The darkness closed in behind me.
The way back… had vanished.
---
I walked on.
Slowly.
But with determination.
---
Every step echoed hollowly.
Every breath felt heavier than the last.
---
This place…
did not accept me.
---
But neither did it reject me.
---
It…
was testing me.
---
'Welcome…' whispered a voice from the darkness.
---
I stopped.
---
'Show yourself.'
---
Silence.
---
And then—
---
EYES.
---
Dozens.
Hundreds.
---
They opened in the darkness.
---
And in the next moment—
---
MONSTERS.
---
They didn't look like humans.
They didn't look like beasts.
---
Broken.
Twisted.
---
As if they'd been…
assembled from pain.
---
Akarania flared:
---
[ANALYSIS: DISTORTED BEINGS]
[LEVEL: HIGH]
[THREAT: CRITICAL]
---
I smiled.
---
— Just what I need.
---
I clenched the Kuroyami.
---
"Let's begin."
---
They lunged simultaneously.
---
WHOOSH!
---
I vanished.
---
The first strike—
---
SLASH.
---
The monster fell apart.
---
But it didn't vanish.
---
It… was reassembling itself.
---
— Immortals…?
---
— Almost, — whispered a voice.
---
I clenched my teeth.
---
— Then I'll cut faster.
---
A FLASH of lightning.
---
The spirits swirled.
---
SCAR awoke.
---
— YES… COME ON!
---
I lunged forward.
---
STRIKE!
---
Another one!
---
A series.
---
Every movement—
faster.
Harder.
---
Kuroyama sang.
---
The spirits guided.
---
SCAR amplified.
---
CRACK!
---
The monsters were torn apart.
---
But they rose again.
---
— Not enough…
---
I stopped.
---
Breathing heavily.
---
— Then…
---
I closed my eyes.
---
And gathered everything.
---
Lightning.
Spirits.
Darkness.
---
Into a single point.
---
— Burn.
---
Silence.
---
And then—
---
EXPLOSION.
---
A wave of energy surged forward.
---
This time—
---
the monsters…
did not regenerate.
---
Ashes.
---
Silence.
---
I was breathing heavily.
---
— There you go…
---
Akarania:
---
[SKILL UPGRADED: SPIRITUAL SLASH → LEVEL 2]
[SYNCHRONISATION: 18%]
---
I smiled.
---
— Let's continue.
---
And the dungeon…
responded.
---
A ROAR.
---
The floor trembled.
---
From the depths…
something was rising.
---
BIGGER.
---
STRONGER.
---
I looked up.
---
— Right then.
---
Out of the darkness it emerged.
---
A giant.
---
Woven from the same creatures.
---
But…
a single entity.
---
Akaranian:
---
[BOSS: DISTORTION HARVESTER]
[LEVEL: VERY HIGH]
---
— At last.
---
He struck first.
---
THE GROUND SHATTERED.
---
I barely dodged it.
---
— Quick…
---
I lunged at him.
---
STRIKE!
---
But—
---
the blade didn't go through.
---
— Damn…
---
He grabbed me.
---
GRIPPED.
---
My bones creaked.
---
— KH—
---
SCAR screamed:
---
— KILL HIM!
---
The spirits trembled.
---
Kuroyami tensed.
---
I clenched my teeth.
---
— …no.
---
Pause.
---
— Together.
---
I closed my eyes.
---
And…
let go of control.
---
Not completely.
---
But enough.
---
The lightning exploded.
---
The spirits screamed.
---
SCAR laughed.
---
And everything—
---
merged.
---
Into one.
---
I opened my eyes.
---
They were glowing.
---
Not just from the lightning.
---
From something deeper.
---
— Now…
---
I vanished.
---
A WHISTLE.
---
And appeared…
right in front of his heart.
---
— DIE.
---
A THUD.
---
SILENCE.
---
And then—
---
DESTRUCTION.
---
The giant froze.
---
Cracks spread across his body.
---
And he…
fell apart.
---
Completely.
---
Irreparably.
---
Silence.
---
A long one.
---
I stood there.
---
Barely breathing.
---
But…
I was smiling.
---
Akarania:
---
[BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVED]
[SYNCHRONISATION: 27%]
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
---
I looked up.
---
— What now…?
---
The answer came immediately.
---
[SKILL: SPIRITUAL CORE — ACTIVATED]
---
My heart skipped a beat.
---
— Core…?
---
Warmth inside.
---
Steady.
---
Strong.
---
— …I've become…
---
A pause.
---
— stronger.
---
The darkness around me stirred again.
---
Deeper.
---
As if…
this was only the first floor.
---
I smiled.
---
I lifted Kuroyami.
---
— Then…
---
A step forward.
---
— let's go on.
---
And the dungeon…
opened its maw once more.
---
Ready to devour.
---
Or…
to accept.