Noel kicked aside the last twitching corpse of an Obsidian Drakehound, exhaling slowly as its black scales dulled to gray. Steam rose from the ground, mixing with the fading crackle of lightning in the air. Revenant Fang dripped molten blood, still vibrating faintly from the impact of his last strike.
Above him, Noir in her massive form trotted over the ruin of the battlefield—shattered stone, scorched earth, frozen spikes jutting from walls like jagged teeth.
She lowered her huge head, golden eyes narrowing.
'Dad… we've been here for hours.'
Noel rolled his shoulder, feeling the ache settle in. "I know."
'No, seriously,' Noir insisted, voice softer but firm. 'Hours. Long ones. You've killed at least twenty Ascendant monsters and who knows how many Adepts. Your core is already around 84%. You've done enough.'
He wiped his blade on the fur of a fallen beast, then sheathed it with a smooth click.
"I could push a little more."
