Atem hovered above the battlefield, crimson eyes scanning every movement with unwavering focus. The Kijin and the forces of Eterna fought valiantly, each strike precise, each formation tight, yet the enemy remained unstoppable. Charybdis's regenerative scales shimmered, knitting themselves back together faster than even the fiercest blades and magic could pierce.
This… isn't enough, Atem thought, his expression calm but eyes sharp. The forest shook under the monster's weight, and even the goblins' defensive structures splintered under the relentless force.
He observed his key warriors—Shion, Benimaru, Hakuro, Souei—each one pushing themselves to their limits. Their determination burned bright, but the truth was clear: Charybdis was not a beast to be overwhelmed by raw strength alone.
Then it's time, Atem murmured, voice firm. "I'll intervene. I cannot let them be harmed further… and I must end this before it spreads."
He descended toward the massive serpent, energy coalescing around him, aura radiating authority and precision. But then, a flicker caught his attention—a subtle outline hidden within the folds of Charybdis's body.
What… is that?
Atem's crimson gaze narrowed. The outline shifted deliberately, too controlled to belong to the creature itself. <
His eyes widened as he extended the Oracle's perception, piercing the layers of the monstrous body.
Inside the writhing mass, a human-like figure struggled—Phobio. The same adventurer who had stormed Eterna weeks ago was now trapped at the heart of this nightmare.
Atem's jaw tightened. "So it's him… I must eliminate Charybdis, but I cannot harm him."
He hovered, analyzing the anatomy, the regenerative cycles, and the precise position of Phobio within the beast. The scales were near-impenetrable, but Atem's mind worked like a blade, calculating angles, energy flow, and force distribution to neutralize the threat without touching the vessel.
The Kijin sensed his pause. Benimaru shouted, "Master Atem! Are you… going to strike?"
"Yes," Atem replied calmly, his voice carrying across the battlefield, commanding authority without panic. "But carefully. There is a human inside. Control the creature, do not strike blindly. Every movement must account for the vessel."
Shion's grip tightened on her blade, Hakuro adjusted his stance, and Souei's shadowy form flickered in anticipation, ready to execute Atem's strategy with lethal precision.
Charybdis thrashed violently, its regenerative scales gleaming ominously. Brute force would not win here. Atem's gaze was serene, eyes sharp as blades.
Precision… timing… calculation…
The forest surrounding Eterna trembled under the roars of Charybdis. Black scales shimmered like shards of obsidian under the storm-dark sky, and waves of raw magical pressure rippled outward, flattening trees and sending goblins and orcs sprawling. The lake itself boiled as the Leviathan's massive body twisted, its molten-gold eyes scanning the village.
Atem hovered above the chaos, crimson aura flaring. Every movement radiated authority and deadly intent. Beneath a tree, Milim slept, her hair blowing in the wind. She stirred slightly as the first tremors of Atem's power washed over the battlefield.
<
Atem's calm, commanding voice cut through the turmoil. "Very well. Let us end this."
The air shimmered violently as Anubis activated. Black-gold threads of energy spiraled around him like living chains, bending the winds and warping the light. The battlefield fell silent for a heartbeat, the weight of Atem's presence pressing on everyone—soldiers and monsters alike.
Benimaru's eyes widened as he glanced at Hakuro. "Did… did Lord Atem just change the sky? I feel like the trees are bowing to him!"
Hakuro's hands gripped his sword tighter. "It's not just the trees… the air itself bends around him. This is on another level."
Shion, observing the battlefield with her characteristic precision, muttered, "Everyone, stay sharp. Follow his movements, and don't panic. Let him guide the battle."
Souei melted into the shadows, whispering, "Master moves first, we follow. Don't overextend; precision over recklessness."
Gabiru's tail twitched as he readied his claws. "I've fought big monsters before, but this…Lord Atem isn't just fighting—it's like the battlefield obeys him."
Geld, the orc commander, stomped forward, bracing the orc lines. "Then we hold fast! If Lord Atem can command the storm, we will hold the line and protect Eterna!"
Atem descended like a meteor, teleporting from treetop to treetop in a blur. His first strike was a focused punch, infused with Pharaoh Authority, connecting with Charybdis's scales. The impact didn't just hit—the monster staggered, as if recognizing it had been challenged by a god.
Milim woke abruptly, her eyes wide. "Wha—? Atem?! What… what is that power?!"
Atem's crimson gaze swept the battlefield.
He struck again, a rapid flurry of punches and kicks. Each attack synchronized with Predation, siphoning energy from the Leviathan, destabilizing its regenerative nodes. Charybdis's massive body shuddered violently with each connection, struggling against Atem's unyielding authority.
Benimaru shouted, leaping toward a group of smaller tendrils. "We've got its flanks, Master! Don't let them smash the lines!"
Atem's voice carried like a command from the heavens. "Benimaru, focus on herding the energy, not striking blindly."
Shion darted forward, intercepting a swipe from Charybdis, deflecting it with precision. "Master, I'll keep it on target! Let him destabilize it!"
Hakuro formed a line with the orcs and goblins, using terrain and barricades to slow the Leviathan's thrashes. "Stay disciplined! Every move counts! Don't let it reach the villagers!"
Souei melted into shadow, striking Charybdis's weak points from multiple angles. "Targeting key nodes… Master's energy is forcing its movements. Perfect timing…"
Gabiru leapt onto a nearby tree, using it as a springboard to slash a distracted limb. "It's… it's working! Lord Atem is literally eating its power while we hold it in place!"
Atem paused briefly, opening the Stomach of Eternity beneath him. Black-gold energy roiled like a living void, pulsing with hunger. With a swift wave of his hand, Phobio was extracted safely by the Oracle and placed on solid ground. Atem's crimson eyes never left the battlefield.
"Now," Atem commanded, voice like thunder. "
He unleashed Absorption, siphoning Charybdis's energy, skills, and essence. Dark threads of golden-black energy wrapped around the Leviathan, twisting, bending, devouring. Mimicry of the Devoured activated simultaneously, allowing Atem to integrate the monster's regenerative power, its raw strength, and even its innate combat instincts.
The battlefield shook with every pulse of Atem's Starved Hunger, his aura expanding exponentially. Waves of energy knocked soldiers off their feet.
Benimaru and Shion shouted in unison, coordinating the Kijin: "Everyone, funnel its movements toward Master! Do not engage recklessly!"
Hakuro braced the orc lines as debris fell. "Keep formation! Protect the villagers! We survive this together!"
Geld hammered stakes and fortified barricades. "Lord Atem's strength… it's rewriting reality itself!"
Even Milim, now fully awake, staggered backward, eyes wide. "I… I can't believe this… he's absorbing it all… its power… everything! Lord Atem… he's… unstoppable!"
Atem's hands moved in a complex weave of gestures, the Decay/Corrosion subskill tearing at Charybdis's remaining resistance. Every strike, every thread of energy was calculated. The Leviathan thrashed violently, but Atem's Pharaoh Authority bound it completely, controlling its body and forcing compliance.
Finally, with a commanding motion, Atem opened the Stomach of Eternity fully. Charybdis screamed as it was drawn into the extradimensional void, the essence, power, and skills merging into Atem's being. His aura exploded outward, bending the battlefield to his will.
<
Atem's crimson eyes scanned the battlefield. His aura radiated absolute authority, every soldier and villager beneath him feeling an almost sacred protection. Phobio laying on the ground unconscious.
The Kijin, orcs, goblins, and dwarves all looked around in awe, sensing the waves of absolute authority radiating from their Pharaoh. Even Milim took a step back, staggering under the pressure of Atem's new power.
Benimaru whispered to Shion, "I… I've never felt anything like this. He's… he's like the battlefield itself is alive… and it obeys him."
Shion nodded, gripping her blade. "Focus. Learn. Every movement of his will is a lesson."
Atem hovered above the battlefield, aura stretching across the horizon like a living storm. The Leviathan was gone. Phobio was safe. Every ounce of Charybdis's power, skill, and essence now flowed through him.
And yet, his calm eyes glinted with promise. "This is only the beginning. Eterna stands. And we… will grow stronger with every challenge."
The soldiers of Eterna looked around, hearts pounding, knowing they had witnessed the Pharaoh's ultimate dominion—a force beyond reckoning, unstoppable, and majestic in its perfection.