Pzzzt. Pzzzzt. Pzzzzt.
The rift, now stretched wide like the mouth of some ancient beast, shimmered with a sickly dark blue glow. From my side, the stench of carnage and madness seeped out, thick enough to make even Hunter let out a muffled gag. The last battle was just beyond this door, waiting with bared fangs.
Grunting, I shoved myself upright — dignity be damned — and stumbled forward into the portal, where reality zipped and twisted around me like a sock caught in a washing machine.
In the next instant, I was spat out onto the open summit of this forsaken tower.
Above, the black sun wept sinews of pale, sickly light, casting darkish eerie patterns over a battlefield that stretched out for miles. The ground was a carpet of dried, blackened flesh, with bones and skulls — some massive, some pitifully small — scattered like a madman's art.
Looking around, there was only a thick red fog swallowing everything below, as if the world simply gave up trying to exist down there.
And perched at the highest elevation, like some deranged monarch, was a massive granite throne entwined with writhing black threads that still pulsed, as if breathing.
My brain briefly short-circuited trying to figure out how this all fit inside a tower that, by basic geometry, wasn't even half this size. Then again, pocket dimensions made great real estate investments for maniacs.
And then I saw him.
Black hair that drank the light, eyes glowing with abyssal blue fire, skin as pale as death's frozen hands. Lips curled into a knowing smirk, like he'd been expecting me — like he'd been waiting.
It was me.
The other me.
Draped in a long black robe stitched with intricate golden patterns, a hood casting ominous shadows across his — my — face. He sat idly on the grotesque throne, the very picture of a King of Hell waiting for his next idiot to grovel before him.
Meanwhile, there I stood, alone amid the rotting wreckage. My white hair snapped in the stale wind like a battle banner, and Hunter gnawed hungrily at my left arm like an overexcited dog that smelled fresh meat.
"We meet at last," the figure spoke — no, split — his voice warping the air itself, sending shivers straight down my spine. "So you're the little emissary rat scurrying around my domain?"
"You... you little shit stain," I shot back, flashing the nastiest grin I could muster. "Did your momma never teach you manners, or did she just leave you too for milk?"
Psychological warfare was still damage, okay?
The other me chuckled — a deep, rumbled sound that cracked the floor like thin ice under a fat man.
"Hah-yeah. We're the same person, right? I'd honestly be insulted if you didn't bark back," he said, his laughter causing tremors across the battlefield.
Tsk. I clicked my tongue, fighting the crushing pressure pinning me to the ground like an invisible elephant.
"So, what now? I'm guessing you didn't invite me for tea and gossip," I said, crossing my arms even as my muscles screamed in protest. "And spoiler alert: I don't like you."
The other me tilted his head, his eyes now gleaming with unmasked malice.
"Good," he said. "Because I plan to squash you like the cockroach you are."
[God's Eye]!
[Error. Error. Error.]
[God's Eye can't decipher the target's soul.]
[Target can't be analyzed.]
What the hell?!
For the first time since getting [God’s Eye], I couldn't see someone's soul. It was like staring into a bottomless pit that stared right back and called me a disappointment.
"Hahahaha! Look at you!" he howled, literally howling with laughter as if I had slipped on a banana peel. "If you wanted to know, you could’ve just asked nicely! Maybe throw in a little kneeling and begging? Hahaha!"
Then, as if mocking me further, he snapped his fingers.
Zhuuum!
[Warning: Force Soul Interference]
Jin Asura
[Lupus Ater Magnus – Lvl 50] [Buffed]
King rank Aberrant
HP: 3000 (+700) | MP: 1200 (+700)
STR: 99 (+20) | INT: 92 (+20)
AGI: 80 (+20) | VIT: 100 (+20)
DEF: 750 (+300) | MOR: -100
[Secondary Stats Hidden]
[King Traits]
[Roar of the King]
(Buff Skill)
The primal instinct of the King evokes overwhelming fear in creatures nearby. Debuffs all enemies within a 20-meter radius by -25% total stats for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 60 seconds. Mana Cost: 50 MP.
[King’s Behest]
(Buff Skill)
By calling upon the highest authority of the Void, the user transforms into a Void King Werewolf, gaining +100% bonus to all stats. Costs -10% of total HP every 10 seconds while active.
[Rex Luporum]
(Active Skill)
Manifest savage attacks from thin air, dealing 200 ATK damage that completely bypasses defense and armor. Mana Cost: 100 MP. Cooldown: 3 seconds.
[Wolf’s Sigil]
(Passive Skill)
Blessed (or cursed) by the night, gaining power when the sun is down and weakening when the sun is up.
Effects:
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(Night Cycle)
HP: +500 | MP: +500
STR: +20 | INT: +20
AGI: +20 | VIT: +20
DEF: +300 | MOR: 0
(Day Cycle)
HP: -500 | MP: -500
STR: -20 | INT: -20
AGI: -20 | VIT: -20
DEF: -300 | MOR: 0
So this... this is the real strength of a King-rank!?
Beads of sweat streamed down my forehead like I was leaking vital fluids. My instincts screamed louder than an air raid siren.
I'm dead.
I'm 100% dead. Zero chance.
No play again buttons.
"[My Lord... I don't think we can defeat this monster head-on, or without sacrificing everything.]" Hunter's voice crackled in my mind like an old, panicking radio, "[We can wear him down... but that would be pure luck. Cosmic, divine, 'winning the lottery while getting struck by lightning' kind of luck.]"
"It's been forever since I had a real fight," the King mused, stretching his neck with a sickening crack. "Let’s see if you can keep up before you snap like a twig."
Zip.
Before I could even blink, he was gone. His throne stood empty like someone had just rage-quit a boss fight.
Then — pop — he appeared right in front of me.
Smiling. Wicked. Calm.
Like he just strolled over to borrow a cup of sugar.
"My eyes can't keep up!" I screamed internally.
Instinct took over. I grit my teeth, roared, and swung a punch straight at his smug face.
...only to hit pure air.
"[My Lord, he's--]" Hunter didn't even finish his warning before the "King" casually tilted his head a few centimeters.
BANG!
The world turned black.
The next thing I knew, I was airborne, hurtling across the battlefield like an unfortunate housefly that had dared to land on a griddle.
[You received -150 HP damage]
Pain exploded along my left cheek. It felt like my face was melting off. I could taste blood pooling thick in my mouth.
And the worst part?
I hadn’t even seen him move.
No wind-up, no muscles shifting, not even a tell-tale twitch. It was as if he had simply wished for my suffering and reality obliged.
[Activate Trait: Void Cloak]!
Through repeated immersion in cosmic forces, your body has merged with spatial essence, transforming you into a walking singularity. You can now invoke the physical manifestation of the Void to repel physical and mental intrusion. This smoky cloak can be morphed into tools, weapons, or armor by channeling mana, scaling with your attributes.
Added Effects:
+100% primary stat bonus
50 mana per transformation
30 minute active duration
45 minute cooldown
[Buffed at 100%]
→HP: 80 (+1320) | MP: 20 (+1070)
→STR: 4 (+114) | INT: 2 (+82)
→AGI: 5 (+99) | VIT: 7 (+97)
→DEF: 1 (+391) | MOR: -78
The swirling cloak of cosmic smoke around me twisted and condensed, sprouting a second pair of muscular, Shura-like arms. My veins popped across my body like writhing blue worms, and my vision sharpened until every tiny vibration in the air painted a target.
This time...
This time I could match his speed!
Zip. Zip.
We crashed toward each other like dueling thunderbolts. The world blurred into streaks of red, black, and blue.
Our limbs became blurs — fists slamming, legs whipping, a ballet of pure violence. With every swing, every parry, the air cracked open like splitting granite.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Each impact thundered like cannons at point-blank range, the shockwaves rattling my bones and leaving ghostly afterimages dancing in the misty, blood-scented air.
It felt like we were painting the battlefield with the world's angriest fireworks.
[You received 30 HP damage]
"ARGHHH!"
I coughed blood from the sustained impacts, staining the ground in front of me like a gruesome signature.
Meanwhile, the other me — the King — just grinned.
As if we were playing a light-hearted game of patty-cake and I was the slow kid.
"Is that all you've got?" he scoffed, tilting his head mockingly.
"[Hunter! We'll have to finish this quickly!]" I roared mentally.
"[My Lord, using that now will spell disaster! We can only maintain it for twenty seconds! If you overextend even a second--!]" Hunter’s warning rattled frantically, sensing where my reckless brain was headed.
But there was no time to hesitate.
No time for fear.
No time for survival plans.
We either burn bright like a sun about to go supernova— Or get stomped into an unwanted roadkill.
[Alpha Metamorphosis]
Description:
Tasting the essence of chaos, you have unlocked the ability to morph yourself and your weapon into one entity, changing your body's composition and appearance.
Warning: this skill accrues 'madness'; if the user reaches the max cap, permanent devolution will occur.
Side Effect:
Berserker - while the skill is active, gain 5 points of madness per second. You lose 5 madness points per hour. This will compound your stats and abilities by 50% for the duration.
0 out of 100 madness points
For the second time, I unleashed the nightmare lurking under my skin.
With a sickening crack and a ripple of black mist, my body twisted, shifting into a hulking hybrid of void and fury. My weapon fused with my arms, turning my limbs into shimmering, razor-edged horrors. White hair exploded into a wild mane down my back, whipping about like a living banner of lunacy. I looked like a discount mythological beast stitched together at the last minute.
Electric pain crawled over my skin as my bones protested the sudden upgrade. Muscles bulged with barely-contained chaos, snapping and groaning as they struggled to hold the monstrous power pouring into me.
Madness slithered in, licking at the edges of my mind like an unwelcome party guest.
[Buffed at 150%]
→HP: 80 (+1580) | MP: 20 (+1280)
→STR: 4 (+144) | INT: 2 (+103)
→AGI: 5 (+125) | VIT: 7 (+123)
→DEF: 1 (+489) | MOR: -78
ZIP!!
I vanished in a flicker, the ground beneath where I'd stood erupting from the force of my launch.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Four brutal strikes slammed into the King before he could even blink, sending him soaring backward like an angry cat kicked off a throne. His once-regal seat shattered into a sad pile of rubble and shame.
"Ohooooo~ so you’ve got that trick too, huh?" he laughed, wiping a lazy smear of blood from his lip, completely unfazed like he’d just tripped on a pebble. "Alright then! Let me show you how the pros do it!"
ZIIIIIING!
The air itself seemed to scream as a thunderous blast split the silence.
Before me, the nightmare evolved.
Steam gushed out in choking clouds, cloaking the battlefield in a blinding mist as the creature's form writhed and grew.
[Lupus Ater Magnus] [Full Form]
[King's Behest]
→HP: 3000 (+1700) | MP: 1200 (+1620)
→STR: 198 (+20) | INT: 184 (+20)
→AGI: 160 (+20) | VIT: 200 (+20)
→DEF: 1500 (+300) | MOR: -100
What emerged from the steam looked like every bad dream I'd ever had—and a few I hadn't even invented yet.
A colossal Void King Werewolf, easily twice my size, its abyssal black fur flowing like liquid night. Two devilish horns twisted from its skull, carving the mist apart. Its blue eyes gleamed like twin icy stars, pinning me to the ground with nothing but sheer malice. Long, ragged claws scraped lines of decay into the stone with every lazy step it took.
A full-fledged disaster, tailored specifically to ruin my day.
Compared to him, I looked like a wet puppy trying to growl at a roaring thunderstorm.
We locked eyes.
The King bared his fangs in a predatory grin wide enough to make a crocodile blush.
ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!
The ground quivered, cracks spider-webbing out from his feet. Even the air seemed to freeze in panic.
"[My Lord, you have to dodge!]" Hunter’s voice shrieked in my mind like a fire alarm set to "panic mode."
Too late.
A shockwave hit me like a truck hauling bad decisions. My body seized up—muscles turning into concrete, my breath hitching like a broken engine.
[Debuff effect: Roar of the King]
[Ting!]
[-25% Total Stats. Duration: 15 seconds.]
I snarled, forcing myself to stay upright even as every cell screamed abort mission.
He then moved.
No—vanished.
He didn't sprint. He didn’t even blur.
He just ceased to exist where he was and appeared above me, moving so fast the very air around him stayed undisturbed.
In less than a heartbeat, he was there.
The wolf's claws descended, glowing a deep crimson under the doomlight, promising to turn me into a stressball.
I had exactly zero time to ponder my life choices.
Reflexes kicking in, I crossed my mutated claws over my head and chest, bracing for the inevitable impact of doom.
BOOM!
The earth beneath me screamed and split apart as his claws slammed into me with the full, bone-shattering weight of a collapsing mountain. My body caved in like a cheap tent, bones creaking, organs jostling for new addresses.
I tried to angle the blow to lessen the impact — textbook perfect parry, if I may say so — but it didn't matter. The force still snapped my arms backward with a sickening crunch, a hot lance of pain knifing through my entire upper body.
[You received 310 HP damage]
His claws ripped into my shoulder and chest, the sensation like molten iron gouging into living wood.
Then —
Another strike came from nowhere.
Something invisible and vicious sliced my flank wide open, my body jerking sideways as the wound gushed blood like a broken dam.
[You received 200 HP True damage]
"Wha—?!" I barked, blinking stupidly at my own leaking side.
My arms trembled violently — and finally gave out.
Blood sprayed across the cracked floor, hissing and sizzling as it landed.
I rolled aside just as he struck again, [Void Cloak] flickering to life, my body warping into a ripple of shadows, barely escaping another disemboweling blow.
Landing on one knee, I coughed up a lungful of blood. My ribs felt rearranged into modern art.
"Only 570 HP left." I grinned crookedly to myself.
Three seconds.
That's all it took for the King's predatory eyes to adjust. Even though my [Void Cloak] blurred me into mist, the stench of my blood was a giant neon sign.
He flicked a claw lazily — like he was brushing lint off a jacket.
[Rex Luporum] activated.
A howl of Void energy tore the world apart —
CRACK!
Phantom slashes materialized out of thin air and slammed into my chest without warning.
[You received 200 HP True Damage]
"Guhhh—"
I stumbled, blood pooling beneath me, soaking into the dead, thirsty ground. My body could heal itself — sure — but my HP bar was draining faster than an open faucet.
Yet somehow —
The fire in my crimson eyes burned hotter.
"Hunter…" I rasped.
Let's Feast.
Outer Celestials,
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[Ting!]
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