The oppressive weight of the Whispering Wastes finally began to recede, replaced by a tangible shift in the air. The faint, high-pitched static of psychic feedback diminished, and the distant, unsettling hum of the Dormant Grey Nexuses faded into background noise. The untainted resonance, however, grew exponentially stronger, pulling Alex and Verwel with an almost magnetic force. It was no longer a distant beacon, but a powerful, vibrating presence that filled the air, promising sanctuary, or perhaps, a confrontation.
"We're almost there, boy," Alex said, his voice laced with exhaustion but also a growing excitement. His Energy and HP were mostly full, thanks to Mental Fortitude lessening the drain of the wastes and the occasional Grey Shard (Minor) consumed. He felt the familiar tingle of XP accumulation, knowing he was on the cusp of another level.
The landscape transitioned once more. The cracked earth gave way to a vast, shallow basin, its floor covered in a layer of fine, dark grey ash. Twisted, skeletal remains of massive, unknown structures jutted from the ash like ancient bones. The air here was strangely still, devoid of the swirling dust of the plains or the oppressive mist of the city.
Alex's Passive Core Resonance flared, sensing a new, overwhelming presence. It wasn't the chaotic energy of the Abominations, nor the cold stillness of the Watchers. This was a roaring inferno of raw, destructive Grey energy, focused and intense, unlike anything he had encountered. It felt like standing too close to a raging, malevolent star. And within that inferno, fighting against it, pulsed the untainted resonance he was seeking.
[Warning: Extreme Energy Saturation Detected. Proximity to Untainted Nexus.]
[Threat Detected: Grey Annihilator (Construct)]
[Level: 10]
[Danger: Catastrophic!]
Alex froze, his heart seizing in his chest. "Level 10?!" he gasped, his voice barely a whisper. "Catastrophic?" He hadn't seen a threat level that high, not even for the Shadow Stalker. This was beyond anything he'd faced.
He scanned the basin, his Core Resonance straining against the overwhelming Grey energy. In the center of the ash-covered expanse, surrounded by shimmering distortions, stood a monstrosity. It wasn't organic like the Abominations, or subtle like the Watchers. This was a construct, a towering, blocky figure of pure, solidified grey energy, standing perhaps three times Alex's height. Its limbs were thick, powerful, and its head was a featureless block of pure grey, emitting pulses of raw, destructive power that scorched the ash around it. Tendrils of Grey energy lashed out from its form, striking the ground, leaving smoking craters.
It was actively attacking something, focusing its destructive power on a distant, pulsating point of light within the basin – the source of the untainted resonance. And at that point, Alex glimpsed her: a figure, small in comparison to the Annihilator, but radiating intense, fiery untainted energy. The woman he had seen in the Keeper's vision. The woman with the fiery red hair.
"She's fighting it," Alex breathed, adrenaline overriding his fear. "She's fighting a Level 10!"
The Annihilator roared, a soundless concussion that made the air tremble, and unleashed a concentrated beam of grey energy at the glowing figure. The woman countered, a surge of orange and red flame erupting from her, deflecting the beam. She was powerful, but even from this distance, Alex could tell she was being overwhelmed, her untainted energy flickering against the constant barrage.
She is Pyra, a guardian of the untainted fire, the Keeper's mental voice suddenly echoed in Alex's mind, urgent and clear. The Annihilator is designed to dismantle energy forms. She cannot hold it alone much longer. You must act!
Alex gripped his frying pan, his mind racing. A Level 10. He was Level 4. A frontal assault was suicide. He needed a plan.
He looked at the basin. It was flat, open, offering no cover. But the ground itself was covered in the fine, dark grey ash. And the Annihilator was a construct of solid grey energy.
"Verwel," Alex whispered, his eyes narrowing. "We need to cause a distraction. Something big."
He thought of his skills. Energy Push, Enhanced Strike, Sweeping Strike. Grey Purify. And Core Resonance. He needed something that could affect a construct of raw Grey energy, something that could exploit its nature.
He looked at the ash. Could it be purified? He activated Basic Analysis on the ash.
[Object: Concentrated Grey Ash]
[Description: Residue of profound Grey Remnant consumption. Highly unstable and reactive to untainted energy. Can be manipulated with sufficient untainted energy. Caution: Explosive potential when mixed with untainted energy.]
"Explosive potential," Alex repeated, a dangerous idea forming in his mind. He looked at the Annihilator, its immense form slowly advancing on Pyra.
"Okay, Verwel, stick with me," Alex said. "We're going to use Sweeping Strike on the ground. Multiple times. As fast as we can."
He plunged into the basin, running low, keeping his Core Resonance active to filter out the Annihilator's overwhelming energy signature. He aimed for the ground directly in front of the construct, about twenty meters away.
"Now!" Alex yelled. He slammed his frying pan into the ash, channeling all his renewed Energy into a wide Sweeping Strike. The untainted energy surged, colliding with the unstable Grey ash.
The effect was instantaneous and violent. The ash erupted, not with fire, but with a concussive burst of grey energy, laced with sparks of emerald light. It was a localized explosion, small in comparison to the Annihilator, but powerful enough to create a momentary screen of smoke and debris.
[Sweeping Strike: Reactive Explosion Triggered!]
[Damage Dealt: 30 (Area of Effect!)]
[Experience Gained: 50 XP (per target!)]
[Energy: 5/10]
The Annihilator paused, its featureless head turning towards the disturbance. Its beam attack on Pyra wavered.
"Again!" Alex roared, ignoring the draining Energy. He slammed the frying pan into the ash again, channeling more untainted energy. Another, larger explosion erupted, sending a wave of ash and energy towards the Annihilator.
[Sweeping Strike: Reactive Explosion Triggered!]
[Damage Dealt: 45 (Area of Effect!)]
[Experience Gained: 80 XP (per target!)]
[Energy: 0/10]
The Annihilator let out another soundless roar, its form flickering violently as the explosions of reactive ash slammed into it. Its movements became erratic, its focus shifting from Pyra to the pesky, glowing human.
"Keep going!" Alex yelled, taking a Grey Shard (Large) from his backpack and shoving it into his mouth. The instant surge of Energy was like a jolt of lightning.
[Energy: 10/10 (+10)]
He channeled another Sweeping Strike, then another, creating a rapid series of concussive blasts that continually rocked the Annihilator. Verwel, understanding Alex's intent, darted around, nipping at the Annihilator's feet, drawing its attention, and forcing it to divide its focus.
The Annihilator shrieked, a high-pitched, guttural sound that seemed to tear at the fabric of reality. It ignored Pyra, turning its full, terrifying attention to Alex. Its featureless head began to glow with a malevolent grey light, charging for a massive retaliatory beam.
"Alex! Get out of there!" Pyra's voice, clear and strong, finally reached him, filled with alarm. She prepared a massive fireball, ready to intercept.
Alex knew this was his last chance for a decisive strike. He had to hit it directly. He had to exploit the reactive ash. He pulled out his second Grey Shard (Large).
"Verwel, distract its face!" Alex yelled, throwing the frying pan aside. It wouldn't be enough. He needed raw power. He had to trust in Core Resonance.
Verwel lunged, a shadow-bound missile, tearing at the Annihilator's chest. The construct roared, momentarily distracted.
Alex activated Core Resonance (Active) to its maximum, pushing past the warnings, ignoring the overwhelming surge of power. His body glowed with intense emerald light. He charged, not at the Annihilator, but at the ground directly beneath its feet, slamming his bare hands into the reactive ash.
"Energy Channel! Overload!" Alex screamed, channeling all his remaining energy, all the untainted power from the Sanctuary, directly into the ground.
The ground beneath the Annihilator exploded. It was a massive, deafening blast of grey and emerald energy, tearing the very earth apart. The Annihilator, caught directly in the epicenter, shrieked, its solid form fracturing, cracking, then shattering into a million shimmering pieces of grey mist.
[Threat Neutralized: Grey Annihilator (Construct)]
[Experience Gained: 1500 XP!]
[Item Dropped: Annihilator Core (Legendary!)]
Alex collapsed, his body shaking violently, his Energy and HP both plummeting to 0/10. The Overload warning screamed in his System. He was completely, utterly drained. He was too weak to even move, barely conscious as the last vestiges of the Grey Remnant dissipated into the air.
As the dust settled, the untainted resonance from the nearby nexus flared, pure and strong, washing over him. A figure knelt beside him, their fiery red hair framing a face etched with power and concern.
"You idiot," Pyra said, her voice surprisingly gentle, but her eyes held a hint of awe. "You almost got yourself killed. But you did it."
Alex managed a weak, exhausted grin. "Just... doing my job."
He was Level 4, but that single blow had propelled him far beyond. His System notifications were screaming, but he was too tired to read them. He had found her. The first guardian. And he had survived. This was just the beginning.