Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The darkness that bordered the tiled space was made using the extreme properties of [Evil Darkness] that Skullius could access, defining the element as he pleased. He was that in tune with it, as he was with [Just Light].

There was no greater inescapable mass, an impossibly thick boundary, like darkness. It made the perfect barrier against attacks of most kinds. The great void which covered the entire Reality was a prime example of what darkness could accomplish.

But as powerful as the barrier was, Skullius could have made it better if he didn't fear losing more Amras needlessly. That was the greatest weakness he had while in the First Phase of the War Body. His Amras reserves were the same as those he had while assuming his Default Body (without the augments from something like [Justified Maximum). His Amras well couldn't handle the strain from the high-powered abilities he had to access to now. For that, he had to wait until the five-minute timer was done.

Still, the dark barrier kept the resounding effects of the battle between the Insurgent Apostle and Nunax away from the fragile residents of Aigas.

As for the spectators... They were barely holding on.

Skullius' protection was quickly getting chipped away. Reverberations far more threatening than simple turbulent noises were gushing through space and energy, breaking their integrity apart if they didn't meet a certain standard of strength.

Elita was expending her Voided Death Essence to keep her bones intact, as was Aurolio. Their essence was quite resilient, after all.

Managing to resist the great shudders of the fabric of space for such a long period was a feat with boons that extended far beyond survival. Elita was the first to realise one of these boons.

Was this why Future Skullius allowed them to spectate even when he knew that they wouldn't be able to glean anything substantial from a battle of this calibre?

She would get the answer after the battle was done.

Kenno was using the defensive Starmations to guard. It was quite effective since they applied Null Life Essence.

Red Rage was mobilising his well of Null Life Essence as well for a similar purpose, but his attention was more on the Insurgent Apostle rather than his own safety. As soon as Future Skullius had summoned the thing, he had been dumbfounded. The Insurgent Apostle was quite like him, but also… not. It lacked a complete mind of its own, but that wasn't a detriment. It was much stronger than Red Rage and also perfectly in-tune with both of his master's powers.

Was this his older master's way of remedying his inability to summon Apostles of his own like the younger Skullius?

All of Skullius' Apostles could access his abilities, but they couldn't wield [Evil Darkness] and [Just Light]. They didn't have an affinity for it, and their being tied to Skullius wasn't enough to bridge that necessary prerequisite.

Red Rage found himself wondering what more he could be doing. He had been honoured with the First Rank among Skullius' Apostles.

What could he learn from this experience? How could he become a better Apostle?

How could he make his First Rank status mean more than its Privileges?

Was the answer in the queer Apostle he was looking at?

Nunax and the Insurgent Apostle, decked in armour darkness had been battling without pause, crashing and clashing blows. Well, the former was failing to land most of attacks. The Apostle, on the other hand, had blasted Nunax so many times that she had expended at least a third of her energy while trying to keep her soul stable. The soul damage done by each of the Apostle's physical blows was freakish. At one point, she had felt her soul body's integrity start to collapse and had even lost an arm. That was to be expected when a million blows landed on her at once before she could warp away.

Those instances where a nigh infinite slew of attacks suddenly bombarded her left her disoriented. It was shocking how something so simple like punches had kept her mind teetering on thoughts about a possible loss. She was much stronger than the opponent but that hardly seemed to matter.

The Corrupted Deity had considered attacking the figure responsible for creating the Apostle, the one lazily sitting on the floor of the tiled space, with the gigantic creature of darkness and light behind him, but her opponent didn't allow it.

A second's worth of distraction cost her dearly each time. Each blow that took a part of her cost could heal indeed, but she was losing, however gradually.

Minutes had passed and the status quo did not change at all.

The Corrupted Deity gnashed her teeth.

She was at wits end.

Even her unique Parlous Natures imbued within her body were useless. The Apostle constantly throwing hooks and overheads was immune to each and every one of them!

She had tried using them against it only to gape when they showed no effect.

The coat of darkness the Insurgent Apostle wore like armour would shed away each time she attacked with a unique type of light, revealing the brilliant humanoid within… made out of all of Nunax's powers. The Apostle was made of a small light particle holding each and every one of her abilities. It was completely immune to her whole arsenal save for physical blows.

How was Nunax supposed to escape this trap - this paradox?

What was the plan now?

What solution could she derive?

Before she could find an answer.

Something brought her pause. Her great eyes shuddered.

She wasn't the only one to react this way though.

The spectators paused in the same way. Their anxieties and thoughts were stalled.

Those outside the tiled space experienced the same too. Something inconceivable was brewing inside the wall of darkness they saw in their midst.

Right then, Strawlers appeared in a number enough to tend to each one of them. They immediately pulled everyone towards the Empyrean Hatcher where they could be kept completely safe.

Indeed, it was Susu`k's doing again. He hadn't been sure why Skullius had brought these people here (hence why he had opted to leave them be) but for now, that question was irrelevant. These people wouldn't be able to handle what was coming.

'He's a strange one, just like he was,' the Strawler thought.

…

Inside the barrier of darkness, Skullius sighed.

'Finally.' He stood up right as the guidance field began to chime. 'You guys take over then.' Those he addressed, eight voices in his head, similar to his own, acknowledged his words.

[Congratulations! You have successfully endured against the enemy 'Nunax of the Seventy-Seven Moons' for five minutes without switching to Default]

['Second Phase War Body' has been enabled]

[Conditional limits have been erased]

[The restriction on your race 'Nullinity's Herald' have been lifted]

[Immortal Physique has been restored]

[All extraneous techniques have been restored]

[…]

[Miniature Wartime Guidance System commences installation in the 'Omniscient Thought Cracker']

Skullius closed the wells of darkness that counted for his eyes. It was nice feeling the restrictions go away. His powers didn't immediately skyrocket, though.

The guidance field changed in his view. Instead of a basic panel reserved for showing stats and names, eight miniature screens appeared before him, each flooded with varying types of information.

[Miniature Wartime Guidance System successfully installed]

[…]

Right then, the bow, wakizashi and gladius in Skullius' hands vanished, disappearing from his grasp like vapour. They weren't needed anymore.

Thunder growled from above, its voice hoarse and authoritative. Even the barrier of darkness could not resist. A nest of tenebrous clouds was gathering over the tiled space, beyond it.

The Empyrean Bosom darkened and shuddered as though some colossus was shaking it.

The clouds gathering in its space, right above the black barrier, continued growing and thickening, throngs of Enlightened and Benighted Ju`wtte racing through them.

…And then the guidance field announced.

[You can now access, 'Three Great Revelations']

"Good," came a voice that was Skullius' yet also not so.

With his upper right hand, he had his middle and index fingers coil around each other.

He would call forth the First Revelation.

['Sovereign's Authority: Storm Baker' has been established in the skies. Do you wish to retrieve it?]

"Bring it down," he commanded.