CLANG!
Sparks flew as my Umbral Fang clashed against Selene's frost blade. Ice crawled along my dagger, trying to freeze it solid, but the abyss devoured the cold like it was nothing.
Her silver eyes widened.
"Too slow," I muttered.
THUD!
I drove my knee into her stomach. She gasped, her breath misting in the freezing air as she staggered back.
Before I could press the attack—
BOOM!
Leon was already there. A golden comet streaking toward me, his fist aimed straight for my face.
I barely raised my arms in time—
CRACK!
The impact sent me skidding back, my boots carving deep trenches in the stone floor. The force rattled my bones, but I didn't stop. Phantom Dash.
I blurred reappearing behind him. And then, a slash downward.
SHINK!
Leon twisted, barely dodging as my dagger grazed his shoulder. His golden aura flared, and before I could retreat, his palm exploded with raw power.
BOOM!
A shockwave detonated, golden energy blasting me backward.
But before I even landed—
ROOOOAAAAAARRR!
Fenrir attacked.
The abyssal warhound lunged at Leon, its massive claws ripping through the frozen battlefield.
Leon dodged, but Fenrir's fangs snapped shut—blood splattered.
Selene, her breath ragged, raised both hands.
"Enough!"
KRRRK—!
The air froze, and a glacial spear formed above Fenrir.
She hurled it down.
"Freeze!"
FWOOOSH!
A golden blur intercepted the attack.
Fully transformed, his draconic form radiated molten energy as he smashed the ice spear into shards. His wings unfurled, golden flames crackling around his body.
"You deal with Ryzen," Dorian growled. "I'll handle his beast."
He turned toward Fenrir.
The Abyssal Warhound and the Draconic Tyrantcharged at each other, their roars shaking the entire chamber.
Meanwhile, Leon wiped the blood from his lip, golden energy crackling around his fists, and Selene lifted her blade, frost swirling at its edge.
BOOM!
Our attacks collided, shaking the entire chamber. Golden light, freezing frost, and abyssal darkness clashed in a violent explosion of power. The sheer force sent shockwaves ripping through the battlefield, forcing the weaker hunters watching from the sidelines to retreat further back.
Leon's golden fist streaked toward me again. I twisted, barely dodging as his blow grazed my ribs, the force alone enough to fracture the air.
CRACK!
he ground beneath us split apart.
Selene struck next. Spears of ice erupted from the broken floor, aiming for my blind spots. I saw them. Felt them. Predator's Instinct warned me before they could land.
Phantom Dash.
I vanished reappearing at her flank.
SHINK!
My dagger slashed forward, aiming for her neck—
CLANG!
Leon intercepted me mid-strike, his golden aura exploding as he drove his knee into my stomach.
THUD!
I coughed blood, but before I could recover, Selene followed up, slashing with her frost blade.
SLASH!
A thin, cold line appeared across my chest. Blood dripped onto the shattered ground.
They were relentless.
BOOM!
A massive impact rocked the battlefield.
Dorian and Fenrir were going all out in the distance. The Abyssal Warhound snarled, its shadowy form flickering like a void in reality. Dorian, in his full draconic form, exhaled a torrent of golden flames, melting everything in his path.
It was a battle between a sovereign beast of the abyss and a dragon incarnate.
But I had my own battle to win. I exhaled, shadows writhing around me. My vision blurred, the Abyss whispering louder—tempting me.
It was taking over my sanity.
I clenched my fists, trying to suppress it, but my own power was resisting me.
Leon narrowed his eyes, noticing the shift.
"Ryzen—what's happening to you?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't because right now, I wasn't sure if I was still myself.
Selene's voice cut through the tension. "Leon, we have to stop him now!"
She wasn't wrong. I could feel it—if I lost control completely, I wouldn't just be fighting them. I'd be consuming them.
A flicker of hesitation crossed Leon's face. That's when I made my move.
Phantom Dash.
Faster than ever before.
In an instant, I appeared behind Selene.
Her eyes widened—
SLASH!
Blood splattered as my dagger sank into her side.
She gasped, staggering.
Leon roared and retaliated, his fist glowing brighter than ever.
I barely managed to block with my arm—
CRACK!
Pain exploded through me as my bones nearly shattered. But instead of retreating, I grinned.
And then, a notification popped up in front of me.
***
[ System Alert! ]
Warning! Abyssal Corruption rising at an alarming rate!
Your mind is destabilizing.
Immediate control is required. Failure to resist will result in full Abyssal Overgrowth.
***
Flashing red notifications filled my vision, but the words felt distant.
My body wasn't listening to me anymore.
The Abyss had its claws deep inside me, twisting my thoughts, drowning my mind in a hunger that wasn't mine. My veins pulsed with darkness, the overwhelming urge to consume everything in sight clawing at my sanity.
The power was intoxicating.
The battlefield around me was in ruins. Cracks ran through the chamber like veins, and the alarms screamed louder than ever. The oppressive weight of my aura alone made even the A-Rank hunters struggle to breathe.
They couldn't get close.
But Leon, Selene, and Dorian could.
They stood before me, battered but standing strong—three monsters in their own right.
Yet, they weren't attacking.
They were waiting and watching. Because they knew, this wasn't just a fight anymore. This was me fighting myself.
"Ryzen!" Leon's voice cut through the chaos, but it barely reached me.
I could see him. See his golden aura burning brightly, his fists clenched, ready to move at any second.
Selene stood beside him, frost still clinging to her skin, her ice magic wrapped around her like armor. But her eyes held concern.
Dorian, despite his usual arrogance, wasn't smiling. His draconic energy still raged, but his stance had changed. He wasn't just looking at me as an opponent anymore.
I clenched my jaw, my vision flickering between reality and the abyss.
The system's voice rang in my head again, louder this time.
[You are losing control.]
[Resist.]