The light from the Forbidden Core swallowed the night.
Lian staggered back, arm raised against the brilliance. Even the Core King flinched, his hand dropping from the hilt of his sword as the glow rose like a second sun.
Then the light cracked.
The Core split apart with a sound like grinding stone, shards spinning outward into the air before dissolving into motes of violet flame.
And something crawled free.
At first, it looked like a man.
Tall. Thin. Cloaked in ragged darkness.
Then it unfolded further, limbs bending at the wrong angles, eyes glowing like molten gold. A face stretched too wide in a grin that was more predator than human.
The air itself grew heavy around it.
It turned its head slowly, like the world was new and it was deciding what to eat first.
[System Alert: Unknown Entity Detected.]
[Classification: Tyrant Fragment.]
[Recommendation: Flee Immediately.]
The system's voice was sharp, panicked.
But the creature's gaze had already fallen on Lian.
And when it spoke, the voice came like broken glass dragged over steel.
"Heart… I smell the Heart."
The Core King moved first. His blade flashed, silver arcs slicing through the air as he struck.
The creature caught the sword barehanded.
Lian saw steel crumble like sand between its fingers.
It hurled the Core King aside like a doll, sending him crashing through a blackened tree.
And then it lunged toward Lian.
The Tyrant's Heart roared inside him.
Not words.
Not even thoughts.
Just hunger.
It wanted to fight this thing.
No—kill it.
Lian moved, barely in time. The creature's claws carved the earth where he'd stood, leaving a trench of molten stone.
He slashed back with his broken blade, sparks flying.
The thing laughed, a sound like cracking ice.
[Tyrant's Heart Sync: 31%… 42%…]
Energy flooded Lian's limbs, wild and violent.
He swung again—this time faster, harder. The blow connected, sending the creature staggering back.
But his arms burned like fire. The power wasn't his.
It was borrowing him.
The Core King reappeared, landing beside him. His silver armor was cracked, his eyes colder now.
"You're losing control," he said flatly.
Lian didn't answer. He couldn't. The Tyrant's Heart was drowning his thoughts in fury.
The creature lunged again.
Both men moved together this time—Lian slashing low, the Core King striking high.
Steel and broken bone met shadow-flesh, sparks and ichor flying.
But the thing didn't fall.
It only laughed again, louder this time.
The fight raged across the clearing.
Each blow shook the air, trees snapping, earth cracking.
Lian felt his strength growing with every strike… but so was the rage.
His vision blurred. His heart hammered too fast.
The Tyrant's Heart was eating him alive.
[Host Integrity 24%. Risk of Core Corruption: 67%.]
The system's voice barely cut through the chaos.
Lian struck again, faster than he thought possible—his blade slicing through the creature's arm.
Dark ichor sprayed the ground.
The thing screamed, a sound that made the air itself twist.
It slammed a clawed hand into Lian's chest, hurling him across the clearing.
He hit the ground hard, vision swimming.
The Core King stepped forward alone now, silver armor glowing faintly as runes ignited across his blade.
"This ends here," he said softly.
The creature tilted its head, grinning too wide again.
And then it lunged.
The clash was blinding.
Steel met shadow-flesh in a storm of sparks and light.
Lian forced himself to his feet, barely seeing through the dust and flame.
The Core King was holding his ground… but barely.
Every blow cracked the earth beneath them.
And then Lian felt it—
The Tyrant's Heart pulsing harder.
Louder.
More.
It wanted him to give in.
It promised victory if he let it.
He almost did.
But then he saw the Core King stagger, a claw tearing through his armor.
Saw the creature raising both arms to crush him.
And Lian moved without thinking.
[Tyrant's Heart Sync: 53%…]
Power exploded through his veins.
He slammed into the creature mid-strike, broken blade stabbing deep into its chest.
Light roared outward from the wound.
The creature screamed again—this time in pain.
And then it began to burn.
The Forbidden Core's shards rose from the ground, spinning faster and faster, drawn into the creature's body as it writhed.
Its grin vanished.
The golden eyes dimmed.
And with a final, shuddering howl, the thing collapsed into ash.
Silence.
The shards of the Core floated for a moment, then streaked into Lian's chest like falling stars.
The Tyrant's Heart drank them in.
[Forbidden Core Acquired: Fragment of Wrath.]
[Evolution Unlocked: Tyrant Form – Stage One.]
Lian collapsed to one knee, gasping.
The Core King stood over him, blade lowered, helm dented but eyes sharp.
"You're reckless," he said. "That thing would have killed us both."
Lian looked up, voice hoarse. "What was it?"
The Core King's gaze drifted to Lian's chest—where the Tyrant's Heart still pulsed faintly.
"One of nine," he said softly. "Fragments of the Tyrant himself. And you just claimed it."
His voice dropped lower.
"But every Core you take will make you less human. Until nothing of you remains."
Lian said nothing.
Because even now…
He could still feel the Heart whispering.
Asking for more.