle of War, she was privy to information that many others did not know. That the three Gods kept silent about.

The existence of the fourth, the one who ruled over the Abyss.

As the dust parted, Kazira saw it.

Alice unharmed.

And in front of her, the Eclipse Axis being restrained above a single weapon. A mass of obsidian, ever shifting, ever changing.

Letting out a deep breath, Kazira glanced up at Alice who landed not far from her.

“So that’s the truth. . .” She muttered with a weary smile.

Fatigue filled her body.

In front of her was no ordinary girl. In fact, even calling her abnormal wouldn’t do her existence justice.

If Kazira had to describe it, then Alice would be a cocoon. A cocoon of divinity, waiting for the right moment to hatch.

The vessel for a new God upon this land.

Right now, even if she had her old vessel, Kazira found it unlikely for herself to win.

The path to victory now shrouded in uncertainty.

She missed her best opportunity to end this fight.

“Tell me, was this all part of your calculations?” Kazira couldn’t help but ask.

“Far from it.”

Eclipse Axis, a truly terrifying attack that had Alice questioning whether or not she could survive it.

Perhaps if Kazira had more time, she would’ve been able to perfect this attack.

“I see. . . Humour me one more time before we end this clash. What do you intend to do as a God?” Kazira asked, glancing up at the sky.

She knew her end was near. Her long treacherous path finally reached the cliff edge. And now looking back at everything she’s done, she couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.

One that she wasn’t sure of herself. Was it regret? Satisfaction? She didn’t know.

“I don’t know. I’m still unsure of what I want to do in this life for myself, outside of what I promised to do for others.” Alice shook her head.

Kazira raised an eyebrow.

“You’re just like a newborn. Unsure of what you want to accomplish.”

Hearing this, Alice chuckled and shrugged her shoulders.

“I was born roughly 10 or so years ago.”

Blinking her eyes, Kazira couldn’t help but let out a resounding laugh.

“So the Apostle of War, the Abyss Lord of Tyranny lost to a kid that’s yet to reach adulthood. Though I doubt there are any kids as freakishly strong as you.

“The philosophies of the Eclipse are simple. Enris was never one to govern much after all. An adrenaline junkie who’s never reached the same high ever since she lost the Goddess of the Abyss centuries ago.” She hoisted the blade onto her shoulder.

“But there is one thing that she taught me. One thing that I find rather suitable for this moment. Life in life, die in death. Disciples of the Eclipse will live life to its fullest, burning the candle of our essence to shine as bright as we can until the moment we extinguish.

“We will sear our mark of existence into this world, to imprint ourselves into the memory of another. To prove that we walked this land! Breathed this air!

“That is how we live in life, and die in death! As the Apostle, as the one who follows the principles of War. . .” Kazira paused and revealed a smile.

“I, Kazira, will meet my end in battle!”

Gathering all of her energy, Kazira’s body began to crack apart. Her vessel unable to contain the surge in power.

But Kazira didn’t care about surviving this fight. Right now, all she wanted to do, was showcase her all against the one who would carry her memory!

This was her redemption! This was her chance to prove that she is a disciple of the Eclipse!

Facing Kazira, Alice aimed her blade.

Void Fang’s first victim after a long slumber, shall be an Apostle!

“Goodbye Kazira.”