Ethan's fists collided with the beast's thick, jagged hide, each impact reverberating like thunder across the desolate battlefield. His face, twisted in equal parts pain and unbridled fury, dripped with blood—some his own, some the beast's. His crimson eyes glowed faintly beneath a haze of black and crimson energy that pulsed uncontrollably around him, feeding his every move. Yet, there was no strategy, no precision—only raw, unrelenting brutality.
System messages flooded his vision, their obsidian frames blinking urgently, their warnings almost pleading:
WARNING: CRITICAL HEALTH LEVELS DETECTED!
WARNING: ENERGY LEVELS DEPLETED. INJURIES CRITICAL!
CORRUPTION LEVEL INCREASING – USER STABILITY AT RISK!
But Ethan didn't spare them even a glance. He was beyond reason, lost in a haze of rage and pain, his every instinct screaming to destroy the creature before him.
The beast, a hulking abomination of sinew, spiked bone, and unholy energy, retaliated with ferocity. Its blackened horns gleamed under the blood-red sky as it charged forward, its roar a deafening cacophony of hate and pain. Claws the size of swords raked through the air, each swing tearing through what little remained of the broken battlefield.
Ethan didn't flinch. Instead, he roared back, his voice guttural and primal, vibrating with something more than human rage. It was a roar of defiance, of agony, of something darker. With a surge of speed that defied logic, he met the beast head-on, slamming his fist into its snout with such force that the air cracked like thunder. A shockwave rippled outward, splitting the ground beneath them and throwing debris high into the air.
The beast staggered, its massive frame reeling from the impact, but only for a moment. With a furious snarl, it lashed out, its tail—a spiked, whip-like appendage—catching Ethan square in the chest. The impact sent him flying, his body tumbling like a broken doll across the shattered ground. He crashed into a jagged boulder with a sickening crunch, the rock splintering under the force.
Blood trickled from his mouth, his chest heaving as if every breath was a battle in itself. But Ethan was already rising, his movements jerky and unnatural, as though sheer hatred was animating his battered frame.
Above him, a small blue spirit flitted nervously, her delicate form shimmering with urgency.
"Master! Stop! You're going to kill yourself!" Tia's voice was high-pitched and frantic, but it was drowned out by the sounds of the brutal battle.
The little spirit poured all her energy into attacking the beast, conjuring shimmering blue constructs that streaked toward it. Swords, chains, and spears of light rained down on the creature, but the attacks barely scratched its thick, armored hide. Tia grimaced, frustration etched across her ethereal face.
"Listen to me, Master! Please! You're losing control!" she screamed, her small fists pounding against the barrier of his spiraling aura. The corruption emanating from him was thick and suffocating, pushing her back.
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Ethan lunged forward again, his movements feral, his claws gleaming with a dark, unnatural energy. He closed the distance in an instant, slamming into the beast's chest with bone-shattering force. Flesh and bone gave way as his claws ripped through its thick hide, dark blood splattering across his face.
The beast howled in agony, its massive claws swiping blindly to dislodge him. Ethan, undeterred, grabbed onto one of its massive horns and swung himself onto its head. His claws dug deep into the base of its skull, anchoring him as the creature thrashed wildly.
"Die!" Ethan roared, his voice a guttural snarl that barely sounded human. His crimson eyes were now streaked with veins of black, glowing with a madness that sent shivers through even Tia.
The beast bucked and thrashed, but Ethan's grip was iron. Dark tendrils of energy crackled around him, wrapping around the beast's limbs like living chains. The tendrils tightened, pulling the creature down as Ethan raised his clawed hand high.
With a downward slash, he tore into the beast's skull, his claws carving through bone with sickening ease. The beast screamed, a sound that seemed to shake the heavens, but Ethan didn't stop. Again and again, he struck, each blow more savage than the last. Blood sprayed in every direction, the ground beneath them turning into a crimson swamp.
Finally, with a deafening roar, Ethan drove both hands into the beast's skull and ripped it apart. Bone cracked and flesh tore as he wrenched the creature's head in two with a sickening crunch. Dark blood gushed out in a torrent, soaking him as the beast's lifeless body collapsed beneath him, shaking the earth with its fall.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the sound of Ethan's ragged breathing. His body trembled, his aura flickering dangerously, the dark energy around him writhing like a living thing. His crimson eyes dimmed as he staggered backward, his bloodied hands hanging limply at his sides.
"Master!" Tia cried, rushing to his side.
But before she could reach him, Ethan collapsed to his knees, then fell face-first into the dirt. His aura dissipated entirely, leaving behind a battered and unconscious man.
Tia hovered over his motionless body, her tiny form glowing faintly as she wept. "Why won't you listen…" she whispered, her voice breaking. She pressed her tiny hands against his chest, her glow intensifying as she poured what little energy she had left into stabilizing him.
The beast lay dead, a grotesque, mangled ruin. But the cost of victory was evident. Ethan's body bore the scars of his unrestrained fury, and the corruption that had fueled his strength lingered like a shadow, pulsing faintly beneath his pale skin.
Tia looked up at the blood-red sky, her tiny fists trembling. "This isn't over," she whispered, a single tear sliding down her glowing cheek.
About two kilometers away from Ethan's location, Clara and the rest of the group raced atop their mounts, their faces etched with fear and urgency. The system message that had previously urged them to [STOP ETHAN] had shifted to a foreboding [SAVE ETHAN], its once red hue now replaced with an ominous black. Every pulse of the screen seemed to thrum with a warning, heightening the anxiety of the group.
Clara's grip on hands tightened as Emily's beast, flew at an impossible speed, his sturdy frame carrying them forward effortlessly. Her silvery-blonde hair whipped in the wind, and her blue eyes glistened with unshed tears. The chilling thought of Ethan spiraling out of control gnawed at her.
"We need to hurry!" she shouted, her voice cracking slightly.
Behind them, about a kilometer back, Trevor stood atop Apole's massive skull, his expression grim as the creature surged through the air at top speed. In his clawed grasp was Leon, his body battered and bruised beyond recognition. His face, swollen and bloodied, barely retained any semblance of the cocky individual they had known.
Trevor's crimson eyes narrowed, glowing with a fierce determination. He could feel it, a dark, suffocating presence growing stronger with every passing second.
"I can sense it. He's being corrupted by his own power. He's past berserk."
The words hung heavy in the air as Trevor's grip on Leon tightened. The latter groaned weakly, his head lolling to the side.
"Hold on, brother. I'll get there soon," Trevor murmured, his voice low but filled with urgency.
Back in her lavish office, Carmen was a mess. Tears streamed freely down her pale face, her black eyes swollen and bloodshot. Her once immaculate appearance was ruined; her black tail lashed behind her frantically, a mirror of her inner turmoil. She paced the room, her heels clicking against the floor in uneven rhythms.
The black system message hovered in front of her, mocking her helplessness.
SAVE ETHAN – CRITICAL!
For the first time in her life, Carmen felt utterly powerless. She was bound by rules and responsibilities that kept her tethered to her position, unable to storm into the Labyrinth Grove herself.
"Why... why can't I do anything?" she whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling. Her tail coiled tightly around her leg as she slammed her fists onto her desk, the wood cracking under the force.
She wiped her face hastily, her heart pounding in her chest. "Ethan... please, hold on," she whispered again, praying to anything that would listen.
The moment Clara and the group reached the clearing where Ethan's battle had taken place, the sight before them made their blood run cold. The massive beast lay dead, its mangled corpse sprawled across the blood-soaked ground. The stench of death and corruption was suffocating, and the earth itself seemed to writhe beneath their feet, black veins spreading out from the beast's remains like a living infection.
But it wasn't the corpse that made their hearts sink.
Ethan's body lay a few meters away, motionless and pale, soaked in blood. His once powerful frame looked fragile now, his clothes shredded, and his skin marred with jagged black lines that pulsed faintly, as though alive. The corruption lingered around him, a dark, mist-like energy coiling protectively around his prone form.
"Ethan!" Clara cried, dismounting in a single leap and rushing to his side. She dropped to her knees, her trembling hands hovering over him, unsure if touching him would do more harm than good.
The others scrambled behind her, their faces pale as they took in the sight of their fallen comrade.
As Clara reached out, the dark mist suddenly flared to life, pushing her back with an invisible force. She landed a few feet away, her eyes wide with shock as the mist began to condense, spiraling around Ethan's body like a living storm.
"What's happening?!" Jerry shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Ethan's body convulsed, his back arching unnaturally as a guttural sound escaped his lips. The black lines on his skin spread rapidly, intertwining and glowing faintly with a sinister light. His crimson eyes flickered open for a brief moment, the pupils sharp and predatory, before he let out a strangled cry.
The ground beneath him cracked, dark energy bursting outward in a violent shockwave. Clara shielded her face as debris flew in every direction. When the dust settled, Ethan's body was floating a few feet above the ground, suspended by the dark mist that seemed to cradle him like a cocoon.
"Ethan!" Clara shouted again, her voice breaking.
The mist began to take shape, forming jagged tendrils that lashed out at the group, forcing them to retreat.
Clara's eyes widened in horror. "No... no! Don't you dare take him!" she screamed, her blue eyes glowing with determination as she began summoning her spirit beast.
Just as Ari roared to life, a crimson streak shot through the sky, slamming into the mist with explosive force. The impact shattered the dark cocoon, sending Ethan's body plummeting to the ground. Trevor landed moments later, Apole hovering menacingly behind him.
Trevor's eyes burned with fury as he stood protectively over Ethan's unconscious form. "Get back," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I'll handle this."
Clara hesitated but nodded, retreating as Trevor faced the dissipating mist, his claws flexing in anticipation of a fight. But the mist, as if sensing the threat, faded into the air, leaving only a chilling whisper in its wake.
Ethan lay still once more, his breathing shallow, his body trembling as the corruption receded slightly. Clara rushed to his side again, tears streaming down her face as she cradled his head.
"We have to get him out of here," she said, her voice firm despite the tremor in it.
Trevor nodded, his crimson eyes scanning the area for any lingering threats. "Agreed. But we need to hurry. He's not safe yet."
As they worked to secure Ethan, the ground beneath them seemed to pulse ominously, a reminder that the corruption was far from gone. And somewhere, far from their reach, Carmen's trembling fingers hovered over her communication device, desperate for any news.