The fallen navigator trembled with uncertainty as he confronted the battle-weary Noah. The man raised his sword, pointing it to Noah's face with both hands in a show of false confidence.

Noah looked at him indifferently as he activated his [Archaic Armament] ability to summon his six ethereal arms, each holding savage-looking swords with serrated edges. Noah smelt a faint sweetness in the air as the man urinated himself in fear. He dropped his sword with a clatter as he backed far out of Noah's way on the narrow sheltered walkway, circling away from him without ever taking his eyes off him before breaking into a run as he fled.

Noah sighed while shaking his head as he deactivated his abilities and began to jog toward the steering wheel. When he arrived, he noticed a grade-three ability crystal embedded in the centre of the wheel. Subtle green-lifeforce shimmered from it to disappear into the floor at his feet.

It's time to test my theory. Countless people in the citadel will die because of this. Is it worth it just to get rid of Ronan? I've seen how they're treated by the fallen, but at least they're still alive.

Noah jolted as he heard a sonic scream from the throne room, bursting the glass dome outward. Noah watched the shattered glass rain into the crowded streets filled with blanks below the palace. The unfortunate people caught in the crossfire screamed in panic as the debris slashed them. Noah resolved himself for what he needed to do.

He withdrew all of the black origin crystals from his [Zero-Space Dimension Ring], absorbing them in a flash of light. Ignoring the addictive rush of power from the lifeforce entering his body, he summoned a dagger. After a moment of hesitation, he used it to pry out the green ability crystal from the steering wheel. He suddenly felt weightless as the fallen citadel began to plummet.

I can't risk them retrieving this crystal. I have to absorb it!

Noah inhaled the raw power contained within the flying whale's origin crystal. Lifeforce travelled through his body, leaving behind a warm, pleasant sensation where it passed.

[Grade three lifeforce requirement attained.]

[User will be incapacitated during enhancement.]

[Do you wish to commence grade three advancement?]

"Yes, do it!" Noah shouted.

『Very good, food. Now I shall have my revenge!』the voice of the Kraken appeared inside his mind.

Before his body became immobile, Noah watched monstrous tentacles burst from the ocean, which was suddenly in front of the fallen citadel. It was plummeting nose-first toward the waiting embrace of the colossal Kraken. The screams of panic faded as his vision turned black.

Noah entered into the familiar world of lights as his body underwent changes. He could see the astral form of the Kraken floating in the void without any barriers between them. He was helpless as it drew closer. He was drawn toward something above it. There were two burning lights accompanied by several smaller ones racing toward him.

***

[Grade three advancement complete.]

[User can understand and be understood by all System-users.]

[User physique increased.]

[User senses increased.]

[User intelligence increased.]

[User life expectancy extended.]

Noah awoke an unknown amount of time later after the fallen citadel had crashed into the ocean to become ensnared by colossal tentacles. Screams of terror and anguish were heard in every direction. Noah was dangling from the steering wheel. He was sprawled on top of it, preventing him from falling into the cold, dark water below as the citadel stood almost vertical.

He watched helplessly as a monstrous tentacle swept through the tall, metal spires of the Fallen citadel. He witnessed the top of a building crash through the network of suspended bridges to crush countless people crammed together below as the fortress began to level out.

He closed his eyes to carnage as he became overcome by guilt from being responsible for the death of the unknown number of individuals resulting from his actions.

What have I done? Stop. There's no time for regrets now. It's happened. I need to end Ronan's tyranny once and for all. He and his cult will be responsible for the enslavement and deaths of countless others if left unchecked. I need to weed it out at the roots!

Noah suppressed the raw emotions welling up inside him as his expression hardened. He extracted himself from the steering wheel, beginning to run down the slanted walkway toward the throne room. Noah heard thuds along with the shelter overhead, followed by the sound of something crashing through the ruined glass dome.

Noah paused, he watched bewildered as a pair of fish flopped from the roof, falling toward the narrow streets. They continued to squirm through the air until they disappeared into the turmoil below.

The pair of double doors burst off their hinges, hurtling toward Noah. He dived out of their way as they flew past where he previously stood. They slammed into the steering wheel, knocking it along with the doors into one of the enormous tentacles before clattering to the water below.

In front of Noah was a sight that he never expected to see again. Teetering on the edge of the pit was a barely recognizable transport ship belonging to an Airshark. It was covered in dents, with one of the corners caved in. The boss's armoured figure gripped both sides of the empty doorframe to haul himself out, gracefully landing on both feet before turning to face behind him. A fish flew through the doorway accompanied by imaginative cursing as Roger emerged from inside.

Beside the precariously perched transport ship was the Titan. The giant metal armour's helmet was half exposed out of the pit. It was straining against the metal arms holding it in place due to the Fallen Citadel's slanted angle. The boss got excited as he noticed the empty pilot seat. Without hesitation, he leapt the distance to the open visor.

After sitting in the pilot seat, green-lifeforce flowed through the metal armour to animate the Titan. The visor closed as the Titan began to climb out of the pit, knocking the haphazardly balanced transport ship, causing it to rock violently.

The Titan completely extracted itself from the pit. Standing at full height, it was slightly taller than the bloodied naked form of Alex beside it. The Titan rolled its armoured shoulders as the boss tested its mobility. It raised the handle belonging to the warhammer, which was left incomplete after Alex was freed from the statue.

As the rocking transport ship toppled into the pit, an object escaped from inside. It was the large blade the boss had shaped from the transport ship's door back on the giant turtle. It hurtled through the air to attach to the handle, forming a crude spear wielded by the Titan.

Noah entered the throne room as a myriad of coloured lifeforce began to shimmer on the walls' surface. He could feel the Fallen Citadel struggling to ascend. He was knocked from his feet as a colossal tentacle wrapped the throne room. The walls groaned in protest as the tentacle began to squeeze. The tentacle's enormous size blocked the exit behind Noah. Each of the suckers was easily the size of a fully grown man.