The VIP chamber hummed with tension, its dark crystal walls reflecting the soft glow of bioluminescent orbs. Neve rose from her seat, her ice-blue eyes sparkling with curiosity as she seized Kazimir's hand, her grip warm and insistent. "You seem to know a lot about this overload stuff. I'm not even close to that educated about it," she said, her voice a blend of awe and playful demand.
Riah stood, claiming Kazimir's other hand, her crimson-red and black eyes locking onto his with a teasing intensity, her red-and-white striped hair. "I don't either, so enlighten us," she said, her smile radiant as she leaned closer, her touch electric.
Jessie burst out laughing, her voice bold and playful. "Why y'all holding him hostage like that? Let my brother breathe, haha!"
Riah shot her a cheeky smirk, her eyes glinting mischievously. "He breathes the air I produce from my body anyway."
Neve and Jessie exchanged glances, Neve's brow arching in mock scandal. "That sounded very freaky."
Riah's smirk widened, her gaze flicking to Neve with a playful challenge. "You know, if you want to join us later, you can. You can inhale the air I have Kazimir breathing."
Kazimir chuckled, shaking his head, his galactic eyes—swirling with stars and a crescent moon pupil—twinkling with amusement. "Alright, stop with the teasing already, haha." His tone softened as he met their gazes. "I don't fully understand this overload stuff myself, but I know it's a gateway to a reawakening. It's rare—most don't survive it. The survival rate's about one percent, and I doubt anyone's ever completed the process to unlock their true power hidden within."
Jessie leaned forward, her arms crossed, her expression curious. "Is there a name for the state beyond overload?"
Kazimir's gaze drifted, his mind sifting through ancient knowledge. "Hmm, I think it's called Overrise, or the Transcendent State—if you survive it, of course."
Their conversation was interrupted by Toto's booming voice echoing through the arena, amplified by holographic runes that pulsed in the air. "RAIJIN IS ENGAGING IN COMBAT!" The crowd roared, and the VIP chamber's occupants snapped their attention to the holographic screens. Jessie's eyes widened, amazement flickering in her expression. "He's fast—comparable to your speed, Kazimir."
Kazimir nodded, his voice calm but intrigued. "Hmm, I guess he is. It's incredible—in this state, he can keep up with me. I'm curious to see how much this power can do for him, but it won't be long until he burns out."
On the shore, Evelyn stirred, dragging herself from the purple sand, her body aching from the Crocosaur's shockwave. The wind howled, carrying the scent of ozone and salt, as colossal waves crashed in a spiraling motion, radiating outward like a cosmic pulse. Green lightning tore through the sky, striking the ocean with earth-shaking force, illuminating the night in jagged bursts. Evelyn stumbled, her purple eyes wide with disbelief, blood trickling from her mouth from the strain of her earlier attack. "All of this is Raijin's power?" she whispered, her voice trembling with awe and fear. "It's intimidating—I can feel the energy radiating from his body from here. Is this even possible for a human? This is far beyond human limits." She clutched her chest, breathing heavily, the electricity and wind spiraling around Raijin in a tempest of raw power as he battled the Volgaria.
Raijin hovered above the sea, his dark green hair whipping in the wind, a lightning sigil glowing on his forehead, his green eyes blazing with a white lightning symbol in their pupils. He took a deep, shuddering breath, his mouth glowing green, pulsing with the raw power surging within him. "This speed—I can barely control it, but it's my greatest advantage," he growled, his gloves disintegrating under the intensity of his energy. "I can't even feel that abyssal effect trying to erase my sanity anymore. I'll release more power—I'll spread this energy across my body, enhancing my physical abilities even further. Are you ready, you oversized whale? Witness the power of a storm god!"
Raijin leaned back, hovering in the sky like a deity of thunder, his body a conduit of green lightning and wind. "Perpetual Absolute!" he roared, unleashing an explosive wave that tore the land and sea apart. The ocean split, a cataclysmic atomic explosion illuminating the night, the shockwave ripping through the water like a cosmic blade. Evelyn braced herself on the shore, her eyes wide with awe and terror. "Holy shit," she gasped, then screamed, "OH NO, THIS IS TOO MUCH POWER!"
The arena erupted, the crowd's cheers a deafening roar that shook the obsidian amphitheater. Riah smiled, her crimson eyes gleaming. "Kazimir, isn't that your move?"
Neve giggled, her ice-blue eyes sparkling with nostalgia. "Perpetual Absolute, right? I haven't seen that in ages—he finally pulled it off!"
Kazimir watched the screen, his galactic eyes narrowing with respect. "It is mine, but I don't use it anymore. After combining my imaginary essence with my spacial lightning, I created Stargazer of No Return, derived from my Primal Catastrophe technique. But for Raijin to pull off one of the most powerful moves—one that takes ages and concentration to master—congrats to him." Jessie stood silent, her gaze fixed on the screen, absorbing the spectacle.
The chaos cleared, revealing a wasteland where the sea once stood—a gaping hole in the ocean, water cascading into it like a waterfall into the abyss. Raijin stood at its center, breathing heavily, his hair and eyes reverting to their normal green, his powers dimming to their original hue. "That took a lot out of me," he panted, exhaustion seeping into his bones. "Thankfully, that's the end. Maybe I can catch a break and push forward in this survival race—just a little rest."
A low rumble shook the air, and Raijin froze. The Volgaria emerged from the depths, its horn broken, its armored scales cracked and bleeding, yet still defiant, its massive form a testament to its unyielding will. Raijin stumbled forward, his voice a mix of awe and frustration. "Not done yet, huh? You're so tough—you refuse to die even after that attack. You endured it and keep fighting."
Evelyn flew to his side, her gun raised, firing a blast of blue lightning that pierced the whale's damaged hide, making it writhe in pain. "I'm here with you now, Raijin," she said, standing beside him, her purple eyes fierce with determination. "You did a great job breaking its defenses. We can win this!"
Raijin nodded, a tired but resolute grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, we can."
Evelyn smiled, her voice unwavering. "Good—let's come together and end this thing." She raised her hand, summoning a bolt of lightning that struck the whale, its body convulsing under the assault. Raijin rushed forward, his leg pulsing with green lightning as he delivered a devastating kick to the whale's head, the impact releasing a burst of energy that shook the air. Evelyn followed, hurling her sword with deadly precision, the blade embedding in the whale's eye. Raijin focused his remaining energy, forming a spear of pulsating lightning, his body trembling with the effort. "Bullseye," he whispered, as Evelyn shouted, "FOCUS ON ME, YOU WHALE!"
The whale charged, its jaws gaping, blasting Evelyn back with a surge of abyssal energy. Raijin seized the moment, hurling his spear into its open mouth. The weapon detonated, exploding the whale from within, its organs scattering in a grotesque cascade as the blast sent Raijin and Evelyn crashing to the shore. "We did it?" Evelyn asked, her voice weak but hopeful, clutching Raijin's arm as she helped him stand.
Raijin nodded, battered and exhausted, his body barely holding together. "Yeah, we defeated it—finally. Now we can rest and regain ourselves."
Evelyn supported him, her smile weary but proud. "Yeah, let's do that."
The arena exploded in applause, the crowd's cheers shaking the obsidian structure to its core. In the VIP chamber, Kazimir, Jessie, Neve, and Riah smiled, their tension easing. Jessie spoke, her voice filled with respect. "He can take it easy now, but he'll need to be careful with the routes he chooses until he recovers. He pushed himself to his limits against those creatures—I've got to give him credit. He surprised me."
Kazimir's galactic eyes gleamed with quiet pride. "Raijin's proven his strength, but the race isn't over. He and Evelyn have a long road ahead, and they'll need to choose their paths wisely under Vrasnia's eternal night."
The purple moon cast its glow over the ravaged sea, bearing witness to Raijin and Evelyn's triumph, their bond forged in the crucible of battle, as they prepared to face the next trials of the Survival Race.