Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Skullius had given up on becoming a full-fledged super unique Bringer of All, all because he had more faith in his subsequent still-brewing plans. He didn't like the idea of being overwhelmed with the ton of abilities that he'd have to circle through when he was fighting someone like Fulgardt if he were to become a Bringer of All composed of himself, Araeyn, Red Rage, Beyrmir and Weaver.

Unlike the battle across the Null Remnants before, when he had become the amalgam Vohnvolt, he didn't have as much freedom because he and Fulgardt were the only players.

Merging with Weaver alone was enough. The Nulliergrapher had an abundant understanding of Null Life Essences, possessed more than a dozen Null Life cores, and could develop abilities simply from need. Indeed, a simple need.

There was a lot that could be achieved with just that ability.

The amalgam was already learning many things simply by having Weaver's unique body bound with his. He had already learned how to use Maximum Jaqquezjaqqz for basic combat without destroying himself and was approaching Future Skullius' skill in using Ju`wtte for extraordinary speed.

But that wasn't all.

Since the moment Skullius had become Weaver of the Right Festos Dawn, he had been using the basic properties of the [Entropy's Harmonising Nimbus], the properties of a newly acquired ability, [Entropy's Null Life Essence Subjector,] and those of yet another ability [Entropy's Harmonising Staff] to do something truly special.

Indeed, he wanted to learn how to use Focused Null Life Ota.

It was easier said than done, but even with the fraction of attention the amalgam was giving towards the process, he was almost there. He was nearly 60% of the way to awakening it!

Oh, how thrilling it would be to rub this extraordinary achievement to the Four Authorities of this generation, all of whom but one couldn't use Focused Null Life Ota.

But before then…

BOOOM!

Leaving behind a trail of blood and flesh, Weaver of the Right Festos Dawn blew through a thousand trees after a cruel blow crashed into his side. Two more Fulgardts followed after him, racing along the white stone road. Two more soared through the sky, quicker than light. One of them created a kusarigama (sickle and chain) with darkness, hooked the amalgam through the chin, spun him around, and sent him flying towards his similarly airborne double.

The new Weaver mobilised a cold Null Life Essence around himself for protection and blended three more types of Null Life Essence to create a seal that locked onto the Fulgardt he was about to meet. At once, that particular Fulgardt was snagged quickly towards the ground, as if all of gravity was suddenly on his feet.

…But that didn't stop the Fulgardts on the ground from fetching the amalgam with a chain of darkness, pulling down and stabbing him with a spear.

'DAMMIT!' Weaver cried inwardly, and once again scooped up [Entropy's Berserk Smoke] and inhaled.

"Bring it on."

But the Fulgardt's were well prepared.

They immediately erected a ring of light around themselves, with Weaver of the Right Festos Dawn right in the middle.

…And then they all attacked at once.

It was a massacre.

Even with fearsome physical attributes that far exceeded the powers he had acquired while using [Forbidden Monastery of Black's Scion], even with the [Entropy's Acclimating Haze] telling him exactly what the Fulgardt's would do, the amalgam was beaten black and blue without even managing to retaliate properly. He couldn't even heal properly.

One of the Fulgardts sent his battered body flying again while another swung his kusarigama in a needlessly wide arc, cutting down trees as easily as slicing butter with a hot knife, chopping down many of the Maddeuwkah within a thirty kilometers radius mercilessly, and then cutting up the amalgam!

'Come on!' the new Weaver thought, but he bled when he saw a female Maddeuwkah attempting to push her child to safety only for her and her child to have their torsos violently sliced off.

Many similar scenes followed before each slash and gash the amalgam received. Two, three or seven Maddeuwkah were murdered for every limb he lost to the kusarigama.

The screams and cursing (most of which he could understand only because the cries of all living things always reached a singularity at some point) made his remaining hands tremble.

Naturally, all this was intentional on Fulgardt's part.

"Come on. Just show it to me already," one of him said. "It's the only reason all these people are dying – all because you won't go all out? If it hurts to watch them die, then give me what I want, brat! Your fate is already sealed. You wanted this!"

Even the amalgam told himself the same thing, but in a very, very different context.

'You can end this! You can end this! Just do it!'

But he couldn't. Not yet.

One of the Fulgardts planted his hand on the white stone road.

"Have it your way then!" he cried. "The darkness kills!"

A giant wad of darkness exploded from under the Immoral's palm and rapidly began overshadowing the whole world. It devoured the trees, the corpses, the houses, the air.

The surviving Maddeuwkah shuddered and scrambled into the air, flapping their wings, and supporting each other.

But the darkness didn't care. It leaped and splashed against them, turning them into shadows branded against the sky.

Soon, all the survivors fell back on the ground in the billions. Dead.

Weaver of the Right Festos Dawn gritted his teeth.

'I can't do it. I can't,' he thought, watching them all fall. 'I'm sorry, Elita. Those were just words. I'm not sure I can pull it off. There has to be another way to thrive as a Divine. A better way.'

The look on the amalgam's face told Fulgardt all he needed to know.

"Still, huh? Well, I guess I—"

"MY LIEGE!"

…!!!

Both Fulgardt and the new Weaver looked up at the source of the voice.

Red Rage was flying in the sky, looking radiant and heroic. His right hand was pointing up while his cape billowed in the wind. Beyrmir's shadow was falling over the world above him. (Fulgardt had destroyed the Rules to this world too, hence why they could freely enter.)

"I am here to reinforce you, my liege!" said Red Rage. "I know you're burning on the inside, torn. But it's alright. Just this once, it's fine for you to be selfish. Just this once, it's fine for you to make a great sacrifice for your own good. All of your followers, I included, will help you bear the burden of remorse afterwards, until it no longer weighs on you as much. So, my liege… Please, be selfish."

Fulgardt snorted. "What?"

He couldn't comprehend what the Apostle was saying. He didn't comprehend what Red Rage did next any better.

The First Rank Apostle issued a decree that the world immediately followed. He took Executive Action and gave a Brilliant Order.

"Darkness that feeds on life. Darkness that eats away integrity. I command you in the name of Skullius Festos Dawn to release this wonder of a world and give back all you took!"

…And quite shockingly, a spectacular light issued from Red Rage's raised finger and washed down on the world. It wasn't just any ordinary light, however. It was empowered by both Null Life, and the brimming Amras of the Deity of this world.

In a flash, Fulgardt's darkness was driven away, banished, and every single thing it had cut down and destroyed… was restored.

Even the Maddeuwkah were revived.

Those that were cut down by Fulgardt's kusarigama were restored, as were those devoured by the darkness. The only ones that remained dead were those who had died as unintentional collateral.

Fulgardt scowled at this.

Even he couldn't parse what kind of power this was.

A Deity alone didn't have the power to just revive anyone who died on their world, he knew. So, was it truly Skullius' Apostle who had facilitated what he saw before his eyes?

"Selfish, huh? I guess I could give it a try. I could stomach it… just this once."

Fulgardt was torn from his thoughts when he heard the healing amalgam say those words.

He was smiling, despite being battered.

He looked at the Immoral and laughed.

"Just this once. Just to beat you," he said, and his hand, unshaking, made a gesture.

Fulgardt…shuddered.

…!!!!

The same strange sensation he'd felt when Somanda had taken over his body earlier, gushed through his body again.

That marker Skullius had placed on him when he landed that punch wasn't done being useful.

But strangely, this time, Fulgardt felt as though he was in deep trouble.