Chapter 36: Resonance Break

To your left, Senior!"

Ephraim was strong. Lydia had never doubted that. However, after witnessing Zachary fight, she had to admit that the man was on another level.

BAM!

Unlike Ephraim’s calculated and precise movements, Zachary’s fighting style was raw, brutal, and destructive.

Every attack carried enough force to make the air tremble, and his dark spheres exploded against the monstrous rabbit with terrifying power.

Even the Rift Barrier surrounding them began to crack under his relentless barrage. But Zachary kept the same cold smile, his green eyes fixed on his prey like a panther stalking its next meal.

"Darn. It’s too fast!"

The Coronet was already in shambles from Zachary’s attacks, but the monster only grew faster with every hit it received.

Its movements became increasingly erratic, making it difficult to predict its next target.

Disgusting clumps of cotton spilled from its stomach and scattered across the battlefield, damp with a sickening red substance that reminded Lydia of blood.

"We need to find its weakness, Senior Zach! Aiming blindly will only enrage it!" Lydia shouted, trying to make herself heard over the explosions.

"Shit! This monster sure is persistent!" Another dark sphere missed the rabbit when it jumped on a table.

The rabbit was now dodging almost every attack, leaping in zigzagging patterns like a flash of shadow.

Just as Zachary prepared to smash another explosive sphere into its body, the monster abruptly changed direction and lunged straight toward Lydia.

The stitches across its stomach split open, revealing a grotesque maw that threatened to swallow her whole.

"Kyaaaah!"

There was no time to escape, so she grabbed the nearest metallic chair and drove it directly into the monster’s gaping mouth.

The rabbit screeched, momentarily thrown off balance by the unexpected obstruction. Seizing the opportunity, Lydia drew her rapier and pierced it into the enormous eye in its exposed stomach.

"Take this!"

The monster shrieked and leaped backward. For one brief moment, it swayed and growled when the eye on its stomach exploded.

But the rabbit’s movements grew even more violent. It lunged and struck Lydia hard, sending her flying backward.

THUD!

Lydia’s right temple slammed against the edge of a metallic table hard before she crashed onto the floor.

"Ouch... my head..."

Pain exploded through Lydia’s skull. The world was spinning as she sat on the floor and tried to regain her vision.

"Lydia! Your head is bleeding."

Losing its eye made the rabbit went berserk. It grew faster with every wound, until even Zachary’s devastating attacks could barely graze it.

"Goddamn it! This shit is too fast!"

Lydia gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus on the monster’s movements as Zachary barely dodged light laser beams blasting from the gaping hole in its stomach.

We couldn’t keep fighting like this.

Zachary possessed enough destructive power to damage the monster, but every successful hit only seemed to make it more dangerous.

Unlike Ephraim, Senior Zach was a heavy hitter. He wasn’t as fast as Ephraim, but his strength was off the charts. If I could guide him to land his attacks, we might have a chance.

Keeping her movements subtle, Lydia secretly scanned Zachary with her bracelet.

[Sentinel: Zachary Ludenberg]

[Sentinel Rank: SSS-Rank]

[Spirit Animal: Black Panther]

[Element: Dark]

[Resonance Stress: 67%]

[Warning: Guiding is required.]

A faint blue light flickered before her eyes as the system began calculating their compatibility.

[Calculating compatibility between SSS-Rank Sentinel Zachary Ludenberg and C-Rank Guide Lydia Valendorf...]

[Compatibility: 98%]

Lydia nearly forgot about her headache.

98%? Even higher than Ephraim’s? How was that possible? Guess now wasn’t the best time to think about it.

Another metallic table shattered beneath Zachary’s landing as he kicked at the rabbit’s head. The monster dodged at the last second, evading his attack.

Mm... I can use our high compatibility to debuff that annoying rabbit.

Lydia tapped on her mental power to guide Zachary. Her antlers flashed with bursting light as she focused on her Spirit Animal.

"Lend me your Resonance, Senior!"

Priphea appeared behind Lydia and bleated as she drew Zachary’s Resonance to create a storm of flower petals around Lydia.

Our high compatibility might come in handy. Senior is powerful. I might be able to use it to boost my power.

Lydia linked her mental power with Zachary to draw his Resonance. But the connection immediately sent a painful jolt through her body.

"Lydia! Your nose and head are bleeding!"

"Don’t mind me, Senior Zach. Just keep your focus on that monster!"

Despite her ringing headache, Lydia continued to guide him. The backlash was far worse than she had anticipated, and it was hardly surprising.

The difference between their ranks put an enormous strain on her body, but Lydia couldn’t afford to stop now.

My head felt like being splitted open. Trying to synchronize with an SSS-Rank Sentinel was really painful. This was even worse than when I tried to guide Ephraim.

Lydia delve into Zachary’s Resonance flow and linked it with her mental power to slow down the monster’s speed.

Her right temple throbbed with every heartbeat, and her vision threatened to blur as Lydia pulled out her silk handkerchief and wiped away the blood smeared across her lips.

Another bursting pain sparked inside her head as Lydia twisted her mental power and manipulate it into the rabbit to throw its frequency off balance.

"Resonance Break!!"

The rabbit’s movements faltered. For the first time since the battle began, it slowed down as Lydia’s debuff took effect.

"Now!"

Zachary didn’t waste the opportunity.

Like a lethal predator, he charged at the staggering monster with a massive sphere of dark energy gathering between his hands.

"Eat this!!"

He smashed the enormous dark sphere directly into the rabbit.

A huge explosion shook the battlefield as the monster’s grotesque body shattered into enormous pieces of white crystal that scattered across the Rift Battlefield.

One by one, the shards dissolved into white lights and shot toward Zachary’s bracelet, disappearing into it.

At the same time, the Dimensional Rift began to collapse. Its dark opening contracted inward, the distortion in space gradually shrinking until the rift finally knitted itself shut.

The Rift Barrier flickered once before vanishing.

When Lydia opened her eyes, the battlefield had disappeared. They were back inside the Coronet, surrounded by the wreckage of the restaurant.

Her head throbbed mercilessly, and the dizziness made it difficult to sit upright. Lydia pressed a hand against her aching temple, only to wince when her fingers touched the tender spot.

Must be because of the impact from that table. And I don’t think that backlash helped either.

"We did it, Senior. Great job. Ugh, my head... hurts..."

"Lydia! Are you okay? What was that?!"

Zachary rushed toward her, his earlier playfulness completely gone. But Lydia could barely make out his worried expression.

Her vision darkened, the sounds around her grew muffled and distant, as though she were sinking underwater.

"Lydia!!"

Before Lydia could answer, her body slumped to the floor as everything went black.