Chapter 13 - The One Who Doesn’t Lose

The laughter was fading. Slowly. Unwillingly. Riven could feel it slipping away from him, like something alive that no longer wanted to stay. His body felt heavier with every second. The lightness, the freedom, the absurd control over reality itself—disappearing. "…tch…" His breath came out rough this time. Real. Human. The forest returned to normal. No more bending ground. No more weightless steps. No more impossible movements. Just trees. Darkness. And silence. The interface flickered weakly. [Override Duration: Ending] Riven exhaled slowly, lowering his hand. "…Yeah… figures." The last traces of that wild power vanished completely. His white hair dulled slightly, losing that unnatural glow. His body—returned. And then— Pain came back. All at once. His muscles screamed. His wounds burned. His breathing broke instantly. "…ha… damn…" He staggered forward slightly, grabbing his side. The earlier injuries—ignored during the override—now hit him twice as hard. His legs felt unstable. His grip weakened. The sword in his hand felt heavier than before. Too heavy. Too real. And then— The forest answered. A sound. Then another. Then many. Riven's eyes sharpened instantly. "…Not again…" Shadows moved between the trees. Not three this time. Not a small group. More. Much more. Shapes formed in the darkness—low, twisted bodies, crawling, watching, circling. One stepped forward. Then another. Then ten more behind it. Riven's breath slowed—but not from calm. From realization. "…I can't fight this." The interface flickered again, barely holding itself together. [Condition: Critical Fatigue] [Warning: Collapse Imminent] He tightened his grip anyway. "…Doesn't matter." His voice was low. Tired. But not broken. "I don't have a choice." The first creature lunged. Riven moved—slower than before, but still reacting. He dodged—barely. The second came immediately after. He blocked—but the impact pushed him back hard, his arms shaking violently. The third— He didn't fully avoid it. The strike hit his shoulder, sending a sharp wave of pain through his body. "…tch—!" He staggered again, forcing himself to stay standing. More creatures closed in. No hesitation. No pause. Just constant pressure. Attack after attack. Riven moved. Dodged. Blocked. Struck back when he could. But it wasn't enough. Not anymore. His movements slowed. His reactions dulled. Each breath heavier than the last. His vision blurred slightly at the edges. "…too many…" He swung his sword again—landing a hit, pushing one creature back—but two more replaced it instantly. No space. No time. No chance to recover. The forest closed in on him. Tight. Suffocating. Another attack. This time—he couldn't fully react. The strike hit clean. Riven fell to one knee again, his sword barely stopping him from collapsing completely. His breathing shattered. "…ha… ha…" The creatures didn't wait. They rushed him together. No pattern. No rhythm. Just overwhelming force. Riven tried to stand— His body didn't respond properly. His grip slipped. The sword dropped again. "…not… like this…" His voice cracked slightly. Not from fear. From frustration. He forced his body up again—but it was too slow. Too late. The first strike landed. Then another. Then another. His body shook under the impact. He couldn't block anymore. Couldn't move properly. Couldn't think clearly. The world blurred completely. Sound distorted. His thoughts broke apart. I… can't… The creatures surrounded him completely now. No escape. No opening. No chance. His body gave out. Fully. Riven fell forward—hitting the ground hard. This time—he couldn't get up. His fingers twitched slightly—but didn't hold anything. His breathing slowed again. Faint. Weak. "…so this… is it…" The words barely formed. The creatures approached slowly. No rush now. They knew. It was over. Completely over. Riven's vision dimmed again—but not fully. Not like before. This time—he was still aware. Still conscious. Forced to watch. The closest creature raised its limb. Ready to end it. Riven didn't move. Couldn't move. His eyes half-open. Fixed. Waiting. Then— Something changed. The creature stopped. Mid-motion. Not by choice. Not by hesitation. It froze. Completely. The others followed. One by one. Every single one of them— Stopped. The forest went silent again. But this silence— Was different. Heavy. Oppressive. Absolute. Riven's vision flickered weakly. "…what…?" A shadow appeared. Not fast. Not dramatic. It was just… there. Standing behind the creatures. Still. Unmoving. Unclear. Not fully visible. Just a silhouette. But its presence— Was overwhelming. The creatures didn't move. Didn't breathe. Didn't exist in that moment. Riven's eyes widened slightly. Not in fear. Not in shock. In… recognition? No. Not recognition. Something deeper. Something instinctive. The interface—broken, flickering, almost gone—suddenly stabilized. For one second. Only one. And then— A single line appeared. Clearer than anything before. [Title Recognized] The text paused. Then completed. ["The Masterpiece"] Riven's breath stopped. His vision locked onto the shadow. He couldn't see its face. Couldn't understand its form. But his entire being reacted. Not fear. Not relief. Something else entirely. The shadow didn't move. Didn't speak. Didn't act. It just… stood there. And that alone— Was enough to stop everything. The creatures slowly backed away. Not running. Not resisting. Just… leaving. Like they were never meant to be here in the first place. Riven lay there. Unable to move. Unable to speak. Watching. The shadow turned slightly. Just enough. As if acknowledging him. Or judging him. Or… something else. Riven's vision blurred again. His consciousness fading. "…who… are you…" No answer came. The interface shattered completely. The forest dimmed. The shadow remained. Still. Silent. Untouchable. And the last thing Riven saw— Before everything went dark— Was that title. Burning into his vision. "The Masterpiece" Then— Nothing. 🔥