Eerie laughter echoed in the dust storm, causing Lord Raptor to hesitate. He placed his hands on the Swordsman’s shoulders. Shielding his eyes, he peered around him in every direction, but couldn’t find where the sound was originating from. Noah watched them drawing close to him from above. A Soulless unexpectedly leapt from the side, causing Lord Raptor to stumble backward in surprise. The Swordsman reactively slashed out to sever the Soulless in half.

The Soulless were beginning to press in on all sides, drawn from the commotion. Noah landed among them. He watched the group like a predator eyes its prey. Lord Raptor could no longer remain passive, he pressed his back against the swordsman while slashing out with his golden talons. The physical capability of someone Grade-three was no joke, an enormous Soulless found that out the hard way by having its knee severed before being efficiently decapitated a moment later.

Noah summoned an [Ice Spear] as he stalked them through the horde, using passing Soulless to mask his approach. Meghan held a sword belonging to one of the dead Fallen, coldly swinging it at anything that drew too close. Chad was absolutely useless despite having a weapon of his own.

Lord Raptor's expression contorted in rage after noticing how Chad was simply trembling in fear instead of gathering the courage to fight. He savagely booted the man away from the group into the horde. Catching himself on his knees, Chad hurriedly pushed himself to his feet. He quickly glanced around, he was surrounded by encroaching Soulless on all sides. The sword in his hand clattered out of his loose grip to fall on the ground.

"Would everyone kindly kill the Soulless around me," Lord Raptor shouted, echoing through the dust.

The dust was abrasive. Anything inside it that Noah desired was rapidly deteriorating, the flesh being stripped away by layers. Through it, Noah watched Chad retrieve his sword like a puppet on strings before mechanically thrusting it through the chest of a distracted Soulless. Blue lightning burst out beside the group, drawing Noah's attention. What he saw left him horrified.

Oh, no. Raptor's [Compulsion] has ensnared everyone that heard it. It even affects the people on the tower of stacked cars. But what about me, I didn't feel anything?

[Look around you. The Soulless are immune too, you're considered one of them by the SYSTEM now.]

Noah paused to look around. The Soulless were completely unaffected by Raptor's Ability. They continued to throw themselves at the group in waves. Stormbringer recklessly blasted away swathes of Soulless with no regard for his own safety, allowing the Swordsman a brief reprieve. Ignoring them, Noah looked behind him.

Through the thick dust cover his Soulless vision allowed him to see the children awkwardly descending the tower. A flash of fire drew his attention. The woman he had seen earlier charged into the hoard, intense flames igniting on the ground behind her with every footstep. Noah looked back and forth between Raptor's group and the children on the tower, faced with a difficult choice.

Fuck, I've got to protect them. I can't just allow another bunch of kids to throw their lives away serving Raptor. How should I do it though? I can kill everything that gets close to them, but that still leaves them at the mercy of the [Compulsion].

[I suggest removing the head of the snake. Kill Raptor.]

Noah's focus sharpened on Raptor's group. They were slowly being overrun by the horde. As he watched, Chad was grabbed by Soulless on all sides, rendering his sword immobile. Immediately after, they physically tore him apart in all directions, blood and guts erupting everywhere. Noah made his decision.

He gripped the [Ice Spear] in both hands before rushing through the horde at Raptor. Without hesitation, he thrust it toward his throat. Moments before impact, the Swordsman deflected the spear away, inserting himself between them.

"I've been keeping an eye on you. Imagine my surprise when I realised who you were. You look different, Noah," Raptor said, stepping from behind the stoic Swordsman.

[Now's the time for you to try out your last new Ability. I'm taking control.]

Noah was stunned into silence by the SYSTEM's message. He felt his body move of its own accord through the effects of [War Dance]. The spear became a blur as it struck towards the Swordsman.

The Swordsman's expression turned to shock as he relied on his own Ability to keep up. He was slowly being forced onto the backfoot as he defended. Noah's stamina reserves were near infinite, continuously refilled by the invisible supply of energy transmitted from the Pylon hidden among the clouds. While the Swordsman was growing more fatigued with every passing moment.

Shards of ice were slowly being chipped away from the spear with every exchange. The Swordsman became more confident as he noticed them flying away. In one final exchange, the [Ice Spear] completely shattered.

"Haha, you're done for now, pissant…" the Swordsman was unable to finish his sentence.

[Mythos Unique Ability combining [Six Spirit Arms] and [Inferno]: Infinite Fold Soul Split. The User's physical movements will be echoed with staggered spirit copies.]

Noah struck out with a palm strike into the bottom of the Swordsman's jaw. Simultaneously, his last unknown Ability activated. Countless colourless grey copies of his arm extended out from his shoulder, mirroring his attack into the Swordsman's chin, completely intangible as they layered over each other.

The consecutive strikes bombarded his jaw into a pulp while severing his tongue. The shock was enough to deactivate his [Sword Becomes One] Ability, dropping the sword to the ground. Noah paid no attention to the information the SYSTEM shared with him about it. Instead, he focused on the man laid out in front of him gargling on his own blood.

The SYSTEM was still in control of his body. Considering the threat neutralised, it stepped on the Swordsman's chest to advance toward Raptor. He cowardly stumbled away in fear, gripping Meghan by the shoulders and placing her between them.

"Would you kindly kill yourself," Raptor said. Pink-lifeforce formed at his throat as he attempted to compel Noah. There was no change in Noah's demeanor as he continued to approach. "Stop! Or the girl dies."

Raptor pulled Meghan's head back by her head as she continued to stare into space, placing a razor-sharp talon against her throat. Noah paused his footsteps, silently investigating the surrounding area before focusing on something behind Lord Raptor. The SYSTEM transmitted Noah the image of what happened next.

It was a still picture of Lord Raptor with mouth agape in horror. A dagger protruding from the front of his throat as wounds spread outward.