Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

There exists nothing inside this space. Great Sage's analysis pointed out there was no sound, air, nor anything organic. Even space curvatures did not exist. The Horizon of Existence was akin to a blank piece of paper.

"Hm… Alright."

When he received the [Wandering] reward, his [Blink] skill was merged into it. This exclusive ability belonging to the Sequence 3: Wanderer was broken enough to erase the concept of distance.

Aleph tried to wander inside this space and found that nothing could be done. There were no space curvatures. It was total nothingness.

It was then did he realize how absurd facing these Aeons were.

Buzz-!

An electric arc spanning fifteen skyscrapers flew to Aleph's front. The sword in his hand changed into Durandal, before pressing its flat side on his left palm.

BAM-!

SOU-!

Air did not exist inside this space, and so did sounds. His body that was sent flying did not produce sonic booms.

However, he could clearly hear the 'buzzing' of the electric arc.

Click-!

Click-!

The eight-pointed wheel atop his head began spinning at a steady space. At the same time, the electric arcs crept up from his arms to his entire body. These created a physical effect, as opposed to the hodge-podge of conceptual attacks Aleph faced before.

"Kuhk..!"

Drip.

It began on his arms. The black scales began falling off, revealing the skin beneath that was turned to charcoal. A sensation similar to Reversed Curse Technique's sizzling rang in his ears.

Smoke did not come out of his burnt body. Aside from the bright red blood, it was as if Aleph committed the injury himself.

Buzz-!

Buzz-!

Two more electric arcs appeared out of nowhere and double-downed on Aleph, who was already flying.

Sou-!

The pair of sharp bone wings on his back forcibly changed his trajectory. 

The analysis from Great Sage came for the second time.

{Result: The Horizon of Existence has a 97.88% probability of inheriting the subject [Black Sun]'s characteristics, which involves the concept of Nihility…}

Aleph's reading speed finished the report in an instant.

'...So it made everything disappear?'

The most basic definition of Nihility was the rejection of everything. The next best interpretation to it was 'to do nothing except to destroy'. It so happened that the Horizon of Existence exhibits these characteristics—removing the concept of everything within this space.

One of its direct effects was to block the use of Aleph's newly-acquired [Wandering]. 

If there was no space, how could there be distance?

If there was no 'end' inside this 'place', how could he even get out?

In short, it was useless in this scenario.

The two electric arcs did not give much time to Aleph. He chose the most optimal decision he found—to allow Adaptation to work.

'I might as well die trying..!'

BAM-!

SOU-!

Aleph flew with greater speed. His right arm holding Durandal outright imploded. His left arm did not escape unscathed, with only his upper arm existing. The long-lost sense of his body being turned to rags reminded him of his struggle in Nagazora City.

'Like… that time…'

As he felt untold amounts of pain, his thoughts began to get gradually infected by the Nihility.

'Was it meaningless? Can't I change anything?'

'I am the same. I did not change.'

'Backing out at the last second...'

'Can I… sleep..?

…

Click-!

His mind was jolted awake by a strange sensation. Aleph found a translucent light going through his entire body.

He looked at the eight-pointed wheel.

'It's finished.'

Knowing his 'gamble' paid well, he unscrupulously used his Reversed Curse Technique all over his body. The world did not turn into the familiar dark blue, but his elemental sight was still there.

Sizzle-!

With his exaggerated cursed energy reserves, Aleph managed to fully heal himself in the span of three seconds.

During that time, electric arcs came to him one after another, only to disappear once they struck his body. A certain amount of cursed energy was fed to [Adaptation] to nullify the attacks, but it wasn't much. It was the pay-off after exposing his entire body to a presumed Emanator's attacks.

Nevertheless, it wasn't without a price.

'My head feels heavy. If I didn't adapt to complex information, Adaptation might not work.'

Despite his recovery, his eyes never left Acheron's figure. Her long purple hair had turned gray at some point. The familiar red blade gave rise to the mental image of her life up until now.

'She is already drenched in Nihility. But…' He thought of the Acheron he knew. 'A small part of her was searching for a meaning.'

Aleph stared at the marks behind his two hands. They did not disappear despite the attacks.

Seven swords appeared in his mind. Durandal was taken back by him before he dropped it.

Finally, he decided on using his mainstay, Yamato.

Along these meticulous thoughts, Aleph saw Acheron's figure walking slowly towards him. Purple silhouettes made of purple lines were left behind her. It was similar to her depiction inside the game.

"Huff…"

Aleph's chest rose and fell. He could no longer hold back—that he knew.

Crack-!

A cracking sound came from within him. In that sole moment, an entire world unfolded beneath his feet. Vague images of scenery appeared amidst the distortions. They were all related to the textures Albion carried over in the form of its memories.

It attempted to overwrite the vast area filled with darkness. A prairie manifested out of thin air. It was followed by lush green grasses and colorful flowers. A tinge of gold light floated midair.

Acheron paused her steps and looked at it. 

Shiing-!

Naught was sheathed on her waist. She then extended her right hand and reached out for the gold light, but to no avail. It simply passed through her.

When this scenery became extremely realistic, signs of life appeared on it. Small animals such as squirrels and butterflies popped out of thin air.

In the middle of it all, Aleph stood with a solemn look.

Crack-!

Despite his Sephira Crystal starting to break, he did not feel any pain. Only a sense of emptiness arose from it.

Just then…

Buzz-!

The realistic scenery of a paradise shook. The small animals disappeared in an instant. Everything became transparent.

'Like a moth to a flame..!'

Only now did he realize how absurd it was to stand against an Aeon's power. Not to mention his incomplete Sephira Crystal, Aleph lacked the raw power to contend against her.

His cursed energy that was supposed to be boundless had already decreased to a considerable degree. His mind was heavy and his body couldn't withstand a 'casual strike' from her.

Just when he thought that all was lost, the power he was seeking appeared.

Hum.

The indescribable light swept across the Horizon of Existence. It was extremely similar to the level of IX's power—a type of complex information.

The Event Storage that was about to be broken was restored in an instant. The small animals reappeared, strolling the prairie in a life-like manner.

Tap.

Countless ratio lines appeared all over Acheron. It was done in an instant.

Aleph's thoughts disappeared like a bubble. All that was left in his eyes was Acheron.

One was a blade that separated an entire world into two.

The other blade was the witness of a world's fall.

With that—

Click-!

Clink-!

—two blades clashed against one another.