Tower of Infinity

Chapter 9 — The Null Angel

The chamber exploded.

A wave of black energy swept across the floor.

Kael raised the Infinity Edge.

BOOM!

The impact threw him backward.

He crashed through a stone pillar and landed among the broken crystals.

"Kael!"

Lyra ran toward him.

"I'm fine!"

Kael pushed himself up.

He wasn't fine.

His left arm was numb.

Blood ran from his forehead.

The system appeared.

---

[Warning.]

[Divine Entity detected.]

[Nullification field active.]

[Infinity Walker abilities suppressed by 42%.]

---

Kael stared at the message.

"Of course."

The Null Angel floated above the chamber.

Six enormous wings spread behind it.

Its body was covered in silver-black armor.

Its face had no mouth.

Only two white eyes.

It raised its sword.

Seraphina shouted:

"Kael! Don't let that blade touch you!"

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't kill the body."

She looked terrified.

"It deletes the soul."

Kael's expression hardened.

"So that's why it's called the Null Angel."

The Angel disappeared.

Kael barely saw it move.

CLANG!

He blocked.

The impact nearly shattered his sword.

Another strike.

Kael dodged.

Another.

He rolled.

Another.

He jumped backward.

The Angel's sword cut through the floor.

A wave of black energy followed.

Kael activated Infinity Sense.

Nothing.

He couldn't read the creature.

"No weaknesses?"

The system answered.

---

[Target exists outside conventional analysis.]

[Infinity Sense ineffective.]

---

Kael smiled.

"Fine."

He closed his eyes.

Lyra shouted:

"Kael, what are you doing?"

"Trying something."

He stopped relying on sight.

Instead, he listened.

The chamber.

The wind.

The movement of energy.

The vibration of the sword.

Then—

he felt it.

A tiny disturbance behind the Angel.

Kael opened his eyes.

"There."

He disappeared.

---

The First Strike

Kael appeared behind the Angel.

Infinity Sever!

The blade struck its back.

CRACK!

One of the Angel's wings split.

Black energy exploded from the wound.

The Angel turned.

Kael smiled.

"Found you."

The Null Angel raised its hand.

A black sphere formed.

Kael's expression changed.

"What is that?"

Seraphina shouted:

"RUN!"

Too late.

The sphere exploded.

BOOOOOOM!

Kael was thrown across the chamber.

Lyra created a golden barrier.

The explosion struck it.

The barrier cracked.

Raven appeared beside them.

"That thing is getting stronger."

Kael stood.

"What do you mean?"

Raven pointed toward the Angel.

"Every time you damage it, it adapts."

Kael stared.

The Null Angel's broken wing began regenerating.

Within seconds—

it was completely restored.

Kael sighed.

"That's my ability."

Raven nodded.

"Exactly."

Kael looked at the Angel.

"Then we're fighting another Infinity Walker."

Seraphina shook her head.

"No."

She looked at Kael.

"You are something the Angel was created to destroy."

"What?"

"An existence that cannot be controlled."

---

Lyra's Power

The Angel suddenly turned toward Lyra.

Kael noticed.

"Why is it targeting her?"

Seraphina answered:

"Because she has the second half of the Infinity Key."

Lyra stared.

"I do?"

Seraphina nodded.

"Your soul contains the other half."

Lyra looked at Kael.

"Then what does that mean?"

"It means..."

Seraphina hesitated.

"You and Kael together can open the final door."

The Null Angel attacked.

Kael moved instantly.

He blocked the strike.

CLANG!

The force pushed him to his knees.

The Angel raised its sword.

Kael gritted his teeth.

"Lyra!"

She understood.

Golden energy surrounded her.

She placed her hand against Kael's back.

"Trust me."

Kael nodded.

"Always."

Her power entered him.

Golden energy mixed with blue-black Infinity energy.

The Infinity Edge transformed.

Its black blade became covered in golden symbols.

The system appeared.

---

[Dual Soul Resonance detected.]

[Kael Ardyn + Lyra Asteria]

[Compatibility: 98.6%]

[Temporary skill unlocked.]

INFINITY LINK

Description: Combines two compatible souls into a single synchronized energy system.

Duration: 60 seconds.

---

Kael smiled.

"Sixty seconds."

Lyra looked at him.

"That's enough."

---

The Sixty-Second Battle

The Null Angel attacked.

Kael and Lyra moved together.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Their movements became synchronized.

Kael attacked.

Lyra defended.

Lyra attacked.

Kael countered.

The Angel couldn't keep up.

SLASH!

A wing was cut.

BOOM!

Golden magic struck its armor.

CRACK!

Infinity energy shattered its shield.

The Angel screamed without making a sound.

Kael saw the core.

A small white light existed inside its chest.

"There!"

Lyra raised her hand.

"I see it!"

Kael charged.

The Angel moved to block.

Lyra intercepted it.

Golden chains wrapped around its wings.

"Now!"

Kael jumped.

The Infinity Edge became surrounded by blue and gold energy.

He swung.

INFINITY BREAK: TWIN SOUL!

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The sword pierced the Angel's chest.

The Null Angel froze.

The white core cracked.

One.

Two.

Three times.

Then—

CRAAAAACK!

The Angel shattered.

Thousands of pieces of black crystal fell through the chamber.

Silence.

The system appeared.

---

[Divine Entity defeated.]

[Null Angel eliminated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Level increased.]

[Kael Ardyn: Level 16 → Level 25]

[Lyra Asteria: Level ??? → Level 30]

[Special achievement unlocked.]

DIVINE SLAYER

Effect: Increased resistance to divine and soul-based attacks.

---

Kael dropped to one knee.

Lyra sat beside him.

"That was exhausting."

Kael laughed.

"Agreed."

Raven walked toward the remains.

"It's dead."

Seraphina shook her head.

"No."

Everyone looked at her.

She pointed toward the broken crystal.

The pieces were moving.

Slowly.

They were coming together.

Kael stood.

"You've got to be kidding."

Seraphina's expression became grim.

"It isn't dead."

The fragments began forming a new shape.

The Null Angel emerged again.

But this time—

it had changed.

Its armor was darker.

Its wings had doubled.

Its eyes were blue.

And a strange symbol appeared on its chest.

The symbol of Infinity.

The system appeared.

---

[ERROR.]

[Enemy evolution detected.]

[Null Angel has assimilated Infinity energy.]

NULL ANGEL — ASCENDED FORM

Level: 75

Rank: Divine Executioner

New Ability: Infinity Nullification

Warning: Extreme Threat

---

Kael stared.

"Level seventy-five?"

Raven stepped backward.

"We need to leave."

Kael didn't move.

"Not yet."

Raven looked at him.

"Kael."

Kael raised the Infinity Edge.

"It's learning from us."

The Angel opened its wings.

Kael smiled.

"Then so am I."

---

The Memory Key

The Angel suddenly stopped.

Its head turned toward the crystal Kael had received earlier.

The Memory Key began glowing.

Seraphina's expression changed.

"Kael."

He looked at her.

"Use it."

"What?"

"Use the Memory Key."

Kael held the crystal.

"What will happen?"

"You'll remember the truth."

"About the First King?"

Seraphina shook her head.

"About your father."

Kael froze.

"My father?"

She nodded.

"Your father wasn't human."

The chamber went silent.

Raven stared.

Lyra looked confused.

Kael's hand tightened around the crystal.

"Then what was he?"

Seraphina whispered:

"He was the first being to reach the final floor."

Kael's eyes widened.

"And what happened to him?"

Seraphina looked toward the ceiling.

"He became the thing that guards it."

Kael stared.

"The final guardian?"

Seraphina nodded.

"Your father is the reason the final floor cannot be reached."

The Memory Key glowed brighter.

A voice entered Kael's mind.

Use me.

Kael closed his eyes.

He activated the key.

---

The Forgotten Memory

Darkness.

Then light.

Kael saw a man.

Tall.

Black hair.

Blue eyes.

He stood beside Elara.

A young Kael was sleeping in her arms.

The man looked at the child.

His expression was filled with sadness.

"He's stronger than I was."

Elara smiled.

"Then perhaps he'll succeed."

The man shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if he reaches the summit..."

He looked toward the Tower.

"...he'll have to kill me."

Elara's eyes widened.

"What?"

The man placed his hand on the child's head.

"I am the final guardian."

The memory changed.

Kael saw his father standing before an enormous black door.

Beyond it was absolute darkness.

A voice spoke.

"You may enter."

His father shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because someone must remain."

The door began closing.

His father looked back one final time.

"Tell my son..."

Elara began crying.

"Tell him what?"

His father smiled.

"That I was proud of him."

The memory shattered.

Kael opened his eyes.

Tears were running down his face.

Lyra stood beside him.

"What did you see?"

Kael looked toward the Null Angel.

Then toward the distant ceiling.

"My father."

Seraphina nodded.

"What did he say?"

Kael wiped his face.

"He said..."

His voice broke.

"He was proud of me."

The Null Angel suddenly attacked.

Kael raised the Infinity Edge.

The Angel's blade stopped inches from his face.

Kael blocked it.

The impact shook the chamber.

He looked into its blue eyes.

"You're not taking anything else from me."

The Infinity Edge erupted with power.

The Tower itself trembled.

A system message appeared.

---

[Infinity Walker adaptation: 63%]

[Tower Authority: 15% → 21%]

[New skill unlocked.]

INFINITY DOMAIN

Description: Creates a temporary domain where the user's authority over Tower energy is greatly increased.

Current Duration: 10 seconds.

---

Kael smiled.

"Ten seconds."

Lyra stood beside him.

"That's enough."

Raven raised his spear.

Seraphina summoned golden magic.

Kael stepped forward.

The Null Angel spread its wings.

For ten seconds—

the laws of the Tower belonged to Kael.

The battle resumed.

And far above them, behind the thirteenth door, something ancient whispered:

"The heir has awakened."

TO BE CONTINUED.