The monster burst into laughter, a sound that made the earth tremble. "So fragile," it said with disdain.
Then, it exploded in a mass of blood and flesh, taking Nox with it
.
Nox did not dodge; he took the full force of the explosion before beginning to disintegrate, fading away like a reflection.
A few meters away, Nox reappeared, his eyes empty and glassy, devoid of all emotion. Something unhealthy had germinated and was growing within him.
Ding!
[ Quest Accomplished ]
Even the system notification, which would normally have captured all his attention, went unnoticed, inaudible to his ears.
Immediately after the message, the return crystal appeared and activated. Without delay, Nox and the rest of his team left the portal, leaving behind the monsters' bodies and a rapidly expanding black hole.
...
