The world went black.
Gorath felt an unknown power creeping through his body, seeping into every fiber of his muscles, merging with his very soul.
Hunger.
An inexplicable thirst burned in his throat.
He wanted more.
More than a fight.
More than a victory.
He wanted to devour.
BOOM!
A wave of dark energy exploded from his body.
The ground beneath him cracked. The trees around him were uprooted, flung into the air as if they were dry twigs.
Gorath's eyes now glowed blood red, filled with a hunger he had never felt before.
The shadow woman and the red-robed man both took a few steps back.
For the first time…
They hesitated.
"What is this…" the woman whispered, her confidence fading.
The red-robed man narrowed his eyes. "We must retreat."
But it was too late.
CRACK!
Gorath vanished.
There was no warning.
There was no sound.
Only emptiness.
And then—
"GUAAAAAAARGH!"
A scream echoed throughout the forest.
The shadow woman was already in the air, her body thrown like a rag doll.
As she landed, she realized something that made her shudder.
Her arm… was gone.
Black blood dripped from her shoulder, and in the distance—
Gorath stood, holding the arm in his mouth.
He bit into it slowly, glaring at the woman with a look of madness.
Then, without looking away, he chewed the flesh.
"You… MONSTER!" the woman screamed, her eyes filled with fear.
Gorath smiled.
And for the first time, he realized something.
Yes. She was a monster.
And she would make this world understand the meaning of fear.
The night sky was covered in a thick red mist.
The wind blew hard, carrying the scent of death.
In the middle of the forest that had now turned into a killing field, Gorath stood atop a pile of corpses.
Blood flowed down his skin, dripping from his gleaming black claws.
His red eyes shone in the darkness, staring at his two remaining opponents.
The red-robed man gripped his sword tightly, while the shadow woman who had lost an arm gasped, trying to endure the pain.
But Gorath was in no hurry.
He just smiled.
A smile that made both of them feel something they hadn't felt in a long time.
Fear.
Gorath stepped forward, slowly.
Every step he took shook the ground.
"Don't let him get close!" the red-robed man shouted, trying to strategize amidst the chaos.
But the shadow woman had lost her nerve.
She turned around, trying to run away.
Gorath just laughed.
And in a second—
She was gone.
BOOM!
Blood spurted into the air.
As the red-robed man turned his head, he saw something that made his blood run cold.
The shadowy woman—
Her head had been severed.
Her body stood still, lifeless, before it fell to the ground with a thud.
Gorath stood behind her, his hands still gripping her hair, lifting her head as it stared in eternal shock.
His voice was low, full of madness.
"Weak."
The red-robed man trembled.
He knew this was no longer a fight.
This was an execution.
And Gorath was the executioner.
The world froze.
The red-robed man stared at his friend's head, now hanging in Gorath's hand.
Blood still dripped from the severed neck, creating a pool of red beneath their feet.
Gorath smiled, his red eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"Don't be so afraid," he said, his voice hoarse and mocking. "At least you can die after seeing something amazing."
The man gritted his teeth.
There was no escape.
Gorath was faster than him. Stronger.
No matter how many strategies he devised, it would all end the same—with his death.
But if he had to die, he wouldn't die without a fight!
"ARRRGHHH!"
He charged forward at full speed, his sword gleaming in red light.
But Gorath remained still.
Unmoving.
As if he didn't care about the attack.
Then—
In the split second before the sword struck him, Gorath raised one hand.
BOOM!
The air vibrated.
The wind exploded in all directions.
And the red-robed man's body floated into the air like a dry leaf, before hitting the ground hard.
He felt his bones crack.
It hurt.
Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Gorath was already upon him.
Those red eyes stared into his soul.
And for the first time in his life, the man truly realized—
He was going to die.