Before any of them could move—
They froze.
Something impossible had appeared before their eyes. Even Kaelion's confident smirk—something no one had ever seen vanish before—was gone in an instant.
The battlefield went silent. The air itself felt like it had stopped breathing.
All three of them stood, wide-eyed, as if their souls were about to leave their bodies.
Their eyes trembled, pupils shrinking. Tears welled up in the corners of their faces—not from sadness, but from the sheer incomprehensible horror of what they were witnessing.
Drevyn - T-that… that's me…? My replica… it—it killed Vaelis's replica?! W-why?!
Kaelion - What is this…? Why did it kill its own ally…?!
Renzo - No… this doesn't make sense… Fracturites don't— they don't kill their comrades! W-what the hell is happening?!
The crimson Fracturite, the one that bore Drevyn's likeness, stood still… silent… its breathing ragged, its glowing eyes shaking as if something invisible controlled it.
Then—
It grabbed the bow of Vaelis's fallen replica. Slowly, almost deliberately, it raised the bow high.
The string creaked, bending with unnatural tension, glowing with a pulsating energy.
And then—
SHHHHHRRRRRAAAAANGGG!!!
The arrow shot upwards, splitting the silence of the dungeon. Its trajectory disappeared into the void above. Seconds passed, heavy, suffocating.
Until—
THAAAANNNKKK!!!
The arrow came crashing back down—piercing directly through the skull of the Drevyn's replica.
Its body convulsed, eyes flickered, and then it collapsed.
Dead.
By its own hand.
---
Drevyn - …My… my replica. It killed its ally… then killed itself… Why…? Why would it…?
The dungeon's silence was shattered by the cold, mechanical voice of the System.
System - Dungeon Cleared.
All Fracturites defeated.
Player levels and stats increased.
A faint chime echoed.
System - [Kaelion] has reached Level 102.
[Drevyn] has reached Level 100.
[Renzo] has reached Level 101.
Best artifacts auto-equipped.
A blinding light enveloped them.
System - Teleporting back…
---
The cold air filled their lungs—reminding them that they were alive.
Drevyn - This power…! I finally reached Level 100…! I—I can feel it. I can't wait… I can't wait to rescue my friend, Vaelis.
Renzo - Not just your friend. He's our friend too. Don't forget that, Drevyn. We all want him back.
Kaelion, however, didn't smile. His brows furrowed, his eyes still replaying that impossible scene.
Kaelion - That's fine and all… but the Fracturite. Why? Why did it kill its comrade? Why… itself? That makes no sense.
Drevyn - Even I… I can't understand it. Not yet.
Then suddenly—
Kaelion clutched his head. His teeth gritted. His hair scattered into his face as he groaned.
Kaelion - Tchh—ahhh! Damn it—what… what's happening to me?!
Renzo - Kaelion?!
Drevyn rushed forward, panicked.
Drevyn - What's wrong?!
Kaelion dropped to one knee, his veins pulsing on his forehead. His eyes flickered for a brief second—like something was peering through them.
Kaelion - My head… it feels… heavy. No—it feels like… like something is watching me.
He strangled his own hair, sweat dripping down his face, breaths shallow.
Renzo - What are you talking about?! Watching you?!
Drevyn placed his hand on Kaelion's shoulder, his voice uncertain.
Drevyn - Maybe… maybe you're just exhausted. Let's rest for now. Celestra should be finishing her battle any moment.
Renzo - Ohhh, look at you. You're really worried about her, aren't you?
Drevyn's face burned red.
Drevyn - Sh-shut up! I don't like her!
Renzo grinned wider.
Renzo - I never said you like her.
Renzo chuckled while Drevyn turned away, blushing furiously.
---
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon—
The air rumbled.
Celestra leapt backward, hands scraping the ground as she steadied herself, dust rising in a cloud around her. Her breathing was rough, sweat trailing down her cheek.
Celestra - This Fracturite… it's really starting to piss me off.
The Fracturite lunged forward, its speed almost invisible to the eye. Its left fist cut through the air—straight toward her face.
She tilted just in time, the punch grazing past her.
But its right fist followed immediately, aiming to crush her.
Celestra snarled and caught the massive arm with her gauntlet, sparks flying from the impact.
Celestra - Tchh—Too slow! You're not even worth my time!
Her leg snapped up in a brutal kick—
BAAAMMMM!!!
The Fracturite's body was launched back, smashing into a wall. The ground cracked beneath the impact.
Celestra's eyes narrowed, fury blazing in them.
Her gauntlets began to shift. Mechanical parts clanked open, gears spinning. Steam hissed out like an engine powering up.
Both her hands pressed together, her stance steady.
Celestra - You've annoyed me long enough. DIE!
The gauntlets roared to life, combining into a pulsating cannon of energy. Water spiraled at its core—before fire wrapped around it in a blazing helix, scorching the ground beneath her.
She unleashed it—
VOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!
A colossal pillar of swirling flame and water shot forward like a wrathful dragon.
The Fracturite screamed, its body steaming as vapors erupted from its surface. It tried to push against the blast, forcing one step forward, then another—
But the force was overwhelming.
The beam swallowed it whole.
The dungeon shook. The walls cracked. The Fracturite's roar was drowned out, before its body disintegrated into dust.
Silence.
Celestra lowered her arms, steam rising from her gauntlets. Her chest heaved with every breath.
Celestra - …Finally. Trash.
Nyra - You guys really are on a next level, penetrating through my expectations.
Episode 27 Ends
To Be Continued...