Abyss Draconis

THUUUUUMMMPPP

THUUUUUMMMPPP

THUUUUUMMMPPP

Ryuk could feel it—the explosive pumping of his own heart—as an incredibly hot wave of energy coursed through his veins.

Surprisingly, the explosive increase he would normally receive from his transformation... didn't happen.

His skeletal system didn't grow.

But then... he could feel it—his spine growing incredibly hot as a wave of power bubbled through every single cell in his body.

His bones hardened further, and something began shifting out of his skin.

Jade-blue colored scales, carefully arranging themselves over every inch of his body.

His hands shifted into monstrous claws—a mix of feral power and beauty—as blue light glinted off their smooth surfaces.

Ryuk's face changed—blue scales covering his cheeks—and his mouth reshaped, turning into a maw with sharp, golden-colored teeth, homodont in nature, replacing his human ones.

His mouth had unnaturally widened, stretching all the way to his ears.

But all of a sudden—

RIIIPPPPPPP

"Grrrhh—!"

The sound of something ripping out, followed by a sharp groan of pain, as he felt his spine elongate.

The end of it jutted out, and when he turned his head—

He saw something strange.

A large tail, two meters in length, covered in blue draconis scales, its end shaped like a sharp sword.

'A tail!?'

'But Draconic Overload doesn't have a tail,'

'What's happening?'

"Slash out your claws in front of you."

The words suddenly rang out beside Ryuk's ear—and involuntarily, his claws reached forward and slashed the space before him.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPP

CLAAAAAAAAANNG

An instant later, the resulting sound was that of iron clashing against iron.

Ryuk turned his head forward to find his blue-scaled claw locked tightly against a golden claw.

"Slash its neck."

The voice rang out once more—and immediately:

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPP

Space was shredded into nothingness as Ryuk's left claw ripped forward toward the Archangel's neck with terrifying speed.

The air quivered as the Archangel vanished, appearing 20 meters away, but Ryuk raised his claw to his face and found on it golden scales, no doubt torn from his opponent.

It was the first time he had dealt the creature before him any substantial injuries.

But then... his focus shifted.

What is that voice?

"Hello, Ryuk."

The voice rang out once more, and Ryuk paused in his steps, turning toward his shoulder.

And there it was—

A tiny, 5-inch humanoid creature was standing leisurely on Ryuk's shoulder.

Ryuk's claw moved in an instant, slapping toward it—but stopped at the very last second, hanging just inches away from cleaving the creature's face.

"Wait... aren't you—?" he tried to ask.

But the creature's expression soon focused forward.

"Let's keep the introduction for later. The golden guy is already recovering..."

Ryuk listened, turning his head forward—only to find the sight of a speeding beam of golden light rapidly flashing toward him.

It was so fast it would be upon him in less than two seconds—but it was enough time for him to raise his leg and

BOOOOOM

The ground beneath his feet shattered into bits as he ordered:

'Activate Draconic GraveMarch!'

The gravity in the room surged 100 times, and the Archangel was sent plummeting to the ground.

But when it landed, its neck fell right into Ryuk's right claw—and then:

KABBOOOOOOOOOOOM

An ear-defying noise followed.

A crater burst through the center of the golden hall as the Archangel was brutally smashed into the ground.

PUUUCHHIIIIII

It had barely been a second before the sound of something being pierced followed, and blood gushed out of his lips, raining down onto the Archangel beneath him.

Behind him, a golden wing could be seen tearing out of his back.

But then... a ferocious grin appeared on Ryuk's maw.

A runic blue tattoo appeared within his serpentine eyes.

KKABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Another devastating ripple of energy blasted outward as Ryuk smashed his fist down onto the head of the Archangel, nailing him deep into the floor—but then—

PUUUUCCHIIII

PUUUCCHIIIII

The sound of piercing rang out as its two other wings spread open, ripping straight into Ryuk's back.

BLLLEEERGGGGGHH

Blood gushed forth once more from his lips.

"That won't save you, idiot. I'm used to far worse pain than this..."

The growl of mockery escaped Ryuk's lips as his nanobots moved, anchoring the embedded wings into him to ensure they could not be removed.

An instant later, blue runic tattoos appeared all over his hands.

[Mark of Strength Has Been Activated!]

The system notification flashed—but what followed?

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

Hundreds upon hundreds of claw-shaped afterimages appeared all around Ryuk as he slashed out with all of his speed, ripping off golden chunks from the Archangel beneath him.

It struggled, twisting its wings, sharper than blades, deep inside Ryuk's body.

A pain that should have been enough to make even an Apocrypha-stage being faint.

But Ryuk couldn't feel it.

His grin only widened.

Blood flowed faster from his lips, but his claws never halted.

They only slashed faster and faster and faster—until the Archangel's entire body began furiously spasming under him—yet it never stopped his claws for even a moment.

From above the glassy platform, Radiant Aveia's lips were wide open in shock as she watched the Archangel being pummeled by Ryuk without a single chance to react.

From above, she could see the sharp golden wings tearing out from behind Ryuk, still twisting, causing blood to constantly spurt behind him.

Yet, even more horror awaited when she noticed Ryuk's attacks never slowed at all.

They grew more and more, even as his injuries worsened.

And after close to ten minutes of endless slashing...

She watched as Ryuk's claws finally halted. His hand reached for the Archangel, and then—

RIIIIIIIIP

RIIIIIIIIP

The sound of something getting torn apart rang out as he ripped off the Archangel's wing from its back, before continuing to rip off the wings stuck in his own.

Flinging them to the side.

His body wobbled for a few seconds from the blood loss, but he soon balanced himself, returning his gaze to the figure beneath him.

Its head was no more.

Its entire body had been reduced to bits, covered in countless slash marks.

Soon enough, it began dispersing into golden motes of light.

But this time... there was a change.

Instead of the molten golden light vanishing like that of the Fallen Guards, it began congregating around him instead, swirling and soon enough.

It formed a bizarre golden cocoon around him.

The notification flashed before Ryuk's gaze:

[Congratulations, Ryuk, on...]