Abyssal Awakening

Gwen had always thought to herself about Shiera's fighting style.

Her aunt, the Apostle of Preservation, focused on honing her martial arts to the point of fanaticism.

At one point, Gwen couldn't help but wonder. What does it mean to be the Apostle of Preservation? What does her authority entail? And why does she need such power?

Shiera developed the Zone technique, taught it to the masses. She modified it to the safer version.

Then, in her pursuit of greatness, she developed the Vision. One could even say this was the highest peak when it comes to physical mastery.

A technique that allows you to grasp any and all movement honed by your physical attribute.

A technique that allows her to become a receptacle of information, capturing the entire fight in her eyes.

As long as it's within the physical limitations of her body, she could react to it.

But what pushes an Apostle of Preservation to create such power?

Gwen didn't know.

No matter how she scrambled her mind, she couldn't think of why Shiera was so desperate for the height of martial art.

To her, those that chose power for protection were those that screamed at the world.

"I don't care if my body is hurt or broken so long as what I treasure is not lost."

In which case, what did Shiera treasure? What did she want to preserve so desperately for her to develop this technique?

Gwen wanted to know.

She wanted to find out.

If she discovers what Shiera held in her heart, perhaps she'll be able to further her own Vision.

Syrion stepped through the dust cloud. His eyes locked onto Gwen. If he had a mouth he would be frowning in displeasure.

"Can you do it?" He asked, aiming his sword at her.

"It doesn't matter whether or not I can. What matters is that I give it my best shot!" Gwen clenched her fist, veins bulging with radiant fire.

"That's right! It doesn't matter if the task before you is what most deem as an impossibility! Just as how I wish to tear down the moon with my own hands, you wish to extinguish the light of the sun that has deviated from its cause!

"So burn! Burn your life force and show me the desire to transcend the divine throne!" Syrion roared, his killing intent surging like a tidal wave.

*BANG!!!

With a single step, Syrion was already in front of Gwen, blade practically grazing her neck.

But before his strike could sever her life, Gwen parried with the back of her fist!

A second strike was coming!

Gwen's eyes turned bloodshot. Information flowed into her mind like an endless storm.

*CLANG!!!

A second strike echoed out from her right as she parried once again.

Cuts spreading across her arm while emerald flames healed her in the same breath!

A flurry of swords along with perfect parries!

With Alice acting as support, Syrion was limited to physical attacks!

This was a duel.

A duel between a father who lost his family and a daughter who's watching danger approach her father.

Syrion disappeared from her sight.

Widening her eyes, Gwen slammed her fist into the ground without hesitation.

Shattering the foothold beneath them, flames converged into a single radiant sphere, a false sun!

Debris burned into molten lava as Gwen snapped her gaze upwards.

Syrion was preparing a downward strike!

Clenching her fist, the false Sun detonated as she unleashed a torrent of energy towards him.

Blade Horizon!

Gwen immediately stepped to the side yet a cut still appeared on her neck!

If she was any slower, her head would've been severed!

Green flames burned, healing her wound as she prepared her counter.

"Too slow!" Syrion appeared in front of Gwen.

Blade Horizon!

*CLANG!!!

Forcing herself to give up any of the blessings that Solaris had given her, Gwen parried Syrion's strike using her gauntlet.

Blood dripping from her nose as she forced her body beyond its limits.

Her Vision pinpointed exactly where she needed to hit at full power so that the attack would miss.

A command that her body followed to the best of her abilities!

Slamming his fist into Gwen's stomach, Syrion threw her into the air as he sheathed his blade.

Blade Horizon – Multi Strike!

"Old man! Don't you think that's cheating a little!" Alice shouted, firing three singularities that transformed into bolts of energy.

Each of them accurately swallowed one of the strikes while Gwen parried the last.

Syrion furrowed his brows.

His attack should've cut through Alice's parry yet they were still swallowed.

"Surprised? I bet you are. Want to know the secret? Not gonna tell ya~" Alice stuck out her tongue.

Pressing her finger against the ground, a blood pool spread out in an instant with Alice in the centre.

Spider lilies blossomed, latching onto Syrion's armour.

However, he had already figured out her trick.

Striking against the Void directly would allow it to tear and his ability will function as normal.

But by folding the space around the strike while in motion, Alice was able to negate the attack without it breaking apart.

A move that needed exceptionally high visual clarity and timing.

A move that she can only activate while Vision was running.

"Seeing too much is detrimental to you." Syrion warned, tightening his grip around his sword.

*KRK!!!!

The space around him fractured, tens of sword slashes freezing in the air before shattering all at once!

Alice shielded her eyes in pain.

Each of those slashes were actually constructed of hundreds all doing the same motion!

To overload her senses in an instant…

"Freak!" Alice cursed while diving into the Void momentarily to avoid Syrion's follow up attack.

Before Syrion could reach Alice, Gwen crashed down in front of him.

She slammed two fists into his guard, forcing him back.

Just as Gwen was about to kick, Syrion stabbed his sword down with the blade facing her, forcing her to stop.

*CLANG!!!

His upwards swing was punched to the side as Gwen twisted her body, faking a roundhouse kick before shifting into a leg hook.

Forcing Syrion to bend his knee, Gwen slammed her fist into his jaw. A devastating upper cut.

Blood splattered into the air.

Gwen gritted her teeth, green flames coating her arm as Syrion had actually countered!

When she smacked his sword away, he quickly shifted his grip and transformed a slash into a jab!

"You are flesh and bone, I am nothing but a set of hollow armour. These attacks won't work!"

Syrion reached out for a grab but the Void opened beneath Gwen, dragged her through.

Reappearing behind Syrion, Gwen was about to strike when Syrion countered with Sword Horizon!

"!!!"

His strike missed as Alice had created two more portals where Gwen's stomach would be, causing Syrion's attack to miss!

Jumping out of the portal, Gwen slammed her heel against Syrion's head, knocking him back.

"You're too focused on the appearance of your techniques! Forget Shiera, forget the sun! How does your body want to move! Listen to that flow!" Alyss took over quickly as she jumped in front of Gwen.

Destruction point!

Unleashed three slashes in quick succession, Alyss shredded three hidden strikes that Syrion had thrown out the moment he was kicked away.

Seeing this, Gwen nodded her head and lunged towards Syrion.

Each attack she threw was parried.

And in return, Syrion would counter with slashes aiming for her life.

She blocked what she could while Alice covered what she couldn't.

If Alice wasn't here, the fight would've ended long ago!

Gwen gritted her teeth.

This was her bounty yet she still needed so much help. How was she supposed to protect her father if she was this weak!?

"ARGH!!!"

Letting out a shout of frustration, Gwen grappled Syrion but he threw her away.

If she was struggling with a Lord, how was she supposed to fight Solaris!?

False sun? Blessings?

F*ck all of that! These were things he'll take back the moment she turns her blade towards him! She couldn't rely on this!

What she had to rely on was her own power. Gwen understood why Shiera chased after this power. The power to control the space around her through pure power.

It was so that she could preserve the delicate balance that was Solaris' whims and boredom.

Too weak and she'll be replaced. Too strong and Solaris may get rid of her.

By being able to accurately control her surroundings and choose how much power she needed to exert, she could effectively control the status quo.

So what about her? What kind of goal did she want to achieve with her Vision?

"Alice! You don't need to interfere anymore."

"Huh???" Alice glanced over in confusion.

If she didn't interfere then how was-

Alice froze. After a short moment, a smile appeared on her face.

"Alright. I'm trusting you here." Alice took a step back.

That look in Gwen's eyes. One of clarity, of confidence.

"Alone? Even though you were struggling against my strikes?" Syrion frowned.

Was this the limit of Gwen's potential? The folly of her overconfidence.

"Yeah. It's meaningless unless I do this alone." Gwen smiled, closing her eyes.

Clashing her fists together, Gwen summoned the false sun and shattered it with her own hand, returning the power to Solaris.

She didn't need this power. It was a liability.

Syrion frowned and adjusted his grip.

Blade Horizo-

Before he could unleash his attack, Gwen punched the pommel, forcing the blade back into the sheath!

"!!!"

As Gwen opened her eyes, radiant flames surrounded her pupils.

On her forehead, a golden crest manifested, one that's different from Solaris' icon yet radiated a similar feeling.

The power of the Sun.