Zach moved with purpose, but the wraith attacked with fury, its sickle claws slashed at him but he narrowly dodged few.
[76/100 HP]
…
[73/100 HP]
…
[68/100 HP]
The wraith slashed frantically at Zach, its claws cutting through the air as the young seeker dodged frantically, struggling to keep up.
Whenever it got close, it tried to maim him with its sickle-like claws . From a distance, it unleashed beams of dark energy.
Zach's chest heaved, foggy breaths spilling into the cold air. His stamina was draining fast—too fast.
"I can't die here", he thought.
"I mustn't."
The wraith began charging another beam of energy.
This time, Zach didn't back away. He charged straight at it.
If his timing was even a second off, he'd die.
The beam shot forward—Zach swerved to the side, the explosion roaring behind him as he grabbed the wraith's wrist.
"Got you."
He had noticed something.
While he was fighting thie abomination.
Whenever he struck its body, the creature dispersed into mist. But when he aimed for its head, it dodged instead.
The system had marked its weakness—a gemstone embedded in its skull.
That was why it always avoided headshots.
But not this time.
Twisting his body at an unnatural angle, Zach drove his foot into the monster's head with crushing force.
BOOM!
[-100 HP]
The wraith staggered.
NOW!
Zach lunged, slamming another kick into its skull with all his might, blasting it toward a boulder.
[-68 HP]
[-86 HP]
The boulder shattered on impact. The wraith staggered back to its feet, twitching.
A crooked smile tugged at Zach's lips.
"You thought you were winning, huh?" He chuckled darkly, walking forward, fists clenched.
The wraith flinched.
Zach could imagine it gritting it's teeth.
"C'mon. Don't be shy."
It snarled, hurling another beam. Zach dodged easily—but when he turned back, the wraith was gone.
It's—!
His eyes widened.
Behind him.
"Shit!"
Too late to dodge. He braced.
BOOM!
The sickle claws ripped into his wrist, and the wraith's maw clamped onto his shoulder.
[51/100 HP]
"AAARGHH!"
Zach roared, grabbing the monster's head. Aura surged violently into his hands as he squeezed.
They crashed together, rolling across the snowy slope, flakes scattering all around the vicinity.
[41/100 HP]
Agony seared his insides, like billions of molten needles piercing his skin.
He gritted his teeth, clamping harder, his aura burned into the creature's skull.
But the wraith didn't let go Its fangs dug deeper.
The sound of cracking bone echoed.
Zach's vision blurred crimson. He couldn't tell if it was the monster's skull splitting—or his shoulder dislocating.
Maybe both.
[Fire Tether Activation]
Zach's body erupted into bright flames.
The two of them were engulfed in a blazing inferno.
The heat was unbearable. His flesh seared, his nerves screamed.
The wraith writhed in agony but refused to release his shoulder.
With his blazing fingers, Zach gouged into its eyes.
A shriek split the night as fire consumed them both, snow hissing into steam beneath them.
Zach roared, channeling every ounce of power into his grip.
Squish!
[Fatal Strike -726]
The wraith's skull burst apart under his grasp. Its twitching body went limp, collapsing onto Zach's chest.
[Congratulations! You have killed the Fiend: Shadow Wraith]
The flames slowly died, leaving silence.
Zach lay in the snow for a few minutes, gasping, his vision stained red.
It almost...
He panted.
ate me alive…
His guard had nearly cost him everything.
"No more underestimation…" he muttered, coughing blood.
"HEY KID!!"
"Huh…?" Zach's hearing was muffled, but the old man's voice reached him. Boots crunched through snow.
"You really did it!!!" The man's elated shout rang out.
But Zach could barely see. His vision had turned scarlet, his eyes were bleeding.
Zach laid motionless in the snow, his hands bloodied, his eyes streaming red.
---
[MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!]
[You have received the following:]
[..100 Blood Stones]
[..1 Existence Stone]
[..Cursed Tachi]
[..Shadow Cloak]
[..Dark Scales]
[….???….]
His vision blurred.
What is this…?
The world rippled.
Darkness swallowed him.
Is this… my internal world?
A black void stretched endlessly, stars scattered across the horizon.
The ground rippled like a black sea with each step.
Floating in the void's center was a glowing blue jade slip.
[Internal World Awakened]
"This is…?"
Zach's eyes widened. An internal world.
Seekers usually awakened theirs at the Curious stage. Not before.
Yet here it was. His own.
"This is like those prodigies who awaken early…" he whispered.
The jade slip pulsed above him. His skill.
[Skill Name – Crimson Overdrive] [1]
[Channels flames to empower the body, heart, and soul.]
[Skill History – Crimson Overdrive was wielded by the Archangel Michael to split the Hades Dimension during the Final War against the Beast of Armageddon.]
[Skill Upgrade Cost – 20 Blood Crystals]
Zach stared in awe.
Status.
[OVERALL STATS]
[Name: Zachariah Keal]
[Age: 18]
[Race: Human]
[Sequence Level: Ignorance]
[Healing Speed: 0.00001/s]
[Blood Stones: 100]
[Existence Stones: 1]
[Strength: 27]
[Speed: 30]
[Senses: 21]
[Intelligence: 32]
[Agility: 29]
[HP: 17/100]
[Soul Essence: 10/100]
[Blood Essence: 45/1000]
[Skill Name – Crimson Overdrive] [1]
[Channels flames to empower the body, heart, and soul.]
[Skill History – Crimson Overdrive was wielded by the Archangel Michael to split the Hades Dimension during the Final War against the Beast of Armageddon.]
[1/1]
…???… [Reach the Stage of Curiosity to Unlock]
[Cursed Tachi]
[Shadow Cloak]
[Dark Scales]
[Training Simulation unlocked. Say the phrase 'IT' to initiate training.]
[Say the phrase 'Cross' to return to the outside world.]
Zach frowned. Half these things were new. They'd only appeared after defeating the wraith.
Existence Stones…?
He glanced at his HP bar. It made sense—he was unconscious.
"Upgrade skill," he thought.
[Congratulations! Skill Upgraded]
[Crimson Overdrive] [2]
[Skill Upgrade Cost – 40 Blood Crystals]
He still had plenty.
"Upgrade again."
[Congratulations! Skill Upgraded]
[Crimson Overdrive] [3]
No change. Probably because he wasn't in his physical body.
He eyed the Training option, but ignored it for now.
"Cross."
The void flipped.
"…Wait—I think he's waking up," a feminine voice echoed faintly.
"…What…?"