The cavern beneath the Second Seal pulsed with a dark, oppressive energy. Every step Rayon took made the floor tremble as if the earth itself feared what was about to unfold. Nocturnyx, the Veil Serpent, coiled with deliberate grace, each movement a ripple of sheer destructive potential. Its mirrored scales caught the dim light, reflecting multiple versions of Rayon in a thousand warped forms.
Rayon's crimson eyes narrowed. Hands still in pockets, he exhaled slowly, letting the tension roll off him like water off stone.
Rayon: "You're big. I like that."
The serpent hissed, a sound that vibrated through bone and air alike. Its four massive wings stretched slightly, shadowing the cavern walls.
With a sudden, fluid motion, Rayon's feet left the ground. Hollow strings, invisible yet palpable, flared around him like living silver threads. Each strand pulsed with his life force, resonating with the suppressed chaos of the Second Seal.
He didn't rush. He never rushed. He wanted to enjoy this.
Nocturnyx struck first, a coil of black muscle launching like a battering ram. The impact would have shattered most bones. Rayon's body blurred, strings lashing out faster than the eye could track. One wrapped around the serpent's neck, another around a forewing, constricting with preternatural precision.
Hollow Strings weren't just weapons—they were extensions of him. Threads could slice stone, pierce flesh, bind movement, or even subtly manipulate his opponent's center of gravity. He could bind, restrain, and dismantle simultaneously while remaining untouchable.
The Veil Serpent thrashed, sending a shockwave through the cavern. Rayon's smirk widened. Pain was useless to him. The Insanity within him hummed, amplifying every strike, every dodge, every movement. The more he was struck, the stronger, faster, more adaptive he became. His body learned instantaneously. Every movement from the serpent became predictable—eventually exploitable.
He flicked his wrist. A string lashed like a whip, wrapping around a wing bone. With a pull, the serpent was yanked toward him, crashing against the jagged stone floor. Rayon landed lightly, a faint glow from his strings bathing him like a halo of silver light.
Rayon (thinking): "You're fast… strong… smart. But not me."
He advanced, hands still casually in his pockets at first. Then he lifted one, strings extending to touch the serpent's mirrored scales. Instantly, they reacted. Every reflection, every illusory image of Rayon that the serpent projected was shredded by his threads. Hollow Strings could dissect reality, and he used them not just for binding but for perception, cutting through deception, mirrors, and illusions with surgical precision.
Nocturnyx roared, wings flaring. The cavern cracked. Rayon's steps were a blur. One moment he was crouched near the pedestal, the next he was atop the serpent's head, punching the thick scales with fists that seemed to hum with destructive force. Each blow didn't just bruise; it shattered small portions of reality around the point of impact.
The serpent lashed its tail, a whip capable of cleaving stone. Rayon's Insanity flared fully, dopamine rushing, his senses heightened beyond normal comprehension. He grinned, biting the inside of his cheek. Pain was no longer a limit—only fuel. Hollow Strings moved like living things, wrapping the tail mid-swing and snapping it aside with a violent tug.
Rayon: "You're a snake. I fight snakes all the time."
Strings extended further, embedding into its flesh, feeding on its latent energy. He could feel it, sense its weaknesses, its core rhythm, the energy that had been suppressed by the seal for millennia.
Every strike, every dodge, every thread he threw wasn't random—it was exactly what Nocturnyx couldn't counter. Even the Insanity inside him, which allowed him to adapt and evolve mid-fight, was feeding on the thrill of domination.
The fight continued, coiling and striking, crashing through cavern walls, reshaping the space around them. Rayon's abilities came into full play:
Hollow Strings Mastery: Could bind, constrict, slash, manipulate weight, and sense the flow of energy within the opponent. Could pierce illusions and layered defenses. Insanity State: Transcendent strength, stamina, regeneration, adaptation to attacks, devouring enemy essence with a 60% chance of gaining skills or raw energy. Could last for 30 minutes at peak. Pain became pleasure; danger became fuel. Reflexive Adaptation: Learned from attacks, rendering any used technique ineffective against him if survived once. Enhanced Perception: Could see instantaneous openings, anticipate the serpentine movements, read its intent as easily as reading a book.
Nocturnyx struck a final blow, massive wings slamming down. Rayon braced, strings snapping taut, catching the impact. Bones in the cavern crumbled beneath the force, but Rayon barely flinched. The more he was attacked, the more he thrived.
Finally, Rayon leaped onto the serpent's head, wrapping its neck in dozens of strings, pulling, binding, and feeding at once. Hollow Strings pierced its core, siphoning energy while restraining movement. The serpent hissed, voice echoing like metal grinding on stone.
Nocturnyx: "Child of chaos… you… you are not flesh… you are madness…"
Rayon leaned in close, crimson eyes boring into the molten orbs. "And you? You're about to be mine."
He tore at the final restraint, devouring what remained of the serpent's suppressed essence. The cavern shuddered violently as the seal's energies faltered. Nocturnyx's body convulsed, then went still. Every pulse of its power now partially integrated into Rayon's Hollow Strings, partially feeding Vorthalaxis, partially contained for later experimentation.
The forest above trembled. Erethon's voice barely reached him:
Erethon: "Well… I didn't expect you to take it down this fast. You've truly outgrown even my expectations."
Rayon wiped blood from his lips, grinning faintly. "Outgrown? That's cute. I've just started playing."
He stepped out of the cavern slowly, dust settling around him, strings still flickering like living threads in the air. Vorthalaxis slithered around his arm, its form massive yet coiled, ready to materialize fully if needed.
Rayon's crimson gaze lifted toward the horizon. The First Seal waited, the Third Seal was already under his control, the Fourth belonged to Vorthalaxis, and the remaining nine were still mysteries.
Rayon (thinking): "Let's see who dares get in my way next."
And somewhere, far beyond the forest, the Awakeners sensed the energy spike. Their council whispered in alarm, for the Second Seal had never been meant to be broken so easily… and yet, Rayon had done exactly that.
The game was only getting darker.