Brandon stood there, the aftermath of the cataclysmic clash still echoing in the abyss around him.
The stardust remnants of his doppelganger spiraled in the air, like shards of shattered stars.
Each speck glimmered with an eerie light, an astral dance that belied the violent end from which they were born.
They began to drift towards him, slowly at first, like hesitant fireflies navigating through an eternal night. His eyes narrowed, concentrating on the approaching particles.
A momentous pull in the core of his being beckoned them closer.
This was the essence of his parallel self, a frequency of atoms that vibrated in a strangely familiar yet dissonant tune.
The stardust collided with his skin, and as each particle made contact, it seeped in—disappearing as if absorbed by a thirsty desert.
A shiver ran up his spine, electric and awakening.
His very atoms seemed to quiver, greeting their long-lost counterparts with a resonating hum.
*OHMM~* *OHMMM~* *OHHMMM~*
It was more than just physical matter coming back to him.
It was resonance—every atom, every subatomic particle that formed his doppelganger was now merging with him, their signature frequencies aligning in a surreal, cosmic symphony.
The energies whispered ancient truths as they sank into his skin, melding into the core of his existence.
It felt like being torn apart and stitched back together in the blink of an eye.
His internal compass spun wildly, as if uncertain which reality to tether him to.
But then, something incredible happened.
Brandon felt it deep within him—a shift, a realignment.
His atomic frequency, now augmented by the essence of his defeated doppelganger, began to resonate at a new pitch.
A vibration so pure and potent, it was as if he'd tapped into a primal force of the universe itself.
His eyes snapped open, glowing with an otherworldly light.
Veins of radiant energy spread across his skin like a celestial map, tracing intricate patterns of power and destiny.
For an instant, Brandon felt as if he were standing on the precipice between two vast, unending plains—the [Eclipse Phase] behind him, cloaked in mystery and darkness, and the [Aurora Phase] ahead, blazing with untapped possibility.
The abyss seemed to hold its breath.
Break through. Break through. Break through.
The words pulsed through his veins like liquid fire.
It was no longer a mere thought but a primal urge, a need as essential as air.
The swirling vortexes behind him roared, their frequencies aligning, escalating into an incomprehensible speed.
With a burst of willpower, Brandon screamed—a wordless sound that tore through the silence, rippling through the fabric of reality itself.
As if answering his call, an aurora of colors ignited around him—luminous greens, ethereal pinks, celestial purples—each hue interweaving to form a grand tapestry of light.
The abyss quaked.
It was as if the universe itself was acknowledging his transcendence, the ground he stood upon fracturing into an endless myriad of glowing fissures.
He felt it then, an indescribable expansion within himself.
A sense of breaking free from a cocoon that he didn't know had confined him.
Brandon had consumed the essence of his alternate self, and in doing so, he had bolstered his own resonance across the parallels of existence.
His eyes snapped open, radiant as twin stars, and in that singular moment, Brandon knew he had stepped into a new phase of his journey—ushering in the dawn of the [Aurora Phase].
In his mind, the mysterious interface appeared.
===========
[ Brandon Void | Aurora Phase ]
— Divine Awakening Progress : 30% ( Reach 40% to Upgrade )
— Divinity Aspect : Cosmic Devourer ( Tier 2 )
— Divine Skill :
Devour ( Tier 2 ) : Unleashes a consuming force that absorbs the essence of defeated enemies, replenishing the user and granting a temporary boost in power.
Void Manifestation ( Tier 1 ) : Manipulates the very fabric of the void, allowing the user to manifest ethereal constructs and unleash devastating attacks on adversaries.
— Pantheon Rank : Supreme Deity
— Cosmic Vortexes : 10
— Innate Potential : 10,000
— God Artifact : Celestial Pen
===========
Brandon's eyes darted to the translucent screen that flickered into existence before him, the interface overlaying his vision like a digital HUD.
The changes were glaring, impossible to ignore.
From [Eclipse Phase] to [Aurora Phase].
It was more than a title; it was a revolution in his being— and Brandon could feel it.
[ Divine Awakening Progress: 30% ]
His thoughts raced.
A mere 8% leap, yet it was as if mountains had moved.
'It must be the pure cosmic energy from this room… But I feel… Incredibly strong!'
Brandon analyzed as he flexed his muscles and clenched his fists.
'Next upgrade at 40%, huh?'
The interface shimmered, drawing his eyes to another monumental change.
[ Divinity Aspect: Cosmic Devourer (Tier 2) ]
Cosmic Devourer wasn't just an aspect; it was a part of his identity now, as if his cells, atoms—his very DNA—sang its name.
[ Divine Skill: Devour (Tier 2) ]
'The first tier had been potent, a force that could consume essence, but this? This felt like something torn from the jaws of the cosmos itself.'
Brandon could sense it, a swirling darkness within him that begged to be unleashed, a predator eager to claim its prey.
'Why hasn't this skill leveled up?'
Brandon pondered, his eyes lingering on the [Void Manifestation (Tier 1)].
'Is it a limitation I should worry about?'
'It didn't upgrade, it must be because my doppelganger didn't have this skill…'
Before he could spiral further into that thought, a jolt of nausea washed over him.
His new powers hummed within him, a symphony of cosmic forces.
For a moment, Brandon marveled at his newfound strength.
'I've never been so powerful...'
But then, a sobering thought cut through the euphoria.
'That's right! Jade! Baron! What's the use of this power if I can't even protect those who matter most?'
It was the aftershock, the rude shove back into reality after diving so deeply into his own interface, into his own soul.
The room around him flickered in his vision, a disorienting blur of colors and shapes.
For a moment, his mind went blank, swept clean by the physical disorientation.
But then, cutting through the fog like a lighthouse beam, came the thought of Jade and Baron—his twins, his kids.
The revelation still startled him, still clawed at his brain with surreal, sharp talons.
But it was real, as real as the new powers he'd just been examining.
'Jade! Baron! Please be okay!'
The nausea was forgotten, forced into submission by a surge of paternal concern. Brandon was on his feet in an instant
His feet pounded the hallways, each step a drumbeat in a frantic rhythm.
His mind raced, scenarios flickering through his thoughts like a reel of film.
Questions spiraled in his mind, but for now, they would have to wait.
His hand trembled as he clenched it into a fist.
He'd just gained unparalleled power, yet the weight of his responsibility for his children crushed him more than any battle ever had.
Right now, he had to see his children, had to know that they were safe and well.
'Hang tight, Jade, Baron. Dad's coming.'