"Dammit!" Nyx gritted her teeth when she saw Nox being slammed into the deep crater. The others were also stunned at the drastic turn of the fight; what was even more shocking was Nyx cursing!
Nyx was known for her fine etiquette and manners. Though she behaved like a tomboy at times, she never spoke vulgar words. If not for the situation, they could have…laughed at the rarity of hearing such words from her lips.
However, because their attention was solely focused on Nox, they didn't even notice this.
"Is this a good time to help now?" Rab stammered, feeling his insides heat up despite being under the rain.
"No!" Nyx was firm in her decision. She resumed her indifferent expression, clenched her fist, and uttered in a resolute voice filled with faith, "Nox hasn't lost yet. I know it; he'll win this fight."
"B-but," Wendy tried to work her jaw as she pointed at the deep crater. "How are we sure he's even still alive inside there? That punch seemed very powerful."
"Trust me," Nyx stated, and at that moment, by coincidence, another round of lightning lit up the mysterious realm, briefly casting a shadow across Nyx's beautiful features. Her voice turned cold and dark as if influenced by the storm, as she said to Wendy, "And remember, he's my brother as well.
I also want to rush in there and lend him a helping hand, but, like I said, that stupid boy would be angry. This is his fight; we'll not move an inch and will just watch."
Wendy frowned as she sensed the subtle threat in Nyx's voice. She still wanted to retort. She wanted to remind Nyx that Nyx was merely a kid and that she, Wendy, was the senior. As the senior, she naturally knew best! Yes, she knew revenge was very important for Nox, but she couldn't afford to see the Barony lose after coming all this way, all because of some revenge.
Her lips twitched, and she was about to say something, but Cole, who had noticed this, quickly placed a hand on her shoulder and said:
"I know you're worried, but like Nyx said: believe in the commander."
"Yeah." Rab also chimed in with a chuckle. "You know, there was once a time when we went on a dangerous mission."
"D-dangerous mission?" Wendy stuttered, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Yes, a very dangerous mission," Rab nodded with a smile on his face as he proceeded to explain with an animated expression. "That day, when we were about to steal those eggs from the mother chicken, she stood like a colossal guardian..."
"All of us were scared, but do you know what the commander did?"
Confusion still shone in Wendy's eyes. What was this baldy talking about?
Nyx stared at Rab from the corner of her eye; a brief look of gratitude flashed in her gaze. Who would have thought her brother's silly shenanigans in the past would one day lighten the mood of a tense situation such as this?
Seeing what Rab was doing, even Cole joined in the conversation.
Falling into the giant crater, Nox didn't hit hard, solid ground as anticipated. Instead, he found himself inside shallow water, albeit deep enough for someone to drown if they weren't good at swimming. The water was nowhere near as pristine as the beach he had swum in back in Snowhelm when he had used his dimensional key.
This one was filled with rocks, and Nox slammed into one of them. The jagged rocks—remnants of Helen's Blood Pillar attack—sent a searing pain shooting through Nox's body. He clenched his teeth as he resisted the urge to groan in pain.
Nox felt his ribs sting as well, but he gritted his teeth and swung his arms, swimming to the shore. However, from above, he saw a figure jumping into the crater.
A deluge of water splashed out, and Nox hastily turned around. As expected, there was none other than Hendrix. The water rippled as Hendrix's fist shot forward underwater.
Nox hastily brought his hands forward, successfully parrying the attack, but the overbearing force of the punch sent him reeling. He shot backward like a bullet through the water, slamming hard into the wall of the pit.
Spiderweb-like fractures appeared on the wall.
"This..." Nox's eyes shone with a mixture of fascination and slight frustration as he saw the description of the skill in his retina.
[Overload Frenzy (Ultimate Skill): Upon reaching critical HP, the user enters a "frenzied state," pushing their body beyond normal limits at the cost of self-damage. For 60 seconds, the user gains a +50 Strength and +30 Agility boost, with each strike doubling in power but also draining HP by 5 per hit.
This state enhances physical endurance and senses to near-superhuman levels, amplifying pain resistance and reflexes. However, the Overload Frenzy skill leaves the user weakened for 3 hours after deactivation, reducing all stats by 20%. HP Requirement: 5% or lower. Cooldown: 24 hours.]
Of course, Nox didn't miss the chance to get the upgraded version of this skill, which was Limit Breaker, but the drawbacks loomed ominously in his mind. Similarly to Overload Frenzy, his health was required to hit 2% or lower before he could activate the skill, and he couldn't ignore the fact that his maximum HP would be permanently reduced.
[Limit Breaker (Divine Ultimate Skill): Upon reaching critical HP, the user unleashes the true Abyssal Overload Frenzy, achieving an unstoppable state of power. For 90 seconds, the user's Strength and Agility surge by +500%, and each strike generates shockwaves capable of tearing through barriers and armor.
In this state, physical endurance, senses, and pain resistance are maximized, granting near-immunity to most debuffs. Additionally, the user can ignore lethal damage once per activation, continuing the attack despite mortal wounds.
Dread Aura: Emits a field of intense pressure, lowering enemy Strength and Agility by 40% within a 20-meter radius.
Reckless Empowerment: Each attack costs 2% HP, but critical hits restore HP by 1% of the damage dealt, allowing for a potentially endless assault.
Time Distortion: Slows down the user's perception of time by 200%, amplifying reflexes and reaction time to superhuman levels.
Drawbacks: After the effect ends, the user's HP drops to 1%, and all stats are halved for the next 24 hours. Each activation permanently reduces maximum HP by 5%. HP Requirement: 2% or lower. Cooldown: 72 hours.]
As much as Nox craved strength right now, he couldn't use this skill… not yet.
"I'll only use this skill when all hope is lost," Nox thought, shaking off the pain. "But right now, all hope is not lost... To win this fight, I need to focus on getting out of this pit." Nox's dagger glowed faintly underwater as he recalled the conversation he had with Rufus in the Pantheon of Mythical Beasts.