Chapter Text

Before we start the story, let's have a little introduction.

My name is Xciozen, and this will be the first novel that I publish. I've never written a story before—not even short stories, so yeah...

Am I going to regret it? Absolutely ye— No. Why would I? I had a lot of fun writing this thing with my friends (Totally not getting beaten up by the co-author every time I slac— I mean, take a break.) Asking them for ideas and such. It was a great experience, even if it was slightly tiring.

Anyway, I'm just an amateur writer, so please don't expect too much, and the time needed to release a new chapter could be quite long since I'm just a high school student.

Also, do note that my English skill is NOT at the zenith level, nor even close to that. So, seeing some grammar errors and poor choice of words plus the wrong use of punctuation marks is inevitable too.

Now about the story, the main plot of it is about this:

A Demon and a Knight who came from different universes, one that differs. One day they ended up in an unknown world, but they soon encountered each other. And from there, their collaboration started in order, seeking out a way to kill the entity together to save the Existence from a nigh unstoppable entity who is known for devouring universes. Along their way, they also encountered many of the same. As their adventure advances, many truths about others and themselves will be unraveled.

Will they successfully achieve their goal, or will they fail? We will eventually know...

The novel also may or may not have detailed gore writing... And just a heads up here—there won't be much romance aspect in the story so yeah... Or at least, that statement will only apply to the main story.

The characters in here are based on real people, personality-wise (Not 100% alike but you get what I mean, right?)

You can PM me if you want, or you can DM me on Discord, my username is: xciozen

If you're interested and want to join my Discord server, I'll consider dropping the link in the future.

Oh, the co-author wanted to say something: “Yeyeyeyeyeyeye—”

Anyways, that's enough presentation. Now, let us commence forth the adventure of a knight and a demon.

(Entwined Boundaries: Beyond The Paradox)

{Arc 1: Cataclysmic Merge}

{Prologue: Blighting Cessation}

Day 1: The Day We Lost Everything.

Nebula, an ancient world where magic became a superior aspect, ruled with its admiring power, gaining the bows and reliance of many. A world bestowed with undeniably beautiful sceneries that would give all eyes a comforting sensation upon sight. Let it be nature running its course, animals abiding by the rules of nature—it all came down to being allied with humans, armed with intelligence and advantages.

Unlike any other world, humans and animals seemed to have shared their habitats, living together in harmony. What could be better than a world without war and racism? There had yet to be a disagreement between the two forces. But when it would dive down to the inevitable, there would always be someone to step up and resolve it.

A knight was known across worlds with a status that everyone looked up to. Many referred to him as 'The Chosen of Lightning', otherwise called Xciozen. However, his supposed title was a mask of his true self. As noble as he might appear to be; he resembled the exact image of a sloth who would sleep whenever he could.

The chamber of zero gravity was where he chose to make his shelter, a dimension isolated from reality. In there, his belongings floated around aimlessly. Cabinets, tables, chairs, separate rooms, and the bed he slept on with the cat were not so different.

Surrounded by glimpses of stars, those of sun-exceeding brightness fawned over indigo fabrics of space. Xciozen's otherworldly room was said to flourish with variations of spells ranging from regular to forbidden ones. No one knew how he learned them, but what they knew was that he was very talented. Hopes were what he gave off in his presence, so none further pondered about his powers.

But despite that, he's slacking off as we speak of him highly. Tucked in blankets, the cat on his belly purring. Both silently snored like there was no tomorrow, enjoying their dreams in their comfy bed.

“Come on now, Snuffy, stop rolling all over me...” He wearisomely muttered to his cat, tucking himself vaster into the blankets.

“...Miau,” It yawned with a cutesy face fitting for a feline, laying flat on its back, not heeding its owner's words. It was just as lazy as its owner.

Oh, how peaceful they looked, enjoying their days of endless slacking, living everyday to the fullest to their liking. But eventually, their schedule of being slothful unfortunately ended when noon kicked in alongside a barbarous earthquake.

Upon the quaking sensation coursing the room—despite it being in its own world—the two awakened, not yet processing what was going on. Much to the discomfort of the lazy furball and the slothful knight, neither had an idea nor a rigid grasp on the situation.

Wanting to know what struck his day off, he floated towards the door and opened it. The sight outside, at the very least, was chaotic. Floods of his belongings spurted arrays. Starring his kitchen, where the sink broke and turned into a fountain. Lanterns and electrical devices shed fire and lightning, setting the kitchen on fire. Thankfully, his rooms were isolated far enough from one another, so only the mentioned room burned down.

Back to the tremor, Snuffy the cat furiously hissed. Its fur stood up as it jumped out of bed. Then it started running in the air. Seeing his pet panicking, Xciozen swiftly caught it and held it like a baby in his arms.

“The last high-magnitude earthquake in Nebula happened over a hundred years ago. What's happening?” he ran out of his bedroom, cradling the cat in his arms.

A magic bar slithered from the doorstep after his first step out of the room, leading to another area. He slid along smoothly, without trouble. Arriving at the living room, he kicked the door wide open.

Everything in it was lively, shaking up and down, left and right. And thus, Xciozen saw a pot breakdancing on the floor. Confusion was unnecessary at moments like this. He moved on to check other rooms.

On the verge of collapsing, his dimension shook more violently. Affording to be stuck in eternal darkness, he yearned not. He opened a portal that connected to the overworld and rushed through.

Leering around the plains, Xciozen saw numerous panicking villagers sprinting out of their yet-to-collapse houses. Deafening sirens promptly claimed their place, giving Xciozen no chance to wrap his mind.

“What in the heavens...?” If someone has a spare second to stare and laugh, they would most likely do due to how hilarious and ridiculous the so-called 'Chosen of Lightning' looked right now—a pink-haired petty man in a pajama hugging a cat that did not look fully awake. Standing in the middle of a catastrophic earthquake but not moving an inch, no matter how strict nature was at the time.

But in truth, Xciozen had been calculating his plan carefully, crafting the details step by step.

“Hey, Snuffy, if you don't mind, can you wait in this...” Xciozen snapped and created a box made out of magic, a box that was large enough for the cat to fit comfortably, “Box? You okay with that, Snuffy?”

“Miau!” with a meow that sounded like displeased agreement, the ball of fur jumped into the box and rolled—its belly faced the darkening sky, one that Xciozen noticed.

And with that, Xciozen threw the box into the sky in a calculated direction. “Well, sorry. It might take a while for us to reunite!” the box defied gravity and blended with the background.

The reason why he did that was because he felt like things were getting to get way worse. Indeed, they were getting way worse. The noon sky, which was supposed to be very sunny in the summer, dimmed as it chilled the light seekers. The unnatural chilling wind blew into the city Xciozen resided in, the capital of power and most advanced region in Nebula. That, however, did not ease the worrying and nervous civilians.

Knowing that, Xciozen quickly sent ten scout spirits to sense the incoming danger, and while that was happening, he changed into his knightly attire in a split second with the help of magic, a very convenient thing to have in a world where technology was not so advanced.

It had been 5 minutes since the capital— No, the worldwide earthquake. Well-knowing that even the Chosen of Lightning himself won't have enough power to stop this calamity. Xciozen quickly took off to the castle where the Royal Family resided, where he thought by now the strongest combatants this world had to offer should be present.

A short man blessed with a vivid shade of pink hair, cladding in a white coat adorned with signatures of cyan stars on both of his lapels. His eyes shined pale green, enough to dampen the light of even the brightest stars above. His undershirt has a shade of dark blue, with two strings of vibrant cyan running through its middle like ribbons. Together, the pieces formed a fashion statement that was both daring and stylish, reflecting the wearer's unique personality and sense of panache.

His sleeves were dark blue as well up to his elbows, from which they turned sky blue up to his hands. Black pants with a considerably matched black belt, which added a touch of casual flair to the overall look. Xciozen's clothing sure did stand out amongst the civilians—his aura also resembled innocence and humbleness too. It alone hinted at them his true identity.

Taking on a speed equal to lightning, it took him around a minute to travel to the seemingly indestructible fortress and the majestic castle. Tearing the sky, taking on the form of a cyan bolt, he later came across a large hole in the sky, or rather not. Nevertheless, he fleetly chanted.

“Bolt!” he shot a large energy sphere, teeming with electricity, towards the gap from his fingertip. “That should do it.”

He may or may not have accidentally entered by flying straight through the glass window. Great, now he's in debt for that action, damn it!

But that didn't matter as he continued after recovering in a flash. Along the way, he saw familiar faces running in the same direction as him, looking rather tense.

A few steps closer to the King's throne room, Xciozen finally had the time to analyze what he saw while flying toward this place. He faintly remembered noticing an anonymous rout cruising the dark clouds. Spotting it was impossible for human beings, but for Xciozen, it was anything but vain. Spells and lesser spirits he created had alerted him about nature's force, so the matter in the sky must be it.

“Now that I think about it. I should've stayed to see how things would go when the bolt hits them...”

He walked through the grand door, entering the throne room. To his expectations, the knights, the wizards, and the sages were there, formally lined up at the sides. Beak the carpets leading to the entrance sat the King and the Queen. The young prince had his fragile frame partly hidden behind the King's seat, hands pulling his father's sleeve. He was an introverted boy, oblivious to the world out there. Yet before him was the sight of many vigorous figures.

Lining up with the knights, who formatted in a square crowd, Xciozen stood as still as stone. Nervousness was all he had—monotonously shaking as he kept his sweats in. They looked tense and carped but poised and elegant in their posture.

On the other hand, the intelligent wizards loomed opposite of the knights, minds riddled with theories. Lastly, the wise sages settled at a large curve table, facing the King and Queen.

Amidst the knights, Xciozen felt left out. Out of all, he was the smallest and shortest, distinct from the others, who were muscular and tall.

“Wise men, enchanters, magicians, and knights,” staidly noted the King. “Long ago, Nebula had gone through a memorial event: the great invasion of Kartarealm,” the ambiance in the room tautened, and everyone narrowed their eyes in anticipation. “The demons were fierce, but not as much as our valiant force. Right now is the time for us to recreate history. Let us be known as legends rather than forgotten ruins.”

Regardless of how confident the King announced, the shrouded force out there remained a paradox. Sages rashly searched the olden book on the table, attentively studying the readouts. As the investigation dulled, the Queen politely joined the conversation as her unswerving voice pealed the room.

“Thine wisest sages, had one gained the knowledge of the despicable threat?” she crossed her legs, her cheek resting on the back of her hand.

One of the sages shook their head, a grimace on their face. “None, her majesty. I apologize for our lack of knowledge. This thing has no record in our book,” he bowed. “From our years of experience, I suggest we take a step back to think this through. From what we had observed, that force is something not to be trifled with.”

As the Queen opened her mouth, about to speak, the King stopped her with a light raise of his palm. “Go into details. I'm interested to hear your explanation,” he leaned forward.

“We'll have to leave that to Commander Xciozen,” the sage turned to Xciozen and nodded. “He had encountered that hazy veil during his flight and fugitively engaged with it.”

The King turned to Xciozen with an awaiting expression.

Need not for the King to utter a word, Xciozen stepped up, boasting his chest, his hands knitted behind. Eyes poured into his direction, striking a nerve in him.

“To be frank with you, your majesty,” he spoke, his voice shaky. “I was in a hurry, so I only blasted a lightning bolt at them. I didn't stay back to see the collisions. But aside from that, I found the dark matter to be bugs, thanks to my enhanced vision.”

“...Bugs?” everyone voiced in unison.

“Exactly, they looked very weird too. Allow me to dig deeper,” Xciozen summoned a magic screen, there inscribed lines of words, seemingly taking the spotlight of the images his eyes caught. “This is what they look like,” he zoomed in on one of the images. “Diversity of forms, the main focus is the gem in their body. As you can see,” he pointed. “I shared my vision with the bolt, and it appears that once the gem in their body gets destroyed, they will die."

“It is really that simple?”

Xciozen sighed. “Here's a heads-up, the bolt I shot was at its full potential.”

“I see,” the King laid into his seat. He seemed to recognize how dire the situation was. “I will deploy all troops to the frontline and prepare the cannons. And you, Chosen of Lightning, shall halt your step.”

After the King had established orders, everyone else but Xciozen sprang into action, for he got commanded to stay back.

Watching his comrades leave, Xciozen wished them the best of luck before kneeling before the royalties.

“May I plead to take my leave? They alone won't be enough,” Xciozen lifted his head. “If not, may I, at the very least, be granted evacuating the villagers?”

The King buried his mouth in his hand, pondering his choices. He didn't want to lose such a talented warrior, but on the other hand, he wanted to utilize Xciozen's presence. He scratched his head in annoyance, cherry-picking the right choice.

But the King wasn't alone, as there was the Queen. She offered him advice, finding reasonable solutions. And there's the innocent little prince, anxiously looking at Xciozen with stars in his eyes. Noticing the prince, Xciozen could only smile reassuringly.

Then, as he was about to plead for permission to leave, the King came to a decision.

“Matter such as this commands no effort of such a powerful figure like you,” the King stopped for a second, then continued. “However, to ensure this world's complete safety, you shall take action.”

Gaining the King's approval, Xciozen elegantly nodded and left. But before he turned around, the prince ran up to him, effetely pulling his coat. Finding it strange, Xciozen looked over his shoulder at the prince.

“What's the matter?” he asked.

The little prince held out his delicate hands, slowly opening up. “Take this with you,” the little prince pleaded. “This will help you fend off those demons!”

Amused, Xciozen turned and kneeled before the prince. Looking at his hand, Xciozen noticed that the prince had given him a cross necklace. Touched to the heart, he happily took it.

“Thanks, your majesty,” Xciozen smiled. “Once I finish, I will return this to you.”

Urgently, Xciozen shot out of the window where he accidentally broke through earlier. Oh, the debt he will have to pay. Either way, after the air had touched his skin, he again picked up the sight of the same swarm of bugs earlier.

Bearing a steel heart, he flew in the direction where the signal came from, and as he got closer, their abstract forms took the confidence out of him.

Their size can dwarf an entire village in a blink of an eye, embarking on humanoid, animalistic, to deformed creatures. For instance, Xciozen couldn't believe what he saw. He even doubted his vision.

Harshfully, it was the truth. The bugs became world-threatening in just a matter of a second. Adding to the fact that they weren't even near this world, they were million light years away.

Xciozen must report this to the others as soon as possible. Risking their life on the line for something as severe as this would be as much of a loss as pouring diamonds down a well.

When he had just summoned the magic screen, a flicker in the distance alarmed him. Only one slight disturbance was enough to let him know the next move, so he paged his trusty companion—a sword.

“Xerith,” he reached for his left waist, placing his hands to match an invisible sheathe.

Thunderous claps and refulgence lightning streaks passingly lit the inky clouds gathered inward his hands. And as he pushed his right hand—one that held the invisible handle—away, flashes of lightning spread, crackling with excitement.

Cyan beamed in his eyes, the shade of lightning glowing with the brightness of a thousand stars. Gradually emerging from its sheathe, Xerith enthralled the look of eras ahead of this world—a high-tech sword with neon cyan at the sharp edge—from the hilt up had carved the shape of a thunderstrike, quivering royal blue with each swing he was about to make.

Xciozen then clutched his sword before him, legs as broad as his shoulder. Within the very next second, a bug bolted onto him. Like what he had witnessed, saying that its size rivaled the sun would be an understatement.

“Judgement!”

A circle enlarged beneath his feet, barricading him and trapping the bug, myriad insensible slashes narrowly phased between and around him repeatedly. It perdured until he pressed his foot, flashing through the bug as he cleaved it mid-way.

Instantly, it fell to pieces, slopping with goop as the gem came to bits tidily. But the bug was just a facade to the upcoming attacks, and Xciozen had little to no time left. Killing it made him spend plenty of mana. Its bulk fanned the flames.

Like a flash of light, he bolted to the outskirt of the castle, the military base, where he met the general shufflingly commanding the troops.

“Hey!” the general noticed his glowing cyan eyes in the darkness. “Gather the others and cast a transportation spell. We will not engage with them!”

The general, who saw the bug earlier, agreed right on the spot and ordered the troops to rustle up the other generals. Soon they all gathered at the camp, whereas Xciozen hurried back to the castle.

Once again, he blew through the window and sped into the throne room, stomping the door open. The royalties flinched at his sudden return but understood that something was wrong.

“I apologize for the abruptness, but we have to go!” he shouted across the room.

Using the cross necklace the prince gifted earlier, it busted with a load of light. Xciozen then urgently guided the royalties out of the castle. And the minute they retreated to the camp, the spell was ready as there was a ritual circle, and all they needed was for Xciozen to cast it.

“What'd that spell do?” the prince innocently asked.

“It'll transport this world into a safer universe. Hang on tight!” Xciozen grasped his hand into a fist as lightning accumulated atop him. “Astariana!”

Jabs of thunder hit the circle but got dispelled by a sudden shift in the air. Misunderstanding it as a failure, he tried doing it again but met the same error.

“Huh?” he opened and closed his hand repeatedly. “I don't remember this happening...”

“What's wrong?” the King worriedly asked.

Xciozen turned to him as his eyes faded into a soft green color. “I... I don't know. Usually, I can execute spells just fine. Something is wrong, and I have no idea what it is.”

For the second time in his life, Xciozen felt genuine fear, knowing that if the spell couldn't trigger, the end of humanity ought to be concrete again. So he would determinedly venture into the forbidden domain of his paramount capabilities.

But no matter how much he had attempted, the efforts he spent were flooded by frustration and fear. Grounds juddered agitatedly, foreseeing the alighting of those bugs while particles clattered from the sky.

Particles dinged between blue and red as if they were glitching. A strange sight to behold. Leaving aside how weird it looked, now was not the time to let curiosity take over.

Xciozen, in a desperate attempt, manifested a barrier covering the entire planet. Then there came the bugs, smashing their heads against the forcefield once they had arrived. Their strength was unequivocal, easily breaking through it.

Earlier, Xciozen was doubtless, yet this vital minute avowed less. The prince broke out crying, praying for God's salvation. The Queen consoled her son, but his cries had long reached the sky wires. In light of the prince's pleadings, Xciozen gritted his teeth and anew unsheathed Xerith.

He turned around and walked away. The fear he had turned the past. With an ambitious look, he discharged routes of electricity, eager to defend this world he adored.

“On my behalf, I wondered why I was so scared,” he said with a straight face, his green eyes shaded cyan. “It turns out that the feeling was merely just a passing response to a situation. Out there, there are things bigger than them, that includes humanity's future.”

Deep down, the lingering fear clung to him, but he cast it aside. Bravery was never about how confident you are against a situation after all. It was about how you can do it even as fear accompanied you.

Skies glamoured in his eyes, and clouds clamored partwise. With every step he made, he harvested lightning. The next instant, he lowered his body, raising Xerith to the side and leveled with his head, his legs parted wider, blade facing upward. To the reflection he looked, the image trapped in the sword wasn't Xciozen. It was another man whose serious face, dressed in ancient clothing with far-reaching cyan hair, smirked for the first time.

“I'll have fun with this spirit's husk.”

The very second, the strikes of thunder hit the ground. Its flash flashed over the watchers, and Xciozen vanished the next second. Towards the bugs that had pierced through, he made light work of them. As if he had no issue with his mana and instead had been supported by an unknown source. With that said, his power soon surpassed the boundaries, taking the fight into endless space.

He was no less than the raging nature, annihilating the hazardous entities. Over and over, one after another, he couldn't stop sundering them and never would stop.

Heedless of his depleting mana, he cycled his sword every time it rended apart. How'd he breathe in space, let alone move? The simple answer, he was a spirit born from nothingness. Whereby how he moved, he upsurged from the corpses like a rocket.

For every booming and precise acceleration, his performance drastically increased. Faster than light, sharper than razors. His sword pattern slithered between them perfectly, with not a single flaw. Each of his victims hardly saw anything coming their way.

The last thing they felt was a grievous shock seeping through their veins.

Unwavered by redundant emotions. As all eyes dwelled upon the streak of light in the sky, zipping from star to star, everyone had their breath bated.

“Look what we have here... If it isn't my beloved enemy,” an ominous voice infiltrated Xciozen's mind.

Startled at how familiar the voice sounded, Xciozen looked around. “Who's there?”

The bugs lunged at Xciozen from all directions but got diced up in a second.

“Did you forget?” it spoke in a dark tone, rage emphatic. “I am your nightmare. A constant reminder of your mistake.”

Before Xciozen could reply, a devastating beam wrecked his world. Its heat flourished throughout the globe with chaos. Explosions desolated it second by second.

It took a while for the noble knight to realize what had happened, yet it was too late.

“No!” he screamed desperately, eyes froze afore the undeniable sight.

“So proud of your status, huh?” the voice mocked. “Can you still save everyone with your oh-so indomitable power, hm? Or is it just that you're a fraud, undeserving of your title, who tried to play it off? If you couldn't even save her, then who are you to save the world?”

A downpour of attacks hailed on Xciozen, and he had no time to deflect despite his outstanding speed. With every single one that slumped into his flesh, a stinging sensation desensitized him.

And there steered his world coming at him at a tremendous speed. Bugs swarmed him, encircling him like vultures as if they were performing a ritual. Helplessly having his vacant eyes peer at the world he used to live in, now becoming his demise, he reflected on what he could've done if the voice didn't distract him.

But the more he thought about it, the more it hurt knowing that even with great power won't always guarantee success in everything he did.

“Why do I always get distracted so easily?” he snapped, gritting his teeth in resentment.

Was there any other choice he had? At least one to choose from? No, he never had any. All that mattered was the effort to create a choice out of nullity.

Oh, right. That is a noble knight's purpose, the highest duty. Just because he failed to save his world doesn't mean he could ignore the others.

Bearing a new mindset, he, using everything he had left, went off with a high-voltage explosion by exerting his core.

Hidden in the settling light, Xciozen revved up his engine. However, as he was doing so, the voice once again whispered in his ears.

“What will you gain from ignoring me?” it spat. “Constantly running away from your past. Making no amends for your foolishness. Living a life free of burden even after that destined day. You cannot call yourself a hero knowing what you did that day. You left her to die alone. You watched her reach her dying arms to you in horror, yet you walked away as if nothing had happened!”

Despite the voice's wrath, Xciozen left its words behind, entering a state of subconsciousness, encouraged to engage with the bugs again. Spells upon spells, he drained himself killing them. But his efforts were unrelentingly dispelled and interrupted by an unknown force.

“As long as you continue to roam this world, my hatred for you will never bleed out,” the voice spoke with contempt, immense hatred, and unending anger directed toward Xciozen. “You will suffer what she, your so-called 'love' felt in her dying moment. I will ensure every second of your life will be spent in agony and resentment. Until the day God rains his judgment, I won't stop pouring mine upon you.”

The acute words it spat didn't trouble Xciozen, but the knight knew better than that. He knew what the voice referred to, yet he was too occupied with his intention of saving his universe. Attempt after attempt, Xciozen clenched his soul, stopping it from fracturing.

Consequently, his skin gradually cracked into flakes, gaps leaking a bright blue liquid. It was the ultimate price to pay for overworking himself. But in return, he managed to rid the swarm of its existence.

Now all that remained was to alert other worlds. The instant Xciozen moved forward. His soul shattered apart. Hearing it loud and clear, he started shaking. He was afraid of death, scared of facing it directly. He began hyperventilating. Steam came out due to the cold air in space.

The voice laughed as it was satisfied with his impending death. “Do you see how meaningless it is trying to impersonate a hero? You can't even hold it together on your own,” it continued the hurtful melody. “But, you can't die yet. That snarky woman wants you to live, and I disapprove of that idea. However, death is what you deserve, yet it is too light for you.”

A ringing sense paced him, reinforcing his shedding body. The edging fear in him suddenly disappeared, replaced with a refreshing feeling.

Xciozen thus felt his powers stripping away from him—like being drawn all the blood out. The prideful lightning of his left him in a rough stream. The infinite amount lit the entire universe, roaring before it returned the universe to its silence.

Nebula, too, parted his sight, leaving him in the murk. Surrounded by darkness, the inherent fear he had once again came by. Drowning in his flashing memories, he could only think of one person. As their image actualized, Xciozen's heart pounded rowdier.

“From now on, your new life will be full of betrayal and mistrust, one that makes hell a paradise. Living a life where heroes like you ought to be bashed for simply existing,” it declared, its voice firm. “And if I ever see or sense your disgustingly shameful presence again, consider your fate worse than death. The title you are so proud of? I will take it away, Chosen Fraud of Lightning.”

A wealth of red-blue particles amassed, modeling after a humanoid silhouette. It stared at Xciozen as if he was an abomination, slowly raising its hand.

“Farewell. I hope your life is a nightmare,” it said. “Oh, I almost forgot—you like swords very much, don't you? Here, have a parting gift.”

With an echoing snap, an untold number of pure white swords impaled Xciozen. Every single one of them hurt. But Xciozen didn't get knocked unconscious despite the raging burn. And, in a moment where he knew he would get sealed forever, the terror and panic clawed his skin, tearing his valiant will.

Once a noble spirit knight, now a regular spirit. Despair embraced him in its mocking arms, singing its unkind lullaby.

Eyes on the silhouette, Xciozen brooded a question inside.

“Who are they?” The rose-haired knight wondered hopelessly as the scratching pain soon got to him, leeching his consciousness. His skin claimed a fawn cold, losing its lively color.

{Prologue 2: Interconnected Tragedy}

Nightfall dawned upon a beautifully lit city bustling with activities and chatter—a world inhabited by creatures that differ from humans—within an era where overly advanced technologies took over, easing the life of countless. Skyscraping buildings and gliding vehicles burst in population. Cyber posters televised exciting news intertwined with interesting events.

A young man and a young woman walked into the cemetery, a bouquet of roses in the young man's hand. The atmosphere was gloomy, clenching the young man's heart and chest as if a machine was dishing out attempts to crush his soul into pieces. Seeing this, the young woman grazed her hand on his shoulder, consoling him.

“It's fine, Vargus,” said the young woman gently. “Don't be too harsh on yourself. You did what was best for the multiverse. If it weren't for your last-minute decision, this universe, and many others, wouldn't be roaming around the Omniverse.”

The young man, Vargus, was an imposing, pale-skinned man with looming unease and mystery. His utmost striking feature was his short silver hair, shining the light of a sword. Its metallic sheen drew gazes from passersby as they admire its stunning allure. His amber eyes served as the perfect complement to his silver locks—a final touch that completed this palette of colors

A tight-fitting black shirt accentuated his muscular physique while being cloaked by a silver coat adorned with a blue satanic symbol on its back. The coattails split into two flowing streams that danced gracefully along fleeting breezes. He wore cargo-black pants, high metallic black boots, and a dragon-head buckle belt that secured everything in place. Lastly, pair of dusky-blue fingerless gloves, topped by a few sharp finger claws, allow him to gain access to weapons when engaged with a threat.

He looked at the young woman in her eyes as his gaze suggested exhaustion, yet filled with softness and reassurance. He gave her a warm smile, trying to make himself less gloomy.

“Meriona, I understand your concern, and I am grateful for that—but I'm fine, really,” Vargus replied gracefully. “It's just that... I feel guilty for what I did. His life streamed down my blade, and then there's that. The responsibility is on me.”

With him, Meriona, his wife, a sheep-woman—was a mature and stunning woman, resembling a sheep in only one aspect—her two large spiral horns that peeked out from her long, silky, wavy pink hair. Her bright brown eyes twinkled like stars, giving her an air of curiosity and playfulness.

Her hair fell in loose waves, reaching down to her elbows and ending in soft curls. She wore a long-sleeved white blouse with a cascade collar accentuating her delicate neck and a long black skirt that flowed around her legs as she moved. Her white socks and black heels, adorned with silky golden chains, lent her an air of sophistication and elegance.

Pained and vulnerable as soon as Vargus had reassured her, his smile faded away. He continued walking with Meriona, bearing the ageless guilt. And as much as Meriona wanted to help him, she willingly condoned his scarred heart.

Ultimately, they arrived before a headstone, on which was carved the name 'Salverith Alfrus', below was labeled 'The Honored Soldier'.

Vargus knelt before it, taking a deep breath.

“Sup, long time no see. Couldn't visit you since I got dragged somewhere else after the war,” Vargus finally spoke. “Came back from Helthus recently. Good thing I didn't see you in that damned place.” He forcibly chuckled, his heart sinking with every word he uttered. “Anyway, I'll get to the point: I miss you, grumpy lizard. But I had to do what I did. To be honest...”

He sighed deeply, staring at the grave.

“...It was the hardest decision I've ever made, and it will stay like that until death. Day by day, I keep thinking about what could have been. What if there was another way? What if I could have saved you and the multiverse altogether? Wouldn't it be great to have you here now? Having your name known across verses instead of mine alone?”

The air coldly surged, subtly brushing his hair as if it tried comforting him.

“I know, I know. It's already too late to think about those things now,” Vargus's eyes ruefully gleamed for a split second. “But I can't help it. I miss you too damn much.”

He serenely placed the bouquet before the headstone and stood up.

“...And about your axe,” Vargus swiped his hand to the side, a sci-fi battle axe twice the size of him manifested. “I'll take good care of her.”

He turned his back against the headstone and walked away with a heavy heart. Meriona worriedly followed, providing solace to him.

“I don't know why, but my tissues and mind are aching. Are the medicines' side effects taking over?” Vargus waved the sad feeling away and turned his head to Meriona as he sent his axe into a dimension.

“The condition you are in requires a lot of medical consumption. Bear with it for a while,” she replied.

Vargus looked straight again and sighed. “Consuming lots of medicine would be bad for me, though. Don't you think so?”

Meriona hastened her footsteps, looking back at him over the shoulder as her eyes softened.

“Vargus, you know how bad your condition must be to resolve to this. Even Dr. Lyraeth objected to it, but we had to in the end—otherwise, the virus will overwrite your cells and kill you slowly and painfully,” Vargus gazed at her in concern. “Aside from that matter. ...Both your physical and mental conditions aren't making it any better. They keep worsening day by day.”

Feeling bad for making his partner worry this much, Vargus shifted his eyes to the ground.

“...Sorry for bothering you at times like this,” he repented humbly. “Anyway, let's go somewhere else. The air here is getting eerie. How about a Cat Cafe? Sounds good?”

Meriona's face lit up but quickly changed. “Although that sounds extremely good, I refuse. You need to take a rest. Your mental stability is becoming unstable as we speak,” she held up a device. It showed a single line violently trembling. “Yesterday, I connected the unknown chip in your chest with this Mental Wave Detector device. I had your consent, of course. Surprisingly, it works pretty well.”

Both finally walked out of the cemetery, now heading to their house. Down the sidewalk, people glanced at Vargus, either full of suspicion or worries. Yet, he didn't care. Meriona, unlike him, gave them threatening eyes.

“Grr... Any information on this mysterious chip so far?” Vargus pointed at his chest. “My chest is itching because of it.”

In response, Meriona pulled out her phone, turned it on, and swiped through pages of words. Soon enough, she stopped at a specific page. “Only a hunch, sadly. Rumors came around, saying that it was a lost ancient chip. How'd you even get it to merge with your chest in the first place?” she looked at him. “What even happened while you got stuck in Helthus?”

“Mm, some things are better off hidden,” he faintly smiled. “For the sake of your mentality, that is.”

Meriona was frustrated, but then she noticed his face and posture gradually became weary. His vision started glitching up, tampered with by an unknown force. Instead of panicking, he remained composed, covering his face as he gritted his teeth through the violent headache following up.

“Vargus, are you alright?!”

Just as she reached out for him, he gestured for her to stay back. His legs ceded to the pain afterward.

“Something had pierced through the inertia...” he shakily muttered as he forced himself up. “We need to notify the others. Come on, no time to waste!”

“Huh? What are you talking about— Ah!”

In a swift motion, Vargus picked Meriona up and activated his ability: Godspeed.

The next instant, he brought her into a different dimension. There dwelled a vast military base crowded with heavily armed vehicles and soldiers. Upon Vargus's unforeseen entry, the soldiers stopped their march to salute in waves upon Vargus's rash entry.

“General Ira!” one of them stepped up. “The Warhawks were about to reach out to you. Please, you should hurry to the base!”

“Knew it... You all and Unit-103 (Meriona) will evacuate the civilians to the neighboring universes,” Vargus commanded, his eyes fierce and determined, urgently placing Meriona down. “Deploy Unit-8G9 and Unit-2Y5 and inform them about this. I'm sure some of you guys have received that same signal, right?”

“Positive! Roger!” They started going into formations, fastening their positions, shambling orderly.

Still confused, Meriona pulled Vargus's sleeve. “What signal? How come I didn't receive it?”

“I sensed an entity, a dangerous one, had broken through the inertia. The reason why you couldn't sense it was because you're not a supernatural creature. Now go, make sure Radella is on the spaceship,” Vargus urgently spoke as he held her hands dearly, his fierce gaze eased up. “You stay safe too.”

With that, Vargus took off, heedless of the condition his body was in. Minutes later, Vargus made it there by diving through the ground. When his head had made it through the ceiling, he stopped to look around. He now arrived at a compacted room secured by steel walls, enlightened by a few lines of neon red.

At the end of the room stood four individuals, staring at a big monitor, the screen split into 9. On the other side mounted a portal, vines wrapped around its structure. Knowing the situation, he flipped around and dropped his legs first.

His landing step caught the attention of all except one. They, in contrast, had their eyes glued to the screen, which showed footage of a swarm of what seemed to be—deformed insects.

Vargus waved and looked at the big screen. “Exploding population...? Any idea what that is, Lyraeth?”

The white-haired, slender woman in a trench coat, named Lyraeth, the Caladrius. She's attired a white trench coat, which concealed a black waistcoat and a pair of black pants, with two angel-like wings behind her waist; shake her head in disagreement. “No, but they managed to pierce through the fabric of the universe. They are feeding on the energy of other galaxies.”

“...Feeding on energy? Hmmm, a similar case to File-09, then?” Vargus closed in on the screen, standing aside from the person who didn't bother looking at him. “So observant, like always. Anyway, what's the plan here, Darius?”

Darius, the Chimera, he's an imposing figure towering over others with a bulky physique and sun-kissed skin. Swept back and puffy black hair, streaks of light streamed through his hair constantly. His fierce brown eyes filled with pride and intensity. Resting above his right shoulder was a black goat's head, its neck elongated from the mid-back, and it seemed to be breathing. His long tail featured a cobra head, lively throbbing around his legs, hissing like hot metals. Cladded in a thin sci-fi red-black body armor, it steamed up, releasing his skin briefly before tightening again.

Darius turned to Vargus with a poker face, arms crossed.

“Well, uh, apparently, those things have already devoured countless universes. Estimated to be billions at best right now,” Darius grabbed the top of Vargus's head and directed his gaze around the monitor. “Look, see how disgusting those things are? Pesticides aren't doing anything, and their ability is quite concerning. To conclude this, our universe is doomed.”

“...Care to elaborate?”

“They can take on many forms from what we've seen, their distinctive traits being the purple gem in their chest and their wasp-resembling wings. Like a heart, veins branched from the gem to operate their functions. We need to destroy it. Otherwise, it would live on. Roughly 34 Solar masses in size, the job won't be easy,” Darius released Vargus's head, his voice toned down. “Right now, your conditions aren't compatible for combat. All you need to do is evacuate everyone. When the operation succeeds, we'll assist you in getting on the spaceship to another universe.”

Annoyed, Vargus frowned and turned around. “Oh, trust me, this condition won't bother me much. Besides, I was in a state way worse. Come on now. We don't have much time. The swarm will get to the galactic filaments soon if we don't act.”

Darius smacked his lips, going to the end of the room to grab his weapon. “...Stubborn inbred! Don't blame me if you die doing this!” he snarled, gazing at Vargus over his shoulder. His eyes alone were enough to send chills down Vargus's spine, let alone his heavy aura. “The hell you standing there for? Move your legs!"

“Alright-alright, asshole,” Vargus shrugged it off, smirking. “There was no reason to be that harsh.”

Lyraeth tapped Vargus's shoulder, her voice was strict. “He's right, Vargus. Just because you're a hybrid between a Demon and a Dragon doesn't mean you are immune to your diseases. Everything has a limit, and you're not an exception.”

Vargus flat-out brushed her hand off and grinned willfully. “Limits, huh? Those are nothing but mere obstacles for insecure fools. A word such as that has never come through my mind for once.”

“Confident, I like that. But as the others said, you are underpowered,” Agaroth—an Angel—chuckled, walking up next to Vargus. “Persisting in attempts to save the world while you are in a condition that makes combat a myth to you. Look, Vargus, I respect your valiance and willpower, but you must step out of this. Our main objective is to evacuate all lifeforms of this universe, not enter combat with the swarm. Unless the situation calls for it, we will act upon it.”

He stopped to catch his breath, then he spoke again.

“Hah... Although I put it like that, the situation had long called for it,” Agaroth walked to the back of the room, standing alongside Darius. “Their speed is just like yours, Vargus. Fast and unpredictable. Who knows if they can arrive here at any moment? One thing for sure is that we have deployed spaceships primarily in cities. Best if you go operate them now.”

Agaroth—with his lean physique and tanned complexion, he exuded nobility and warmth. Inheld of silver blonde hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to glow with gentle radiance, his charisma was deemed remarkable. The most mesmerizing feature of his was his six wings, which have a striking combination of white and black. In keeping with his angelic status, Agaroth's clothing is simple yet elegant, consisting of a form-fitting jumpsuit in shades of silver and white with a metallic sheen that gleamed in the light. The jumpsuit was adorned with intricate patterns of circuitry that glowed with soft green light, hinting at the advanced technology that Agaroth wielded.

“And what for?” Vargus now turned to Agaroth with a frown. “Do you think I will let you go out there and die like that? Die and then consumed by galactic insects? It's not that I'm speaking out of my ego. No hard feelings towards everyone, too, by the way. The fact that most of you haven't recovered from fighting me; doesn't make you all any different from me, no? And to add to that, my god-like abilities are most fitting for situations like this. There are also other divisions. They can operate them while I help you guys.”

Things went silent. The tense air became awkward soon after. Everyone exchanged gazes, pondering their answers. Time is fleeting, and so are the lives of trillions. They had to regard their problem for the time being. Focusing on the universal concern should be prioritized rather than retorting with a stubborn man. Agaroth sincerely looked Vargus in the eyes, slightly shaking his head.

Gestures of 'Come on now, don't be stone-headed' was given to Vargus; he didn't care either way. But after a minute of silence, he let out a long sigh, settling his decision with an aggravating shrug.

“Alright, fine!” Vargus grew out two bat-like wings from his back, spanning them. “I'll be in charge of directing the troops and evacuating. Good luck - and don't die. I hate coming to funerals.”

Before he took off, he raised his palm on the ground, initiating a blessing. Lights filled the room for a swift second before hazing away. As everyone regained their sight, they found Vargus gone the instant their eyes recovered. Moreover, they also felt a significant change in them, as if an infinite flow of energy booted them up.

With this newfound strength, they questioned no further. Before they went on, Agaroth and Darius were tapped on the shoulder by a shadowy figure behind them. Though Lyraeth didn't get tapped, she was also startled—because of the figure's gloomy aura—and let out a quick yelp.

“Forgetting someone?” Whispered the shady man, who loomed over the two men. “Gentlemen, I would love to hear why no one looked in my direction during Vargus's stay...”

Darius was shaking immensely out of fear. Agaroth—unlike Darius—laughed and swept his eyes to the shady man without a thought of fear nor a single hint of uncomfortable.

“Lurking in the shadows all the time ... how are we supposed to see you, Yron?” He laughed. “Anyways, time's of the essence. Let's get going— Wait, this is the first time you've spoken in years!”

Yron—a shadily dressed man embellished in a black suit, beautifying it with his short silky light blonde hair, partly covered by a fedora, dusty rose eyes hidden behind round sunglasses—was too stunned to speak. Thus he stepped back and zipped his mouth.

Lyraeth composed herself in the next second and sighed. “Well, I mean, the universe is in grave danger. Can't see why he wouldn't speak.”

“Yet we are standing here chit-chatting like a normal day,” Agaroth shrugged and ran off lively. “I've said this many times, but we must go now. We'll hold them off for Vargus to do his job. Supplies are ready.”

Others followed him at a matching speed toward a portal at the end of the room.

Elsewhere, Vargus had been directing the troops since his departure, readying up astronomical spaceships to transport with his unmatched speed. Wailing civilians eagerly cut the order to head into the vehicle first.

He did everything he could to maintain the situation while circling the world countless times. But the chaos unfolding with the sirens posed a challenge for him. The screams and questions all rang in his ears perpetually.

Species ranging from earthly to those beyond imagination; were led into the formatted spaceships scattered around the world one by one.

Anyhow, he managed to diffuse the chaotic situation. He was very annoyed, given his short-tempered side. All that had to be kept down regardless, for his task is one of the utmost highest responsibilities, to ensure a brighter future is what he must accomplish. But he alone couldn't do such things. However, he was not alone in this. With the help of many other troops and divisions of special forces, the mission became easier.

And soon, his world fully got evacuated. After assuring that Meriona and Radella, his teenage daughter, made it onto the spaceship safe and sound. Vargus informed Agaroth through a radio earpiece.

“Mission accomplished. How is it on your side?” Vargus walked towards the spaceship as he spoke.

“Yeah, pretty much. We've also tried detecting lifeforms from other galaxies but got no response. Maybe they must've been drained by the swarm before our signals reached them,” Agaroth replied instantly. “Right now, we're searching for the bugs. They are, without a doubt, good at masking their presence. It's been a week out here compared to the time in our world, so you should keep your guard on; in case they pull up on you.”

“Thanks for the heads-up. Anyway, go to the asserted universe. I'll send the coordinates. We'll reunite there.”

Expecting Agaroth to voice his agreement as he walked, Vargus hampered his steps. The silence was loud, however. Statics and choppy explosions then replaced the answer he awaited.

Dropping as fast as his stomach could've done, Vargus sensed an abnormality in something familiar, yet he wasn't sure.

As such, he bolted into the crowded spaceship and slammed the button next to the entrance. Subsequently, he struggled through the crowd, heading for the pilot's cabin. When he had banged on the door once, which dented the steel door deeply, a confused pilot opened it and let him in.

“What's the problem, General Ira?” The confused pilot asked shakily.

“Abandon the E.W.S Units and depart now! Inform the others to leap to the furthest universe,” Vargus turned the pilot around and pushed them back into their seat. “Go! Questions later!”

Confused but worried, the pilot launched the spaceship, rumbling the passengers. Taking that chance, Vargus phased through each person. When he blurred past Meriona, he halted.

“If you see some galactic bugs coming after this spaceship, summon a black hole to hold them back, alright?” He spoke. “Stellar black holes are greatly appreciated, just don't throw the ones you threw at me that almost made the universe collapse on its own.”

“Ah, uh, okay... what about you? Are you going to go out there to help them?”

“Mhm, I don't think they can hold themselves against those things. Agaroth lost connection while I was talking to him too. That gave me enough cues for the situation he's tangled in,” he thus knelt before Radella—a teenage girl dressed in oversized clothing, seemingly just woke up from her sleep. Her hair was long and slinked to her waist, highlighted by pink streaks. “Radella, I will be back in a bit. Stay safe.”

Radella nervously nodded, and with that, he plunged out of the closing entrance. After a hard landing on the ground, Vargus rolled with momentum before standing up.

Succeeding in doing so, he activated the second ability allowing him to pinpoint where his comrades were.

They were very near, only a few million light-years away. No time wasted, Vargus prodded himself to initiate his ability. A portal opened before him, resonating a path strolling through flaring stars.

Eager to lend his helping hands, he forced out an armor of blades to secure himself and dashed along the path. Less than a few seconds later, he showed up where he picked up the signal: A deserted planet, pestered by sandstorms here and there. But this wasn't just any deal he had experienced before. The adjacent worlds, likewise, were destroyed or badly damaged. Their exposing cores were enough to prove it.

Vargus felt relieved knowing his comrades had enough firepower to engage. Only the sandstorm blinding his visions now bothered him. He couldn't see through, even with his helmet protecting his eyes.

Vargus enhanced his vision and looked up to the sky into space, gazing at the dead planets wandering between seas of stars. “These people... were they this destructive before?”

He decided to move around, but something gooey stuck to his shoes. The sound was wet and dull. He squealed in disgust; much to his reaction, the storm went out conveniently as needed.

“Ew— Oh.”

Strangely and eerily, corpses of those galactic bugs he saw earlier on the screen sowed places as the storm cleared out, the gems Darius spoke of sprinkled over their carcass, and traces of his comrades were blurry but evident.

Furthermore, the galactic bugs took on humanoid forms. Humans, animals, and even unidentifiable creatures were heaping for their life. Profoundly concerned, he crunched and followed the brief aura trails he saw with his second ability, making himself appear as small as he could be, trying not to get noticed by them since a few were alive. His conditions weren't making this any better.

His muscles stiffened, mind empty—free of thoughts, and actions became more clumsy as he went on. Not to disappoint himself, Vargus toughed them out in a second, pursuing his goal fiercely despite the bugging pain.

His chest was a flaming furnace, fervently sweating.

Sadly, his effort got kicked down the drain as one noticed him, undeterred by the distance given being planets away.

Notably, considering Agaroth's words, it killed no second getting to him.

Hearing the buzz but too disinterested, he fetched his battle axe and apathetically impelled it. Easily grinding its way over the hard gem, the axe curved back to him like a boomerang.

The moment the bug clumped down, it released a foul smell close to rotten meat and a burst of flesh. Disgusted at the sigh of the gooey cords sticking to the armor, Vargus shook them off as the armor tolled. Unknowingly drawing the attention of many others, he continued, too disgusted by it.

Constant buzzes then reverberated hind his ears, ringing with danger. To him, getting this slimy plight off was more important.

“Will you guys ever shut up?” He released his helmet, revealing his mouth to open. Above his tongue charged a dainty energy sphere that illuminated the insides.

Right after he obnoxiously stuck his long tongue out, the beam slinked down along, forming light rays. Bidding farewell to the bugs with a friendly wave and a snarky smug, he launched a colossally destructive beam in their faces, smothered their entire existence into specks of dust with its unbearable force. It pressed on and pierced through the neighboring planets that had aligned themselves with the one he was on. Stars instilled above and beyond departed from this world in silence.

Burning out seemed almost like a dream for him. He kept up long enough to drive the bugs away briefly, enough time for him to stop.

“And here they said I can't fight in the given conditions...” He huffed as he tryingly swabbed his mouth, sizzling his backhand.

Time was burning away for him, so he urged himself to hasten his movements, not slipping a chance for the swarm to catch up. Fog secreted from his mouth, densely obscuring him. He carefully skimmed through the entire planet, rattling dirt where he stomped, then to hundreds of others in search of his comrades, speedily shifting directions as the trails lengthened.

Be it a shooting star, a brightly proud one. It was Vargus in the form of a star, reigning the universe with his speed. Embodying it was hard but not impossible. Into the boundless space, across the merry wonders and mysteries, the ancient relics and stories. The shining light he radiated brought on a curving trail.

Sincere prayers happened in the spaceship. Radella clasped her cross necklace in hopes of the best for her father. Opened sentiments of hers worried Meriona, who had Radella in her securing arms.

They feared for his safety, nonetheless yearning for good news from him. However, the roaring beam Vargus breathed earlier had inflamed a striving concern among the passengers.

“O Lord, I come before you today to lift up my father in prayer. I ask that you watch over him and keep him safe from harm. Please surround him with your love and protection, and guide him on his path,” Radella prayed wholeheartedly. “I know you are the ultimate protector and provider, and I trust that you will be with my father wherever he goes. Please give him strength and courage to face any challenges that may come his way, and help him to always turn to you for guidance and comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Like an answer to her prayer, a brilliant shooting star curved through the window as two cosmical draconian wings spanned from it. Radella perked up, and so was Meriona. They were aware of what the shooting star was.

“Thank God he's fine,” said Meriona, an allayed smile on her face.

Wait, something was off. Meriona saw a shadow chasing the shooting star with her keen eyes. The cryptic speed it possessed almost stood in the same stadium as Vargus's speed. A rival? Another threat? Neither of those made sense. Or at least, she thought so.

She has to tell him about it. She must. But how? She had no communication device, as her phone signal won't reach him. Left with the only choice, which might malfunction the chip in Vargus's chest, she wasn't fond of risking it. The best she could do, as a whole, was to wish him victory.

Back to Vargus, he was nowhere near nor reaching the destination. He proceeded to overwork his bodily functions, unhindered by internal pain. As durable as he might appear to be, its unavoidable consequences would eventually conquer his body and mind. In due time, he rested on a vacant planet; inhabited by withered trees exhibiting ominous mist.

“Weird... I've just been gone for an hour, and it's already a week for Agaroth. Running to the planet earlier took no second after he got attacked, so they shouldn't be far away from where I was. Perhaps I should double-check my path—”

Suddenly, a sword scrapped through his armor from the side. It was too fast for him. Thankfully, it didn't open up a wound. Trailing that, every cell of his alerted an incoming danger, a threat posing the end of his universe, screaming at him to fly up immediately; wasting time would call for his demise.

Event after event within a single frame was too much for him, but he agreed with his instinct and soared. A nebulous figure hence crashed close to the sword, flinging dirt and stirring a screen of earthly flakes. The ground trembled in its presence.

Steadying his wing beats, Vargus glared at the settling dust screen below him, calming himself down from the undeniable fact of who his opponent was. It was hard to believe if it weren't for the trail leading to the root.

“Agaroth, what do you think you are doing? Throwing your holy sword at me like that?” Vargus lowered, opposing Agaroth, disabling his armor while trying to play it cool. “This is no time for joke. Where's everyone? Got split up?”

Clouds of dust settled down, finally revealing Agaroth's frame. However, he had gone through a significant transformation. He was now covered in shining silver armor, keeping the soft green circuitries. He also had a grey tailcoat, fading into white from top to bottom. Valkyrie helmet he wore, the top extended forward, resembling the upper beak of an eagle, covering his eyes.

His overall appearance had gotten taller, too, towering over Vargus at 8'2.”

“I sincerely apologize for the lack of convenience, but you must die, Ira,” hostility filled Agaroth's mind, sword pointed at Vargus. “Either your life or the multiverse. Choose.”

“...Okay now, what's with the sudden noble upfront and threats, calling me by my forgotten name?” Vargus sighed playfully, in complete denial, hands raised in the air. “You ain't scaring anyone, even me. Now where are the other three? They are sneaking around and then laughing altogether after I get scared, yeah? If so, now's not the time. The swarm could arrive at any second. Let's get rid of them before they get to other verses.”

Agaroth's face sterned up, quietly entering his combat stance, imbuing his sword with holy fire. Without words, he stared Vargus down, cocking his head up. Repeating himself was no longer necessary. It's up to Vargus to interpret the words himself.

“What's with you all of a sudden...? Declaring me your enemy and all that,” Vargus chose not to enter his combat stance but backed up instead, his expression guarded. “I once again ask you, alright? Where are they? Darius, Lyraeth, and Yron, what happened to them—”

Bold to assume he had the chance to finish his sentence. Vargus's arms thudded upon the soil, and a waterfall of blood stained his clothes. Bones exposed, muscle strings intact, dangling like a rubber band. He had no intention of doing anything but standing there inert in pain instead.

Then a pierce jabbed at Vargus. A loud and full clang blew in. Everything behind Vargus got wasted into coarse smut.

“Do you have a single idea of what you are doing?” Vargus irascibly snarled, biting down Agaroth's sword. “Violating the rules seems to be your favorite thing to do, huh? Unoriginal of you!”

Tiny strings and branches of his nerves bloomed from his wounds, encompassing the newly grown bone entwining in his flesh.

Vargus gained another pair of arms in no second, and with it, he shattered the sword with a back slap. Consumed by fury, consecutive power jabs thrust Agaroth's armors, breaking through into his bare skin. And his fists a blur, bearing a grim demolition. Seemingly not enough to satisfy his rage, Vargus launched Agaroth against the withered trees.

As the bark broke, it caused a wildfire by leaking a fire-sensitive substance. Contacts of the fractured steel inconveniently sparked a fire. Despite the flames hugging Vargus, he madly threw his fists.

No less than having a wrecking ball crash into him, Agaroth threw up blood on Vargus's arms. Every punch was painful; not one bit of mercy filled in those. As Agaroth ate up Vargus's rage, he heard the bones in him cleft, his veins flying open.

Bruises and heartfelt injuries carried some more weight. Agaroth dauntlessly stood tall, absorbing Vargus's perpetual cycle of punches.

“Have you forgotten?” Agaroth finally caught Vargus's fist. “My ability? My power? The distance I can go to, and you not?”

Green energy openly sailed from his chest into his right arm, building up muscles and firepower. Masses compacted within the godly hand, a heated expression on his face. Barren of hesitation, Agaroth heartlessly punched Vargus down. Rebounded the planet they fought on a fractured star, Agaroth left-hooked Vargus and sent him to a different world. All that only for Vargus to avoid it at the last minute, and thus he zapped away in the other direction, heading toward the spaceship.

His peerless speed left Agaroth in a screen of dust. But to Vargus's surprise, buzzes crept up on him. It seemed like the swarm had brought itself up to speed.

“Fast indeed,” Vargus swiped his hand to the side, a sci-fi battle axe manifested, blade engulfed by blue flames. “Are you guys tanky though?”

With a swift and clean circular swing, the axe left a fire ring in its path, killing a decent amount. He swung again; this time, the number of slashes and intensity increased, yet still prolonged his swiftness. Turn by turn, the bugs' bodies rained in a flux, sailing into space. He hardly had gotten a chance to rest. Their numbers were too overwhelming.

In that howling moment, Vargus reached his limit. Yet, with strong determination, he went on slaughtering bug after bug. Soon he caught up with the speeding spaceship that he had left. It was traveling through a wormhole. Vargus clawed himself tightly onto the top, eyes on the swarm. The swarm, annoyingly, had clung onto his trail. Shaking them off now would be a challenge. If not, the only chance to escape.

With no choice left, he pressingly informed the pilots via earpiece, commanding them to activate an anti-earthquake cabin—a structural cabin that smoothly flows with the earthquake's momentum—so the passengers won't get hurt. After steam came off the engines, Vargus was positive they followed his command.

Thus, he launched another devastating beam, annihilating the swarm while accelerating the spaceship. A win-win situation, but it proved futile as the bugs multiplied themselves in a matter of a second.

“Where's the black hole? Didn't I tell her to use it?” he stemmed, overheating. His mouth was a bonfire, fuming as if it had gone through a fierce fire. Cheeks started crumbling down into ashes, teeth clear to the eyes. “Maybe I have to—”

In his demands, thousands of massive black holes emerged behind the advancing swarm, thousand years away from the wormhole, and sucked the bugs in. It was effective, but at the same time, not so. The spaceship got pulled in too. Again, he blasted another beam, bringing balance. As Vargus tired out and thorough, Agaroth darted at him from inside the swarm, grabbed him by the face, and mercilessly slammed him down, denting the spaceship with a loud bang.

Despite that, Vargus was very resilient. He couldn't get knocked out.

“The hell do you think you are doing, jackass?” Vargus wrestled Agaroth over and locked him in an inescapable position.

Retaining Agaroth under control may have been good if the unforgiving swarm wasn't so stubborn. Their marching won't stop unless someone does something about it. Under the pressure, Vargus had only two choices:

Deal with the swarm or deal with Agaroth's abnormal behaviors.

Doing both would be physically and mentally draining for him. His limit, as mentioned, had bounded, contradicting him. Struggling in attempts to perform heavy-duty tasks would drain his vitality until he's nothing but a pile of ashes. Which option will he choose?

Patience, and time, were running out. Negative thoughts and scenarios glutted him, playing out the worse ones possible.

In a complete state of subconscious, he threw Agaroth at the speeding swarm over his shoulder with great force and ran after him. Within the next second, he dismissed his axe and summoned another weapon: a long haul of sharp chains with a crescent blade.

Series of crescent slashes he performed relentlessly and with fluidity—each one was as ruthless as the previous, masked by graceful movements. Combining it with his Godspeed, his attacks became invisible, giving the term 'Dodging' an outright fantasy story.

The way he attacked was like a slumberous river streaming through the earth every day, truly at peace doing so.

Beneath Vargus's outward calmness laid a maelstrom of emotions: despair, struggle, and a profound sense of betrayal. The sight of his former comrade's cold and callous demeanor pierced his heart, fueling his fury with each swing of his weapon. As Vargus continued to fight, he became increasingly brutal, consumed by a thirst for vengeance, an unquenchable one.

The bugs began to transform, assuming shapes that defied all descriptions. Some even took on humanoid forms, cunningly attempting to deceive Vargus. But Agaroth would not be fooled. Agaroth counterattacked with a speed that matched light, the bugs rallying around him to bolster his movements and matching Vargus blow for blow. The battle raged onward with blinding flares and blurs as the two warriors clashed at breakneck speed.

The battlefield was a place of deadly silence, and anyone foolish enough to step into the fray was signing their death warrant. The bugs, renowned for their incredible speed, were powerless to interfere with the conflict, let alone approach Vargus.

Despite his seeming invincibility, defeating an Angel of Agaroth's caliber was akin to attempting the impossible—like trying to smash through a mountain with bare hands. His strength and power were nigh unbeatable, and any who dared challenge him did so at their peril.

The reason for Agaroth's betrayal remained a grueling riddle as it wavered Vargus's mind during the clash, distracting him from the goal. For that, it cost him dearly—his life.

“How bold!” Agaroth shouted as he launched a mirage sword. It narrowly scrapped through the chains and drilled a hole in Vargus's stomach. “This is why you should listen to others. Unlike the old you, your strength and mind are terribly weak!”

Lights dampened in Vargus's eyes. Bashfulness contemplated while misery direly gripped him, loathing him with insults. Vital organs sawed out, spurting gore, punily squeaking.

Yielding to such fascinated his baneful situation. Knees down, hopelessly squeezing the mirage sword's handle. Ponderous breaths, life passing away. The agony in its singe boiled him from the insides.

“Feedback on your own medicine?” Agaroth teleported before Vargus, crouching to his level and lifting Vargus's chin with his sword. “You look miserable ... like the famished poor ones. Should I have the honor of ending it for you?”

A sadistic look sneered on Agaroth's face, an angel acting more demonic than the demon himself; this was not how things were supposed to go. Angels were supposed to protect humanity, whereas Demons do the opposite.

“Hard to say. We've been buddies for like, what? 23 years? What a long time,” Agaroth thought loudly, his hand slightly coiled back to command the bugs, cutting their assault. “Still, despite how much we've been through, our origin made us mortal enemies; me and you, Heaven and Hell, two forces in constant war. We, as a whole, will either die for our realm or put on a cloak and walk away.”

Vargus was silent, too powerless in the face of his opponent.

“Did you lose your vocal chord? Those uncannily sharp fangs lurking beneath the charred thews, fizzling a bright yellow like hell hounds. Why do you look like an inferior Cerberus?” Agaroth leaned closer. “And those eye bags too. Haven't sleep well recently?”

In a desperate attempt, Vargus forcefully grabbed Agaroth's sword, cracking it with his strength. That made Agaroth laugh hysterically.

“If only you could see your face right now,” Agaroth began pushing Vargus back, pulling the mirage sword out. “Utterly disappointing. The carnage you caused in Helthus, the lives you stole. Were they originated from you? Or were they just lies?”

Vargus's eyes emblazed dark blue as his tired face switched to irritated, his bare teeth veiled by the flesh. “Neither.”

Vargus headbutted Agaroth, stunning the angel as he got on his feet. A front kick sent Agaroth off the spaceship. Instantly as he fell, the bugs verged, ferally attacking Vargus.

Before their edged legs could sink into him, their gems got diced, and thus they fell in unison. The gooey mess they left didn't stick to Vargus but was directed toward Agaroth instead.

“Foul-mouthed angel,” Vargus grumbled as he threw the chains at Agaroth, uncaring about the sword in his stomach. “Learn to speak like one before you act like one. Hypocrites disgust me.”

Successfully hooked Agaroth with the chains, Vargus pulled Agaroth back and blasted a shockwave with a punch, again sending him off. Vargus stomped on the chains, tightening its wrap.

As the force furrowed Agaroth's chest, he flexed his wings, freeing himself from the chains. Within that second, his wings washed over Vargus with intense heat, negligibly charring him.

Ignorant of the pain, Vargus gathered the chains and hung them on his shoulders. “This is the second time I have had to help this guy,” he shifted the weight from one leg to another, hand on hip. “Okay, let's not waste any more time. Any excuse for your unacceptable behavior?”

Floating towards the light-speed spaceship without breaking a sweat, Agaroth landed graciously, but his face said otherwise. “A lot. One of them includes the dreadful future you ought to cause.”

“Hoh?” a smug on Vargus's face appeared. “Framing people without evidence ain't my cup of tea, nor was it yours. Tell me, noble one, why did the bugs ally with you? Why did you betray us, hm? Isn't your job as an angel to protect lifeforms?”

“You need not to know.”

Vargus put the chains into action, dangling the crescent blade at his side. “Very well, then. Blame me for your defeat; you shall not,” he seized the chains, forming cracks, bursting them into azure flames. “Say, we haven't fought each other seriously for once, right, Agaroth? About time we do that. I will crash my judgment on you,” accumulating the rage towards his core gravity, he shifted into a black-white bestial demon and dragon-esque in some aspects: spiky scales, four wings, and two skirring dragon tails on mid-back—almost rivaling Agaroth in size.

“The only person who can judge me is God.” sword raised, body lowered, Agaroth steadied his breathing. “You're in no place to do that,” he added, “And for that—your existence has fated to befall here. Give up, for you shall behold the true power of an angel.”

“God this, God that. Seriously helpless,” Vargus began swinging the chains in a fast circular motion, casting a moon silhouette. “Better wrap this up quickly.”

“Oh, please. You're not even employing your real essence to face me. Believing in your triumph so soon without that exceptional power shows naivety.”

After that, their fierce clash shook the vehicle, rambling everything. Vargus had the upper hand, pushing Agaroth and the swarm out of the wormhole by wrapping his powered chains around the team of black holes, gathering them like a net of balls, and moving them in the opposite direction of the spaceship. Once out, he hewed the wormhole in half, latching the entrance.

Setting the scene up, Vargus destroyed the black holes with a simple line of his weapon, freeing the bugs.

“This universe has become our authority now,” Vargus devilishly smirked. “Play all you want. I'll oversee your child's play.”

Blood spewed out of Vargus's mouth as his skin turned ashy, threadlike strains stretched his skin disturbingly, yet he burst out rabidly laughing over the pain. It appeared that the inbred had lost it. Considering Vargus's request worthwhile, Agaroth's heart beat with ecstasy as he pried in.

Galaxies flaunted in fear under their weapons' greetings. With the two unhinged forces assailing, the swarm had been passed on as a lesser threat in the eyes of the hybrid, Vargus. Likewise, Agaroth discarded the ubiety of the swarm, seeing them as underlings contradictorily to the dangerous prospect they held.

It dragged on to prevailing from galaxy to galaxy as there were mighty halo rings of raging fire and rays of unyielding lights embroidering the universe. The two beauties that enlivened the detonating stars as their trails forth sketched a constellation as their clash forged star points. It later grew in size and complexity, stretching wide.

During the blurring fray, Agaroth noticed a petite line of tattoos on Vargus's neck—it looked almost like a cursed mark identical to a raven, one he had never seen before, but he paid no mind.

“Lay your pathetic eyes upon a fraction of my power, peasant,” Vargus wrapped his chains around his right hand, curling his fingers into a fist and putting it next to his hips, a fierce look of lust for blood on his face. Beneath his crumbly skin, rooted indigo hellfires, ready to tear asunder.

But Agaroth, as an equal, fueled his sword with the absolute peak of willpower. Its shine contested, fighting the darkness pridefully.

In this driving second, Agaroth knew of the unspoken danger underneath Vargus's fist; just a simple punch alone would mark the end of him.

Agaroth moved his sword low to his left waist, grip constricted, near breaking the handle. “So be it,” he said, drowned in the holy aura. “Fearing your forecast, I need not, for only God's definite and truthful. Dying here would disappoint his expectations, as he declared me his strongest warrior.”

Overcharging their decisive smite, either spitefully gazed in the other's direction. And there came the second when they had done. Their entire frame flowed in auras.

With no formal farewell bid, no remorse, nor regret. The heavenly force hurled with the infernal force, issuing the beginning of linked gamma-ray bursts.

Skin hauled away, as the smell of burnt flesh rotted in their nose, neither was willing to surrender. Extreme regeneration—combined with a deranged need to kill the other, mended their flesh and bones to keep the twisted fun going.

Both the fighters left mayhem in their wake, guaranteeing this universe a dumpster of devastated stars. Tanking the bursts, they continued, as strikes of their weapons started to tear reality apart—their image shifted into an alternative with each one they destroyed. Vargus, strangely, was confidently smug during the fight.

Unable to make the most out of Vargus's carefree emotion, Agaroth put no question in mind later on and proceeded. Flashes from the sparks blinded the bugs, giving them no time to slip in. In truth, neither of the fighters was at their full power. It was about who landed more hits and destruction.

With constant diseases cramping up, Vargus had to minimize his power usage. Drawing down energy at this moment would call for death. For Vargus, holding Agaroth soon became more hellacious over time, but the time he reeled in for the others was enough since the battle had been going on for a long time.

Tasteful adrenaline on his tongue numbed the weight in him low enough to keep him going. Grunting after powerful swing, unforgivingly jabbed in between, gifting Agaroth fatal wounds as if their friendship never existed, Vargus seemed enthusiastic about doing it.

Meteorites mindlessly drifting their age away into space, all of a sudden, were pulled into this hysterical fight. Pitched, slammed against, and derived into a decoy, Vargus and Agaroth tactically wrought them until they powdered.

Getting bored of this dreary fight, Vargus gathered a hefty amount of dark energy in his chest with his god-like superpowers, seeking the final resolve now that this universe was empty to destroy the universe by accelerating its growth.

Granted no time to react, the dark energy's magnitude arose, spreading miles deep and as wide as flourishing grass. A visible tear in the fabric of the universe then formed and ripped vanward the crazed combatants. Beyond the tear was a blank, white field. This event was known as the Big Rip, the most catastrophic event.

Swept away into pools of thoughts, the pair had to stop to gaze upon the end of their universe. As for the bugs, none were alive in the fight's aftermath.

With a smug that could anger anyone, Vargus chanced the situation to slash open a wormhole and flew into it, closing it the instant Agaroth snapped out.

Now that he had left the universe, Vargus thought he was safe and would reunite with everyone since he had taken the same route. That positive mind got dismantled snappily when a baton stabbed his back.

An impactful sensation descended upon him, brought him down to the internal surface of the wormhole, and pulverized his scales.

“What the—!”

Another crushing force dawned on him. This time, it was a spear that pinned him in the chest, letting the spiraling surface of the wormhole grind him. So agonized, he roared and snapped the spear in half. Onward he hastily continued, holding his stomach, which started aching from the mirage sword. Casting the wounds aside, he reluctantly flapped his wings faster.

Never before had Vargus met this much trouble. Getting out as soon as possible would be great. The smell of burning flesh funked his nose. Signs of frailness cropped up in his motions. Etched deep within, where shooting pain carved. He suddenly felt so empty and light. He, for a split moment, thought he would die.

“Did I lose something?” He wondered. The essence of disappointment from Agaroth's betrayal thumped, showering him.

“That guy... why did he betray the others and lesser me?” Vargus's demon form subsided. The fading mist uncovered the humanoid form. “Argh...! Not again! Why must this guy carry this many diseases—”

Withstanding such weight for his legs was impossible, but Vargus wouldn't dare perch on the smothering surface. Attacks from earlier might come at him too, and he was overly worried about them.

Subtle and inconsistent changes in his speed soon brought him to that of a snail. Consciousness crumbled away as fast as the remnants of a fire.

“...If it comes to this sudden end, I'll have to make the most out of it.”

Hindering the pain, Vargus altered the course of the wormhole, leading to another universe.

“This'll do, in case the bugs and Agaroth manage to open up to this path,” he panted as he swayed, heavy heartbeats pounding in his ears. “Hopefully, that event will get rid of the bugs and him,” his panting got heavier. “Dang, shouldn't have delayed the diseases. Now they are getting to me. I can't even use Godspeed...!”

Unbeknownst, the wormhole collapsed. The source didn't come from the black hole, that's for sure. In an exhaustive state of composure, he executed roving slashes endowed with reparation blessing, fixing the wormhole. Muscles in him started burning, exhilarating smoke. What a price to pay for the persistence of saving oneself.

But he cannot accept his fate. If it were to collapse on him, it would be over. He'll be stuck in the black hole forever with no way out. He can't give up just yet. His family is waiting for his return.

His senses gave in, straying from consciousness as fatigue got the best of him. Pitiful, to say the least. If only his cognizance got as determined, things wouldn't have ended like this.

Midst the grumbling bridge to a parallel universe, Vargus stared at the thread rays differentiated by colors, shading from blue to red, passing by at the speed of light. Breathless, mindless, and lightless, the blood in him quitted coursing. The scorching hellfire under his skin tore open.

The wormhole tumbled into darkness, developing into a black hole. As Vargus foundered, the gravity within battered him, pulling everything of him apart as it crushed his bones. He lived, unfortunately. A demon's durability can transcend beings. If that wasn't a curse, I don't know what is.

“Liberty of Jack of all Trades. Don't recall having one,” he bitterly laughed at himself, having fire feasting him in the gloom. “Such quieting flames. Wonder why this guy hasn't gone insane.”

The silence was loud, with what broke it was the voiceless void growling and prowling for him. Vacant of lights, trapped in negativity, drawn a husk. Vargus could look around him but not speak or think. The fire had eaten everything.

He smelled a scent carried by a passing breeze, pleasant and forgiving. Its fragrance reminded him of someone he held dearly. Meriona or Radella, none of the two were close.

“Oh, hey, I haven't seen you in a while. Here to take me away?” An empty thought behind Vargus's eyes, as their blue paled amber.

Vargus hallucinated a man whose body glowed like stars. The man's silky black hair flowed in darkness, faceless. His caress hand reached to Vargus. Upon touch, a soothing bliss warmed him. As his crumbling body received the covert sensation, his vision grew dark.

[Author's note: The original name of this story was 'Glimpse Of Otherworldly Hopes', but then Ville wanted to change it. So we changed it to 'Beyond The Boundaries', but then we noticed that it would cause some future trouble. So we finally changed it to 'Entwined Boundaries: Beyond The Paradox'.]

Also, here's a fun fact: This story was originally a Konosuba 'fanfic'.

It was published when I first wrote this thing on a certain website. And there was no Original Work category on there so I had to mix it with Konosuba (It forced you to choose a fandom).

And here's some advice, don't do that, it's a pretty bad idea, trust me I learned it the hard way.

Finally, after a long while, my team found out that AO3 has that Original Work category so, yeah.

We've decided to revamp every chapter and improvise them in the meantime too.

If you want to see the first-ever version of this story in its full glory, you can ask for it from the proofreader. However, if you care about his well-being, I suggest you don't do that or I will have to clean the filth out of him ... again. You can ask me, the author too.

This story was first published on December 11th, 2022 on a certain website; and then it was deleted on May 4th, 2023. And now it's published on AO3 on June 2nd, 2023.

Writers: Ville and Xciozen.

[Proofreader's Note, from Sohom: Proofreading the prologue for the 2nd time, let's hope this one doesn't get scrapped.]