The next day, Ethan took Velina on his back and they kept moving. They kept pushing toward the visible beacon they could see.
[TIME REMAINING: 3HOURS 40MINUTES 20SECONDS]
The sun dipped lower in the Drazan sky, a twin blaze of gold and crimson casting cruel shadows over the desert's shifting dunes. Ethan's breath came ragged, every step a battle against gravity, fatigue, and pain.
Ahead, like a flickering promise on the horizon, he saw it clearly.
The Beacon. Glowing. The destination. Its faint blue light shimmered like a mirage, steady but distant. Ethan's body screamed for rest. His legs trembled beneath the weight on his back. Velina lay limp, her breaths shallow against his shoulder. Her wounds were not critical, but they'd drained her, and Ethan had carried her ever since they'd slain the cobra beasts. Not a single soul had offered to help. The other aspirants either passed him or avoided his gaze altogether.
He staggered forward.
Dust clung to his bloodied tunic. The veins on his arms pulsed unnaturally, like something alive stirred beneath the skin. The Leviathan Mark glowed faintly from his right forearm to his right chest, dimming and flaring with each pulse of WRATH. But he didn't leave his arm exposed like that, he always made sure he wrapped it in a cloth till his chest.
Ethan continued marching forward. Slowly but surely, but–
Then came the sound. Skittering.
Ethan froze.
Two massive shapes slithered over the ridge ahead, dropping into the sand with heavy thuds. Their limbs moved like armored machines, and their bodies scorpion-like, plated in glistening obsidian reared up to reveal wicked pincers and tails curled to strike.
[WARNING: WRATH CHARGE DETECTED]
[CLASS II TARTARUS BEASTS – ×2]
[NAME: SCORDANA]
Ethan gritted his teeth and gently slid Velina from his back, laying her behind a dune. Her eyes fluttered open. "E-Ethan…"
"Stay down," he said, standing tall. "Rest..I've got this."
Ethan charged. The beasts charged. He ducked, rolled to the side as one pincer cleaved into the sand where he stood. The other scorpion struck from the flank, he barely blocked it with his sword, the impact rattling his bones.
He backstepped, dragging deep breaths. [WRATH: 82/35]
"I need to defend until I see an opening..."
The first beast lunged again. He parried, spun, slashing the outer shell, but the blade barely scratched it, the scordana had dodged in time. The second scordana struck from behind, he rolled again, sand clogging his mouth and eyes.
A claw caught his shoulder. Pain erupted. He roared, slashing blindly, buying space. One knee hit the ground. Blood dripped from his nose. But Velina was behind him. He couldn't let them reach her. With a guttural yell, he sprang up and met the beast's next strike. Sparks erupted as blade met claw.
Then he pivoted—low, fast—plunging his blade under the beast's belly.
It hissed and recoiled.
"Now... ABYSSAL CLAWS"
[ABYSSAL CLAWS - ACTIVATED]
[WRATH EXPENDED: 20]
[WRATH: 62/35]
His hands shifted, elongated claws emerged, glowing faintly with dark crimson.
He leapt. Claws tore into the beast's face. The carapace cracked, ichor spraying.
SLASH. RIP. ROAR.
Ethan twisted mid-air, digging both clawed hands into its skull. The beast collapsed, twitching.
[SCORDANA DEFEATED – CLASS I]
[+10EXP GAINED]
[CURRENT EXP: 18/600]
One left.
The second scorpion lunged.
SLAM!
It hit Ethan like a boulder, hurling him across the sand into a rock. His back arched as he crashed, coughing blood. The world spun.
[HP: 7/20]
The beast Turned, toward Velina.
She lay still, blinking slowly, unable to move.
"E—Ethan…" she whispered.
The beast raised its tail.
"NO—!"
Ethan forced himself up. The sand felt like lava beneath him. Every part of him screamed in protest. He stumbled.
"Move… MOVE!"
[WARNING: WRATH RISING ONCE MORE]
[WRATH: 78/35]
Ethan tried again "Move... MOVE" Rage taking over, fury and wrath rising
[WARNING: WRATH RISING ONCE MORE]
[WRATH 90/35]
"Move... I said MOVE"
[WRATH OVERSURGE DETECTED]
[WRATH: 100/35]
[WARNING: Prolonged Oversurge Will Weaken the Seal]
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Host is advised to expel WRATH via skill activation]
[OBLIVION: - 10]
[SEAL: 20% WEAKENED]
[SOUL STABILITY: 70%]
He roared.
"ABYSSAL LUNGE!"
Time blurred.
A black streak through the sand. He materialized between Velina and the beast, claws up, catching the tail mid-strike. The impact sent shockwaves through his arms.
"ABYSSAL CLAWS!"
He slammed his claws into the beast's chest, over and over. It shrieked, trying to retreat, but Ethan didn't let go. One claw tore through the carapaces. The second tore deep through its flesh. The third reached through itscore.
CRACK.
The beast shuddered and collapsed. Ethan stood there, chest heaving, covered in blood and black ichor. Then he dropped to one knee. Blood poured from his mouth. The aftermath of using Abyssal lunge was hitting hard on his drained body
[SCORDANA DEFEATED]
[+10EXP GAINED]
[CURRENT EXP: 28/600]
[WRATH: 72/35]
Velina, weakly, reached out. "Ethan…"
He clenched his fists. His vision blurred. His heart pounded in his ears. His eyes wear piercing, bleeding too His skin burned. His Leviathan Mark pulsed violently. The voices in his head were louder than ever.
{You are not weak. You are not done. Rise. Rise like the beast that you are}
He screamed in pain. The sand below him darkened with blood and fury.
And then–
He lifted his head. His eyes locked on the Beacon, now closer than ever.
"I WILL NOT FALL HERE" he growled. "Not now."
He rose. Muscles trembled. Bones cracked. His hands bled. But he walked. He stumbled toward Velina, lifted her onto his back. Every step after that was agony. But he moved.
Step. Drag. Breathe. Step again.
[TIME REMAINING: 1HOUR 50MINUTES 30SECONDS]
---
****Academy Observation Chamber – Drazan Expanse Projection****
Three knights stood in front of the shimmering mirror-like projection.
They'd seen every second.
"...Two Class II beasts," one said. "And he killed both. Injured. Alone. Protecting another."
"And didn't abandon her," another noted. "Even now, he carries her."
"The skill, those claws again," said the third, arms folded. "Same dark surge as the other times. The same system magic that doesn't match any known type."
"Is he a mage... Impossible.... Or maybe a Ruinwalker"
"Ruinwalkers are no more friend... Could it be demonic?"
"Too fluid. Too controlled."
The leader, an older man with silver in his beard, narrowed his eyes. "...I've seen something like this before."
The other knights turned.
"But not in this generation," he muttered. "And if it is what I think... then he is more dangerous than any of them realize."
He said nothing more.
---
*Back in the Drazan Expanse*
The final stretch lay ahead. Ethan pressed forward.
The light of the beacon shimmered like hope through a haze of blood and wrath. And he walked. Carrying not just Velina. But the storm burning within.