The sky bled fire.
Above the shattered floating islands of Skarathrax, a storm of blades and hellflame raged. Demonic warships circled like vultures, and the road had long since vanished beneath their feet. The only way forward was through the clouds—and through blood.
Lian, Jayce, Boom, Melia, and their newest ally, Astra, stood on the fractured landing of a ruined sky-fortress: Tars'Noct, once a bastion of the mortal rebellion, now hollowed by betrayal and demonic conquest.
> "We storm that citadel," Astra said, pointing to a colossal fortress suspended in the sky by chains tied to the wings of dying leviathans. "Inside is the soul-core of this world's binding. Destroy it, and Skarathrax's dominion will fracture."
> Jayce grinned. "So it's just a suicidal war against a flying city of demon lords? Light work."
> Boom cracked his knuckles. "Do we kill first or bleed first?"
> Lian said nothing. His eyes scanned the crimson horizon. His hand still ached from catching the Stitcher's blade. There was no time to rest.
---
System Alert
[Special Event: World Rebellion Initiated]
Participants: 5 Survivors
Allied Leader: Astra Ves Karal (Regression: Yes)
Difficulty Modifier: +150%
Rewards: Soul-Forged Talent Upgrade, Unique Vehicle Blueprint, 10,000 Coin Base
Warning: Death in this world will result in soul erosion—rebirth in lower-tier world, memory loss guaranteed
---
They launched.
Their makeshift war-rig vehicle—now reinforced with salvaged armor and a turret system—rocketed from the platform, crossing the final cloud bridge toward the citadel. Enemy sky beasts shrieked from above. The road's protection no longer reached this high.
The storm howled, tearing at their skins.
Battle began instantly.
Demonic riders on bone gliders screamed down with cleavers and chain axes. Boom leapt from the cart midair, landing onto a beast's back, crushing its skull with a downward punch amplified by his upgraded talent—Gravity Gauntlets—each strike multiplying his weight tenfold.
> "You want a soul, come TAKE MINE!"
Lian zigzagged through the chaos, parrying blades with a salvaged hellsteel saber. His status window blinked—he was at half health, stamina draining fast. Jayce used his absurdly comedic truck to ram two gliders, exploding them in confetti-colored smoke, one of his talents triggering:
> [Laugh in the Face of Death]
When HP drops below 25%, gain +25% dodge and cause enemies to miss turns from confusion.
> "Haha! Missed me, loser!"
Melia created a magic shield around Astra, who was busy whispering into a torn scroll. Her hands bled as the ancient contract consumed her power.
> "Almost there," she muttered. "One more glyph…"
Suddenly—a spike through the sky.
The Citadel Lord, a massive demon cloaked in burning chains, descended. He wielded a flaming staff taller than a tower, and his eyes bled void light.
> "Rebellion…? You've already lost."
He hurled his staff.
Boom took it. Full force. Straight to the chest.
It pierced his armor, cracked his ribs, sent him flying through three platforms before he landed, blood coughing from his mouth.
> "Boom!" Lian shouted.
> "I'm fine!" Boom spat blood. "Just a few... broken everything."
Lian saw red.
His status window blinked again.
> [Hidden Function Unlocked: Road Rage]
Convert all coins into temporary evolution: Weaponized Cycle - Level 1 unlocked.
Duration: 5 minutes. All stats x3.
His cycle shifted, mutated—blades jutting from the wheels, engine bursting to life, forming a demonic motorcycle of wrath.
Lian charged. Flames parted around him. His saber ignited with the cycle's fury. He didn't aim to wound—he aimed to obliterate.
> "GET AWAY FROM MY TEAM!"
The impact cracked the platform in half. The Citadel Lord reeled, stunned—and Astra finished the final glyph.
She screamed as her soul burned, and a pulse erupted from the scroll.
> System Alert: Contract Complete—Divine Override Successful.
A weapon of ancient design emerged from the storm: a chained spear burning with both light and shadow—The Spear of Split Realms.
Astra collapsed. Her hair turned silver from the overload.
> "Lian…" she whispered. "Throw it."
He did.
The spear soared.
Straight into the Citadel Lord's chest.
---
The Citadel Falls
The fortress cracked. The chains broke. Leviathans screamed and dissolved. As the floating citadel burned and fell into the abyss, the team regrouped on a stabilizing platform.
Boom was breathing. Barely.
Astra was unconscious.
Jayce limped, smiling faintly. "So... we won, right?"
> [World Objective Complete. Optional Objective Complete.]
[Rewards Pending Distribution.]
[Transporting to Transition Zone...]
The sky shattered like glass.
And they were gone.
---
End of Chapter 60