CHAPTER 77: INTO THE 10TH FLOOR PART VII - NOEL’S RESOLVE

He staggered, nearly collapsing, one knee buckling from the exertion. He could feel his left arm beginning to numb. The injury on his right side was leaking more than blood—it was leaking strength.

And yet, he stood up again.

"Not enough," he muttered. "I need more—!"

The Revenant with the fractured jaw hissed, circling faster now—less beast, more soldier. It feinted left, then right, trying to bait his broken side.

Noel ignored the pain and moved straight in.

He fainted a slash—then let go of the sword mid-swing and grabbed the Revenant’s neck with his lightning-charged hand, slamming it to the ground with everything he had left.

BOOM.

[Enemy Neutralized – 1 Remaining]

The last Revenant paused.

For the first time—it hesitated.

And Noel, panting and bleeding, stared it down with one good arm still crackling with flickering arcs of light.

"Come on, then..."

His lips curled into a grin, blood staining his teeth.

"I’ve got one more left in me."

The final Revenant hissed low, crouched like a shadow at the edge of lightning.

-

Across the world, in cities, bunkers, war rooms, and living rooms—eyes were glued to the broadcast.

Threads across the Astral Community exploded.

-

@VassalWatch:

Noel... he’s injured. He shouldn’t be able to keep up.

But he is.

@GuildMasterAuric:

He’s a lightning vassal with a delay debuff. Every cast is off by 0.8 seconds.

You try fighting like that while bleeding out.

@CloneV:

[watched the clip, liked silently]

@JezP:

He’s going to collapse soon.

@CrimsonNet:

...but he’s still standing.

-

Noel’s vision tunneled—black creeping at the edges, his hearing muffled under the roar of his own blood rushing through damaged veins. But he still moved.

He charged, lightning flaring wildly off his limbs like a storm’s dying gasp. His sword was gone—lost in the chaos—but his fist remained, clenched, burning with defiance.

The Revenant hissed, staggering from earlier damage but still vicious. It lunged.

Noel met it head-on, slamming his electrified fist into its chest. Sparks danced across its twisted bones as it jerked backward—body twitching, mana circuits flaring from the overload.

"RAAAH—!"

He pushed through the pain, deeper, driving his entire weight forward.

The Revenant faltered, falling to one knee.

But just as Noel pulled back to strike again—

His body stumbled.

His legs gave out.

A dizzy spin of color and pain rushed over him. His side throbbed violently—blood loss, internal damage—too much, too fast. His body screamed for rest, for air, for anything but this.

And in that moment...

The Revenant struck.

Its claws tore through his abdomen in a brutal arc—ripping flesh and armor alike. The impact flung him back several meters. Noel hit the ground hard, skidding, his body crumpling like a broken doll.

He lay there—gasping—blood pooling beneath him.

The world spun.

Pain. So much pain.

[Critical Damage Sustained]

[Vitality Threshold Breached – Emergency Regen: Delayed]

[Astral Stabilizer: On Cooldown]

The system’s words echoed faintly in his ears.

The Revenant limped forward, dragging a damaged leg, eyes burning with hatred.

But Noel didn’t panic. He didn’t scream.

Instead, he smiled through the blood on his lips.

"...You’re not winning, asshole."

He clenched his fist again—one final time—and electricity sparked weakly across his knuckles.

-

[Scene Switch – Outside the Rift]

@CrimsonNet LIVE FEED

"NOEL HAS BEEN HIT! REPEAT—NOEL HAS BEEN CRITICALLY HIT!"

"We’re receiving system pings. His life signs are unstable!"

"Is this the end for one of Blank’s teammates?!"

-

@KatherineHeals

"He needs medical support. He’s going to bleed out."

-

@PKKing

"...Damn. That one’s got fight. Shame if he dies early."

-

But inside the arena, as the Revenant raised its claws for the final blow,a a glimmer of golden light sparked to life.

A sword gleamed in Astraia’s grip.

And across the third arena...

Blank’s eyes narrowed.

’It was time for him to step up.’

-

In that flickering moment between life and death, Noel’s blood pooled beneath him, hot and fast—too much. His breathing hitched. His body felt like it was shutting down, collapsing under the weight of exhaustion, pain, and lost hope.

But then—

The storm answered.

A low rumble echoed not from the sky—but from deep within him.

The static in his chest ignited.

And a voice, ancient and thunderous, rolled through his soul like a divine typhoon.

"You refuse to die. You defy your limits. Then let the storm answer your call."

A blinding bolt of light surged through him.

The arena trembled.

[Astral Contract Resonance Detected]

[Unique Skill: Storm Veil Reversal – Awakened]

[Description: Temporarily reclaims the mana of a surrounding enemy or field to transfer damage and life between targets. Limited usage.]

[Granting: Astral Overdrive – Gethos Variant]

A new window flared open.

[Astral Overdrive: Gethos, The Storm Bringer – Variant Active]

For a limited duration, the Vassal becomes a living conduit of the storm—amplifying Strength, Speed, Vitality, Mana, Resistance, and Regeneration x5.

Can manipulate atmospheric mana and redirect ambient charges into lethal force.

Bonus Effect: Storm Veil Reversal – Transfers remaining vitality of enemy to the user upon impact with designated strike.

Duration: 3 minutes. Cooldown: 72 hours.

-

Lightning erupted from Noel’s wounds—not just sealing them, but consuming the damage, absorbing it as if the storm itself fed on pain.

His eyes flashed.

"Gethos..." he whispered.

"Let’s do this."

The Revenant lunged, but Noel stood.

A shockwave exploded outward the moment he moved, his body now wrapped in a veil of spiraling electricity that lit the entire arena. Stone cracked beneath his feet. His hands glowed—pure current coiled around them like twin serpents of vengeance.

"I’m done being your prey."

He vanished—blinked—and reappeared behind the Revenant in a blur of charged air.

His fist plunged forward—right into its chest.

"Storm Veil Reversal!"

A violent transfer of energy cracked through the Revenant’s body. Its vitality rushed into Noel like a crashing flood.

[Target HP: 78% → 4%]

[Noel HP: 16% → 73%]

The Revenant’s body convulsed, black smoke pouring from its sockets, and it screamed—a warbled, undead screech of dying corruption.

Noel’s second strike followed—faster than thunder, his voice roaring over the storm:

"Fall. Already."

He brought his knee into the Revenant’s jaw, then a spinning elbow full of lightning detonated against its skull.

BOOOOM.

The Revenant flew, and did not rise again.

—

[Enemy Neutralized]

[Arena: Wave Three – Cleared]

—

Noel fell to one knee, breathing hard—but alive.

His Overdrive still crackled through his veins. He was battered, bloodied, but empowered.

And as the storm in his body began to settle, he raised his gaze to the darkened ceiling.

"...I’m not gonna die yet," he muttered.

"Not until I see how this ends."

—

[Scene Switch – Global Community]

@CrimsonNet — LIVE FEED

"He’s... He’s up?! Noel just reversed a deathblow—HOW?!"

@VassalWatch

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!"

@BlurryFace

"Noel... you just surprised me.."

@AstraiaV (seen from the side of her battlefield, panting)

"...Not bad, idiot."

—

[Final Arena — Boss Approaching]