Who were the children of Nether? If not warriors created in the likeness of the goddess of storms. She who controlled the sea, mysteries, and above all… true darkness. Therefore, it was not unusual for these warriors to have a path tied to this elemental force.

  From the weakest to the strongest. They had a spark that would allow them to grow and develop as users of this force, to be one of them.

  They were not created halfway in a burst of creativity. They came with a purpose and a clear idea of what they would be. From the beginning, Nether was already aware of how far they could go and how. But forging complete individuals would result in imperfections, so this demon decided that to achieve perfection, it would be necessary for the individual to take each step perfectly. Thus, the warriors of the underworld were born, and thus their pride was built.

  So, when one of them returned, tainted by Shadow's imprint, it was like an insult. Not big enough for any of them to consider for more than a second, nor transcendent enough to make them act. But when that same entity approached with a spark in its eyes, typical of the seven Netherborn, things changed.

  Confusion, anticipation, anger, contempt. Each one's emotions were born and died swiftly. Their hearts were not invaded by fws.

  The battle was short, with an overwhelming advantage on the part of the ascended warrior. Although the warrior was strong and fast for her rank and css, it was not enough to defeat one of the Children of Nether. So, when interest ceased, the battle was doomed to end as well.

  'Fwed'—Those were the words filled with contempt that flooded the eyes of each being. A lost potential. A mongrel abomination.

  The cold deepened and the darkness thickened. The sounds of battle faded, and just as the storm of darkness was about to consume Saint's body, a change occurred in the world.

  The shadows, once weakened, erupted like raging fmes. The darkness, which had once enjoyed complete control, violently retreated. The bck knight, in turn, stepped aside, allowing his form to manifest once more.

  The ancient shadows around him, the darkness that poputed his corners, all of it merged with Saint's figure, but something was different. It wasn't like those times when he had simply opened the door to his heart to attract the shadows and darkness. Now he seemed to absolve them, make them part of him, but above all… unite them.

  The darkness, once the predominant element in his being, was quickly subjugated, used as food for the shadows.

  The shadows, once calm and distant, burned fiercely, becoming deeper and, in a way, empty.

  A monstrosity. To those with a high affinity for true darkness or shadows, looking at that item was like seeing something that shouldn't exist.

  Abominable, sacrilegious, fwed... disgust was the only feeling everyone around them perceived. But above all, they could sense the change, a change in the strength of the one who wielded it.

  < You have lost the [Recognized by Shadows] attribute >

  < You have obtained the [Monstrosity of the Underworld] attribute >

  < In the past, a god gave rise to the Nephilm, creatures born of both the corrupt and the divine. An inconsistency as much your own as you are. Shadows cannot help but be drawn to you; darkness relishes being a sacrifice to your will. Nourish your shadows with darkness, making them greater than their sum, and make them burn with your divinity. >

  < You have earned a true name [Perfect Imperfection] >

  < You who were born, died, and were reborn. You left your legacy behind, only to recim it and abandon it once more. You denied your destined form and scorched the image your will forged. Grow, O princess of the Underworld, for nothing is perfect, and you never will be. >

  Saint took a step forward, feeling a change not only in her body, but even in her soul. She was a shadow by right of her rebirth, but a creature of darkness by her father's legacy. Once a half-breed, but now something more. Imperceptible to the naked eye, her soul, her essence, was woven differently with threads of darkness.

  Around her, the master's shadow felt closer than ever, supporting her. Then she broke free, letting the fme of divinity within her burn furiously, fueling the shadows with invisible golden sparks. The darkness, as if waiting for its opportunity, threw itself into those embers, becoming part of them.

  The bck knight waited no longer. The csh was nothing like before. With thunderous force, the warrior's double-edged sword sliced through the air, colliding with Saint's sword. The recoil was no less, but the sensation was different. Just as the bde's edge made contact with the shadows, it slowed, as if stopped by thousands of tiny threads, sapping the force from the blow that should have shattered his enemy's weapon.

  Saint counterattacked with greater speed, but his enemy was not far behind. With swift and efficient movements, he deflected the attack and attacked immediately. The exchange barely sted an instant, but dozens more cshes like that occurred in a fraction of the time. Saint, contrary to what one might believe, hadn't grown greatly stronger; instead, it was the strength of her element that grew stronger, surpassing even her opponent, who outcssed her in css and rank.

  Armed with this advantage, she attacked, without any concern for her long-term safety. Wounds spread across her body at a terrifying speed, only to close in the next second. The cycle of violence only seemed to grow, until finally, a single cut appeared between the knight's neck. Small specks of ruby dust rained down.

  A cold gre settled over the knight. Abandoning his current defensive style, he attacked without looking back. His blows, ced with cold resentment, shattered the shadow's flesh and armor. But she only seemed to grow more aggressive.

  The broadsword smmed into the edge of the stone bde. Blurring her figure, Saint shifted her stance, attacking from the side, only to be stopped by the knight's armored fist, forcing her to retreat.

  Without hesitation, he attacked, trying to crush her head with the pommel of his weapon, but she dodged by arching and nding a kick on his visor. The bck knight flinched momentarily, but her own sword never stopped, falling like an axe.

  Saint leaped back, watching as a cloud of dust rose in front of her. Before she could react, a blow hurled her against the wall, cracking the surface. She tried to recover, but the warrior was already in front of her. With no room to retreat, she advanced, preparing her sword for a final, desperate strike. Instead, with absolute coldness, the bck knight raised his weapon, concentrating all his elemental power into the bde and bringing it down upon Saint's battered form.

  With a crunching sound, the bck knight's greatsword pierced Saint's body from his shoulder, taking part of his torso with it and severing his right arm.

  Saint's body staggered, losing all its strength. The shadows seemed to scream in pain, but the eyes of the elegant shadow only burned brighter.

  From within the shadows, tentacles made of shadows shot out to completely cover the bck knight's figure. Meanwhile, a heavy steel sword emerged from the shadows beside Saint.

  New strength erupted from the hilt of the weapon, providing its wielder with strength in the face of his refusal to perish. All his elemental strength gathered in the bde of the sword, and the fmes of his divinity surged forth like a torrent. Finally, the ever-present shadow of his master left his body, merging with the weapon.

  The bck knight, shaking off the shadow fragments in his path, had no time to react as a single diagonal ssh sliced his armor and torso in two.

  Surprise fshed in his eyes for a moment, but soon, a strange calm filled them. Without a cry of pain, the knight fell silent, and the battle ended.

  < You have killed an Ascended Terror >

  < Your shadow grows stronger >

  < You have received a memento [Unmovable Reaper] >