Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

The blades continued to tear the monster's body apart until Wain decided to finish it. He snapped his fingers and the blades dissipated into clots of dark energy that headed toward him.

The monster fell to the ground as dark blood gushed from its many wounds, staining the ashy ground red. The monster didn't look at Wain until the very last moment, he died staring at the half-destroyed moon as though it was the only witness to his death in this lifeless place.

Tap.

The monster's hand touched the ground, his eyes closed as a huge amber soul flew out of his chest that was much larger than any other Wain had encountered before.

"How beautiful..." Wain muttered in a faint voice as he stepped forward.

He walked over to the shower, touched it, and sighed lightly. The soul shuddered and shattered into hundreds of golden threads that flew apart, looking for a new place where their energy would come in handy.

Wain did not absorb this soul, he decided that for once, he could set aside his desire for power. The value of this fight was not in the soul at all, so it was not a loss, from the word go.

"Agh... Abyss Brush is not in it..." Wain muttered while looking at the monster, then he turned towards the river, "Although, I already know where it is, so it's time to finally see the seventh, isn't it?"

Step. Step. Step.

Wain slowly headed toward the riverbank as his feet touched the dark, eerie water that flowed forward at great speed, but now the river didn't seem dangerous to him at all.

Whooooooosh.

A powerful current of wind ruffled his black hair as a piece of black and red leather flew in front of him and fell into his palm. It was quite strange as from time to time its edges glowed as if the piece was trying to grow into something larger.

"Hah, you survived, didn't you? Damn, that's probably the best thing that could have happened at the end of that fight. Well, let me give you a little help." Wain said with a slight smile on his face as he pressed it to his chest and channeled the energy.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.historical

The piece trembled as it began to grow at an incredible rate, covering Wain's exposed torso. It gradually morphed into a new coat, that differed from the previous one in both color and shape.

The coat was now almost entirely black with thin white stripes around the edges that as if as a barrier held back the darkness. There were thick leather plates on the shoulders as the wide collar partially covered Wain's face from the brutal wind.

"Fine, that's much better, it's actually cold in here." Wain said with a slight smile on his face as he closed his eyes, "Well, it's time to get what I came all this way for."

Wain opened his eyes and extended his hand forward, palm up. He released his powerful aura as the water in the river trembled, preparing to obey his command.

"I'm lucky that this river is something like my Beyond, it's just as implacable, just like me. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have had any control over it, and I would have died..." Wain uttered in a quiet voice before stepping forward.

At the same time, the river stopped as the water in front of him split in two, creating a passage. In the distance, practically on the other bank, a black brush stuck out in the ashy ground, as though it were an ancient artifact that had been there for thousands of years.

"There you are... Huh, I was finally able to get to you." Wain grinned while walking forward.

The water at the two edges trembled, trying to keep it flowing further, but Wain's strength was still strong enough to hold it back.

Step.

Wain approached the brush and he stopped a few meters in front of it. From the brush came massive waves of dark energy that temporarily altered the space next to it, releasing outward evil spirits that then disappeared into the void.

"Well, well, that's what you look like Abyss Brush... Let's see who you really are." Wain said with a calm look as he reached out for a brush.

Suddenly, trickles of blood flowed from the corners of Wain's mouth as control of the river loosened.

"Fuck..."

Whooooooooosh.

The two streams joined together as they collapsed on Wain, pushing him with a brush outward to the right bank of the river.

Bam.

Wain went to the ground with a pained expression as Abyss Brush fell in front of him, slowly rolling forward on the ashy ground.

"No... I must at least touch it..." Wain muttered in a faint voice as he reached forward, but when the tip of his finger almost reached the Abyss Brush, his eyes slowly closed as he passed out.

After the devastating battle between Wain and the monster, Death Shore returned to its normal state as the half-destroyed moon illuminated the lifeless and dangerous place.

Whooooooooosh.

A powerful current of wind blew that was a strange black color as if it came from the depths of the abyss, then on the boulder next to Wain, appeared a dark, mysterious silhouette.

"Well, well, Wain, you were only seconds, no... a moment away from meeting me." The silhouette said as a sly smile appeared on its face that seemingly could fool even the whole world.

The silhouette looked at Wain, lying on the ground, and muttered, "Maybe it's for the best, though. You need to be fully prepared for the moment when we meet, as well as the rest of the world."

The silhouette gradually shattered into small pieces, disappearing as it finally said with a devious smirk, "This is going to be exciting. Too bad some persons have already guessed and prepared for it."

Wain slept for a long time, breathing slowly while his wounds gradually recovered. Though Death Shore was a dangerous place, no one went near him, and only particles of ash brought by the wind settled on him.